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US 11,858,706 B2Granted
Connected elastics
AssigneeDurham Enterprises Corporation
InventorsBenjamin Durham, Michael Brian Freeman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A strand of connected elastics is disclosed. The strand includes a series of elastic bands and a series of connecting portions that connect the series of elastic bands to each other. The connecting portions may have configurations that enable them to broken when separation and use of an elastic from an end of the strand is desired. Methods for manufacturing and using strands of connected elastics are also disclosed.
Claims9
A series of connected elastic bands, comprising:
- an elongated tube, including:
- a single connecting portion defined by a material of the elongated tube extending over a surface of the elongated tube;
- and
- a series of circumferential cuts along a length of the elongated tube, each circumferential cut of the series of circumferential cuts extending through the elongated tube to the single connecting portion and partially through a thickness of the single connecting portion to define and separate adjacent elastic bands of a series of connected elastic bands from each other, with only the single connecting portion connecting the adjacent elastic bands to each other.
1 more element
A method for using an elastic band, comprising:
- obtaining a series of elastic bands that are connected only along a single connecting portion of an elongated tube, with the elastic bands being defined by a series of circumferential cuts extending through the elongated tube and into a thickness of the single connecting portion, but not completely through the thickness of the single connecting portion, the single connecting portion comprising a material of a portion of a wall of the elongated tube;
- grasping an elastic band of the elongated tube;
- separately grasping a portion of the elongated tube adjacent to the elastic band;
- and
- pulling the elastic band from the portion of the elongated tube to disrupt material of the single connecting portion that connects the elastic band to the portion of the elongated tube and to remove the elastic band from the portion of the elongated tube.
2 more elements
A series of connected elastic bands, comprising;
- an elongated tube, including:
- a connecting portion extending over a surface of the elongated tube, adjacent elastic bands of the series of connected elastic bands being connected to each other along the connecting portion;
- and
- a series of circumferential cuts along a length of the elongated tube, each circumferential cut of the series of circumferential cuts extending through the elongated tube to and partially through at least part of the connecting portion to define each elastic band of the series of connected elastic bands.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.