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US 5,961,434 AGranted
Method and apparatus for arranging twist-ties
AssigneeTwist-Ease, Inc.
InventorJames Ray Helseth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cluster of twist-ties is formed by arranging twist-ties generally parallel to one another and interconnecting the twist-ties at a common end. The twist-ties are severed proximate the common end so that a person can pull on an opposite, free end of any twist-tie to remove it from the cluster.
Claims23
A twist-tie dispenser, comprising:
- a housing having a pair of opposing walls which cooperate to define a gap therebetween, the gap defining an upper gap depth and a lower gap depth, wherein the lower gap depth is less than the upper gap depth;
- and
- a plurality of twist-ties each having a wire retained within a strip of material, the twist-ties arranged into a cluster having a first portion, proximate which the twist-ties are secured together, and a second portion, proximate which each of the twist-ties is separable from the cluster, the first and second portions each having a thickness, wherein the first portion thickness is greater than the second portion thickness, the second portion is sized and configured to occupy the lower gap depth, and the first portion is sized and configured to occupy the upper gap depth and bear against the opposing walls to retain the plurality of twist-ties within the housing.
A twist-tie cluster, comprising:
- a plurality of twist-ties, each having a wire retained within a strip of material and extending from a first end to a second end, wherein a cut is made in each of said wires between said first end and said second end, thereby defining a first segment, extending between said first end and said cut, and a second segment, extending between said cut and said second end, wherein each of said first segments and corresponding said second segments remain connected to one another by at least one uncut portion of said material;
- and
- a connecting means for connecting said first segments together to form said cluster, wherein said cluster has a width and a depth, said cluster is at least three twist-ties deep and at least three twist-ties wide, and said first segments abut each other over the depth and the width of said cluster.
A twist-tie dispensing system, comprising:
- a plurality of twist-ties, each having a wire retained within a strip of material and extending from a first end to a second end, wherein a cut is made in each of said wires between said first end and said second end, thereby defining a first segment, extending between said first end and said cut, and a second segment, extending between said cut and said second end, wherein each of said first segments and corresponding said second segments remain connected to one another by at least one uncut portion of said material;
- a connecting means for connecting said first segments together to form a cluster, wherein said cluster has a width and a depth, said cluster is at least three twist-ties deep and at least three twist-ties wide, and said first segments abut each other over the depth and the width of said cluster;
- a rigid support;
- and
- a mounting means for mounting said cluster to said rigid support, whereby the application of a pulling force causes the removal of said second segments from said cluster.
2 more elements
A method of arranging twist-ties into a cluster, comprising the steps of:
- providing a sheet of twist-ties having parallel wires disposed within a carrier material;
- severing the wires proximate first ends thereof, cutting slits in the carrier material between the parallel wires from second, opposite ends to where the wires are severed;
- folding the sheet, about lines extending parallel to the wires, to provide overlying layers of twist-ties;
- and
- connecting the first ends of the wires after folding the sheet to provide overlying layers of twist-ties.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.