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US 7,000,868 B1Granted
Thread storage and dispensing apparatus
OwnerEddy C. Moore, Michael T. Schmidtinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multiple thread dispenser which serves as both a portable container for many spools of thread and a dispenser of multiple strands of thread. The container dispenses thread for use with a sewing machine. The spools of thread are stored in an array of pockets which are relieved for easy access to the spools. Multiple strands of thread dispense from a top row of pockets. A base plate stabilizes the container while dispensing thread to a sewing machine. The base plate can be stored within the container during transport. The base plate has a pocket on the bottom of the base plate for printed material that can be viewed through a semi-transparent lid when the base plate is in its stored position.
Claims16
A thread storage and dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a storage container comprising:
- spaced apart side, top and bottom outer walls and a back wall defining a rectilinear container,
- a handle with a top edge located on the exterior of said top outer wall,
- horizontal and vertical dividers within said container forming an array of pockets with multiple rows and multiple columns including a top row adjacent to said top outer wall, and
- said pockets sized to receive spools of thread;
- a first array of slots sized for thread to pass through located on said top outer wall, at least one slot located above each of said pockets forming said top row;
- and
- a second array of slots sized for thread to pass through located on said top edge of said handle.
5 more elements
A method for storing and dispensing thread from a container storing multiple spools of thread comprising:
- positioning multiple spools of thread adjacent to an outer wall of the container;
- passing separate strands of thread from said multiple spools of thread through separate first slots located on the outer wall of said container;
- and
- tensioning each separate strand of thread by passing each separate strand of thread through separate second slots spaced from the first slots on the container
- wherein the container includes a handle and said second slots are located on said handle.
2 more elements
A method for storing and dispensing thread from a container storing multiple spools of thread comprising:
- positioning multiple spools of thread adjacent to an outer wall of the container;
- passing separate strands of thread from said multiple spools of thread through separate first slots located on the outer wall of said container;
- and
- tensioning each separate strand of thread by passing each separate strand of thread through separate second slots spaced from the first slots on the container and positioned on an outward extension of the container.
1 more element
A thread storage and dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a storage container comprising:
- spaced apart side, top and bottom outer walls and a back wall defining a rectilinear container,
- a handle with a top edge located on the exterior of said top outer wall,
- horizontal and vertical dividers within said container forming an array of pockets with multiple rows and multiple columns including a top row adjacent to said top outer wall, and
- said pockets sized to receive spools of thread;
- an array of slots sized for thread to pass through located on said top outer wall, at least one slot located above each of said pockets forming said top row;
- a base plate with a top and bottom side temporarily attachable to the exterior of said bottom outer wall for stabilizing said container;
- and
- reliefs in the horizontal and vertical dividers for storage of said base plate within said container.
6 more elements
A thread storage and dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a storage container comprising:
- spaced apart side, top and bottom outer walls and a back wall defining a rectilinear container,
- a handle with a top edge located on the exterior of said top outer wall,
- horizontal and vertical dividers within said container forming an array of pockets with multiple rows and multiple columns including a top row adjacent to said top outer wall, and
- said pockets sized to receive spools of thread;
- an array of slots sized for thread to pass through located on said top outer wall, at least one slot located above each of said pockets forming said top row;
- and
- a base plate with a top and bottom side temporarily attachable to the exterior of said bottom outer wall for stabilizing said container, wherein the top side of said base plate temporarily attaches to the exterior of the bottom outer wall of the storage and dispensing apparatus and the bottom side of the base plate is relieved towards the top side of the base plate forming a pocket in which printed material may be stored.
5 more elements
A thread storage and dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a storage container comprising:
- spaced apart side, top and bottom outer walls and a back wall defining a rectilinear container,
- a handle with a top edge located on the exterior of said top outer wall,
- horizontal and vertical dividers within said container forming an array of pockets with multiple rows and multiple columns including a top row adjacent to said top outer wall, and
- said pockets sized to receive spools of thread;
- an array of slots sized for thread to pass through located on said top outer wall, at least one slot located above each of said pockets forming said top row;
- and
- a base plate with a top and bottom side temporarily attachable to the exterior of said bottom outer wall for stabilizing said container, wherein the base plate has ridges on the top side of the plate and the container has a lid forming a front wall to the layer of pockets wherein the ridges spaced to fit snugly against the closed container when the container sits on the base plate.
5 more elements
A thread storage and dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a storage container comprising:
- spaced apart side, top and bottom outer walls and a back wall defining a rectilinear container,
- a handle with a top edge located on the exterior of said top outer wall,
- horizontal and vertical dividers within said container forming an array of pockets with multiple rows and multiple columns including a top row adjacent to said top outer wall, and
- said pockets sized to receive spools of thread;
- an array of slots sized for thread to pass through located on said top outer wall, at least one slot located above each of said pockets forming said top row;
- and
- a base plate with a top and bottom side temporarily attachable to the exterior of said bottom outer wall for stabilizing said container, wherein the base plate has ridges on the top side and wherein the horizontal and vertical dividers have reliefs such that the base plate fits within the container with the lid closed, and the dividers and the ridges are mutually spaced to fit the ridges alongside the horizontal dividers.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.