WO2000005442A1

WO2000005442A1 - Craft lanyard material

Info

Publication number: WO2000005442A1
Application number: PCT/US1999/016255
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hilary Robin Zelson
Original assignee: Hilary Robin Zelson
Priority date: 1998-07-24
Filing date: 1999-07-23
Publication date: 2000-02-03
Also published as: AU5317099A

Abstract

This invention relates to the material used to construct lanyards used for crafts, specifically the plastic strips used to weave lanyards as a craft by children and adults into items such as key chains, necklaces, whistle holders and bracelets. The lanyard material of this invention includes selected and desirable odors and/or graphic images and/or holograms and/or a textured surface.

Description

CRAFT LANYARD MATERIAL

Abstract of the Disclosure

This invention relates to the material used to construct lanyards used for crafts, specifically the plastic strips used to weave lanyards as a craft by children and adults into items such as key chains, necklaces, whistle holders and bracelets. The lanyard material of this invention include selected and desirable odors and/or graphic images and/or holograms and/or a textured surface .

Background of the Invention

The typical plastic strips used to weave together, with one or more strips, into a desired craft item are today found in a wide variety of colors. Some of these plastic strips also are clear and include reflective "sparkles" in a gold or silver tone. It is common for either two strips of the same color or two strips of different colors to be woven together to for a pattern resulting from the particular type of stitch used in the weave.

Some plastic strips used for crafn lanyards are constructed as of solid, typically extruded or molded plastic, whereas others are constructed as a plastic coated fibers. The strip dimensions are typically % inch by 1/8 inch by whatever length is necessary to achieve the braided item sought to be constructed, but typically this can be 12-24 inches cr longer and are typically commercially available on spools. The outer surface of the strips are smooth and the edges are usually slightly rounded. The strips are very flexible and can be woven into a variety of stitches, such as the box stitch and diamond stitch.

While plastic is most typically produced as a final product without any noticeable odor, it is also know in the prior art that plastic and rubber compounds can be imparted with a desired scent or odor. Examples of this include plastic fly fishing lures (e.g., Culpret ™ fishing lures) and pencil erasers. Scents are also available for placing onto plastic surfaces, such as sprays or liquids to make car vinyl smell "new" or imparting a particular scent (e.g., ASTRO SHINE ™ car care products). Chemical compounds known to impart such odors to materials, such as plastic, as well as to paper (e.g., U.S. patent 3,627,325) and as additives to foods are well know in the art. In addition, it is also well known in the prior at to apply graphic images (e.g., cartoon and other characters) as well as holograms, often as a sticker, onto plastic surfaces such as plastic trinkets and trading cards.

However, none of the plastic strips used for craft lanyard construction has been provided with a specific scent or odor nor have any of the current plastic strips used for craft lanyard construction been provided with graphic images and/or holograms on their surface. In addition, none of the plastic strips used for craft lanyard construction has been provided with a textured surface .

Summary of the Invention

This invention comprises a plastic strip used for braiding a lanyard said plastic strip comprising an odor imparted or impregnated plastic. The plastic strip is flexible and is preferably about 1/8 inch by M inch by 12-24 inches (or longer) although the exact dimensions will vary and are not critical to the invention disclosed herein. The plastic strip comprises solid plastic or comprises plastic coated fibers. The plastic strip comprises a food odor, a flavoring odor, a perfume fragrance, a flower fragrance or a fruit odor.

In another embodiment the plastic strip used for braiding a lanyard said plastic strip comprises a textured surface.

In another embodiment plastic strip used for braiding a lanyard comprises a graphic image or holographic image visible on its surface. The graphic image or holographic image can comprise an abstract image or the image of a person, place or thing. The graphic image or holographic image can comprise a photograph. The graphic image or holographic image can be applied as a sticker to the surface of said plastic strip.

Detailed description of the Invention

The invention disclosed herein generally comprises a plastic strip having a selected odor or scen . The invention disclosed herein also generally comprises a plastic strip having a graphic image or images on its surface. The invention disclosed herein also generally comprises a plastic strip having a hologram or holograms on its surface. The invention disclosed herein further generally comprises a plastic strip having a textured surface, such as ridges (like a phonograph album) or a "fuzzy" surface (like felt or velvet) . The plastic strip of this invention can have one or more of the features including odor, graphic image, hologram and/or textured surface. The plastic strips of this invention have the same dimensions and are flexible enough to be used for weaving purposes as iε well know for craft lanyard construction. The plastic strips can be manufactured from any plastic known to one of ordinary skill in the art to be suitable for use in making lanyards and includes, but is not limited to, polyvinyl-type plastics.

If the plastic strip is desired to have an odor, then the plastic strip can be made in the same way the currently available plastic strips are made for commercial use today, e.g. extrusion or plastic coated fiber, however, with the additional requirement that a chemical or chemicals imparting or impregnating a desired odor be added at some point during the manufacturing process to the plastic, the fibers or the surface of the plastic Methods useful for imparting such odors are generally known and may be found, for example in U.S. patents 4,720,409; 3,994,439; 4,283,011; 4,493,869 and 3,688,985; all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Fcr example, if it iε desired to add a "strawberry" odor to the plastic, a chemical or chemical imparting this odor may be added to the plastic during its construction in any manner known to those skilled in the art to add odors to plastic, or if the plastic strip iε a plastic coated fiber, then the odor may be added to the fiber (as in U.S. patent 4,713,291 which is incorporated herein by reference), or alternatively the odor may be applied by painting or other means to the surface of plastic strip after it iε fabricated fiber (as in U.S. patent 4,936,916 which iε incorporated herein by

reference) .

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a wide variety of odors or scents may be used with the plastic strips, alone or in combination with one another. For example, food or flavoring odors (e.g., pizza, bubble gum, vanilla, chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, mint, fruits: strawberry, raspberry, orange, peach, lemon, lime) . It is also possible to add other fragrances such as perfumes, essences of perfume, flowers and other fragrant essences or oils. It is also an embodiment of this invention that the color of the plastic strip "correspond" to the odor imparted to it (e.g., a brown strip would have a chocolate smell, a red strip would have a strawberry or cinnamon smell, a pink strip would smell like bubble gum) .

In another embodiment of the invention, the plastic strip would have a graphic image on its surface. The image could be placed on the surface by a printing means or photographic means after the strip has beer, extruded. Alternatively, the image could be part of the strip material itself. In addition, the image could be applied by a sticker means to the surface of the plastic strip. For example, if it iε desired to have stripes on the plastic strip they could be applied with a paint or ink that colors plastic after the strip iε fashioned or the strip itself could be extruded out of a variety of plastics having different colors thereby imparting a striped effect to the plastic strip. Alternatively, a sticker could be produced having the desired graphic image, dimensions and suitable adhesive and that this sticker could be applied to the plastic strip. It is also an embodiment of this invention that the sticker could include in addition to the graphic images or without a graphic image, an odor or texture. The graphic image could be an abstract or geometric one (stripes, circles, stars, wavy or random lines or colors or rainbow colors) or it could be specific images of people, places or things (e.g., famous faces, cartoon characters, cars, boats, planes, animals, dinosaurs, dolls, planets, spaceships, well known buildings). The graphic image could also comprise a photograph or photographs.

In a further embodiment, the surface of the plastic strip could comprise a hologram or hologram. The hologram can be formed directly to the surface of the plastic strip during its construction if it iε mace of the appropriate material or the hologram or holograms can be applied to the plastic strip via a sticker or label having the desired hologram or holograms, dimensions and adhesive after the plastic strip has been formed. The holographic image similarly could be an abstract or geometric one (stripes, circles, stars, wavy or random lines or colors or rainbow colors) or it could be specific images of people, places or things (e.g., famous faces, cartoon characters, dinosaurs, cars, boats, planes, animals, dolls, planets, spaceships, well known buildings) .

In another embodiment of this invention the plastic strip has a textured surface. The texture could comprise ridges (like a phonograph album) or could comprise a "fuzzy" surface (like felt or velvet) . The texture can be imparted to the surface during construction of the plastic strip (e.g., in a molded surface have the texture as part of the mold) , by physical abrasion at some point curing the manufacturing process or by application of a sticker or label having the desired texture after the plastic strip has been formed. It iε also an embodiment of this invention that the textured surface have one or more colors and/or graphic images and/or odors. _As will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, other examples cf the herein-defined invention can be devised after readinc the foregoing specification and claims appended hereto by various modifications and adaptations without departing from the spirit and scope cf the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

I claim :

1. A plastic strip used for braiding a lanyard said plastic strip comprising an odor imparted plastic.

2. The plastic strip of claim 1 wherein said plastic strip is flexible .

3. The plastic strip of claim 1 wherein said plastic strip is about 1/8 inch by \{ inch by 12-24 inches. . The plastic strip of claim 1 wherein said plastic strip comprises a solid plastic.

5. The plastic strip of claim 1 wherein said plastic strip comprises plastic coated fibers.

6. The plastic strip of claim 1 wherein said odor iε comprises a food odor, a flavoring odor, a perfume fragrance, a flower fragrance or a fruit odor.

7. A plastic strip used for braiding a lanyard said plastic strip comprising a textured surface.

8. A plastic strip used for braiding a lanyard said plastic strip comprising a graphic image visible on its surface.

9. A plastic strip used for braiding a lanyard said plastic strip comprising a holographic image visible on its surf ce.

10. The plastic strip cf claim 8, said graphic image comprising an abstract image or the image of a person, place or thing.

11. The plastic strip cf claim 9, said holographic image comprising the image cf a person, place or thing.

12. The plastic strip of claim 8, said graphic image comprising an abstract image or the image cf a person, place or thing.

13. The plastic strip cf claim 6, said graphic image comprising a photograph.

14. The plastic strip of claim 8, said graphic image being applied as a sticker to the surface of said plastic strip.

^•15. The plastic strip of claim 9, said holographic image being applied as a sticker to the surface of said plastic strip.