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US4689858A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Adjustable rubber band

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1986-06-12
•
Granted: 1987-09-01
•
Expires: 2006-06-12
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Abstract

Abstract A fastening device comprised of an elastic band permanently attached at one end either in a utilitarian sense or in a static sense and temporarily attached at the other end, of which is adjustable by pulling on this unattached end, to a simple clasp with holes of a similar diameter as the elastic band and of which secures the band to a specific total circumference and range of tensile strength by the force of friction generated between the band and clasp.

Inventors

  • 👤 Michael T. Barber

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 11:27
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D63/00; B65D63/10; B65D63/14; A; A44; A44B; A44B11/00; A44B11/02; A44B11/04; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T24/00; Y10T24/14; Y10T24/1402; Y10T24/1408; Y10T24/44; Y10T24/44983; Y10T24/47; Y10T24/4736

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim 329 words
A fastening device consisting of a flat rectangular piece of polymer plastic which forms a clasp with two sets of two equally spaced slits at either end of the clasp, where rubber material exhibiting a high coefficient of friction, forms a band which is temporarily adjusted by entering one of the two sets of slits at one end, transversing the distance between this slit and the next closest slit of the set from the opposite side of the clasp to form a temporary adjustment of the length of the band because of material/material friction between the rubber band surface and the polymer/plastic surface, and whose adjustment remains constant because of this material/material friction and the fact that the width of the band between the slits upon stretching remains conserved showing little or no decrease in the total frictional force between the rubber and plastic surface, and where the other end of the band is permanently attached in a utilitarian sense to the clasp by entering the second set of slits at the opposite end of the clasp as was described for the temporarily adjusted end, or by some other permanent means, to form any designated circumference allowed by the total length of the band to retain an object or objects which are classified by using different colored polymer/plastic clasps, by the use of printed tag extensions on the side of the clasp or by employing an ink marker to write on the top of the clasp, wherein the free end of the band is adapted to pass over an end portion of said clasp through the adjacent slit end portion, then passes under the clasp and through the associated slit and above the clasp to provide a pull tab for adjusting the band; and the dimensions of the band and the associated slits being such that the friction forces generated during tightening of the band will be held constant irrelevant of whether the device is in use or not.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 329 words
A fastening device consisting of a flat rectangular piece of polymer plastic which forms a clasp with two sets of two equally spaced slits at either end of the clasp, where rubber material exhibiting a high coefficient of friction, forms a band which is temporarily adjusted by entering one of the two sets of slits at one end, transversing the distance between this slit and the next closest slit of the set from the opposite side of the clasp to form a temporary adjustment of the length of the band because of material/material friction between the rubber band surface and the polymer/plastic surface, and whose adjustment remains constant because of this material/material friction and the fact that the width of the band between the slits upon stretching remains conserved showing little or no decrease in the total frictional force between the rubber and plastic surface, and where the other end of the band is permanently attached in a utilitarian sense to the clasp by entering the second set of slits at the opposite end of the clasp as was described for the temporarily adjusted end, or by some other permanent means, to form any designated circumference allowed by the total length of the band to retain an object or objects which are classified by using different colored polymer/plastic clasps, by the use of printed tag extensions on the side of the clasp or by employing an ink marker to write on the top of the clasp, wherein the free end of the band is adapted to pass over an end portion of said clasp through the adjacent slit end portion, then passes under the clasp and through the associated slit and above the clasp to provide a pull tab for adjusting the band; and the dimensions of the band and the associated slits being such that the friction forces generated during tightening of the band will be held constant irrelevant of whether the device is in use or not.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US41720A Cited
US203599A Cited
US656431A Cited
US912204A Cited
US1394720A Cited
US1414476A Cited
US1960690A Cited
US2189574A Cited
US2449882A Cited
US3969792A Cited
US4237174A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-08-31 1991-03-02 1991-09-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-08-31 1995-03-02 1995-09-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-08-31 1999-03-02 1999-09-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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