Connection structure connecting knitting needle body and cable and circular knitting needle having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11220767-B2
Application number	US-202016739936-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2020
Priority date	Jan 18, 2019
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

A connection structure includes a proximal end of a needle body, a metallic connector fixed to the proximal end, and an end of a flexible cable attached to the connector. The connector includes a shaft and a head diametrically greater than the shaft. The proximal end of the needle body has a hole into which the shaft of the connector is fitted. The head of the connector has a cable recess accommodating the end of the cable. The cable recess includes a first recess adjacent to an opening of the cable recess and a second recess adjacent to and diametrically greater than the first recess. The end of the cable includes a first portion accommodated in the first recess and a second portion connected to the first portion and accommodated in the second recess. The second portion is diametrically greater than the first portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connection structure comprising:
a proximal end of a needle body;
a metallic connector fixed to the proximal end of the needle body; and
an end of a flexible cable attached to the connector,
wherein the connector includes a shaft elongated along a center axis and a head greater in diameter than the shaft,
the proximal end of the needle body comprises a hole into which the shaft of the connector is fitted,
the head of the connector comprises a cable recess accommodating the end of the cable,
the cable recess includes a first recess adjacent to an opening of the cable recess and a second recess adjacent to and greater in diameter than the first recess, the first recess being disposed between the opening and the second recess along the center axis, and
the end of the cable includes a first portion accommodated in the first recess and a second portion connected to the first portion and accommodated in the second recess, the second portion being greater in diameter than the first portion.

2. The connection structure according to claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary member made of a resin and disposed between the needle body and the connector,
wherein the auxiliary member includes a tubular shaft inserted into the hole of the needle body and a tubular flange that is connected to and greater in outer diameter than the tubular shaft, and
the shaft of the connector, as inserted into the auxiliary member, extends through the tubular flange and the tubular shaft.

3. The connection structure according to claim 2 , wherein the end of the cable has an enlarged portion connected to the first portion, and the first portion is disposed between the enlarged portion and the second portion, the enlarged portion being greater in diameter than the first portion, and
the proximal end of the needle body, the tubular flange of the auxiliary member, the head of the connector and the enlarged portion of the cable collectively form an outer surface tapering from the needle body toward the cable.

4. The connection structure according to claim 2 , wherein the auxiliary member contains a coloring agent.

5. The connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein an entirety of the connector is formed as a single piece.

6. A circular knitting needle comprising:
a first needle body having a first proximal end;
a second needle body having a second proximal end; and
a flexible cable having a first end and a second end that are connected to the first proximal end and the second proximal end, respectively,
wherein a first connection between the first proximal end of the first needle body and the first end of the flexible cable comprises a first connection structure,
the first connection structure comprises:
the first proximal end of the first needle body;
a first metallic connector fixed to the first proximal end of the first needle body; and
the first end of the flexible cable attached to the first metallic connector,
wherein the first metallic connector includes a first shaft elongated along a first center axis and a first head greater in diameter than the first shaft,
the first proximal end of the first needle body comprises a first hole into which the first shaft of the first metallic connector is fitted,
the first head of the first metallic connector comprises a first cable recess accommodating the first end of the flexible cable,
the first cable recess includes a first recess adjacent to a first opening of the first cable recess and a second recess adjacent to and greater in diameter than the first recess, the first recess being disposed between the first opening and the second recess along the first center axis, and
the first end of the flexible cable includes a first portion accommodated in the first recess and a second portion connected to the first portion and accommodated in the second recess, the second portion being greater in diameter than the first portion.

7. The circular knitting needle according to claim 6 , wherein a second connection between the second proximal end of the second needle body and the second end of the cable comprises a second connection structure,
the second connection structure comprises:
the second proximal end of the second needle body;
a second metallic connector fixed to the second proximal end of the second needle body; and
the second end of the flexible cable attached to the second metallic connector,
wherein the second metallic connector includes a second shaft elongated along a second center axis and a second head greater in diameter than the second shaft,
the second proximal end of the second needle body comprises a second hole into which the second shaft of the second metallic connector is fitted,
the second head of the second metallic connector comprises a second cable recess accommodating the second end of the flexible cable,
the second cable recess includes a third recess adjacent to a second opening of the second cable recess and a fourth recess adjacent to and greater in diameter than the third recess, the third recess being disposed between the second opening and the fourth recess along the second center axis, and
the second end of the flexible cable includes a third portion accommodated in the third recess and a fourth portion connected to the third portion and accommodated in the fourth recess, the fourth portion being greater in diameter than the third portion.

Assignees

• Clover Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jitsuda Toshiharu
• Matsumoto Mayumi
• Kitao Shinichi

Classifications

• D04B3/02 Primary

  Needles · CPC title

• D05B85/00

  Needles (surgical needles A61B17/06; manufacture of needles B21G1/00) · CPC title

• D04B33/00

  Crocheting tools or apparatus · CPC title

• D04B35/02

  Knitting tools or instruments not provided for in group D04B15/00 or D04B27/00 (needle manufacture B21G1/00) · CPC title