Needle threading aid device

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for threading a needle (26) with an eye, the eye being of the type limited at its periphery by a rim extending substantially in a plane, called the eye opening plane; the aid device (1) being characterized in that it comprises a solid body (2) forming: a housing, called the eye housing (3), adapted to receive the eye of the needle and maintain the needle in position relative to the solid body (2), and; a passage (4) through the solid body (2) and comprising a section, called the guide section (5); a first end (6) of said guide section (5) opening outside the solid body (2); a second end (7) of said guide section (5) opening into said eye housing (3);said guide section (5) forming a funnel (8) for guiding the sewing thread, which is carried in movement within said guide section (5) towards said housing (3) of the eye, so that the sewing thread passes through the eye of the needle and emerges outside the solid body (2). Figure of the abstract: Figure 3;

Description

Title of the invention: Device to aid in threading a needle with an eye

[0001] The invention relates to a device for helping to thread a needle with an eye, that is to say, to put in place a sewing thread - in particular a single strand of a bent thread - passing through the eye of a sewing needle, also called a "needle with an eye".

[0002] Throughout this text, the expressions "sewing needle" and "eye needle" commonly refer to a sewing instrument used to draw a sewing thread through the thickness of a piece of fabric. Such a sewing needle has a first pointed longitudinal end adapted for piercing the fabric and a second longitudinal end that is substantially flattened and has a transverse hole, called the "eye," through which the sewing thread passes by the needle, thereby drawing the thread through the fabric.

[0003] Devices for facilitating the threading of a sewing machine needle are known. For example, WO1993 / 018220 is known to have a device comprising a cylindrical body adapted to be positioned orthogonally to the elongation axis of the needle to be threaded, and a sleeve that moves in translation relative to the cylindrical body. The sleeve is equipped with a punch adapted to be moved with the sleeve so that the free end of the punch passes through the eye of the needle and draws the thread through the eye. Using the device of WO1993 / 018220 is tricky. It requires precisely positioning the device and the free end of the punch opposite the opening of the needle's eye, so that the movement of the free end of the punch through the eye also draws the thread through the eye. This device does not allow for visual alignment of the device and the eye of the needle.

[0004] The invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of the device of WO 1993 / 018220.

[0005] It is also known to use a device commonly called a "needle threader" consisting of a metal gripping plate supporting a metal wire that is rigid in tension, elastic in bending, and has a bending stiffness greater than that of the sewing thread. The two longitudinal ends of the metal wire are fixed to the metal plate, the wire being folded back on itself in the form of a plano-convex quadrilateral—in particular in the form of a rhombus—so as to be able to pass through the eye of the sewing needle by elastic deformation of the metal wire.

[0006] The use of such a "needle threader" does, in some cases, actually facilitate threading a sewing needle. On the other hand, when the needle is a needle Because the needle thread has a small diameter in cross-section and the eye of the needle is also small, even inserting the thread through the eye remains difficult. This can be particularly problematic for people with visual impairments and / or those prone to uncontrolled tremors.

[0007] The invention aims to overcome these drawbacks.

[0008] The invention aims to provide a device to aid in threading a needle with an eye, making it possible to overcome, at least in part, these drawbacks.

[0009] The invention aims to provide such an aid device which allows a needle with an eye to be threaded with a single thread - in particular with a single length of sewing thread - to be sewn.

[0010] The invention also aims to provide such an aid device which allows a needle with an eye to be threaded with a single sewing thread, one of whose longitudinal ends is engaged in a spool of this sewing thread.

[0011] To this end, the invention relates to a device for threading a needle with an eye, the eye of the needle being of the type limited peripherally by a rim extending substantially in a plane, called the eye opening plane; the aid device being characterized in that it comprises a solid body - in particular an ergonomic solid body - forming: - a housing, called the eye housing, adapted to receive the eye of the needle and hold the needle in position relative to the solid body, and; - a passage through the solid body and comprising a section, called a guide section; • a first end of said guide section opening outside the solid body; • a second end of said guide section opening into said housing of the eye; said guide section forming a guide funnel for a sewing thread driven in movement in said guide section towards said eye housing, so that the sewing thread passes through the eye of the needle and emerges outside the solid body, due to this movement, by which the needle is threaded.

[0012] Throughout the text: - The term "threading" refers, in the common sense of these terms, to the action of equipping a needle with a sewing thread—preferably a single thread—so that the thread passes through the eye of the needle only once, remaining attached to it, before and during a sewing operation. The term "threaded" describes the state of a needle with a sewing thread passing through the eye of the needle, and; - the term "substantially" usually indicates that a structural or functional characteristic should not be taken as marking an abrupt discontinuity, which would have no physical meaning, but covers not only that structure or function, but also slight variations of that structure or function which produce, in the technical context considered, an effect of the same nature, if not of the same degree.

[0013] The device according to the invention facilitates guiding the free end of the sewing thread towards the eye of the needle and threading the needle. The device according to the invention allows a needle to be threaded with a thread attached to a spool of sewing thread. Nothing in the device according to the invention requires that both ends of the sewing thread be free.

[0014] The solid body is said to be "ergonomic" in that it is dimensioned and shaped so that it can be held with one hand by an individual, so that this individual can hold the sewing thread with the other of his two hands and proceed to thread the needle.

[0015] The solid body can be formed from any material. It can be formed from any solid material of natural origin, such as, for example, wood, or from any synthetic material, in particular any synthetic polymer material, whether composite or not. It can be formed from at least one thermoplastic polymer material and / or at least one thermosetting polymer material. Advantageously, the material forming the solid body is chosen so as to allow the solid body to be manufactured by molding, in particular by thermoforming.

[0016] The solid body is traversed by the passage opening onto two opposite faces of the solid body.

[0017] In some embodiments, the solid body is formed as a single unit, made from a single piece. However, nothing prevents the solid body from being formed, in other embodiments, from being made up of at least two—in particular, two—pieces of complementary shapes adapted to cooperate with each other and be reversibly joined to each other—in particular, to form the solid body. In particular, the design of the solid body formed from two complementary pieces facilitates, or even enables, the manufacture of the solid body by thermoforming. In these embodiments, the needle receiving channel is formed by assembling the complementary pieces together.

[0018] Advantageously, the guide section forms a smooth peripheral inner guiding wall. The roughness of the peripheral inner wall is adapted to limit the frictional forces of the sewing thread on the inner wall and to facilitate the guidance of the sewing thread, in particular the free end of the sewing thread, in contact with the inner wall and without snagging this end and the sewing thread on the inner wall. In some embodiments, the roughness of the peripheral inner wall can be between 0 µm and 50 µm, in particular between 0 µm and 10 µm.

[0019] According to certain embodiments, said guide section has a decreasing cross-section from its first end opening outside the solid body to its second end opening into said housing of the eye.

[0020] According to certain advantageous embodiments, said guide section is in the shape of a truncated cone (truncated cone) with a decreasing cross-section—in particular, a continuously decreasing cross-section—from its first end opening outside the body to its end opening into said eye housing. According to certain advantageous embodiments, said guide section is in the shape of a truncated cone of revolution—in particular, with an axis of revolution orthogonal to said eye opening plane. However, nothing prevents said guide section from being in the shape of a truncated conic solid with a polygonal base, in particular, in the shape of a truncated pyramid. In some of these embodiments, the truncated conic solid with a polygonal base has a height (orthogonal to the base of the truncated conic solid and passing through the apex of the conic solid) orthogonal to said eye opening plane.

[0021] According to certain advantageous embodiments, the second end of said guide section has an opening leading into said eye housing and arranged to extend opposite—in particular, entirely opposite—the eye of the threading needle. This facilitates guiding the end of the sewing thread towards the eye. According to certain advantageous embodiments, the second end of said guide section has an opening leading into said eye housing and is slit-shaped and extends opposite the eye opening. It is also possible to provide that the second end of said guide section has an oblong opening leading into and opposite said eye housing.

[0022] In certain embodiments, the solid body forms a channel—in particular a straight channel—for guiding the eye of the needle as it moves within the solid body until it reaches the eye's housing. The guide channel opens outside the solid body at one of its longitudinal ends and into the eye's housing at its other longitudinal end. In certain embodiments, the guide channel may have an inlet funnel for the needle at its longitudinal end, opening outside the solid body. The guide channel has a generally circular shape in any cross-section with respect to the channel's elongation axis. The guide channel is sized and shaped to receive the needle and position the eye of the needle in the eye's housing. However, it is also permissible to provide In certain embodiments, the guide channel has two longitudinal grooves, radially opposed to each other and adapted to cooperate with opposite parts of the eye's rim and guide the eye of the needle moving within the guide channel to the eye's housing. In these embodiments, the longitudinal grooves extend into the eye's housing, where they cooperate to hold the eye of the needle so that the eye's opening plane is aligned with the second end of the guide section leading into the eye's housing.

[0023] In certain embodiments, the eye housing is equipped with a device for detecting the position of the needle's eye against the stop in the eye housing. In certain embodiments, the detection device is a sensor coupled to a light-emitting diode (LED) indicating that the needle's eye is against the stop in the eye housing at the longitudinal end of the channel and indicating that the eye's opening plane is oriented towards the second open end of the guide section. Any type of sensor is possible. It could be a pressure sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, or another type. It is also possible to provide that the detection device forms a closed electrical circuit with the LED due to the needle's position in the channel, with the needle's eye against the stop in the eye housing.The detection device comprises a first contactor disposed in the eye housing and forming a stop positioned in the extension of the guide channel, and a second contactor disposed to remain in contact with the cylindrical part of the needle when the needle is placed in the guide channel. The first and second contactors are connected by an electrical circuit comprising a light-emitting diode and a battery such that the correct positioning of the needle in the guide channel and of the eye in the eye housing closes the electrical circuit, illuminates the diode, and indicates that the eye of the needle is extending along the guide section.

[0024] Furthermore, in embodiments in which the guide channel and said eye housing are provided with two radially opposed grooves, the sensor for detecting the position of the eye of the needle against the stop in said eye housing and the light-emitting diode are adapted to indicate that the eye of the needle is oriented in said eye housing such that said eye opening plane is substantially orthogonal to the elongation axis of said guide section and the needle is held in position relative to the solid body.

[0025] In certain embodiments, said guide section forms a guide funnel for a free end of the sewing thread driven in movement in said guide section towards said eye housing, so that said free end of the sewing thread passes through the eye of the needle and emerges outside the body.

[0026] According to some other advantageous embodiments, the device for threading a needle with an eye comprises: - a thread-like hook extending substantially in a plane and having a longitudinal end point adapted to be able to be engaged in the opening of the eye and to progress so that the thread-like hook passes through the eye, and; - means of training the hook while moving between: • a first position, called the retracted position, in which the hook does not extend into the eye socket and the eye of the needle can be placed in the eye socket, and; • a second position, called the threading position, in which the hook extends through the eye opening and in which at least part of the hook extends outside the solid body; the hook being adapted to cooperate with the sewing thread so that the movement of the hook's drive means from said threading position to said retracted position allows the needle to be threaded.

[0027] According to these embodiments, the guide section is a guide section for the hook moving between said retracted position and said threading position. According to some of these embodiments, the guide section is also a guide section for the hook moving between said threading position and said retracted position.

[0028] According to certain embodiments, the hook is formed of at least one metal wire that is rigid in longitudinal tension and elastically deformable transversely in bending. The hook is adapted to be able to deform elastically during its movement through the eye. The hook is also adapted to be able to deform upon contact with said guide section, during its movement within said guide section between said retracted position and said threading position. According to certain embodiments, the hook is formed by folding the metal wire into at least two successive segments extending substantially in the same plane and forming the longitudinal end point of the hook.The longitudinal end point of the hook is formed by two consecutive adjacent sides of the hook forming an angle - in particular an acute angle - suitable so that the longitudinal end point of the hook can pass through the eye of the needle and to be able to pull the sewing thread through the eye of the needle.

[0029] In certain embodiments, the hook is an open hook formed of two successive segments of the metal wire, folded one over the other, of which a first segment has a longitudinal end supported by the hook drive means and a second segment has a free end, the two segments being shaped to cooperate with the sewing thread so that the hook allows the sewing thread to be caught by moving a loop of the sewing thread overlapping along the first segment to the longitudinal end point of the hook, whereby the sewing thread is drawn through the eye of the needle by moving the drive means of the hook from said threading position to said retracted position.

[0030] In these embodiments, the metal wire forming the open hook has a circular cross-section with a diameter between 0.20 mm and 0.40 mm, preferably between 0.25 mm and 0.35 mm, more particularly on the order of 0.30 mm.

[0031] According to some other embodiments, the hook is a wire loop—in particular, a wire loop made of at least one metallic material—closed upon itself and extending substantially in a plane, forming a longitudinal end point of the hook adapted—in particular, dimensioned—to be able to be engaged in the eye of the needle. According to some of these embodiments, the hook is formed by folding a section of metal wire to form a plano-convex quadrilateral. According to some of these embodiments, the hook is formed by folding the section of metal wire into a rhombus shape, the two longitudinal ends of the metal wire being fixed to the drive means. According to these embodiments, the hook is adapted to be able to pass through the eye of the needle by elastic deformation of the metal wire.

[0032] According to some embodiments, the hook - in particular the wire loop closed upon itself - is formed of at least one elastically deformable material under bending between: - a first conformation, called deformed conformation, of the hook -in particular of the loop- in which the hook -in particular the loop- is elastically deformed due to the passage of the hook -in particular the loop- through said eye opening, and; - a second conformation, called threading conformation, of the hook -in particular of the loop-, distinct from said deformed configuration and in which the hook -in particular the loop- is conformed to be able to cooperate with the sewing thread and allow the sewing thread to be caught; so that the hook -in particular the loop- can be brought elastically from said deformed conformation to said threading conformation after the passage of the hook -in particular the loop- through said eye opening.

[0033] In these embodiments, the metal wire forming the thread-like loop has a circular cross-section with a diameter between 0.10 mm and 0.20 mm, more particularly on the order of 0.15 mm. The aid device according to these embodiments The method of making this needle is particularly suitable for threading a needle with a small eye opening.

[0034] According to certain advantageous embodiments, the opening slot at the second end of said guide section has two transversely opposed enlargements adapted to allow the passage of the thread-like hook that drives the sewing thread in motion between said threading position and said retracted position.

[0035] According to certain embodiments, the hook drive means comprise a trigger, the hook being mounted integrally with the trigger so as to be able to be driven by said trigger between the retracted position and the threading position (and between said threading position and said retracted position), in a direction parallel to the elongation axis of the guide section and orthogonal to the opening plane of the eye. The trigger is arranged so as to be able to be moved by a user of the aid device.

[0036] In these embodiments, the aid device comprises a rigid frame for guiding the trigger and the hook as it moves between the extended and retracted positions (and between the retracted and extended positions), the rigid frame being fixed to the solid body. In these embodiments, the trigger has a pusher extending outside the rigid frame and adapted to allow movement of the hook between the extended and retracted positions and between the retracted and extended positions.

[0037] In these embodiments, with the hook in the retracted position, the longitudinal end of the hook extends within the guide section between the first and second ends of the guide section. The longitudinal end of the hook moving within the guide section is guided to the second end of the guide section, which opens into the eye housing, and until the eye is opened.

[0038] In certain embodiments, the needle threading aid device includes elastic means for returning the trigger and hook to the retracted position. However, nothing prevents the needle threading aid device from including elastic means for returning the trigger and hook to the threading position.

[0039] According to some embodiments, the roughness of the peripheral inner guide wall is low and adapted to limit the friction forces of the hook on the inner wall and facilitate the guidance of the hook in contact with the inner wall and without catching the hook on the inner wall.

[0040] In certain embodiments, the solid body has a groove extending from the guide channel and opening to the outside of the solid body, said groove being adapted to allow the passage of two strands of thread extending upstream and downstream of the eye of the needle, when the needle is withdrawn from the guide channel.

[0041] The invention also relates to a method of threading a needle with an eye, the eye of the needle being of the type limited peripherally by a rim extending substantially in a plane, called the eye opening plane, and in which a threading aid device according to the invention is used.

[0042] The invention also relates to a method for threading an eyed needle, the eye of the needle being of the type limited peripherally by a rim extending substantially in a plane, called the eye opening plane, and in which: - the eye of the needle is disposed in said eye housing of a device for threading said needle, so that the second end of the guide section opens into said eye housing; - a sewing thread is introduced into the first end of said guide section and moved along said guide section until it reaches said eye housing, said guide section forming a funnel for guiding the sewing thread, so that the sewing thread passes through the eye of the needle and emerges outside the body, through which the needle is threaded, then; - the threaded needle is extracted from the threading aid device.

[0043] Threading the eyed needle does not require visualization of the eye of the needle during threading and thus threading the needle is facilitated.

[0044] In certain embodiments of a needle threading method, in which a needle threading aid device according to the invention is used, the aid device comprises a wire hook whose free longitudinal end is guided in movement within said guide section between said retracted position and said threading position. The wire hook is placed in said threading position in which the wire hook extends outside the solid body, and then the sewing thread is positioned relative to the hook such that the mere movement of the wire hook from said threading position to said retracted position results in the threading of the needle. In certain embodiments, the hook being an open hook, the sewing thread is positioned so that it straddles the first segment of the open hook, and the open hook is brought back into said retracted position, thereby threading the needle.The threaded needle is extracted from the aid device by sliding the needle in the guide channel. Advantageously, the needle is extracted from the device in a single movement, by a pull exerted simultaneously on the needle - in particular on the pointed end of the needle - and on one of the two ends of the sewing thread, along the longitudinal axis of the needle (the user simultaneously and jointly pinching the needle and one of the two strands of the sewing thread) so as to pull the other of the two strands of sewing thread. sliding in the eye of the needle and in the hook, by which this other strand of the sewing thread is released from the eye of the needle and the hook and by which the needle is threaded by a single strand of the sewing thread.

[0045] In certain embodiments of a needle threading method, in which a longitudinal end section of the sewing thread is wound into a spool, the aid device according to the invention is held by the user in one of their two hands (preferably the left hand if the user is right-handed, the right hand if the user is left-handed). With the hook in the retracted position, the user inserts the needle into the guide channel with their dominant hand, opposite the dominant hand, so that the eye of the needle extends opposite the second end of the guide section, and then moves the trigger and hook of the aid device from the retracted position to the threading position.The user then grasps the spool of thread with their dominant hand, from which a length of thread has been unwound, and positions this freed length of thread so that it is threaded onto the hook. The mere movement of the thready hook from the threading position to the retracted position threads the needle. The user then simply grasps the needle and the length of thread extending between the spool and the eye of the needle with their dominant hand holding the spool of thread, and pulls the needle out of the guide channel by applying tension to both the needle and the thread along the longitudinal axis of the guide channel. This tension causes the free end of the thread to slide through the eye and hook, thus threading the needle with a single strand of thread and making it ready for use.

[0046] The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a device for threading an eyed needle according to the invention, in which the solid body is formed by hot molding, in particular of a thermoplastic solid material.

[0047] The invention also relates to a device for threading a needle with an eye, a method for threading a needle with an eye, and a method for manufacturing such a threading aid device, characterized in combination by all or part of the features mentioned above or below. Regardless of the formal presentation given, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the various features mentioned above or below should not be considered as closely or inextricably linked to each other; the invention may relate to only one of these structural or functional features, or only part of these structural or functional features, or only part of one of these structural or functional features, or any grouping, combination, or juxtaposition of all or part of these structural or functional features.

[0048] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which refers to the accompanying figures given solely as a non-limiting description of certain embodiments of the invention and in which:

[0049] [Fig-1] [Fig.1] is a perspective representation of an aid device threading a needle with an eye according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0050] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a perspective representation of a first part of the aid device according to the first embodiment of the invention as represented in [Fig.1];

[0051] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a perspective representation of a second part of the aid device according to the first embodiment of the invention as represented in [Fig.1], this second part being of complementary shape to the first part represented in [Fig.2] and adapted to cooperate with this first part represented in [Fig.2];

[0052] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a perspective representation of a device for threading a needle with an eye, according to a second embodiment of the invention, the device according to the invention comprising a wire-like loop;

[0053] [Fig.5] [Fig.5] is a cross-sectional representation of the second embodiment of the device according to the invention shown in [Fig.4], the wire loop being in a retracted position;

[0054] [Fig.6] [Fig.6] is a cross-sectional representation of the second embodiment of the device according to the invention shown in [Fig.4], the wire loop being in a threading position;

[0055] [Fig.7] [Fig.7] is a perspective representation of a device for threading a needle with an eye, according to a third embodiment of the invention;

[0056] [Fig.8] [Fig.8] is a perspective representation of a first part of the device for threading a needle with an eye, according to a third embodiment of the invention represented in [Fig.7];

[0057] [Fig.9] [Fig.9] is a perspective representation of a device for threading a needle with an eye, according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

[0058] [Fig. 10] [Fig. 10] is a perspective representation of the device for threading a needle with an eye, according to the fourth embodiment of the invention, in which the hook is moved to said retracted position, and;

[0059] [Fig. 11] [Fig. 11] is a schematic representation of a step in a needle threading process according to the invention.

[0060] In the accompanying figures, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the dimensions and proportions of the elements are not necessarily to scale for the sake of simplification and clarity of the description. Furthermore, the threading aid device The needle shown in Figures 7, 9, and 10 is configured to be used preferably by a user, referred to as a "right-handed" user, who preferentially uses their right hand. Such a right-handed user holds the device in their left hand and performs the delicate manipulation of the needle and thread with their right hand. However, there is nothing to prevent the device from being configured so that it can be held in the right hand of a left-handed user, this left-handed user manipulating the needle and thread with their left hand. The devices for right-handed and left-handed users, respectively, are mirror images of each.

[0061] A first embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention for threading a needle 26 with an eye is shown [Fig. 1].This first embodiment is particularly useful for threading a needle with a sewing thread that has sufficient strength—in particular, sufficient flexural rigidity—to guide the longitudinal end of the thread through the eye of the needle as the thread moves within the guide section 5. The device according to this first embodiment is adapted to allow threading of the eyed needle by guiding the moving longitudinal end of the thread through convergence within the guide section 5, which forms a funnel. This convergence occurs between a first flared end 6 of the guide section 5, opening outside the solid body 2, and a second narrowed end 7 of the guide section 5, opening into a housing, called the eye housing 3, intended to receive the eye 27 of the needle 26. In so doing, the longitudinal end of the thread is guided through the opening of the eye 27 of the needle 26.

[0062] In this embodiment, the aid device 1 is formed of a solid body 2 made of at least one polymer material. This may be a thermoplastic polymer material and / or a thermosetting polymer material. In particular, the material forming the solid body 2 is chosen so as to allow the solid body 2 to be manufactured by molding, in particular by hot molding. In the embodiment shown, the solid body 2 is formed of two parts 9a, 9b with complementary shapes, designed to be joined together by interlocking. This interlocking mechanism holds the two parts 9a, 9b together but also allows them to be separated. The construction of the solid body 2 as two parts 9a, 9b with complementary shapes is chosen to allow for the manufacture of both parts 9a, 9b and the solid body 2 by molding, particularly by thermoforming. The two parts 9a, 9b with complementary shapes forming the solid body 2 are held together by any reversible or irreversible means of assembly, for example, by elastic deformation (also called "clipping"). It is also possible for the two parts 9a, 9b to cooperate with each other by friction. This does not preclude the provision that the two parts 9a, 9b forming the solid body 2 be held together by any means of reversible or irreversible screw fastening. The two parts 9a, 9b of complementary shapes forming the solid body 2 are held together in such a way that their respective faces, intended to extend opposite each other, form, by virtue of their assembly, a passage 4 through the solid body 2 and a section 5 for guiding a sewing thread.The respective faces of two pieces 9a, 9b of complementary shapes forming the solid body 2 also provide a channel 12 for receiving and guiding a sewing needle 26 as it moves longitudinally within this channel 12. This channel is adapted to receive the sewing needle 26 and to allow the eye 27 of the sewing needle 26 to be positioned so that a second end 7 of said guide section 5 opens into said housing 3 of the eye and opposite the eye 27 of the sewing needle 26. However, the two pieces 9a, 9b of complementary shapes forming the solid body 2 are adapted to be able to be separated from each other so as to allow the needle to be released after it has been threaded.That being said, nothing prevents us from stipulating that the two complementary shapes of parts 9a and 9b forming the solid body 2 are inseparable and that the threaded needle can be extracted from the solid body 2 by longitudinal movement of the needle 26 in the guide channel 12, pulling the sewing thread along with it through the eye of the needle. Nor does anything prevent us from stipulating that the solid body 2 is made of a single piece, in one continuous unit.

[0063] In the first embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention shown in [Fig. 1], the two parts 9a, 9b forming the solid body 2 cooperate to form a passage 4 through the solid body 2, adapted to guide the movement of a longitudinal end of a sewing thread so that it passes through the eye of the needle. The passage 4 has a guide section 5, a first end 6 of which forms an opening outside the solid body 2 and is adapted to receive the longitudinal end of the sewing thread for threading the needle 26. This guide section 5 has a second end 7 opening into the eye socket 3. The second end 7 opening into the eye socket 3 has an elongated shape along the direction of elongation of the eye 27 of the needle.The second end 7, opening into the eye socket 3, and the eye opening are superimposed when the needle is correctly engaged in the guide channel. In the embodiment shown, the guide section 5 forms, between its two ends 6, 7, a lateral wall 10 delimiting a space forming a funnel 8 for guiding the sewing thread when the sewing thread is drawn in movement within the guide section 5, towards the eye socket 3. In this way, the sewing thread... passes through the eye of the needle and emerges outside the solid body 2, through which the needle 26 is threaded. The guide funnel 8 can have any suitable shape.

[0064] A first part 9a of the two parts 9a,9b of complementary shapes forming the solid body 2 is shown in [Fig.2] in the separate state from the second part 9b. The first part 9a is shown, equipped with an eyed needle 26 disposed in the guide channel 12 of the device 1. The needle 26 is oriented so that the opening of the eye 27 extends in a plane orthogonal to an axis 32 passing through the passage 4 of the rigid body 2. The orientation of the opening plane of the eye 27 in the housing 3 of the eye can be obtained manually by rotating the needle 26 about its longitudinal axis in the guide channel 12. This orientation can be visually checked by transparency with respect to a beam of visible light transmitted through the eye 27 when the opening plane of the eye 27 is substantially orthogonal to the axis 32 of the passage 4 of the device. In the embodiment shown in [Fig.[2], the first part 9a is shaped to present a contact face 31 of the two parts 9a,9b forming the solid body 2, complementary to a face 33 of the second part 9b and intended to be in close contact with the second part 9b so as to form, by virtue of this contact of the first and second faces 31,33, the passage 4 through the solid body 2, said guide section 5, the eye housing 3, the guide channel 12 and a wire exit section 35.

[0065] However, nothing prevents one of the two parts 9a, 9b forming the solid body 2 from forming the guide section, while the other part 9a, 9b forms the wire exit section 35. In this embodiment (not shown), the passage through the solid body 2 successively passes through the first part, forming the guide section, and then through the second part, forming the wire exit section 35. In this embodiment (not shown), the eye housing and the guide channel are formed by the superposition of the first and second parts 9a, 9b, which have complementary shapes.

[0066] A second part 9b of the two parts 9a,9b of complementary shapes forming the solid body 2 is shown in [Fig.3] in the separate state from the first part 9a. In the embodiment shown, the second part 9b is shaped to present a face 33 of assembly of the two parts 9a,9b forming the solid body 2, complementary to the face 31 of the first part 9a and intended to be in close contact with the face 31 of the first part 9a so as to form, by this contacting of the first and second faces 31,33, the passage 4 through the solid body 2, said guide section 5, the housing 3 of the eye, the guide channel 12 and the wire exit section 35. In [Fig.3], the needle is not shown, so that the part of the guide channel 12 and the part of the housing 3 of the eye, delimited by the second piece 9b, appear vacant.

[0067] In these embodiments, the dimensions of the guide channel 12—its length and diameter in cross-section—are chosen to allow the eye of the needle to move within the guide channel 12 so that it can reach the eye socket 3. In some embodiments, the guide channel 12 has a circular shape in any cross-section. In these embodiments, the diameter in cross-section of the guide channel is chosen to allow the passage of the eye of the needle. In some other embodiments, the guide channel 12 has a non-circular shape in cross-section.This shape can be ovoid with a larger diameter, adapted to receive the eye of the needle and guide the needle's longitudinal movement within the guide channel 12, bringing the eye of the needle into the eye socket 3 so that the eye opening extends in a plane orthogonal to the axis 32 of the passage 4 through the solid body 2. This shape can be square, with the eye opening plane extending along a diagonal of this square section and orthogonally to the axis 32 of the passage 4 through the solid body 2. This shape can be rectangular, with the eye opening plane extending along the length of this rectangular section and orthogonally to the axis 32 of the passage 4 through the solid body 2.In some other embodiments, the guide channel 12 has, in any cross-section, a substantially circular shape and two longitudinal grooves 14, radially opposed and extending along the entire length of the guide channel 12, the two longitudinal grooves being adapted to cooperate with the opening rim of the eye of the needle extending substantially in said eye opening plane and guide the needle to its threading position.

[0068] In these embodiments, the guide section 5 forms a funnel 8 laterally limited by a wall 10 having a cross-section transverse to the axis 32 passing through the passage 4 of the device, which is decreasing between the first end 6 and the second end 7 of said guide section 5 towards the opening of the eye of the needle 26. The funnel 8 formed by said guide section 5 is convergent and shaped to open into a space 34 extending opposite the opening of the eye 27.

[0069] A second embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention for threading a needle 26 with an eye is shown [Fig. 4]. This second embodiment of a device according to the invention is adapted to facilitate threading a needle with any sewing thread 28, in particular with a flexible sewing thread 28 having low flexural rigidity. A device 1 according to this second embodiment is formed of a solid body 2 made of at least one polymer material. This may be a thermoplastic polymer material and / or a thermosetting polymer material. In particular, the material forming the solid body 2 is chosen so as to allow the solid body 2 to be manufactured by molding, in particular by hot molding. The aid device 1 according to the second embodiment shown [Fig. 4] comprises a thread-like loop 16 formed of at least one elastically deformable material in bending between: - a first conformation, called the deformed conformation, of the thread-like loop 16 in which the thread-like loop 16 is deformed due to its passage through said opening of the eye of the threading needle, and; - a second conformation, called threading conformation, in which the thread-like loop 16 is shaped so that it can be passed through by the sewing thread 28.

[0070] In this second embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention, the free end 36 of the wire loop 16 is arranged so that it can be guided in movement by said guide section 5 and so that it can pass through the opening of the eye 27 of the needle as a result of this movement. In this embodiment, a first movement of the wire loop 16, guided by said guide section, allows the wire loop 16 to pass through the opening of the eye 27 and emerge outside the solid body 2 in said threading configuration.In this threading configuration, the thread-like loop 16 can be threaded, that is, passed through by one end of a sewing thread 28, so that a second movement of the thread-like loop 16 in a direction opposite to the direction of the first movement, by which the thread-like loop 16 is extracted from the opening of the eye 27, draws the sewing thread 28 through the opening of the eye 27, by which the needle 26 with eye 27 is threaded.

[0071] In the embodiment shown [Fig. 4], the solid body 2 is formed of two parts 9c, 9d of complementary shapes adapted to be joined together by interlocking, thereby holding the two parts 9c, 9d together, but also allowing them to be separated. The two parts 9c, 9d forming the solid body 2 are held together by any reversible or irreversible means of assembly, for example by elastic deformation (also called "clipping"). There is nothing to prevent the two parts 9c, 9d from cooperating with each other by reversible interlocking of complementary surfaces. The two pieces 9c,9d forming the solid body 2 are assembled with each other so that their respective faces extending opposite each other form, by virtue of their assembly, the passage and said guide section crossed by the filiform loop 16.The two pieces 9c,9d forming the solid body 2 cooperate in association to provide the channel 12 for receiving and guiding the sewing needle 26 in longitudinal movement in the channel 12. Nothing prevents the two pieces 9c,9d forming the solid body 2 from being separated from each other so as to be able to release the needle 26. after threading. Nothing prevents the two parts 9a, 9b forming the solid body 2 from being separable and the threaded needle from being extracted from the solid body 2 by longitudinal movement of the threaded needle in the guide channel 12, the sewing thread passing through the opening 38 of the eye 27 of the needle being guided along the groove 25. In this embodiment, the two parts 9c, 9d forming the solid body 2 also cooperate in association to form the passage through the solid body 2 and said guide section, adapted to be able to guide the movement of a longitudinal end 36 of the thread loop 16 so that it passes through the opening of the eye of the needle.

[0072] The aid device 1 according to the second embodiment of the invention shown [Fig.4] comprises means 19 for driving the wire loop 16 in movement between a first position, called retracted position 20, of the wire loop 16 in which the wire loop 16 extends backward from said housing 3 of the eye and does not pass through the eye 27 of the needle 26 and a second position, called threading position 21, of the wire loop 16 in which the wire loop 16 extends through said opening of the eye and in which the wire loop 16 is in said threading conformation 18 and at least a part of the wire loop 16 extends outside the solid body 2. In the embodiment shown [Fig.4], the means 19 for driving the wire loop 16 comprise a rigid frame 23 and a trigger 22 mounted to slide relative to the frame 23, the trigger 22 being the carrier of the wire loop.The frame 23 has two guide grooves for the trigger 22 and the wire loop 16 moving between said retracted position 20 and said threading position 21.

[0073] The solid body 2 has a groove 25 extending from the guide channel 12 and opening along its entire length outside the solid body 2. The groove 25 is adapted to allow the passage of the two longitudinal portions of the threaded thread in the needle 26 and extending upstream and downstream of the eye 27 of the needle 26, when the threaded needle is withdrawn from the aid device 1, by sliding in the guide channel 12.

[0074] The guide channel 12 for the needle 26 opens at one of its longitudinal ends outside the solid body 2 and at the other of its longitudinal ends into the housing 3 of the eye of the needle 26, so that the eye of the needle is guided longitudinally along the guide channel 12. The guide channel 12 has, in any cross-section, a shape adapted to receive and cooperate with the eye 27 of the needle 26. It may have, in any cross-section, a generally circular shape. In the embodiment shown, it has, in any cross-section, a generally circular shape designed to cooperate with the The cylindrical portion of the needle 26, and two grooves 14 extending radially outwards from the channel 12, diametrically opposed to each other, and longitudinally along the entire length of the guide channel. The grooves 14 are dimensioned—particularly in width and depth—to cooperate with at least a portion of the opening rim 39 38 of the eye and to guide the eye 27 of the needle 26 as it moves within the guide channel 12 to the eye housing 3. In this embodiment, the eye 27 of the needle is positioned in the eye housing 3 such that the opening rim 39 38 of the eye 27 extends in a plane perpendicular to the axis 32 passing through the passage 4 and the guide section 5.

[0075] A cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention is shown [Fig. 5] in a first position, referred to as the retracted position 20, of the wire loop 16 in which the trigger 22 is raised (i.e., away from said guide section 5). The wire loop 16 extends back from said housing 3 of the eye and does not pass through the eye 27 of the needle 26. In said retracted position 20, the free end 36 of the wire loop 16 extends into said guide channel 5. The guidance of the wire loop 16 between said retracted position 20 and said threading position 21 is improved.In said retracted position 20 of the thread-like loop 16, the needle 26 can be introduced into the guide channel 12 so that the longitudinal end of the eye 27 of the needle comes to rest in the housing 3 of the eye and that the opening plane of the eye 27 is orthogonal to the axis 32 passing through the passage 4 and the guide section 5. From this retracted position 20 of the wire loop 16, the latter can be moved by actuation of the trigger 22 along the axis 32 passing through the passage, whereby the free end 36 of the wire loop 16 cooperates with the wall 10 of the guide section 5 so as to be guided towards the opening of the eye 27 and pass through it, without requiring the user to provide visual assistance of the opening of the eye and / or of the free end 36 of the wire loop 16.Due to this passage, the thread loop 16 transiently takes on the said deformed conformation, in which the thread loop 16 is deformed due to the stresses related to its passage through the said opening of the eye 27 of the threading needle 26, and elastically returns to the said threading conformation 18, in which the thread loop 16 is shaped so that it can be passed through by the sewing thread 28, when the thread loop 16 is in the said threading position 21.

[0076] A cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention is shown [Fig. 6] in said threading position 21 of the wire loop 16, in which the trigger 22 is lowered (i.e., close to said guide section 5), the wire loop 16 extends through the eye 27 of the needle 26 disposed in the eye socket 3. The wire loop 16 is elastically retracted of said distorted conformation in said threading conformation 18 in which the thread loop 16 forms an opening for the passage of a length of sewing thread 28 as shown [Fig. 4]. In this threading conformation 18, the person using the aid device according to the invention inserts one of the longitudinal ends of the length of sewing thread 28 into the opening formed by the thread loop 16 in said threading configuration 18 and returns the trigger 22 to the retracted position 20, whereby the thread loop 16 and the sewing thread 28 pass through the eye opening 27 and release the eye opening. As a result of this release, the needle 26 can be withdrawn from the guide channel 12. The two strands of thread 28 for sewing passing through the opening of the eye 27 and forming a loop retaining the thread-like loop 16 are driven by the needle 26 out of the aid device 1.It is necessary to keep one of the two strands of thread 28 attached to the needle 26 and to release the thread loop 16 by sliding the other of the two strands of thread 28, thereby detaching the thread 28 from the thread loop 16.

[0077] A first variant of the second embodiment of an aid device 1 according to the invention is shown [Fig. 7] in which the wire loop 16 is in the threading position 21. In this variant, the part 9c, which forms the solid body 2 with the part 9d, is provided with pins 41 adapted to cooperate with bores formed in the part 9d and to join the parts 9c and 9d to form the solid body 2. The solid body 2 is equipped with an alerting device 37—in particular a photoluminescent diode—connected to a sensor 40 adapted to detect the correct positioning of the eye 27 of the needle 26 in the eye socket 3. Thus, proper placement of the needle 26 in the guide channel 12 and of the eye 27 in the eye housing 3 is detected by the sensor which, due to this detection, activates the alert device.The user is thus alerted to the correct positioning of the needle 26 in the channel and the eye 27 in the eye socket, so that the wire loop 16 can be brought from the retracted position 20 to the threading position 21, thereby threading the wire loop 16. After threading the wire loop 16, returning it to the retracted position 20 allows the threaded needle to be released.

[0078] A detail of the variant of the second embodiment of an aid device 1 according to the invention is shown [Fig. 8] in which the wire loop 16 is in said retracted position 20 (not visible in [Fig. 8]) and part 9d of the solid body 2 is removed. Part 9c of the solid body 2 forms a first part of the guide channel 12, the other part of the guide channel being formed in part 9d (not shown). Part 9c of the solid body 2 also forms part of the eye housing 3 and has a passage 4 adapted to cooperate with the second end 7 of said guide section 5. A sensor 40 is disposed in the eye housing 3, at opposite the entrance of the guide channel 12 into said housing 3 of the eye. The sensor can be of any suitable type. It can, for example, be a piezoelectric sensor adapted to generate an electrical signal due to pressure exerted by the eye 27 of the needle on the sensor 40.

[0079] A second variant of the second embodiment of an aid device 1 according to the invention is shown [Fig.9] in which the hook is an open hook 42 in said threading position 21. The aid device 1 is represented such that the axis 32 passing through the passage 4 extends substantially horizontally so that a sewing thread 28 straddles in overlapping a first segment 43 having a longitudinal end supported by the drive means of the hook 42. In this variant, the movement of the open hook 42 from said threading position 21 to said retracted position 20 allows the sewing thread 28 to be hooked to the hook 42 at the free end 36 of the hook (as shown [Fig. 10]), whereby the sewing thread 28 is drawn through the eye of the needle by movement of the drive means of the hook 42 from said threading position 21 to said retracted position 20.In this variant, it is sufficient to position the sewing thread 28 straddling the first segment 43 of the hook 42 so that the thread 28 extends into the gap formed between the first segment 43 and the second segment 44 of the hook, then to move the trigger 22 from said threading position 21 to said retracted position 20 to thread the needle 26. Threading the needle is carried out without requiring the user to visually sight the opening of the eye of the needle and / or the free end 36 of the thread loop 16.

[0080] In a method according to the invention for threading a needle 26 with an eye, the eye 27 of the needle being of the type limited peripherally by a rim 39 extending substantially in a plane, called the eye opening plane: - the eye 27 of the needle 26 is placed in said housing 3 of the eye of a device 1 for threading said needle 26, so that the second end 7 of said guide section 5 opens into said housing 3 of the eye; - a sewing thread 28 is introduced into the first end 6 of said guide section opening outside the solid body 2 and moved along said guide section 5 until said housing 3 of the eye, said guide section forming a funnel 8 for guiding the sewing thread 28, so that the sewing thread 28 passes through the eye 27 of the needle 26 and opens outside the solid body 2, through which the needle 26 is threaded, then; - The threaded needle 26 is extracted from the threading aid device 1.

[0081] Threading the eyed needle 26 is thus facilitated.

[0082] In an advantageous embodiment of a method for threading an eyed needle according to the invention, a variant of an aid device 1 according to the invention is used, comprising a solid body 2 equipped with an open, thread-like hook 42 mounted integrally with a trigger 22 guided in movement by a rigid frame 3 between said retracted position 20 and said threading position 21. The open hook 42 being placed by a user 46 in said threading position 21 and protruding outside the solid body 2, the user 46 orients the aid device 1 so that the axis 32 passing through the passage 4 extends substantially horizontally.In this orientation, the user 46 places a sewing thread 28 relative to the open hook 42 so that the thread 28 overlaps the first segment 43 of the open hook 42 and so that the movement of the hook 42 from said threading position 21 to said retracted position causes the sewing thread 28 to hook onto the free end 36 of the open hook 42 (as shown [Fig. 10]), causes the sewing thread 28 to be drawn through the eye 27 of the needle 26 and threaded. In this advantageous embodiment, it is sufficient to place the sewing thread 28 overlapping the first segment 43 of the hook 42 so that the thread 28 extends into the gap formed between the first segment 43 and the second segment 44 of the hook, and then to move the trigger 22 from said threading position 21 to said retracted position 20 to thread the needle 26. In this advantageous embodiment, it is then sufficient, as schematically represented in [Fig.

[11] , that the user 46 extracts the threaded needle 26 from the threading aid device 1 by pinching the needle 26 and one (and only one) of the two strands of thread 28 passing through the eye 27 and by pulling on the needle 26 and the pinched strand 50 of thread 28, along the axis of the guide channel 12 and in the direction indicated by the arrow 49, by sliding the needle in the guide channel 12, whereby one strand 47 of the thread 28 to be sewn is drawn sliding relative to the opening 38 of the eye 27 in the direction indicated by the arrow 48 and relative to the hook 16,42. This simple movement of the needle 26 results in a dissociation of the threaded needle 26 and the hook 16,42, whereby the needle 26 is threaded in a single step and in a simple way, by a single strand of the sewing thread 28.

[0083] In this advantageous embodiment, nothing prevents the needle 26, extracted from the device, along with the strand 50 of thread 28 pinched by the user 46, from being oriented along the axis 32 of the passage 4 of the device 1 according to the invention, which is substantially parallel to the extension axis of the hook 16, 42, and then the traction exerted on the needle 26 and the pinched strand of thread 28 continuing along this axis 32 of the passage 4. The sliding of the thread 28 is thus facilitated. In this advantageous embodiment, the two strands of thread 28 threaded through the needles 26 are brought substantially into alignment with the axis 32 moving in the groove 25 of the solid body 2. In this advantageous embodiment, the threaded needle 26 is extracted from the device 1 one-movement aid allowing the needle 26 to be threaded by a single strand of thread 38 to be sewn.

[0084] Of course, in all embodiments of the invention, the aid device allows for easier threading of an eyed needle with a free length of thread, that is to say independent of a spool of thread, or with a length of thread of which only one first longitudinal end is free, the other longitudinal end being engaged in a spool of said thread.

[0085] In certain unrepresented embodiments of an aid device according to the invention in which the hook is an open hook, the solid body of the device according to the invention forms a positioning bead for the sewing thread in contact with the hook, so that the movement of the hook from said threading position to said retracted position causes the thread to hook onto the hook.

[0086] In certain other embodiments not shown of an aid device according to the invention, in which the hook is an open hook, the end of the passage through the solid body and extending opposite said guide section forms a funnel for guiding the hook as it moves from said threading position to said retracted position. The movement of the hook, and in particular the movement of the free end of the second segment of the hook, is secured.

[0087] The invention can be the subject of numerous variations and applications other than those described above. In particular, it is understood that, unless otherwise indicated, the various structural and functional characteristics of each of the embodiments described above should not be considered as combined and / or closely and / or inextricably linked to one another, but rather as mere juxtapositions. Furthermore, the structural and / or functional characteristics of the various embodiments described above may be the subject, in whole or in part, of any different juxtaposition or any different combination.

Claims

1. Demands Device (1) for threading an eyed needle to facilitate threading the needle with a sewing thread (28), the eye of the needle being of the type limited peripherally by a rim extending substantially in a plane, called the eye opening plane; the aid scheme (1) comprising: a solid body (2) forming: - a housing, called the eye housing (3), adapted to receive the eye of the needle and to hold the needle in position relative to the solid body (2), and; - a passage (4) through the solid body (2) and comprising a section, called guide section (5); • a first end (6) of said guide section (5) opening outside the solid body (2); • a second end (7) of said guide section (5) opening into the housing (3) of the eye; a thread-like hook (16.42) adapted to deform elastically when passing through the eye; means (19) for driving the wire hook in the guide section (5), moving in a direction parallel to the axis of extension of said guide section (5) between a first retracted position (20) in which the free end (36) of the wire hook extends entirely in the guide section (5), and another position, called threading position (21), in which the wire hook extends through the opening of the eye and in which at least a part of the wire hook extends outside the solid body (2) of the device; a trigger (22) forming part of the means (19) for driving the hook (16, 42), the wire hook being mounted integrally with the trigger (22) so as to be able to be driven, by actuation of said trigger (22), in movement between the retracted position (20) and the threading position (21); as well as, a rigid frame (23), integral with the solid body, guiding the trigger (22) and the moving wire hook (16,42), a free end (36) of the wire hook (16) being adapted to cooperate with the wall (10) of the guide section (5) so as to be guided towards the opening of the eye (27) and through it during the drive of the wire hook (16,42) in movement between the retracted position (20) and the threading position (21), and to cooperate with a sewing thread (28) so that the movement of the wire hook (16,42) from said threading position (21) to said retracted position (20) allows the threading of the needle.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the solid body (2) is formed in one piece.

3. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the solid body (2) is formed of at least two parts (9a,9b,9c,9d) of complementary shapes adapted to be able to cooperate with each other and to be reversibly associated with each other to form the solid body (2).

4. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the guide section (5) forms a smooth peripheral internal guide wall (10).

5. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the guide section (5) has a decreasing cross-section from its first end (6) opening outside the solid body (2) to its second end (7) opening into said housing (3) of the eye.

6. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the guide section (5) is in the form of a truncated cone with decreasing cross-section from its first end (6) opening outside the solid body (2), to its second end (7) opening into said housing (3) of the eye.

7. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second end (7) of the guide section (5) has an opening leading into the housing (3) of the eye and arranged to extend opposite the eye of the needle to be threaded.

8. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the solid body (2) forms a channel (12) for guiding the eye of the needle moving in the solid body (2) to the housing (3) of the eye.

9. Device (1) according to claim 8, wherein the guide channel (12) has an overall circular shape along all cross-section with respect to the axis (13) of elongation of the guide channel (12).

10. Device (1) according to any one of claims 8 or 9, wherein the guide channel (12) has two longitudinal grooves (14), radially opposed to each other and adapted to be able to cooperate each with opposite parts of the rim of the eye and guide the eye of the moving needle in the guide channel (12) to said housing (3) of the eye.

11. Device (1) according to claim 10, wherein the longitudinal grooves (14) extend into the housing (3) of the eye in which they cooperate to be able to hold the eye of the needle so that the opening plane of the eye extends opposite the second end (7) of the guide section (5) opening into said housing (3) of the eye.

12. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the eye housing (3) is provided with a means (40) for detecting the position of the eye of the needle against the stop in said eye housing (3).

13. Device (1) according to claim 12, wherein the detection means (40) is a sensor coupled to a light-emitting diode indicating that the eye of the needle is in the stop in the housing (3) of the eye.

14. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the wire-like hook (16,42) extends substantially in a plane and has a longitudinal end point (36) adapted to be able to be engaged in the opening of the eye and to progress in the guide section so that the wire-like hook (16,42) passes through the eye.

15. A device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the wire hook is an open hook (42) formed of two successive segments (43, 44) of the wire, folded one over the other, a first segment (43) having a longitudinal end supported by the means (19) for driving the hook (42) and a second segment (44) having a free end (45), the first and second segments (43, 44) being shaped to cooperate with the sewing thread (28) so that the hook (42) allows the sewing thread (28) to be caught by displacement of a loop of the sewing thread (28) overlapping along the first segment (43) to the longitudinal end point (36) of the hook (42), by which the thread (28) to be sewn is drawn through the eye of the needle by displacement of the means (19) of driving the hook (42) from the threading position (21) to the retracted position (20).

16. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the wire hook is a wire loop (16) closed upon itself and extending substantially in a plane and forming a longitudinal end point adapted to be able to be engaged in the eye opening.

17. Device (1) according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the wire hook (16,42) is formed in at least one elastically deformable material in bending between: - a first conformation, referred to as the deformed conformation, of the hook (16,42) in which the hook (16,42) is elastically deformed due to the passage of said hook (16,42) through said eye opening, and; - a second conformation, referred to as the threading conformation (18), of the hook (16,42), distinct from said deformed configuration and in which said hook (16,42) is formed so as to be able to cooperate with the sewing thread (28) and allow the sewing thread to be caught; so that the wire-like hook (16,42) can be elastically brought back from said deformed conformation to said threading conformation (18) after the passage of said hook (16,42) through said eye opening.

18. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the solid body (2) has a groove (25) extending from the guide channel (12) and opening outside the solid body (2), said groove (25) being adapted to allow the passage of two strands of the thread extending upstream and downstream of the eye of the needle, when the needle is withdrawn from said guide channel (12).

19. A method for threading a needle with an eye, the eye being of the type limited peripherally by a rim extending substantially in a plane, called the eye opening plane, and in which:

20. - the eye (27) of the needle (26) is disposed in the housing (3) of the eye of a device (1) for threading said needle according to any one of claims 1 to 18, so that the opening plane of the eye of the needle extends opposite the second end (7) of the guide section (5) which opens into said housing (3) of the eye; - a sewing thread (28) is introduced into the first end (6) of the guide section (5) by being drawn by the wire hook (16,42) moving in said guide section (5) until said housing (3) of the eye, so that the sewing thread (28) passes through the eye of the needle, by which the needle is threaded, then; - the threaded needle is extracted from the threading aid device (1). Method of manufacturing a device (1) for threading an eyed needle according to any one of claims 1 to 18, in which the solid body (2) is formed by hot molding of a solid thermoplastic material.

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