Multi-Faceted Knitting Needle Shaft for Slip-Resistant Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional knitting needles with round cross-sections require excessive force to hold, leading to user discomfort and potential health issues due to slipping, and existing solutions with rectangular cross-sections still pose gripping challenges and pressure points.
Innovation Solution
A knitting needle design featuring a holding shaft with multiple gripping surfaces, each with elevations and rounded transitions, providing enhanced grip and reduced slipping resistance, produced through deformation of a cylindrical metal piece using pressing surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a round cross-section knitting needle is used, then the needle can be easily manufactured, but the gripping surface area is small requiring excessive force to hold
Solution Approach 1:
The holding shaft is segmented into multiple gripping surfaces (at least three) arranged around its circumference, each providing a distinct contact area for the user's fingers. This segmentation increases the total gripping surface area compared to a round cross-section, allowing distributed force application and reducing the force required to hold the needle securely.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a simple round cross-section (one-dimensional rotation symmetry) to a multi-faceted cross-section with multiple gripping surfaces arranged in specific angular relationships. This dimensional change in the cross-sectional geometry creates additional gripping interfaces without complicating the manufacturing process, as the facets can be formed through standard deformation processes.
2Ease of operation
If a rectangular cross-section knitting needle is used, then the gripping surface area is improved, but sharp transition areas cause pressure sores on fingers
Solution Approach 1:
The transition areas between adjacent gripping surfaces are rounded instead of sharp, creating smooth curved surfaces that contact the user's fingers. This curvature eliminates stress concentration points that would otherwise cause pressure sores, while maintaining the increased gripping surface area benefit of the multi-faceted design. The rounded transitions distribute pressure more evenly across the contact area.
3Reliability
If multiple elevations are added to gripping surfaces, then slipping resistance is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elevations are integrated directly into the gripping surfaces during the deformation process, combining the formation of the multi-faceted shape and the elevation features into a single manufacturing operation. This merging of features reduces manufacturing complexity compared to adding elevations as separate post-processing steps, while still providing the slipping resistance benefit through the protruding elevation structures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design allows for comfortable and secure handling with reduced force application, alleviating user discomfort and preventing slipping, while maintaining a smooth surface for stitch manipulation.
Implementation Method 1
pressing the cylindrical metal piece by means of the pressing surfaces into a triangular or square cross-section with the gripping surfaces each having a plurality of rounded transition regions
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a knitting needle (1, 1'), in particular a metallic knitting needle (1, 1'), comprising a knitting needle tip (2, 2') for knitting stitches, and a holding shaft (4, 4') extending from the knitting needle tip (2, 2') in a shaft longitudinal direction (L) with at least three grip surfaces (8, 10, 12, 8', 10', 12', 14') for holding the knitting needle (1, 1'), wherein the grip surfaces (8, 10, 12, 8', 10', 12', 14') each have several longitudinally distributed projections (6, 6'), and each pair of adjacent grip surfaces (8, 10, 12, 8', 10', 12', 14') are separated by a rounded transition area (16, 18, 20, 16', 18', 20', 22') are connected. The invention solves the underlying problem by improving the handling of the knitting needles and, in particular, by reducing the slippage of the knitting needle in the user's hand. At least, an alternative solution to previously known solutions is to be proposed.