Beadwork accessories

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to accessories for making working with beads, either stringing them or weaving them, easier. More particularly, the accessories include a beadwork kit, a lap desk for bead working, a bead stringing tray and a weaving tray, the trays being interchangeable in the kit and desk and also being capable of being used alone.

2. Background

Heretofore, lap desks for art, writing, reading, etc. have been proposed. However, none having accommodated beadwork.

Also, various kits have been proposed, but none have been self contained.

Still further, to date, although bead stringing trays have been a valuable, however no bead weaving tray has been proposed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The beadwork accessories of the present invention overcome the lack of structures for beadwork as defined above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a beading kit of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a beading kit of the kit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the kit of FIG. 1 shown open and empty.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 but shows bead containers received in the cover of the kit and shows a beading tray which is received in the base of the kit.

FIG. 5 shows the cover of the kit detached from the base and two bead containers removed from the cover.

FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of a beadwork lap tray.

FIG. 7 shows an exploded top perspective view of the structures of the lap tray.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a bead weaving board.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view through the bead weaving board of FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is illustrated in FIG. 1-5 a beadwork kit made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention and generally identified by reference numeral 10. In FIGS. 6 and 7 there is illustrated a lap desk for beadwork made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention and generally identified by reference numeral 100. Finally in FIGS. 8 and 9 there is illustrated a bead weaving tray made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention and generally identified by reference numeral 200.

Beginning with the beadwork kit 10 of FIGS. 1-5, it will be seen that the kit 10 comprises a case 12 having a cover 14 and a base 16, the cover 14 and base 16 being detachably engaged to one another. The cover 14 includes a plurality of compartments 18 within which bead containers 20 are received. A further compartment 22 is provided for holding scissors or other beading tools (not shown). The base 16 also includes a storage compartment 24, which underlies a beadwork tray, such as a beading tray 28 or weaving tray 300, to be further defined below.

The base 16 incorporates along a periphery 30 thereof a plurality of spaced apart elevated shoulders 32 which maintain the beadwork tray a predetermined level above a bottom surface 34 of the base 16. Thus, the beadwork tray is sized and configured to rest upon such shoulders 32 when removably received within the base 16, the beadwork tray necessarily being removable to allow for access to the storage compartment 24 therebeneath.

The beading tray 28 incorporates a peripheral lip 40 which snaps under end latches 42 for same along peripheral ends 44 of the base 16, to assure secure engagement of the beading tray 28 within the base 16 when such secure engagement is desired.

Releasable engagement between the cover 14 and base 16 is created through use of hinge flanges 50 provided on the base 16 over which open hinge sections 52 provided on the cover 14 are received in snap lock manner.

Also, to provide secure closure between the base 16 and cover 14 for transportability of the kit 10, open latch members 56 are provided on the base 16 which snap over cooperating latch members 58 on the cover 14. Further, for ease in transporting of the kit 10, a handle 60 may be provided on the case 12.

Turning now to the beadwork lap desk 100 illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, it will be understood that the lap desk also incorporates a base 116 which may also incorporate a handle 160 for ease in transportability thereof.

The lap desk 100 incorporates on a bottom surface 162 thereof a pillow 164 which may be filled with beads or like material to allow the pillow 164 to conform to the lap of a user for comfort.

The interior of the base 116 is similar to the base 16 of the kit 10 in that it also incorporates upstanding shoulders 132 and end latches 142 for securing a beadwork tray securely therein, as well as incorporating a storage compartment 124. In FIG. 7, it will be seen that the base 116 can accommodate either the beading tray 28 or the bead weaving tray 300, in a manner similar to that of the kit 10, through the weaving tray is not shown with the kit 10, for purposes of brevity.

It will be understood that the beading tray 28 is for engaging beads in a straight line, such as for making bracelets, necklaces, anklets, etc., with a plurality of grooves 170 therein which may or may not include indicia associated therewith for determining the final length of the beadwork project being under taken. Also, indented cup like areas 180 may be provided for holding beads being used for a project. Thus, the embodiment illustrated need not be construed as limiting.

Turning now to the weaving tray 300, it will be seen to comprise a planar weaving surface 382 which is covered with flocking 384, as is the upstanding peripheral wall 386 surrounding the flocked weaving surface 382. The peripheral wall 386 further incorporates, in a preferred embodiment, a small magnet 388, provided for holding a needle or the like (not shown) so it is within easy reach of a user. The peripheral wall 386 further incorporates upstanding shoulders 332 and latch members 342 for accepting a beading board 28 therein should a user desire to incorporate both boards 28 and 300 into the kit 10 or lap tray 100.

Interchangeability of trays and boards thus makes the beadwork accessories described herein extremely versatile. It will also be understood of course that either board may be used independently of the kit 10 or lap tray.

As described above, the accessories of the present invention provide a number of advantages, some of which have been described above and others of which are inherent in the invention. Also, modifications may be proposed to the accessories without departing from the teachings herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims.