Material collection and identification device

Abstract

A collection and identification device includes a ball stop, a slide lock and a pull tab with identification member thereon, each arranged on an elastic binder line to facilitate flexible, quick, and secure collection of items, including identification and potential attachment to a secondary support. Notably, the ball stop, slide lock and pull tab are each unitary molded components, with no internal moving parts. The present device is easily assembled and is low cost to manufacture and assembly. Also, the device can be used in several different ways to collect and secure items, thus providing a flexible system capable of securing and identifying various items based on a user's preferences and desires.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A material collection and identification device comprising:
 a ball stop;   a slide lock;   a pull tab; and   a binder line attached to the pull tab and the ball stop, wherein the slide lock slides along a portion of the binder line to selectively capture captive material against one of the pull tab and ball stop.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the binder line is made of a resilient stretchable material. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the pull tab has an identification member to provide quick identification of collected items secured by the device. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the ball stop, the slide lock, and the pull tab are each single unitary moldings that characteristically do not include internal moving parts. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the binder line is secured to the ball stop with parallel sections of the binder line extending from the ball stop. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the binder line includes a knot, and wherein the ball stop includes a knot pocket shaped to frictionally secure the knot in the ball stop. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the binder line is a continuous loop and wherein the ball stop includes lateral slots gripping sections of the binder line extending from the ball stop. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the ball stop, the slide lock, and the pull tab is made of a material with specific gravity of less than 1.0 so as to float in water. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ball stop and slide lock and pull tab are each single unitary moldings and do not include internal moving parts. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the pull tab includes an identification member. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the identification member is one of mechanically or adheringly attached to the pull tab. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the identification member is releasably attached and is replaceable. 
     
     
         13 . A kit for use with a stretchable binder line, comprising:
 a ball stop component;   a slide lock component; and   a pull tab component;   the slide lock and pull tab components each including a through hole shaped to frictionally receive and engage a mating portion of a stretchable binder line, the ball stop component and the pull tab component also including a frictional structure for securely engaging a mating portion of the binder line extended through the slide lock and pull tab components.   
     
     
         14 . The kit defined in  claim 13 , wherein the slide lock includes a dual strand interference fit pass through opening for receiving the binder line, and wherein an exterior of the slide lock includes longitudinal recesses and protrusions for gripping by fingers of a human hand. 
     
     
         15 . The kit defined in  claim 13 , wherein the pull tab includes a binder engagement portion including a binder line dual strand pass through portion, and at least one circumferential binder line lock groove. 
     
     
         16 . The kit defined in  claim 13 , wherein the pull tab includes a binder engagement portion including at least one binder line single strand pass-through hole and a circumferential binder line lock groove. 
     
     
         17 . The kit defined in  claim 13 , wherein the pull tab includes a binder engagement portion and further includes an identification portion, the identification portion including one of an identification plate or sticker. 
     
     
         18 . The kit defined in  claim 13 , including a second slide lock on the binder line. 
     
     
         19 . A method of assembling and using a material collection device, the method comprising:
 passing a binder line through binder line pass-through portions of a ball stop, a slide lock, and a pull tab;   passing a looped end of the binder line through an opening in the pull tab and fastening the looped end of the binder line to the pull tab;   inserting a captive material into a loop formed in the binder line between the pull tab and the slide lock; and   sliding the slide lock along the binder line and toward the captive material to secure the material collection device to the captive material.   
     
     
         20 . A method of assembling and using a material collection device, the method comprising:
 providing a binder line extending through binder line pass-through portions of a ball stop, a slide lock, and a pull tab;   passing the pull tab through a looped end of the binder line and fastening the looped end of the binder line to the pull tab; and   forming an enlargement on an end of the binder line spaced away from the looped end, and pulling the enlargement into frictional engagement with the ball stop, such that the ball stop traps the slide lock on the binder line.   
     
     
         21 . The method defined in  claim 21 , including attaching an identification member to the pull tab. 
     
     
         22 . A method of assembling and using a material collection device, the method comprising:
 passing a binder line through binder line pass-through portions of a ball stop, a slide lock, and a pull tab;   attaching the pull tab to an end of the binder line;   inserting a captive material through a loop formed in the binder line between the pull tab and the slide lock; and   sliding the slide lock along the binder line and toward the captive material to secure the material collection device to the captive material.   
     
     
         23 . A method of assembling a material collection and identification device, comprising steps of:
 providing a plurality of end-defining components and a plurality of slide lock components, each being a unitary structure without internal moving parts;   providing a binder line;   assembling at least two of the end-defining components and at least one of the slide locks onto the binder line; and   selectively sliding the at least one slide lock in a first direction or in a second direction, with sliding in the first direction binding a captive material against one of the end-defining components and with sliding in the second direction binding the captive material against another one of the end-defining components.   
     
     
         24 . The method defined in  claim 23 , wherein the step of assembling includes assembling at least two of the slide locks onto the binder line.