Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6347898
-
Patent Number
6,347,898
-
Date Filed
Saturday, July 14, 200123 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, February 19, 200222 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Walczak; David J.
- Nguyen; Tuan
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 401 52
- 401 195
- 401 88
- 401 98
- 015 431
- D19 53
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
A dry-erase marker eraser is comprised of a springy tubular sleeve with a closed end and an open end. An erasing pad is attached to the closed end of the sleeve. Longitudinal gripping ribs are arranged around an interior wall of the sleeve adjacent the open end. Longitudinal stop ribs are arranged around the interior wall of the sleeve adjacent the closed end. The open end of the sleeve is adapted to fit around a butt end of a marker. The sleeve and gripping ribs are sized to engage markers between a minimum diameter and a maximum diameter. When the sleeve is positioned around a marker of the minimum diameter, the gripping ribs are closest from each other and the open end of the sleeve has a circular shape. When the sleeve is positioned around a marker of the maximum diameter, the gripping ribs are spread apart and the sleeve is reduced in curvature between the gripping ribs to a polygonal shape.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to dry marker erasers.
2. Prior Art
A dry-erase marker is a felt tip pen for making erasable marks on a dry-erase surface, such as a white board. The marks may be erased with a felt eraser. However, the eraser is typically separate from the pen. A user must hold the pen in one hand and the eraser in the other hand, and constantly swap them between the hands to write and erase. Further, the separate eraser is often misplaced and not available when needed.
Various erasers known among the prior art are attachable to a marker for greater convenience. An eraser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,121 to Carver is comprised of an erasing pad fixed to the side of a cap for a marker. In a second embodiment, it is comprised of an erasing pad secured inside a recess at the end of the cap with a pin. In a third embodiment, it is comprised of an erasing pad attached within a tubular sleeve which is secured around the end of the cap. In a fourth embodiment, it is comprised of an erasing pad attached to a C-clip for clipping to the side of the marker. However, each of the first three embodiments fits only a single model of marker, whereas the C-clip interferes with the user's grip around the marker. Another eraser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,603 to Bell is comprised of an erasing pad attached to one end of a cylinder which has another end for fitting inside the hollow end of a marker. In a second embodiment, it is comprised of an erasing pad attached to one end of a cylinder which has another end for fitting externally around the end of a marker. Each embodiment also fits only a single model of marker.
Another eraser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,294 to Turner is comprised of an erasing pad attached to either a cap or the end of a marker. The erasing pad must be permanently adhered to the cap or marker, and cannot be reattached to another marker. Yet another eraser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,442 to Keller is comprised of a ring of erasing material attached around a rigid sleeve that fits around a cap of a marker. In a second embodiment, it is comprised of a cap with an erasing pad attached to a side thereof. In a third embodiment, it is comprised of an erasing pad attached to a clip which is attachable to the rim of the cap. Again, each of the embodiments can only fit a single model of marker. None of the prior art erasers which is arranged to attach to the cap or end of a marker can fit more than a single model of marker.
OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION
The objectives of the present eraser are:
to erase marks made by a dry-erase marker;
to be attachable to the marker to avoid being misplaced;
to be attachable to the marker for greater convenience in use; and
to be attachable to a plurality of markers of different diameters.
Further objectives of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A dry-erase marker eraser is comprised of a springy tubular sleeve with a closed end and an open end. An erasing pad is attached to the closed end of the sleeve. Longitudinal gripping ribs are arranged around an interior wall of the sleeve adjacent the open end. Longitudinal stop ribs are arranged around the interior wall of the sleeve adjacent the closed end. The open end of the sleeve is adapted to fit around a butt end of a marker. The sleeve and gripping ribs are sized to engage markers between a minimum diameter and a maximum diameter. When the sleeve is positioned around a marker of the minimum diameter, the gripping ribs are closest from each other and the open end of the sleeve has a circular shape. When the sleeve is positioned around a marker of the maximum diameter, the gripping ribs are spread apart and the sleeve is reduced in curvature between the gripping ribs to a polygonal shape.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1
is a side view of the present dry-erase marker eraser on a conventional marker.
FIG. 2
is a sectional view thereof.
FIG. 3
is an end perspective view thereof without the marker.
FIG. 4
is an end view thereof.
FIG. 5
is an end view thereof on a larger marker.
FIG. 6
is an end perspective view of a second embodiment thereof.
FIG. 7
is a sectional view of a third embodiment thereof.
DRAWING REFERENCE NUMERALS
10
. Eraser
11
. Sleeve
12
. Closed End
13
. Open end
14
. Butt End
15
. Marker
16
. Wall
17
. Erasing Pad
18
. Ring
19
. Gripping Pad
20
. Interior Wall
21
. Stop Rib
22
. Air Channel
23
. Marker
24
. Marker
25
. Eraser
26
. Sleeve
27
. Closed End
28
. Open End
29
. Gripping Rib
30
. Interior Wall
31
. Stop Rib
32
. Eraser
33
. Sleeve
34
. Gripping Ribs
35
. Stop Ribs
36
. Interior Wall
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIGS.
1
-
3
:
A first embodiment of the present dry-erase marker eraser
10
is shown in a side perspective view in
FIG. 1
, a sectional view in
FIG. 2
, and an end perspective in FIG.
3
. It is comprised of a tubular sleeve
11
with a closed end
12
, and an open end
13
for being positioned around a non-writing or butt end
14
of a conventional dry-erase marker
15
. Sleeve
11
has an internal diameter large enough to be spaced from a wall
16
of the largest attachable marker. Sleeve
11
is made of a springy material, such as polypropylene. An erasing pad
17
, such as felt or a pile material, suitable for erasing dry-erase marks is attached to the exterior of closed end
12
of tubular sleeve
11
. Erasing pad
17
is preferably glued or adhered to closed end
12
, but it may be attached by any other suitable method. A ring
18
is concentrically attached to sleeve
11
adjacent closed end
12
. Ring
18
is positioned around a base of erasing pad
17
to prevent erasing pad
17
from being dislodged accidentally. Ring
18
is preferably larger in diameter than sleeve
11
to enable the use of an erasing pad larger in diameter than sleeve
11
, but it may be of any size.
Longitudinal gripping ribs
19
are arranged around an interior wall
20
of sleeve
11
adjacent open end
13
for gripping butt end
14
of marker
15
. There are preferably at least three gripping ribs
19
. Interior wall
20
of sleeve
11
is preferably tapered from open end
13
to closed end
12
to facilitate molding. The central ridges of gripping ribs
19
are preferably parallel to each other and thus to the wall of marker
15
, thus gripping ribs
19
are tapered toward their inner ends where wall
20
is angled inwards. Longitudinal stop ribs
21
are arranged around interior wall
20
of sleeve
11
adjacent closed end
12
. Stop ribs
21
are preferably offset radially from gripping ribs
19
to facilitate molding. Stop ribs
21
are adapted for spacing butt end
14
of marker
15
from closed end
12
and preventing marker
15
from being inserted too tightly into sleeve
11
. There may be any number of stop ribs
21
. When marker
15
is fully inserted into sleeve
11
, an air channel
22
is left between interior wall
20
and marker
15
for preventing suction from developing between closed end
12
of sleeve
11
and butt end
14
of marker
15
.
FIGS.
4
-
5
:
Sleeve
11
and gripping ribs
19
are sized to engage different model markers between a predetermined minimum diameter and a predetermined maximum diameter. When sleeve
11
is positioned around a marker
23
of about the minimum usable diameter, as shown in
FIG. 4
, gripping ribs
19
are closest to each other and open end
13
of sleeve
11
has a circular shape.
When sleeve
11
is positioned around a marker
24
of about the maximum usable diameter, as shown in
FIG. 5
, gripping ribs
19
are spread apart and sleeve
11
is reduced in curvature between gripping ribs
19
to a generally polygonal shape. Accordingly, the present eraser can be attached to markers of different diameters.
FIG.
6
:
In a second embodiment shown in
FIG. 6
, a dry-erase marker eraser
25
is comprised of a corrugated tubular sleeve
26
with a closed end
27
and an open end
28
. Sleeve
26
has a maximum internal diameter large enough to be spaced from the wall of the largest attachable marker. Sleeve
26
is made of a springy material, such as polypropylene. An erasing pad (not shown) is attached to the exterior of closed end
27
of sleeve
26
. A ring
28
is concentrically attached to sleeve
26
adjacent closed end
27
and positioned around a base of the erasing pad. Longitudinal gripping ribs
29
comprising the corrugations of sleeve
26
are arranged around an interior wall
30
adjacent open end
28
for gripping a butt end of the marker. Longitudinal stop ribs
31
are arranged around interior wall
30
of sleeve
26
adjacent closed end
27
for spacing the butt end of the marker from closed end
27
. The number of gripping ribs
29
and stop ribs
31
may vary.
FIG.
7
:
In a third embodiment shown in
FIG. 7
, a dry-erase marker eraser
32
is similar to that of
FIG. 1
, except that tubular sleeve
33
is smaller in diameter for fitting smaller markers, either on the butt end or the cap. Also, longitudinal gripping ribs
34
are aligned with stop ribs
35
around an interior wall
36
of sleeve
33
, although they may be offset as in the embodiment of FIG.
1
.
SUMMARY AND SCOPE
Accordingly, the present dry-erase marker eraser erases marks made by a dry-erase marker. It is attachable to the marker to avoid being misplaced and for greater convenience in use. It is also attachable to a plurality of models of conventional markers of different diameters.
Although the foregoing description is specific, it should not be considered as a limitation on the scope of the invention, but only as an example of the preferred embodiment. Many variations are possible within the teachings of the invention. For example, different attachment methods, fasteners, materials, dimensions, etc. can be used unless specifically indicated otherwise. The relative positions of the elements can vary, and the shapes of the elements can vary. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, not by the examples given.
Claims
- 1. A dry-erase marker eraser, comprising:a tubular sleeve made of a springy material and having a closed end, an open end for being positioned around a butt end of a dry-erase marker and an interior wall which is tapered from said open end to said closed end to facilitate molding; an erasing pad attached to an exterior of said closed end of said sleeve for erasing dry-erase marks; longitudinal gripping ribs arranged around said interior wall of said sleeve adjacent said open end for gripping said butt end of said marker, said gripping ribs being spreadable apart and said sleeve is reducible in curvature between said gripping ribs to a generally polygonal shape for being attached around markers of different diameters; and longitudinal stop ribs arranged around said interior wall of said sleeve adjacent said closed end for spacing said butt end of said marker from said closed end and preventing suction from developing between said sleeve and said butt end of said marker.
- 2. The dry-erase marker eraser of claim 1, wherein said tubular sleeve is comprised of a corrugated sleeve, and said longitudinal gripping ribs are comprised of corrugations in said corrugated sleeve.
- 3. The dry-erase marker eraser of claim 1, wherein said spring material is comprised of polypropylene.
- 4. The dry-erase marker eraser of claim 1, wherein said erasing pad is comprised of felt.
- 5. The dry-erase marker eraser of claim 1, further including a ring concentrically attached to said sleeve adjacent said closed end overlapping a base of said erasing pad to prevent said erasing pad from being dislodged accidentally.
- 6. A dry-erase marker eraser, comprising:a tubular sleeve made of a springy material and having a closed end, an open end for being positioned around a butt end of a dry-erase marker, and an interior wall which is tapered from said open end to said closed end to facilitate molding; an erasing pad attached to an exterior of said closed end of said sleeve for erasing dry-erase marks; a ring concentrically attached to said sleeve adjacent said closed end overlapping a base of said erasing pad to prevent said erasing pad from being dislodged accidentally; longitudinal gripping ribs arranged around said interior wall of said sleeve adjacent said open end for gripping said butt end of said marker, said gripping ribs being spreadable apart and said sleeve is reducible in curvature between said gripping ribs to a generally polygonal shape for being attached around markers of different diameters; and longitudinal stop ribs arranged around said interior wall of said sleeve adjacent said closed end for spacing said butt end of said marker from said closed end and preventing suction from developing between said sleeve and said butt end of said marker, said stop ribs being offset radially from said gripping ribs to facilitate molding.
- 7. The dry-erase marker eraser of claim 6, wherein said tubular sleeve is comprised of a corrugated sleeve, and said longitudinal gripping ribs are comprised of corrugations in said corrugated sleeve.
- 8. The dry-erase marker eraser of claim 6, wherein said spring material is comprised of polypropylene.
- 9. The dry-erase marker eraser of claim 6, wherein said erasing pad is comprised of felt.
US Referenced Citations (8)