Patent Grant
10974541
Whiteboards are used in a variety of settings, such as schools and businesses, for teaching or brainstorming sessions. Dry-erase markers are generally used to write on the whiteboard, and dry erasers including a non-abrasive surface are used to remove the writing from the whiteboard. Using the dry eraser on its own to remove the writing on the whiteboard can leave remnants of the dry-erase marker on the whiteboard, and writing on a whiteboard for an extended period of time can result in difficulty in removing all of the dry-erase marker writing.
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide a dry eraser that includes an internal chamber with a plurality of individual wipes for cleaning a whiteboard. In particular, the dry eraser includes a non-abrasive erasure material on one side of the body, and further includes a hollow interior with a plurality of individual wipes that can be dispensed for cleaning the whiteboard. Each of the wipes can be presoaked in a cleaning fluid. Thus, rather than locating paper towels and a cleaning fluid for cleaning the whiteboard, the user can dispense individual cleaning wipes directly from the dry eraser, simplifying the overall process for the user.
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an exemplary dry eraser is provided. The dry eraser includes a body including a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, and first and second side walls. The body includes a hollow interior configured and dimensioned to receive therein a plurality of individual wipes. The top wall of the body includes an opening configured and dimensioned to dispense therefrom the plurality of individual wipes. The dry eraser includes an erasure material disposed on at least a portion of the bottom wall of the body.
In some embodiments, the erasure material can be felt. In some embodiments, the dryer eraser can include a magnetic component mounted to the outside of the body or incorporated within the body. In some embodiment, the opening of the top wall of the body can be configured and dimensioned to receive therethrough a container including the plurality of individual wipes. The dry eraser can include a lid hingedly mounted to the top wall of the body and configured to be positioned in a closed position and an open position. The lid covers the opening in the top wall in the closed position to prevent the individual wipes from drying out.
In some embodiments, the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall or the rear wall can include an elongated opening extending into the hollow interior of the body. The elongated opening can be configured and dimensioned for introduction of the plurality of individual wipes therethrough and into the hollow interior of the body. In such embodiments, the dry eraser can include a latch configured to be positioned in a closed position and an open position, the latch covering the elongated opening in the closed position. The dry eraser can include a spring-loaded platform disposed on an inner surface of the hollow interior. The spring-loaded platform biases the plurality of individual wipes in the direction of the opening in the top wall.
In some embodiments, at least one of the front wall, the rear wall, the first side wall, or the second side wall can include a transparent window for visualizing a fullness level of the hollow interior with the plurality of individual wipes. In some embodiments, at least one of the front wall, the rear wall, the first side wall, or the second side wall can include a moisture sensor indicating a moisture level of the plurality of individual wipes within the hollow interior. The moisture level is indicated in a color-coded manner, each color indicating a different moisture level.
In some embodiments, the dry eraser can include a dispensing mechanism for dispending the plurality of individual wipes through the opening. The dispensing mechanism can include a door slidably disposed relative to the opening of the top wall and configured to be positioned in a closed position or an open position. The door covers the opening of the top wall in the closed position. The dispensing mechanism further includes an actuator (e.g., a button) configured to be depressed or slid relative to the body to position the door between the closed and open positions.
The dispending mechanism includes an extension disposed within the hollow interior and mechanically cooperating with the actuator such that depressing or sliding the actuator simultaneously or substantially simultaneously positions the door in the open position, actuates the extension to hook onto one of the plurality of individual wipes, and at least partially dispenses one of the plurality of individual wipes from the opening in the top wall without dispensing a subsequent individual wipe. The actuator can be spring-loaded such that releasing the depressed or slid actuator repositions the extension within the hollow interior and positions the door in the closed position.
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an exemplary dry eraser system is provided. The dry eraser system includes a plurality of individual wipes and a dry eraser. The dry eraser includes a body with a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, and first and second side walls. The body includes a hollow interior configured and dimensioned to receive therein the plurality of individual wipes. The top wall of the body includes an opening configured and dimensioned to dispense therefrom the plurality of individual wipes. The dry eraser includes an erasure material disposed on at least a portion of the bottom wall of the body.
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an exemplary method of dispensing individual wipes is provided. The method includes providing a dry eraser as disclosed herein. The method includes positioning the plurality of individual wipes within the hollow interior of the body of the dry eraser. The method further includes dispensing the plurality of individual wipes from the dry eraser through the opening in the top wall of the body of the dry eraser.
In some embodiments, the dry eraser includes a lid hingedly mounted to the top wall of the body and configured to be positioned in a closed position and an open position. The lid can cover the opening in the top wall in the closed position. In such embodiments, the method includes positioning the lid in the open position prior to dispensing the plurality of individual wipes from the dry eraser through the opening.
In some embodiments, the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall or the rear wall includes an elongated opening extending into the hollow interior of the body. In such embodiments, positioning the plurality of individual wipes within the hollow interior of the body of the dry eraser includes introducing the plurality of individual wipes through the elongated opening and into the hollow interior of the body.
In some embodiments, dispensing the plurality of individual wipes from the dry eraser through the opening can include depressing or sliding an actuator of a dispensing mechanism of the dry eraser to position a door slidably disposed relative to the opening of the top wall in an open position, actuate an extension of the dispensing mechanism to hook onto one of the plurality of individual wipes, and at least partially dispense one of the plurality of individual wipes from the opening in the top wall without dispensing a subsequent individual wipe.
Any combination and/or permutation of embodiments is envisioned. Other objects and features will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure.
To assist those of skill in the art in making and using the disclosed dry erasers and associated systems and methods, reference is made to the accompanying figures, wherein:
It should be understood that the relative terminology used herein, such as “front”, “rear”, “left”, “top”, “bottom”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “up” and “down” is solely for the purposes of clarity and designation and is not intended to limit embodiments to a particular position and/or orientation. Accordingly, such relative terminology should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, it should be understood that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to embodiments having specific dimensions. Thus, any dimensions provided herein are merely for an exemplary purpose and are not intended to limit the invention to embodiments having particular dimensions.
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide a dry eraser that includes an internal chamber configured to hold and individually dispense a plurality of individual wipes for cleaning a whiteboard. In particular, the dry eraser includes a non-abrasive erasure material on one side of the body, and further includes a hollow interior with a plurality of individual wipes that can be dispensed for cleaning the whiteboard. In some embodiments, separately and individually stored in the dry eraser and the dry eraser can include a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense one wipe at a time without dispensing a subsequent wipe or preparing a sequent wipe for dispensing. Each of the wipes can be presoaked in a cleaning fluid. Thus, rather than locating paper towels and a cleaning fluid for cleaning the whiteboard, the user can dispense individual cleaning wipes directly from the dry eraser, simplifying the overall process for the user.
The dry eraser 100 includes a lid 118 hingedly connected to the top wall 104 of the body 102. For example, hinges 120, 122 can rotatably connect the lid 118 to the rear wall 110 of the body 102. Thus, the lid 118 can be rotated between a closed position (e.g., shown in
The body 102 includes a hollow interior 128 forming a chamber configured and dimensioned to receive therein a plurality of individual wipes 130 that can be dispensed from the body 102 for cleaning the whiteboard. In some embodiments, the body 102 can be fabricated from two body halves 102a, 102b that can be disengaged to expose the hollow interior 128 for placement of individual wipes 130 or a container including the individual wipes 130 within the hollow interior 128 (e.g.,
In some embodiments, the top wall 104 of the body 102 includes an opening dimensioned equivalent to the dimensions of the hollow interior 128 such that the wipes 130 or a container with the wipes 130 can be positioned directly into the hollow interior 128 through the opening. As will be discussed below with respect to
In some embodiments, the top wall 104 includes an opening 132 formed therein. For example, the opening 132 can be disposed at a central location of the top wall 104. The opening 132 can be connected with the hollow interior 128 such that individual wipes 130 can be dispensed from the hollow interior 128 through the opening 132. Thus, the lid 118 can be rotated into the open position to expose the opening 132, the desired wipes 130 can be dispensed from the opening 132, and the lid 118 can be rotated into the closed position to cover the opening 132. In the closed position, the lid 118 assists in reducing or preventing drying of the wipes 130 stored within the hollow interior 128. In some embodiments, if the cleaning fluid in which the wipes 130 are soaked dries, additional cleaning fluid can be poured into the hollow interior 128 through the opening 132.
In some embodiments, the front wall 108, the rear wall 110, the first side wall 112 and/or the second side wall 114 can include a window 134 fabricated from a transparent (or substantially transparent) material. The window 134 provides a direct view of the contents of the hollow interior 128 such that a user can visualize the fullness level of the hollow interior 128 with the wipes 130. In some embodiments, the front wall 108, the rear wall 110, the first side wall 112 and/or the second side wall 114 can include a moisture sensor 136 configured to indicate the moisture level of the wipes 130 disposed within the hollow interior 128. In particular, the moisture sensor 136 can detect the level of moisture due to the cleaning fluid in which each of the wipes 130 is soaked, and includes an indicator for providing a visual display regarding the detected moisture level. In some embodiments, the moisture level can be indicated in a color-coded manner, with each color indicating a different moisture level (e.g., blue indicating a high level of moisture, white indicating a low level of moisture, or the like).
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, one or more areas of the dry eraser 100 can include a magnetic component 144 mounted thereon or incorporated therein. For example, one or more walls of the body 102 can include the magnetic component 144 and/or the lid 118 can include the magnetic component 144. The dry eraser 100 can thereby be magnetically attached to any metal surface for convenient storage purposes.
The dry eraser 200 can include a door 204 hingedly connected to, e.g., the first side wall 112, such that the door 204 can be opened to expose the elongated opening 202. In some embodiments, the hollow interior 128 can include one or more puncture mechanisms such that introducing the container with the wipes 130 into the hollow interior 128 automatically punctures an end of the container to open the container for dispensing of the wipes 130. After the wipes 130 have been introduced into the hollow interior 128 through the elongated opening 202, the door 204 can be positioned in a closed position and a latch or locking mechanism 206 can be used to engage the door 204 with the first side wall 112.
In some embodiments, the wipes 130 can be folded relative to each other such that dispensing one wipe 130 guides a subsequent wipe 130 partially out of the opening 132 for easy access by the user. In some embodiments, rather than including a lid 118, the dry eraser 200 includes a top wall 104 with a dispensing mechanism 208 configured to individually dispense the wipes 130 within the hollow interior 128. In particular, the top wall 104 includes the opening 132 formed therein, and the dispensing mechanism 208 includes a door 210 slidably disposed relative to the opening 132 such that the door 210 can be slid between an open position and a closed position. In the open position, the door 210 exposes the opening 132 and the passage into the hollow interior 128. In the closed position, the door 210 covers the opening 132 and the passage into the hollow interior 128.
The dispensing mechanism 208 includes an actuator 212 (e.g., a button) on the top wall 104 configured to be depressed or slid relative to the body 102 to position the door 210 in the open position or the closed position. Thus, although illustrated as a sliding actuator 212, in some embodiments, the actuator 212 can be depressible. The dispensing mechanism 208 further includes a wipe grasping mechanism in the form of an extension 214 disposed within the hollow interior 128 and mechanically cooperating with the actuator 212.
The extension 214 can include a grasping end 216 configured and dimensioned to hook onto a single wipe 130 for dispensing the wipe 130 from the opening 132. In particular, depressing or sliding the actuator 212 simultaneously (or substantially simultaneously) positions the door 210 in the open position, actuates the extension 214 to hook onto one of the wipes 130 with the grasping end 216, and at least partially dispenses the wipe 130 from the opening 132 without dispensing a subsequent wipe 130. In some embodiments, the grasping end 216 can, e.g., including one or more hook shapes, include a VELCRO™ strip, or the like.
The actuator 212 can be spring-loaded such that releasing the depressed or slid actuator 212 repositions the extension 214 within the hollow interior 128 and positions the door 210 in the closed position. In some embodiments, the door 210 can remain in at least a partially open position while the wipe 130 is being removed through the opening 132, and as soon as the wipe 130 is fully removed from the opening 132 the spring-loaded door 210 is repositioned in a closed position. Thus, individual wipes 130 can be dispensed from the hollow interior 128 and the spring-loaded door 210 is maintained in a normally closed position to prevent the wipes 130 from drying out.
In some embodiments, the bottom wall 106 of the dry eraser 250 can also define a concave central section 260 that gradually transitions from the first and second side walls 112, 114. In some embodiments, the body 102 can be formed from a flexible material such that pressing the dry eraser 250 against a planar surface (e.g., a whiteboard) flexes the body 102 to position the entire bottom wall 106 against the surface (e.g., the concave central section 260 is flexed to define a substantially planar bottom wall 106 until force on the dry eraser 250 is removed).
In some embodiments, one or more walls of the dry eraser 250 can include features 262 (e.g., a textured surface, rubber strips, rubber surfaces, or the like) to further improve the grip of the user on the dry eraser 250. For example, as shown in
At step 310, the plurality of individual wipes are dispensed from the dry eraser through the opening in the top wall of the body of the dry eraser. In some embodiments, at step 312, an actuator of a dispensing mechanism can be depressed or slid to position a door slidably disposed relative to the opening of the top wall in an open position, actuate an extension of the dispensing mechanism to hook onto one of the plurality of individual wipes, and at least partially dispense one of the plurality of individual wipes from the opening in the top wall without dispensing a subsequent individual wipe.
Thus, in addition to a non-abrasive erasure material disposed on one side of the dry eraser, the exemplary dry eraser provides an inner chamber for storage of a plurality of wipes for cleaning a whiteboard. In particular, the inner chamber of the dry eraser can receive individual wipes in a variety of ways, and further includes various means for dispensing the wipes from the inner chamber. The dry eraser is structured such that after an individual wipe is dispensed, the opening in the top wall can be covered to prevent drying of the cleaning fluid in which the wipes are presoaked. Thus, rather than locating paper towels and a cleaning fluid for cleaning the whiteboard, the user can dispense individual cleaning wipes directly from the dry eraser, simplifying the overall process for the user.
While exemplary embodiments have been described herein, it is expressly noted that these embodiments should not be construed as limiting, but rather that additions and modifications to what is expressly described herein also are included within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it is to be understood that the features of the various embodiments described herein are not mutually exclusive and can exist in various combinations and permutations, even if such combinations or permutations are not made express herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/381,328 filed on Aug. 30, 2016, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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