Patent Grant
9764589
This invention relates to a illustration unit that can be used by individuals having problems with gripping marking members.
Hand disabilities, or dexterity impairments, have multiple causes and can happen to any age group. The causes of dexterity impairment can be a result of a birth defect, osteoarthritis, polio, various accidents, neurological; the list of causes is extensive.
There are a number of companies that provide aids for performing everyday tasks; however they address the practical side of life. Although the practical side is necessary, for many people, art is an expression of joy and fulfillment. When faced with a dexterity impairment, drawing, coloring, painting, all activities that require holding a small elongated element, are limited or eliminated.
The disclosed illustration units of the present invention were designed to enable the dexterity impaired population to draw, write, paint, etc. through the handle designs and marking element placement.
An illustration unit is disclosed for use by people who have less than optimal gripping capability. This can include small children as well as people with dexterity impairments. The handle of the illustration unit has a diameter sufficient to allow the user's pinky, ring and middle fingers come proximate too or in contact with the thenar while. prevent a user's pinky, ring and middle fingers from contacting a user's proximal or distal palmar. Preferably the handle is manufactured from, or covered with, a pliable, non-slip material; although in some embodiments the handle can be manufactured from a non-pliable material. In most embodiments the handle is configured to enable the user to contact a surface approximately parallel to their body with at least one marking element.
There is at least one receiving area within the handle dimensioned to receive a marking element, a handle extension, an eraser, or other drawing or painting related item. Each of the receiving areas in either the handle or the connectors can have different interior diameters in order to receive different marking elements.
The handle itself can be arcuate, having an interior surface and an exterior surface, thereby eliminating a connector to hold the marking elements. In some embodiments the interior surface is dimensioned to receive a marking element or handle extension in frictional contact formed by the marking element contacting a first area of the interior surface at two points and a second opposing area of the interior surface at one point.
At least one connector, each having the first and a second end, is dimensioned for a first end to be received in the receiving area and the second end to receive a marking element. In one embodiment the connector is arcuate having an interior surface and an exterior surface. The interior surface is dimension to receive the marking element in frictional contact, which is formed by the marking element contacting a first area of interior surface at two points and a second opposing area of the interior surface at one point. In other embodiments the connector can be adjustable and/or repositionable with respect to the handle. Alternatively, the connectors can be flexible and/or removable to be repositioned within multiple receiving areas within the handle. Multiple connectors can be provided at different angles and lengths for a single handle to enable the user to select the angle in length most comfortable and most applicable for the project.
In some embodiments the illustration unit has a stand to place the marking element at an angle when the unit is resting on a surface in order to elevate the marking element from the surface and prevent rolling. The stand can encompasses the handle to prevent paint from dripping down to the user's hand.
The illustration unit can have a base to maintain an upright position. The base can have a removable securing means, such as a suction cup, or clamp. Storage means can also be incorporated into the handle. In some embodiments the storage means include storage and dispensing of paint.
Definitions
As used herein the term “bristles” and “hair” will be used interchangeably and shall refer to the portion of the brush used for application of a material, such a paint, make up, varnish, etc., and will include natural and synthetic materials.
As used herein the term “brush” will refer to the combination of the bristles and ferrule. The brush in all embodiments can be removable from the connector or can be permanently adhered.
As used herein the term “illustration unit” will refer to the combination of the optional connector, handle and base in conjunction with the selected illustrating medium.
As used herein the term “marking element” will refer to brushes, crayons, pencils, pastels, chalk, stamps or other medium that is used to sketch, paint, write or place a mark onto a surface.
As used herein the term “connector” shall refer to a portion of the illustration unit that extends from the handle to the marking element. In the majority of embodiments one end of the connector is hollow and dimensioned to receive a marking element. However, in addition to hollow tubes connectors can include screws, clamps, clips and any related methods of removably securing two elements. A connector may not be used depending on the embodiment.
As used herein the term “ferrule” shall refer to an portion of the brush typically made of plastic or metal that holds the hairs at one end and is inserted into or onto the connector at the opposing end. In some embodiments, the ferrule and connector can be a single unit.
As used herein the terms “handle” and “body” shall be used interchangeably and refer to an portion of the brush that is gripped.
As used herein the term “toe” shall refer to the tip of the bristles.
As used herein the term “thenar” refers to the bulge at the base of the thumb as indicated in
As used herein the term “palmar” refers to the center portion of the palm has indicated in
As used herein the term “proximate” refers to next or nearest in space or time, very close, very near, immediately before or after in order place the occurrence, etc.
As used herein the term “cylinder” as employed herein is defined as follows:
The purpose of the disclosed illustration units is primarily to provide the ability to paint, color or sketch for those who are unable to do so or are limited due to disabilities. There are many reasons that people cannot hold a standard paintbrush from birth defects to arthritis to injury such as carpal tunnel syndrome to illness. Children, with their smaller hands and less refined motor skills benefit as well, although there is no age category to which this is restricted. Healthy individuals can use the illustration units as well, and may wish to do so due to the improved ergonomics to prevent future injury. Further, in some embodiments the connector can be lengthened to enable full use of a chalk, white board, walls, or any other surface on which one wishes to write illustrate draught design stamp war paint.
The ergonomic features include not requiring the artist to arch and bend the wrist. Many of the designs extend farther than a standard brush, reducing the required reach of the artist. Many of the designs also “point to” the intended target, reducing or even eliminating the need for the artist to bend their wrist or hand. Finally, many offer further ergonomics by providing a body that is easily gripped and held.
As the disclosed illustration unit is designed to assist people when writing on a surface that is approximately at right angles to the ground, or a proximately parallel to the users body, such as chalk board, easel, white board, etc, the disclosed illustration until is designed to position the hand at a generally parallel to the writing surface. Depending upon the person, however, the illustration units disclosed herein can be used to write on surfaces parallel to the ground. For the majority of user, the units will be used to facilitate painting, sketching, etc. as well as work on whiteboards and chalkboards.
Although most of the handles illustrated herein are simple, more fanciful forms can be used, including but not limited to fruits, fishing poles, animals, etc., to provide specific appeal for an age group. It is not so much the design of the handle that is critical but it's the graspability achieved through a combination of end user size dimensioning and materials.
The designs disclosed herein, and corresponding to the hand illustration of
The diameters of the handles disclosed herein are dependent upon the size of the user's hand. A minimum diameter would be about 0.5 inches and a maximum diameter would be about 3 inches. The dimensions can vary +/−15% and any variation will be obvious to those skilled in the art. As stated heretofore the intent is to release tension on the hands and prevent the fingertips from contacting the proximal or distil palmar.
The connectors disclosed herein are at a number of different angles/arcs depending upon the needs of the person and the end use. For example, the angles/arcs would be most beneficial for working on a surface at or above elbow level while a straight connector would be beneficial for work at elbow level or below. Again, however, this will be dependent upon the user and the end use.
Standard paintbrushes require manipulation by the thumb, forefinger and middle finger with additional gripping with the ring and pinky. Most of the handles as disclosed, are designed for grasping with the entire hand with the connector angle and placement determining the angle between the user's hand and the receiving surface.
The sizes of the handles are dependent upon the hands of the user, although some of the handles can be used by a larger range of hand sizes. However, it is unlikely that a six foot male would be comfortable using a handle dimensioned for a toddler.
It is important to note that although brushes are predominately used herein as an example, this should not be considered as a limiting factor. The only alteration between the use of a brush, pencil, pastel, crayon or other marking element is the style and size of the connector. Further, the connectors, in some embodiments, can be removable from the handle to permit connectors having a variety of distal diameters to be used. Other embodiments accept a larger range of marking elements due to the friction fit between the marking element and connector.
Each figure is described as illustrated and it should be noted that the handles illustrated herein are representative and that the illustrated handles can be interchanged. Additionally other designs and shapes can be easily used for handles. The marking elements can be removable, as would be applicable for the pencil, pastels, etc., or permanent as could be used for brushes.
Each marking unit is made from several elements, and may have some or all of the elements.
The first element is a “base”, this is the portion that rests against a surface when not in use.
The second element is the “handle” or “body”, this is the portion where the fingers and palm will touch the unit when in use.
The fourth element is the “connector”, this is the portion that connects the handle and the marking element.
The fifth element is the “marking element”, this is the portion which contains the medium, such as paint, crayons, chalk, markers, coal, graphite, or other such artistic materials. In most embodiments, the marking element has a body such as a metal ferrule (that will attach to the unit connector) and the head such as bristles for a brush (which will receive paint).
The body of the illustration units disclosed herein can be made of a wide variety of materials including silicone, rubber, metal, plastic or a combination thereof. Plastics provide an inexpensive and disposable option. Metals, rubbers, and plastics are all washable and reusable. The bodies can be any of the applicable shapes and designs as described hereinafter as well as any that are designed in the spirit of the application
The sizing of the marking element varies based upon certain factors. When the intended user is a child, for safety reasons the marking element should be of a large enough size as to make swallowing the marking element difficult. In addition, when for child use non-toxic materials should be used in the event that the marking element is swallowed.
Examples with variations and combinations of the base, handle, collar, connector and marking element are disclosed hereinafter.
In
The connector 104 is structurally rigid and can be manufactured from any lightweight material, such as plastic or aluminum that will receive the ferrule, base or body of a marking element 106. The connector in this embodiment extends from the top of the handle 102 and has a slight angle. The connector 104 can be adhered to the body 102 or it can be removable, thereby enabling the user to change connectors, providing different relationship between the user's hand and the bristles to accommodate for different positions.
In
In this design, the base 154 is used to receive the suction cup 156 and handle 152 and is a rigid or semi-rigid material to prevent the suction cup 156 from tearing out of the softer material of the handle 152.
In embodiments where the handle 152 is manufactured from a rigid, or semi-rigid material, the suction cup 156 can be directly affixed to the handle 152.
In
In this embodiment, the base 204 must have sufficient surface area to counter the weight of the connector 206 and marking element 208. Too narrow of a base 204 and the handle 202 will tip.
In
In
The handle 502 in this illustration is rounded, however other shapes can be used that are convenient for gripping. This embodiment is a good example of the flexibility of multiple sized connectors having a proximal end dimensioned to be received within the receiving area 504 and a distal end dimensioned to receive various marking elements 508. In this way, the same illustration unit 500 can be used with the connectors 506 easily removed and replaced with the appropriate connector 506 to received the marking element 508 currently in use. In some embodiments the end of the connector receiving the marking element 508 can be larger to accommodate chalk or other mediums while still enabling the connector to be received within the receiving area 504.
In
In
The illustration unit 650 of
Another dual element design is illustrated in
In
In
The illustration unit 850 of
The one-piece illustration unit 900 of
In
The illustration unit 950 of
The refillable unit 960 of
In the illustration unit 970 of
The illustration unit 980 of
Although brushes are illustrated herein for use with paints, it should be noted that any liquid can be contained within the refillable units and that any means for transferring the liquid to a surface can be incorporated.
In
The handles of
The illustration unit 1150 of
The illustration unit 1200 as illustrated in
The rotatable illustration unit 1250 shown in
On the opposing end of the connector 1254 from the rotation element 1256 is a marking element grip 1260. The marking element grip 1260 consists of a receiving area 1266 and a securing element 1264. The receiving area 1266 is preferably of a sufficient diameter to accept a number of marking elements 1258 that are held in place through the securing element 1264.
The illustration unit 1250 provides two means within which to customize the device. The rotation element 1256 enables the angle to be selected while the grip 1260 controls the distance between the handle 1252 and the receiving surface.
The illustration unit 1300 of
In
In
It should be noted that the connector 4104 in this embodiment, as well as other embodiments, can be manufactured from a material that will stretch to accommodate a range of marking unit diameters.
The illustration unit 4200 of
In
A holder element 5030 has a base 5031 with holes 5036 in which the marking elements 5006 fit. In the preferred embodiment the marking elements 5006 fit snuggly within the holes 5036 such that the marking elements 5006 will remain seated regardless of the orientation of the holder element 5030. A peg 5034 the length and width of a marking element is situated at the center of the holder element 5030 such that the peg 5034 fits within the connector 5004.
Similar to the collar 5010 the holder element 5030 has a holder element base 5031 and a raised holder portion 5032 with a smaller diameter than the holder base 5031. The holder base 5031 is preferably made of a rubbery material that creates enough tension to hold the marking elements in place, but still allows the marking elements to be removed. If a magnetic marking element is used, the body 5033 of the holder base 5031 can be magnetic, to hold the marking elements in place. The cover 5020 fits over the raised holder portion 5032 and the top of the cover 5020 rests against the holder portion base 5031 such that the holder element 5030 and the cover 5020 are secured together 5036 by tension. In an alternative embodiment the seal is such that liquid cannot escape, and the cup formed by the holder element 5030 and the cover 5020 can be used as a cup for holding water or other liquids while painting.
In
The illustration units 5900 and 6000 of
In
In the embodiment of
In
In this as well as other embodiments the connector and/or body can be varied to accommodate marking elements ranging from a small
In
Example handle shapes can include:
Fruit, such as bananas, apples, pears, strawberries, etc.
Vegetables, such as potatoes, peppers, jalapenos, etc.
Animals, such as frogs, bears, lions, etc.
Shapes and sizes are chosen based on their attributes rather than purely aesthetic reasons. Certain shapes—which correspond with fruit, vegetables, and animals—fit the hand well, making them ergonomic to use. As such, different fruits, vegetables, and animals may be suited to different projects, such as a strawberry handle for close-up and/or fine detail work. Others such as a banana or curving pepper handle will enable a person to keep their hand in a natural position and does not require them to arch their wrist.
Geometric shapes, such as circles, squares, columns
Example handle materials can include:
Rubbers, in particular silicone rubber
Closed cell foam 26
Open cell foam
Plastics
Woods, including cork and bamboo
Composites
Metal, in particular aluminum which is light and strong
The materials are chosen based on characteristics such as weight, flexibility, their washability and grip comfort.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2236194 | Lorber | Mar 1941 | A |
| 5180239 | Bistrack | Jan 1993 | A |
| 5564849 | Greer, Jr. | Oct 1996 | A |
| 6343885 | Heyne | Feb 2002 | B1 |
| 8348534 | Brindise | Jan 2013 | B1 |
| 8393812 | Shultz | Mar 2013 | B2 |
| 20040068269 | Bonati et al. | Apr 2004 | A1 |
| 20060039739 | Komorowski | Feb 2006 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20130209155 A1 | Aug 2013 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61599031 | Feb 2012 | US |
