Multi-function inking tools

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6615719
  • Patent Number
    6,615,719
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, October 9, 2001
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 9, 2003
    20 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Colilla; Daniel J.
    • Culler; Jill E
    Agents
    • Schacht; Michael R.
    • Schacht Law Office, Inc.
Abstract
An inking system for applying ink to an inking surface. The inking system comprises a handle, a first and second intermediate members, and first and second inking assemblies. The intermediate members attach the first and second intermediate members to the handle so that a user has two inking surfaces to use. The first and second inking assemblies can be of different types.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to systems and methods for forming ink impressions on paper and, more specifically, to such systems and methods for applying ink from an absorbent pad to an inking surface to be inked.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates ink stamping systems and methods in which an ink impression is formed on an impression carrying member that forms a stamping surface. The ink is applied to a stamp member on which a design is formed in bas relief. The stamp member with ink thereon is brought into contact with the carrying member such that ink is transferred to the stamping surface of the carrying member to form an ink impression in a configuration corresponding to the design on the stamp member.




The present invention is of particular importance in the formation of artistic rather than commercial ink impressions. Ink stamping systems for use by art stampers are designed and constructed primarily to obtain a high quality ink impression, with flexibility of use also being of importance. Considerations such as repeatability of the ink impression, ease of use. and durability of the stamping devices are of lesser importance than in the commercial ink stamping environment. Art stamping uses the same basic ink stamping process as commercial ink stamping but has evolved to allow much finer control over the details and quality of the resulting ink impression. The principles of the present invention also have application to commercial ink stamping, however.




The present invention specifically relates to the application of ink from an inking member to what will be referred to as an inking surface. The inking surface may be the surface of an impression carrying member such as a sheet of paper or the stamping surface of a stamp member. If the inking surface is formed by the impression carrying member, the ink impression is directly formed by the inking member. If the inking surface is formed by a stamp member, ink is applied first to a stamp member and the stamp member is brought into contact with the impression carrying member to form the ink impression.




The inking member may be formed by a number of structures. For example, the inking member can be formed by an ink-impregnated inking pad or wheel, depending upon whether the ink is to be transferred to the inking surface in a discrete portion or a continuous band. Alternatively, the inking member may be in the form of a planar or cylindrical rubber stamp or stamping wheel.




More specifically, inking members may be formed by conventional rubber stamps in both planar form and in a cylindrical wheel for the formation of continuous images. Inking members have also long been sold in the form of ink-impregnated absorbent pads having a planar pad surface. A product available from the assignee of the present invention under the trademark COLOR TOOLBOX contains a stylus assembly comprising a handle with detachable ink pad tips. Inking wheels have long been used as part of inking assemblies that form a continuous, repeated ink image.




The need exists for improved, cost effective methods of handling inking members such as rubber stamps and ink-impregnated absorbent pads.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention may be embodied as a system for applying ink to an inking surface. The system comprises a handle, at least one intermediate member, and an inking assembly. The inking assembly comprises a support member and an inking member. The intermediate member is attached to the handle, and the support member attaches the inking member to the intermediate member. The handle is displaced to bring the inking member into contact with the inking surface to transfer ink from the inking member to the inking surface.




The inking member can be in the form of a flat pad or a wheel. The intermediate member will be same regardless of the form of the inking member, but the support member is specifically adapted to support either a flat pad or a wheel.











DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view depicting a first end of an inking assembly of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of a second end of the inking assembly depicted in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is a side elevation view of the inking assembly of

FIG. 1

with half of a housing assembly removed;





FIG. 4

is a side elevation section view of the inking assembly of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 5

is a section view of the inking assembly of

FIG. 1

taken along lines 5—5 in

FIG. 4

;





FIG. 6

is an exploded section view of the second end of the inking assembly depicted in

FIG. 2

; and





FIG. 7

is an exploded section view of the first end of the inking assembly as depicted in FIG.


1


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Referring initially to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, depicted at


20


therein is an inking system constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principles of the present invention. As perhaps best shown in

FIG. 3

, the exemplary inking system


20


comprises a handle


22


, first and second intermediate members


24


and


26


, and first and second inking assemblies


28


(

FIG. 1

) and


30


(FIG.


2


). The first inking assembly


28


comprises a first support member


32


and a first inking member


34


, while the second inking assembly


30


comprises a second support member


36


and a second inking member


38


.




In the exemplary system


20


, the first inking member


34


is, as shown in

FIG. 4 and 7

, a cylindrical inking wheel defining a wheel surface


40


and an axle hole


42


, and the first support member


32


is an axle member that extends through the axle hole


42


. And as shown in

FIGS. 4 and 6

, the exemplary second inking member


38


is a flat inking pad defining a pad surface


44


; the exemplary second support member


36


is formed by a support plate defining a support cavity


46


that receives a portion of the inking member


38


.




As shown in

FIGS. 3

,


4


, and


5


, the exemplary handle


22


comprises a handle shaft portion


50


and first and second socket portions


52


and


54


. As perhaps best shown in

FIGS. 4

,


6


, and


7


, the socket portions


52


and


54


comprises socket surfaces


56


and


58


that define sockets


60


and


62


. The socket surfaces


56


and


58


are tapered and define frustoconical engaging portions


64


and


66


; the engaging portions


64


and


66


form a friction fit with the intermediate members


24


and


26


as will be described below.




The exemplary handle


22


defines a longitudinal axis A and is symmetrical about this axis A. The symmetrical shape renders the handle


22


easy to manufactured and use. Other shapes and configurations of the handle


22


are possible, however, and it is not necessary that the handle be symmetrical about its longitudinal or any other axis in other embodiments of the present invention. For example, a handle constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention may be fabricated with only one socket portion.




As perhaps best shown in

FIGS. 6 and 7

, the exemplary intermediate members


24


and


26


each comprise a mounting portion


70


and a hood portion


72


. The mounting portions


70


are sized and dimensioned to extend at least partly into the sockets


60


and


62


and engage the engaging portions


64


and


66


of the socket surfaces


56


and


58


. The engagement of the mounting portions


70


with the engaging portions


64


and


66


inhibits incidental movement of the intermediate members


24


and


26


relative to the handle


22


. The exemplary mounting portions


70


comprise mounting surfaces


74


that are generally frustoconical, but the mounting portions


70


may be in any shape that creates sufficient friction to inhibit relative movement between the intermediate members


24


and


26


and the handle


22


.




The mounting portions


70


of the intermediate members


24


and


26


and sockets


60


and


62


thus form first and second mounting systems


80


and


82


that inhibit incidental movement between the handle


22


and the intermediate members


24


and


26


. The mounting systems


80


and


82


allow the intermediate members


24


and


26


to be removed from the handle


22


with the deliberate application of manual force. In other configurations of the present invention, a detent-type mounting system that positively locks the intermediate members


24


and


26


to the handle


22


may be used in conjunction with or in place of the friction fit mounting systems


80


and


82


described above.




The hood portions


72


of the exemplary intermediate members


24


and


26


define hood cavities


90


that, in use, contain a portion of the inking assemblies


28


and


30


. In the preferred form of the inking system


20


, only a portion of the inking assemblies


28


and


30


extends from the hood cavities


80


to allow the inking members


34


and


38


to be brought into contact with the inking surface. The portion of the inking assemblies


28


and


30


that does not extend from the hood cavities


80


is protected by the hood portions


72


. The hood portions


72


thus inhibit damage or disassembly of the system


20


if dropped and also reduce the likelihood that the user will come into contact with the ink on the inking members


34


and


38


during application of ink to the inking surface. The hood portions


72


are preferred but not necessary to practice the present invention in its broadest form.




In the exemplary inking system


20


, the intermediate members


24


and


26


are identical. Making the intermediate members identical is preferred because manufacturing and inventory control are simplified, but identical intermediate members are not essential to practice the present invention in its broadest form.




Referring now to

FIGS. 5-7

, depicted therein are first and second attachment systems


120


and


122


that allow the support members


32


and


36


to be detachably attached to the intermediate members


24


and


26


.




In particular, the hood portions


72


of the exemplary intermediate members


24


and


26


comprise first and second bearing walls


130


and


132


. First and second bearing slots


134


and


136


are formed in the bearing walls


130


and


132


, respectively. First and second locking projections


140


and


142


are formed in the slots


134


and


136


, respectively. The bearing slots


134


and


136


define a slot axes B and C and a mounting axis D that intersects the slot axes B and C. The mounting axis D defines a locking position at closed ends


144


and


146


of the slots


134


and


136


, respectively. During use of the system


20


, the axes B and C of the exemplary slots


134


and


136


are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A defined by the handle


22


.




The support members


32


and


36


have different shapes and configurations but each comprises a pair of bearing portions: the first support member


32


comprises first and second bearing portions


150


and


152


, and the second support member


36


comprises first and second bearing portions


154


and


156


. The pairs of first and second bearing portions


150


,


152


and


154


,


156


define bearing axes E and F, respectively. The bearing portions


150


and


152


are spaced along the bearing axis E a distance equal to the distance between the bearing portions


154


and


156


along the bearing axis F.




In addition, the closed ends


144


and


146


of the first and second bearing slots


134


and


136


are spaced from each other along the mounting axis D a distance substantially the same as the distance between the bearing portions


150


,


152


and


154


,


156


along the bearing axes E and F. More specifically, bearing surfaces


160


and


162


that define the slots


134


and


136


are formed on the bearing walls


130


and


132


. The distance between these surfaces


160


and


162


is slightly greater than the distance between the bearing portions


150


,


152


, and


154


,


156


along the bearing axes E and F. The bearing portions


150


,


152


and


154


,


156


thus fit into the bearing slots


134


and


136


with the bearing axes E and F aligned with the mounting axis D as shown in FIG.


5


.




To retain the bearing portions


150


,


152


and


154


,


156


within the bearing slots


134


and


136


, and thus detachably attach the support members


32


and


36


to one of the intermediate members


24


or


26


, the locking projections


140


and


142


are formed on the bearing surfaces


160


and


162


. The locking projections


140


and


142


are triangular in cross-section and are arranged such that the bearing portions


150


,


152


and


154


,


156


must travel over the locking projections


140


and


142


to reach the slot ends


144


and


146


.




Because the locking projections


140


and


142


are triangular in cross-section and the hood portions


72


are somewhat flexible, the bearing portions


150


,


152


and


154


,


156


are able to travel over the locking projections


140


and


142


in either direction with the deliberate application of manual force. However, the locking projections


140


and


142


will inhibit movement of the bearing portions


150


,


152


and


154


,


156


out of the slot ends


144


and


146


.




The locking projections


140


and


142


thus reduce the likelihood that the support members will be inadvertently detached from the intermediate members but allow the support members to be manually detached when desired.




Referring now to

FIGS. 5-7

, it can be seen that the exemplary inking system


20


further comprises first and second cap members


170


and


172


. The cap members


170


and


172


are sized and dimensioned to engage the hood portions


72


of the intermediate members


24


and


26


to form closed hood chambers


174


and


176


.




In particular, first and second attachment ears


180


and


182


extending from each of the cap members


170


and


172


engage first and second attachment projections


184


and


186


formed in the bearing walls


130


and


132


, respectively, of the hood portions


72


. Ear projections


188


and


190


extend from the attachment ears


180


and


182


to positively lock the cap members


170


and


172


onto the hood portions


72


. At least one alignment projection


192


extends from the exemplary cap members


170


and


172


to ensure that the cap members


170


and


172


properly engage the hood portions


72


to form the hood chambers


174


and


176


.




The cap members


170


and


172


are not essential to protect the inking members


34


and


38


when the system


20


, or one end thereof, is not in use.




With the foregoing understanding of the basic operation of the system


20


in mind, the flexibility that this system


20


provides during manufacture, sales, and use will now be described in the context of the method of using the system


20


.




Initially, it should be noted that the inking system of the present invention is modular and may be embodied in a wide variety of different configurations. For example, the exemplary inking system


20


described herein comprised ink-impregnated absorbent pads, one arranged in a cylinder (the inking member


34


) and one arranged in a plane (the inking member


38


).




Other inking members in other configurations may be employed, however. As one alternative, one or more of the inking members may be a rubber stamp member arranged in a cylindrical or planar arrangement. The inking member may also be a more traditional pen shaped inking member such as is commonly found on a felt-tip pen.




The type and configuration of the inking member will dictate the shape and configuration of the support member, but the intermediate member may be the same for any shape or configuration of the support member as long as the support member defines bearing portions that engage the intermediate members as described above. Similarly, the shape of the intermediate member may vary significantly as long as it defines a mounting portion adapted to engage the handle as described above. And the handle portion may be any ergonomically desirable shape that spaces the intermediate members a comfortable distance from each other.




The exact size, shape, and configuration of the handle, intermediate members, support members, bearing portions, and connections between these parts is thus not important to implementing the present invention as long as the parts can be combined as shown. The handle, intermediate members, and support members of the exemplary system


20


are made of injection molded plastic, but other materials and manufacturing techniques may be used.




The exemplary system


20


takes advantage of the fact that the handle has two ends to allow two inking assemblies


28


and


30


to be used. However, the present invention may embodied with a handle and only one inking assembly.




Once the user has connected the appropriate inking assembly to the handle, the handle is used in a generally conventional manner to manipulate the inking assembly to apply ink to the surface to be inked. If the inking assembly includes an inking member comprised of an ink-impregnated absorbent pad, the inking member is brought into contact with an inking surface such as a sheet of paper or a rubber stamp for transfer to another surface. If the inking member is a rubber stamp, the inking member will normally be brought into contact with an inking surface such as a sheet of paper or the like.




A different color of ink or a different rubber stamp can be used in several different manners. First, the old inking assembly may be removed from the intermediate member and the old inking member removed from the existing support member. A new inking member may then be combined with the existing support member to form a new inking assembly. The new inking assembly is then attached to the intermediate member and used as desired.




As an alternative, the user may stock an extra support member in addition to an extra inking member. In this case, the inking assembly need not be disassembled and the new inking member placed onto the existing support member. Instead, the extra inking member and support member are simply attached to the existing intermediate member.




Yet another alternative is for the user to stock an intermediate member dedicated to each color or rubber stamp. Then the inking assembly need not be detached from the intermediate member; instead, the intermediate member is removed from the handle and the extra intermediate member containing the new inking assembly is attached to the handle.




The system of the present invention also provides the manufacturer and retailer with significant flexibility in managing inventory. The plastic parts need not be duplicated for each of the different colors manufactured.




From the foregoing, it should be apparent that the present invention may be embodied in many different combinations and sub-combinations of the elements and steps described above. The scope of the present invention should thus be determined by the following claims and not the foregoing detailed description.



Claims
  • 1. An inking system for applying ink to an inking surface, comprising:a handle defining a handle axis and comprising first and second socket surfaces, where the first and second socket surfaces are spaced along the handle axis on opposite ends of the handle; a first intermediate member comprising a first mounting portion sized and dimensioned to frictionally engage the socket surfaces to detachably attach the first intermediate member to the handle, and a first hood portion defining first and second bearing slots, where first and second locking projections are arranged in the first and second bearing slots, respectively; a second intermediate member comprising a second mounting portion sized and dimensioned to frictionally engage the socket surfaces to detachably attach the second intermediate member to the handle, and a second hood portion defining third and fourth bearing slots, where third and fourth locking projections are arranged in the third and fourth bearing slots, respectively; a first inking assembly comprising a substantially planar first support member comprising first and second bearing portions, and a substantially planar first inking member secured to the first support member; and a second inking assembly comprising a substantially cylindrical second support member comprising third and fourth bearing portions and defining a mounting axis, and a substantially cylindrical second inking member, where the second support member extends through the second inking member; whereby the first mounting portion is received by the first socket surface to secure the first intermediate member to the handle; the second mounting portion is received by the second socket surface to secure the second intermediate member to the handle; the first and second bearing portions on the first support member are held within the first and second bearing slots by the first and second locking projections to secure the first inking assembly to the first intermediate member such that the first inking member maintains a predetermined relationship to the handle axis; the third and fourth bearing portions on the second support member are held within the third and fourth bearing slots by the third and fourth locking projections to secure the second inking assembly to the second intermediate member such that the second inking member rotates about the mounting axis relative to the intermediate member.
  • 2. An inking system as recited in claim 1, in which the first and second hood portions are adapted to enclose a portion of the first and second inking assemblies, respectively.
  • 3. An inking system as recited in claim 1, in which:the first intermediate member comprises first and second bearing walls defining the first and second bearing slots, respectively; and the first and second bearing portions are spaced from each other to be received by the respective first and second bearing slots and supported by the respective first and second bearing walls to detachably attach the first inking assembly to the first intermediate member.
  • 4. An inking system as recited in claim 1, in which the first inking member is a rubber stamp.
  • 5. An inking system as recited in claim 1, in which the first inking member is an ink-impregnated absorbent pad.
  • 6. An inking system as recited in claim 1, in which the first support member is a support plate adapted to be secured to the first inking member.
  • 7. An inking system as recited in claim 1, in which the second support member is an axle member adapted to extend through at least a portion of the second inking member to allow the second inking member to rotate about the mounting axis relative to the intermediate member.
  • 8. An inking system as recited in claim 1, in which:the second intermediate member comprises third and fourth bearing walls defining the third and fourth bearing slots, respectively; and the third and fourth bearing portions are spaced from each other to be received by the respective third and fourth bearing slots and supported by the respective third and fourth bearing walls to detachably attach the second inking assembly to the second intermediate member.
  • 9. A method of applying ink to an inking surface, comprising the steps of:providing a handle defining first and second socket surfaces; providing a first intermediate member defining a first hood portion and a first mounting portion; providing a second intermediate member defining a second hood portion and a second mounting portion; detachably attaching the first intermediate member to the handle by frictionally engaging the first mounting portion and the first socket surface; detachably attaching the second intermediate member to the handle by frictionally engaging the second mounting portion and the second socket surface; forming first and second bearing slots in the first hood portion; forming third and fourth bearing slots in the second hood portion; forming first and second locking projections in the first and second bearing slots, respectively; forming third and fourth locking projections in the third and fourth bearing slots, respectively; providing a substantially planar first support member defining first and second bearing portions; providing a substantially cylindrical second support member defining third and fourth bearing portions; forming a first inking assembly by securing a substantially planar first inking member to the first support member; forming a second inking assembly by securing a substantially cylindrical second inking member to the second support member; detachably attaching the first inking assembly to the first intermediate member such that the first inking member is in a fixed relationship to the handle by arranging the first and second bearing portions within the respective first and second bearing slots such that the first and second locking projections inhibit inadvertent removal of the first and second bearing portions from the respective first and second bearing slots; and detachably attaching the second inking assembly to the second intermediate member such that the second inking member rotates about a mounting axis relative to the handle by arranging the third and fourth bearing portions within the respective third and fourth bearing slots such that the third and fourth locking projections inhibit inadvertent removal of the third and fourth bearing portions from the respective third and fourth bearing slots.
RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/239,431 filed Sep. 10, 2000.

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Number Name Date Kind
1297217 Mendell Mar 1919 A
2252649 Smallman Aug 1941 A
3465673 Oppenheim Sep 1969 A
4452142 Eckels Jun 1984 A
4676162 Phipps et al. Jun 1987 A
4817526 Winston Apr 1989 A
5359932 Van Breene Nov 1994 A
5435245 Salisbury et al. Jul 1995 A
5738011 Tay Apr 1998 A
5816160 Taira et al. Oct 1998 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
2084081 Apr 1982 GB
Provisional Applications (1)
Number Date Country
60/239431 Oct 2000 US