Patent Application
20140053354
The present invention relates generally to a scraping device for removing a coating from a substrate, and, more particularly, to a scraping device for use in scratch-off type games such as scratch-off lottery tickets and the like.
Lotteries have grown in popularity in recent years. In their simplest form, lottery tickets are slips of paper with a series of numbers printed on them. The purchaser of the ticket or “user” as used herein, finds out later whether the numbers are winners when the numbers are drawn by the administrators of the lottery subsequent to the purchase of the ticket. More recently, lottery tickets have evolved from simple numbers to scratch-off games such as bingo and crossword puzzles, in which the user finds out immediately if he or she is a winner. In these scratch-off games, the user typically scratches off a coating from a relatively large area on a card to reveal the user's numbers or letters, which are particular to the card. The user then scratches off the coating from smaller areas to play bingo, a crossword puzzle, or similar game.
The areas that the user scratches differ in size. For example, as mentioned above, the area corresponding to the user's numbers is generally relatively large, while the areas corresponding to the numbers to be scratched off for bingo or letters for a crossword puzzle tend to be relatively small.
People who play scratch-off games typically use a number of different implements to scratch the different sized areas. For example, often a quarter or other coin is used to scratch the larger area, while a key or the edge of a credit card might be used to scratch the smaller areas. Thus, to play a given card, the user often must rummage through his or her pocket or pocketbook to find the right sized implement to scratch the game card. Furthermore, once the boxes are scratched, the user must remove the debris from the card, usually by wiping it with his or her hand. Such an approach not only tends to smudge the card, but also is messy as the debris from scraping is often sticky and adheres to the user's hand.
Therefore, Applicant has identified the need for a device that provides for scraping surfaces of varying areas on a scratch-off game card. Additionally, Applicant has also identified the need to remove the debris from the card without the user using his or her hand. The present invention fulfills these needs among others.
The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The present invention provides a device for precision scraping of scratch-off game cards. To this end, the device offers at least two scraping edges of different size. Additionally, in one embodiment, a device comprises an integrated brush for removing the scraping debris. Because such a device is preferably carried on the person during the ordinary course of the user's day to be available to play scratch-off card games, Applicant recognizes that it ought to be aesthetically pleasing and fun. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the device is shaped to resemble an interesting object or animal. For example, in one embodiment, the device is shaped as a human having a head with one scratching surface and arms with another. Alternatively, rather than (or in addition to) being aesthetically pleasing, the device may be configured for additional utility such as a key ring, bottle opener or ice scraper.
Accordingly, one aspect of the invention is a scratching device having different edges for scraping a coating from a substrate to reveal an inscription on the substrate. In one embodiment, the device comprises: (a) a body; (b) at least a first scraping portion extending from the body and having a first scraping edge of a first length; and (c) at least a second scraping portion extending from the body and having a second scraping edge of a second length, the first length being different than the second length.
Referring to
The body 101 functions to integrate the various scraping portions and the optional brush 105. The body also functions to provide a purchase point for the user to grasp during the scraping operation. To this end, the body 101 comprises a relatively rigid material such as a hard plastic, metal, wood, or other material known for rigidity and strength. In one embodiment, the device is stamped form a uniform material. Alternatively, the device may be an integrally molded device. Such embodiments facilitate manufacturability, although it should be understood that the device may be produced by other methods such as welding or otherwise attaching different portions together.
The first and second scraping portions may be configured in a variety of ways. For example, referring to
In one embodiment, the device also comprises a brush 105 to be used to brush away the debris after scraping. Suitable brushes include, for example, bristles, foam, wipers or featherlike devices, just to name a few. The brush 105 can be integrated with the body using known techniques. In the embodiment depicted in
As mentioned above, the scraping device of the present invention is likely to be carried by the user in the course of his or her ordinary day. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the device is designed to have a look and feel that is pleasing to the user, thereby enticing the user to carry the device around all day. To this end, in one embodiment, the device 100 is configured to resemble an aesthetically pleasing shape such as that of an interesting object or animal. For example, in the embodiment shown in
Although a humanoid figure is depicted
Aside from or in addition to making the device aesthetically pleasing, the device can have additional utility features to further entice the user to carry the device in the ordinary course of his or her day. For example, as mentioned above, in one embodiment, the device comprises an opening 106 to receive a key chain 107 or ring, thereby enabling the scraping device to function not only as a scraping implement, but also as a key ring. In another embodiment, the device may have a slot to enable the device to function as a bottle or can opener. The slot may be configured to resemble an anatomical feature on the animal-like shape embodiment of the scraper. For example, in one embodiment, the slot is configured as a mouth. Other utility functions include, for example, a pencil or pen holder, an ice scraper, a screw driver, a measuring device like a ruler, a letter opener, a straight edge, or a cutting edge. Other utility functions and their associated features will be obvious in light of this disclosure. Preferably, although not necessarily, the additional utility features do not add moving parts to the device so as to keep the device simple and readily manufactured as mentioned above.
It should be understood that the foregoing is illustrative and not limiting and that obvious modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the specification is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalence as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
