Pattern maker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11975563-B2
Application number	US-202217968362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2022
Priority date	Oct 28, 2021
Publication date	May 7, 2024
Grant date	May 7, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a drawing device for creating a pattern, wherein the drawing device comprises a gear assembly that rotates upon movement of the device, the gear assembly being operatively coupled to a cam and a cam follower, such that rotation of the gear assembly rotates the cam and causes the cam to bear against the cam follower. Movement of the cam follower thereby causes lateral movement of a marker carriage housing at least one writing instrument.

First claim

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A drawing device comprising:
at least one wheel coupled to a wheel rod having a gear assembly located thereon, wherein movement of the wheel causes rotation of the gear assembly;
a cam operatively coupled to the gear assembly such that rotation of the gear assembly causes rotation of the cam, wherein the cam has at least one bearing surface that defines a pattern to be drawn by the drawing device, the bearing surface configured to intermittently engage a cam follower upon rotation of the cam;
at least one arm operatively coupled to the cam follower, wherein the at least one arm is configured to pivot upon engagement of the cam with the cam follower;
a marker carriage operatively coupled to the at least one arm, wherein the marker carriage defines at least one marker opening sized and shaped to receive a writing instrument, and wherein the marker carriage is configured to laterally move upon pivoting of the at least one arm in the pattern defined by the bearing surface.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a cam mount, wherein the cam mount is operatively coupled to the gear assembly such that rotation of the gear assembly causes rotation of the cam mount, and wherein the cam is releasably coupled to the cam mount.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the cam mount comprises a shaped protrusion on a surface thereof and the cam comprises a recessed portion corresponding in shape to the cam mount protrusion, such that the recessed portion of the cam mates with the cam mount protrusion.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the cam follower is collar shaped with an arcuate surface extending adjacent and surrounding at least a portion the cam.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the cam comprises pattern indicia located thereon configured to identify the pattern defined by said cam during use of the device.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the gear assembly comprises a gear and a worm screw, wherein the gear defines a central opening thereon through which the wheel rod is inserted.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the gear assembly further comprises a gear holder having an inwardly extending flange, and wherein the cam mount comprises an outwardly extending flange that rests atop the inwardly extending flange of the gear holder.

8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a housing to house the gear assembly, the at least one arm, and at least a portion of the marker carriage.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the marker carriage comprises a first part coupled to the at least one arm and a second part extending from the first part, the second part of the marker carriage defining the at least one marker opening, wherein the first part is co-axial with a longitudinal axis of the device, and wherein the second part is angled with respect to the first part.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the second part is angled from about 145 degrees to about 155 degrees with respect to the first part.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the first part of the marker carriage defines an elongated slot, wherein the housing comprises an elongated protrusion extending into the slot, wherein the elongated protrusion defines at least one fastener hole, and wherein the elongated slot has a width configured to allow passage of part of a fastener into the fastener hole of the elongated protrusion, while not allowing passage of the other part of the fastener.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the elongated slot has a length larger than the length of the elongated protrusion, thereby allowing side-to-side movement of the marker carriage.

13. The device of claim 9 , wherein the first part and the second part of the marker carriage are offset by a ledge that is sized and shaped to at least partially cradle a barrel of a writing instrument inserted into the at least one marker opening.

14. The device of claim 8 , wherein the housing defines at least one arcuate slot through which at least one linkage extends, wherein one end of the at least one linkage is coupled to or integrally formed with the at least one arm, and wherein the other end of the at least one linkage is coupled to the cam follower.

15. The device of claim 8 , wherein an underside of the housing contains a deployable positioning wheel, such that when in a first position, the positioning wheel elevates a portion of the housing off of the substrate to allow insertion of a writing instrument into the marker opening without unintentional markings, and when in a second position, the positioning wheel is depressed to allow contact of the writing instrument with the substrate.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein an upwardly extending wall is positioned on either side of the at least one marker opening, the wall configured to provide stability to the inserted writing instrument.

17. The device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one biasing member coupled to the at least one arm, wherein the at least one biasing member is configured to return the at least one arm to a neutral position after movement caused by the cam follower.

18. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one arm comprises two arms, and wherein the two arms are coupled by a stability leg.

19. A kit comprising the drawing device of claim 1 , at least two cams, and at least one writing instrument, wherein the at least two cams each have a bearing surface configured to define a pattern to be drawn by the drawing device and wherein the bearing surface of the first cam is different from the bearing surface of the second cam to define two different patterns.

20. A method of creating a pattern on a substrate, the method comprising:
inserting at least one writing instrument into a marker carriage of a drawing device;
coupling a cam to the drawing device;
pushing the device across the substrate, wherein the device comprises at least one wheel coupled to a wheel rod, and the pushing causes the at least one wheel and the wheel rod to rotate;
wherein the device comprises a gear assembly and rotation of the at least one wheel causes rotation of the gear assembly; wherein the gear assembly is operatively coupled to the cam, such that rotation of the gear assembly causes rotation of the cam;
wherein the cam has at least one bearing surface configured to intermittently bear against a cam follower upon rotation of the cam;
wherein the device further comprises at least one arm operatively coupled to the cam follower, wherein the at least one arm is configured to pivot upon engagement of the cam with the cam follower; and
wherein the marker carriage is operatively coupled to the at least one arm and the marker carriage is configured to laterally move upon pivoting of the at least one arm.

Assignees

• Crayola Llc

Inventors

• Moll Joseph Thomas
• Kesilman Jennifer
• Nungester Gregory
• Smith Linda

Classifications

• B44D2/002 Primary

  Kits for drawing or painting · CPC title

• B43L11/00

  Non-circular-curve-drawing instruments (curve rulers or templets B43L13/20) · CPC title

• B43L13/00

  Drawing instruments, or writing or drawing appliances or accessories not otherwise provided for (stencils for surface decoration B44D) · CPC title

• B43L13/12 Primary

  Multiple writing devices · CPC title

• B44D3/225

  Instruments or apparatus for painting lines · CPC title