Bead maker and decorator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017129136-A1
Application number	US-201615341650-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 2, 2016
Priority date	Nov 6, 2015
Publication date	May 11, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus, kit, and method for forming a bead between bead-forming blocks having internal bead-forming channels are provided. The bead-forming channels of adjacent bead-forming blocks are slidably engaged to manipulate a measured amount of modeling compound between the bead-forming blocks and within an internal space between the opposing channels. In one embodiment, the bead-forming blocks maintain orientation with respect to an axis of travel based on a block guide. Further, the measured amount of modeling compound is determined using an integrated measuring feature coupled to at least one of the pair of bead-forming blocks. The internal volume of an integrated measuring feature corresponds to a threshold amount of modeling compound for manipulating between the pair of blocks and forming a bead while contacting at least a portion of the mated bead-forming channels. In further aspects, a molded bead may be coated with a multicomponent bead-coating mixture. Multi-component bead-coating mixtures and methods of using thereof are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A bead-making apparatus comprising:
a first bead-forming block comprising a first bead-forming channel along a longitudinal axis of the first bead-forming block, wherein the first bead-forming channel comprises a first channel shape and a first channel depth with respect to an interior surface of the first bead-forming block; a second bead-forming block corresponding to the first bead-forming block, the second bead-forming block comprising a second bead-forming channel along a longitudinal axis of the second bead-forming block, wherein the second bead-forming channel comprises a second channel shape and a second channel depth with respect to an interior surface of the second bead-forming block, wherein the first channel shape and the second channel shape are mirror images of each other; and at least one integrated measuring feature coupled to one or more of the first bead-forming block and the second bead-forming block, said integrated measuring feature comprising an interior volume for measuring an amount of modeling compound.

2 . The bead-making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the interior surface of the first bead-forming block is configured to slidably couple to at least a portion of the interior surface of the second bead-forming block.

3 . The bead-making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an internal cavity is formed along the longitudinal axis between the first bead-forming channel and the second bead-forming channel, said internal cavity comprising a first half corresponding to the first channel shape and the first channel depth, and a second half corresponding to the second channel shape and the second channel depth.

4 . The bead-making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first bead-forming block and the second bead-forming block comprises a block guide.

5 . The bead-making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interior surface of the first bead-forming block comprises a first track surface and a second track surface on opposing sides of the first bead-forming channel, and further wherein the interior surface of the second bead-forming block comprises a third track surface and a fourth track surface on opposing sides of the second bead-forming channel.

6 . The bead-making apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first bead-forming block and the second bead-forming block are slidably engaged with each other based on coupling the first track surface with the third track surface and the second track surface with the fourth track surface.

7 . The bead-making apparatus of claim 6 , wherein upon coupling the first track surface with the third track surface and coupling the second track surface with the fourth track surface, the first bead-forming channel is adjacent to the second bead-forming channel.

8 . A bead-forming kit comprising:
an upper bead-forming block having an interior portion comprising an upper block guide, a first track surface, an upper bead-forming channel, and a second track surface oriented in a direction of a first axis; a lower bead-forming block having an interior portion comprising a lower block guide, a third track surface, a lower bead-forming channel, and a fourth track surface oriented in a direction of the first axis, said lower bead-forming channel corresponding to the upper bead-forming channel, wherein upon slidably engaging the interior portion of the upper bead-forming block with the interior portion of the lower bead-forming block, the upper block guide is adjacent the fourth track surface and the lower block guide is adjacent the second track surface; and an integrated measuring feature coupled to at least one of the upper bead-forming block and the lower bead-forming block, said integrated measuring feature comprising an internal volume for measuring an amount of modeling compound for forming a bead between the upper bead-forming channel and the lower bead-forming channel.

9 . The bead-forming kit of claim 8 , wherein the upper bead-forming channel is recessed from the first track surface and the second track surface at a first bead-forming channel depth, and further wherein the lower bead-forming channel is recessed from the third track surface and the fourth track surface at a second bead-forming channel depth.

10 . The bead-forming kit of claim 8 , wherein based on orientation of the upper block guide adjacent the fourth track surface and the lower block guide adjacent the second track surface, the upper bead-forming block and the lower bead-forming block are restricted from travel in a direction of a second axis perpendicular to the first axis during translation of the upper bead-forming block and the lower bead-forming block along the first axis.

11 . The bead-forming kit of claim 8 , wherein the integrated measuring feature is configured to measure a threshold amount of modeling compound for forming a bead between the upper bead-forming channel and the lower bead-forming channel.

12 . The bead-forming kit of claim 8 , wherein the measured threshold amount of modeling compound is configured to contact the upper bead-forming channel and the lower bead-forming channel during translation of the upper bead-forming block and the lower bead-forming block.

13 . The bead-forming kit of claim 8 , wherein slidably engaging the interior portion of the upper bead-forming block with the interior portion of the lower bead-forming block comprises translating the upper and lower bead-forming blocks with respect to each other along a direction of motion.

14 . The bead-forming kit of claim 13 , wherein the upper bead-forming channel is aligned with the lower bead-forming channel upon slidably engaging the interior portion of the upper bead-forming block with the interior portion of the lower bead-forming block.

15 . The bead-forming kit of claim 14 , wherein the upper bead-forming channel comprises an upper channel shape oriented in a direction of the first axis, and the lower bead-forming channel comprises a lower channel shape oriented in a direction of the first axis, said upper channel shape being a mirror image of the lower channel shape.

16 . The bead-forming kit of claim 8 , wherein the kit further comprises an outer coating for applying to an outer surface of a bead formed between the upper and lower bead-forming blocks.

17 . A method for forming a bead between two bead-forming blocks, said method comprising:
measuring an amount of modeling compound with a measuring feature coupled to one of a first guide block and a second guide block; depositing the measured amount of modeling compound between a first bead-forming channel of the first guide block and a second bead-forming channel of the second guide block; and translating an interior surface of the first guide block with respect to an interior surface of the second guide block such that the measured amount of modeling compound is manipulated between the first bead-forming channel and the second bead-forming channel to provide a molded bead corresponding to a first channel shape of the first bead-forming channel and a second channel shape of the second bead-forming channel.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the measuring feature comprises an internal volume corresponding to the first channel shape and the second channel shape, wherein the first channel shape is a mirror image of the second channel shape.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein translating the first guide block with respect to the second guide block comprises engaging a first track surface of the first guide

Assignees

• Crayola Llc

Inventors

• Laguatan Roseld V
• Allison Keith

Classifications

• B05D5/06

  to obtain multicolour or other optical effects (B05D5/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A44C11/002

  Ornamental chains composed of pearls (rosaries A44C23/00; making such chains D04D9/00) · CPC title

• C04B33/14 Primary

  Colouring matters · CPC title

• B44C3/048

  applying an additional decorative element, e.g. picture · CPC title

• C09D5/028

  Pigments; Filters · CPC title