Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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APPARATUS AND MET~OD FOR A SE~ THROUGH INK STA~P
WITH DETACHABLE DIES
Backaround of th~ Tnven~ion
Technica~F iÇ~
The present invention relates generally to apparatus
and methods for ink stamps, and more particularly to hand
: 10 held ink stamps.
Traditional hand held ink stamps typical by comprise
a varnished wood handle to which is fixedly attached a
printing die, which traditionally is made of natural
rubber. The person using the ink stamp makes the image
simply by inking the printing di~e and pressing the
printing die against a sheet of paper. The handle
obstructs the user's view of the image that is being
stamped, because the handle covers up the imageO
.: In the ink stamping art, there are several needs.
First, there is a need for the person using the ink
stamp ~o be able to see through a handle or a die
mounting device, so that the user is able to view
simultaneously both the page and the image that is about
to be printed on the page. In the field of art stamping,
i.e., where the quality of the stamping is important tas
in stamping pictures and other artwork), the see-through
capability raises the quality of the finished product by
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improving the accuracy with which images are positioned
on the page.
Second~ there is a need for the printing dies to be
readily attachable to, and detachable from the mounting
device, so as to provide cost savings.
Third, there is a need to combine both the see-
through capability and the detachability of the printing
dies~ with an ability to use the traditional natuxal
rubber dies. The natural rubber dies have advantages
over other types of dies such as plastic and photo-
polymer dies including the fact that the natural rubber
dies are typically more durable. Desirably the above
described combination of features should be provided in
an apparatus that is practical, versatile, and convenient
to use.
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SUMMARY QF THE INVENTION
A hand held apparatus for stamping ink images on
paper, comprises a handle, a printing die, and attachment
means, by which the printing die ls able to be detachably
attached to the handle. The handle is substantially
transparent.
In a preferred embodiment, the printing die
detachably attaches to a lower portion of the handle,
whereby a person using the apparatus is able, through the
transparent handle to see both the paper and a position
of the pr inting die with respect to the paper. The upper
portion of the printing die bears image position markings
which correspond to said image. The image position
markings, and also a conf iguration of a perimeter of the
printing die, indicates to the p~erson using the apparatus
a position of said image with respect to the paper.
In one embodiment, the attachment means comprises a
magnetic means which magnetically connects the printing
die to the handle. In another embodiment, a lower
surface of the handle and an uppler surface of the
printing die both comprise smooth surfaces whereby the
smooth surfaces adhere to one another. In the additional
embodiment, an adhesion enhancing agent is able to be
applied between the handle and the die.
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BRIEF DESÇRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
- Figure 1 is a perspective view from underneath of a
first embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 in
Figure 1~ also showing a ~able-supported piece of paper
- on which an ink impression is made;
Figure 3 is an enlarged schematic perspective view
of a detachable printing die of the invention ;
Figure 4 illustrates the ink image that is made on
the paper by the printing die of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a view looking down on a piece of paper
on which the present invention rests, with three of the
printing dies being visible through a transparent handle
and with portions of the handle and of the printing dies
removed for ease of illustration;
Figure 6 is a view like Figure 5, but without the
portions of the apparatus belng removed;
Figure 7 is a view looking down on the handle,
:~ wi~hout the pr~nting dies, resting on a piece of paper
~: with writing thereon;
Figure 8 is a view like Figure 7, but illustrating a
different arrangement of an iron screen which is inlaid
into the handle;
Figure 9 is an illustration of multiple ink images,
in this case bears in different positions~ with each
image produced by a different die;
Yigure 10 is a section view like Figure 2, but
illustrating a second embodiment of the invention that
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uses naturally adhering surfaces to temporarily bond the
printing dies to the handle;
Figure 11 is a schematic section of a wetted suction
cup adhering to a flat surface;
Figure 12 is a view like Figure 10, but illustrating
a third embodiment in which water is applied to the
bonding surfaces of the handle and the die;
Figure 12A illustrates a wa~er bottle and a sponge
that are used to we~ the bonding surfaces of the third
embodiment;
Figure 13 is a view like Figure 12 and of a fourth
embodiment of the ink stamp;
Figure 14 il.lustrates in perspective a piece Gf
paper upon which is resting an idealized printing die,
the silhouet~e of which exactly matches the ink image
prc~uced by the die;
Figure 15 illustrates a "close" die silhouette drawn
around an image produced by the die;
Figure 16 is an illustration of two images, in this
case jumping rabbits, made by two different dies, with
"rough" silhouett~s of the dies drawn around the images;
Figure 17 illustrates a pair of household scissors
being used to trim a die silhouette of the printing die.
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It is believed a better understanding of the present
invention which is an ink stamp 10 will be provided by
first describing how the ink stamp operates as a basic
ink stamp that prints ink images on a piece of paper.
Next there will be a description of a first embodiment
including magnetic attachment means for detachably
connecting a printing die to a handle of the ink stamp
10, which will be followed by an explanation of a see-
through characteristic of the first embodiment that
enables a person's seeing through a mounting device of
the ink stamp 10 so as to view the image that is being
: made on the paper. Later, alternative embodiments for
detachably attaching the printing die ~o the handl~ using
adhesives will be given, followe~d by further details of
the invention.
: 2 0 1~ ~. As shown in the
perspective view from underneath of Fig. l and also in
the section view of Figure 2, the ink stamp 10 is able to
be h~ld by a person in the hand and is used to make
printed ink impressions on a sheet of paper 12 which lies
fla~ on an underlying table surface 14. The ink stamp 10
comprises a mounting device or handle 16 and one or more
printing dies 180 As shown in the perspective view of
- the printing die of Figure 3r the die 18 has a protruding
ink-holding portion 20 which presents a printing surace
30 22 that is cut into the shape of an image, in this case
an image 24 shown in Figure 4 of a capital letter Z which
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is desired to be printed on th~ shee~ of paper. The die
18 also has recessed portions 26 which do not reach to
the paper 12 so as to leave an image. Once the printing
surface 22 is loaded with ink, as from an ink pad (not
shown), the user is able by grasping the handle 16 and by
: pressing the printing surface 22 against the paper 12 to
print the image on the paper . Repeated images are able
to be made on the paper simply by re-inking tha printing
surface and repositioning the printing surface to another
; 10 part of the paper where the printing surface is again
pressed against the paper.
2. A Fi~st_Embodimen~_With Maqnetic,Att~çh_ent
Me~L~ In a first embodiment 28 the handle 16 and the
die 18 are attached to one another by a suitable quick
disconnecting attachment means, which is illustrated as 3
magnetic means. The die lR comprises a magnet 30. As
shown in Figure 1 the handle 16 has an iron scr~en 32
which extends across substantially all of a lower surface
34 of the handle. This iron scrleen is set into the lower
surface 34.
:,~
The magnetization or adhering force of the magnet 30
within the die 18 is sufficiently strong that when the
~ magnet is brought into contact with the iron screen 32 of
'~ the handle 16, the die 18 becomes firmly attached to the
- 25 handle. The magnetization is sufficiently weak that the
user is able comfortably to detach the die from the
handle.
3. S,ee-t~rouqh CharacteristL. The handle 16
comprises a block of transparent material which the
person using the ink stamp is able to see through, As
shown in the view tooking down on a paper and handle
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without the die)of Figure 7, the iron screen 32 which as
just mentioned is inlaid into the lower surface of the
handle 16, comprises thin lengthwise strips 36 and cross-
wise strips 38 of iron that are arranged so that large
holes 40 are left in the iron screen, whereby the user is
easily able to see underneath the iron screen. As
illustrated in Figure 7, a person looking down on the
handle is able to see most of the letters
"ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP" which are written on the surface of
:: 10 the paper 12 on which the handle 16 in the picture rests.
It is important to the see-through feature of the
present invention, that the person looking down on the
handle is able to see not only the markings such as the
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP on the underlying sheet of paper, but is
also able to see the backs of the dies 18 themselves. In
particular as shown in Figure 5, the user looking down
through the transparent handle 16 is able to see an upper
surface 42 of each of the dies 18. As shown in Figure 3,
the upper surface 42 of each die bears image location
markings 44. The position of each image location marking
44 on a die is directly above the position of i~s
corresponding image. In the example pictured in Figure
3, the letter Z's bottom bar 46 for the image location
marking 44 is directly above the Zls bottom bar for the
printing surface 22. Simil~rly, the Z's top bar 48 for
the upper surface 42 is directly above the corresponding
portion of the Z for the printing surface 22.
Returning to Figure 5, the person simply by looking
down through the handle 16 is able to see both markings
50 on the sheet of paper and the image location maxkings
44 of the image that is about to be made, so that prior
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to making the impression on the paper the person is able
to see where the image will be positioned on the paper.
In the example pictured in Figure 5 where the ink stamp
10 rests on the pr inted page and where portions of the
5 handle 16 and the X d ie 52 have been removed for ease of
illustration, the see-through featura enables the user
: quite easily to position the image of the XYZ which is
. presently being made by the ink stamp, at a visually
pleasing location in relation to the letters TUVw which
were previously marked on the paperO
In fact, the see-through feature aids the user in
positioning a wide variety of images at visually
appropriate or pleasing locations on the page. Another
~xample is shown in Figure 9. To make the display in
this case, four individual dies 18, are used with each
die having a different image, namely, a first image 52 of
: a bear on its paws, a second image 54 of the bear
standing on its head, a third image 56 of the bear on its
back, and a fourth image 58 of the bear sitting upright.
~ 20 The person will make the pictured display (of the four
bears somexsaulting1 in the following manner r The person
will assemble the dies for the first~ second, and third
images 52, 54, 56 on the handle 16. (Let us assume that
the handle in this case accommodates three of th~ dies 18
~ 25 at once). By looking through the transparent handle 16
: and observing the image location markings 44, ~he person
will be able to move the dies 18 around on the lower
surface 34 of the handle and thereby to position the
images in the desired relationship to one another. More
particularly, the second image 54 of the bear standing on
its head will be positioned so that it touches at 60 the
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third image 56 of the bear on its back, while the first
image 52 of the bear on its paws will be spaced by a
small amoun~ at 62 leftwardly of the second image 54 of
the bear on its head. After this configuration of dies
has been assembled and after the images have been stamped
on the page, ~he person will then remove the three dies
from the handle and will attach to the handle a fourth
die for the fourth image 58 of the bear sitting. Then,
by viewing both the image that has already been stamped
on the paper and the image location marking 44 which is
visible on the back of the die for the fourth image 58
through the transparent handle~ the person will position
.. the fourth image at a location spaced slightly at 64 to
the right of the pxeviously stamped images and will then
print the fourth image, thereby completing the display of
the four bears somersaulting.
The interrelate~ images 52, 54, 56, and 58, are
positioned in a visually appropriate relationship to one
another. The registration of the images is controlled
accurately.
4. Re~apitulationO To recapitulate the description
so far of the first embodiment 28, first the handle 16
and the dies 18 are detachably attached to one another by
a quick disconnecting means which is illustrated in the
first embodiment as a magnetic means, whereby the dies
that are used with the handle 16 are able to be readily
changed. Second~ the user is able to see through the
handle so that the person can view simultaneously the
- existing markings on the sheet of paper 12 and the image
location markings of the upper surface or back 42 of the
die.
~33~7
It does not matter if the dies themselves are
opaque. The invention is designed to provide substantial
see-through capability with opague dies. Consequently,
the printing surface 22 of the dies 18 is able to be made
of natural rubber, which, as mentioned in the Background
Art section above, is the traditional material of which
stamp elements are made~
: 5. ~ -
The total useable area of the lower surface 34 of
the handle preferably is sufficiently large to
accommodate perhaps at least three to six dies at once.
Due to the ability of the die to be easily attached
: and detached, the dies are able to be moved to various
loca~ions on the lower surface 34. For example, a die 66
for printing the letter Z~ which is shown in Figure 5
positioned on the handle 16 in a first middle position,
is readily able to be detached from the handle and
reattached as ~hown in Figure 6 to a second lower
position on the handle 16. Similarly, a die 6~ for
printing the letter X, which in Figure 5 is in a third
: middle position, is able to be reattached easily to the
handle as in Figure 6 at a fourth upper position on the
handle. Also various different dies or combinations
~hereof are able to be selected quickly from a set of
dies and assembled on the handle 16. The changes of the
dies are able to be done quickly.
: 6.
Bondina Surface. In a second embodiment 70, in which
components that are similar to components of the first
embodiment will have the same numerical designations but
with the small letter "a" added and which is shown in the
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section view of Figure 10, the ink stamp lOa comprises,
as beforer the handle 16a and the die 18a. However,
unlike in the first embodiment, there is no iron screen
in the handle 16a and there is no magne~ in the die 18.
The adhering surfaces, ~hat is to say, the lower surface
34a of the handle, and the uppex surface 42a of the die,
comprise a first material, such as for example acrylic
plexiglass, and a second material, such as for example
hand held stretch film marketed under the name Saran
wrap, respectively, that naturally adh~re to one another
when they are brought into contactO Again~ as in the
first embodiment, the adhesive force between the handle
and the die, once they are brought together, is strong
enough to attach the die to the handle firmly for
purposes of printing, but weak and temporary enough to
enable the die to be readily removed from the handle when
desired.
In other respects, the second embodiment is the same
as the first embodiment. The handle 16a is transparent.
The pap~r 12a on which the printing is to be done, and
the position of the image (as indicated by image location
markings, which are not shown in Figure 10, on the back
of the die 18a) are able to be seen by the person through
the handle 16a, so that prior to printing, the user can
25 see where the image will be positioned.
7. A Thi~d-Embodimen~-usiD~ a~ Innocuous Liq~ui~ as
L~ D~L I~D~_~2~3Ln~. A third embodiment 72,
which is illustrated in Figure 12 wherein components that
are like those of the previous embodiments have the same
numerical designations, but with the small letter "b" as
a suffixt is like the second embodiment, except that the
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adhering surfaces 34b and 42b of the handle and of the
die are such that prewetting them with an innocuous
liquid, such as water; enhances the adhesion b~tween
; them. This adhesion enhancement effect is the same as
observed for example with plastic bathtub toys. When a
smooth surface of the plastic bathtub toy is wetted and
- placed against the smooth surface of the bathtub, the
wetted surface of the plastic toy adheres to the surface
of the bathtub rather firmly~
As shown in Figure 12, the ink stamp lOb again
comprises the handle 16b and the die 18b. The user wets
the lower surface 34b of the handle and the upper surface
46b of the die, which are both smooth, prior to bringing
the handle and the die togetherQ The surfaces 34b and
42b, which function like the smooth surface of the
plastic toy and of the ba~htub just describe~ will bond
temporarily due to ~he adhesion between the surfaces,
while the ink stamp meanwhile is being used. Afterwards,
the die can be removed by pulling it free from the
handle.
(A similar adhesion enhancement effect is observed
sometimes with wetted rubber cups 74 as shown in Figure
11. The suction cup, it i5 observed, when we~ted will
adhere better to a smooth surface then when dry.)
2 5 8 0 A F~urth Emb~lim~t U~ Temeora~y Adhe~iv~,
A fourth embodiment which is pictured in Figure 13 and in
(which components which are like those in the previous
embodiments are given the same numerical designations but
with the a suffix using small letter "cn~ is like the
third embodiment, except that instead of water, an agent
which is an adhesive, such as a removable glue, is
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applied to the adhering surfaces 34c and 42c. The
temporary adhesive is clear, so that it does not
interfere with the see-through characteristic of the
handle.
9. _ . To
- summarize so far, the description has explained the
detachability by various means of the dies to ~he handle,
and also the ability of ~he user to see through the
handle, notwithstanding the fact that the dies themselves
may be made of opaque natural rubber.
The detachability of the dies makes it possible for
the user to employ many different dies with a single
handle 16. Thus, it becomes possible for the user who
collects or stocks many different printing dies to own a
single handle. It is estimated that ~his will
substantially reduce the cost of using the ink stamps.
Addi~ionally, the see-through capability of the
handle 16 enables the user to accurately position the
image which is about to be prin~ed on the paper. This
feature is particularly useful with multiple images that
inter-relate with one another on the page (such as the
letter images, and the images of the tumbling bears given
as examples above).
As explain~d~ the design of th~ handle and the dies
permits various combinations of dies to be used, and the
dies themselves may be made of the natural rubber. In
; practice, this combination of features provides a
convenient and versatile stamping tool.
10. Fur~her Detail~_Qf Th~ I~yentio~ Having
described the major features of the invention, further
details will now be provided. Thus details will concern:
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a, The die silhouettes;
b. the size of the image location markings;
c. the other details~
5 a. ~gi~L~-
The person using the ink stamp 10 is of course able
to see (through the transparent handle) an outline or
silhouette 80 of the die 18. Preferably, the die
silhouette 80 itself is shaped to give the user an
indica~ion of ~he location of ~he image. An idealized
example of this is shown in Figure 14 in which the entire
die 18 is shaped with the silhouette of th~ image of the
die~ which in the pictured rase is the letter "Y". By
viewing the die silhouette 80 through the transparent
handle 16, the person is ~ble to relate the position of
the image to be made to markings previously made on the
paper 12 which the person is also able to see through the
handle 16~ The person is then able to tell where the
printed image will be positioned.
Depending upon manufacturing conditions, the die
silhouettes 80 are able to be cut relatively closely to
the actual image/ as shown in Figure 15 where a close
silhouette 82 surrounds the image of the bear, or the die
silhouette is able to be cut in a rough fashion, as shown
in Figure 16 where the two images of the rabbits produced
by two diff~rent dies are surrounded by their
corresponding rough die silhouettes 84. Even these rough
silhouettes 84 provide assistance to the person using the
see-through type of ink stamp in positioning the images
in relation to one another. For example in the display
shown in Figure 16, the rough silhouette 84 for the
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righthand rabbit 86 has a trailing corner 88. After
comparing the position of ~he trailing corner 88 of the
die 18 relative to a rear foot 90 of the rabbit 86, the
person is able to judge the appropriate positioning of
the die on the paper that will locate the righthand
rabbit 86 in a visually appropriate relation to the
lefthand rabbit 92.
The dies 18 are made of material that is able to be
cut by ordinary household scissors 94 as shown in Figure
17. The dies, whether closely silhouetted or roughly
silhouetted form the manufacturer, may be trimmed further
by the consumer using the scissors 94. The consumer can
then custom cut the silhouette as desired.
b~ Th~ De~ail~ of CQnstrus~iQn~
As shown in Figure 2, each die 18 comprises three
layers. Lowermost is an imaging layer, 96 which is made
of a material such the natural rubber and which contains
both the protruding portions 20 for carrying the ink and
the recessed portions 26. In the middle is a backing
layer 98, which is preferably made of a foam material.
Uppermost is a rubber magnetized mat 98 comprising
magnetized particles, so that the magnetic mat 100
functions as the magnet 30 as described previously.
Together these three layers make the die 18 sufficiently
rigid so that it is stable against shearing forces and
other stresses that would normally occur during use.
However, the die material is sufficiently thin and
flexible 7 SO that, as mentioned, the material is able to
be cut with household scissors. In terms of thickness
the lowermost imaging layer 98 is preferably perhaps .105
2 ~ 8 7
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in., ~he backing layer 98 is preferably .125 in., and the
magnetic mat 100 is preferably .030 in~
As an alternative to the grid confiquration of the
iron screen 32 in Fiyure 7~ Figure 8 shows a modified an
iron screen 102 comprising a thin sheet into which are
cut regularly spaced, rela~ively large circular holes
104. As with the earlier described grid configuration of
the iron screen 32, the modified iron screen 102 provides
; holes that are large enough for the user to see throu~h
easily.
The handle 16, as best shown in Figure 1, is
configured basically as a rectangular prism with flat,
parallel top and bottom faces, i.e , the lower surf~ce 34
and a top surface 106. The thickness of the handle as
indicated by an arrow 108 is .375 in. (preferably a
length and a width of the handle 16 approximately the
actual length and wide pictured :in the figures herein,
I~ has been found that approximately this configuration
and size of the handle 16 is easy for a person to grip.
In the third embodiment, the bonding surfaces may be
modified to be made of resilient material and to ac~ually
contain little suction cups -- to enhance adhesion as
~ ` shown in Figure 18.
: ~- As alternative "second materials" to the hana held
stretch film (of the second embodiment) which adheres to
acrylic plexiglass vinyl sheet film may be used or closed
cell forms (such as re used in bathtub toys may be used).
c. O~her D~aiLS .
As is obvious, the magnetic means of the first
embodiment 28 may be rearranged / as for example by
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placing the magnet 30 in the handle and placing the iron
in the die 18. The concept in the fourth embodiment 78
of using a temporary adhesive to bond the die to the
handle need not be combined with any use of particularly
adhesive material to constitute the "bonding~ surfaces~
Relatively nonadhesive surfaces could be employed to
which the temporary adhesive is applied.
The ability to put multiple dies on the handle at
once enables different colors of ink to be used on the
different dies.
Figure 12A ~hows a water bottle 114 and a sponge 116
used with the third embodiment.
It iS to be understood that various modifications
may be made of the foregoing description of the prefe~red
embodiment without departing from the basic teachings of
the invention.
