Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF INVENTION
Modular Illustration Board
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefits of U.S. Patent Application Number
14/946,533, filed on November 19, 2015, incorporated herein by its entirety by
reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED
RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
[0001] The present general inventive concept relates to illustration
boards,
and more particularly, to a modular illustration board useful, for example, in
planning and conducting role-playing games, strategy games, and the like, or
in
illustrating business or educational activities.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0002] Illustration boards of the type that provide a surface for
illustration
thereon are commonly used for a variety of purposes. For example, one such
application in which illustration boards are commonly used is role-playing
games.
More specifically, many role-playing games and strategy games exist which
involve
the narrative control by the players of characters in fictional settings. For
example,
in the adventure role-playing game "Dungeons and DragonsTm," players each
typically control a single character which represents an individual in a
fictional
setting. When working together as a group, each player may direct the actions
and
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speech of his or her character, thereby allowing the players to collectively
form a
narrative of a story or series of fictional adventures encountered by the
player
characters. In the case of the game "Dungeons and DragonsTM" and similar
games, a
referee, often referred to as a "Dungeon MasterTm," "DMTm," "Game Master," or
"GM," oversees the game and serves to determine the results of the players'
choices
and the overall storyline for the game. Often, the referee controls various
non-player
characters, such as adversaries, bystanders, etc., which interact with the
player
characters within the narrative.
[00031 In various role-playing and strategy games, an illustration board
may
be used as a game board to provide a surface for planning and illustration in
order
to assist the players in visualizing gameplay. For example, in the game
"Dungeons
and DragonsTM" and similar games, participants may optionally use a game board
having indicia and/or playing pieces thereon in order to assist the players
and the
referee in keeping track of player characters' positions in relation to one
another and
in relation to various non-player elements of the narrative, such as for
example non-
player characters, scenery, or other objects within the setting. Typical game
boards
for use in role-playing and strategy games often include permanent indicia
thereon
to serve as basic guides in illustrating gameplay, and additional indicia may
be
added thereon by the players or the referee during or prior to gameplay to
further
illustrate the gameplay. For example, various game boards exist having a
working
surface defining permanent indicia thereon in the form of a grid, such as for
example
a Cartesian grid, hexagonal grid, triangular grid, curvilinear grid, etc. In
several
such game board designs, additional indicia may be added to the working
surface in
order to allow customized illustrations to appear on the working surface. For
example, in various game board designs, the working surface is a reusable
writing
surface of the type that allows nonpermanent markings to be marked thereon via
chalk, wet- or dry-erase marker, pencil, or the like.
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[0004] Other applications in which illustration boards are commonly uses
are
business and/or educational settings. For example, illustration boards, such
as chalk
boards, dry-erase boards, or the like, are commonly used in classrooms in
order to
allow a teacher to illustrate instructive concepts to a class. Similar
illustration boards
may be used, for example, in an office setting as a tool for illustration of
topics of
discussion during meetings, business plans and strategies, or the like.
[00051 In various applications for illustration boards, it is often
desirable to
store and/or transport a board for future use. For example, in various role-
playing
and strategy games, a single game may continue over a series of meetings
before the
game narrative is completed, and gameplay may continue through multiple games
in order to complete a series of related game narratives, often referred to as
a
"campaign." Thus, in such games, it is often desirable to store and/or
transport a
game board for future play in subsequent meetings. One prior art device that
allows
for transportation and storage of a role-playing and strategy game surface is
a
gaming mat of the type consisting of a large, flexible surface formed from a
vinyl-
type material and printed with a grid. Such a gaming mat may be stored and
transported by folding or rolling the mat. However, a significant limitation
exists in
that a gaming mat of this type tends to "remember" its folded or rolled shape.
Thus,
when unfurled for play, creases, unevenness, deformation or curling of the
edges
can result, making play difficult. A further limitation exists in that a
gaming mat of
this type, while large, contains only a limited number of cells in the grid
printed
thereon. Thus, should gameplay progress to the point of involving nonpermanent
illustrations along a periphery of the mat, and should players wish to proceed
beyond such periphery, the mat must be cleaned and new nonpermanent indicia
must be made in order to continue illustrating the gameplay.
[0006] In various types of prior art game boards and game mats for use in
role-playing and strategy games, a further limitation exists in that such
devices often
do not provide a stable, secure surface upon which gameplay may be
illustrated. For
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example, various prior art game mats are constructed of relatively
lightweight, thin,
and flexible material and have relatively smooth and slick top and bottom
surfaces.
Thus, when illustrating gameplay on such game mats during a game, it is often
possible to inadvertently slide the game mat along a support surface, such as
a table
or floor surface, or to inadvertently bend, wrinkle, or crease the game mat
during
illustration. This can be highly disruptive to a game, for example if such
inadvertent
movement of the game mat results in disruption and disorganization of game
pieces
positioned thereon.
[00071 In light of the above, there exists a need for a modular
illustration
board which provides a relatively smooth, stable, and secure surface upon
which
illustrations may be made. There further exists the need for a modular
illustration
board which allows modular connection of multiple boards, such that a working
illustration surface may be created having a customized size and shape, and
such
that the periphery of the illustration working surface may be extended to
include
additional adjacent board modules. There further exists the need for a modular
illustration board which allows for quick and convenient breakdown, storage,
transportation, and reassembly of the board modules.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present general inventive concept, in various example
embodiments, provides a modular illustration board providing a customizable
surface for illustration thereon. Various example embodiments of the present
general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a plurality of modular
tiles,
each tile defining an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of edges
forming
a shape capable of monohedral tessellation. Each upper surface may have
permanent indicia visible thereon and may be fabricated from a material
capable of
readily receiving non-permanent indicia thereon and allowing for speedy and
convenient erasure of such non-permanent indicia. Each lower surface may be of
a
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frictional material configured to establish and maintain frictional engagement
with a
support surface. A plurality of connectors may be provided, at least one
connector
disposed along each edge of each tile and configured to allow the edge to be
releasably connected to an edge of an adjacent tile to form a monohedral
tessellation
of adjacent tiles. Thus, when the plurality of modular tiles are releasably
connected
in monohedral tessellation, the upper surfaces of the tiles may cooperate to
form a
surface for illustration thereon.
[00091 In various example embodiments of the present general inventive
concept, each connector may be defined by a piece of magnetic material mounted
along an edge of a tile and configured to magnetically attract a corresponding
piece
of magnetic material mounted along an adjacent edge of another tile. In some
embodiments, each edge of each tile may have a plurality of connectors mounted
along a length thereof, at least one connector of each edge demonstrating a
certain
polarity and at least one other connector of each edge demonstrating an
opposite
polarity. In various embodiments, each of the connectors of each edge of each
tile
may be ordered about the perimeter of the tile in alternating polarity. In
various
embodiments, each connector may be mounted proximate an intersection of a pair
of
adjacent edges of a tile and may have a first end disposed proximate a first
edge of
the adjacent edges and an opposite second end disposed proximate the second
edge
of the adjacent edges. In various embodiments, each first end of each
connector may
demonstrate a certain polarity and each second end of each connector may
demonstrate an opposite polarity.
[00101 In various example embodiments of the present general inventive
concept, each tile may comprise a plurality of layers, each layer terminating
along
each of the edges of the tile. In various embodiments, the plurality of layers
may
comprise a top layer comprising a sublayer of material having the permanent
indicia
printed thereon and a laminate bonded thereto, the laminate forming the upper
surface. In various embodiments, the permanent indicia may comprise a grid. In
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some embodiments, the sublayer may be fabricated from polyvinyl-chloride. In
some embodiments, the laminate may be a dry-erase material. In certain
embodiments, the laminate may further allow for the receipt thereon of a mark
from
a wet-erase marker and may allow for easy wet erasure of such mark. In various
emboidments, the plurality of layers may comprise an intermediate layer
defining a
plurality of recesses, each connector being received within a corresponding
recess.
In some embodiments, the plurality of layers may further comprise a top layer
and a
bottom layer, each of the top and bottom layers overlying the recesses of the
intermediate layer and connectors received therein. In certain embodiments,
each
connector may terminate along at least one edge of an associated tile.
[00111 Additional aspects and advantages of the present general inventive
concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and, in
part, will be
obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present
general
inventive concept.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[00121 The following example embodiments are representative of example
techniques and structures designed to carry out the objects of the present
general
inventive concept, but the present general inventive concept is not limited to
these
example embodiments. In the accompanying drawings and illustrations, the sizes
and relative sizes, shapes, and qualities of lines, entities, and regions may
be
exaggerated for clarity. A wide variety of additional embodiments will be more
readily understood and appreciated through the following detailed description
of
the example embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a modular
illustration board constructed in accordance with several features of the
present
general inventive concept;
Figure 2 is an exploded view of the modular illustration board of Figure 1;
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Figure 3 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the connection of
multiple modular illustration board of Figure 1 to form a combined
illustration
surface;
Figure 4 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of a modular
illustration board constructed in accordance with several features of the
present
general inventive concept;
Figure 5 is a top plan view showing the connection of multiple modular
illustration board of Figure 4 to form a combined illustration surface;
Figure 6 is a top plan view showing another embodiment of a modular
illustration board constructed in accordance with several features of the
present
general inventive concept;
Figure 7 is a top plan view showing another embodiment of a modular
illustration board constructed in accordance with several features of the
present
general inventive concept;
Figures 8A-8C are simplified top plan views showing additional
embodiments of modular illustration boards constructed in accordance with
several
features of the present general inventive concept; and
Figures 9A-9D are simplified top plan views showing additional
embodiments of modular illustration boards constructed in accordance with
several
features of the present general inventive concept.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[00131 Reference will now be made to the example embodiments of the
present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings and illustrations. The example embodiments are described
herein in order to explain the present general inventive concept by referring
to the
figures. The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader
in
gaining a comprehensive understanding of the structures and fabrication
techniques
described herein. Accordingly, various changes, modification, and equivalents
of
the structures and fabrication techniques described herein will be suggested
to those
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of ordinary skill in the art. The progression of fabrication operations
described are
merely examples, however, and the sequence type of operations is not limited
to that
set forth herein and may be changed as is known in the art, with the exception
of
operations necessarily occurring in a certain order. Also, description of well-
known
functions and constructions may be omitted for increased clarity and
conciseness.
[0014] Note that spatially relative terms, such as "top," "bottom," "up,"
"down," "right," "left," "beneath," "below," "lower," "above," "upper" and the
like,
may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or
feature's
relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the
figures. Spatially
relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device
in use
or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For
example, if
the device in the figures is turned over or rotated, elements described as
"below" or
"beneath" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" the other
elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term "below" can encompass both an
orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated
90
degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used
herein
interpreted accordingly.
[0015] According to various examples of the present general inventive
concept, a modular illustration board is provided. One embodiment of a modular
illustration board, or "board," is illustrated generally at 10 in the figures.
With
reference to Figure 1, in the illustrated embodiment, the board 10 includes
generally
a tile having a plurality of edges 12a-12f, an upper surface 14, and a lower
surface 16.
As will further be discussed below, the upper surface 14 has permanent indicia
26
appearing thereon and is fabricated from a material capable of readily
receiving non-
permanent indicia thereon and allowing for speedy and convenient erasure of
such
non-permanent indicia. The lower surface 16 is of a frictional material which
is
configured to establish and maintain frictional engagement with a support
surface,
such as a table or floor surface, upon which the board 10 is placed. At least
one
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connector 18 is provided along each of the edges 12a-12f to allow each edge to
be
readily joined to, and disconnected from, a corresponding edge of an adjacent
board
10. Thus, multiple boards 10 may be modularly joined along corresponding
adjacent
edges to create a gaming surface having a customizable size and shape. In
various
embodiments, the edges 12a-12f of the board 10 define a shape which is capable
of
monohedral tessellation, such that multiple boards 10 may be joined along
respective edges to form a continuous, flat, two-dimensional surface.
[00161 With reference to Figures 1-3, in one embodiment, the board 10
comprises a plurality of layers 20, 22, 24, each layer terminating along the
various
edges 12a-12f of the board 10. In various embodiments, a top layer 20 of the
board
has an upper surface 14 which has permanent indicia 26 visible thereon. In the
illustrated embodiment, the permanent indicia 26 is in the form of a hexagonal
grid
printed along the upper surface 14. The various cells in the grid 26 are
sized, and the
grid 26 is oriented along the upper surface 14, such that the grid forms
repeating
patterns along each of opposite edges 12a-12f of the board 10. In other words,
the
pattern of the grid 26 along the first edge 12a and the pattern of the grid 26
along the
opposite fourth edge 12d are such that, when the first edge 12a of a first
board 10 is
positioned adjacent the fourth edge 12d of a second board 10, the interface
between
the mated edges 12a, 12d forms a continuous pattern of cells in the grid 26
along
both boards. The same is true for the remaining sets of opposite edges along
the
board 10, i.e., the second edge 12b of the board 10 is matable with the fifth
edge 12e
of an adjacent board 10 to form a continuous pattern of cells in the grid 26,
and the
third edge 12c of the board is matable with the sixth edge 12f of an adjacent
board to
form a continuous pattern of cells in the grid 26. In several embodiments, the
grid 26
is oriented such that each edge 12a-12f of the board 10 is matable with any
edge 12a-
12f of an adjacent board 10 to form a continuous pattern of cells in the grid
along
both adjacent boards. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the various
edges
12a-12f of the board 10 form a regular hexagon shape, and the grid 26 is sized
and
oriented such that each edge 12a-12f defines a row of bisected halves of cells
of the
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grid 26. Thus, each edge 12a-12f of the board 10 may be placed adjacent an
edge 12a-
12f of another board 10, such that the rows of bisected halves of cells along
each of
the mated edges cooperate to form a row of complete cells of the grid 26,
thereby
completing the pattern of cells in the grid 26 across both boards.
[00171 Those of skill in the art will recognize other patterns and
orientations
of permanent indicia 26 which may be used without departing from the spirit
and
scope of the present general inventive concept, and many such patterns and
orientations may be used to form repeating patterns of permanent indicia along
adjacent boards 10. For example, in various embodiments, the permanent indicia
26
may be defined by any of a variety of grid patterns, such as for example
various
sizes and orientations of Cartesian grids, hexagonal grids, triangular grids,
curvilinear grids, etc. In other embodiments, the permanent indicia 26 may be
in the
form of shapes, patterns, illustrations, or the like, which may be used to
assist in
illustrating a gameplay narrative. For example, in various embodiments, the
permanent indicia 26 may comprise repeating patterns of illustrations of
trees, walls
or other building structures, stars or other sky patterns, or the like.
[00181 In various embodiments, the upper surface 14 of the top layer 20 is
fabricated from a dry-erase material, that is, a material which is capable of
receiving
thereon a mark from a dry-erase marker and allowing easy dry erasure of such
mark. In several embodiments, dry-erase material defining the upper surface 14
of
the top layer 20 further allows for the receipt thereon of a mark from a wet-
erase
marker, and which allows for easy wet erasure of such mark. For example, in
the
illustrated embodiment, the top layer 20 is fabricated from a sublayer of
polyvinyl-
chloride having the above-discussed permanent indicia 26 printed thereon. A
transparent polymer laminate is bonded thereto along an upper surface thereof,
such
that the transparent polymer laminate forms the upper surface 14 of the top
layer 20.
Thus, in the present embodiment, marks from wet- and/or dry-erase markers may
be made along the upper surface 14 and subsequently erased without disturbing
the
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permanent indicia 26 printed along the sublayer, beneath the laminate. Those
of
skill in the art will recognize other materials suitable for forming the upper
surface
14 and/or the top layer 20, and such materials may be used without departing
from
the spirit and scope of the present general inventive concept. For example, in
other
embodiments, the top layer is fabricated from a single sheet of dry-erase
material
having the permanent indicia 26 printed along the upper surface thereof.
[0019] It will be recognized that the above-discussed upper surface 14,
which
is compatible with marks from wet- and dry-erase markers, in combination with
the
above-discussed permanent indicia 26, provides several unique advantages over
various prior art devices. For example, in various applications of the board
10, a
user may determine that certain illustrations to be made along the upper
surface 14
should be semi-permanent, while other illustrations to be made along the upper
surface 14 should be non-permanent, such that the non-permanent illustrations
may
be erased without necessarily erasing the semi-permanent illustrations. In
such
instances, the user may mark the semi-permanent illustrations along the upper
surface 14 using a wet-erase marker, and may mark the non-permanent
illustrations
along the upper surface 14 using a dry-erase marker. Thereafter, the user may
perform dry erasure of the non-permanent illustrations, thereby erasing the
non-
permanent illustrations without erasing the semi-permanent illustrations. Upon
determining that the semi-permanent illustrations should be erased, the user
may
perform wet erasure of the semi-permanent illustrations. To this end, it will
be
recognized that the permanent indicia 26 may, in various embodiments, serve to
assist the user in determining the placement of either or both of the semi-
permanent
and/or non-permanent illustrations.
[0020] In various embodiments, the upper surface 14 is fabricated from a
material which is further compatible with marks from permanent markers, such
that
ink from a permanent marker may be placed on the upper surface 14 to form a
line,
absent beading or other disruption of the permanent marker ink. In such
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embodiments, it will be recognized that, in addition to the above-discussed
semi-
permanent and non-permanent indicia, a user may place permanent indicia along
the upper surface, such that certain of the indicia placed by the user may be
dry-
erased, certain of the indicia may be wet-erased, and certain of the indicia
may be
permanent. It will be recognized that the upper surface 14 may also be
fabricated
from a material suitable to accept numerous other types of markings, such as
for
example graphite, wet or dry chalk, pen ink, etc., without departing from the
spirit
and scope of the present general inventive concept.
[0021] In the embodiment of Figures 1-3, the bottom layer 24 defines a
lower
surface 16 which is configured to maintain at least intimate contact with a
support
surface, such as a table or floor surface, upon which the board 10 is placed.
In
various embodiments, the lower surface 16 is fabricated from a frictional
material
which is configured to frictionally engage the support surface in order to
discourage,
and in some embodiments prevent, sliding of the board 10 along the support
surface.
In certain more discreet embodiments, the material from which the lower
surface 16
is fabricated is also a relatively soft material which is configured to limit
scratching
or other abrasion of the support surface. For example, in several embodiments,
the
bottom layer 24 is fabricated from ethylene-vinyl acetate ("EVA"). In these
embodiments, upon placing the board 10 on a support surface, the lower surface
16
establishes mild frictional engagement with the support surface to assist in
retaining
the board 10 in a stationary location along the support surface. At the same
time, to
the extent the board 10 is slid along the support surface, the EVA material of
the
lower surface serves as a padded contact surface between the board 10 and the
support surface in order to limit abrasion of the support surface. Those of
skill in the
art will recognize other materials suitable for use in fabricating the bottom
layer 24
of the board 10, and such materials may be used without departing from the
spirit
and scope of the present general inventive concept.
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[0022] In accordance with several features of the present general inventive
concept, in several embodiments, a plurality of connectors 18 are provided
about the
various edges 12a-12f of the board 10 and are configured to allow each edge
12a-12f
to be quickly and conveniently held adjacent an edge of another board, and
also to
allow for quick and convenient release of the adjacent edges of the boards.
For
example, in the illustrated embodiment, each edge 12a-12f defines a recess 30
within
which there is mounted a piece of magnetic material 18. More specifically, in
the
illustrated embodiment, an intermediate layer 22 is provided between the top
layer
20 and bottom layer 24. The intermediate layer 22 defines a plurality of
cutout
recesses 30, with each recess 30 being disposed at a midpoint along a
corresponding
edge 12a-12f. For each recess 30, a piece of magnetic material 18 is provided
having
a thickness approximately equal to the thickness of the intermediate layer 22
and
having a shape which is keyed to the shape of the recess 30. Each piece of
magnetic
material 18 is mounted within its corresponding recess, for example via an
adhesive
between the magnetic material 18 and corresponding portions of the top,
intermediate, and bottom layers 20, 22, 24, or via other means known to one of
ordinary skill in the art. Thus, each piece of magnetic material 18 is
positioned along
a corresponding edge 12a-12f such that the magnetic material terminates flush
with
the edge 12a-12f. In the illustrated embodiment, each recess 30 and
corresponding
piece of magnetic material 18 defines a substantially rectangular shape.
However, it
will be recognized that the present general inventive concept is not limited
to such
shape. To this end, each recess 30 and corresponding piece of magnetic
material 18
may, in various embodiments, define other shapes, such as for example circular
shapes, etc., without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
general
inventive concept.
[0023] In the illustrated embodiment, each piece of magnetic material 18
mounted along each edge 12a-12f is of a different polarity than the pieces of
magnetic material mounted along the adjacent edges. In other words, the pieces
of
magnetic material 18a mounted along the non-adjacent first, third, and fifth
edges
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12a, 12c, 12e of the board 10 are of one polarity, while the pieces of
magnetic material
18b mounted along the non-adjacent second, fourth, and sixth edges 12b, 12d,
12f of
the board 10 are of the opposite polarity. Thus, in the present embodiment,
each of
the first, third, and fifth edges 12a, 12c, 12e of each board 10 is configured
for
magnetic attraction to the second, fourth, and sixth edges 12b, 12d, 12f of an
adjacent
board. Likewise, each of the second, fourth, and sixth edges 12b, 12d, 12f of
each
board 10 is configured for magnetic attraction to the first, third, and fifth
edges 12a,
12c, 12e of an adjacent board. Thus, when, for example, a first edge 12a of a
first
board 10 is brought adjacent a second edge 12b of a second board 10, the
magnetic
pieces 18 of the two adjacent edges attract one another, thereby holding and
maintaining the adjacent edges in intimate contact with one another. In this
way, the
portions of the permanent indicia 26 along each of the adjacent edges are
maintained
in a configuration such that a continuous pattern of permanent indicia 26 is
formed
along the adjacent top surfaces 14 of the adjacent boards 10. Conversely, the
adjacent boards 10 may be readily and conveniently separated from one another
by
pulling the adjacent boards 10 away from one another with sufficient force to
overcome the magnetic force of attraction between the magnetic pieces 18 of
the two
adjacent edges.
[0024] It will be appreciated that the inclusion of the intermediate layer
22
between the top and bottom layers 20, 24 allows for the formation of the
various
recesses 30 along the edges 12a-12f of the board such that the recesses 30 are
closed
to the upper and lower surfaces 14, 16 of the board 10. Thus, in the present
embodiment, the magnetic pieces 18 are mounted within the interior of the
board 10,
offset from both the upper and lower surfaces 14, 16 of the board 10, such
that the
top and bottom layers 20, 24 of the board 10 overlie respective upper and
lower
surfaces of the magnetic pieces 18. In this embodiment, the upper surface 14
of the
board 10, and the associated permanent indicia 26 visible thereon, is
uninterrupted
by the magnetic pieces 18. Likewise, the lower surface 16 of the board serves
to
shield any support surface upon which the board 10 is placed from contact with
the
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magnetic pieces 18. However, it will be recognized that inclusion of the
intermediate
layer 22 is not necessary to accomplish certain embodiments in accordance with
the
present general inventive concept. For example, in certain embodiments, the
top
and bottom layers 20, 24 are configured in overlying intimate contact with one
another. In certain of these embodiments, each of the recesses 30 is defined
in the
bottom layer 24. More specifically, in certain embodiments, each of the
recesses 30 is
defined by a cutout in the bottom layer 24, such that each of the recesses is
open to
the lower surface 16 of the board 10. In other embodiments, each of the
recesses 30 is
defined by an indent in an upper surface of the bottom layer 24, such that
each of the
recesses 30 is closed to the lower surface 16 of the board 10. In still other
embodiments, the recesses 30 may be cooperatively defined by overlying indents
in
both the top and bottom layers 20, 24. In still other embodiments, the
recesses 30
may be defined by the top layer 20, and in various such embodiments, the
recesses
30 may be either open or closed to the upper surface 14. Those of skill in the
art will
recognize other suitable configurations for mounting the magnetic pieces 18
along
the various edges 12a-12f of the board 10, and such configurations may be used
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present general inventive
concept.
[00251 Figures 4 and 5 illustrate another embodiment of a board 10a
constructed in accordance with several features of the present general
inventive
concept. In the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5, each of the edges 12a-12f of
the
board 10a has a pair of magnetic pieces 18a, 18b mounted along the length
thereof,
with each magnetic piece 18a, 18b of each edge 12a-12f being located toward
one of
opposite ends of the edge. In the illustrated embodiment, each pair of
magnetic
pieces 18a, 18b mounted toward opposite ends of each edge 12a-12f consist of a
first
magnetic piece 18a of a first polarity and a second magnetic piece 18b of an
opposite
polarity. Furthermore, the various magnetic pieces 18a, 18b are ordered about
the
perimeter of the board 10a in alternating polarities. In other words, for each
edge
12a-12f, a first magnetic piece 18a having a first polarity is disposed toward
a first
end thereof, and a second magnetic piece 18b having an opposite polarity is
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disposed toward an opposite second end thereof. Each first end of each edge
12a-12f
is situated adjacent a second end of an adjacent edge, such that each first
magnetic
piece 18a of each edge 12a-12f is located at an end of the edge proximate the
second
magnetic piece 18b of the adjacent edge. Thus, as shown in Figure 5, each edge
12a-
12f of the board 10a may be readily magnetically joined to any edge 12a-12f of
an
adjacent board 10a.
[00261 In the illustrated embodiment of Figures 4 and 5, each edge 12a-12f
of
the board 10a has two magnetic pieces 18a, 18b mounted along the length
thereof,
with each of the two magnetic pieces 18a, 18b displaying opposite polarity.
However, it will be recognized that more or fewer magnetic pieces 18a, 18b may
be
used, and in different configurations, to allow the various edges 12a-12f of
each
board 10a to be magnetically joinable to edges of other boards 10a without
departing
from the spirit and scope of the present general inventive concept. For
example, in
the embodiment of Figure 6, each edge 12a-12f of the board 10b has a single
elongated magnetic piece 18c mounted along the length thereof. In this
embodiment, a first end of each magnetic piece 18c has a certain polarity, and
is
located toward a first end of its associated edge, while an opposite second
end of
each magnetic piece 18c has an opposite polarity, and is located toward a
second end
of the associated edge. In the embodiment of Figure 7, a single elongated
magnetic
piece 18d is mounted along each corner of each adjacent edge 12a-12f. In this
embodiment, a first end of each magnetic piece 18d has a certain polarity, and
is
located toward a first end of one edge, while an opposite second end of each
magnetic piece 18d has an opposite polarity, and is located toward an adjacent
second end of an adjacent edge. In each of these embodiments, the above-
discussed
configuration of alternating magnetic polarities is maintained about the
perimeter of
the board 10b, 10c. Thus, in each of these embodiments, each edge 12a-12f of
the
board may be readily magnetically joined to any edge 12a-12f of an adjacent
board.
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[0027] As discussed above, in various embodiments, the edges 12a-12f of the
board 10 form a shape which is capable of monohedral tessellation, such that
multiple boards 10 may be joined along respective edges to form a continuous,
flat,
two-dimensional surface. For example, in the illustrated embodiments of
Figures 1-
7, the board 10 defines a regular hexagonal shape, i.e., six edges 12a-12f
having equal
length and forming equal angles between adjacent edges. It will be recognized
that
the board may be configured to conform to other shapes, such as for example
triangular shapes, rectangular shapes, or other shapes capable of
tessellation,
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present general inventive
concept.
For example, Figures 8A-8C and 9A-9D illustrate various additional embodiments
constructed in accordance with the present general inventive concept. In each
of the
embodiments of Figures 8A-8C, the board defines a regular triangular shape
having
three edges. In each of the embodiments of Figures 9A-9D, the board defines a
square shape having four edges. Those of skill in the art will recognize other
suitable shapes which may be used in fabrication of the board without
departing
from the spirit and scope of the present general inventive concept.
[00281 Figure 10 illustrates another embodiment of a board 10d constructed
in
accordance with several features of the present general inventive concept. In
the
embodiment of Figure 10, in addition to the upper surface 14 of the top layer
20
being fabricated from a material which is compatible with marks from dry-
erase,
wet-erase, and permanent markers, the bottom layer 24a defines a lower surface
16a
which is also fabricated from a material which is compatible with marks from
dry-
erase, wet-erase, and permanent markers. In the illustrated embodiment, the
lower
surface 16a is fabricated from a similar material to the upper surface 14, and
includes
similar permanent indicia printed thereon. Thus, it will be recognized that,
in the
illustrated embodiment, the upper and lower surface 14, 16a of the board 10d
are
reversible, that is, each board 10d of a group thereon may be joined adjacent
another
board 10d with either the upper surface 14 or the lower surface 16a facing
upward,
such that either surface 14, 16a may be presented for use in illustrating
temporary,
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semi-permanent, or permanent indicia thereon. It will be recognized that this
particular configuration offers several unique advantages. For example, in one
application of the board 10d, upon marking a first set of indicia upon a first
of the
surfaces 14, 16a, the board 10d may be turned over to expose the other of the
surfaces 14, 16a, whereupon a second set of indicia may be marked thereon.
Thus,
for example, multiple sets of indicia may be marked along the two surfaces 14,
16a
and stored thereon for subsequent use. Furthermore, upon marking a first of
the
surfaces 14, 16a with a first set of indicia, the other of the surfaces 14,
16a may be
exposed to produce an unmarked surface for subsequent use, absent the need to
first
clean the first set of indicia from the board 10d.
[0029] It will be recognized that, in embodiments in which both the upper
and
lower surfaces 14, 16a are fabricated from materials which are compatible with
marks from dry-erase, wet-erase, and/or permanent markers, such as the
embodiment depicted in Figure 10, the upper and lower surfaces 14, 16a may be
printed with any of a wide variety of permanent indicia thereon without
departing
from the spirit and scope of the present general inventive concept.
Furthermore, it
will be recognized that the upper and lower surfaces 14, 16a need not be
printed
with identical indicia thereon. For example, in one embodiment a first of the
surfaces 14, 16a may be printed with the above-discussed permanent indicia
thereon,
while the other of the surfaces 14, 16a may include no indicia printed
thereon. In
other embodiments, each of the surfaces 14, 16a may have different permanent
indicia printed thereon. Thus, in these embodiment, a user may select which of
the
surfaces 14, 16a to face upward for illustration thereon based on the specific
indicia,
or lack thereof, printed thereon.
[0030] With reference again to Figures 1-3, in certain embodiments, the
lower
surface 16 of the bottom layer 24 may optionally include one or more fastener
materials or apparatus to allow the board 10 to be secured to a support
surface, such
as for example an inclined or vertical surface such as a wall, chalk board,
white
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board, or the like, or an upper surface such as a ceiling. For example, in one
embodiment, the lower surface 16 includes an adhesive material disposed along
a
length and width thereof, such that, upon placement of the board 10 along, for
example, a wall-mounted white board with the lower surface 16 adjacent the
white
board, the adhesive material serves to releasably secure the lower surface 16
of the
board 10 against the white board. In various embodiments, the adhesive
material
may be a one-time use adhesive material. In other embodiments, the adhesive
material may be a reusable adhesive material of the type known to one of skill
in the
art. In still other embodiments, one or more fasteners (not shown), such as
for
example magnets, suction cups, or the like, may be provided along the lower
surface
16 to allow the above-discussed releasable fixation of the board 10 along the
support
surface. In still other embodiments, each of the fasteners 18 may, in addition
to
being configured to allow each board 10 to be joined along an edge thereof to
an
edge of an adjacent board, be configured to allow the board 10 to be
releasably
secured to the support surface.
[0031] It will be recognized that the above-discussed optional fastener
materials or apparatus may provide several unique advantages to the board 10.
For
example, in certain applications, a user may releasably secure one or more
boards 10
along a permanent illustration surface, such as a vertically-oriented white
board,
chalk board, or the like. In such embodiments, the white board or chalk board
may
provide a first illustration surface, while the one or more boards 10 may
provide a
second, temporary illustration surface which is removable from the underlying
white board or chalk board. In this manner, the one or more boards 10 may be
used
in conjunction with an existing white board, chalk board, or the like, in
order to
provide additional illustrating surfaces which may be removed and replaced
along
the existing surface as desired.
[0032] It is noted that the above-described simplified diagrams and
drawings
do not illustrate all the various connections and assemblies of the various
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components, however, those skilled in the art will understand how to implement
such connections and assemblies, based on the illustrated components, figures,
and
descriptions provided herein, using sound engineering judgment. Numerous
variations, modifications, and additional embodiments are possible, and
accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be
regarded
as being within the spirit and scope of the present general inventive concept.
For
example, regardless of the content of any portion of this application, unless
clearly
specified to the contrary, there is no requirement for the inclusion in any
claim
herein or of any application claiming priority hereto of any particular
described or
illustrated activity or element, any particular sequence of such activities,
or any
particular interrelationship of such elements. Moreover, any activity can be
repeated, any activity can be performed by multiple entities, and/or any
element can
be duplicated.
[00331 From the foregoing description, it will be recognized by one of
skill in
the art that a modular illustration board has been provided. In various
embodiments, the modular illustration board allows for the customizable
construction of a surface for illustration thereon which includes permanent
indicia
appearing thereon and which allows for both dry-erase and wet-erase temporary
indicia to be marked thereon. While the present general inventive concept has
been
illustrated by description of several example embodiments, and while the
illustrative
embodiments have been described in detail, it is not the intention of the
applicant to
restrict or in any way limit the scope of the general inventive concept to
such
descriptions and illustrations. Instead, the descriptions, drawings, and
claims herein
are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive, and
additional
embodiments will readily appear to those skilled in the art upon reading the
above
description and drawings. Additional modifications will readily appear to
those
skilled in the art. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details
without
departing from the spirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept.
