Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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United States Non-Provisional Patent Application
For
A STAMPING TOOL
TO THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS:
John Ericson, a United States citizen whose post office address is 2112 East
3780 South,
Salt Lake City, Utah 84109; Jessica Gallagher, a United States citizen whose
post office address
is 8991 South Cobble Canyon Lane, Sandy, Utah 84093; Tanner Smedley, a United
States
citizen whose post office address is 11957 South Forester Peak Place,
Herriman, Utah 84096;
and Mike Vanderlinden, a United States citizen whose post office address is
2092 Sahara Drive,
Holladay, Utah 84124 pray that letters patent be granted to them as inventors
of a Stamping Tool
as set forth in the following specification.
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Background
In craft stamping, it is often challenging for a crafter to apply repeated
stamp patterns
with efficiency and precision. For example, traditional hand-stamping tools
will often comprise
a stamping section made of red rubber, acrylic, photopolymer, foam and
numerous other
materials known in the art. The stamp is affixed to a base¨often made of
wood¨which then
can include a handle or gripping section allowing a user to grasp the stamp,
press it into an ink
source, and then deposit the ink onto a surface to be stamped.
However, a stamper often wishes to make larger volumes of stamped surfaces
(e.g.
greeting cards or invitations). The method of individually hand-stamping each
surface becomes
tedious and also leads to inconsistent results simply as a function of human
error.
Some stamping tools have been created to address this issue. However, the
present
invention is a marked improvement over prior art stamping apparatuses in that
it features a
hinging mechanism that allows for multi-directional stamping and quick
substitution of covers
from different orientations. It also allows for a wider assortment of surfaces
to be stamped in
terms of size and shape. In particular, because the present invention can
function with only two
hinge walls, it allows for a greater variety of length and width in the
articles being stamped.
Moreover, because the present invention does not require the cover to rest
upon the hinge walls,
it allows for greater variety in the depth of the workspace¨meaning it can
accommodate thinner
stamps than can prior art stamping tools without the need for shimming.
The present invention in its various embodiments addresses all of the
foregoing issues as
well as others as will become apparent herein.
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Summary
The present invention is a stamping tool. In its various embodiments, the tool
includes a
base and a cover. The cover is removably affixed to the base through a hinging
assembly.
According to one embodiment, the base includes a first base hinge and a second
base hinge
substantially perpendicular to the first base hinge. The base hinges can
include one or more
hinge sections. The hinge sections in certain embodiments have a first wall
and a second wall.
The first wall and the second wall can be biased to define a cavity that is
accessible through a
channel between the first wall and the second wall. In certain embodiments,
the hinge sections
are separated by one or more receptacles. The cover can include one or more
hinge bars
corresponding to the hinge sections on the base. The hinge bars can have an
unequal aspect ratio
allowing for easy insertion and removal of the cover. The cover can also
include one or more
protrusions separating the hinge bars. These protrusions correspond to the
receptacles on the
base.
The configuration of the hinge bars can vary. In certain embodiments, the
hinge bars are
rectangular shaped in cross section. In some embodiments, the hinge bars are
oval shaped in
cross section. In yet other embodiments, the hinge bars are diamond-shaped in
cross section.
The protrusions can be rounded as can be the receptacles.
A method of stamping an article is also included. A stamping tool is provided.
The
stamping tool can include a base having a top surface, a first base hinge and
a second base hinge
substantially perpendicular to the first base hinge. The first and second base
hinges can include
one or more hinge sections. The stamping tool also includes a cover removably
attachable to the
base. The cover has a bottom surface relative to the base and can include one
or more hinge bars
corresponding to the one or more hinge sections on the base. The hinge bars
can have an
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unequal aspect ratio. In operation, the cover is placed in an open position
relative to the base. A
stamp is adhered to the bottom surface of the cover. The article to be stamped
is placed on the
top surface of the base. A quantity of ink is applied to the stamp and, as the
cover is placed in a
closed position, the stamp is brought into contact with the article thereby
stamping the article
with the ink.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 depicts a craft stamping tool base according to one embodiment of the
present
invention.
Figure 2 depicts a craft stamping tool cover according to one embodiment of
the present
invention.
Figure 3 depicts a craft stamping tool in an open position according to one
embodiment of the
present invention.
Figure 4 depicts a craft stamping tool in a partially closed position
according to one embodiment
of the present invention.
Figure 5 depicts a craft stamping tool in a closed position according to one
embodiment of the
present invention.
Figure 6 depicts a plurality of base hinge sections according to one
embodiment of the present
invention.
Figure 7 depicts a portion of a cover hinge according to one embodiment of the
present
invention.
Figure 8 depicts a partially assembled base and cover hinge mechanism
according to one
embodiment of the present invention.
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Figure 9 depicts a portion of a hinge assembly according to one embodiment of
the present
invention.
Figure 10 depicts base and cover assembly according to one embodiment of the
present
invention.
Figure 11 depicts a craft stamping tool with an insert according to one
embodiment of the present
invention.
Description of Illustrated Embodiments
Referring to Figures 1, 5-6, a craft stamping tool base 102 is shown according
to one
embodiment of the present invention. Base 102 includes a first hinge and a
second hinge shown
generally at 106, 108. It is noted that first hinge 106 will be referred to
hereinafter as a "top"
hinge and second hinge 108 as a "side" hinge. However, the use of the terms
"top" and "side"
are only in reference to the relative positions of the first and second base
hinges 106, 108 and the
orientation of the craft stamping tool 100 in the figures. No limitation is
intended by the use of
such spatial terms.
Base 102 also includes a top surface 114 and can include one or more grid
lines 116 in
relative horizontal and vertical orientation. Base 102 can also include one or
more rulers 118.
The top surface 114 is, generally speaking, the surface on which an article to
be stamp is placed.
Commonly stamped articles include but are not limited to paper, cardboard,
wood, fabric,
plastics, metals and glass.
Top hinge 106 and side hinge 108 are, in the presently illustrated embodiment,
comprised
of a plurality of hinge sections 124 to make up a top hinge wall 122 and a
side hinge wall 120
against which the material being stamped or the insert pad 134 (Figure 11) can
abut. As noted
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above, hinge walls 120, 122 in the present embodiment are made up of a series
of hinge sections
124 separated by receptacles 125. As discussed further below, the receptacles
125 can be spaces
between hinge sections 124 that correspond to protrusions 140 on cover 104.
Receptacles 125 as
shown in the illustrated embodiment have rounded edges which allow easier
rotation of the
protrusions 140 as the cover 104 is opened and closed in operation. However,
in other
embodiments, non-rounded receptacles 125 may be advantageous.
While the present illustration depicts seven hinge sections 124 with
corresponding
receptacles 125, it is noted that in certain embodiments, fewer, larger hinge
sections 124 may be
desirable with correspondingly fewer receptacles 125. In yet other
embodiments, one or both of
.. the hinges 106, 108 may be a single piece with no hinge sections 124. In
such embodiments,
receptacles 125 could be limited to the ends of the respective walls 120, 122
or in other
embodiments, there could be no receptacles 125 at all. However, the
receptacles 125 are
advantageous in that they provide low friction stability to the base and cover
hinge assembly.
As is best seen in Figure 6, each hinge section 124 can in certain embodiments
comprise
.. first and second slightly angled walls 128 that define a channel 126. In
the illustrated
embodiment, walls 128 include a slight bend 127 that create edges capable of
engaging the hinge
bars 142 in cavity 130 as discussed further below. The bends 127 are
advantageous as they help
prevent the cover 104 from coming disengaged when the product is in use and
yet allow for easy
removal of the cover 104 when desired. However, it is noted that the term
"bends" is not
intended to be limited to gradual, rounded sloping of the top edge of walls
128 but could include
steeper sloping or angular changes of direction to create the engaging edges
needed to hold the
cover 104 in place when in use. The illustrated embodiment also can include a
corner piece 132
between the side and top hinge 106, 108.
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Referring now to Figures 2 and 7, a cover 104 for a craft stamping tool 100 is
shown
according to one embodiment of the present invention. Cover 104 includes a
hinge shown
generally at 110 and a main cover section shown generally at 136. Cover 104
can include one or
more grid lines 138. In the illustrated embodiment, grid lines 138 are shown
at relative
horizontal and vertical orientations.
In the illustrated embodiment, hinge 110 comprises sections of a hinge bar 142
with
space 144 underneath separated at regular intervals by protrusions 140. Though
it is noted that,
as with the base hinge sections 124, hinge bars 142 need not be at regular
intervals but could
vary in length, number and space to correspond to hinge sections 124 of base
102.
As noted above, protrusions 140 are in the illustrated embodiment rounded to
correspond
with receptacles 125 in base 102. Rounded protrusions 140 allow for hinge
stability and
smoother opening and closing of the cover 104 when in use but are not
required. In this
embodiment, protrusions 140 also include a small neck 146 such that edge of
cover 104, neck
146 and hinge bar 142 define space 144. However, it is noted that in other
embodiments, it may
.. be desirable to exclude neck 146 with protrusion 140 directly on the edge
of cover 104.
As seen in Figure 7, hinge bars 142 can be substantially rectangular in cross
section with
substantially planar surfaces. This allows for easy insertion in and removal
from channel 126.
Notably, having hinge bars 142 with an unequal cross-sectional aspect ratio
allows them to be
easily inserted and removed. In particular, in the presently illustrated
embodiment, when the
cover 104 is at substantially a ninety-degree (90 ) angle relative to the base
102, hinge bars 142
are narrower than channels 126 and can easily fit through them. However, once
the cover 104 is
rotated in either direction, the wider sides of hinge bars 142 face channels
126 and are not able to
fit through. Thus, when in use, cover 104 is largely stable and un-removable.
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Referring to Figures 3-4, 8-10, attachment of the cover 104 to the base 102
and the
cover/base assembly are depicted. As best seen in Figures 8-10, a user would
align hinge
sections 124 with hinge bar 142 and receptacles 125 with protrusions 140. With
the cover 104 at
approximately a ninety-degree (90 ) angle relative to the base 102, hinge bars
142 would be
oriented such that the width of the hinge bars 142 is less than the width of
the channels 126.
Thus, the cover 104 can be directed downward until hinge bars 142 are in
cavity 130.
Protrusions 140 are also substantially seated in receptacles 125. As cover 104
is rotated in either
an opening or closing direction, the relative orientation of hinge bars 142 to
channels 126
changes such that the width of the hinge bars 142 becomes wider than the
channels 126
effectively locking the cover 104 and preventing it from slipping off while in
use. To remove the
cover 104, essentially the reverse process is followed¨namely, a user would
orient the cover
104 at approximately a ninety-degree (90 ) angle relative to the base 102 and
gently pull up.
Because the width of the hinge bars 142 in this orientation is less than the
width of the channels
126, the cover 104 easily pulls off.
It is noted that the term hinge bars 142 is not intended to be limited to a
rectangular cross-
sectional shape. Provided there is an unequal cross-sectional aspect ratio
such that the width of
the hinge bars 142 is less than the width of the channels 126 in one
orientation, but greater than
the width of the channels 126 as the cover 104 is rotated, such shapes are
considered to be within
the scope of the present invention. For example, in addition to rectangular
cross-sectional shape,
the hinge bars 142 could have an oval, diamond, rounded diamond, as well as
numerous
polygonal cross-sectional shapes and combinations of the same.
It is noted that the attachment and removal of cover 104 will be the same
whether the
cover 104 is being secured to the base top hinge 106 or the base side hinge
108. However, it is
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not necessary that the base hinging mechanisms be identical in both the top
and side. For
example, in certain embodiments, it may be desirable to have longer hinge
sections 124, as
discussed previously herein, on the top hinge mechanism while having shorter
hinge sections 124
on the side hinge mechanism. Provided the elements of the cover hinge properly
align in both
configurations, any combination of the embodiments discussed above are
considered within the
scope of the present invention.
To illustrate certain features of the present invention in its various
embodiments, the
following method of operation is provided. It is not however intended to
capture all
embodiments of the present invention nor is it intended to limit the scope of
the claims to any
particular embodiment.
In operation, a user would typically lift the cover 104 of the craft stamping
tool 100 and
place a stamp on the top surface 114 of the base 102. Numerous types of stamps
could be used
in combination with the present stamping tool 100 including but not limited to
photopolymer, red
rubber and foam. The stamp would need some form of adhesive on its back
surface (i.e. the
surface opposite the surface resting on the base). Thus, as the cover 104 is
closed, it presses
down on the stamp and the stamp adheres to it. This allows for precision
placement of the
stamp, however in other circumstances a user could simply apply the stamp to
the cover 104 by
hand. In certain embodiments, thinner types of stamps will be used. In such
embodiments, a
shim such as a pad or insert 134 (Figure 11) can be included to make up the
additional space
between the top surface 114 of base 102 and the underside of cover 104. In
Figure 11, the insert
134 is shown covering the entire surface of the base 102. In other
embodiments, the insert 134
could be smaller or larger relative to the base 102. The insert 134 can be
made of a variety of
materials including but not limited to foam, rubber, plastic, wood, cloth or
combinations of the
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same. It is also noted that since the cover 104 need not rest upon top hinge
106 and side hinge
108 in operation, shimming is often not required even for thinner stamps.
Whether working with or without the insert 134, a user can then secure the
item to be
stamped to the top surface 114 of the base 102. In one embodiment, the base
102 includes a
ferromagnetic substance that allows a user to secure the item being stamped to
it with one or
more magnets. In other embodiments, the item to be stamped could be secured
with a variety of
other known mechanisms including but not limited to clips and weak adhesives
or combinations
of the same. In yet other embodiments, the base 102 itself could be magnetized
and
ferromagnetic materials could be placed on the item to be stamped to secure it
in place. In any
case, it is preferable that the item to be stamped be secured to the top
surface 114 of the base 102
by some mechanism while in operation.
Grid lines 116 on base 102 and grid lines 138 on cover 104 allow precision
placement of
both the item to be stamped and the stamp itself. Thus the stamping tool 100
allows for
precision and repetition.
Once the item to be stamped is secured, ink can be applied to the stamp that
is adhered to
cover 104. Ink can be applied in a variety of known ways. For example, a user
could simply rub
an inkpad over the stamp by hand or it could be applied by brush or cloth.
Once the stamp is
inked, the user would then close the cover 104 along rotational axis depicted
at 112 in Figure 4.
The inked stamp will then contact the surface to be stamped applying the ink
precisely where
wanted. The cover 104 is then lifted and the stamped item can then be removed
and replaced
with a different item to be stamped or it can be reoriented and stamped again--
allowing for a
wide variety of patterns.
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Notably, having the cover 104 capable of being easily removed from one base
hinge (e.g.
the base top hinge 106) and coupled with the other base hinge (e.g. the base
side hinge 108)
allows even greater flexibility in the types of patterns and designs that can
be created. Having
only two base walls 120, 122 also allows for items that are larger than the
base 102 to be
stamped.
Variations
In the illustrated embodiment, the shape of base 102 and cover 104 is
substantially
square. However, in other embodiments, the base 102 and cover 104 could be
other rectangular
shapes. In yet other embodiments, different polygonal shaped bases and covers
with hinges on
their edges could be utilized to create many different design configurations.
However,
rectangular is advantageous in that it allows wide variety in terms of the
size and shape of the
article to be stamped.
The stamping tool 100 can be made of various materials including, but not
limited to
plastic, acrylic, rubber, glass, wood, metal and combinations thereof.
In yet other embodiments, the relative positioning of the hinge sections 124
and hinge
bars 142/protrusions 140 could be reversed¨namely, the cover 104 could one or
more hinge
sections 124 on one edge and the base 102 could include the hinge bars 142 and
protrusions 140
along its top and side edges.
Numerous other modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by
those
skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention.
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