GB2290755A - Fluorescent marking and display device - Google Patents

Abstract

A transparent sheet 11 which contains a homogeneous fluorescent pigment overlies a sheet 12 of opaque and smooth material and a backing sheet 13 made of magnetic material. Pre-defined patterns 14 or characters are imprinted on the sheet 11 to allow repeated uses of the pre-defined patterns. Figures 15 made of magnetic material can be retained on the surface of the sheet 11 by magnetic force and be relocatable by the user. The transparent sheet may be mounted on roller spools (41, Fig. 2). <IMAGE>

Description

Improved Marking and Display Device The present invention relates to an improved marking and display device.

Drawing boards on which erasable drawings can be made without the use of crayon, paints and other marking means are known. US patent 3,761,343 (published 25 July 1973) and UK Patent Application 2,234,714 (published 13 Feb., 1989) describe a drawing board of this type which include an upper transparent sheet and a lower opaque sheet. The upper sheet is a flexible sheet of resilient transparent material which contains a homogeneous fluorescent pigment. The lower backing sheet is opaque, having a smooth surface at the interface to the upper sheet. Patterns or characters appear on the drawing face when localised pressure is applied via a stylus, a tip or a suitable marking instrument.

UK Patent Application No. 2,132,979A (published 18 July, 1984) describes a erasable marker in which the erasable displaying effect is by arrangement of an acetate foil, a transparent paper or strip thereunder and a wax foil. The transparent paper is releasably stuck or bound to the wax foil by the writing pressure exerted on the acetate foil such that the point of contact is visually distintive. Such type of marker, though re-usable, does not have a long usable life as the wax foil will be deformed after several repeated uses.

Also known is a white marker board which has a smooth opaque surface. By means of a suitable marker pen, patterns and characters could be drawn on the board and then erased.

Further, some of these white boards also have magnetic characteristics such that magnetic figures or labels can be semi-permanently attached on to the board.

While such display and marking devices are known, they were directed to limited distinct and separate use or application as toys and plain notice-board respectively due to their inherent natures. The use of the drawing board as a more serious presentation or conference aid is hindered by the fact that once erased, any complicated pattern or background that could be frequently and repeatedly used will be indiscriminately removed together with the disposable part of the drawings. Another draw-back of the conventional white-board marking device is that, even if it is possible to print a frequently used pre-defined pattern on the board, it is not possible to switch to different back-drops on the same board. Individual boards must be used for every scene and this might result in a multitude of boards when the presentation involves a number of possible alternate set-ups.This is especially inconvenient for outdoor activities such as teaching, war-games, conferences or promotions. Another problem associated with out-door environments is the lack of controllable lighting which would mean that presentation with marking or display devices is severely hampered by insufficient natural light and this can pose a major problem for example at sporting and other outdoor events.

While the surface of the marker boards are usually smooth and opaque, their surfaces are usually not sufficiently smooth such that no image is formed were a transparent sheet with luminesent pigment to be superimposed on the opaque surface and a localised presure applied.

According to the present invention there is provided a board-type marking and display device comprising: an upper transparent and flexible sheet which contains a homogeneous fluorescent pigment, a rigid or semi-rigid smooth opaque backing sheet, said opaque backing sheet made of a magnetic material.

The said backing sheet can have two forms. In the first form it comprises an intermediate sheet of opaque smooth material and a second backing sheet made of a magnetic material such as iron or steel is made to adhere to the underside of the immediate sheet whose upperside is capable of being in direct contiguous contact with the aforesaid transparent and flexible sheet. In the second and the preferred form, the backing sheet comprises only one single layer made of a magnetic material which is opaque and smooth.

Preferably either or both of the transparent opaque and sheets may be imprinted with a predefined pattern or figure.

The upper transparent sheet is superimposable on the intermediate opaque sheet such that they can be put in contiguous contact or separated by mechanical means. The transparent or opaque sheet can be pre-printed with some frequently used settings or scenes.

Preferably the drawing and display device is mounted on a rigid housing or a supporting frame and is provided with a pair of spools such that a length of the flexible transparent sheet can be dispensed by the spools such that the pre-defined patterns or setting can be changed by rotation of the spools.

Thus the drawing and display device can be used as a board comprising the sheets in their own right or as a board mounted on a housing provided with a pair of spools which have a length of pre-printed transparent sheet rolled thereon.

Blocks or figures with magnetic properties can be put onto the board and retained on the transparent surface by magnetic force such that they are maintained in the same position whether the board is held in a horizontal or vertical position.

As a result of such a combination of the erasable drawing board and the back-board made of magnetic material, patterns, routes, paths, characters or other drawings can be made on the luminescent display surface combining with the relocatable feature of the magnetised blocks or figures which have a pre-defined representation.

The movable blocks or figures as relocatable modules present an advantage in that predefined patterns or figures can be moved around the board without the need to remake the representaion everytime their positions are changed. These blocks or figures can be of a fixed shape or simply be a plain block such that an erasable marking, whether luminescent or not, can be marked on its surface.

The drawings on the board can be erased by separating the sheets or by means of a slidable wiper which is located between the sheets and slidable across the full width of the board. The advantage of the wiper is that the blocks or figures can be maintained in position while the wiper is moved across to remove the pattern. Further, the drawings can simply be removed by movement of the spools which movement will bring the transparent and opaque layers out of contact, thereby erasing the erasble portion of the drawing.

Two embodiments of the present invention will be further described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment; and, Fig.2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment.

Referring to the figure 1, there is illustrated an embodiment generally designated 10 of a marking and display device constituting a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment 10 there is provided a flexible and transparent sheet 11 having a homogeneous fluorescent pigment therein, a rigid to semi-rigid opaque sheet 12 having a substantially smooth surface and a sheet 13 which is made of a magnetic material and adheres to the under side of the opaque sheet 12.The transparent sheet 11 is made preferably of a transparent and flexible polyvinylchorode (PVC) plastic sheet containing a homogeneous fluorescent pigment such that when the transparent sheet overlies the opaque sheet in a contiguous manner and a light pressure is applied, e.g. via a tipped instrument, onto the transparent sheet, the applied pressure will causes both sheets to adhere and the resulting reflection of light from the surface will produce a luminescent appearance or pattern 21.

Blocks or figures 15 with magnetic properties can be placed on the transparent surface and are retained by the mutual magnetic force between the figures 15 and the magnetic force of the back sheet 13. To further save time constructing and reproducing standard scenes or backgrounds 14, scenes or backgrounds, e.g. a football or basketball ground, can be preprinted either on the transparent sheet or on the opaque sheet on the surface facing the transparent sheet. Patterns, routes or other representations 21 may be drawn on the displaying surface to make erasable expressions relating the different figures and the background setting. This is particular useful for strategy or disposition planning relating to the same background and it obviates the problem of total indiscriminate erasure which is inevitable in the popularly used drawing boards.

There is also provided a wiper 16 which is preferably made of a thin plastic blade so that it enables erasure of the semi-permanent display by sliding the wiper across the length of the board while the magnetic blocks 15 can maintain their position on the board because of the magnetic interaction between the back sheet 13 and the blocks 15.

Fig. 2 illustrates a second preferred embodiment of the invention in which the drawing and display device is mounted on a housing 31 and a roller unit comprising a pair of spools 41 which are located at both ends of the housing. A length of the transparent sheet with settings or backgrounds pre-printed thereon is mounted onto the spools such that the scenes appearing on the transparent sheet which is in immediate contiguous contact with the opaque sheet 12, can be changed by rotation of the the roller unit. Thus the user can make meaningful representation efficiently without the need to waste time preparing different backgrounds for various standard situations. To erase the temporary drawings, the user needs only to slightly rotate one of the spooler units and the transparent flexible sheet 11 is moved out of immediate contiguous contact with the underlying opaque sheet.

Also, with a suitble material, such as a high grade magnetic rubber of a smooth surface, the magnetic back-sheet 13 might be combined together with the opaque sheet 12, such that a single layer will perform the combined effect of the two layers.

By means of this arrangement there is provided a simple erasable and re-usable marking and display device making use of the luminescent display device and combining a sheet made of magnetic material so that figures with magnetic properties can be retained on the board and be relocatable. The device may be provided with pre-defined and replaceable settings such that the user can add semi-permanent drawings or patterns onto an existing backdrop to save time and effort in reproducing it and at the same time an accurate presentation based on the same background can be made. Furthermore at the same time the user cna locate labels or markers and have them retained on the board as a result of magnatic effect of the board and the marker or label.

While the invention has been described with respect to two preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many other variations, modifications and applications of the invention may be made.

Claims (7)

1) A drawing and display device comprising a upper transparent flexible sheet which contains a homogeneous fluorescent pigment and a rigid or semi-rigid smooth opaque backing sheet; said opaque backing sheet being made of magnetic material.

2) The device according to claim 1, wherein the said backing sheet comprises a first sheet made of magnetic material, said first sheet being adhered onto the underside of a smooth opaque sheet whose upperside is capable of being in direct contiguous contact with the said transparent sheet.

3) The device according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the transparent sheet is imprinted with a pre-defined pattern or figure.

4) The device according to claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the opaque sheet is imprinted with a pre-defined pattern or figure.

5) The device according to any preceding claim, wherein the device is mounted on a rigid housing and a rotatable spool is located at each end of the device such that a background imprinted on the said flexible transparent sheet can be changed by means of rotation of the spools.

6) A drawing and display device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

7) A drawing and display device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.