AU2017101889A4 - A space efficient template - Google Patents

Abstract

P1343AUAU ABSTRACT A drawing template including a first set, a second set and a third set. The first set is of pencil-engaging portions for at least partly drawing a first regular polygon. The second set is of pencil-engaging portions for at least partly drawing a second regular 5 polygon. The third set is of pencil-engaging portions for at least partly drawing a third closed shape. The second set is at least partially nested within the first set. The third set is at least partially nested within the second set. The template is at least twice as long as it is wide, and is dimensioned, for receipt within a pencil case.

Description

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A SPACE EFFICIENT TEMPLATE FIELD

This invention relates to a drawing template.

BACKGROUND

A typical drawing template includes a sheet of material that may be placed over a surface on which a user wishes to draw. The sheet material includes apertures and/or other shaped portions defining edges against which a pencil may be placed to draw a feature corresponding to the shaped portions.

Drawing templates can be valuable learning aids. The present inventor has recognized that geometric drawing templates assist students to develop more abstract mathematical thinking. Such templates invoke mental imagery as students work with them. In particular, a template that enables regular polygons to be drawn can help students learn the abstract concepts of numbers, counting, geometry and measurement. It is therefore desirable to provide a learning aid that enables regular polygons to be drawn.

On the other hand, the inclusion of apertures for drawing closed shapes such as polygons consumes space and smaller templates are generally preferred. In particular as students are required to carry more and more specific learning aids it is desirable that a template for educational purposes fits neatly into a student's pencil case. A typical pencil case is in the vicinity of 320 mm long by about 120 mm.

The applicant's own earlier template illustrated in Figures 1 & 2 includes nested sets of pencil engaging portions. The inventor has recognized that at least partly nesting sets of pencil engaging portions is space efficient and is particularly advantageous in the context of templates shaped and dimensioned to fit in a pencil case.

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In the earlier template, a slot D defines half a dodecahedron. Parabolic sets P 1, P 2 and P 3 of pencil engaging portions are nested within each other (i.e. P 3 is nested within P 2

, and P 2 is in turn nested with P1 ) and partially nested with slot D. A set C of pencil engaging portions defines a circular aperture and is wholly nested with the parabolic sets. A sinusoidal set S is partially nest with the parabolic sets P 2 , P 3

. The sets D, P 2 & S take the form of slots, and the set C is an aperture, whereby a pencil (or other suitable drawing implement) can be run along the relevant pencil engaging portions to define the shape. In contrast sets P 1, P 2 are sets of discrete small apertures, through which respective dots may be marked on the page, for drawing the parabolic shapes. The parabolic shapes are drawn by marking the dots, removing the template and joining the dots. The same pencil-engaging portion forms part of each of the three sets P 1, P 2 and P 3 for defining the common turning point of the parabolas.

It is not admitted that any of the information in this patent specification is common general knowledge, or that the person skilled in the art could be reasonably expected to ascertain or understand it, regard it as relevant or combine it in any way before the priority date.

SUMMARY

In a first aspect, there is provided a drawing template including

a first set of pencil-engaging portions for at least partly drawing a first regular polygon; and

a second set of pencil-engaging portions for at least partly drawing a second regular polygon;

a third set of pencil-engaging portions for at least partly drawing a third closed shape;

wherein

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the second set is at least partially nested within the first set;

the third set is at least partially nested within the second set; and

the template is at least twice as long as it is wide, and is dimensioned, for receipt within a pencil case.

A polygon is an example of a closed shape.

The first set preferably includes straight edge portions for drawing at least half of the sides of the first regular polygon, and most preferably the first set includes straight edge portions for drawing less than all of the sides of the first regular polygon.

Likewise, the second set preferably includes straight edge portions for drawing at least half of the sides of the second regular polygon, and most preferably the first set includes straight edge portions for drawing less than all of the sides of the first regular polygon.

Whilst straight edge portions are preferred, it is also contemplated that some or all of the pencil engaging portions may be arranged by for drawing some or all of the vertices of a polygon, e.g. a pentagon may be partly drawn by marking out three of its vertices (corners).

In at least preferred forms the template at least one of the first regular polygon and the second regular polygon is a pentagon.

The third closed shape may a regular polygon, such as a triangle. Alternatively, it may be a circle.

Another aspect of the invention provides a drawing template including

a first set of pencil-engaging portions for drawing at least half, but less than substantially all, of an ellipse;

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features for defining alignment points such that the first set of pencil-engaging portions can be positioned for drawing a remainder of the ellipse by

at least one of rotating and flipping the template; and

re-aligning the features with the alignment points;

a second set of pencil-engaging portions at least partially nested within the first set.

The template may include one or more markings at least suggesting the remainder of the shape.

The ellipse may be a circle. A circle is a special case of an ellipse as the word 'ellipse' is used herein. The second set is preferably for at least partly defining one of an ellipse and a regular polygon.

Another aspect of the invention provides a drawing template including

a first set of pencil-engaging portions for drawing at least half of a first closed shape;

features for defining alignment points such that the first set of pencil-engaging portions can be positioned for drawing a remainder of the first closed shape by

at least one of rotating and flipping the template; and

re-aligning the features with the alignment points;

a second set of pencil-engaging portions at least partially nested within the first set; and

a third set of pencil-engaging portions;

wherein one of the first set and the third set is at least partially nested within the other of the first set and the third set; and

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the first closed shape is one of an ellipse and a regular polygon;

wherein the template is at least twice as long as it is wide, and is dimensioned, for receipt within a pencil case.

The second set is preferably for at least partly defining one of an ellipse and a regular polygon. Likewise, the third set is preferably for at least partly defining one of an ellipse and a regular polygon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Figure 1 is a plan view of an existing template;

Figure 2 is an enlargement of detail A in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a drawing template;

Figure 4 is a plan view of another drawing template.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

The following example is intended to illustrate, to enable reproduction and comparison. It is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure in any way.

The template 1 is a rectangular sheet of material about 260 mm long by about 70 mm wide. This long shape is suited to convenient placement within a typical pencil case. The external corners 3 of the template are rounded so as not to present a potentially sharp point. The sheet is preferably formed of substantially transparent materials such as polycarbonate. A set of ruling markings 5 runs along one of the template's long edges to enable the template 1 to function as a ruler.

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The template 1 includes two groups 7, 9 of nested closed-shape defining sets. The group 7 includes: a set 11 of pencil engaging portions, a set 13 of pencil engaging portions and a set 15 of pencil engaging portions.

The set 11 includes five straight slot portions 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e connected end to end to define half a decagon. The pencil may be placed within the slot and pushed against either the inner or the outer edge of the set 15, and moved along the selected edge, to define half a decagon.

The free ends of the slots 11a, 11e are features for defining alignment points in the form the ends of the half decagon. Once the half decagon has been marked out, the template 1 may then be rotated to align the end points of the slot portions 11a, 11e with the drawn end points of the half decagon and the drawing operation repeated to complete the decagon.

Instead rotating the template to define the remainder (i.e. second half) of the decagon, the template may be flipped over. This technique allows this method to be extended to symmetric shapes that are not rotationally symmetric, such as to an isosceles triangle.

The set 13 includes three straight slot portions which can be used to draw a hexagon in a manner analogous to the use of the set 11 to define a decagon. This set 13 is completely nested within the set 11 in that it lies wholly within the space defined by the set 11 and a notational straight line connecting the three ends of the set 11.

A marking, in the form of a printed line 13a, marks out the remainder of the hexagon to assist students to visualize the complete shape. The markings 11f partly mark out the remainder of the decagon define by the set 11 and thus suggest the remainder to aid in visualization.

The set 15 is a circular aperture for drawing a circle. For the avoidance of doubt the edge of the set 15 is regarded as an infinity of a pencil engaging portions as those words are used herein. Also for the avoidance of doubt, whilst the relevant edges are

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referred to as pencil engaging edges herein, other drawing tools such as pens could equally be abutted against those edges. Use with a pen, or intention to use with a pen, does not preclude a portion being a pencil engaging portion. The present invention is not limited to the use of a pencil or a pen etc..

The set 15 is nested partly within the set 13 and almost wholly within the set 11.

The group 9 includes sets 17, 19, 21 for defining an octagon, a pentagon and a triangle.

The set 19 defines free of the pentagon's five sides. The set 17 defines five of the octagon's eight sides. As such when the template 1 is rotated to define the remaining sides of these shapes, students must take care to align appropriate vertices of the set 17, 19 with the free ends of the drawn shape. This has been found to aid in the student's conceptualization and appreciation of the geometry. Following this method, the vertices of the shapes serve as alignment points and the corners of the sets 17, 19 serve as features for defining those vertices. It is contemplated that in other variants the features could be simple printed features against which alignment points could be marked.

The template further includes a square aperture 23, a trio of part circular shapes 25, 27, 29 and a trapezoid 31.

The template 33 is about 70mm by about 310mm and is thus shaped and dimensioned to fit in a pencil case. It includes two groups 35, 37 or nested features. The group 37 includes a parabolic set 39, of pencil-engaging edge portions, which takes the form of a trio of slot portions. The trio of slot portions are mutually separated short breaks 39a, 39b which serve to structurally support the flap of material described by the set 39. These breaks produce breaks in the drawn parabola which are considered insubstantial in that they can be readily filled in by free-hand.

Nested within the set 39 is set 41, of pencil-engaging edge portions, which takes the form of a half elliptical slot. The set 41 defines exactly half an ellipse such that the free

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ends of a half ellipse (drawn with the aid of set 41) can be used as alignment points for drawing the other half of the ellipse.

While the above description refers to embodiments, it will be appreciated that other embodiments can be adopted by way of different combinations of features. Such embodiments fall within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims (10)

P1343AUAU 9 CLAIMS

1. A drawing template including

a first set of pencil-engaging portions for at least partly drawing a first regular polygon; and

a second set of pencil-engaging portions for at least partly drawing a second regular polygon;

a third set of pencil-engaging portions for at least partly drawing a third closed shape;

wherein

the second set is at least partially nested within the first set;

the third set is at least partially nested within the second set; and

the template is at least twice as long as it is wide, and is dimensioned, for receipt within a pencil case.

2. The template of claim 1 wherein the first set includes straight edge portions for drawing at least half of the sides of the first regular polygon.

3. The template of claim 1 or 2 wherein the first set includes straight edge portions for drawing less than all of the sides of the first regular polygon.

4. The template of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the second set includes straight edge portions for drawing at least half of the sides of the second regular polygon.

5. The template of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the first set includes straight edge portions for drawing less than all of the sides of the first regular polygon.

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6. The template of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein at least one of the first regular polygon and the second regular polygon is a pentagon.

7. The template any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the third closed shape is a regular polygon.

8. The template any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the third closed shape is a circle.

9. A drawing template including

a first set of pencil-engaging portions for drawing at least half, but less than substantially all, of an ellipse;

features for defining alignment points such that the first set of pencil-engaging portions can be positioned for drawing a remainder of the ellipse by

at least one of rotating and flipping the template; and

re-aligning the features with the alignment points;

a second set of pencil-engaging portions at least partially nested within the first set.

10. A drawing template including

a first set of pencil-engaging portions for drawing at least half of a first closed shape;

features for defining alignment points such that the first set of pencil-engaging portions can be positioned for drawing a remainder of the first closed shape by

at least one of rotating and flipping the template; and

re-aligning the features with the alignment points;

a second set of pencil-engaging portions at least partially nested within the first set; and

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a third set of pencil-engaging portions;

wherein one of the first set and the third set is at least partially nested within the other of the first set and the third set;

the first closed shape is one of an ellipse and a regular polygon; and

the template is at least twice as long as it is wide, and is dimensioned, for receipt within a pencil case.

2017101889 03 Feb 2017

2017101889 03 Feb 2017