EP1403087A1 - Portable ensemble comprising a container and a pad for reproducing patterns on a support - Google Patents

Abstract

The portable unit comprises a tray (100) with a bottom (101) surrounded by an upper peripheral edge (102) and covered with a spongy element (103) containing a reserve of the liquid product. There is also a pad (200) of the same contour as the tray and having a slightly smaller surface so that it can placed in the tray. A handle is located on the outside of the bottom.

Description

We know the decoration process which consists of impregnating a pad with a substantially liquid product, that is to say a paint, a patina, an ink or the like, then applying this pad punctually on a support so that the pattern of the buffer is reproduced on the support by localized transfer of the product.

We can thus proceed by successive actions to obtain a series of identical patterns if we always use the same stamp or various patterns if we use several different stamps.

Currently, this practice is carried out by disparate means, because while ready-to-use tampons can be obtained, they do not however have any characteristic facilitating their coordination with their natural complement which is a container in which the thin product, each having to improvise an installation using any container such as an old dish, an ice cube tray and others, into which paint is sold sold in pots.

These means are very inconvenient and cannot, in particular, be easily kept within easy reach of the user because far from being portable, they on the contrary require the greatest stability.

The present invention relates to portable equipment which is well suited to the practice of stamp decoration not only by professionals but also by unqualified persons.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a portable assembly for transferring a substantially liquid product in successive small areas on supports such as walls, partitions and decorative panels, possibly provided with an absorbent coating, characterized in that that it comprises two distinct objects but coordinated in shape and dimensions, one consisting of a tray formed by a bottom which is surrounded by an upper peripheral rim and which is covered with a spongy element which must contain a reserve of the product, and the other being constituted by a tampon of the same contour as that of the tank and of lower surface, so that the tampon can be placed in the tank preferably nestable, a grip handle being disposed outside the bottom of the tank.

Other characteristics of the invention will emerge from the detailed description below, with reference to the attached drawing. Of course, the description and the drawing are given only by way of an indicative and nonlimiting example.

Figure 1 is a schematic view showing an assembly according to the invention, formed of a tray and a buffer.

Figure 2 is a schematic view of an assembly according to the invention, the tray is provided with a handle.

Figure 3 is a schematic elevational view with partial section of the tray of Figure 1, provided with a removable grip handle.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the underside of the container of FIG. 3.

Figure 5 is a schematic plan view of a tampon according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view in elevation of the pad of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the underside of the pad of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view with partial section of the pad of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a removable plate to be secured to the pad of FIG. 9, and made along the line X - X of FIG. 11.

Figure 11 is a schematic plan view showing the underside of the removable plate of Figure 10 and carrying an applicator element.

Figure 12 is a schematic view showing a particular embodiment of a removable plate according to which this plate has retainers for one or more application elements.

FIG. 13 is a schematic profile view of the pad of FIG. 9.

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic view in cross section of the removable plate of FIG. 11 and made along the line XIV - XIV of FIG. 11.

Figure 15 is a schematic plan view of a removable strip to be secured to the buffer to form a positioning mark.

Figure 16 is a schematic plan view of a tampon according to the invention provided with a removable strip.

Referring to the drawing, it can be seen that an assembly in accordance with the invention comprises two separate but coordinated objects, one of which is a container 100 and the other a buffer 200.

The tank 100 is formed by a bottom 101 which is surrounded by an upper peripheral rim 102 and which is covered with an absorbent, spongy element 103 which must be copiously impregnated with a product intended to be applied using the stamp 200 on a support: paint, patina, ink and the like.

In Figure 1, the tray 100 is provided with feet 100a allowing the passage of the fingers under the bottom 101 to grip the tray 100 directly when the latter is placed on a plane P1, for its manipulation.

In Figure 2, we see an embodiment of the invention according to which outside the bottom 101, is a grip handle 104 by which a user can hold the tray 100 by hand, while ensuring its horizontality , but the liquid or semi-liquid product impregnating the element 103 cannot flow out of the tank, unless the latter is very strongly inclined, or even overturned.

The tank 100 also has a lower peripheral rim 105 which surrounds the outside of the bottom 101.

The gripping handle 104 of the container 100 is removable relative to a retaining member 106 secured to the outside of the bottom 101 and making a prominence relative to it at most equal to the height h of the rim lower device 105.

This arrangement is advantageous in that the container 100 proper and the handle 104 can be separated from one another for their packaging for sale, which reduces the bulk, in particular by placing the handle 104 at the inside the tank 100, and allows simple packaging.

According to an advantageous variant of this embodiment, the container 100 being quadrangular, the handle 104 extends substantially along a diagonal of the bottom 101 of the container 100.

Thus, the handle 104 can be given a maximum length which makes its handling convenient, without exceeding the outline of the container 100.

It can be seen in FIG. 2 that the retaining member 106 forms a weak prominence, and does not exceed the contour of the lower rim 105. This member 106 is therefore entirely housed inside the volume determined by the bottom 101 and the rim lower 105.

When the handle 104 is disassembled, the container 100 can therefore be placed stably, the retaining member 106 causing no discomfort.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, it can be seen that the handle 104 is integral with a sole 107 of length close to that of the handle 104 proper and which protrudes therefrom quite clearly towards the front by forming a tab 107 a which must be engaged between the bottom 101 and the retaining member 106, constituted here by a simple stirrup. The latter may be more or less elastic, in order to keep in place the sole 107 properly applied along its entire surface against the external face of the bottom 101, as can be seen in FIG. 3.

The pad 200 has the same outline as that of the tray 100 and a slightly lower surface, so that the pad 200 can be placed in the tray 100.

The tampon 200 has a body 201 having a solid upper face 202, a peripheral rim 203 and means for fixing 204 of a removable lower plate 205 constituting the active part of the tampon 200.

The upper face 202 of the body 201 is provided with a handle 206 which extends radially beyond the external contour of the body 201 of the pad 200, and at a height H greater than that H1 which separates the top of the spongy element 103 and the edge 108 of the upper peripheral rim 102, so that a user can grasp the handle 206 of the pad 200 without noticeable discomfort. above said peripheral edge 102, when the buffer 200 is placed in the tank 100.

The upper face 202 and the peripheral rim 203 of the body 201 of the pad 200 together define an internal space which is partitioned by stiffening ribs 207 and 208.

The ribs 207 are perpendicular to the ribs 208 (Figures 7 and 8).

The ribs 207 and 208 are all delimited by a common virtual plane P2, parallel to the upper face 202 (FIG. 8).

This partitioning makes it possible to stiffen the body 201 but also to constitute an effective support for the removable plate 205, which is why the latter can be rigid or flexible, depending on the element or elements of application which it carries, and according to the effects sought when applying the pad to a support.

A reason which must be precise, such as a number, a letter, a musical note, etc. is best reproduced with a rigid, non-deformable plate 205, whereas fuzzy patterns obtained for example by means of soft application elements such as sponge surface, textile piece, chamois, etc. accept a flexible, deformable plate 205.

The body of the pad 200 being quadrangular, at least two opposite sides of the peripheral flange 205 are inclined and each traversed by at least one slot 204, the removable lower plate 205 having tabs intended to each enter a slot 204 and be blocked therein elastically removably.

The partitioning of the interior volume of the body 201 gives the latter great rigidity and the presence in a single plane P2 of the edges of all the ribs 207 and 208 gives the removable plate 205 a well distributed support over its entire surface. When the user applies the tampon to a support, he presses on the body 201 by the handle 206 and his force is transmitted to the plate 205 by the ribs 207 and 208 perpendicular to its plane.

The plate 205 is provided with as many legs 210 as there are slots 204. These legs are molded in one piece with the plate 205 and rise above the face 205 a which is located at the inside the body 201, against the plane P2 of the ribs 207 and 208, when the plate 205 is put in place.

The legs 210 are opposite the slots 204 but they have a spout which gives them a harpoon-shaped profile and which obliges each leg 210 to bend elastically transversely to itself so that the spout can pass through the slot 204, after which the the elasticity of the tab 210 elastically returns to its original shape and the spout hangs above the slot 204, which thus ensures the maintenance of the plate 205 under the body 201.

If the peripheral rim 203 was not inclined but perpendicular to the plane of the face 202, the legs 210 should be very long since they would have to extend from the face 205a to above the face 202. In in addition, they would form reliefs above this face 202, which would be both unsightly and inconvenient.

The inclination of the two opposite sides of the flange 203 where the slots 204 are located makes it possible to bring the slots 204 closer to the level of the face 205a and therefore, to shorten the tabs 210. In addition, the removal of the plate 205 is facilitated because the user can easily access the part of the legs 210 located above the slots 204 to elastically push the spouts of these legs 210 and allow them to pass through the slots 204 to release the plate 205 and remove it, possibly in view of its replacement by another.

here, the peripheral flange 203 has three inclined sides, but from a strict functional point of view, it suffices that the two sides crossed by slots 204 are inclined, for the reason explained above. It could therefore have four inclined sides for aesthetic reasons, in which case the body 201 would have the shape of a trunk of a pyramid.

An example has been shown where three sides of the rim 203 are inclined, the fourth being perpendicular to the plane of the upper face 202, because this facilitates the location by the user of the position of the pad relative to the support, this edge playing the role of a rule.

The height of the legs 210 determines the degree of tightening of the plate 205 against the ribs 207 and 208, by playing on the greater or lesser flexibility of this plate 205 and also that of the body 201.

When a firm and direct support of the face 205a is desired against the virtual plane P2 common to the ribs 207 and 208, the height of the legs 210 is precisely determined so that the beaks get stuck beyond the slots 204 when the face 205a is clearly applied against the P2 plane.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the body 201 of the pad 200 and the removable plate 205, when they are joined together, leave in them a space (not visible in the drawing) in which can be trapped a removable application element such as a flexible piece, possibly with open cells (not shown).

This is obtained by giving the legs 210 a height greater than what is necessary for real estate the removable plate 205. This height is determined by the thickness of the application element and by its deformability, so that this element placed against the outer face 205b and interposed by its margins between the body 201 and the plate 205 is stuck energetically and maintained by compression of the plate 205 subject to the body 201 by interpenetration of the legs 210 and the slots 204.

The face 205 b , opposite the face 205 a of the plate 205, remains outside and constitutes the active part of the tampon which must carry the application element which must first be pressed against the spongy element 103 of the tray 100 to load with liquid and then strongly applied to the support.

The removable plate 205 has one or more patterns, in relief or in hollow.

The pattern or patterns are attached to the removable plate 205 proper. here, the case has been shown where the application element which has a pattern to be transferred is constituted by an elastomer part 211 attached by gluing to the face 205 b and engraved in the form of “7” in the opposite direction, so that 'it is transferred to the support in the direct direction.

This pattern is therefore in relief, but one could also provide that one or more patterns are recessed, in order to obtain a “negative” decor, the pattern appearing as a part of the support itself, on a different background.

A relief pattern can also be rigid and used to partially stamp the support, when the latter is deformable, such as for example an expanded polystyrene plate.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the removable plate 205 has retaining members for one or more removable application elements such as flexible parts, possibly with open cells.

FIG. 12 shows an exemplary embodiment of this characteristic, in the form of a plurality of holding members 212, consisting of discs made of a fine and flexible material cut out with radial lines 213 determining as many tongues 214 liable to bend elastically when pressure is applied to the center of the disc.

When this pressure is exerted with a finger against an element which is itself flexible, for example textile (not shown), it is pushed beyond the initial plane of the tabs 214 against their resistance, and when the finger is withdrawn , the flexible element remains trapped in the tabs 214 returning to their original position and remaining braced against the element in the direction opposite to that of its withdrawal.

A holding member of this type is well known per se, in particular as a tea towel holder.

The function of the tongues 214 can only be obtained if no part hinders their deformation movements and occupies the place of the flexible element, which is why the body 201 must be hollow and must be partitioned so that the ribs 207 and 208 are placed between the holding members 212.

It is also necessary that the tongues 214 deform much more easily than the plate 205 proper, which can be obtained by molding in a single piece the plate 205 and the holding members 212, giving the plate a thickness significantly larger than that of the tabs 214, the discs consisting essentially of a membrane.

The user has the choice of placing one or more flexible elements, depending on the decorative effects he seeks to obtain on the support.

It has been indicated above that the side of the rim 203 which is perpendicular to the plane of the upper face 202 serves as a rule so that the user can easily locate the exact location of the tampon when he transfers the motif that is on plate 205.

It is possible that the support does not have reference signs (lines, dots, drawings, etc.) with respect to which the user can position the stamp.

According to the invention, the assembly further comprises at least one removable strip to be partially engaged in a lateral notch formed at the base of the peripheral rim 203 of the body 201 of the pad 200 so as to exceed the external contour of said body 201, in view of constituting a marker for positioning the tampon on a support, for example a remarkable element of said support.

Figure 15 shows such a strip and Figure 16 illustrates the mounting of this strip on a pad.

Here, the strip 215 has a tip 216 in the shape of a spatula and a flat rod 217 narrower than the end 216 because the latter must have a width I large enough to have a stable angular support relative to a wall M (figure 16), while the flat rod must have a minimum size for its attachment to the buffer 200.

Indeed, in the absence of a reference sign, a support always has at least one edge, which is the case of a wall panel, for example, which is necessarily limited either by another perpendicular wall, or by an amount of door or window, and a strip according to the invention makes it possible to form a stop which determines the exact location of the buffer relative to the edge of the support.

The assembly includes at least two strips of different lengths.

Thus, the user can selectively use one of the different strips available to place the patterns on the support as he wishes, at a greater or less distance from the edge of the support, according to the length of the strip he has chosen.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the assembly comprises at least one strip made of brittle material and marked with lines of weakness.

In FIG. 15, it can be seen that the strip 215 has a very long spatula 216, marked with transverse weakening lines 218 along any one of which the user can break the spatula to reduce its length, that is to say say the total length L of the strip 215.

The flat rod 217 always has the same length in order to preserve its characteristics whatever the length of the spatula 216, so as to be able in all cases to cooperate with the members of the buffer provided for its maintenance.

In FIGS. 13 and 16, it can be seen that a lateral notch 219 is formed at the base of the peripheral rim 203, a notch which has, apart from play, the same section as the flat rod 217, the latter being engaged in the notch 219 after the removable plate 205 has been put in place, so that the rod 217 is located above this plate 205.

Given the presence of the ribs 207 and 208, it is necessary to provide a space between them and the face 205 a . The legs 210 can be given a length such that this face 205 a is not in contact with the ribs, leaving a space at least equal to the thickness of the flat rod 217, or else provide a channel (not shown) in the thickness of the plate 205, having a depth equal to the thickness of the flat rod 217 and a width equal to that of said flat rod 217.

here, the case has been shown where the plate 205 remains at a short distance from the ribs 207 - 208, and has two parallel ribs and of low height 220, spaced from one another by a distance equal to the play close to the width of the flat rod 217 and aligned with the lateral edges of the notch 219 (Figures 11 and 13). Thus, the flat rod 217 is correctly guided and maintained in a fixed orientation.

You can actually fix the strip in the buffer for example by means of a slot 221 located at the end of the flat rod 217 and which must cooperate with a rib of coordinated width (not visible in the drawing) and located either on the plate 205, or inside the partitioned space of the body 201. This rib is advantageously constituted by a partition part.

When we put the strip in place, we push it towards the inside of the tampon and we force a little until the jamming which results from the penetration of the rib in the slot 221.

The withdrawal of the strip can be done by exerting a traction strong enough to eliminate the friction of jamming.

We have described a notch 219 on the side of the flange 203 located in the front axis of the handle 206, but we see in Figures 11 and 16 that another notch 219 associated with other small ribs 220 is also provided on one side of the rim 203 adjacent to the previous one, which shows that one can provide a notch 219 on at least two sides of the rim 203, and therefore on three or four.

The application elements, whether there are one or more on the same plate 205, can be of all kinds of materials: fabric, sponge, foam, natural or synthetic chamois, plastic, rubber, etc.

The set is advantageously associated with application elements having patterns coordinated between them: letters of the alphabet, numbers from 0 to 9, musical notes (white, round, black, eighth note, etc.) or constituting a pattern repetitive alone such as a flower petal.

Likewise, we can recommend the use of a particularly interesting coating for the support, with a view to perfect application to the pad: specific, neutral, patterned, wefted wallpaper, with guide marks, absorbent.

This coating can no longer be a paper but a spreadable product, in particular an absorbent background paint.

Claims (16)

Portable assembly for transferring a substantially liquid product in small successive areas on supports such as walls, partitions and decorative panels, possibly provided with an absorbent coating, characterized in that it comprises two distinct objects but coordinated in shape and dimensions, one consisting of a tank (100) formed by a bottom (101) which is surrounded by an upper peripheral rim (102) and which is covered with a spongy element (103) which must contain a reserve of the product, and the other being constituted by a tampon (200) of the same contour as that of the tank (100) and of lower surface, so that the tampon (200) can be placed in the tank (100) preferably so nestable, a grip handle (104) being disposed outside the bottom (101) of the container (100). Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the tank (100) also has a lower peripheral rim (105) which surrounds the outside of the bottom (101). Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the grip handle (104) of the container (100) is removable relative to a retaining member (106) integral with the exterior of the bottom (101) and forming with respect to it a prominence at most equal to the height ( h ) of the lower peripheral rim (105). Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the container (100) being quadrangular, the handle (104) extends substantially along a diagonal of the bottom (101) of the container (100). Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the tampon (200) has a body (201) having a solid upper face (202), a peripheral rim (203) and means for fixing (204) of a removable lower plate (205) constituting the active part of the tampon (200). Assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the upper face (202) of the tampon (200) is provided with a handle (206) which extends radially beyond the external contour of the body (201) of the tampon (200 ), and at a height (H) greater than that (H1) which separates the top of the spongy element (103) and the edge of the upper peripheral rim (102), so that a user can grasp without handle the handle (206) of the buffer (200) above said peripheral rim (102), when the buffer (200) is placed in the tray (100). Assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the upper face (202) and the peripheral rim (203) of the body (201) of the pad (200) together delimit an internal space which is partitioned by stiffening ribs (207 - 208 ). Assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that the ribs (207 and 208) are all delimited by a common virtual plane (P) parallel to the upper face (202). Assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the body (201) of the tampon (200) being quadrangular, at least two opposite sides of the peripheral rim (203) are inclined and each traversed by at least one slot (204), the removable bottom plate (205) having tabs (210) each intended to penetrate into a slot (204) and to be detachably elastically blocked therein. An assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the body (201) of the tampon (200) and the removable plate (205), when they are joined together, allow a space to exist between them jam a removable application element such as a flexible piece, possibly with open cells. Assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the removable plate (205) has retaining members (212) for one or more removable application elements such as flexible parts, possibly with open cells. Assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the removable plate (205) has one or more patterns, in relief and / or in hollow. Assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that the pattern or patterns (211) are attached to the removable plate (205) proper. Assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that it further comprises at least one removable strip (215) to be partially engaged in a lateral notch (219) formed at the base of the peripheral rim (203) of the body (201) of the tampon (200) in order to exceed the external contour of said body (201) in order to constitute a positioning mark of the tampon (200) on a support, relative to a remarkable element (M) of said support. An assembly according to claim 14, characterized in that it comprises at least two strips (215) of different lengths. An assembly according to claim 14, characterized in that it comprises at least one strip made of brittle material and marked with lines of weakness (218).

Images