GB2318096A

GB2318096A - Colouring sheet or book for children

Info

Publication number: GB2318096A
Application number: GB9620968A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leigh Melanie Jones-Fenleigh
Original assignee: Invicta Toys and Games Ltd
Current assignee: Invicta Toys and Games Ltd
Priority date: 1996-04-30
Filing date: 1996-10-08
Publication date: 1998-04-15
Also published as: GB9620968D0

Abstract

A transparent plastics wipable sheet 10 (optionally in book form) which can be coloured by a wipable water soluble crayon, wherein the surface finish of the sheet is smooth and impermeable to the crayon. The sheet may be acetate, polyester, PVC or polystyrene. The sheet bears a printed image 14 and has vinyl figures 18 removably adhered thereto.

Description

Title - Educational Aid This invention relates to an educational aid, and more especially to such an aid by which a child for example can removably apply a colour or colours to a sheet or screen.

Colouring books with paper pages are used by children of all ages. Using a coloured pencil, crayon or pen for example, a child applies colour to images such as pictures depicted in a colouring book. A disadvantage of such colouring books is that a colour, once applied, cannot be removed easily.

It is known also to use a marker pen for writing upon a white or grey screen, after use, the "ink" being removable from the screen by means of a cloth. However, marker pens represent a health hazard especially to children as the "ink" can emit toxic fumes.

One object of the invention is to provide a sheet to which colour (including black and white) can be applied to a sheet or screen and from which applied colour can be removed readily later.

Another object ofthe invention is to enable markings to be removed by the use of a dry cloth with substantially no stain residue remaining on the sheet.

According to the broadest aspect of the invention, there is provided an educational aid comprising a wipable crayon for applying colour (including black and white) to a transparent plastics wipable sheet or screen, the pigmentation in the crayon being sufficiently dense that colour is readily applicable to and removable from the plastics sheet, the surface finish of the sheet being smooth and impermeable to the crayon.

The crayon may be water soluble, the use of water soluble crayon being advantageous because it allows colour to be removed easily from the plastics by applying water to the sheet, for example by holding the sheet under a running tap or washing the sheet in a dish washing machine. Alternatively, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the crayon can be removed by wiping the sheet with a cloth which may be either dry or damp.

Preferably, the plastics sheet bears a printed image, the printing ink being water insoluble and being chemically inert to the crayon.

Suitably, the plastics sheet is used in conjunction with a holder with a flat surface upon which the sheet may be placed to facilitate the application of colour. The flat surface is preferably opaque to provide a background against which the sheet may be viewed, but may be translucent. If desired a backing sheet can be placed behind the plastics sheet to provide a contrasting background. The plastics sheet may be reversible so that crayon may be applied to both sides, the visual effect being a simulated 3-D appearance.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plastics sheet is of acetate. A plurality of sheets may be used, which may be arranged in book format. Other suitable plastics sheets

are of polyester, PVC or a high impact polystyrene sold under theltrade mark POLYFLEX.

Preferably, the educational aid includes vinyl figures such as trees, animals or the hands of a clock which are colourable and which may be removably adhered to the plastics sheet.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which shows a schematic crosssection of transparent plastics sheet for use in an educational aid according to the invention.

The drawing illustrates a transparent plastics sheet 10 to one side 12 of which an image 14 is printed in a known manner. Suitable forms of plastics sheets are acetate or those sold under the name H I P Polyflex. An important characteristic of the sheet is that its surface finish should be smooth and impermeable to crayon.

A user, such as a child may apply colour to either side of the sheet 10 using water soluble crayon with a suitably high density of pigmentation. Crayons sold under the trade marks Lyre Wax O Glass, Caran d'Ache Neocolour II and Manley Waxerell are suitable for this purpose. If colour is applied to one side only the sheet, when the sheet is inverted the layer of transparent plastics between the colour and upper surface of the sheet will give an appearance of depth to the applied colour.

Once the image has been coloured with one or many colours, the applied colours may be removed easily by wiping the image with a dry or wet cloth. Colour applied inadvertently to an undesired portion of the image may be removed by wiping that area of the image with a dry or wet cloth.

Alternatively, colour may be removed from the plastics sheet by holding it under a running tap or washing it in a dish washing machine.

Vinyl stickers 18, typically bearing pictures or images, may be removably adhered to the transparent sheet as desired. The vinyl figures will also stick to the coloured in area and then can be cleared easily with water.

The acetate sheet and crayons disclosed in the present application may be employed with the educational aids disclosed in either of the Applicants co-pending applications no 9501512.9 or 9600412.2.

Claims

1 An educational aid comprising a wipable crayon for applying colour (including black and white) to a transparent plastics wipable sheet or screen, the pigmentation in the crayon being sufficiently dense that colour is readily applicable to and removable from the plastics sheet, the surface finish of the sheet being smooth and impermeable to the crayon.