WO2014136102A1

WO2014136102A1 - A drawing apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2014136102A1
Application number: PCT/IE2014/000004
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Joseph GROGAN
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-03-06
Filing date: 2014-03-06
Publication date: 2014-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 2015-09-06

Abstract

A drawing apparatus (1) comprising a drawing board (2) having a rear face (11) and a drawing face (12) together with drawing tools including a guide rule (3) and set squares (4,5) integral with the drawing board (2) and an integral storage compartment (18) in the drawing board (2) for storing the drawing tools and protecting the drawing tools from damage.

Description

A Drawing Apparatus

Introduction This invention relates to a drawing apparatus and more particularly to a technical drawing apparatus comprising a drawing board with integral built-in storage for drawing tools.

Background of the Invention

Manual technical drawing in general relies on the use of a drawing board and tools such as T-squares, set squares and rulers. In general, due to their large size, technical drawing boards must usually be located in a dedicated space and are not easily transportable. This is particularly the case in educational environments where a number of students must use drawing boards simultaneously for teaching purposes.

Moreover, drawing tools carried loose by students in bags or the like frequently become damaged or broken as they are not protected. For example, set squares, in particular, plastics set squares are highly susceptible to damage and breakages when being transported. In addition, drawing tools are also cumbersome and awkward to transport and as a result can frequently be lost or misplaced.

Summary of the Invention According to the invention there is provided a drawing apparatus comprising a drawing board having a rear face, a drawing face and integral storage means for storing drawing tools. Advantageously, the drawing apparatus further comprises drawing tools storable in the storage means.

Preferably, the storage means comprises a storage compartment. More preferably, the storage compartment is formed in or on the rear face of the drawing board. Most preferably, the storage compartment comprises a storage cell for each drawing tool.

Suitably, the storage cell is defined by a drawing tool mounting in the storage compartment. Preferably, the drawing tool mounting comprises a friction fit mounting for releasably holding the drawing tool.

Alternatively, the drawing tool mounting comprises a releasabie fastener co-operable between the storage compartment and the drawing tool. Preferably, the fastener comprises a hook component in the storage compartment and a catch on the drawing tool.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drawing tools comprise a guide rule. Preferably, the drawing tools comprise at least one set square. Suitably, the drawing board comprises positioning means for positioning the drawing tools on the drawing face. Preferably, the positioning means comprise vertical positioning means for vertically locating the drawing tool on the drawing face. More preferably, the positioning means comprise horizontal positioning means for horizontally locating the drawing tool on the drawing face.

Suitably, the positioning means comprise a drawing tool receiving channel in the drawing face. Preferably, the drawing tool receiving channel comprises a guide rule receiving channel. More preferably, the channel comprises a peripheral channel on the drawing face.

The invention therefore contemplates a drawing apparatus comprising a drawing board having a rear face and a drawing face; drawing tools integral with the drawing board, and storage means for storing the drawing tools and protecting the drawing tools from damage. The drawing tools comprise at least one set square and a guide rule. The fasteners comprise at least one hook in the storage area engageable with a clip on the guide rule and, more preferably, the fasteners comprise two pairs of hooks in the storage area engageable with two pairs of clips on the guide rule.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drawing apparatus is A4 in size.

The drawing apparatus of the invention has particular utility as a technical drawing apparatus for use as a teaching aid for technical drawing students. The drawing apparatus of the invention is compact in size whilst also efficiently storing and securing drawing tools in the built-in integral storage compartment to prevent loss of and damage to drawing tools. The drawing tool positioning and locating channels on the drawing face of the drawing board facilitate the replication of a T-square function by the guide rule and a set square in use thereby obviating the need for

cumbersome and large T-squares. Thus, the compact nature of the drawing apparatus and the drawing tools of the invention render the drawing apparatus highly transportable and suitable for use in a myriad of locations - dedicated large scale drawing boards for use with conventional T-squares are not therefore required for teaching and learning purposes.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is perspective view from above and one side of the rear face of a drawing apparatus of the invention with its technical drawing tools including set squares and a guide rule secured in their respective storage cells within the storage compartment area formed in the rear face of the drawing board with the direction for slidably inserting and removing the guide rule from its storage cell being indicated by an arrow;

Figure 2 is a first rear isometric view of the drawing board of the drawing apparatus with the drawing tools removed from the storage compartment; Figure 3 is a second reverse isometric view of the drawing board of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the drawing face of the drawing board of Figure 1 showing the bottom and side channels for receiving the guide rule;

Figure 5a is a side elevation of the of the drawing board of Figure 4;

Figure 5b is an opposite side elevation of the drawing board of Figure 4; Figure 6 is an upside-down end elevation of the drawing board of Figure 4 from the top edge of the drawing board;

Figure 7 is a rear elevation of the rear face containing the storage

compartment of the drawing board of Figure 1 ;

Figure 8 is an end elevation of the drawing board from the bottom edge of the drawing board of figure 7;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the drawing board of Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the drawing board along the line X-X of Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the drawing board along the line XI-XI of Figure 7; Figure 12 is an enlarged perspective view from above and the rear side of a portion of the storage compartment of the drawing apparatus of Figure 1 showing the mounting lugs for the set squares and the fasteners for the guide rule; Figure 13 is a further enlarged isometric view of the mounting lugs for the set squares and the hook component of the fasteners on the rear face for receiving the clip-like catch of the guide rule of Figure 12 with the set squares and the guide rule removed from the storage compartment for clarity; Figure 14 is a front isometric view of the drawing board in use with the guide rule removed from the storage compartment and mounted in the first side channel of the drawing tool positioning means for drawing purposes;

Figure 15 is an enlarged isometric view of the slip-like clip of the catch of the guide rule of Figure 13;

Figure 6 is a first isometric view of the guide rule;

Figure 17 is a second reverse isometric view of the guide rule;

Figure 18 is a plan view from above of the guide rule; Figure 19 is a side elevation of the guide rule; Figure 20 is an end elevation of the guide rule, and Figure 21 is an enlarged view from above and one side of the slip-like clip of the catch of the guide rule of Figure 16.

Detailed Description of the Invention

As shown in the drawings, a drawing apparatus assembly in accordance with the invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 1 and is made up of a drawing board 2 and integral technical drawing tools such as a guide rule 3 and first and second set squares 4,5 securely integrally storable in built-in storage on/in the drawing board 2 when not in use. The drawing board 2 is typically A4 in size so that it is easily portable for ease of transport and use. However, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the dimensions of the drawing apparatus 1 of the invention can be modified to be of different sizes as required. The drawing board 2 of the drawing apparatus 1 is made up of a rectangular drawing panel 6 having a bottom edge 7, a first side edge 8, a second side edge 9 and a top edge 10. The drawing panel 6 has a rear face 1 adapted to store the guide rule 3 and first and second set squares 4,5 and a front drawing face 12 on which paper can be placed for drawing in use.

The rear face 1 has a bottom wall 13, a first side wall 14, a second side wall 15 and a top wall 16 upstanding from the rear face at the bottom edge 7, first and second side edges 8,9 and top edge 10 of the panel 6 to define a raised peripheral frame 17 on the rear face 1 . The peripheral frame 17 in turn defines an enclosed storage area in the form of a recessed compartment 18 for a variety of technical drawing tools which, as indicated above, in the present embodiment are made up of the guide rule 3 and the first and second set squares 4,5. However, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the storage compartment 18 can be adapted to store other drawing tools if desired.

The storage compartment 18 is provided with drawing tool mountings adapted to define storage cells 19 within the storage compartment 8 for individual drawing tools. In the present embodiment, one type of mounting is in the form of a first pair of spaced apart dowels or lugs 20 upstanding from the rear face 11 and a second pair of spaced apart dowels or lugs 21 also upstanding from the rear face 11. The first pair of lugs 20 are positioned apart within the storage compartment 18 and spaced apart from the first side wall 14 and the top wall 16 of the peripheral frame 17 to secure the first set square 4 in position its own storage cell 19 in the storage compartment 18 defined by a friction fit relationship between the first pair of lugs 20 and the first side wall 14 and the top wall 16 of the peripheral frame 17. Similarly, the second pair of lugs 21 secures the second set square 5 in position within its own storage cell 19 in the storage compartment 18 in a friction fit relationship defined between the second pair of spaced apart lugs 21 and the second side wall 15 and the bottom wall 13 of the peripheral frame 17 to create the storage cell 19.

The guide rule 3 is also held in position in a storage cell 19 in the storage

compartment 18 within drawing tool mountings adapted to hold the guide rule within the storage compartment in a raised position over the first and second set squares 4,5. The guide rule 3 is secured within the storage compartment 18 in a diagonal disposition by mountings in the form of a first pair of longitudinally spaced apart fasteners 22 defined between the guide rule 3 and the rear face 11 and a second pair of identical but oppositely disposed longitudinally spaced apart fasteners 23 defined between the guide rule 3 and the rear face 11 off-set with respect to the first set of fasteners 22. The guide rule 3 is held between the first pair of longitudinally spaced apart fasteners 22 and the second pair of spaced apart fasteners 23, each pair of fasteners 22,23 being positioned to one side of the guide rule 3.

The first and second pair of fasteners 22,23 is each made up of a hook 24 upstanding from the rear face 11 and co-operable with the guide rule 3 to releasably hold the guide rule 3 in place in its storage cell 9 in the storage area 18 as shall be explained more fully below.

The guide rule 3 is made up of an elongate body 25 having a bottom edge 26, a top edge 27, a top end 28 and a bottom end 29 provided with a through-hole 30. The guide rule 3 is provided with four elongate notches 31 defined and positioned in the bottom and top edges of the guide rule 3 to correspond and co-operate with the hooks 24 to define the first and second pair of fasteners 22,23. Each notch 31 is provided with a flexible catch 32 adapted to engage its corresponding hook 24 to hold the guide rule 3 in position. The catch 32 is formed from a flexible and resilient slip-like clip 33 contiguous with the elongate body 25 of the guide rule 3 and shaped and dimensioned to slidably engage its associated hook 24 in a sliding friction-fit. More particularly, the slip-like clip 33 is provided with a series of outwardly disposed ridges 34 to ensure a tight fit with the hooks 24. Accordingly, the guide rule 3 can be slidably mounted in and removed from its storage cell 19 within the storage compartment 18 by slidably engaging the slip-like clips 33 with the hooks 24 and slidably removing the slip-like clips 33 from the hooks 24 in the directions indicated by the arrow in Figure 1.

As the diagonally stored guide rule 3 is diagonally mounted across the set squares 4,5 in its fasteners 22,23 in a raised disposition, the guide rule 3 also assists in holding the set squares 4,5 (and any other drawing tools which may be present within the storage compartment 18) in place in the storage compartment 18.

The drawing board 2 can be fitted with non-slip/friction feet/pads at the corners of the rear face 1 1 to prevent the drawing board 2 from sliding in use. If desired the non- slip pads can also be stored in the storage compartment 18 prior to use. In use, the guide rule 3 and the first and second set squares 4,5 can simply be removed from the storage area 18 for use in drawing on paper material or similar placed on the front drawing face. More particularly, the guide rule 3 is first slid from its mountings by disengaging the slidable fasteners 22,23 as previously described followed by removal of the set squares 4,5 from their storage cells 19.

The guide rule 3 can be inserted on either its bottom edge 26 or top edge 27 into horizontal and vertical drawing tool locating or positioning means in the form of a complimentary elongate horizontal bottom channel 35 defined in the front drawing face 12 of the panel 6 adjacent to and parallel with the panel bottom edge 7 or in similar first and second elongate vertical side channels 36,37 also defined in the front drawing face 12 adjacent to and parallel with the first and second side edges 8,9 respectively - see in particular Figures 14 and 15. The guide rule 3 and the positioning channels 35,36,37 are dimensioned so that the guide rule 3 stands proud of the front drawing face 12 when inserted in a channel 35,36,37.

Accordingly, in order to draw straight lines, a user need simply place one of the set squares 4,5 against the proud guide rule 3 in its positioning channel 35,36,37 on the front drawing face 2. A T-square is not required. The drawing apparatus 1 of the invention can be dimensioned as required.

However, it is envisaged that the drawing apparatus 1 will be dimensioned to provide an A4 drawing face 12 for compactness, ease of use, portability and storage purposes. The compact drawing apparatus 1 can be used in any location without requiring dedicated technical drawing rooms and cumbersome drawing boards and the like in educational establishments thereby minimising teaching costs. The integral nature of the drawing board 2 and the drawing tools 19 of the drawing apparatus 1 also facilitates ease of storage and use of the drawing tools and prevents damage to and loss of the drawing tools such as set squares. The drawing apparatus 1 of the invention can be manufactured from any suitable materials such as plastics, composites and the like.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments herein described which may be varied in construction and detail without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A drawing apparatus comprising:

a drawing board having a rear face, a drawing face and integral storage means for storing drawing tools.

2. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the drawing apparatus further comprises drawing tools storable in the storage means.

3. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the storage means comprises a storage compartment.

4. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the storage compartment is formed on the rear face of the drawing board.

5. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the storage compartment comprises a storage cell for each drawing tool.

6. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the storage cell is defined by a drawing tool mounting in the storage compartment.

7. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the drawing tool mounting comprises a friction fit mounting for releasably holding the drawing tool.

8. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7 wherein the drawing tool mounting comprises a releasable fastener co-operable between the storage compartment and the drawing tool.

9. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the fastener comprises a hook component in the storage compartment and a catch on the drawing tool.

10. A drawing apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 9 wherein the drawing tools comprise a guide rule.

11. A drawing apparatus as claimed in 10 wherein the drawing tools comprise at least one set square.

12. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 10 or Claim 1 wherein the drawing board comprises positioning means for positioning the drawing tools on the drawing face.

13. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 12 wherein the positioning means comprise vertical positioning means for vertically locating the drawing tool on the drawing face.

14. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 12 or Claim 13 wherein the positioning means comprise horizontal positioning means for horizontally locating the drawing tool on the drawing face.

15. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 13 or Claim 14 wherein the positioning means comprise a drawing tool receiving channel in the drawing face.

16. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 15 wherein the drawing tool receiving channel comprises a guide rule receiving channel. 7. A drawing apparatus as claimed in Claim 15 or Claim 16 wherein the channel comprises a peripheral channel on the drawing face.