MAGNETIC STENCILING APPARATUS AND METHOD
20200139740 ยท 2020-05-07
Inventors
Cpc classification
B44D2/007
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B41M1/12
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
Abstract
A method of stenciling a stenciled graphic in a desired position and orientation on the graphic-display surface of a substrate includes providing at least one stencil template defining the stenciled graphic and at least one guide element including mutually-space template positioning indicia. Both the stencil template and the guide element are magnetically attracted to the substrate. The guide element is magnetically affixed to the graphic display surface in a desired location and orientation. The stencil template is magnetically affixed to the graphic-display surface in a location selected with positioning reference to at least one template-positioning indicium of the guide element. With or without the guide element still affixed, pigment is applied to the graphic-display surface through the at least one stencil template to impart to the graphic-display surface the desired stenciled graphic. The at least one stencil template is then removed from the graphic-display surface.
Claims
1. A method of stenciling comprising: providing a substrate including a graphic-display surface to which a stenciled graphic is to be applied; providing at least one stencil template defining a graphic negative of, and including openings therethrough corresponding in configuration to, a display graphic to be applied to the graphic-display surface, the stencil template being magnetically attracted to the substrate; overlaying the at least one stencil template onto the graphic-display surface for temporary magnetic affixation thereto in a desired location and orientation relative to the substrate; applying pigment to the graphic-display surface through the openings in the at least one stencil template to impart to the graphic-display surface the display graphic; and removing from the graphic display surface the at least one stencil template.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphic-display surface is bounded by a display-surface periphery, and the method further comprises the steps of: (i) providing at least one peripheral guide element configured for selective magnetic affixation along the display-surface periphery, each peripheral guide element including mutually-spaced template-positioning indicia; (ii) magnetically affixing the at least one peripheral guide element along the display-surface periphery; (iii) overlaying and magnetically affixing the at least one stencil template onto the graphic-display surface with reference to the template-positioning indicia of the at least one magnetically affixed peripheral guide; and (iv) removing the at least one magnetically affixed peripheral guide from the graphic-display surface.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of: (i) providing at least one interior guide element configured for selective magnetic affixation to the graphic-display surface, each interior guide element including mutually-spaced template-positioning indicia; (ii) magnetically affixing the interior guide element substantially to the interior of the display-surface periphery of the graphic-display surface with reference to template-positioning indicia of at least one peripheral guide element; and (iii) overlaying and magnetically affixing the at least one stencil template onto the graphic-display surface with reference to template-positioning indicia of the interior guide element.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphic-display surface is bounded by a display-surface periphery, and the method further comprises the steps of: (i) providing at least one peripheral guide element configured for selective magnetic affixation along the display-surface periphery, each peripheral guide element including mutually-spaced template-positioning indicia; (ii) magnetically affixing the at least one peripheral guide element along the display-surface periphery; (iii) marking the graphic-display surface with at least one template-positioning mark in a location selected with reference to at least one template-positioning indicia of an at least one magnetically affixed peripheral guide element; (iv) overlaying and magnetically affixing the at least one stencil template onto the graphic-display surface with reference to the at least one template-positioning mark; and (v) removing the at least one magnetically affixed peripheral guide from the graphic-display surface.
5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of: (iii) providing at least one interior guide element configured for selective magnetic affixation to the graphic-display surface, each interior guide element including mutually-spaced template-positioning indicia; (iv) magnetically affixing the interior guide element substantially to the interior of the display-surface periphery of the graphic-display surface with reference to template-positioning indicia of at least one peripheral guide element; and (iii) overlaying and magnetically affixing the at least one stencil template onto the graphic-display surface with reference to template-positioning indicia of the interior guide element.
6. A method of stenciling comprising: providing a substrate including a graphic-display surface to which a stenciled graphic is to be applied; providing at least one stencil template including at least one opening therethrough corresponding in configuration to a stenciled graphic to be applied to the graphic-display surface, the stencil template being magnetically attracted to the substrate; providing at least one guide element including template-positioning indicia and being magnetically attracted to the substrate; magnetically affixing the at least one guide element to the graphic display surface; magnetically affixing the stencil template to the graphic-display surface in a location selected with positioning reference to at least one template-positioning indicium of the at least one guide element; applying pigment to the graphic-display surface through the at least one opening in the at least one stencil template to impart to the graphic-display surface a stenciled graphic; and removing from the graphic display surface the at least one stencil template and the at least one guide element.
7. A stenciling kit configured for the execution of the method of claim 6, the stenciling comprising: a substrate including a graphic-display surface to which a stenciled graphic is to be applied; at least one stencil template including at least one opening therethrough corresponding in configuration to a stenciled graphic to be applied to the graphic-display surface, the stencil template being magnetically attracted to the substrate; and at least one guide element including mutually-spaced template-positioning indicia and being magnetically attracted to the substrate.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] The following description of variously configured magnetic stenciling sets and associated methods is demonstrative in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or its application of uses. Accordingly, the various implementations, aspects, versions and embodiments described in the summary and detailed description are in the nature of non-limiting examples falling within the scope of the appended claims and do not serve to define the maximum scope of the claims.
[0024] Shown in the included drawings are various views and illustrative versions of magnetic stenciling apparatus. Illustrative methods of use are discussed in conjunction with the descriptions and drawings of various associated apparatus.
[0025] As explained in the background and summary, there are two main issues associated with present stenciling apparatus and methods that embodiments of the present invention are configured to address. The first issue relates to alignment and placement of one or more templates on a substrate to which a stenciled graphic is to be applied, while the second issue relates to maintaining the one or more stencil templates in place in a reliable, yet readily removable way. Different embodiments of the present invention address one or both of these issues.
[0026] A basic embodiment of magnetic stenciling apparatus 10 is described with general reference to
[0027] As shown in
[0028] The graphic-display surface 110 is bounded by a display-surface periphery 120 within the interior of which display-surface periphery 120 the graphic-display surface 110 extends in at least two dimensions (e.g., horizontally and vertically). Application to the graphic-display surface 110 of the simple stenciled graphic G.sub.S shown in
[0029] Shown in
[0030] According to one method described in part with reference to
[0031] Shown in
[0032] According to one method of using a peripheral guide element 200.sub.P, with each peripheral guide element 200.sub.P situated appropriately, a template-positioning mark 220 corresponding to each positioning indicium 210 of a selected set of template-positioning indicia 210 along that peripheral guide element 200.sub.P is transferred to the graphic-display surface 110. In many applications, such template-positioning marks 220 will be nonpermanent. For instance, where the graphic-display surface 110 is configured for use with chalk, the template-positioning marks 220 may be made with a readily erasable chalk.
[0033] Continuing in accordance with this first method, with the desired template-positioning marks 220 applied to the graphic-display surface 110, each peripheral guide element 200.sub.P is removed from the graphic-display surface 110. From this point, at least one stencil template 250 is overlaid and magnetically affixed to the graphic-display surface 110 with reference to the at least one template-positioning mark 220. Executed in accordance with the order of steps thus far presented, it will be appreciated that the stencil template 250 is affixed to the graphic-display surface 110 with indirect reference to the template-positioning indicia 210 of the at least one magnetically affixed peripheral guide element 200.sub.P. This is because, when the at least one stencil template 250 is magnetically affixed, the at least one peripheral guide element 200.sub.P has already been removed from the graphic-display surface 110, and the stencil template 250 is affixed relative to the template-positioning marks 220 which were, in turn, made with direct reference to the template-positioning indicia 210 of the at least one magnetically affixed peripheral guide element 200.sub.P.
[0034] If a stencil template 250 is affixed to the graphic-display surface 110 while a peripheral guide element 200.sub.P is still affixed thereto, and positioned relative to the template-positioning indicia 210 of that peripheral guide element 200.sub.P without transferring template-positioning marks 220 corresponding to same, that stencil template 250 is regarded as having been overlaid and affixed with direct reference to template-positioning indicia 210 of that peripheral guide element 200.sub.P. Because stencil templates 250 can be magnetically affixed with either direct or indirect reference to template-positioning indicia 210 of a peripheral guide element 200.sub.P, it is to be understood in considering the claims that, unless express language or context relative to other method steps indicate otherwise, a claim is broad enough to encompass stencil template 250 affixation with either or both of direct or indirect reference to template-positioning indicia 210.
[0035] According to a second, alternative or additional method described with reference to
[0036] Referring still to
[0037] In any event, in accordance with this second illustrative method, with the interior guide elements 200.sub.I placed and temporarily affixed in various selected locations along the graphic-display surface 110, additional template-positioning marks 220 corresponding to the template-positioning indicia 210 of the interior guide elements 200.sub.I are transferred to the graphic-display surface 110. These interior template-positioning marks 220 are made with reference to, but to the interior of, the peripheral template-positioning marks 220 made as explained in conjunction with
[0038] Referring to
[0039] Referring to
[0040] With the substrate 100 in a landscape orientation, the arcuate interior guide element 200.sub.I has been magnetically affixed, centered left-to-right, and leveled using interior template-positioning marks 220as well as the longitudinally extending interior guide element 200.sub.Ias positioning references. In addition to stencil templates 250 spelling the word GRAINS, there are magnetically affixed over the graphic-display surface 110 a pair of non-alphanumeric stencil templates 250 configured for imparting to the graphic-display surface 110 a corresponding pair of mutually mirror-imaged ornamental swirl designs. As with the arcuate interior guide element 200.sub.I, the swirl-design stencil templates 250 have been overlaid and magnetically affixed to the graphic-display surface 110 using as a positioning reference at least one of (i) interior template-positioning marks 220 and (ii) the longitudinally extending interior guide element 220.sub.I.
[0041] With the selected stencil templates 250 affixed as shown in
[0042] At the stage of the illustrative process shown in
[0043] Certainly, the invention would find use in a broad array of commercial and industrial applications as well. For instance, restaurants frequently display designs and meal specials on boards to which stenciled images are applied. In any event, in one illustrative implementation, the pigments in question are chalks. Chalk is used broadly in the present specification and can include, for example, chalks traditionally used on chalkboards and sidewalks, as well as so-called chalk markers.
[0044] Regardless of the pigments used, a key to successful execution of various implementations is the relative ease with which the pigments are removable from the graphic-display surface 110. More specifically, in various versions, template-positioning marks 220 are applied using a pigment that is more readily removable than is the pigment applied through the openings 260 in stencil templates 250 to impart stenciled graphic G.sub.S. In cases in which chalk products are used, for example, template-positioning marks 220 may be applied with a traditional chalk that lends itself to dry erasure, while stenciled graphic G.sub.S may be applied using a chalk marker that requires a more robust effort to remove.
[0045] In terms of how they are used, chalk markers are much like other types of markers, but contain a liquid pigment adapted for application to surfaces such as chalkboards, and surfaces painted with chalkboard paint. The applied pigment from chalk markers is generally waterproof and robust enough to resist dry erasure, but removable with certain solvents and cleaners, such ammonia-based surface cleaners and solutions of vinegar. Accordingly, when both template-positioning marks 220 and stenciled designs remain on a graphic-display surface 110, the template-positioning marks 220 can be dry erased without disturbing or degrading the stenciled graphic G.sub.S design. The pigments applied for various purposes may be thought of and described in product instructions and conversation in terms of varying degrees of permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary or non-permanent.
[0046] As briefly described in the summary, various methods may involve the contemporaneous implementation of magnetically affixed peripheral and interior guide elements 200.sub.P and 200.sub.I. Shown in
[0047] Shown in
[0048] The illustrative guide element 200 of
[0049] To the interior of the specialized template-positioning indicia 210 are template-positioning indicia 210 used as direct references for the placement of stencil templates 250 on the graphic-display surface 110. It will be appreciated that, as used in accordance with the illustrative set of instructions in
[0050] In addition to reliableyet removableretention in set positions, the magnetic attraction of the guide elements 200.sub.I and 200.sub.P and stencil templates 250 to the substrate 100 provides further advantages associated with various embodiments. Referring to
[0051] The foregoing is considered to be illustrative of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since modifications and changes to various aspects and implementations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, it is to be understood that the foregoing does not limit the invention as expressed in the appended claims to the exact constructions, implementations and versions shown and described.