Template for drawing and / or learning to write on a writing board with a phosphorescent coating

Abstract

The invention relates to a template (1) for drawing and / or learning to write on a writing board with a phosphorescent coating, which can be written on using a writing instrument (2) with a light source on the tip (3), and to a set consisting of parts, comprising the template (1), the writing board, and the writing instrument (2). The template (1) has at least one groove (4) for guiding the tip (3) of the writing instrument (2), wherein the groove (4) has a depth which is less than the depth of the template (1) so that the writing instrument (2) can also be guided in annularly closed shapes without interruption. The template (1) is additionally made of a translucent material at least in the region of the groove (4), preferably in the entire region.

Description

Stencil for drawing and / or learning to write on a writing board with a phosphorescent coating Technical area

[0001] The invention relates to a stencil for drawing and / or learning to write on a writing board with a phosphorescent coating, which can be written on by means of a pen with a light source at the tip. State of the art

[0002] Light-sensitive drawing boards and luminous pens for painting or drawing have been known for a long time. US Patent No. 3,443,332 A, for example, shows a very early version of a writing board with luminescent properties and a pen with a light source.

[0003] US 4590381 A shows another embodiment of such a drawing board. It also shows an overlay template with transparent sections, which can be used to project, for example, a grid onto the drawing board. Furthermore, adapter attachments for the light pen are disclosed, which project a predefined shape onto the drawing board when attached to the light pen.

[0004] US 5203702 A shows a drawing board with arrangeable stencils, whereby the openings in the stencils also provide a certain mechanical guidance for the highlighter.

[0005] The solutions presented in the state of the art are largely in the field of toys, where the focus is usually solely on offering the user an interesting new experience and enabling the drawing of simple shapes. The idea of ​​using this instrument for learning fine motor skills, such as writing, and of making meaningful use of the medium's special features for this purpose has not yet been recognized.

[0006] US 2009061394 A1 shows a drawing sheet with an embossed stencil function, where the pen is guided by raised ridges on the sheet. While the focus here is on influencing the pen's movement through the ridges, this is merely a specially manufactured, disposable product that is not sustainable and would be correspondingly expensive for the user due to the frequent practice required when learning to write. Description of the invention

[0007] The object of the invention is therefore to create a stencil mentioned above that, in addition to its playful aspect, can also be used as a learning tool. It should be possible to trace the complex lines of, for example, letters continuously and without interruption using a pen as mentioned above in order to train muscle memory. Especially for letters with closed ring sections, such as A, O, P, or B, this should be possible without interruption bars in order to accurately depict the subsequent natural writing flow. The solution should offer new didactic possibilities, be inexpensive to produce, and sustainable in use.

[0008] This object is achieved according to the invention in that the stencil has at least one groove for guiding the tip of the pen, the groove having a depth which is less than the thickness of the stencil itself, such that the pen can be guided without interruption even in ring-shaped, closed shapes, and in that the stencil is made of a translucent material at least in the region of the groove, preferably over the entire region. Conventional writing stencils with complete openings must always have connecting webs for shapes with a ring closure so that the inner elements are held. Alternatively, the inner shapes must otherwise be completely removed. In the first case, a continuous, natural writing flow is not possible, since the pen used has to be placed down at the connecting webs.In the second case, the guidance is only present on one side, which is insufficient, especially for children who are still learning fine motor skills, and often leads to undesirable results. Only in combination with the phosphorescent writing board is it possible to create a stencil that eliminates these disadvantages and can often be used consecutively. The stencil can be manufactured continuously, and since the grooves are not completely open, any shape and any letter can be reproduced without interruption. The material is transparent, at least in the area of ​​the grooves, allowing the drawn or written line to be reproduced on the writing board.

[0009] It is a further preferred feature that at least one print with an opaque material and / or with a material of lower translucency than the stencil itself is provided on the underside facing the writing board during use and / or on the top side and / or on the groove base, whereby a negative image of the print is produced on the phosphorescent coating when the printed section is illuminated with the pen.

[0010] This feature opens up further didactic possibilities and applications for the stencil according to the invention. For example, line guide arrows can be printed directly on the stencil, either in the area of ​​the grooves or next to them, showing the user exactly how a letter should be written. If the print is applied in the area of ​​the groove, either on the underside of the stencil or at the bottom of the groove, a negative image of the directional arrow is created on the phosphorescent coating of the writing board when the pen is shone through. In a first pass, the user can therefore trace the letter using the information from the directional arrows and the guidance of the grooves. In a second step, the stencil is removed, and the drawn illuminated letter and the arrows appear as a negative image on the writing board.The user can now trace the letter directly on the writing tablet and still access the information from the directional arrows, but the pen itself is no longer guided. By tracing without a stencil, the areas marked by the directional arrows are now also illuminated and thus disappear again. In a third pass, the user must now trace the letter freehand, repeating the individual directional sections from memory. Because the phosphorescent coating is neutralized after a few seconds to minutes, the process can be repeated many times without wasting single-use resources such as paper. Frequent repetition is essential, especially when learning to write, which makes the proposed solution particularly sustainable.

[0011] Stencil sections without grooves can also be provided, for example, with prints of varying translucency. This allows even more complex multi-color images to be transilluminated and produced as a negative image with areas of varying brightness.

[0012] It is also a preferred feature that the groove has at least one step on the upper edge so that pens with differently wide tips can be guided in the groove. Development has shown that there are different widths of tips for guided light pens, which are also easier or more difficult to handle for users with different levels of development. Pens with a wide tip are easier to handle, for example, for very young children or users with limited mobility than pens with narrow tips. To make the template as versatile as possible for both cases, a corresponding step can be provided on the groove edges so that both types of pens can be guided safely. This eliminates the need to produce different templates, which reduces production costs.

[0013] According to a further preferred feature, the groove has chamfers on the upper edge inclined toward the center of the groove, which serve as a centering aid for the guided pin. This can be helpful for always guiding the pin precisely in the center of the groove. Furthermore, it can also help protect the tip from wear.

[0014] Another preferred feature is that the top of the stencil is provided with tactile elevations, such as nubs or ridges, at least in sections. This allows, for example, the letter to be represented in Braille on the top of the stencil in addition to the groove area for the letter. Visually impaired people usually still have a certain degree of residual vision, which allows them to perceive strong contrasts. Here, too, the phosphorescent writing board offers particular advantages, allowing them to learn both how to write letters in the traditional way and to feel the corresponding letters in Braille.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment, retaining projections are formed on the template, with the retaining projections extending either in the plane of the template or perpendicularly from the top of the template. This facilitates handling of the template by the user, especially in cases of limited mobility or fine motor skills.

[0016] Another preferred feature is that several stencils can be connected to each other like a puzzle using matching projections and recesses. This allows different images and letters to be combined and connected, for example, in educational games.

[0017] A further preferred feature is that an anti-slip coating is provided, at least in sections, on the underside facing the writing board during use. This helps to prevent a stencil from accidentally slipping during use.

[0018] Furthermore, a preferred solution according to the invention is to produce the above-mentioned stencil as part of a kit of parts, wherein this kit further comprises a writing board with a phosphorescent coating and a hand-held pen with a light source at the tip. In addition to the stencil itself, it is also desirable to produce the entire set for drawing and writing as coordinated components. This allows the dimensions and functionality of both the stencil and the pen and writing board to be optimally coordinated.

[0019] Finally, a further preferred feature of such a set of parts is that the stencil is magnetically adhered to the side of the phosphorescent coating of the writing board. This also allows the stencil to be secured to the writing board during use or to be transported together with the writing board.

[0020] An additional advantage can be found in adding another light source, preferably one that can be connected to the writing board, to the set of parts in addition to the light pen. This can be used, for example, to specifically illuminate printed stencils across the entire writing board area, with the light intensity and duration being pre-adjustable by the manufacturer to produce an optimal negative image on the phosphorescent coating. This opens up further applications for the set, such as new time-controlled mechanisms for board games. By shining light through individual images on stencils, a steadily fading image can be created on the writing board, which, for example, in a game mechanism, only applies as long as the negative image is still visible after a turn and the lighting is activated.The writing board can therefore have additional uses beyond learning to draw and write, which further increases the sustainability of the product. Short description of the drawings

[0021] The invention will now be described in greater detail using exemplary embodiments and with the aid of the accompanying figures. Figure 1 shows a schematic plan view of a stencil according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a schematic cross-section through the stencil from Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 each show schematic detailed sectional views through a stencil according to the invention with arranged pins with tips of different widths; Figure 5 shows a schematic plan view of a further embodiment of a stencil according to the invention; Figure 6 shows a schematic cross-section through the stencil from Figure 5; and Figure 7 shows a schematic plan view of a further embodiment of a stencil according to the invention. Way(s) of carrying out the invention

[0022] Fig. 1 shows a top view of a stencil 1 according to the invention as an example. The stencil 1 represents the letter B, which can be made as a single element from a completely transparent material, for example, polymethylacrylate, polycarbonate, or another transparent plastic. A groove 4 in the shape of the letter B is arranged in the top side 6 of the stencil 1. Furthermore, the stencil contains imprints 7 made of opaque material.

[0023] Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of the stencil 1 from Fig. 1. Furthermore, a pen 2 with a light source at the tip 3 is shown schematically in dashed lines. The groove 4 has a smaller depth than the thickness of the stencil 1 itself, whereby residual material of the stencil 1 remains in the groove area. The back 5 of the stencil 1 is continuous and also has the prints 7, which are shown in Fig. 2 as a slightly thicker line in the area of ​​the prints 7. The tip 3 of the pen 2 can be guided within the groove 4, whereby uninterrupted tracing is also possible in the ring-shaped, closed areas of the letter. When the light source is switched on, a luminescent image of the letter is created on the phosphorescent coating of the writing board (not shown), since the light can pass unhindered through the transparent material at the bottom of the groove.In the area of ​​the prints 7, the light cannot pass through or can only pass through to a lesser extent, which is why the arrows shown on the phosphorescent coating appear as darker negative images.

[0024] Figures 3 and 4 each show schematic detailed sectional views through a template 1 according to the invention in the groove area. The groove 4 shown here has a step 8 on the upper edge, whereby pins 2 with tips 3 of different widths can also be guided. In Fig. 3, a section of a pin 2 according to Fig. 2 is again shown schematically in dashed lines, with the tip 3 being guided in the groove 4. In Fig. 4, a pin 2 with a wider tip 3 is also shown schematically in dashed lines. This is guided in the step 8 of the groove 4. A wider pin 2 can be used for users with lower fine motor skills. As soon as these skills improve, they can switch to a pin 2 according to Fig. 3 without it being necessary to change the template 1 itself.

[0025] 5 and 6 show a further embodiment of a stencil 1 in the shape of the letter G. Fig. 5 again shows a schematic plan view and Fig. 6 a sectional view. The stencil 1 shown here has a step 8, as in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. In addition, knob-like elevations 9 are arranged in a corner area on the upper side 6 of the stencil 1, which represent the letter G in Braille. The stencil can therefore be felt both as a whole in the shape of the letter and by touching the elevations 9. The letter can be traced in the groove 4 using the pen 2 with a light source and a luminescent image with strong contrast can be perceived on the phosphorescent coating on the writing board (not shown). The stencil 1 also has prints 7 on the underside 5, which run next to and in the area of ​​the groove 4.A negative image of these prints 7 is also produced on the writing board when x-rayed.

[0026] Finally, Fig. 7 shows another embodiment of a stencil 1 according to the invention. Here, one stencil section is shown with the letters A and a, and another stencil section with an image of an apple. The image can be printed in multiple colors or with printing materials of different translucency. When illuminated on the writing board, a clear negative image of the images is also produced, with different dark areas depending on the translucency of the different printing materials. The different brightnesses reproduced allow even more complex images to be made visible on the phosphorescent coating.

[0027] The two stencil parts can be connected like a puzzle, as the lower stencil part with the image of the apple has a projection 10 that fits into the corresponding recess 11 on the upper stencil part with the corresponding letters. By varying the design of the projections 10 and recesses 11, for example, it can be ensured that only the correct stencil parts are joined together, thus opening up further didactic possibilities.

[0028] The stencils 1, shown only as examples, can thus be adapted to a wide variety of learning content and games for users of different ages thanks to the inventive and preferred features. By combining them with a writing board with a phosphorescent coating and pens with light sources, the device can be reused repeatedly without the need for consumables, which not only offers a wide range of application possibilities but is also particularly sustainable.

Claims

Stencil (1) for drawing and / or learning to write on a writing board with a phosphorescent coating which can be written on by means of a pen (2) with a light source at the tip (3), characterized in that the stencil (1) has at least one groove (4) for guiding the tip (3) of the pen (2), wherein the groove (4) has a depth which is less than the thickness of the stencil (1) itself, so that the pen (2) can be guided without interruption even in ring-shaped, closed shapes, and in that the stencil (1) is made of a translucent material at least in the region of the groove (4), preferably over the entire region. Stencil (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that on the underside (5) facing the writing board during use and / or on the upper side (6) and / or on the groove base at least one print (7) with an opaque material and / or with a material of lower translucency than the stencil (1) itself is provided, whereby when the printed section is illuminated with the pen (2) a negative image of the print (7) is produced on the phosphorescent coating. Template (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the groove (4) has at least one step (8) on the upper edge, so that pins (2) with differently wide tips (3) can be guided in the groove (4). Template (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the groove (4) has chamfers inclined at the upper edge towards the center of the groove, which serve as a centering aid for the guided pin (2). Template (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that elevations (9) such as knobs or webs which can be felt at least in sections are provided on the upper side (6) of the template (1). Template (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that holding projections are formed on the template (1), wherein the holding projections extend either in the plane of the template (1) or normally from the top side (6) of the template. Template (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that several templates (1) can be connected to one another in a puzzle-like manner via opposing extensions (10) and recesses (11). Stencil (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that an anti-slip coating is provided at least in sections on the underside (5) facing the writing board during use. Set of parts comprising a writing board with a phosphorescent coating and a hand-held pen (2) with a light source at the tip (3), characterized in that the set further comprises at least one stencil (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8. Set of parts according to claim 9, characterized in that the stencil (1) is magnetically adherent to the side of the phosphorescent coating of the writing board.

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