SCRATCHING DEVICE

Abstract

This device (1) comprises a hollow body (2) extending along a longitudinal axis (X), a central rod mounted in translation within the hollow body (2) and retractable therein, and a scraping head (12) positioned at one end of the central rod and having a blade (5) with a straight edge transverse to the longitudinal axis (X). Figure for the abbreviation: [Fig 1]

Description

Title of the invention: SCRATCHING DEVICE technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to devices enabling the user to scratch a scratch card without getting their hands dirty, in particular a game of chance card. Previous techniques

[0002] In the absence of a device specifically designed for scratching, it is known to scratch scratch-off tickets with various everyday objects such as a coin, a pen, a knife...

[0003] However, these objects are unsuitable, in particular for scratching a large number of cards.

[0004] Small objects cause the user's hands to get dirty as they collect the powder scraped from the card on their fingers.

[0005] Other objects pose a high risk of damage to the scratch card, particularly by tearing, as well as a risk of injury to the user if he does not scratch the card against a flat surface.

[0006] In particular, the scratched area is the most fragile area of ​​the card because its thickness is reduced and because it has pictograms overprinted on a small thickness so as to be undetectable as long as the card is not scratched.

[0007] Other everyday objects used are also unsuitable because they themselves undergo deterioration or soiling during scraping, since the scraping powder stains or contaminates them, and since the scraping operation causes premature wear by friction. Description of the invention

[0008] The invention aims to overcome at least some of the aforementioned disadvantages and to offer a scraping device capable of combining the advantages of speed, simplicity and reliability for its implementation, and this with an intuitive and lower cost device.

[0009] In view of the foregoing, the invention relates to a scraping device comprising a hollow body extending along a longitudinal axis, a central rod mounted in translation in the hollow body and retractable therein, a scraping head which is positioned at one end of the central rod and which has a blade having a straight edge transverse to the longitudinal axis.

[0010] Preferably, the blade has a transparent portion.

[0011] For example, the right edge has a thickness of between two tenths and five tenths of a millimeter.

[0012] Advantageously, the right edge is adjacent to two opposite edges of the blade which are of different lengths so that the blade is beveled.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the beveled blade forms a point on the right edge.

[0014] In one embodiment, the right edge forms an angle of approximately forty-five to sixty degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis.

[0015] Advantageously, the device further comprises means for retracting the scraping head adapted to allow the scraping head to be kept in or out of the hollow body, said retraction means comprising a push button and a spring adapted to allow the scraping head to be retracted or the scraping head to protrude into or out of the hollow body by pressing said push button against the spring along the longitudinal axis.

[0016] The device may further provide that the hollow body forms a tubular casing along the longitudinal axis and whose cross-section is a polygon, so that said hollow body is formed of several consecutive lateral faces extending along the longitudinal axis.

[0017] Preferably, the scraping head comprises a pair of opposing convex surfaces configured to allow the device to be gripped between the thumb and forefinger.

[0018] The invention also relates to a device in which the hollow body includes a pinching clip configured to allow the device to be retained on a portion of fabric by pinching said fabric between said pinching clip and the hollow body. Brief description of the drawings

[0019] The invention will be better understood upon detailed study of an embodiment taken by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] [Fig-1] represents a scraping device according to the invention, in perspective view.

[0021] [Fig.2] represents the device in front view.

[0022] [Fig.3] represents the device in exploded view. Detailed description

[0023] Fig. 1 illustrates the scraping device 1 of the invention, which comprises a hollow body 2 extending along a longitudinal axis X.

[0024] The hollow body 2 is substantially cylindrical in shape and forms, for example, a plastic housing to hold the scraping device 1 and to contain the removable scraping elements in a hollow 3 to prevent them from remaining protruding and therefore dangerous.

[0025] The device 1 comprises a central rod 4 mounted in translation in the hollow body 2 and retractable therein.

[0026] The central rod 4 further includes a scraping head 12 which is positioned at one end of the central rod 4.

[0027] The scratching head 12 is intended to scratch the scratchable areas of scratch games without damaging them.

[0028] The scraping head 12 has in particular a blade 5 which comes into contact with the area to be scraped.

[0029] The blade 5 has a straight edge 13 transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis X.

[0030] The blade 5 comprises, for example, a rigid material made of plastic or metal.

[0031] The right edge 13 makes it possible to offer a straight and regular contact segment between the scratching area and device 1, which makes it easier and faster to scratch by maximizing this contact area and therefore the removal of material with each pass of the scratching head 12 against the scratching area of ​​the scratch card.

[0032] As illustrated by [Fig.2], the blade 5 can provide that the right edge 13 is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis X, which allows the device 1 to be inclined relative to the scratch card and thus increase its ergonomics.

[0033] The right edge 13 forms, for example, an angle of approximately forty-five to sixty degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis X, which allows the device 1 to be tilted at the best angle to grasp it between one's thumb, middle finger and index finger for a scraping operation.

[0034] Preferably, the blade 5 has a transparent portion, which allows the user to continue to see the scratching area of ​​the scratch card that he is scratching, and thus both to ensure the accuracy of his scratching in the place he wants to scratch, and to see very quickly the pictograms revealed during his scratching.

[0035] Indeed, some scratch-off games require that only a portion of a presented scratch-off area be scratched, and that certain other areas not be scratched, otherwise the card will be invalidated.

[0036] It is therefore essential to be able to do this very precisely and to be able to stop the scratching action according to the revelations of pictograms in progress.

[0037] This cannot be easily achieved with most everyday objects, for example a coin, which are generally opaque and too thick to be precise.

[0038] For some scratch games, excessive scratching of too large an area of ​​the scratch zone may cause the scratch card to no longer be valid.

[0039] For example, the right edge 13 has a thickness of between two tenths and five tenths of a millimeter.

[0040] This allows the scraping head 12 to be thick enough not to be sharp, but thin enough to allow precise scraping of the scraping areas taking into account the dimensions of the pictograms of the scraping areas.

[0041] Advantageously, the right edge 13 is adjacent to two opposite edges 14,15 of the blade 5 which are of different lengths so that the blade 5 is beveled.

[0042] The beveled shape allows for a plurality of possible positions for the user for scraping, adaptable according to the size and position of his hand, and according to the scraping movement he wishes to perform.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the beveled blade 5 forms a point on the right edge 13.

[0044] The tip allows for very precise scraping with device 1.

[0045] Advantageously, the device 1 includes means for retracting the scraping head 12.

[0046] For example, they are arranged at one end 6 of the hollow body 2 opposite the end having the scraping head 12.

[0047] Said retraction means are adapted to allow said scraping head 12 to be kept in or out of the hollow body 2.

[0048] The retraction means comprise a push button 9 and a spring 7 adapted to allow the retraction of the scraping head 12 or the protrusion of the scraping head 12 into or out of the hollow 3 by pressing said push button 9 against the spring 7 along the longitudinal axis X.

[0049] Thus, it is possible to retract and secure the scraping head 12 to prevent wear and tear, as well as any injuries to third parties or damage to objects that it may cause through misuse.

[0050] A sheath 17 can also be provided in which the blade 5 can be retracted.

[0051] The sheath 17 then forms a wide scraping element, which can be replaced by the blade 5 for more precise scraping.

[0052] The device 1 may further provide that the hollow body 2 forms a tubular housing along the longitudinal axis X and whose section is a polygon, so that said hollow body 2 is formed of several consecutive lateral faces extending along the longitudinal axis X.

[0053] The lateral shapes prevent the device 1 from rolling around the longitudinal axis X when in use or when placed.

[0054] It can also be provided that at least one of the lateral shapes serves as a location for positioning a logo, for example by gluing, printing or engraving.

[0055] Such a shape makes it possible to maximize the visibility of this logo, especially if the pen does not roll, and therefore to constitute an advertising space 11.

[0056] As illustrated by [Fig.3], the hollow body 2 may include a pair of opposing convex surfaces 16 configured to allow the device 1 to be grasped between the thumb and forefinger.

[0057] They allow the device 1 to be held by pinching and to be held as close as possible to the blade 5, which increases the proximity of the scraping head 12 with the card to be scraped, and therefore reduces muscle fatigue in the user's fingers when he wants to bring precision during scraping.

[0058] The opposing surfaces 16 are for example two flat surfaces placed on either side of the blade 5 and substantially symmetrically with respect to it, which allows a better balance of the device 1 and therefore to further improve its ergonomics and the precision of the scraping.

[0059] The invention also relates to a device 1 in which the hollow body 2 has a pinching clip 8 configured to allow the device 1 to be held on a portion of fabric by pinching said fabric between said pinching clip 8 and the hollow body 2.

[0060] The pinch clip 8 is for example mounted around the hollow body 2 by means of a ring 10.

[0061] The device 1 can thus be easily held on a pocket flap, so that it can be easily and quickly grabbed or stored between several scrapings.

[0062] It can be envisaged that the pinch clip 8 also forms an advertising space for positioning a message such as a logo.

[0063] A scratching device 1 is thus made in the form of a pen, the fine and flat tip of which can be transparent and beveled, which makes it easier to scratch, more precise, and less tiring for the user when scratching a scratch card, without risk of damaging said card.

Claims

Claims

1. Scraping device (1) comprising a hollow body (2) extending along a longitudinal axis (X), a central rod (4) mounted in translation in the hollow body (2) and retractably therein, a scraping head (12) which is positioned at one end of the central rod (4) and which has a blade (5) having a straight edge (13) transverse to the longitudinal axis (X).

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the blade (5) comprises a transparent portion.

3. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 and 2, in which the straight edge (13) has a thickness of between two tenths and five tenths of a millimeter.

4. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the straight edge (13) is adjacent to two opposite edges (14,15) of the blade (5) which are of different lengths so that the blade (5) is beveled.

5. Device (1) according to claim 4, wherein the beveled blade (5) forms a point on the straight edge (13).

6. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the straight edge (13) forms substantially an angle of forty-five to sixty degrees relative to the longitudinal axis (X).

7. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising means for retracting the scraping head (12) adapted to allow said scraping head (12) to be held in or out of the hollow body (2), said retracting means comprising a push button (9) and a spring (7) adapted to allow the retraction of the scraping head (12) or the projection of the scraping head (12) in or out of the hollow body (2) by pressing said push button (9) against the spring (7) along the longitudinal axis (X).

8. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the hollow body (2) forms a tubular housing along the longitudinal axis (X) and the section of which is a polygon, so that said hollow body (2) is formed of several consecutive lateral faces extending along the longitudinal axis (X).

9. A device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the scraping head (12) comprises a pair of convex surfaces opposite (16) configured to allow the device (1) to be gripped between the thumb and index finger.

10. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the hollow body (2) comprises a pinching clip (8) configured to allow the device (1) to be retained on a portion of tissue by pinching said tissue between said pinching clip (8) and the hollow body (2).

Images