Quick Stencil Kit for Laundry Identification

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Solution Overview

Problem

In retirement and assisted living facilities, marking personal items for identification is inconvenient, especially when laundry is co-mingled, as existing methods are not easily repeatable or legible, and do not facilitate efficient separation and return of items to their owners.

Innovation Solution

A compact kit for creating reusable stencils, comprising a polymeric tray with compartments for storage, a hinged translucent top, and thermoplastic rubber alphanumeric stencil elements, along with a rolling ball marker and markable web with adhesive backing, allowing for easy and legible labeling of clothing items.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If existing marking methods are used for personal items in retirement facilities, then marking can be performed, but the markings are not easily repeatable and have low legibility

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemarking legibilityVSAvoidmarking convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The kit includes pre-fabricated stencil elements with precise alphanumeric characters already formed. These stencils are prepared in advance with exact positioning features (apertures and posts) that ensure consistent, legible markings without requiring the user to create them during the marking process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The stencil elements serve as reusable templates that can be copied across multiple marking operations. The same stencil can be used repeatedly to create identical or consistent markings on different items, ensuring uniform legibility and ease of repetition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Volume of moving object

If a compact kit is created for stencil storage, then the kit is easily stored, but access to components must be simplified

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekit storage sizeVSAvoidcomponent accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The kit is designed as a nested structure where the tray holds multiple compartments, each containing specific components (stencils, markers, web). The lid covers the tray when not in use, creating a compact nested arrangement that minimizes storage volume while allowing easy access to components when the lid is opened.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The kit tray is divided into multiple compartments that separately organize different components (stencil elements, markers, web rolls). This segmentation allows each component to be easily located and accessed without disturbing other components, maintaining ease of operation while keeping the overall kit compact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Duration of action of stationary object

If thermoplastic rubber stencil elements are used, then the stencils are durable and reusable, but they must be precisely retained in position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestencil reusabilityVSAvoidretention mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stencil elements incorporate self-retaining features where posts on one component mate with apertures on another component. This self-service retention mechanism automatically holds the stencil in the correct position without requiring additional complex retention devices, simplifying the overall system while ensuring precise positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple stencil elements are joined together, then longer names can be spelled out, but the joining mechanism must be simple

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestencil configuration flexibilityVSAvoidjoining mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stencil elements are designed with complementary joining features (posts and apertures) that automatically align and connect when elements are placed together. This self-service joining mechanism allows multiple stencils to be easily assembled into longer configurations without requiring complex fastening devices, maintaining simplicity while providing versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10220645B2Quick stencil kit

Publication Date: 2019.03.05 GUPTA NIKHIL

AI summary

A kit for creating stencils is provided, including a polymeric shell, multiple linear polymeric frames, multiple thermoplastic rubber polymeric alphanumeric stencil elements, a rolling ball marker, and a roll of markable web. The polymeric shell has a tray and a hingedly joined sealing top. The tray is generally rectangular with a peripheral sidewall and has a storage compartment each for the web roll, the stencil elements, the frames, and the marker. The sidewall adjacent the web roll compartment has an opening therethrough. The frames have an elongate central planar portion and a pair of parallel upraised crenellated sidewalls with stencil retention elements defined in the crenels. The frames also have mateable elements defined at each end to join the frames together. The stencil elements fit between the frame sidewalls and have elongate projections with stencil retention elements adapted to mate with the stencil retention elements defined in the frame crenels.