Variable color matrix device

A device for creating a colored design including transparent light-transmitting receiving wells for receiving and holding colorants, the wells being disposed in a grid-like plate adapted to hold the wells. The device also including a colorant material transfer device for transferring colorant material to the receiving wells. The colorant materials may be liquid or solid materials.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention relates to a device useful for generating colored patterns. 
More particularly, this invention relates to a device that can be used to 
facilitate learning processes through the associate use of acquired 
knowledge to prepare colored designs. Specifically, this invention relates 
to a device formed from a plurality of cup-like colorant-receiving wells 
positioned adjacent to each other in a honeycombed grid configuration 
which are capable of holding colored liquids or colored beads placed 
therein, to form a desired pattern. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The creation of pleasing designs has fascinated both young and old alike 
from the time the ability to make them was acquired. Fanciful designs 
have, for example, been incorporated in pottery, rugs, architectural 
features and many other products fashioned by human ingenuity since 
ancient times. Apart from their inclusion in utilitarian artifacts, 
however, the origination of interesting designs is frequently undertaken 
simply for the pleasure of their creation. Thus, kaleidoscopes have 
provided hours of enjoyment to users for generations. The cutting of 
multi-folded paper into interconnected geometric patterns is another 
illustration of the preparation of designs for their own sake, as are sand 
paintings, similar to those employed by the Navaho Indians in their 
healing ceremonies. 
Among the many commercial devices that have been devised to indulge this 
widespread interest in design creativity may be mentioned the mosaic 
"plug-in" toy which is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,529. The toy 
takes the form of holes disposed in a grid pattern in a substrate. 
"Mosaic" plates having plug-in members extending therefrom are designed to 
be received in the holes, thereby permitting their temporary attachment to 
the substrate as desired to form the intended design. 
Another mosaic toy device is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 510,178 involving 
a substrate plate containing holes arranged in a grid pattern that permits 
small stone chips whose underside is shaped to conform to the surface of 
the holes to be placed therein. By the selective placement of different 
colored stones, a design or picture can be formed therewith. 
A similar device is that taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,569,357 which involves a 
peg board mounted over a light source into which colored plastic pegs are 
inserted. A perforated design card may be placed on the board and used as 
a guide to form a desired design or picture. 
Still another device, U.S. Pat. No. 2,149,363, illustrates hinged, 
back-to-back panels possessing aligned openings therein. Sheets of stencil 
material are placed between the panels and holes punched in the sheets to 
form a desired design, using punching tools passed through the aligned 
openings. Alternatively, colored pins may be inserted in the openings 
through a pin-retaining resilient fabric stretched thereover to produce a 
design. 
While all of the devices described permit designs and pictures to be 
created therewith, they have a number of inherent disadvantages. For 
example, the design color combinations possible with such boards are 
restricted to the available colors of the insertable pieces. Furthermore, 
in the case of some of the devices described, the repeated reinsertion of 
the design-forming pieces into the boards gradually irreversibly enlarges 
the size of the holes therein, impairing their piece-retention 
characteristics. This makes the board with a contained design thereon 
difficult to manipulate without risk of unintended displacement of the 
pieces and resultant damage to the design. 
In addition, since the designs are dependent on the use of the unique 
pieces associated therewith, the loss of such pieces impairs or renders 
impossible the creation of the designs for which the boards were intended. 
Also in most instances, the designs produced with the devices are 
ephemeral, and their form cannot easily be fixed independent of the board 
on which it was created. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the preceding, therefore, it is a first aspect of this invention 
to provide a device with which desired pictures and designs can be 
prepared. 
A second aspect of this invention is to provide a device in which, in a 
preferred embodiment, colored designs can be prepared therefrom in an 
infinite number of colors. 
An additional aspect of this invention is to provide a device for preparing 
illuminated colored designs which can be preserved for extended periods of 
time. 
Another aspect of this invention is to provide a device on which the design 
can be prepared, and thereafter transferred to another medium on which it 
can be permanently fixed. 
A further aspect of this invention relates to a device for preparing 
designs thereon which can be used for instructional purposes. 
Yet an additional aspect of this invention is to provide a device in which 
in a preferred embodiment allows the preparation of designs therewith 
without the use of insertable pieces susceptible to loss. 
An added aspect of this invention is to provide a device which permits 
designs to be prepared therewith from materials that are readily 
replenished. 
Still another aspect of this invention is to provide a device which is 
relatively immune to wear, from which designs can be prepared. 
The foregoing and additional aspects of the invention are provided by a 
device for creating colored designs including in combination: a 
honeycombed plate comprising a plurality of adjacent, light-transmitting, 
colorant-receiving wells having closed lower ends and open upper ends, the 
wells being spaced from each other in a grid-like pattern on the plate, 
and transparent colorant material being adapted to be entirely received 
in, and held by the wells. 
The foregoing and other aspects of this invention are prepared by a process 
for creating colored designs comprising placing light-transmitting 
colorant materials in a desired arrangement entirely within 
colorant-receiving wells in a honeycomb plate which includes a plurality 
of adjacent ones of the wells, the wells being transparent and having 
closed lower ends, and open upper ends, and being spaced from each other 
in a grid-like pattern on the plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a well plate of the invention containing 
colorant-receiving wells therein. The Figure shows the well plate, 
generally 10, consisting of a plurality of colorant-receiving wells 12 
disposed in the plate in a grid-like pattern. Coordinate identification, 
letters and numbers, 18 and 20, respectively, are disposed along the edges 
of the plate for the purpose of coordinate identification. While a 
rectangularly shaped tray is illustrated, the tray may also be fabricated 
in a round, square, triangular or other geometric configuration. 
The well plate is used in preparing desired designs by placing colorant 
material, either liquids or solids, as described in more detail 
hereinafter, entirely within the colorant-receiving wells 12. Original 
designs may be readily prepared in such manner; however, in a form 
particularly suitable for juveniles, colored designs can be furnished for 
copying. In addition, directions may be provided for playing "mystery 
games" in which an unknown design is gradually developed by following 
instructions which call for filling particular receiving wells with 
colorants, the proper receiving wells being stipulated by reference to 
identifying coordinates on the well plate. 
The device can also be used for instructional purposes. In this regard, an 
arithmetic operation may be specified, the correct answer to which 
identifies a coordinate whose receiving well is to be filled with a 
particular colorant. After a series of such operations has been solved and 
the corresponding receiving wells filled with colorants, the player is 
rewarded by development of a previously unknown design. The device can be 
used as a teaching device for number theory, even numbers, odd numbers or 
the like. A similar game may be played by assigning particular colorants 
to individual letters of a word, resulting in the disclosure of a 
previously unknown design when the receiving wells corresponding to a 
series of words have been filled. The process of filling the wells helps 
to reinforce the spelling of the word in the mind of the player. 
FIG. 1A is a side elevation of the well plate 10 showing the disposition of 
the colorant-receiving wells 12, therein. Also shown is a well plate hook 
edge groove 22a, whose function is explained more fully in connection with 
FIG. 2. 
The cross-section of the colorant-receiving wells 12 may be varied as 
desired. It can, for instance, be circular, square, triangular, or have 
some other geometric cross-section. The wells in a device can be of 
different size or shape, and can be arranged to have different appearances 
depending on the orientation at which they are viewed. 
The receiving wells will desirably be transparent, as will be the balance 
of the well plate in a preferred embodiment. It is also of advantage to 
enhance the brightness of the design by the use of an appropriate 
background beneath the well plate 10, for example, reflective paper, a 
mirror, a light source, or the like. 
FIG. 1B is a front elevation of the well plate 10 of FIG. 1 showing the 
colorant-receiving wells 12. 
The diameter of the receiving wells, which may vary within relatively broad 
limits, is typically from about 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter. Where solid 
colorants are to be used, for example, of the kind shown in connection 
with FIG. 6, wider diameters are desirable to permit ready access of the 
tips of the forceps used to retrieve the colorant beads, as will be later 
described. Where, however, the colorant is to be a colored liquid, the use 
of narrower diameters is preferable since the surface tension of the more 
constricted wells, minimizes any tendency of the colorants to spill 
therefrom. 
While a desired design, for instance the "capital E" shown in connection 
with FIG. 1, may be created for viewing simply in the well plate, in 
instances where liquid colorants are used, the designs can be transferred 
to a separate medium, for instance, to a sheet of paper, by disposing the 
paper over the well plate and its contained receiving wells and inverting 
the plate so that the paper is contacted by the colorant liquid. Following 
reinversion, the paper is removed, leaving the colored design on its 
surface. A sheet of such paper, having contacted the device in FIG. 1, is 
shown by the number 13 in FIG. 1C, with the letter "E" having been 
transferred thereto. 
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the colorant supply tray of the invention. As 
shown, the colorant supply tray 14 is provided with a number of colorant 
supply wells 16 in which the colorant materials are kept prior to their 
transfer to the receiving wells 12. The colorant supply tray 14 has a tray 
attachment hook edge 22, better seen in FIG. 2A for the purpose of 
temporarily connecting the colorant supply tray to the well plate 10. 
FIG. 2A is a side elevation of the colorant supply tray of FIG. 2. The 
colorant supply tray 14 has a tray attachment hook edge 22 connected 
thereto which cooperates with the plate hook edge groove 22a of the well 
plate. While the colorant supply tray 14 can be positioned at a distance 
from the well plate 10, it is frequently convenient to have the well plate 
in close association with the colorant supply tray, and a temporary 
attachment can be effected between the two by disposing the tray 
attachment hook edge 22 of the colorant supply tray into corresponding 
plate hook edge groove 22a. 
FIG. 3 is a partial side elevation of a well plate of the invention with a 
removable colorant-receiving well disposed therein. In this connection, 
the well plate 10 can be molded, for example, from plastic, glass, or some 
other transparent material, or the well plate and the colorant-receiving 
wells may be separately formed. The Figure shows the well plate 10 with a 
separable colorant-receiving well 12a having a retaining flange 24 
attached to the top thereof. In the case of the Figure, the 
colorant-receiving wells 12a are formed separately from the well plate 10. 
When so fabricated, the colorant-receiving wells are formed from a 
transparent material, while the well plate 10 may be formed from either a 
transparent or an opaque material. 
FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a well cover plate of the invention. While 
use of the cover plate 26 is optional, it is of advantage in many 
instances since it tends to help retain the colorant material in the 
receiving wells, for example, when the well plate is accidentally jarred, 
or otherwise manipulated, for instance, to facilitate its placement 
adjacent to illuminating means, such as a light or window. 
While a cover helps to assure retention of the coloring materials within 
the colorant-receiving wells, resort may also be had to receiving well 
caps which may be placed over the top of the colorant-receiving wells to 
achieve the same purpose. 
An advantage of providing the removable colorant-receiving wells is that 
they can be removed and repositioned in the well plate to create new 
designs, without any need to transfer the contents of the wells to still 
other wells to create a new design. 
In either the case of the device shown in FIG. 1 in which the 
colorant-receiving wells form an integral part of the well plate 10, or 
the removable receiving wells 12a of FIG. 3, liquid coloring material may 
be readily removed from the receiving wells merely by rinsing the wells 
out with water. 
FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a colorant container 30 with liquid colorant 
therein. A kit of the type described in connection with the invention will 
advantageously include at least the three primary colors, i.e., red, 
yellow and blue, although additional colors may be included if desired. 
Where only the primary colors are included, an infinite number of other 
colors can be derived therefrom by color blending. 
FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a colorant bead of the invention. While the 
use of liquid colorants, for instance, aqueous food colors, has particular 
advantages, solid colorants in the form of colored beads may also be 
employed. When the designs are made from colored beads, the beads may be 
spherical or multi-faceted, the latter facilitating easier gripping by 
transfer forceps, such as the transfer forceps 34 of FIG. 8. 
The colored beads will advantageously be transparent, and although a single 
bead positioned in a colorant-receiving well will provide a design medium, 
design colors other than those incorporated in the colors of the beads 
provided with the kits may be achieved by placing different colored beads 
in the same receiving wells, the resulting color being a combination of 
the colors of such beads. Color enhancement, i.e., darkening, can also be 
achieved by placing more than one bead of the same color in a particular 
colorant-receiving well. 
FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a liquid colorant suction transfer device 
32. The suction device may consist of a pipette, an eye dropper, a 
syringe, or some other equivalent suction device. The suction device is 
employed, for example, in transferring liquid colorant materials back and 
forth between the colorant supply wells and the colorant-receiving wells, 
and between individual receiving wells. 
FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a colorant bead transfer forceps of the 
invention 34, employed in transferring coloring beads back and forth 
between the receiving wells, and between the receiving wells and the 
colorant supply wells. 
While a typical kit may contain more or less components, it typically will 
comprise a well plate with included receiving wells; bottles of colorant 
material; a suction device; a bead transfer forceps, where colored beads 
are also included; and advantageously, a well plate cover or caps. A 
colorant supply tray may also be included, which may or may not be 
temporarily attachable to the well plate. Desirably, a booklet of 
instructions, designs and the like will also form part of the kit, and the 
kit components will preferably be enclosed in a suitable container. 
The well plates described above are shown having flat surfaces from which 
the wells extend. However, the flat surface is "generally" flat in that it 
can have portions at different elevations, the surface can be canted or 
curved, etc., so long as the colorant in the wells remains in the wells. 
Also, the well plates can be either rigid or flexible, the latter being 
safe for very young children. 
The invention has been described with particular emphasis on the preferred 
embodiments, but variations and modifications within the spirit and scope 
of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art to which the 
invention pertains.