Abstract:
A support for writing material comprising a hollow casing having open upper and lower ends. A plurality of holders for writing material, such as sidewalk chalk, are releasably, frictionally and moveably disposed in a stack in the hollow casing, wherein each holder is adapted to removeably and securely hold a piece of writing material in a first partition of each holder. Each holder also has a second partition separated from the first partition, said second partition providing a hollow volume adapted to receive the writing material held by a lower adjacent holder. Each holder may hold writing material of the same color, or of varying colors. By applying finger pressure to the hollow lower partition of the lowermost holder in the casing, the writing material in the uppermost holder is frictionally advanced beyond the upper open end of the casing, and the writing material is applied by the user to a sidewalk or other selected surface.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from provisional application No. 60/826,667 filed on Sep. 22, 2006 to the extent allowed by law. 
     
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a holder for writing or drawing materials, such as chalk or the like, where multiple writing materials can be stacked linearly in the holder and held firmly in place while in use or while in storage. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A common children&#39;s toy for generations is sidewalk chalk. Sidewalk chalk typically consists of a stick or cylinder of material which can mark sidewalks or similar surfaces made of cement, concrete or asphalt. Sidewalk chalk is often used to draw pictures on cement, asphalt, concrete, or another surface. A sidewalk chalk holder typically comprises a plastic case which covers and protects the chalk on all sides except an extending writing tip. When using sidewalk chalk or another writing material, it will eventually become necessary to push the chalk or writing material upward to make additional writing material accessible as the chalk or writing material is used up, in order to continue marking images on a surface. It may also become necessary to replace the chalk or writing material with another piece if no writing material remains available in the casing, or if chalk or writing material of a different color is desired. Therefore, a need exists for a chalk holder which provides storage for multiple pieces of chalk or other writing material for continued and prompt use after an initial piece of chalk or writing material has been used in its entirety. Additionally, there is a need for a stackable chalk holder which provides an easy method for pushing chalk or other writing materials upward for continued accessibility. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention is directed to a stackable holder or support for writing materials, particularly large pieces of chalk commonly known as sidewalk chalk. The stackable holder is designed for use in marking images on sidewalk surfaces made of concrete, cement, asphalt or the like, and other writing surfaces. Use of the stackable holder allows extra pieces of chalk or other writing materials of the same or varying colors to be made available for use, storage, and transport. 
         [0005]    The stackable chalk holder or support comprises a casing or housing sized to fit individual holders that are vertically stacked and aligned in the casing. A removable cap fits tightly over the upper end of the casing in snapping engagement. A clip is attached to the cap for connection to a backpack or belt for easier transport of the stackable holder. The clip further extends over an outer wall of the casing when the cap is in place on the casing. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment, the casing or housing of the present invention has a cylindrical or tubular shape, an outer wall, an inner wall, and an open upper end and lower end providing access to the interior of the casing. The casing has a longitudinal or center axis extending through the upper and lower ends, the center axis being coaxial with the longitudinal axis of a plurality of individual holders. The writing material is held within the individual holders in a linear arrangement relative to the upper end and lower end of the casing. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, three vertical ribs extend along the entire length of the inner wall of the casing, which ribs function to exert pressure on the outer wall of each of the individual holders or other contents of the casing to frictionally resist movement or shifting of the writing materials until a force is physically applied to the holders by a user. 
         [0008]    Each individual holder has an upper end, a lower end, an inner wall, and an outer wall. In an embodiment of the present invention, the individual holders have a generally cylindrical shape to hold chalk, and are adapted to be axially movable in the casing. Each individual holder is further separated into an upper partition and a lower partition by a horizontal plate adjacent to and connected to the inner wall of the individual holder. The upper partition is adapted to support chalk or other writing material for use while in the casing. The lower partition provides an open volume in the holder to receive chalk extending from the lower adjacent holder while the holders and chalk are in the stacked position. Alternatively, the lower partition can remain open, particularly if disposed at the bottom of a vertical stack in the casing, and provide a location for a user to push on the stack of chalk holders with a thumb, finger, or other apparatus in an upward motion to make the chalk or other writing material extend from the open upper end and be accessible for use. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The features and inventive aspects of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description and drawings, of which the following is a brief description: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the stackable chalk holder of the present invention, where the cap is in place on the casing and three pieces of chalk in individual holders are stacked vertically; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the stackable chalk holder of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 1 , with the cap removed and a piece of chalk accessible for use; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the casing for the stackable chalk holder of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the casing shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a front cut-away section view of a second embodiment of the present invention with the cap removed and four pieces of chalk stacked vertically, the top piece of chalk accessible for use; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of an individual holder grasping a piece of chalk, the individual holder forming part of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a front view of the cap and clip of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the cap and clip shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the cap and clip shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a front cut-away section view of the second embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIG. 5  with the cap in place on the casing. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    A detailed description of the present invention is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing figures. 
         [0021]    The present invention is directed to a stackable holder or support for writing materials, particularly large pieces of chalk commonly known as sidewalk chalk. The stackable holder is designed for use in marking images on cement, concrete, asphalt and other writing surfaces, such as floors, sidewalks, pavements, streets, and other such surfaces. The stackable holder is durable and easy to produce, manufactured from a rigid material such as polyvinyl chloride, other plastic, or other suitable material. The presence of multi-colored chalk or drawing materials held in the invention at the option of the manufacturer or the user provides an attractive and appealing toy, game or novelty item for children and adults. Use of the stackable holder allows extra pieces of chalk or other writing materials, or chalk or writing materials of varying colors, to be made available for use, storage, and transport. 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the stackable chalk holder or support for writing materials  10  comprises a casing or housing  12  having a generally straight tubular or cylindrical shape and sized to fit individual holders  14  vertically stacked in the casing  12 . One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the casing or housing  12  for the stackable holders  14  can be designed in a variety of shapes, of which the cylindrical design of the present invention is merely an example. In the illustrated embodiments, the casing  12  is transparent, showing the colors of the chalk pieces  16  in the casing. However, the casing may be opaque and of any color if desired. Further, a removable cap  18  fits tightly over the upper end  24  of the casing  12  in snapping engagement as best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 10 . A clip  20  ( FIGS. 7-9 ) is attached to the cap  18  for connection to a backpack, or belt pocket for easier transport of the stackable holder. The clip  20  extends over the outer wall  20  of the casing when the cap is in place on the casing. 
         [0023]    In  FIGS. 1-4 , the casing or housing  12  of the present invention has a cylindrical or tubular shape, an outer wall  20 , an inner wall  22 , an open upper end  24 , an open lower end  26 , and an aperture  28  at both upper and lower ends providing access to the interior of the casing  12 . The casing  12  has a longitudinal or center axis extending through the upper and lower ends coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the individual holders  14 , and the writing material is held within the individual holders in a linear array or arrangement relative to the upper end  24  and lower end  26  of the casing  12 . 
         [0024]    The casing  12  may be manufactured to different lengths to suit different applications and market demand. Typically the casing has an internal diameter of up to 2 in. for receiving and firmly holding pieces of chalk or other writing material, but other diameters may be selected for different applications. In the illustrated embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4  the casing  12  has a length of approximately 5.75 inches and an internal diameter of approximately 1.25 inches. 
         [0025]    A horizontal rim  30  ( FIG. 4 ) is mounted on the outer wall  20  of the casing  12  and around the circumference of the casing  12  to provide a snapping contact and a resting position for the cap  18  when placed on the holder  10  as best seen in  FIGS. 3-4 . In one embodiment, three vertical ribs  32  ( FIG. 4 ) extend along the entire length of inner wall  22  of the casing  12 , which ribs function to exert pressure on the outer wall of the individual holders  14  or other contents of the casing to frictionally resist movement or shifting of the writing material holders until physically pushed by a user. The ribs  32  frictionally engage the outer wall of each individual holder  14 , or other apparatus inside the casing  12 , and exert pressure to hold the individual holders  14  in place while allowing selected frictional movement of the individual holders  14  under finger pressure. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , each individual holder  14  has an upper end  34 , a lower end  36 , an inner wall  38 , and an outer wall  40 . In the illustrated embodiment, ( FIG. 6 ) each individual holder  14  before insertion of chalk  16  has a length of approximately 2 inches and a total length of approximately 3 inches when the chalk  16  is inserted and accessible for writing above the upper end  34  of the individual holder  14 . The diameter of the individual holder  14  is generally sized to fit the chalk or other writing material intended for use. In the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 6 , the diameter of the individual holder  14  is approximately one inch. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the individual holders  14  can have varying lengths and diameters, appropriate for the particular application. One of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate that the individual holder can have various shapes and designs in coordination with the selected shape of the casing  12 . In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the individual holders  14  have a generally cylindrical shape to hold chalk  16  and to be stored in the casing  12 . The individual holders can be manufactured from any material which can be flexed such as plastic, rubber, or the like. 
         [0027]    Each individual holder  14  ( FIG. 6 ) is separated into an upper partition  42  and a lower partition  44  by a horizontal plate  46  adjacent to and connected to the inner wall  38  of the individual holder  14  around the circumference of the individual holder  14 , and perpendicular to the plane of the walls  38 ,  40 . The upper partition  42  is adapted to support chalk  16  for use while the chalk is in the casing  12 . The lower partition  44  provides an open volume to receive chalk  16  extending from the lower adjacent holder  14  while in the stacked position in casing  12 . Alternatively, the lower partition  44  can remain open as at  146  (best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 10 ), particularly if at the bottom of a vertical stack in the casing. Open partition  146  provides a location for a user to push on the chalk with a thumb, finger, or other apparatus in an upward motion. Pushing on the chalk at location  146  advances the chalk  16  or writing material upward above the end  24  of the casing  12  against the friction force applied to each holder  14  by ribs  32  on the interior surface  22  of casing  12 . This makes the chalk  16  accessible for writing on a surface. Further, the inner walls  38  and outer walls  40  ( FIG. 6 ) of at least one of the partitions have arm-like extensions  48  which flex when the chalk  16  is inserted. The extensions  48  hold the chalk  16  firmly in place in the individual holder  14  by exerting frictional pressure from the inside wall of casing  12 , which pressure is applied to laterally extending flanges  49  located at the top of each extension  48 . In the illustrated embodiment ( FIG. 6 ), the upper partition  42  has arm-like extensions  48  which flex when the chalk  16  is inserted, and hold the chalk  16  firmly in place as described. 
         [0028]    Each individual holder  14  movably and frictionally fits in the casing  12 . The casing size may vary for different applications. The length of each individual holder  14  is fractionally less than that of the casing  12 . The diameter of each holder  14  is nearly equal to that of the casing such that the holders  14  maintain continuous connection along the inner walls  22  and the ribs  32  of the casing to remain in place until pushed or moved at the user&#39;s discretion. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS.  1  and  2 , the casing is sized to fit three individual holders  14  for chalk or other writing material desired by the user. 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  and  FIG. 10  illustrate an alternate embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 5  shows the stackable holder  110  having a casing  112  sized to fit four individual holders  114 . In  FIG. 5  the cap  118  is removed and chalk  116  is accessible and ready for use above the upper end  124  of the casing  112 .  FIG. 10  shows the second embodiment with the cap  118  in place tightly over the upper end  124  of casing  112  for storage or transport. 
         [0030]    In operation, a user holds the casing  12  in any comfortable position with one or both hands. Cap  18  is disengaged from horizontal rim  30  on casing  12 , and the cap is removed from the casing. The user pushes on the empty partition  44  of the lowest individual holder  14  at the lower end  26  of the casing  12 , such that the chalk  16  in each individual holder  14  is advanced in the direction of the upper end  24  of the casing  12  to become visible and accessible over the upper end  24  of the casing  12  for writing on a surface. When a user desires to switch the chalk holder (for a new color or to refill the holder with chalk), the individual holder  14  at the upper end  24  of the casing  12  is pushed upward from the bottom of casing  12 . The upper individual holder  14  is removed and re-inserted into the lower end  26  of the casing again (or a refill is obtained), pushing upward relative to the casing  12  such that the next or second chalk holder or other writing material in the casing  12  is advanced upward in the direction of the upper end  24  of the casing  12  and becomes accessible for use above the upper end  24  of the casing  12 . After the chalk holder  10  has been used, cap  18  is replaced with a snap fit at the upper end of casing  12 . 
         [0031]    With respect to the above description herein, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
         [0032]    Therefore, the foregoing detailed description of the invention is intended to be illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Changes and modifications are possible with respect to the foregoing description, and it is understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than that specifically described herein and still be within the scope of the invention.