Abstract:
An illuminating eraser is provided. The eraser includes a body and an insert. The insert is receivable within a hollow portion of the body and includes a power source and a light emitting source. The power source is activated by applying pressure to the insert thereby causing the light emitting device to illuminate.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to erasers, and more particularly to erasers having an insert for illuminating the eraser. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Erasers are used by a variety of individuals for erasing marks, such as from pencils or pens, from substrates such as paper. Erasers traditionally have been incorporated onto the marking utensil and were small and could wear out quickly. Therefore, larger separate erasers were manufactured to last longer. Furthermore, children desired shaped erasers that could also be used as toys. 
         [0003]    Additionally, these toy-like erasers have included additional features such as cartoon images and other features included thereon. However, additional features, such as lights which illuminate the eraser could also be enjoyed by the user as a toy and also as a functional light. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In accordance with one feature an illuminating eraser is provided. The eraser includes a body and an insert. The body is constructed from a material suitable for erasing marks from a substrate. The body has an upper surface, a lower surface and a hollow portion located between the upper and lower surfaces. The hollow portion has a first shape and is accessible from at least one of the upper and lower surfaces. The insert has a second shape which is complementary to the first shape of and receivable substantially within the hollow portion through at least one of the upper and lower surfaces. The insert includes a power source located within an interior chamber of the insert and a light emitting device connected to the power source. The power source is activated by applying pressure to the insert thereby causing the light emitting device to illuminate. 
         [0005]    In another feature, an illuminating eraser is provided. The eraser includes a body and an insert. The body is constructed from a material suitable for erasing marks from a substrate. The body has an upper surface, a lower surface and a hollow portion located between the upper and lower surfaces. The hollow portion has a first shape including at least two protrusions and is accessible from at least one of the upper and lower surfaces. The insert has a second shape which is complementary to the first shape of and receivable substantially within the hollow portion through at least one of the upper and lower surfaces. The insert includes a power source located within an interior chamber of the insert and a light emitting device connected to the power source. The insert having at least one flange located adjacent at least two protrusions when the insert is located substantially within the hollow portion. The power source is activated by applying pressure to the insert thereby causing the light emitting device to illuminate. 
         [0006]    In a further feature, the hollow portion is accessible through both of the upper and lower surfaces. 
         [0007]    In another feature, the insert further includes a retaining plug for retaining the power source within the interior chamber of the insert. 
         [0008]    According to one feature, the insert is glued in place substantially within the hollow portion. 
         [0009]    As one feature, the light emitting device illuminates substantially all of the body. 
         [0010]    In accordance with one feature, the power source includes at least one battery located within the interior chamber such that when the insert is squeezed, the battery contacts an electrical contact thereby completing an electrical circuit and illuminating the light emitting device. 
         [0011]    In accordance with one feature, the power source includes two batteries located within the interior chamber adjacent one another and having an insulated electrical contact separating the batteries such that when the insert is squeezed, the insulation on the insulated electrical contact is displaced thereby permitting the batteries to make electrical contact and illuminating the light emitting device. 
         [0012]    As a further feature, the insert further includes two flanges each located adjacent the at least two protrusions when the insert is located substantially within the hollow portion. 
         [0013]    Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a review of the entire specification, including the appended claims and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of an illuminating eraser with an insert assembled; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged exploded view of the insert of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the interior of an insert in a relaxed state taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3A  is partial view of the electrical contact on the interior of an insert in a compressed state; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another embodiment of an illuminating eraser with an insert assembled; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged exploded view of the insert of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the interior of an insert in a relaxed state taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 6A  is a partial view of another embodiment of the electrical contact on the interior of an insert in a compressed state. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    One embodiment of an illuminating eraser  10  is illustrated between the fingers of a user in  FIG. 1 . The eraser  10  includes a body  12  and an insert  14 . The body  12  is constructed from a material suitable for erasing marks from a substrate. Such suitable materials include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic rubber (TPR), thermoplastic elastomer, combinations thereof and similar materials known to those skilled in the art. In one embodiment, the material(s) chosen may also be translucent or transparent so as to allow light to illuminate the eraser body  12 . 
         [0023]    The body  12  includes an upper surface  20 , a lower surface  22  and a hollow portion  24  located between the upper and lower surfaces  20 ,  22 . The hollow portion  24  has a first shape and is accessible from at least one of the upper and lower surfaces  20 ,  22 . For example, in the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 2-3 , the hollow portion  24  is accessible from both of the upper and lower surfaces  20 ,  22 . 
         [0024]    Furthermore, as best seen in  FIG. 2 , the body  12  also includes protrusions  26 . These protrusions extend into the interior of the hollow portion  24  and, in one preferred form, unitary with and made from the same material as the body  12 . The protrusions  26  may be used to help define the first shape of the hollow portion  24  and also be used as a “key” to orient the insert  14  during assembly. 
         [0025]    The insert  14  has a second shape which is complementary to the first shape of and receivable substantially within the hollow portion  24  through at least one of the upper and lower surfaces  20 ,  22 . As seen in  FIG. 2 , the insert  14  will be received through the upper surface  20 . However, it should be understood that the insert  14 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , may also be received through bottom surface  22 . In one embodiment, as seen in  FIG. 2 , the insert also includes an upper flange  30  and a lower flange  32 . These flanges  30 ,  32  may be used to help retain the insert  14  within the hollow body  24 . 
         [0026]    The shape of the insert  14  is designed to fit within the hollow portion  24 . Specifically, once assembled within the hollow portion  24 , the insert  14  has a shape which conforms to the outermost shape of the hollow portion  24  and also includes recessed portions  34  which conform to the protrusions  26 , if the hollow portion includes protrusions  26 . However, it should be understood, if the insert  14  has both upper and lower flanges  30 ,  32 , the one of the flanges  30  or  32  may be required to deform to pass by the protrusions  26  until the insert is fully assembled within the hollow portion  24 . The flanges  30 ,  32  and/or the protrusions may also deform and then deflect back to the respective undeformed shapes. Therefore, the hollow portion  24  and the insert  14  may take any shape desired. For example, the hollow portion  24  and the insert  14  may have a circular, square, rectangular, triangular or other shape as desired. Additionally, the shape of the insert  14  and the hollow portion  24 , as well as the protrusions  26  and the recessed portions  34  may key or orient the insert  14  such that it is positioned in a desired fashion within the hollow portion  24 . 
         [0027]    The insert  14  also includes an interior chamber  40  that may be used to house electrical components for illuminating the eraser  10  (the electrical components will be described in more detail below). Furthermore, the insert  14  includes a retaining plug  42  that may be used to close off the interior chamber  40  and prevent materials, such as dust, dirt, water and the like, from entering the interior chamber and contacting the electrical components. The insert  14 , as well as the retaining plug  42  may be made from the same material as the body  12 , or may be made from a different material. However, the insert  14  should be made from a flexible material, such as those used for the body  12 , so that it may deform during assembly and also be compressed by a user during operation. 
         [0028]    As mentioned supra, the electrical components are located within, or substantially within the interior chamber  40 . The electrical components include a power source, such as battery  50 , and a light emitting source  52 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , the power source actually includes two batteries  50 , however, it should be understood that one or more than one battery may be used. The electrical components may include electrical contacts  54  which contact are part of an electrical circuit between the power source and the light emitting source  52 . 
         [0029]    Furthermore, the electrical components may include an intermediate electrical contact  56 , as seen in  FIGS. 3-3A . The intermediate electrical contact includes an insulating portion  58  and a conducting portion  60 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , the intermediate electrical contact  56  is in a relaxed state wherein the insulating portion  58  contacts at least one of the batteries  50  and creates a space  62  between the conducting portion  60  and at least one of the batteries. The intermediate electrical contact  56  is shown in  FIG. 3A  in a compressed state wherein the conducting portion  60  contacts the batteries  50  thereby completing an electrical circuit and illuminating the light emitting source  52 . To move from the relaxed state to the compressed state, the insert  14  is compressed by a user, such as between the user&#39;s fingers. In one form, the insulating portion  58  is made from the same material as the body  12 . 
         [0030]    Additionally, in a preferred form, the light emitting source  52  is a light emitting diode (LED). Other forms of light emitting sources  52  may also be used such as light bulbs or other devices known by those skilled in the art. In one form, the light emitting source  52  stays illuminated while the insert  14  is compressed and the electrical components are completing a circuit between the power source and the light emitting source  52 . However, in one alternative, the light emitting source flashes while the insert  14  is compressed and the electrical components are completing a circuit between the power source and the light emitting source  52 . The light emitting source  52  may be designed to flash in any pattern desired, as understood by those skilled in the art. Additionally, the light emitting source  52  may be colored. For example, the light emitting source  52  may be a blue, red, green, yellow or other colored LED. Similarly, multiple LEDs may be used, in a variety of colors, as a light emitting source  52 . 
         [0031]    Another embodiment of the eraser  110  is shown in  FIGS. 4-5 . Similar structure can be found in this embodiment and therefore, will not be discussed for the sake of brevity. However, body  112 , as seen in  FIG. 5  is only accessible from the top surface  120 . Additionally, insert  114 , though similar to insert  14  found in  FIGS. 1-2 , is different in that there is only one flange  130 . The shape of insert  114  corresponds to the hollow portion  124  such that the insert  114  is assembled into the hollow portion  124  similarly to the process described supra. Additionally, the protrusions  126  correspond to the recessed portions  134  such that the insert  134  is similarly oriented within the hollow portion  124 . 
         [0032]    Another form of the electrical components are shown in  FIGS. 6-6A . In this embodiment, the electrical contacts  154  are slightly different from the electrical contacts  54 . Specifically, the electrical contact  154  located near the bottom surface  122  includes additional insulating material  180 . This insulating material can be used such that when the insert  114  is in the relaxed state, the insulating material  180  creates a space  162  between the electrical contact  154  and at least one of the batteries  150 . The insert  114  is shown in the compressed state in  FIG. 6A  wherein the insulating material  180  deforms to allow the battery  150  to touch the electrical contact  154  and complete the electrical circuit and illuminate the light emitting source  152 . It should be noted that while the insulating material is located only adjacent one battery  150 , the insulating material may be placed at either or both of the batteries, or any number of batteries as included in the electrical components. Similarly, it should be noted that this embodiment does not include an intermediate electrical contact. However, the intermediate electrical contact may be included if desired. 
         [0033]    It should be understood that the shape of the eraser  10  and  110  may be adjusted and designed as desired. For example, the eraser  10 ,  110  may take the form of a disc, square, rectangle, tree, heart, star, or any other shape desired. Additionally, the insert  14 ,  114  may be glued in place to prevent the insert  14 ,  114  from being easily removed from the body  12 ,  112 . Furthermore, the light emitting source  52 ,  152  may be oriented within the eraser  10 ,  110  such that the light is focused towards a desired portion of the eraser shape, such as the top of a tree or a point of a star. Additionally, the light emitting source  52 ,  152  may illuminated all or substantially all of the body  12 ,  112 . 
         [0034]    It will be readily apparent from the foregoing detailed description of the invention and from the illustrations thereof that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts and principles of this invention.