Abstract:
An imprinter for creating impressions of designs in media such as buttercream, fondant, gum paste, modeling dough, and cookie dough for decoration. The imprinter includes a retainer having a retainer body and at least one retaining portion and a lock configured to be received by the retainer. The lock has a lock retaining portion engageable with the retaining portion of the retainer to selectably secure the lock to the retainer.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of imprinting tools. Specifically, the present application relates to a tool for making decorative impressions in surfaces. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Food decorators often create impressions of designs in media including buttercream, fondant, gum paste, modeling dough, and cookie dough. These designs may include alphanumeric characters, symbols, or ornamental embellishments to decorate food products. The decorator may use presses comprising press pieces to create designs on the surfaces of food products. It can be difficult to achieve the desired impressions in a precise and repeatable manner. 
     A problem with the current presses is that they do not allow decorators to create impressions without press pieces moving during use. In addition, the current presses and press pieces do not allow decorators to see through the presses while creating impressions. That is, the opacity of current presses and press pieces obscure the sightline of the decorator at critical times during decoration. The opacity of current presses and press pieces also requires decorators to estimate the approximate location and orientation of the impression. Correct placement of the impressions on media is challenging to achieve and cannot be ensured. 
     Current presses do not allow for the impression pieces to remain fixed in desired configurations without movement. Decorators must currently use great delicacy and care in lifting and turning such presses over to avoid moving the impression pieces. Decorators often use their fingers to help keep the impression pieces in place, which is further complicated by the difficulty in aligning the press for placement as noted above. Many current presses do not facilitate combining alphanumeric and non-alphanumeric designs together. Decorators currently approximate the location of impressions when combining alphanumeric and non-alphanumeric designs, resulting in imperfect borders and lines. Such imperfections often extend decoration time because they may require the decorator to remove the imperfect impression and start over. 
     A need exists for improved technology, including technology that may address the above described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One embodiment of the invention relates to an imprinter for creating impressions of designs. The imprinter includes a retainer having a retainer body and at least one retaining portion and a lock configured to be received by the retainer, the lock having a lock retaining portion engageable with the retaining portion of the retainer to selectably secure the lock to the retainer. 
     Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the present disclosure may be set forth from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the present disclosure and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without further limiting the scope of the present disclosure claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding of the invention, are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and together with the detailed description serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. No attempt is made to show structural details of the present disclosure in more detail than may be necessary for a fundamental understanding of the present disclosure and the various ways in which it may be practiced. 
         FIG. 1A  illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of an imprinter. 
         FIG. 1B  illustrates a side view of the imprinter of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 1C  illustrates a side view of the imprinter of  FIG. 1  with a press piece featuring an alphanumeric design. 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates a press piece featuring an alphanumeric design securable within the retainer of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates a press piece featuring an ornamental design securable within the imprinter of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2C  illustrates a section view of a press piece securable within the imprinter of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2D  illustrates an overhead view of the back of one of the press pieces of the imprinter of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates a top view of one of the locks of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3B  illustrates a side view of one of the locks of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4A  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the retainer of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4B  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the retainer of  FIG. 1  when the retainer has received at least one press piece. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the imprinter of  FIG. 1  from a perspective closest to a surface of a desired location. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and made part of this disclosure. 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates an imprinter  100  that comprises a retainer  110  with retainer sides  113 , a grip  119 , at least one lock  150 , which in one embodiment includes a first lock  150   a  and a second lock  150   b  at opposing ends  106  of the retainer. The imprinter  100  may be made of any suitable material, for example, plastic. The retainer  110  of the imprinter  100  may receive at least one press piece  180 . The imprinter  100  may be any color. In addition, the imprinter  100  may be transparent or opaque, and the press piece  180  may be transparent or opaque. In a preferred embodiment, the imprinter  100  and at least one press piece  180  may be transparent. The press piece  180  may be made of any suitable material, for example, plastic. The retainer  110  and the press piece  180  may be made of different materials. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1A-C , the imprinter  100  includes a retainer  110 . The retainer  110  includes a retainer body  111 . The retainer body  111  maybe substantially planar. Extending from the retainer body  111  are a first retaining portion  113   a  and a second retaining portion  113   b . In one embodiment, the first retaining portion  113   a  extends from a first edge of the retainer body  111  parallel with the longitudinal axis of the retainer body  111 . A second retaining portion  113   b  extends from a second edge, opposite the first edge, of the retaining body parallel with the longitudinal axis of the retainer body  111 . The first retaining portion  113   a  and second retaining portion  113   b  may extend perpendicular to the plane of the retainer body  111 . In one embodiment, each of the first retaining portion  113   a  and the second retaining portion  113   b  include a corresponding groove  114   a ,  114   b  for receiving a portion of the press piece  180 . The grooves  114  may be formed as a recess in the respective first retaining portion  113   a  and second retaining portion  113   b  or may be formed by the presence of a flange on the respective first retaining portion  113   a  and second retaining portion  113   b.    
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2A-D , in one exemplary embodiment, a press piece  180  includes a deck  181  having a design  182  extending therefrom and sides  183 . The press piece  180  further includes a back surface  184  (illustrated in  FIG. 2D ). When the press piece  180  is assembled with the retainer  110 , the back surface  184  is adjacent to the retainer body  111  and the design  182  extends away from the retainer  110 . The press piece  180  includes a retained portion  183  that is configured to engage with the retainer  110  to hold the press piece  180  to the retainer  110 . In one embodiment, the retained portions  183  are sides of the press piece  180  configured to slide into sides  113  of retainer  110 . In one embodiment, the retained portions  183  may substantially fill the short axis (height) of the grooves  114  such that the press piece  180  may be removed from the retainer  110  but when engaged with the retainer  110  is snugly fit so as to prevent substantial movement vertically when the retainer  110  is operated. 
     The design  182  of  FIG. 2A  is alphanumeric. In another exemplary embodiment, the design  182  may be ornamental (see  FIG. 2B ). The press piece  180  is removable from the retainer  110  for easy cleaning and for customizing combinations of designs to be imprinted with the imprinter  100 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 1A , the first lock  150   a  and the second lock  150   b  are engageable with the retainer  110 . The first lock  150   a  and the second lock  150   b  each includes a lock retaining portion  151  and a lock deck  152 , which may be tab-shaped as shown in  FIG. 3A . In one embodiment, the retainer  110  is attached to a grip  119  for use in positioning the imprinter  100  over a surface. The grip  119  assists decorators in imprinting the design  182  at precise locations and angles for decorating. The retainer  110  has sides  113  between which at least one press piece  180  may slide into the retainer  110 . The lock deck  152  of first lock  150   a  and second lock  150   b  may be turned toward the design  182  to secure the press piece  180  in place. The first lock  150   a  and the second lock  150   b  are configured to slide between sides  113  of retainer  110  and are disposable at opposing ends  106  of the retainer  110 . 
     The first lock  150   a  and the second lock  150   b  are configured to secure at least one press piece  180 . The first lock  150   a  and the second lock  150   b  may be configured to release at least one press piece  180  and allow for movement within the retainer  110  and removal from the retainer  110 . Placement of the first lock  150   a  and the second lock  150   b  on opposing ends  106  of the retainer  110  sandwiches at least one press piece  180  between the first lock  150   a  and the second lock  150   b . When the lock deck  152  of each lock is oriented to project perpendicularly to the retainer  110 , contents of the retainer  110  are unlocked and may shift slightly within the retainer  110  during imprinting. In a preferred embodiment, first lock  150   a  and second lock  150   b  are both locked to inhibit movement during imprinting and are unlocked to facilitate easy removal of the press piece  180  and easy insertion of the press piece  180  into the retainer  110 . 
     The exemplary embodiments described above do not limit the types of designs that may be used in the imprinter  100 . For example, other designs that may be used in conjunction with imprinter  100  include symbols, curlicues, embellishments, illustrations, adornments, and artwork. In one embodiment, the press piece  180  features a design  182  that is scroll-like (see  FIG. 2B ). Moreover, in other embodiments, impressions may be made of combinations of different types of designs. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3A-B , the lock  150  includes a lock deck  152  and a lock retaining portion  151 . In one embodiment, the lock retaining portion  151  is positioned at one end of the lock  150  and configured to engage the groove. In one embodiment, the lock retaining portion  151  comprises a cylinder. The lock retaining portion  151  may be a cylinder that extends at least the width of the lock deck  152  or may be in two parts with a first cylinder extending from one side of the lock deck  152  and a second cylinder extending from the other side of the lock deck  152 . The lock retaining portion  151  comprises a major axis  158  and a minor axis  159 , the major axis  158  corresponding to the longest diameter and the minor axis  159  to the shortest diameter. 
     In one embodiment, the major axis  158  is perpendicular to the plane of the lock deck  152 . The major axis  158  is equal to or greater than the height of the groove  114  while the minor axis  159  is less than the height of the groove  114 . Thus, the locking retaining portion  151  may slide along the groove  114  while the major axis  158  is not aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the retainer  110  (and its groove  114 ). The lock  150  may be slid into the groove  114  while it is non-parallel with the retainer  110 . The lock  150  may be rotated, while the lock retaining portion  151  is in the groove  114 , to rotate the relative positions of the major axis  158  and minor axis  159  with respect to the groove  114 . Due to the size of the major axis  158 , the rotation of the lock  150  will result in the lock retaining portion  151  becoming wedged within the groove  114  to secure the lock  150  in place relative to the retainer  110 . 
     In one embodiment, the lock retaining portion  151  is shaped to provide a bi-stable structure, wherein the lock  150  is stable when substantially perpendicular—and free to slide in the groove  114 —to the retainer  110 . In such a perpendicular position, the lock  150  would extend from the retainer  110  and interfere with the imprinting. The lock  150  is also stable when substantially parallel—and unable to slide without substantial force relative to the groove  114 —with the retainer  110 . When in such a parallel position, the lock  150  does not extend from the retainer  110  sufficient to interfere with imprinting. In one implementation, the lock retaining portion  151  is an elliptical cylinder. In another implementation, illustrated in  FIG. 3B , the lock retaining portion  151  includes one or more ridges  153 . The ridges  153  provide a larger effective diameter than where the lock retaining portion  151  lacks ridges  153 . In such an embodiment, the ridges engage the retainer  110  to secure the lock  150  when the lock  150  is positioned parallel to the retainer  110 . 
     In one embodiment, the lock  150  has a ledge  154  bordering the lock deck  152  and extending from the lock deck  152  such that the ledge  154  is adjacent to the retainer body  111  when the lock  150  is parallel with the retainer  110 . In one embodiment, illustrated in  FIG. 3A , two ledges  154  are provided such that each ledge  154  abuts and runs perpendicular to the lock retaining portion  151 . Each ledge  154  protrudes from the lock deck  152  to interfere with sides  113  of retainer  110  to ensure that first lock  150   a  and second lock  150   b  fasten at least one press piece  180  between the sides  113  of retainer  110 . The ledge  154  may serve as a stop to limit rotation of the lock  150  with respect to the retainer  110 . For example, the ledge  154  may prevent the lock  150  from rotating past the point where the major axis  158  is when the lock deck  152  is oriented in a first position to parallel retainer  110 , and interference is created between each ledge  154  and sides  113  of retainer  110  to inhibit movement. When the lock deck  152  is oriented to be in a second position to be perpendicular to the design  182  and to retainer  110 , movement is allowed. The lock deck  152  has a width, and, in one embodiment, the lock retaining portion  151  has a width that exceeds the width of lock deck  152 . The width of lock deck  152  is less than the distance between the opposing grooves  114  to allow the lock  150  to rotate relative to the retainer  110 . 
     The press piece  180  has a design  182  projecting in a first direction away from the retainer  110  and towards a surface to be imprinted (see  FIG. 1C ). A press piece  180  comprising a back  184  may be oriented in the retainer  110  so that the design  182  contacts the desired surface while the back  184  of the press piece  180  faces towards retainer  110  (see  FIG. 5 ). As illustrated in  FIG. 4A , the grip  119  projects from the retainer  110  in a second direction opposed to the first direction. Sides  113  of the retainer  110  project in the first direction. The grip  119  allows for manual positioning of imprinter  100  at a desired location. The grip  119  is approximately equidistant between sides  113  of retainer  110  and provides for imprinter  100  to be used comfortably and safely. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1C , sides  183  of press piece  180  extend in a second direction opposite to the first direction that the design extends along. Sides  183  of press piece  180  are configured to be inserted between sides  113  of retainer  110 .  FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment when viewed from the surface to be imprinted. An embodiment formed of transparent material removes guesswork from positioning the imprinter to create impressions in a surface at a desired location because a decorator can view the position of at least one press piece  180  within the retainer  110  prior to applying force to the imprinter  100 . 
     In one embodiment, the imprinting tool may include only a first lock  150   a . The first lock  150   a  may be engageable at one end of the retainer  110 , with the second end of the retainer  110  retaining the press pieces  180  such that a second lock  150   b  is not necessary to retain the press pieces  180 . 
     In one embodiment, the first lock  150   a  and the second lock  150   b  are chiral, being non-superimposable mirror images of each other and are designed to only secure the retainer  110  from their respective ends. In another embodiment, the first lock  150   a  and the second lock  150   b  are identical and may be interchanged to secure the retainer  110  from either end. 
     In one embodiment, a lock  150  may positioned between two press pieces  180  such as to serve as a spacer. In such embodiment, the lock  150  does not extend from the retainer  110  sufficiently to leave an imprint when the imprinter  100  is used. Thus, the lock  150  may serve to additionally secure press pieces  180  other than from an end and may also serve as a spacer, such as where a decorator wishes to form works from letters on press pieces  180 . 
     In one embodiment, the press piece  180  may be inserted into the retainer  110  with the design  182  facing outward, i.e. away from the retainer, or inward, i.e. disposed between the deck  181  and the retainer body  111 . In this embodiment, storage of the press piece  180  with the design inwardly facing can protect the design  182  from damage, such as during travel. Further, press pieces  180  that are inserted into the retainer  110  facing inward may be used as spacers between outwardly facing press pieces  180  to provide spaces between imprinted designs. 
     In one embodiment, the retainer  110  includes a plurality of retaining portions. In this embodiment, a plurality of grooves  114  each for receiving a portion of the press piece  180  are disposed to permit rows of press pieces  180  to be stacked in the retainer  110 . In such embodiment, imprinter  100  can imprint at least one design  182 , and resulting impressions on a surface of a desired location can surpass the design  182  of the press piece  180  in height and width. In this embodiment, the retainer body  111  comprises pairs of grooves  114  parallel to each other. Press pieces  180  can be disposed horizontally and vertically relative to each other to permit rows and columns of imprinted designs. 
     A method of using imprinter  100  is now described. Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , at least one press piece  180  with a design  182  is selected. Each press piece  180  is inserted into a retainer  110  to be oriented parallel to a desired location for imprinting. A first lock  150   a  and a second lock  150   b  are positioned on opposing ends  106  of the retainer  110 . A tab-shaped portion of each lock of first lock  150   a  and second lock  150   b  is turned in a first position parallel to the design  182  to secure each press piece  180 . A grip  119  is used to position imprinter  100  over a surface at a desired location. Force is applied to imprinter  100  so that the design  182  of at least one press piece  180  is impressed on the surface. 
     The imprinter described above provides several advantages. The decorator can readily imprint designs on the surface of a desired location accurately and with consistent results. A plurality of combinations of designs are achievable. The grip  119  and the retainer  110  allow for placement of designs directly on the surface without manually positioning the press piece at the desired location. The method of imprinting described above may be more sanitary as there may be less contact with the decorator&#39;s hands and higher precision of design location and angle. Embodiments comprising translucent materials may allow the decorator to see the surface at the desired location, reducing delay and improving decoration speed and quality. 
     With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for the sake of clarity. 
     The foregoing description of illustrative embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and of description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting with respect to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the disclosed embodiments. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.