Patent Publication Number: US-6041507-A

Title: Multiple line drawing aid

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to devices used to draw or write multiple lines on paper, display boards and the like. The present invention provides a simple holder to retain multiple drawing pens, pencils and other instruments for use in drawing parallel lines on the selected drawing medium. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     There are various devices currently used for drawing parallel lines with the most commonly known being the aids used by draftspersons. Many plastic templets exist which have apertures formed therein for use in inserting the drawing point of a pen or pencil which device must be held by user. When the templet is moved along a straight edge a straight line is drawn by the inserted point of the writing instrument. By moving the writing instrument to a different aperture, a line may be drawn parallel to the first line. This process may of course be repeated many times. 
     If it is desired to draw or display parallel lines on a presentation medium, such as, chalk board, dry erase board or the like, the drawing of one line at a time is much more difficult. Some presenters may use an overhead projector with a view foil already lined to demonstrate their material. However, this does not allow the advantage of being able to stand at the presentation board to discuss and demonstrate presentation material. 
     Other devices for drawing lines on a presentation board include a wood and wire device, designed to hold chalk in the formed wire, which has been used by music teachers to draw music staff lines on chalk boards. A more complicated writing instrument holding device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,153. Neither of these devices provides a simple, sturdy holding device for a variety of drawing instruments. 
     The present invention is preferably a holder formed from a single piece of material as for example plastic. The aid is shaped as a channel or generally U-shaped device with apertures in one side member and a tension friction plate formed in the opposite side member. Pens, pencils or other drawing instruments are placed through the apertures and into the structure formed by the tension friction plate. The pens are then retained by the friction or spring force of the tension friction plate. With multiple pens inserted the drawing aid may be held in the hand and the multiple pen tips moved across a writing surface to create parallel lines. This writing instrument holding structure allows simple insertion and removal of writing instruments; is sturdy and durable in structure; allows ease of use with one hand; and may be stored with pens installed and ready to use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One object of the present invention is provision for retaining multiple drawing instruments in a drawing aid to facilitate drawing of multiple parallel lines. Another object is to allow storage of the drawing aid with drawing instruments installed. 
     In accordance with the description presented herein, other objectives of this invention will become apparent when the description and drawings are reviewed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the drawing aid. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a side elevation view of the drawing aid with drawing instrument inserted. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a front elevation view of the drawing aid with drawing instruments. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the drawing aid with dry erase markers installed. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The multiple line drawing aid is a generally U-shaped device or channel which has a tension friction plate to retain drawing instruments inserted into the drawing aid. The aperture member opposite the friction plate holds the drawing instrument in position as the drawing aid is moved across a drawing or writing surface to produce parallel lines. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, the multiple line drawing aid (1) is a generally U-shaped device or channel having a face plate (2) with an aperture member (3) opposite a holding member (4) along the longitudinal dimension. The holding member (4) has a tension friction plate (5) at an angle of less than 90 degrees from the holding member (4) and is inclined toward the face plate (2). 
     The aperture member (3) has multiple apertures (6) spaced apart to provide the desired distance between the parallel lines to be drawn on a drawing or writing surface. The tension friction plate (5) has slots (7) formed therein opposite the apertures (6) such that when a drawing instrument (8) is inserted through an aperture (6) it engages a corresponding slot (7). The drawing instrument (8) is then pressed into the structure formed by the tension friction plate (5) and the face plate (2) as illustrated in FIG. 2 which forms a double tension clip between the aperture member (3) and tension friction plate (5). 
     With multiple drawing instruments (8) inserted in the drawing aid (1), as illustrated in FIG. 3, the drawing aid (1) may be held in one hand and the drawing instruments (8) moved across a drawing surface to create multiple parallel lines. The drawing aid (1) may be stored with dry erase markers (9) installed as illustrated in FIG. 4. As can be seen, the dry erase markers (9) in this stored position are generally horizontal with a slight incline downward from the base to the tip end (10). This provides for flow of ink to the tip end (10) of the marker (9). For those situations where the user has limited space for storage, the drawing aid (1) can have edges (11) tapered as illustrated in FIG. 3. Thus for example, if the drawing aid (1) is set on an edge (11) the drawing instruments (8) will again be incline downward from base to tip end (10). This is a good configuration for storage on a wall board tray. 
     While the preferred embodiment has been illustrated with five positions for drawing instruments (8) it is obvious more or less positions may be provided in a particular drawing aid (1). The tension friction plate (5) and face plate (2) form a structure which in combination with the aperture member (3) retains an inserted drawing instrument (8) due to the friction forces of the engaged surfaces and a spring force of the tension friction plate (5) and face plate (2) when constructed of a resilient or elastic material. 
     The aperture member (3) may be generally perpendicular to the face plate (2) as illustrated in FIG. 4 or it may be attached at an angle less than 90 degrees as illustrated in FIG. 2. In the first instance the apertures (6) must be sized to allow the drawing instruments (8) to be forced into slots (7). In the second embodiment the apertures (6) may be sized such that they tend to guide the drawing instruments (8) toward the face plate (2) as they are pushed into the drawing aid (1). Of course the apertures (6) and slots (7) are sized to fit the particular drawing instruments (8) to be used. It has been found that constriction of the drawing aid (10) from a single piece of clear plastic elastic sheet material formed to the proper shape gives good performance in retaining dry erase markers.