Patent Publication Number: US-2010129779-A1

Title: Image Capture and Tracing System and Method

Description:
This invention claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/117,103 with the title, “Image Capture and Tracing System and Method” filed on Nov. 22, 2008 and which is hereby incorporated by reference. Applicant claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. Par 119(e)(i). The present invention relates to devices and methods used for capturing three dimensional scenes or two dimensional images by means of tracing on a transparent medium. It also relates to devices and methods used for transferring also by means of tracing, images from a transparent medium onto a sheet of paper. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Background 
     Prior art describe several devices and methods that artists can use to capture images manually. In general this prior art falls into two groups. The first group includes methods and devices that employ a transparent sheet located between the artist and the scenery that he wants to capture. To capture the image the artist traces the image that he sees on the transparent sheet. In so doing it is essential that he maintains a fixed point of view to ensure that the image that he sees through the transparency remains stationary with respect the transparency. This prior art group includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,589 by R. Baker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,376 by Gosselin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,250 by McKewen, U.S. Pat. No. 6,785,972 by Goldberg, U.S. Pat. No. D379,371 by Nicholl, and U.S. Pat. No. 9,409 by Richter. 
     The second group of prior art inventions includes light boxes that allow the user to transfer by tracing an image from a transparent medium onto a sheet of paper. This prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 2,701,838 by Loesch, U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,952 by Coldren, U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,293 by Kobzeff, U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,770 by Simmons et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,913 by Wa, and U.S. Pat. No. D194,517 by Banks. 
     None of the prior art combines in an efficient, economical and reliable manner the device for and method of, capturing an image on a transparent sheet, with the device for, and method of, tracing the image from the transparent sheet onto a sheet of paper. 
     Further features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention over the prior art will be more fully understood when considered with respect to the following detailed description claims and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates the invention as it is used to trace a three dimensional scene on a transparent panel. 
         FIG. 2  shows the construction of the two-panel clipboard onto which images are traced. 
         FIG. 3  provides a view of the light box with which traced images are transferred onto paper. 
         FIG. 4  describes the method of use of the invention starting with the capture of the image by tracing it on a transparent panel, flipping the panel to protect the tracing, and then using the light box to trace from the transparent panel onto a sheet of paper. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates how the two-paneled clipboard can be used to capture a two dimensional image from a book. 
         FIG. 6  shows how the light box can be used to transfer an image from a transparent panel onto paper. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a variation of the alignment sight in an erect and deployed position. 
         FIG. 7A  shows the variation in the design of the alignment sight of  FIG. 7  in a horizontal and stowed away position. 
     
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is an image capture device for manually transferring an image from a three dimensional scene or from a two dimensional picture onto paper comprised of a two-paneled foldable transparent clipboard. The clip board comprises a first panel equipped with a paper clip and a second panel hinged to the first panel. The image capture device also includes a light box and an erasable pen. 
     This invention can capture images that prior art devices cannot trace because all previous devices require intense back-light. If light cannot traverse an object or if the surface of the object cannot be illuminated then its image cannot be captured. The invention allows the capture of images from walls, pictures, books, TV screens, computer images and more without having light go through the image or item. 
     Another advantage of this invention is that it allows the user to trace a mirror image of the object by flipping the panels after the image has been captured. 
     Yet one more advantage of this invention is that an image of an object can be captured and traced without touching the object. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     This invented device and its operation are illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 . The device comprises the following elements: 
     a) a two-paneled transparent clipboard  11 ; 
     b) a light box  12 ; 
     c) an aligning sight  13 ; 
     d) an erasable pen  14 ; 
     Two-Paneled Transparent Clipboard  11   
     Unlike ordinary clipboards, the two-paneled transparent clipboard  11  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 2A  comprises two transparent rectangular panels  31  and  32  hinged together at one of their sides.  FIG. 2  provides a view from one side and  FIG. 2A  provides a view from the reverse side. The panels  31  and  32  comprise a plastic frame  34  and  39  respectively which hold the transparent sheets  35  and  36  respectively. These sheets are made of transparent material such as glass or Plexiglas™. The frames  34  and  39  are hinged together along one of their sides, typically, but not necessarily, the smallest side. Both frames  34  and  39  and the hinge  33  can be manufactured as a single piece of plastic. 
     The clipboard  11  can have two folded configurations, each configurations being fully folded or partially folded as in the shape of a V. The first folded configuration is dubbed the image capture configuration because it is used to capture the image of an object by mans of an erasable pen, for example. The second folded configuration is dubbed the tracing configuration because it is used to trace the image onto a sheet of paper. For explanatory purposes, each side of each panel shall be labeled: the second side of the first panel  32  and the first side of the second panel  31  are defined as being nearest to each other when the clipboard is folded in the image capture configuration; the first side of the first panel  32  and the second side of the second panel  31  are defined as being nearest to each other when the clipboard is folded in the tracing configuration. The folded configuration can be fully folded such that each the panels are in contact with each other, or partially folded such that they form a V. 
     The hinge  33  could be manufactured as a living hinge. A living hinge is a thin flexible hinge made from plastic that joins two rigid plastic parts together, allowing them to bend along the line of the hinge. It is typically manufactured in an injection molding operation that creates all three parts at one time as a single part. Polyethylene and polypropylene are considered to be the best resins for living hinges, due to their excellent fatigue resistance. It is clearly obvious to anyone versed in the art that other kinds of hinges are possible and this invention is not limited to the living hinge configuration. 
     One of the panels  32  contains a large paper clip  37  along its hinge side. The other panel  31  is configured with an opening  38  along its hinge side to accommodate the passage of the paper clip  37  when the two panels  31  and  32  are folded together. 
     The frames  34  and  39  may also include an opening  40  on the side opposite the hinge side to facilitate the handling of the clipboard  11 . 
     Light Box  12   
     This component is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . It is comprised essentially of a rectangular box  41 , with an open top and equipped inside with a light generation device  42  such as a neon tube. This light generation device  42  can be powered by household current or by batteries to make this device portable outdoors. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the inside of the light box  12  is lined with a highly reflective coating  43  to maximize the illumination of the light generation device  42 . One should note that whereas conventional light boxes are equipped with a fixed transparent cover  44  on their top to hold the original image document and the tracing paper onto which the image is transferred, in this invention, this cover  44  is not essential since the two-paneled transparent clipboard  11  can take its place as shall be described below in the paragraph discussing how the invention is utilized. However, such a fixed transparent cover  44  can be convenient and can be protective of the illumination device  42 , and is therefore included as an option in this invention. 
     The light box  12  is equipped on its long edges with a number of notches  45  to hold the two-paneled clipboard  11 . These notches  45  allow the user to select how far from his eyes he can mount the two paneled clipboard  11  as demonstrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     Alignment Sight 
     The light box  12  holds, rotatably and slidably mounted on its side, an alignment sight  13  that allows the user to maintain a fixed perspective with respect the scene which he wants to capture. The sight  13  is essentially a bar fastened at one end to the light box  12  by a butterfly nut  52 , and having at the other end an aperture  51  through which the user can observe a scene from a fixed perspective. To utilize the sight  13  the user untightens the butterfly nut  52 , slides the sight  13  to a desired position along the slot  53  visible in  FIG. 1 , and retightens the butterfly nut  52 . If the user does not need the alignment sight  13 , he can put it back in its original position as shown in  FIG. 3 . As is evident to those versed in the art, other options exist to fasten this aligning sight to the side of the light box such as VELCRO™ strips and magnets. This aligning sight  13  is not absolutely essential to the invention since the user can always trace a landmark first and then use the trace of the landmark as an aligning sight. The aligning sight  13  is therefore included as an option in this invention. 
     A design variation of the alignment sight  13  is shown in  FIG. 7 . The sight  13  is a bar hinged to one of the bottom edges of the box  41  by mean of hinge  54 . The sight can be deployed as shown in  FIG. 7  or stowed away under the box  41  as shown in  FIG. 7A . Persons versed in the art will recognize that several means are possible for keeping the sight erect as in  FIG. 7 . For example, one means is to rely on friction in the hinge. Another means is to use a magnet to latch the sight  13  to the box  41 . The magnet can be embedded in the box  41  and the sight  13  can be made of a ferromagnetic metal or contain a ferromagnetic metal. Yet another possible means is to use VELCRO™ strips between the sight  13  and the side of the box  41 . 
     Rubber pad  55  mounted under the box  41  can provide enough space between the box  41  and its supporting surface to accommodate the stowed sight  13 . Alternatively this space can be made available by shaping a groove in the bottom of the box in the shape of an inverted U slightly larger in size than the sight  13  and into which the sight can fit when it is stowed away. 
     Erasable Pen 
     Since the device is intended to be reusable, tracing could be performed by means of an erasable pen or marker  14 . For example, a dry-erase type pen would be very convenient. In such a case, the panel on which the image of the object is captured should be made or coated with a material onto which the ink from an erasable pen can be applied and erased. 
     Utilization of the Invention 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the utilization of the invention. The first step  1  is to capture an image on the transparent clipboard  11 . If the image to be captured is three dimensional he can use the configuration  1  illustrated in  FIG. 4  also shown in  FIG. 1  wherein the two-paneled clipboard  11  is erected as an inverted V, on the light box  12 , wedged into the notches  45  on the edges of the light box  12 . The user can, at his option, use the aligning sight  13  mounted on the side of the light box  12 . 
     If the image to be captured is two dimensional, the user can use the configuration  2  shown in  FIG. 4  as well as in  FIG. 5 . He positions the panel  31 , the one without the clip on top of the image to be traced. The user then traces the image on the panel  31  using the erasable pen  14 . 
     After having traced the image  71 , the panel  31  holding the image is facing the user as shown  FIG. 4  according to configuration  3 . 
     As illustrated in configuration  4 , the user then flips the two-panel clipboard such that the traced image  71  is protected between the two panels as shown in configuration  4  and he is now facing panel  32 . 
     He can, then, as illustrated in  FIG. 4  configuration  5  as well as in  FIG. 6 , place the two-panel clipboard  11  on top of the light box  12 , insert a sheet of paper  61  inside the clip  37  and trace on the paper  61  the image drawn on the panel. It is clear that the light box cover  44  shown in  FIG. 1  is not essential in this operation. However, as mentioned above, it is included in this invention as an option. 
     This method of transferring images can transfer images to any object translucent enough to be capable to be traced on such as, but not limited to, paper, fabric and translucent plastic. For example the method could be used to draw on T-shirts. This invention offers several unique ways to copy and trace images as explained in the examples below: 
     Example 1 
     Tracing a picture or image from a book or magazine:
         a) taking a photo or image and hold it in place on panel  32  using the provided clip;   b) folding the panel  31  over the photo or image, as to protect it;   c) using a dry-erase pen and trace the image onto panel  31 ;   d) when your tracing is complete, removing the photo or image from the clip and fold panel  32  over panel  31  so that the traced image is now protected;   e) placing a blank sheet of paper into the clip;   f) placing both clear shields onto the light-box and turning on the light. The image can now be traced on paper or fabric such as a tee-shirt.       

     Example 2 
     Tracing a vertical image from a wall, TV, or hanging object:
         a) holding up the panels onto an image/photo on a wall;   b) using the dry-erase pen to trace the image onto panel  31 ;   c) after the image is traced, folding panel  32  on top of panel  31  to protect the traced image;   d) inserting a sheet of paper into the clip and place the folded clipboard onto the light-box;   e) tracing the captured image onto the paper.       

     Example 3 
     Making landscapes or portraits:
         a) Placing the two panels upright as an inverted V onto the light-box by separating them slightly at the unhinged end and using the notches on the edges of the light box to stand them up, thereby forming a transparent easel;   b) maintaining a steady point of reference by using the sight attached to the end of the light-box;   c) tracing an image of anything from a person to a mountain scene on panel  31  using the dry-erase pen;   d) after the image is traced, folding panel  32  on top of panel  31  to protect the traced image;   e) inserting a sheet of paper into the clip and place the folded clipboard onto the light-box;       

     Example 4 
     Creating mirror images or combining more than one picture to create beautiful collages:
         a) capturing an image as described in the previous examples;   b) flipping the folded clipboard to provide a mirror image of the image captured on panel  31 ;   c) clipping a sheet of paper on the back of panel  31 . Since in this configuration, the clip  37  is on the wrong side of panel  31 , the clip  37  has to be flipped from one side to the other side of panel  31 , or an independent clip second clip may have to be used;   d) tracing the image.       

     Example 5 
     Collages or mashups can be generated by capturing several images and tracing the combination on a single sheet of paper. 
     While the above description contains many specificities, the reader should not construe these as limitations on the scope of the invention, but merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments thereof. Those skilled in the art will envision many other possible variations within its scope. Accordingly, the reader is requested to determine the scope of the invention by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples which have been given.