Patent Publication Number: US-8991128-B2

Title: Drywall repair kit

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE 
     This application claims priority from Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/714,780 filed on Oct. 17, 2012. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an easy to use repair kit for repairing a hole in drywall and/or plaster. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Oftentimes it is necessary or desirable to fix a hole (e.g., a screw hole or a nail hole) in drywall and/or plaster structures such as ceilings and walls. Heretofore, a user desiring to repair such holes would insert wet joint compound or a wet plaster mixture into the hole or opening to fill the same. However, inserting the wet compound or mixture into the hole could be both time consuming and messy, and oftentimes results in excess compound or mixture being inadvertently applied to the surface of the structure adjacent the hole or opening which must then be cleaned. 
     Following the application of joint compound or plaster mixture, the user must then wait until the wet compound or mixture dries and hardens, which can also be time consuming and take a day or more. Further, during the drying process, joint compound and plaster mixtures tend to shrink or contract leaving a slight indent in the structure being repaired, which often requires that the user apply a second application of the joint compound or plaster mixture to the structure to achieve a smooth finish. Of course, a second application further requires a second waiting period for the newly applied joint compound/plaster mixture to dry and harden. Once the second application of joint compound/plastic mixture has hardened, the user must typically then sand the surface to prepare the same to be primed and painted, all of which further lengthens the repair process. 
     Consequently, there exists in the art a long-felt need for a drywall/plaster repair kit that eliminates the waiting time typically associated with other drywall/plaster repair methods and devices. There also exists in the art a long felt need for a drywall/plaster repair kit that enables a user to repair a hole or opening in drywall and/or plaster with a single application, thereby saving time. Finally, there is a long-felt need for a drywall/plaster repair kit that accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and safe and easy to use. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
     The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, is a drywall repair kit that enables a user to repair a hole or opening in drywall and/or plaster with a single application, and without the wait times typically associated with other drywall/plaster repair methods and devices. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the drywall repair kit comprises one or more gypsum pencils, a sharpener, and a cutting device. A user can use the kit to repair relatively small openings in a drywall or plaster surface by: (i) inserting a sharpened tip of the gypsum pencil into the opening to be repaired; (ii) using the cutting device to score the exterior surface of the gypsum pencil at its intersection with the surface; and (iii) breaking the gypsum pencil at the score line, thereby ensuring that the portion of the gypsum pencil that remains in the structure is relatively flush with the surface of the structure. Upon completion, the repaired surface can immediately be primed and/or painted without the traditional wait times associated with permitting the wet joint compound/plaster mixtures to dry, harden and be sanded. Moreover, the remaining portion of the gypsum pencil may be sharpened with the sharpener and reused to fill another opening. Finally, no prior construction or specialized knowledge or know-how is required to use the drywall repair kit of the present invention. 
     To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the contents of the drywall repair kit of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the cutting device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the pencil like structure in proximity to an opening in a surface. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of the tip of the pencil like structure inserted into the opening of  FIG. 3  and being scored with a preferred embodiment of the cutting device. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the pencil like structure and the opening following the repair. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. 
     Referring initially to the drawings,  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the contents of the drywall repair kit  100  of the present invention which is preferably comprised of a pencil like structure  110 , a sharpener  130 , and a cutting device  150 , all of which may be packaged, transported and stored in a container  180 . Pencil like structure  110  is preferably a generally elongated cylindrical member having a first end  112 , an opposing second end  114 , and an exterior surface  116 . Pencil like structure  110  is further preferably comprised of a hardened gypsum-based powder. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, pencil like structure  110  is between three and seven inches in length, as measured between first end  112  and second end  114 , and between ¼ and ¾ of an inch in diameter. Nonetheless, it is contemplated that pencil like structure  110  could come in other shapes and sizes without affecting the overall concept of the invention. 
     Sharpener  130  can be any type of sharpener known in the art, such as a pencil sharpener or other sharpening device used to sharpen the end of an instrument (e.g., a wooden pencil) to a point. In a preferred embodiment, sharpener  130  is comprised of a housing  132  with a generally conically shaped opening  134  therein and a blade  135  partially positioned within said opening  134  so that when, for example, first end  112  of pencil like structure  110  is inserted into said opening  134  and rotated in a clockwise direction, blade  135  shapes first end  112  into a point  118 . 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , cutting device  150  is an elongated partially bent member comprised of a handle portion  152  and a forked portion  156  with a pair of legs  158  extending outwardly from said forked portion  156  and away from handle portion  152 . Said legs  158  form an opening  159  therebetween for receipt of first end  112  of pencil like structure  110 . Each of legs  158  may be beveled and/or sharpened on the side of leg  158  nearest opening  159 , and the legs  158  are meant to be generally flush with the surface being repaired when cutting device  150  is in use. As explained more fully below, cutting device  150 , and legs  158  in particular, can be used to scribe or cut a fault line into first end  112  of pencil like structure  110 , thereby weakening the same and enabling a user (not shown) to snap or break pencil like structure  110  at the fault line when desired. 
     As previously stated,  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the contents of drywall repair kit  100 , which may be purchased and/or stored in container  180 . Container  180  can come in a variety of shapes, sizes, designs and orientations to suit user need and/or preference. Nonetheless, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, container  180  is comprised of a first compartment  182  and a second compartment  190  that may be removably attached to one another in stacked fashion such that second compartment  190  rests atop of first compartment  182 . First compartment  182  may be further comprised of a bottom  184  and a wall  186  extending therefrom to define an interior space  188  for storing a plurality of pencil like structures  110  and cutting device  150 . Interior space  188  may also contain a silica pack (not shown), as is known in the art for removing moisture therefrom. 
     Second compartment  190  may further comprise a bottom  192 , a wall  194  extending therefrom, and a top  198  that defines an interior space  196 . Interior space  196  may house sharpener  130  and a continuous opening  199  in top  198  as shown in  FIG. 1  allows a user (not shown) to insert first end  112  of pencil like structure  110  into sharpener opening  134  without removing sharpener  130  from second compartment  190 . In this manner, a user (not shown) can sharpen pencil like structure  110  and contain the shavings and dust created thereby in second compartment  190  for subsequent disposal. 
     Having described the overall structure and contents of a preferred embodiment of repair kit  100 , the use and usefulness of the same will now be summarized. A user (not shown) desiring to repair a small opening  210  in a structure  200 , such as a drywall or plaster wall or ceiling, would simply insert point  118  of pencil like structure  110  into opening  210 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The user (not shown) would then use cutting device  150  to score or cut the circumference of pencil like structure  110  immediately adjacent to opening  210 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 4 . More specifically, the user would cause each of legs  158  of cutting device  150  to straddle pencil like structure  110  and then the user would rotate cutting tool  150  around pencil like structure  110 , thereby scoring or creating a fault line (not shown) on the exterior surface  116  of pencil like structure  110  immediately adjacent to opening  210 . The user (not shown) would then apply slight lateral pressure to pencil like structure  110  thereby causing the same to break at the fault line created by cutting tool  150  and the point  118  would remain in opening  210  and be relatively flush with the surface of structure  200 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 5 . At this point, the user (not shown) can immediately prime and/or paint structure  200  and is not required to wait for traditional joint compound or plaster patch to dry. Additionally, first end  112  of pencil like structure  110  can be sharpened with sharpener  130  to create a new point  118  so that pencil like structure  110  can be used again. 
     Accordingly, the drywall/plaster repair kit  100  of the present invention eliminates the waiting time typically associated with other drywall/plaster repair methods and devices. The drywall/plaster repair kit  100  also enables a user to repair a hole in drywall and/or plaster with a single application, thereby saving time. Finally, the drywall/plaster repair kit  100  is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and safe and easy to use. 
     Other variations are within the spirit of the present invention. Thus, while the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, a certain illustrated embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings and has been described above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form or forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. 
     The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. The term “connected” is to be construed as partly or wholly contained within, attached to, or joined together, even if there is something intervening. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. 
     Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventor expects skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventor intends for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.