Patent Publication Number: US-2023150293-A1

Title: Marker stand

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/866,508, titled “MARKER STAND,” filed on Jul. 16, 2022, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,504,994, and also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/280,403, titled “MARKER CAP HOLDER,” filed on Nov. 17, 2021. 
    
    
     This application incorporates herein by reference the entire contents of the foregoing applications. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Various implementations relate generally to a holder for markers and other writing instruments or art supplies. 
     BACKGROUND 
     When markers are used for a project, caps may become separated from the corresponding markers. For example, round marker caps may roll off a work surface, particularly when the markers are employed by a young artist. This may result in retrieval operations under and around the work surface, frustration associated with the same, and—if the caps are not timely retrieved—dried out markers. Other round writing instruments and/or their caps, or other art supplies (e.g., paint brushes) may similarly be prone to rolling off a work surface. 
     SUMMARY 
     In some implementations, a stand includes a plurality of cells, each cell having an outer wall, an inner wall, a bottom edge, and a top edge separated from the bottom edge by a height. A perimeter of the outer wall may include a first plurality of segments that form a hexagon; a perimeter of the inner wall may include a second plurality of segments; and each segment in the second plurality of segments may be substantially parallel to a corresponding segment in the first plurality of segments. 
     The plurality of cells may be arranged such that the bottom edge of each cell is aligned to a bottom plane, such that the plurality of cells can be disposed on a flat surface. The plurality of cells may be further arranged in at least a first row and a second row. Cells in the first row may have a first height, and cells in the second row may have a second height that is greater than the first height. Each cell may be coupled to at least one adjacent cell with a spacing connector that maintains separation between the outer wall of the cell and the outer wall of the adjacent cell. 
     In some implementations, the plane is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of one or more cells in the plurality of cells. The second height may be greater than the first height by at least 5 mm. One or more cells in the plurality of cells may include ridges that extend out and away from inner walls of the one or more cells. 
     Cells in the first row and cells in the second row may be offset, such that the plurality of cells is arranged in a honeycomb pattern. A material comprising the plurality of cells is colored orange, gold, brown or amber. The stand may further include indicia that is configured to evoke a honey-related or honeybee-related theme. 
     The cells may comprise at least one of silicone or rubber. The cells may comprise a material having a coefficient of friction that is greater than plastic. The cells may comprise a material having a Shore A durometer of between 25 and 80. 
     In some implementations, each segment in the second plurality of segments narrows from the top edge toward the bottom edge, such that the inner wall bounds a volume in the shape of an inverted pyramid or portion thereof. The inner wall bounding the volume may be disposed only at the top of corresponding cells in the plurality of cells; or, the inner wall bounding the volume may extend at least about halfway into corresponding cells in the plurality of cells. Edges of the inverted pyramid may be rounded. The inverted pyramid may have three faces, four faces, five faces, six faces, seven faces or eight faces. 
     Each spacing connector and cell may be configured such that a segment of an inner wall of a first cell and a parallel segment of an adjacent second cell are separated by at least 10 mm. 
     The plurality of cells may include a bottom portion and a top portion, where the bottom portion extends from the bottom edge to an intermediate plane; and the top portion is characterized by that remaining portion of the plurality of cells that is not included in the bottom portion. A mass of the bottom portion may be greater than a mass of the top portion. The intermediate plane may be parallel to the bottom plane and disposed (i) halfway to a top edge of a cell in the plurality of cells having the lowest height, (ii) halfway to a top edge of a cell in the plurality of cells having the highest heigh, or (iii) at a level between (i) and (ii). 
     In some implementations, a stand includes a plurality of cells, each cell having an outer wall, an inner wall, a bottom edge, and a top edge separated from the bottom edge by a height. A perimeter of the outer wall may include a first plurality of segments; and the inner wall may include a second plurality of segments. Each segment in the second plurality of segments may be substantially parallel to a corresponding segment in the first plurality of segments. 
     The plurality of cells may be arranged such that the bottom edge of each cell is aligned to a bottom plane, such that the plurality of cells can be disposed on a flat surface; and the plurality of cells may be further arranged in at least a first row and a second row. Cells in the first row may have a first height, and cells in the second row may have a second height that is greater than the first height. Each cell may be coupled to at least one adjacent cell with a spacing connector that maintains separation of at least about  10  mm between the outer wall of the cell and the outer wall of the adjacent cell. 
     In some implementations, a stand includes a plurality of cells, each cell having an outer wall, an inner wall, a bottom edge, and a top edge separated from the bottom edge by a height. A perimeter of the outer wall may include a first plurality of segments; and a perimeter of the inner wall may include a second plurality of segments. Each segment in the second plurality of segments may be substantially parallel to a corresponding segment in the first plurality of segments. Each segment in the second plurality of segments may narrow from the top edge toward the bottom edge, such that the inner wall bounds a volume in the shape of an inverted pyramid or portion thereof. 
     The plurality of cells may be arranged such that the bottom edge of each cell is aligned to a bottom plane, such that the plurality of cells can be disposed on a flat surface. The plurality of cells may be further arranged in at least a first row and a second row, wherein cells in the first row have a first height, and cells in the second row have a second height that is greater than the first height. Each cell may be coupled to at least one adjacent cell with a spacing connector that maintains separation between the outer wall of the cell and the outer wall of the adjacent cell. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    illustrates an exemplary marker holder. 
         FIG.  2 A  illustrates a perspective view of the marker holder of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  2 B  illustrates a perspective wireframe view of the marker holder of  FIG.  2 A . 
         FIG.  2 C  illustrates a top wireframe view of the marker holder of  FIG.  2 A . 
         FIG.  2 D  illustrates a zoomed-in portion of the top wireframe view of the marker holder of  FIG.  2 C . 
         FIG.  2 E  illustrates a front wireframe view of the marker holder of  FIG.  2 A . 
         FIG.  2 F  illustrates a side wireframe view of the marker holder of  FIG.  2 A . 
         FIG.  2 G  illustrates a cross section of the marker holder of  FIG.  2 A , taken along the section line A-A shown in  FIG.  2 C . 
         FIG.  2 H  illustrates an exemplary inverted pyramid structure. 
         FIG.  3 A  illustrates exemplary dimensions of a cell and a marker for which the cell is configured to accommodate and grip. 
         FIG.  3 B  depicts exemplary deformation of the cell of  FIG.  3 A , as it accommodates and grips a marker for which it is configured. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    illustrates an exemplary marker holder  101 , in one implementation, in which it is retaining a plurality of markers  104 . As shown, the marker holder includes a plurality of cells  107 , each cell of which can be configured to retain a single maker  104   a . In some implementations, the marker holder  101  retains the markers  104  by their caps  110 . 
     The marker holder  101  may be made of a material that is flexible and that has a coefficient of friction that is higher than that of a material of the marker cap  110 , such that the combination of flexibility and coefficients of friction causes the marker holder  101  to “pinch” a marker cap  110   a  of a marker  104   a  that is inserted into a cell in the plurality of cells. 
     In some implementations, the gripping force of a cell  107  on a marker cap  110   b  may be greater than a gripping force between a marker  104   b  and its cap  110   b —such that when a user pulls on a marker  104   b  that is disposed in the marker holder  101 , the marker itself  104   b  is released, but the cap  110   b  is retained (e.g., as shown in  FIG.  1   ). In such implementations, the marker holder  101  may assist a user in containing and organizing one or more marker caps  110   b , which, in such implementations, may solve a common problem of marker caps rolling off a table or other work surface while the corresponding marker is in use. 
       FIG.  2 A  is a shaded perspective view of an exemplary marker holder  201 ;  FIG.  2 B  is a wireframe perspective view of the marker holder  201 ; and  FIG.  2 C  is a wireframe top view of the marker holder  201 . As shown, the plurality of cells  207  may be arranged in rows. In some implementations, the plurality of cells  207  may be arranged in at least two rows. In some implementations, the plurality of cells may be arranged in at least three rows. For example,  FIG.  2 A  illustrates a first row  216 , a second row  217 , and a third row  218 . Heights of each cell may vary from row-to-row, or from cell-to-cell, or both form cell-to-cell and row-to-row. For example, as shown in  FIG.  2 F , cells in a first row may have a first height  219 , and cells in a second row may have a second height  221 . 
     With reference to  FIG.  2 C , the marker holder  201  includes a plurality of cells, including cells  207   a ,  207   b  and  207   c . Each cell includes an outer wall  220  and an inner wall  223 . In some implementations, as shown in  FIG.  2 D , a perimeter of an outer wall  220  may include a plurality of segments (e.g., segments  220   a ,  220   b  and  220   c ); and a perimeter of an inner wall  223  may include a plurality of segments (e.g., segments  223   a ,  223   b  and  223   c ). In such implementations, each segment of the outer wall  220  may be substantially parallel to a corresponding segment of the inner wall  223 . For example, segment  220   a  may be parallel to segment  223   a ; segment  220   b  may be parallel to segment  223   b ; and so on. 
     Turning to  FIG.  2 E , the plurality of cells  207  may be arranged such that a bottom edge  213  of each cell is aligned to a bottom plane  219  (e.g., one that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis associated with one or more cells in the plurality of cells  207 ), such that the plurality of cells  207  may be disposed on a flat surface, regardless of any variation in height from cell-to-cell or row-to-row. In addition, cells in an outer row (e.g., row  216  or row  218  in  FIG.  2 A ) may be aligned such that the plurality of cells  207  may be oriented on its side (e.g., along a side of row  216  or row  218 ) so that each cell can support a marker in a horizontal position, rather than in the vertical position shown in  FIG.  1   . 
     In some implementations, each cell may be coupled to an adjacent cell with a spacing connector. For example, as shown in  FIG.  2 D , cell  207   a  may be coupled to cell  207   b  with spacing connector  225 , and to cell  207   c  with spacing connector  226 ; and a spacing connector  227  may couple cells  207   b  and  207   c . The spacing connectors  225 ,  226  and  227  may, in some implementations, provide sufficient spacing between corresponding cells  207   a ,  207   b  and  207   c  such that a user of markers disposed in those cells  207   a ,  207   b  and  207   c  may be able to easily grasp the markers (that is, spacing connectors  225 ,  226  and  227  may provide room for the user&#39;s fingers to fit between adjacent markers). 
     In some implementations, a spacing connector may be about 3-5 mm (e.g., length  224 ); in other implementations, a spacing connector plus the thickness of the walls of two adjacent cells (where wall thickness is the thickness of a cell between its outer wall  220  and inner wall  223 ) may be about 10-15 mm (e.g., length  225  in  FIG.  2 D ); in still other implementations, the spacing connector (e.g., length  224 ) or distance between the inside of adjacent cells (e.g., length  225 ) may be differently dimensioned (e.g., about 5 mm, about 10 mm, about 25 mm, about 10-30 mm, about 50 mm, etc.). (As used herein, “about” or “approximately” or “substantially” may mean within 1%, or 5%, or 10%, or 20%, or 50% of a nominal value). 
     Variation in height of rows (e.g., variation between a height  219  and a height  221  in  FIG.  2 F ) may be configured to make visible indicia  130  (e.g., color labels or color-coded bands; see  FIG.  1   ) of markers disposed in adjacent rows of the marker holder  101 . For example, in some implementations, differences between height  219  and height  221  may be about 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, 25 mm, or more. Spacing between the cells (e.g., provided by the spacing connectors  225 ,  226  and  227  in  FIG.  2 D ) may also enable a user to distinguish between adjacent markers, for example, by making more visible, caps  110  of the markers, which, in some implementations, may be color-coded. 
     In some implementations, the marker holder  201  may be configured to have more mass in particular regions than in other regions. For example, with reference to  FIG.  2 F , some implementations may have a top portion  230  and a bottom portion  233 . The bottom portion may be defined by the bottom plane  219  (when the marker holder  201  is sitting flat, as shown) and another intermediate (e.g., parallel) plane that is either halfway (e.g., at height  236 ) to the top of a row having height  219  (e.g., plane  237 ), or halfway (e.g., at height  240 ) to the top of a row having height  221  (e.g., plane  240 ); and in some implementations, the bottom portion  233  may have more mass than the top portion  230 . In such implementations, this increased mass in the bottom portion  233  may lower the center of mass of the marker holder  201 , making it more stable than other arrangements, especially when markers are disposed in the marker holder  201 . In some implementations, a bottom portion  233  and top portion  230  may be distinguished from each other by planes or boundaries other than the plane  237  or plane  240 . 
     In some implementations, the extra mass may come from the additional of material or mass-increasing features, such as ridges  240  in one or more cells, as shown in  FIG.  2 G —which is a cross section of the marker holder  201 , taken along section lines A-A shown in  FIG.  2 C . Such ridges  240 , when present, may serve other purposes, besides increasing mass of a particular portion. For example, the ridges  240  may prevent a marker or marker cap from being disposed too deeply into a corresponding cell. As another example, such ridges  240  may facilitate gripping of markers of different diameters—that is, a main portion  241  of the cell  207   a  may be configured to grip a marker having a first diameter, and the ridges  240 —which may be disposed on each wall of the cell  207   a —may be configured to grip a marker having a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter. 
     Other features may facilitate gripping of markers having various diameters. For example, in some implementations, an inner wall  250  of the cell  207   a  may narrow from a top  212  of the cell  207   a  to the bottom  213  of the cell  207   a . Turning to  FIG.  2 H , with reference to  FIGS.  2 D and  2 G , inner wall segments  223   a ,  223   b  and  223   c  may decrease in width the farther away from the top edge  212  those segments are. As shown, this decreased width may cause the wall segments (e.g., wall segment  250   a ) to narrow (e.g., in an approximately trapezoidal shape)—creating a bounded inner volume that, in some implementations, may take the form of an inverted (e.g., hexagonal) pyramid  251 . 
     In some implementations, such an inverted pyramid  251  may be present only at the very top of a cell  207   a  (e.g., near the top edge  212 —as partially depicted in  FIG.  2 G  with inner wall  250   a ′); in other implementations, such an inverted pyramid may extend deep (e.g., at least about halfway) into a cell  207   a  (e.g., along the length  241  shown in  FIG.  2 G , or beyond—as partially depicted in  FIG.  2 G  with inner wall  250   a ″). 
     Regardless of the precise dimensions or extent, the inverted pyramid  251  may facilitate smooth accommodation and introduction of a marker into the cell  207   a . Moreover, in some implementations, such an inverted pyramid  207   a  may accommodate markers of different diameters. For example, larger-diameter markers may be accommodated and gripped higher up in the cell  207   a  (e.g., closer to the top edge  212 ); while smaller diameter markers may be accommodated and gripped deeper in the cell  207   a  (e.g., closer to the bottom edge  213 ). 
     The foregoing describes an inverted pyramid. Such an inverted pyramid may have three faces, four faces, five faces, six faces (as shown), seven faces, eight faces, etc. The edges may be straight or rounded, and the faces may similarly be planar or curved. Narrowing of the inverted pyramid may be linear or vary with some other function. The inverted pyramid, in some implementations, may approximate or be an inverted cone (e.g., with substantially no edges or discrete faces). Some implementations may employ only a portion of a pyramid. Other variations are contemplated that may facilitate gripping of markers of varying diameters. 
     To further accommodate markers of varying diameter, the material of a marker holder, in some implementations, may be flexible. Turning to  FIG.  3 A , some portions of an exemplary cell  307   a  may be dimensioned to be less than dimensions of a marker for which the cell  307   a  is configured to accommodate and grip. For example, in some implementations, both a long dimension  302  and a short dimension  303  may be less than a diameter  305  of a marker for which the cell  307   a  is configured. The material of the cell  307   a  may be selected to deform (e.g., stretch) to accommodate the marker (e.g., specifically, its cap) while firmly gripping it (e.g., to facilitate removal, by a user of the marker portion, leaving the corresponding marker cap in the cell  307   a ).  FIG.  3 B  illustrates an exemplary cell  307   a  that has been dimensioned as just described—showing how it may be deformed to accommodate and grip a marker for which it is configured. 
     In implementations such as those just described, spacing connectors may further accommodate stretching and deformation of individual cells, while providing space for users to reach fingers and hands between adjacent markers to grasp and withdraw from a marker holder a specific marker. 
     Several implementations have been described with reference to exemplary aspects, but it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the contemplated scope. For example, this disclosure references markers and their caps; but the devices and methods described herein may equally apply to other writing instruments (e.g., pens, pencils), whether capped or uncapped, or other art supplies (e.g., paintbrushes, crayons, chalk, colored pencils, sculpting tools, etc.). Marker holders are illustrated and described having three rows of cells, arranged in a honeycomb pattern; but other arrangements are possible—with different numbers of rows, different numbers of cells, and arrangements other than in a honeycomb (e.g., in parallel rows, in a grid arrangement, in a straight line, in a circular arrangement, in concentric circles, with multiple cells, with a single cell, etc.). Marker holders that are arranged in a honeycomb pattern, as illustrated, may be further colored or have indicia thereon (e.g., an image of a honeybee or a logo that includes such an image; texturing in the shape of drips of honey, texturing or imagery in the shape of honeycomb, etc.) to evoke a honey or honeybee theme or trade dress—for example, the material may be an orange, gold, yellow, amber, brown, or other color that evokes a honey-related or honeybee-related theme. Other implementations may be unrelated to honey or honeybees and may have other colors (e.g., blue, black, white, pink, green, purple, etc.). Spacing connectors may be longer or shorter (or absent) in some implementations. Dimensions (height, width) may vary. Variation between cell height from row-to-row or cell-to-cell may be more or less than illustrated, and the variation may be regular (e.g., cells within a row may have a common height) or irregular (e.g., each cell may have a different height than one or more adjacent cells). Cells within a marker holder may be similarly dimensioned, or cells may vary within a single marker holder (e.g., some cells may accommodate wider markers and others narrower markers; or cells may vary in types of instruments and supplies that may be accommodated). Cell shape may be different than shown—e.g., having a cross section that is a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon, an octagon, etc. Cells may have cross-sectional shapes that are other than polygons—e.g., circles, ovals, ellipses, slots, etc. Inverted pyramids may be truncated (e.g., to have flat, rather than pointed apexes). Longitudinal axes of each cell may be parallel to each other, as generally shown; or cells may be oriented differently from each other, such that their longitudinal axes are not all parallel to each other. Material of the marker holder may vary and may include silicone, rubber, plastic, nitrile, vinyl, neoprene, polyurethane, or variations or combinations thereof (e.g., fluorosilicone rubber, butyl rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, etc.). The flexibility and compressibility of the material may vary. For example, some implementations may comprise a material with a Shore A durometer of between 25 and 80, 30 and 70, 45 and 65, etc. 
     Many other variations are possible, and modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings provided herein without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the scope include all aspects falling within the scope of the appended claims.