Patent Publication Number: US-2017368708-A1

Title: Apparatus with tools capable of simultaneously modifying a substrate

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     A claim for priority is hereby made pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to the Apr. 22, 2016 filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/326,160, titled INTEGRATED DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CREATING MULTIPLE SCORES, MARKS OR CUTS (“the &#39;160 Provisional Application”). A claim for priority is also made pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to the Apr. 22, 2017 filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/488,761, titled INTEGRATED DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CREATING MULTIPLE SCORES, MARKS OR CUTS (“the &#39;761 Provisional Application”). The entire disclosures of both the &#39;160 Provisional Application and the &#39;761 Provisional Application are hereby incorporated herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure relates generally to apparatuses for cutting and/or trimming a substrate, such as those generally referred to as “paper trimmers.” More specifically, this disclosure relates to apparatuses that are capable of simultaneously modifying (e.g., cutting, scoring, perforating, marking, etc.) a substrate, such as a sheet of a material (e.g., paper, cardstock, a polymer film, foil, fabric, etc.) at a plurality of laterally discrete, substantially linear, substantially parallel locations. Methods for simultaneously modifying a substrate at a plurality of laterally discrete, substantially linear, substantially parallel locations are also disclosed. 
     RELATED ART 
     A variety of tools are available for cutting, scoring, perforating, and/or marking substrates, such as sheets of paper, cardstock, plastic films, foils, fabrics, and other materials. Existing tools, particularly paper trimmers, are capable of forming only one cut, score line, or perforation in a substrate or one mark on a substrate at a time. Thus, a plurality of cuts, score lines, perforations, or marks can only be formed in a substrate by using such an existing tool a plurality of times, in sequence. Moreover, different tools are typically required to make different types of modifications to a substrate. Repeated use of one or more existing tools to cut, score, perforate, and/or mark substrates is time-consuming, and can become tiresome to an individual (e.g., a craft enthusiast, a hobby enthusiast, etc.). 
     SUMMARY 
     An apparatus according to this disclosure is capable of interacting with and simultaneously making a plurality of modifications to a substrate, such as a sheet of a material (e.g., paper, cardstock, a polymer film, foil, fabric, etc.), at a plurality of laterally discrete, substantially linear, substantially parallel locations. Such an apparatus may include a base for supporting a substrate and a handle for causing a plurality of tools to simultaneously, or concurrently, interact with a substrate that has been placed on the base and for moving the tools at least partially across the substrate. 
     The base of the apparatus may include a surface that is capable of supporting a substrate. Such a surface may be substantially planar. The surface of the base may be capable of substantially retaining its appearance after the apparatus has been used to modify a substrate. Alternatively, the surface of the base may be capable of self-healing, or of substantially returning to its previous appearance after a substrate supported by the surface has been modified. In some embodiments, the surface may include gridlines, which may be used to facilitate alignment of a substrate and to enable the precise placement of a substrate on the surface. The gridlines may be spaced apart from one another at equal intervals, which may enable use of the gridlines for measuring distance. Indicia, such as numbers, that correspond to distance measurements may also be provided on or adjacent to the surface of the base. 
     In some embodiments, a surface that is capable of supporting a substrate may comprise part of an element, such as a mat or a panel, that is removable from a remainder of the base. Such an element may be removably received by a recess, or a receptacle, of the base, enabling an individual to flip the element or to replace the element once repeated use of the apparatus has worn the surface or rendered it unsightly. 
     The handle of the apparatus may mutually engage the base in a manner that enables the handle to be translated, or moved, at least partially across the surface of the base (and at least partially across any substrate that has been placed on the surface). A plurality of tools may be carried at a variety of laterally discrete, spaced apart locations across the handle. 
     Each tool may include a coupling element and a modification element. The coupling element of each tool may couple the tool to the handle of the apparatus. Without limitation, the coupling element may be capable of receipt by a tool receptacle of the handle (e.g., the coupling element may comprise a pin, a rod, or the like). In some embodiments, the coupling element of each tool and/or each tool receptacle of the handle may have a configuration capable of ensuring that the tool will align with its direction of travel as the handle is translated at least partially across the surface of the base and at least partially across a substrate supported by the surface of the base. The coupling element of each tool engage or be engaged by each receptacle of the handle in a manner that ensures that each tool will remain in place as the handle is translated at least partially across the surface of the base and at least partially across any substrate supported by the surface of the base. 
     The modification element of each tool may be capable of modifying a substrate as it contacts the substrate or is forced against the substrate. Various embodiments of tools that may be assembled with the handle of the apparatus include cutting blades, scoring styluses, perforating wheels, writing and/or drawing instruments (e.g., markers, pens, pencils, etc.), and other apparatuses that may modify a substrate upon contacting or being forced against the substrate. 
     When assembled with the handle, adjacent tools may be spaced at a variety of different distances apart from one another. Different types of tools may be assembled with the handle in a variety of different arrangements. 
     The handle may be capable of causing a plurality of tools that have been assembled therewith to interact with a substrate supported by the surface of the base. In some embodiments, the handle may cause the plurality of tools to interact with the substrate when the handle is translated at least partially across the surface of the base. In other embodiments, the handle may include an actuator that, when actuated, moves the tools into contact with the surface of the base or into contact with a substrate that has been placed on the surface. Use of the actuator may also enable translation of the handle and the tools at least partially across the surface of the base and any substrate on the surface. 
     In another aspect, methods for concurrently modifying a sheet of a material at a plurality of laterally discrete, substantially linear, substantially parallel locations are disclosed. Such a method includes selecting a plurality of tools to be used to concurrently modify the sheet of material. Selection of the plurality of tools may include selecting a plurality of tools of the same type, or selecting different two or more different types of tools. Various types of tools may be selected for use in modifying the sheet of the substrate, such as cutting blades, scoring styluses, perforating wheels, and writing and/or drawing instruments. 
     Once the tools have been selected, they may be selectively assembled across a handle of an apparatus capable of causing the plurality of tools to concurrently modify the sheet of material in a desired arrangement. The desired arrangement may include spacing adjacent tools a desired distance apart from one another. The desired arrangement may also include positioning different types of tools at desired locations. As an example, cutting tools may be positioned at the outside of a set of tools, with perforating tools and/or writing/drawing instruments being placed between a pair of cutting tools. 
     A sheet of material may be placed on a working surface of a base of the apparatus. In some embodiments, the sheet of material may be secured to the surface. In a more specific embodiment, the sheet may be adhesively secured to the surface by securing one or more adhesive elements to the surface and securing the sheet to the adhesive element(s). Alternatively, the surface may comprise a tacky material to which the sheet may adhere when the sheet is positioned on the surface. Other techniques for securing the sheet to the surface may also be employed. 
     With the sheet of material on the working surface, the tools may be brought into contact with the sheet of the material and the handle may be translated (e.g., manually, by way of a drive system (e.g., a drive system operated by a hand crank, a drive system operated by a motor, an automated drive system, etc.), etc.) to force the tools at least partially across the sheet of the material. The tools may contact and be forced against the surface of the base and any sheet of material on the surface simply by translating the handle at least partially across the surface. Alternatively, the tools may be lowered into contact with the surface, and then moved across the surface and any sheet of material thereon by translating the handle at least partially across the surface. 
     In another aspect, a tool that can be used with the apparatus of this disclosure may also be used with a hand-held and hand-operated handle. Such a handle may include a single tool receptacle for removably receiving a coupling element of a single tool. The handle may enable an individual to use the tool to modify a sheet of material with the assistance of a straight edge, another guide, or without the assistance of a guide (i.e., by freehand). 
     Other aspects, as well as features and advantages of various aspects of the disclosed subject matter, will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an apparatus that is capable of interacting with and simultaneously making a plurality of modifications to a substrate; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a base of the embodiment of apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 3A-3C  provide top, side, and perspective views, respectively, of the handle of the embodiment of apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  provides a perspective view of the embodiment of apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , with a portion of the handle and base having been cut away to illustrate features of the handle and an arrangement of those features with the base of the apparatus; 
         FIG. 5  provides an inverted perspective view of an embodiment of the carriage shown in  FIG. 4 , with a portion of the carriage having been cut away to illustrate a manner in which the tools may be received by tool receptacles of the carriage and, thus, of the handle of the embodiment of apparatus shown in  FIGS. 1-4 ; 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  are top and side views, respectively, of the embodiment of carriage shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIGS. 7A-7L  depict various embodiments of tools and, more specifically, various embodiments of modification elements of tools that may be used with an embodiment of an apparatus according to this disclosure; 
         FIGS. 8A-8D  are various view of an embodiment of a device capable of coupling and uncoupling tools to the carriage of the handle of an apparatus such as that shown in  FIG. 1  or to a handle of the type shown in  FIG. 13 ; 
         FIGS. 9A-9D  are various views of another embodiment of a carriage that may be used with a handle of an apparatus according to this disclosure; 
         FIG. 10  is another perspective view of the embodiment of apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , depicting an embodiment of a manner in which a carriage for tools of the apparatus may be removed from and replaced in the handle of the apparatus; 
         FIGS. 11A-11D  are various views of an embodiment of an access door of the handle of the embodiment of apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , which may be opened to provide access to a slot capable of receiving and aligning the embodiments of carriages shown in  FIGS. 5, 6A, 6B, and 9A-9D ; 
         FIGS. 11E-11H  are various view of an embodiment of a carriage receptacle within a handle of the apparatus; 
         FIGS. 12A-12D  are various views of an embodiment of an actuator of the handle of the embodiment of apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates an embodiment of an apparatus that is capable of interacting with and simultaneously making a plurality of modifications to a substrate, which embodiment includes a drive system for translating a handle of the apparatus at least partially across a base of the apparatus; and 
         FIG. 14  depicts a handle that is capable of being held within an individual&#39;s hand and that may be used to hold and manipulate a single tool, such as any of those shown in  FIGS. 7A-7L . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  depicts an embodiment of an apparatus  100  that includes a plurality of tools (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) that are capable of being used be simultaneously to define a plurality of cuts, perforation lines, and/or score lines in a substrate. The apparatus  100  includes a base  110  and a handle  120  above the base  110 . The handle  120  is capable of sliding between a location at or adjacent to one peripheral edge  111  of the base  110  (e.g., a rear edge of the base  110 , etc.) and another location at or adjacent to an opposite peripheral edge  113  of the base  110  (e.g., a front edge of the base  110 , etc.). As will be described in further detail hereinafter, the handle  120  is capable of carrying the plurality of tools that can cutting, perforating, and/or score a substrate supported by the base  110  of the apparatus  100 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , in addition to including peripheral edges  111 ,  112 ,  113 , and  114 , the base  110  includes a surface  115  within a boundary defined by, or within the confines of, the peripheral edges  111 ,  112 ,  113 , and  114 . As illustrated, the surface  115  may comprise a top surface of the base  110 . Thus, the surface  115  may also be referred to as a “top surface.” The surface  115  is capable of supporting a substrate (not shown in  FIG. 2 ). Accordingly, the surface  115  may also be referred to as a “working surface” and have dimensions (e.g., 12 inches by 12 inches, 14 inches by 14 inches, 12 inches by 16 inches, 18 inches by 18 inches, etc.) that will enable it to receive substrates of a variety of conventional sizes. In addition, the surface  115  may be referred to herein as a “first surface” of the base  110  of the apparatus  100 . 
     In addition to supporting a substrate, the surface  115  of the base  110  of the apparatus  100  may be capable of engaging the substrate. In some embodiments, a material from which the surface  115  is formed may attract a material from which the substrate is formed. As an example, one or both of the material of the substrate and the material from which the surface  115  is formed may electrostatically attract the other. In other embodiments, the material from which the surface  115  is formed may adhere to a material from which the substrate is formed. Such a material may comprise an adhesive component (e.g., it may be tacky, etc.). 
     As an alternative to a surface  115  to which a substrate is attracted and/or adheres, the apparatus  100  may include replaceable adhesive elements (not shown), which may be placed on the surface  115  to secure a substrate to the surface  115 . Such a replaceable adhesive element may be thin and flat, with adhesive material (e.g., a pressure sensitive adhesive material, etc.) on opposite surfaces thereof, enabling one surface of the adhesive element to adhere to the surface  115 , while the opposite surface of the adhesive element may receive and adhere to a substrate. Such an adhesive material may hold a substrate in place while being readily removable from the substrate without damaging the substrate and without leaving a substantially residue on the substrate (e.g., without rendering any part of the substrate discernably tacky to an individual&#39;s touch, as small amounts of the adhesive material may be transferred to the substrate). An example of such an adhesive material is the adhesive material marketed by 3M of St. Paul, Minn. as SCOTCH® Restickable Glue. In embodiments where replaceable adhesive elements are used with the apparatus  100 , each replaceable adhesive element may be used on surface  115  at least once and, optionally, for as long as the adhesive material on the replaceable adhesive element is capable of effectively securing a substrate in place relative to the surface  115 . 
     The surface  115  may be formed from a material that is capable of absorbing the forces that will be applied thereto by various tools, such as the blades of cutting tools and/or scoring tools and the pins of perforating tools. In some embodiments, the material from which the surface  115  is formed may enable the surface  115  to substantially retain its appearance following use of one or more tools (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) carried by the handle  120  ( FIG. 1 ) of the apparatus  100  on a substrate that has been placed on and is supported by the surface  115 . In other embodiments, the surface  115  may be formed from a so-called “self-healing” material, which may enable the surface  115  to substantially return to its previous appearance; i.e., its appearance before cutting, perforating, scoring, etc., a substrate that has been placed on and is supported by the surface  115 . In either of these embodiments, as well as in other embodiments, the surface  115  may wear with repeated use of the apparatus  100 . 
     The surface  115  of the base  110  of the apparatus  100  may be defined at least in part by a mat (not shown), which may be removed from, or disassembled from, a remainder of the base  110  and replaced with another mat, which may be assembled with the base  110 . More specifically, a removable, replaceable mat that defines the surface  115  may be received within a recess, or a receptacle, (not shown) in the base  110  and laterally retained by edges of the recess. Alternatively, the surface  115  may comprise a permanent surface of the base  110  of the apparatus  100 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated by  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the surface  115  of the base  110  of the apparatus  100  includes grid lines  118 , which may facilitate alignment of a substrate and enable the precise placement of the substrate on the surface  115  so that tools (not shown in  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 2 ) carried by the carrier  120  ( FIG. 1 ) will interact with desired locations on the substrate. The grid lines  118  may be positioned at a fixed distance (e.g., one-eighth inch, one-fourth inch, a half a centimeter, a centimeter, etc.) apart from one another. In addition, indicia  119  (e.g., numbers, etc.) that correspond to distance measurements (e.g., inches, centimeters, etc.) may be used in conjunction with the grid lines  118  (e.g., adjacent to at least two perpendicular peripheral edges  111 ,  112 ,  113 ,  114  of the base, etc.) to further enable precise placement of a substrate on the surface  115 . In embodiments, where the surface  115  comprises part of a removable, replaceable mat, the indicia  119  may be included on the mat, or they may be included on a permanent portion of the base  110 , adjacent to a periphery of a receptacle for the mat. 
     Grooves  117  may be formed in the base  110  along opposite peripheral edges  112  and  114  of the base  110 . The grooves  117  may be capable of receiving corresponding, complementary features of the handle  120  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) to enable the handle  120  to slide, to move, or to be translated at least partially across the surface  115  of the base  110 . As depicted by  FIGS. 3A-3C , the features that are complementary to the grooves  117  shown in  FIG. 2  may comprise arms  142  on opposite sides of a body  140  of the handle  120  ( FIG. 1 ). In the orientation illustrated by  FIGS. 3A-3C , the arms  142  protrude downwardly from the body  140  of the handle  120 . Each arm  142  may include a groove engagement feature  144 , such as one or more lateral protrusions, that may be received by and engage a corresponding groove  117  formed in the base  110  of the apparatus  100 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , the handle  120  of the apparatus  100  is capable of holding a carriage  150 , which, in turn, includes a plurality of tool receptacles  152 A,  152 B,  152 C, etc., that are capable of receiving and aligning a plurality of tools  130 A,  130 B,  130 C, etc. The tools  130 A,  130 B,  130 C, etc., may be interchangeable with one another; that is, each tool  130 A,  130 B,  130 C, etc., may be removed from a tool receptacle  152 A,  152 B,  152 C, etc., and replaced with another tool  130 A,  130 B,  130 C, etc. As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate from viewing  FIG. 4 , as the handle  120  moves, the tools  130 A,  130 B,  130 C, etc., also move. Thus, as the handle  120  is translated at least partially across the surface  115  of the base  110 , the tools  130 A,  130 B,  130 C, etc., are also translated at least partially across the surface  115  of the base  110 . 
     An embodiment of the carriage  150  is shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 5, 6A and 6B . The carriage  150  may comprise an elongated block having a plurality of predefined holes, or tool receptacles  152 A,  152 B,  152 C, etc., each of which may be referred to as a “tool receptacle  152 ” for the sake of simplicity. Each tool receptacle  152  is capable of receiving a tool  130 A,  130 B,  130 C, etc. The tool receptacles  152  may be arranged and, thus, spaced apart from one another at fixed distance increments (e.g., one-fourth of an inch, one-half of an inch, 5 mm, 1 cm, etc.). Each tool receptacle  152  may extend at least partially through a height of the carriage  150 , with each tool receptacle  152  opening to surface of the carriage  150  that will face the surface  115  ( FIG. 4 ) of the base  110  ( FIG. 4 ) of the apparatus when the carriage  150  is assembled with the handle  120  ( FIG. 4 ) of the apparatus  100 . In some embodiments, indicia  154  (e.g., position indicia, distance measurement indicia, etc.) may be provided adjacent to an opening of each tool receptacle  152  to facilitate the arrangement of one or more tools  130 A,  130 B,  130 C, etc., along the carriage  150 . 
     Various embodiments of tools  130 A,  130 B,  130 C, etc., are shown in  FIGS. 7A-7L . For the sake of simplicity, each tool  130 A,  130 B,  130 C, etc., may be referred to as a “tool  130 .” Each tool  130  includes a coupling element  132  (e.g., a post, a shaft, etc.) that is configured complementarily to a configuration of each tool receptacle  152  to enable each tool receptacle  152  to engage and correctly align each tool  130  or, more specifically, a modification element  134  of each tool  130 . Various, embodiments of coupling elements are shown in  FIGS. 7A-7L . These include, but are not limited to, threaded coupling elements  132 , luer lock coupling elements  132 ′ and shaped coupling elements  133 ″ (e.g., elongated shapes with flat edges, polygonal prisms, star prisms, etc.). 
     The coupling elements  132  of the tools  130  can be easily inserted into and removed from the tool receptacles  152  of the carriage  150 . In a specific embodiment, each coupling element  132  may be inserted into a tool receptacle  152  and twisted until the coupling element  132  “locks” into place within the tool receptacle  152 . Removal of the tool  130  from the carriage may include twisting the tool  130  in the opposite direction to unlock its coupling element  132  from the tool receptacle  152 , and then pulling the coupling element  132  out of the tool receptacle  152 . 
     The modification element  134  of each tool  130  is capable of interacting with a substrate and, upon interacting with the substrate, modifying the substrate. Among the various types or embodiments of modification elements  134 ,  134 ′,  134 ″, etc., are cutting blades  134 , cutting wheels  134 ′, scoring blades  134 ″, perforating wheels  134 ′″, embellishment wheels  134 ″″, and writing/drawing instruments  134 ″″′. A cutting blade  134  may be configured to cut a substrate in a straight line. A cutting wheel  134 ′ may have a configuration that enables it to make patterned cuts (e.g., rounded wavy cuts, squared wavy cuts, peaked cuts, scalloped cuts, zigzag cuts, rippled cuts, jigsaw cuts, deckle cuts, plaited cuts, large plinking cuts, clouding volcano cuts, skipped or dashed cuts, perforations, patterned punch-outs, etc.) in a substrate. Scoring styluses  134 ″, perforating wheels  134 ′″, and embellishment wheels  134 ″″ may likewise be used to make straight or patterned modifications to a substrate. A variety of different types of writing/drawing instruments  134 ″″′ may be used, including, without limitation, felt tip markers, gel pens, invisible ink pens, calligraphy pens, pencils, and the like. Tools with a variety of other types of modification elements  134  that can function when moved in a straight line across a substrate are also within the scope of this disclosure. 
     Insertion of the coupling elements  132  of the tools  130  into and removal of the coupling elements  132  of the tools  130  from the tool receptacles  152  may be facilitated by an assembly/disassembly device  205 , such as that shown in  FIGS. 8A-8D . The assembly/disassembly device  205  may include a handle  206  at one end and a receptacle  207  at an opposite end. The receptacle  207  may be capable of receiving the modification element  134  of the tool and engaging the modification element  134  or the coupling element  132  of the tool in a manner that enables the assembly/disassembly device  205  to twist the tool  130  without damaging it. 
     Another embodiment of carriage  150 ′ is shown in  FIGS. 9A-9D . That embodiment of carriage  150 ′ includes a pair of elongated members  151 A′ and  151 B′. A first elongated bar  151 A′ may include an engagement receptacle  156 ′ for receiving an engagement member  157 ′ protruding from the second elongated member  151 B′. Each of the elongated members  151 A′ and  151 B′ includes a plurality of slots  152 A′,  152 B′,  152 C′, etc., and  152 A″,  152 B″,  152 C″, etc., that correspond to one another. Each slot  152 A′,  152 B′,  152 C′, etc., and  152 A″,  152 B″,  152 C″, etc., is capable of receiving a tool  130  and may (e.g., due to complementary geometries that prevent improper positioning, etc.) align the tool  130  received thereby. As the elongated bars  151 A′ and  151 B′ are assembled with one another, around one or more tools  130  (i.e., as each tool  130  is “sandwiched” between the elongated bars  151 A′ and  151 B′), corresponding slots  152 A′ and  152 A″,  152 B′ and  152 B″,  152 C′ and  152 C″, etc., may align with one another to define corresponding tool receptacles (not shown) of the carriage  150 ′ and engage any tools  130  within the tool receptacles. Such a “split” carriage  150 ′ may enable an individual to visualize the placement of one or more tools  130  and quickly and easily install the tools  130  on the carriage  150 ′. Such an embodiment may also eliminate the need for a device to install and/or remove tools  130  from the carriage  150 ′. In one or more embodiments, indicia (e.g., measurement values, etc.) may be included on either or each member  151 A′,  151 B′ of the carriage  150 ′ to enable an individual to confirm that one or more tools  130  have been positioned at desired locations along the carriage  150 ′. 
     As illustrated by  FIG. 10 , in some embodiments, the carriage  150  may be capable of sliding out of the handle  120  to enable removal, or disassembly, of tools  130  from the carriage  150  and/or the assembly of one or more tools  130  with the carriage  150  (i.e., changing of the tools  130 ). Such assembly may comprise replacement of the tools  130  with another set of tools in another arrangement, rearrangement of the tools  130  that were previously coupled to the carrier  150 , or the like. The handle  120  and the carriage  150  may have configurations that ensure that the carrier  150  and any tools  130  carried thereby are properly and securely aligned with a remainder of the handle  120  and with the surface  115  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) of the base  110  of the apparatus  100 . 
       FIGS. 11A-11D  illustrate an embodiment of an access door  124  of the handle  120  ( FIG. 10 ), which may be opened to provide access to a carriage receptacle  125  ( FIGS. 10 and 11E-11H ) for a carriage  150  ( FIGS. 5, 6A, and 6B ),  150 ′ ( FIGS. 9A-9D ), etc. The access door  124  may be moved between a closed position, in which the access door  124  restricts access to the carriage receptacle  125 , and an open position, in which the access door  124  provides access to the carriage receptacle  125 . The carriage receptacle  125  may include an elongated slot  126  that is capable of receiving a portion of the coupling element  132  of each tool  130  that protrudes from the carriage  150  in a manner that positions the modification element  134  of each tool  130  below the carriage receptacle  125  and enables the carriage receptacle  125  to securely engage the carriage  150  without interfering with the orientation or operation of the modification element  134  of the tool  130 . 
     With returned reference to  FIG. 10 , and with reference to  FIGS. 12A-12D , an embodiment of an actuator  160  of the handle  120  is also shown. The actuator  160  may comprise a depressible element that, when depressed (e.g., pushed down, squeezed against the handle  120 , actuated automatically (e.g., by a motor, etc.), etc.), may force the carriage  150  and any tools  130  carried by the carriage  150  downward toward or onto the surface  115  ( FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 ) of the base  110  ( FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 ), which may cause each tool  130  to contact or engage a substrate supported by the surface  115 . 
     The extent to which the carriage  150  and each tool  130  carried thereby are depressed and, thus, the amount of force each tool  130  applies to a substrate on the surface  115  of the base  110  of the apparatus  100 , may be controlled by control element  165 . The control element  165  may be adjusted to limit the maximum distance the carriage  150  and each tool  130  carried thereby can be forced toward the surface  115  of the base  110 . Optionally, the control element  165  may be adjusted to limit the distance the actuator  160  can be depressed relative to a remainder (e.g., the body  140 , etc.) of the handle  120 . 
     One or more springs (not shown) may cause the actuator  160  and the carriage  150  to return to default positions (e.g., undepressed positions, etc.) after the actuator  160  has been depressed and then released, which may cause each tool  130  to move away from the surface  115  of the base, out of contact with the surface  115  and any substrate on the surface  115 . 
     In some embodiments, the actuator  160  may also control translation of the handle  120 . For example, in embodiments where the actuator  160  comprises a depressible element, the handle  120  may remain locked in a fixed position until the actuator  160  is depressed. When the actuator  160  is depressed, the position of the handle  120  may be unlocked, which may enable movement of the handle  120  to a desired location over the base  110  of the apparatus  100 . 
       FIG. 10  also illustrates support pads  109  on a bottom surface of the base  110  of the apparatus  110 . The support pads  109  may stabilize the base and, thus, the surface  115  of the base  110 . In addition, the support pads  109  may prevent the apparatus  100  from sliding on a surface that supports the apparatus  100  (e.g., a tabletop, a countertop, etc.) during use of the apparatus  100 . 
     An apparatus  100 ′ according to this disclosure may include a drive system  180 , which may move the handle  120 ′ at least partially across a surface  115 ′ of the base  110 ′. The drive system  180  may include an actuator  182 , a drive gear  184  that may be rotated by the actuator  182 , and a travel gear  186  that may be driven by rotation of the drive gear  184 . Each of the actuator  182 , the drive gear  184 , and the travel gear  186  may be carried by the handle  120 ′ of the apparatus  110 ′. In addition, the drive system  180  may include a rack  188 , which may extend along a peripheral edge  112 ′ of the base  110 ′. The drive gear  184 , the travel gear  186 , and the rack  188  may include teeth, with the teeth of each of these elements having the same pitch, thus enabling the drive gear  184  to mesh with the travel gear  186  and the travel gear  186  to mesh with the rack  188 . The actuator  182  of the drive system  180  may be manually operated (e.g., it may comprise a hand crank, etc.) or it may be automated (e.g., it may comprise a motor and an associated power source  181 , etc.). In some embodiments, the handle  120 ′ may include a drive system  180  on each side thereof, with the two drive systems  180  be capable of operating in a synchronized fashion. 
     In some embodiments, a base  110  of an apparatus  100  according to this disclosure may be folded, providing for convenience in packaging and storage. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 14 , an embodiment of a handle  220  that is capable of being held within an individual&#39;s hand and that may be used to hold and manipulate a single tool  130 , such as any of those shown in  FIGS. 7A-7L , is depicted. The handle  220  includes a grasping element  222  and a single tool receptacle  224  at an end of the grasping element  222 . The grasping element  222  may be contoured and/or otherwise configured to be comfortably held by an individual&#39;s hand. The tool receptacle  224  is capable of receiving, engaging, and aligning a tool  130 . The handle  220  may enable an individual to use a single tool  130  at a time to modify a substrate, either with the assistance of a guide (e.g., a straight edge, a shaped edge, a template, etc.) or in a freeform or freehand fashion. 
     A method for making multiple simultaneous modifications to a substrate, such as a sheet of a material, includes placing the substrate on the surface  115  of a base  110  of an apparatus  100  according to this disclosure ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The substrate may optionally be secured to the surface  115  of the base  110 . 
     In addition, with reference to  FIGS. 4-9D , tools  130  may be selected and arranged in a desired manner across a carriage  150 . With reference to  FIGS. 10-11H , the carriage  150  may then be assembled with the handle  120  of the apparatus  100 . 
     Thereafter, with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 12A-12D , the actuator  160  of the handle  120  may optionally be depressed to bring the modification element  134  of each tool  130  into contact with the substrate. With returned reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with each tool  130  in a position where its modification element  134  can interact with the substrate, the handle  120  may be translated at least partially across the surface  115  of the base  110  and the substrate that has been placed on the surface  115 , causing the modification element  134  of each tool  130  to modify the substrate along a plurality of desired, linear or substantially linear locations along the substrate. 
     Various refinements of the features noted above may exist in relation to various aspects of the present disclosure. Further features may also be incorporated in these various aspects as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to one or more of the illustrated embodiments may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure alone or in any combination. Again, the brief summary presented above is intended only to familiarize the reader with certain aspects and contexts of embodiments of the present disclosure without limitation to the claimed subject matter.