Patent Publication Number: US-2013232795-A1

Title: Tool for removing scratch-off coatings

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 61/609,785, filed Mar. 12, 2012, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to hand tools and, more particularly, to a tool for removing scratch-off coatings, such as those on gift cards that reveal a need code for activation. 
     To activate i-tune, gift cards, and the like, the recipient needs to scrap off a coating to reveal a code. Most people use a coin or sharp object to remove the scratch-off coating. However, this can damage the printing beneath the scratch-off coating, making the activation code impossible to read. This can result in a card that is valueless. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for an apparatus for removing scratch-off coatings, such as those found on gift cards and the like. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a tool comprises a tool body; a blade opening disposed on one end of the tool body; a blade movable to extend out of the blade opening and retract into the tool body, the blade having a non-sharpened periphery operable to remove a scratch-off coating without damaging a substrate covered by the scratch-off coating; a slider slot formed along at least a portion of one side of the tool body; and a slider extending from the slider slot where movement of the slider along the slider slot moved the blade between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a tool for removing scratch-off coatings comprises a tool body; a blade opening disposed on one end of the tool body; a blade movable to extend out of the blade opening and retract into the tool body, the blade having a non-sharpened periphery operable to remove a scratch-off coating without damaging a substrate covered by the scratch-off coating; a track formed inside the tool body for movement of the blade therealong; a slider slot formed along at least a portion of one side of the tool body; a slider extending from the slider slot where movement of the slider along the slider slot moved the blade between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration; 
     two or more slider stops disposed in the tool body; a latch part of the slider that fits into a selected one of the two or more slider stops to keep the blade in either an extended configuration or a retracted configuration; and a spring resiliently retaining the latch part in the selected one of the two or more slider stops. 
     In a further aspect of the present invention, a method for removing a scratch-off coating from a substrate without damaging the substrate supporting the scratch-off coating comprises depressing a head of a slider extending from a slider slot formed along one side of a tool body to remove a latch part of the slider from a first slider stop within the tool body; pushing the slider toward a blade opening disposed on one end of the tool body to extend a blade out of the blade opening; locking the blade in an extended configuration by allowing the latch part of the slider to engage into a second slider stop within the tool body; and scratching off the scratch-off coating from the substrate to reveal information thereunder. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tool for removing scratch-off coatings, with its blade extended, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the tool of  FIG. 1 , with its blade in a retracted configuration; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the tool of  FIG. 1 , in use to remove a scratch-off coating on a card. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a tool having a retractable blade designed for removing scratch-off coatings, such as those that reveal activation codes on gift cards, without causing damage to the printing under the scratch-off coating. Unlike conventional objects, such as knifes and coins, the tool of the present invention removes only the scratch-off coating without scraping off the activation code. The blade can be extended from and retracted into a tool body, typically through the use of a locking slider. The tool body can have a receptacle for insertion of a key ring, providing ready access on a user&#39;s key chain, for example. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , a tool  10  for scratching off coatings, such as those on gift cards, phone cards, music cards, lottery tickets, and the like, can include a tool body  12  with an opening  15  from which a blade  14  can be extended out of and retracted back into the tool body  12 . 
     The tool body  12  can be produced from a first half  12   a  and a second half  12   b  that can attach together and hold the blade  14  therewithin. A slider slot  16  can be disposed on at least a portion of one side of the tool body  12 . A locking slider  18  can extend from the slider slot  16 , with a head  19  of the slider  18  being accessible from outside of the tool body. At least two slider stops  22  can be disposed within the tool body  12 . The slider  18  can have a spring  26  resiliently pushing a latch part  20  of the slider  18  into the slider stops  22 . A user can press on the slider head  19  to push the latch part  20  of the slider  18  out of the slider stop  22 . The user can then urge the head  19  to move along the slider slot  16  to slide the blade  14  in and out of the tool body  12 . The slider  18  can engage with the blade  14  so that movement of the slider  18  also moves the blade  14  along a blade track  14 . When the blade is in an extended configuration ( FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5 ), the slider  18  can engage with a slider stop  22  to prevent the blade  14  from being pushed back into the tool body  12  when being used to remove a scratch-off coating  30  to, for example, reveal a code  32  on a card  28 , such as a gift card, a phone card, a music card or the like. 
     The tool body  12  can have a key ring  29  attached thereto to provide easy storage of the tool  10 , such as attachment onto a user&#39;s key chain. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the blade  14  can be used to reveal a code  32 , such as an activation code on a card  28  by removing a scratch-off coating  30  from the card  28 . The blade  14  is designed to remove only the scratch-off coating  30  without damaging the code  32  or the substrate on which the scratch-off coating  30  is applied. While this Figure shows the tool  10  being used on a card  28  to reveal its code  32 , the tool  10  can be used to scrape off any desired scratch-off coating, such as those on instant lottery tickets, for example. 
     The tool  10  can be made of various materials as may be known in the art. In some embodiments, the tool  10  can be made of plastic. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.