Patent Abstract:
An erasable, polymeric paged writing book for small children, with textured, flexible, bordered pages and an internal spine to spread the book flat. The pages have rounded corners. The book closes by hook-and-loop tab. The pages have a smaller profile than the covers, for resistance to wear and distortion. A fold-away pocket holds chalk and grease pencils. Optionally, a pleated storage compartment is on one of the covers. The pages have a smaller profile than the covers, for resistance to wear and distortion.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to drawing materials, and more particular, to a writing and drawing substrate in book form, with erasable pages. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    From time to time, it is desirable to provide small children with ways to amuse themselves. One of the ways is to provide a reusable writing surface capable of receiving markings thereon, being erased, and subsequently reused. It would further be desirable to have the writing surface in the form of a book, to promote positive feelings towards books by small children. 
         [0003]    Reusable, erasable writing surfaces and books have been proposed. However, many of these do not address aspects of use which are encountered by small children, but not by older children and adults. 
         [0004]    There remains a need for an erasable marking book particularly suited to the needs of small children. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The disclosed concepts address the above stated situation by providing a markable, erasable book having characteristics suited for use by small children. To this end, the novel drawing book disclosed herein has mildly flexible polymeric pages which are liquid resistant and which will yield if for example a child sits on a page when seated on an upholstered or cushioned surface. The exterior of the drawing book may have a woven, rubbery surface so it will not readily slip from a child&#39;s grasp, and to impart a unique tactile identity to facilitate the drawing book being retrieved by a caregiver from bags and other receptacles storing accessories and materials unrelated to the drawing book, and to reassure the child that he or she has grasped the drawing book and not some other object. 
         [0006]    The drawing book may have rounded corners, with corners of interior pages recessed within the bounds of the covers of the drawing book, to minimize the likelihood of the child poking himself or herself with sharp corners. Also, over time and with repeated use, the pages may become misaligned with the covers. If not recessed within the bounds of the covers, some pages could come to stick out objectionably. Further, recessed pages are more easily located and turned by small children, who might otherwise grasp a cover rather than the desired page. 
         [0007]    The drawing book may have fabric borders greater in thickness than the marking receiving portion of the page to provide small children with a sense of where the boundary of each page is located. Also, liquid markers and inks and chalk can leave residues which bleed, or migrate beyond the page. A relatively thick fabric border intercepts these migrating materials and helps prevent fouling the child&#39;s clothing and other environmental surfaces. Thickened borders also reinforce pages, for example by opposing folding of corners and fraying of page edges over time and with use. Also, thickened borders help very young children learn motor skills related to turning the pages. 
         [0008]    The drawing book may include an interior spine which promotes spreading apart of pages, thereby causing the book to lie flat when placed on a horizontal surface. 
         [0009]    Interior pages are made from a liquid resistant polymeric material textured to abrade a writing material such as chalk and grease pencil, and to retain abraded writing material so that indicia remains visible until erased. 
         [0010]    The nature of the disclosed concepts will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the disclosed concepts will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective side view of an erasable writing book, according to at least one aspect of the disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of an erasable writing book, shown with pages spread open to reveal internal detail, according to at least another aspect of the disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a schematic detail side view of the interior of a rear cover of an erasable writing book, according to at least one further aspect of the disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of an optional feature of an erasable writing book; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a schematic side detail view taken from the center of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    Referring first to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , according to at least one aspect of the disclosure, there is shown an erasable writing book  100  for erasably accepting indicia from writing materials such as chalk and grease pencils (neither shown). Erasable writing book  100  comprises a front cover  102 , a rear cover  104 , at least one interior page  106 , and at least one interior spine  108 . Front cover  102  comprises an interior face  110  bearing a flexible, liquid resistant polymeric substance including texturing thereon for abrading the writing materials and retaining abraded writing materials thereon. The at least one interior page  106  comprises opposed front and rear faces  112 ,  114  each bearing a flexible, liquid resistant polymeric substance including texturing thereon for abrading writing materials such as chalk and grease pencils and retaining abraded writing materials thereon. Rear cover  104  comprises an interior face  116  bearing a flexible, liquid resistant polymeric substance including texturing thereon for abrading writing materials such as chalk and grease pencils and retaining abraded writing materials thereon. One interior spine  108  overlies two adjacent ones of edges  118 ,  120  of two respective interior pages  106  and an edge  118  or  120  of interior page  106 , one of an edge  122  of interior face  110  of front cover  102 , and interior face  116  of rear cover  104 . Interior spine  108  exerts a force spreading apart interior pages  106  or spreading apart interior page  106  and interior face  110  (or  116 ) of front cover  102  (or of rear cover  104 ), whereby manual effort to maintain erasable writing book  100  flat is minimized. 
         [0018]    Writing materials may include liquid inks (not shown) as well as chalk and grease pencils. In some embodiments (not shown), interior spine  108  may be supplemented by other interior spines (not shown) between other interior pages  106 , between interior face  110  of front cover  102  and an interior page  106 , or between an interior page  106  and interior face  116  of rear cover  104 . 
         [0019]    The flexible, liquid resistant polymeric substance may be any suitable polymeric material heat treated or molded to include texturing thereon for abrading and retaining writing materials thereon. Texturing may be of characteristics of a dried coat of wrinkle paint, for example. Flexibility is sufficient to squirm under the weight of a child sitting on an open page while seated on an upholstered or cushioned chair, but not to enable a page to slump spontaneously if held by an edge for example. 
         [0020]    In embodiments wherein erasable writing book  100  comprises at least two interior pages  106 , interior spine  108  may extend along the full length of the two adjacent edges  118 ,  120  of two respective interior pages  106 . This arrangement reinforces connection of interior pages  106 , which would otherwise be susceptible to eventual damage after long usage by youngsters. 
         [0021]    Each interior page  106  may comprise a fabric-like border  122  thicker than the rest of interior page  106 . Fabric-like border  122  may be of woven fabric, unwoven fabric, or of stitching. Fabric-like border  122  is liquid permeable. This construction and thickness intercept and retain excessive liquid ink deposited by a marker (not shown) being used to mark erasable writing book  100 , and will to a degree intercept and retail chalk dust. Fabric-like border  122  may extend along the entire border of each interior page  106 . This reinforces each interior page  106  for long term usage by small children, and accommodates tactile recognition of the borders of each interior page  106 . 
         [0022]    Each interior page  106  may comprise rounded corners  124 . Also, front cover  102  may comprise rounded corners  126 , and rear cover  104  may comprise rounded corners  128 . Rounded corners  124 ,  126 ,  128  avoid injuries which could arise from conventional square or sharp corners. Front cover  102  and rear cover  104  comprise a height dimension  130 , and each interior page  106  may comprise a height dimension  132  less than height dimension  130  of front cover  102  and rear cover  104 . Interior pages  106  are thereby protectively recessed within front and rear covers  102 ,  104 , and will last longer in the hands of small children, especially should the binding (not shown) lose grip of interior pages  106 . Also, it will be easier for very small children to grasp interior pages  106 . Without interior pages  106  being recessed, a very small child might be more likely to grasp front cover  102  or rear cover  104 . 
         [0023]    Front cover  102  may include an exterior face  134  bearing rubberized fabric. Rear cover  104  may include an exterior face  136  bearing rubberized fabric. Woven rubberized fabric resists slipping from a child&#39;s hand. Also, woven rubberized fabric imparts tactile identity to facilitate identifying erasable writing book  100  should it be underneath furniture or be retrieved from a bag, suitcase, or other receptacle where it is buried under or surrounded by other objects. The tactile identity also assists children in identifying erasable writing book  100  by touch, thereby promoting tactile development. 
         [0024]    Referring also to  FIG. 3 , erasable writing book  100  may further comprise a pocket  138  coupled thereto, for storing writing apparatus (such as chalk and grease pencils, not shown). Pocket  138  may comprise an open end  140  for receiving objects (none shown) inserted thereinto and a closed end  142  coupled to erasable writing book  100 . 
         [0025]    Front cover  102  may comprise a fabric-like border  144  and rear cover  104  may comprise a fabric-like border  146 . Erasable writing book  100  may further comprise pocket  138  coupled to fabric-like border  144  or  146  of (respectively) front cover  102  or of rear cover  104 . Pocket  138  has open end  140  for receiving objects (not shown) inserted thereinto and closed end  142  coupled to fabric-like border  144  or  146 . This arrangement conveniently anchors pocket  138  on erasable writing book  100 . 
         [0026]    Closed end  142  of pocket  138  may be long enough to be folded over against itself with open end  140  thereof entrapped between closed end  142  and either front cover  102  or rear cover  104 . Open end  140  may be covered by closed end  142  such that the objects inserted into pocket  138  are prevented from inadvertent loss by interference with closed end  142 . Length of pocket  138  enables pocket  138  to be folded as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0027]    As seen in  FIG. 3 , pocket  138  may be divided into two compartments  148  each accessible through open end  140 . This enables different objects to be segregated from each other. For example, writing materials may be segregated by color or type. Other objects such as keys, coins, and the like may be segregated from writing materials. 
         [0028]    Erasable writing book  100  may further comprise a flexible closure tab  152  coupled to one of front cover  102  and rear cover  104 , and a complementing attachment element  154  at the other one of front cover  102  and rear cover  104 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 , flexible closure tab  152  bears hook and loop fastening material  156  of one polarity, while complementing attachment element  154  bears hook and loop fastening material  158  of an opposite polarity. Flexible closure tab  152  enables erasable writing book  100  to be carried about compactly, while protecting front cover  102 , interior pages  106 , and rear cover  104  from inadvertent damage. 
         [0029]    Interior face  110  of front cover  102 , interior face  116  of rear cover  104 , and opposed front and rear faces  112 ,  114  (respectively) of each interior page  106  may be of an intermediate color between the lightest possible rendering of the color and the darkest possible rendering of the color. Considering the example of white, grays, and black, with white being the lightest possible rendering and black being the darkest possible rendering, the intermediate color may be gray. The same principle may be applied to chromatic colors. 
         [0030]    In one embodiment of erasable writing book  100 , front cover  102  may comprise exterior face  134  including texturing to increase frictional characteristics. Rear cover  104  may comprise exterior face  136  including texturing to increase frictional characteristics. Erasable writing book  100  is easily grasped by a small child in the above embodiment. 
         [0031]    With particular reference to  FIG. 4 , in an embodiment of erasable writing book  100 , one of front cover  102  or rear cover  104  may comprise exterior face  134  or  136  (respectively) bearing a storage compartment  160 , for storing articles greater in size than those which could fit into pocket  138 . Storage compartment  160  may be collapsible, to assume compact configuration when not in use. This may be achieved by fabricating storage compartment  160  as having pleated walls  162 , which are manually compressible to collapse storage compartment  160  when no articles are to be stored therein. Where storage compartment  160  is collapsible, storage compartment  160  may include structure making it relatively rigid. For example, and referring also to  FIG. 5 , storage compartment  160  of claim  19 , may further comprise bracing selectively enabling storage compartment  160  to be maintained in a distended condition. I In the example of  FIG. 5 , bracing comprises a first rigid panel  164  and a second rigid panel  166 . Second rigid panel  166  is coupled to front cover  102  by a hinge  168  enabling second rigid panel  166  to pivot relative to front cover  102 . Second rigid panel  166  may be manipulated to occupy a groove  170  in first rigid panel  164  to maintain storage  160  in the distended condition shown in  FIG. 4 . When it is desired to collapse storage compartment  160 , second rigid panel  166  may be manipulated out of engagement with groove  170 . 
         [0032]    Unless otherwise indicated, the terms “first”, “second”, etc., are used herein merely as labels, and are not intended to impose ordinal, positional, or hierarchical requirements on the times to which these terms refer. Moreover, reference to, e.g., a “second” item does not either require or preclude the existence of, e.g., a “first” or lower-numbered item, and/or, e.g., a “third” or higher-numbered item. 
         [0033]    While the present invention comprises been described in connection with what are considered the most practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the present embodiments are not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but rather the description is intended to cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent arrangements which are possible. 
         [0034]    It should be understood that the various examples of the apparatus(es) disclosed herein may include any of the components, features, and functionalities of any of the other examples of the apparatus(es) disclosed herein in any feasible combination, and all of such possibilities are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Many modifications of examples set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1