Marking devices and methods of displaying indicia in a marking device
AssigneeAmerican Labelmark Company
InventorMichael J. Kaufman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A marking device for displaying indicia and a method of displaying indicia in a marking device are disclosed. The method includes a substantially rectangular marking device frame comprising first and second edges parallel to a first axes and a third and fourth edges parallel to a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are orthogonal. A first set of tiles and a second set of tiles are secured to the marking device frame. The first set of tiles and the second set of tiles are disposed adjacent to one another along the first axis. A first tile of the first set of tiles is exposed to display a first portion of the indicia printed thereon and a second tile of the second set of tiles is exposed to display a second portion of the indicia printed thereon.
Claims20
A marking device for displaying indicia, comprising:
- a substantially rectangular marking device frame comprising first and second edges parallel to a first axis and third and fourth edges parallel to a second axis intersecting the first axis, wherein the first axis and the second axis are orthogonal and define a display direction for the indicia normal to the first axis and the second axis;
- a first set of tiles secured to the marking device frame, the first set of tiles comprising a first portion of the indicia;
- a second set of tiles secured to the marking device frame, the second set of tiles comprising a second portion of the indicia, wherein the first set of tiles and the second set of tiles are disposed adjacent to one another along the first axis and each set of tiles is movable about a first line parallel to the first axis;
- wherein a first tile of the first set of tiles is exposed to display the first portion of the indicia and a second tile of the second set of tiles is exposed to display a second portion of the indicia;
- and
- a securing member movable about a second line parallel to the second axis between a securing position at which the securing member engages the first set of tiles and the second set of tiles thereby preventing movement of the first and second sets of tiles about the first line and a non-securing position out of engagement with the first set of tiles and the second set of tiles thereby permitting movement of the sets of tiles about the first line.
A marking device for displaying indicia, comprising:
- a substantially rectangular marking device frame comprising first and second edges parallel to a first axis and third and fourth edges parallel to a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are orthogonal;
- a first set of tiles secured to the marking device frame;
- a second set of tiles secured to the marking device frame, wherein the first set of tiles and the second set of tiles are disposed adjacent to one another along the first axis;
- wherein a first tile of the first set of tiles is exposed to display a first portion of the indicia and a second tile of the second set of tiles is exposed to display a second portion of the indicia;
- wherein the first set of tiles is secured to the marking device frame by a first hinge, the second set of tiles is secured to the marking device frame by a second hinge, and the first and second hinges are disposed along a line parallel to the first axis,
- wherein rotating the first tile of the first set of tiles about the first hinge exposes a third tile of the first set of tiles;
- further comprising a securing portion movable from a securing position to a non-securing position, wherein the first tile is rotatable about the hinge when the securing portion is in the non-securing position and is prevented from being rotated about the hinge when the securing portion is in the securing position;
- and
- wherein the securing portion comprises a first securing portion, the securing position comprises a first securing position, and the non-securing position comprises a first non-securing position, further comprising a second securing portion movable from a second securing position to a second non-securing position, wherein when the first securing portion is in the first non-securing position, the second securing portion is in the second securing position.
A method of displaying indicia in a marking device, wherein the marking device includes a substantially rectangular marking device frame comprising first and second edges parallel to a first axis and third and fourth edges parallel to a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are orthogonal and define a display direction for the indicia normal to the first axis and the second axis, comprising the steps of:
- movably securing a first set of tiles to the marking device frame, the first set of tiles comprising a first portion of the indicia;
- movably securing a second set of tiles to the marking device frame, the second set of tiles comprising a second portion of the indicia, wherein the first set of tiles and the second set of tiles are disposed adjacent to one another along the first axis;
- exposing one of the first set of tiles to display the first portion of the indicia including the step of moving the one of the first set of tiles about a first line parallel to the first axis;
- exposing one of the second set of tiles to display the second portion of the indicia including the step of moving the one of the second set of tiles about the first line parallel to the first axis;
- and
- moving a securing member about a second line parallel to the second axis into engagement with the one of the first set of tiles and the one of the second set of tiles to prevent movement of the one of the first and second set of tiles.
A method of displaying indicia in a marking device, wherein the marking device includes a substantially rectangular marking device frame comprising first and second edges parallel to a first axis and third and fourth edges parallel to a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are orthogonal, comprising the steps of:
- securing a first set of tiles to the marking device frame;
- securing a second set of tiles to the marking device frame, wherein the first set of tiles and the second set of tiles are disposed adjacent to one another along the first axis;
- exposing one of the first set of tiles to display a first portion of the indicia;
- exposing one of the second set of tiles to display a second portion of the indicia;
- wherein securing the first set of tiles comprises securing the first set of tiles to the marking device frame by a first hinge, securing the second set of tiles comprises securing the second set of tiles to the marking device frame by a second hinge, and disposing first and second hinges along a line parallel to the first axis;
- rotating the first tile of the first set of tiles about the first hinge to expose a third tile of the first set of tiles;
- and
- moving a securing portion from a securing position to a non-securing position to enable the first tile to rotate about the hinge and moving the securing portion from the non-securing position to the securing position to prevent the first tile from rotating about the hinge;
- wherein the securing portion comprises a first securing portion, the securing position comprises a first securing position, and the non-securing position comprises a first non-securing position, further comprising moving a second securing portion from a second securing position to a second non-securing position, wherein when the first securing portion is in the first non-securing position, the second securing portion is in the second securing position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.