# US 11,897,280 B2 · Chalk box with end hook seating assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,280 B2 - Document ID: US11897280B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/440,056 - Filed: 2020-03-19 - Published: 2022-06-16 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-19 - Assignees: Apex Brands, Inc. - Applicants: Apex Brands, Inc. - Inventors: Cecil Wilson; Eric Van Fossen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897280B2 ## CPC - B44D 3/38: Cord line chalkers - B44D: PAINTING OR ARTISTIC DRAWING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PRESERVING PAINTINGS; SURFACE TREATMENT TO OBTAIN SPECIAL ARTISTIC SURFACE EFFECTS OR FINISHES (surface treatment in general, see the relevant places, e.g. applying liquids or other fluent materials B05) ## Abstract A chalk box including a housing (110) having an aperture (140), a reel assembly (120) enclosed within the housing, a string (140) having a first end operably coupled to an end hook (170) and configured to extend from the housing through the aperture and having a second end configured to be wound on the reel assembly, a chalk reservoir (160) in which the string is retained or through which the string passes prior to extending out of the aperture, and a seating assembly (180) configured to extend around at least fifty percent of the length or volume of the end hook when the string is fully withdrawn into the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A chalk box comprising: a housing having an aperture; a reel assembly enclosed within the housing; a string having a first end operably coupled to an end hook and configured to extend from the housing through the aperture and having a second end configured to be wound on the reel assembly; a chalk reservoir in which the string is retained or through which the string passes prior to extending out of the aperture; and a seating assembly configured to extend around at least fifty percent of a length or volume of the end hook when the string is fully withdrawn into the housing, wherein the seating assembly comprises a substrate and an overmold portion, the overmold portion including two opposing sides separated by a recessed area at which the substrate is exposed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The chalk box of claim 1, wherein the seating assembly is operably coupled to the housing such that the string extends radially outwardly from the reel assembly through the aperture and into the seating assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The chalk box of claim 2, wherein the seating assembly comprises a reception cavity bounded by four sidewalls, and wherein a base of the end hook is substantially entirely surrounded by the four sidewalls when the string is fully withdrawn into the housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The chalk box of claim 2, wherein each of the four sidewalls tapers inwardly toward the aperture over at least a portion of the sidewalls. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The chalk box of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first case half and a second case half, and wherein the seating assembly is joined to the first and second case halves via a press fitting. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The chalk box of claim 1, wherein the end hook is retained in the recessed area in contact with the substrate when the string is fully withdrawn into the housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The chalk box of claim 6, wherein the end hook is disposed entirely below a plane extending over a top of the opposing sides of the overmold portion when the string is fully withdrawn into the housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The chalk box of claim 1, wherein the end hook comprises a base having a front side and a back side, wherein prongs of the end hook extend substantially perpendicularly away from the front side, and wherein the front and back sides of the end hook each lie in a plane that extends substantially perpendicular to an axis of the reel assembly when the string is fully withdrawn into the housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The chalk box of claim 8, wherein the front and back sides of the end hook are tapered as the end hook extends toward the string. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The chalk box of claim 9, wherein the seating assembly comprises a reception cavity, and wherein the reception cavity is tapered to substantially match a shape of the front and back sides of the end hook. ### Claim 11 A seating assembly for a chalk box, the seating assembly comprising: a body portion operably coupled to a housing of the chalk box; and a reception cavity formed in the body portion and extending radially outwardly with respect to an axis about which a reel assembly of the chalk box rotates, wherein the reception cavity is bounded by four sidewalls, and wherein at least fifty percent of a length or volume of the end hook is disposed within the reception cavity when the string is fully withdrawn into the housing, wherein the body portion of the seating assembly comprises a substrate and an overmold portion, the overmold portion including two opposing sides separated by a recessed area at which the substrate is exposed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein a base of the end hook is substantially entirely surrounded by the four sidewalls when the string is fully withdrawn into the housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The seating assembly of claim 12, wherein each of the four sidewalls tapers inwardly toward the aperture over at least a portion of the sidewalls. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the housing comprises a first case half and a second case half, and wherein the seating assembly is joined to the first and second case halves via a press fitting. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the end hook is retained in the recessed area in contact with the substrate when the string is fully withdrawn into the housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The seating assembly of claim 15, wherein the end hook is disposed entirely below a plane extending over a top of the opposing sides of the overmold portion when the string is fully withdrawn into the housing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the end hook comprises a base having a front side and a back side, wherein prongs of the end hook extend substantially perpendicularly away from the front side, and wherein the front and back sides of the end hook each lie in a plane that extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of the reel assembly when the string is fully withdrawn into the housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The seating assembly of claim 17, wherein the front and back sides of the end hook are tapered as the end hook extends toward the string, and wherein the seating assembly comprises a reception cavity, and wherein the reception cavity is tapered to substantially match a shape of the front and back sides of the end hook.