# US 2016/0257162 A1 · Dry erase board having three-dimensional marking surface

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- Number: US 2016/0257162 A1
- Document ID: US20160257162A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/837,901
- Filed: 2015-08-27
- Published: 2016-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-07-25
- Inventors: David Cruickshank
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160257162A1

## CPC

- B43L 1/00: Repeatedly-usable boards or tablets for writing or drawing (drawing-boards B43L5/00)
- B29C 51/428: {of moulds or mould parts}
- B29C 51/10: Forming by pressure difference, e.g. vacuum
- B29C 51/445: {from a support after moulding, e.g. by cutting}
- B29C 2791/006: Using vacuum
- B29L 2031/4835: {Masks}
- B29L 2031/722: {Decorative or ornamental articles}
- B29L 2031/7532: {Artificial members, protheses}
- B43L: ARTICLES FOR WRITING OR DRAWING UPON; {WRITING OR DRAWING AIDS;} ACCESSORIES FOR WRITING OR DRAWING (workshop equipment for marking-out work B25H7/00; teaching hand-writing or drawing G09B11/00)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A three-dimensional dry erase board is fabricated in a vacuum forming process using a suitable thermoplastic material laid over a mold of any desired three-dimensional surface. The three-dimensional dry erase board can be fashioned into any three-dimensional surface, with it replicating well-known persons, objects, logos, scenery, or the like. The dry erase board retains its markable and erasable qualities of the three-dimensional surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A three-dimensional dry erase board comprising:
a three dimensional erasable relief surface fabricated from a suitable material to receive ink from a dry erase board marker;
wherein images, logos, text and the like may be drawn onto the relief surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A three-dimensional dry erase board as in claim 1 and further comprising:
a flat surface fabricated from a suitable material to receive ink from a dry erase board marker; and the flat surface being adjacent to the relief surface;
wherein images, logos, text and the like may be drawn onto the flat surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A process for fabricating the three-dimensional dry erase board in claim 1 comprising:
creating a mold of a desired three-dimensional surface; the mold further comprising a vacuum circuit and a cooling circuit; heating a thermoplastic sheet to an appropriate temperature; laying the sheet on top of the master mold; applying the vacuum circuit to the space between the mold upper surface and the thermoplastic sheet; causing the thermoplastic sheet to conform to the shape of the master mold; applying a cold source to the master mold cooling circuit so as to remove any residual heat energy from the mold and thermoplastic sheet; removing the thermoplastic sheet from the mold and cutting the sheet into a finished products.

### Claim 4

A method of using a three-dimensional dry erase board comprising the steps of:
drawing on the three-dimensional erase board using an erasable marker to produce a first artistic creation;
erasing the first artistic creation from the three-dimensional erase board; and then
drawing on the three-dimensional erase board using an erasable marker to produce a second artistic creation.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A method of using a three-dimensional dry erase board according the claim 4, wherein:
the erase board has three-dimensional features representing person, objects, logos, text, scenery or the like; and
the steps of drawing comprise drawing over the three-dimensional features with a dry erasable marker to produce an artistic creation adding dimension or character to the three-dimensional features.