TECHNICAL FIELD

The object of the invention is a template for assisting in spatial drawing, in particular for drawing spatial geometric shapes by means of 3D pens.

BACKGROUND

There are known templates (stencils) for assisting in drawing or painting of plane shapes, for example a drafting stencil for drawing basic geometric shapes on a surface on a paper, a Spirograph for drawing spirals and complex mathematical curves, or a stencil for painting graffiti on walls.

There are also known 3D (three-dimensional) pens for manual spatial drawing. These are typically thermosetting pens, wherein a spatial model can be gradually formed by momentary liquefaction of plastic material fed to the drawing head of the pen, which sets soon after flowing out of the head of the 3D pen and takes on the shape given to it by the draftsman. There are also known light-curable pens, in which the material is solidified by UV light.

However, templates for facilitating spatial drawing were not available so far. Such template cannot be developed based on a direct modification of previously available planar stencils, since there are no prior art guidelines on how such stencils could be used to facilitate spatial drawing. In particular, there are no templates which would facilitate manual drawing of models of spatial shapes for inexperienced individuals. SUMMARY

There is therefore a need to provide a template for assisting in spatial drawing, in particular for drawing spatial geometric shapes by means of 3D pens.

The invention relates to a template for spatial drawing, the template comprising: a bottom base having bottom reference studs; a top base having top reference studs and distanced from the bottom base; a plurality of arms extending between the bottom base and the top base configured to separably connect the bottom base with the top base.

Preferably, the bottom base and/or the top base have a shape of a ring and have peripheral reference studs distributed on a circumference of the ring. Preferably, the peripheral bottom reference studs and the peripheral top reference studs are distributed in pairs opposite each other in an axis perpendicular to planes of the bottom base and the top base.

Preferably, the bottom ring comprises a bar with a central bottom reference stud, located on a diameter of the bottom ring.

Preferably, the top ring comprises a bar with a central top reference stud, located at a diameter of the top ring.

Preferably, the reference studs are perpendicular to the plane of the base.

Preferably, the peripheral reference studs are distributed on the circumference of the rings at an angle (a, b) which equals from 5° to 30°, preferably 20° or 22.5°.

Preferably, the bottom base and/or the top base have a shape of a plate, wherein the reference studs are distributed on a surface of the plate.

Preferably, the arms have a telescopic structure.

Preferably, the bottom arms have a form of linear guides and comprise at least one slot, and the top arms have a form of flat bars terminated with hooks engaging the slots of the bottom arms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Various embodiments are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein::

Fig. 1 shows a template for assisting in spatial drawing according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 shows a bottom base of the template of fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 shows a top base of the template of fig. 1 ;

Fig. 4 shows the template for assisting in spatial drawing according to a second embodiment;

Fig. 5 shows the bottom base of the template of fig. 4;

Fig. 6 shows the top base of the template of fig. 4;

Fig. 7 shows the template for assisting in spatial drawing according to a third embodiment;

Fig. 8 shows the bottom base of the template of fig. 7;

Fig. 9 shows the top base of the template of fig. 7;

Figs. 10A-10C show the template according to the first embodiment with sample models of drawn geometric shapes; Figs. 11A-11 C show the template according to the second embodiment with sample models of drawn geometric shapes;

Figs. 12A-12C show the template according to the third embodiment with sample models of drawn geometric shapes;

Figs. 13A-13I show sample final models of geometric shapes created by means of the template.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

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. Apart of the three embodiments presented herein, various other embodiments can be contemplated.

Fig. 1 shows a template for assisting in spatial drawing according to a first embodiment. The template comprises a bottom base 1 10 (fig. 2) and a top base 120 (fig. 3). The bottom base 110 comprises a bottom ring 111 with peripheral bottom reference studs 112, wherein the bottom ring 111 preferably comprises a bar 113 with a central bottom reference stud 114, located on a diameter of the bottom ring 111. Moreover, the bottom base 110 comprises two bottom arms 115, 116, which are located opposite each other beyond a circumference of the bottom ring 111 , tangentially to it. The bottom arms 115, 116 are perpendicular to a plane of the bottom ring 111 and they constitute means for connecting the bottom base 110 to the top base 120. The bottom arms 115, 116 may have a telescopic structure with a variable length, or they may constitute a linear guide comprising at least one slot 117 distributed at least over a part of the length of the bottom arms 115, 116. For example, in the first embodiment, each bottom arm 115, 116 comprises three slots 117, which are distributed at equal distances from each other. The number of slots

117 may be arbitrary, depending on the length of the bottom arms 115, 116.

Preferably, the bottom arms 115, 116 are positioned in an axis of the bar 113.

In the first embodiment, an angle a between the peripheral bottom reference studs 112 distributed along the circumference of the bottom ring 111 equals to 20°, therefore, on the circumference of the bottom ring 111 there are 18 peripheral bottom reference studs 112.

The top base 120 comprises a top ring 121 with peripheral top reference studs 122, wherein the top ring 121 preferably comprises a bar 123 with a central top reference stud 124, located on a diameter of the top ring 121. Moreover, the top base 120 comprises two top arms 125, 126, which are located beyond the circumference of the top ring 121 , tangentially to it. The top arms 125, 126 are perpendicular to the plane of the top ring 121 and they constitute means for connecting the top base 120 to the bottom base 110. The top arms 125, 126 are designed in such a manner that they engage the bottom arms 115, 116 of the bottom base 110. For example, the top arms 125, 126 may have a cylindrical shape, which allows connection to the bottom arms 115, 116 having a telescopic structure, or they may have a form of flat bars terminated with a hook 127 engaging the slots 117 of the bottom arms 115, 116. The hooks 127 and the slots 117 allow separable mounting of the bottom base 110 to the top base 120, wherein the distance between the bases 110, 120 depends on the height at which the slot 1117 is located, in which the hook 127 is placed. In the presented embodiment, the slots 117 allow mounting the bottom base 1 10 to the top base 120 at three different heights (levels).

In the first embodiment, the angle a between the peripheral top reference studs 122 distributed on the circumference of the top ring 121 equals to 20°, whereby after connecting the bottom base 110 to the top base 120, the peripheral reference studs 112 and 122 are arranged correspondingly in pairs, axially opposite each other. Similarly, the central reference studs 114 and 124, which are preferably located correspondingly in the middle of the bars 113, 123, are also arranged axially opposite each other. In another embodiment, the bars 113, 123 may comprise more than one reference stud 114, 124.

Preferably, the reference studs 112, 122, 114, 124 are made of a material which does not bond permanently to the liquefied filament of a 3D pen, by means of which the model is being drawn (created). For example, the reference studs 112, 122, 114, 124 are made of silicone, which allows easy separation of the completed model from the template.

Figs. 4-6 show the template for spatial drawing along with its bottom base (fig. 5) and its top base (fig. 6) according to a second embodiment (in which reference numerals 2xx refer to analogical elements of Figs. 1 -3 referred to by the numerals 1xx), which is analogical to the first embodiment, except that in the second embodiment an angle b between the peripheral reference studs 212, 222 distributed correspondingly on the circumference of the bottom ring 211 and on the circumference of the top ring 221 equals to 22.5°. Wherein the slots 217 are distributed along the length of the bottom arms 215, 216 irregularly, in such a manner that one of the slots 217 is located substantially in the middle of the length of the bottom arms 215, 216, and the two remaining slots 217 are located closer to the end of the bottom arms 215, 216. There are also other possible examples of distribution of the slots 217 along the length of the bottom arms 215, 216.

Figs. 7-9 show the template for spatial drawing along with its bottom base (fig. 8) and its top base (fig. 9) according to a third embodiment (in which reference numerals 3xx refer to analogical elements of Figs. 1 -3 referred to by the numerals 3xx), which is analogical to the first embodiment, except that in the third embodiment the bases 311 , 321 have the shape of a substantially rectangular plate (in particular: have the shape of a square), and the reference studs 312, 322 are distributed thereon in parallel rows.

In another embodiment, the bottom arms x15, x16 can have a telescopic structure, which allows smooth adjustment of the distance between the bottom base x10 and the top base x20.

In other embodiments, the peripheral reference studs located on the circumference of the rings 111 , 121 , 211 , 221 may be distanced from each other by an angle other than 20° or 22.5°, falling within a range of 5° to 30°, preferably the angle which allows the division of the whole circumference of the rings into an integer number of angular segments.

Further embodiments can use bases in the shape of rings which are not circular, for example the rings may be rectangular or oval.

Further embodiments can use bases in the shape of planes which are not rectangular, for example the planes may be circular, oval, or may have a shape of a regular or irregular polygonal. The reference studs can be distributed on these bases in parallel or nonparallel series, in concentric circles or in other arrangements suitable for shaping the desired three-dimensional geometric shapes. Figs. 10A-10C show the template in the first embodiment with a sample model

130 of a drawn geometric shape. The model (skeleton of a geometric shape) is created by spatial drawing of its consecutive edges between two reference studs, wherein the two reference studs may be located on the same base 110 or 120 or each of the reference studs may be located on the opposite base (for example, the first reference stud is located on the bottom base 110 and the second one is located on the top base 120). Spatial drawing involves the creation of consecutive edges/elements of a model from a fusible material by means of the 3D pen, in such a manner that the elements of the model (the spatial drawing) are located in various planes.

Owing to the reference studs 112, 122, 114, 124, which constitute a starting and an ending point, the edges created between them are substantially straight.

Figs. 11A-11 C show the template in the second embodiment with a sample model 230 of a drawn geometric shape.

Figs. 12A-12C show the template according to the third embodiment with a sample model 330 of a drawn geometric shape.

Figs. 13A-13F show sample final models of geometric shapes made with the use of the presented templates.

The template for spatial drawing comprising reference studs assists manual drawing of spatial shapes in 3D technology, in particular by means of the 3D pen, since the reference studs constitute points of reference (starting/ending points) which facilitate the guiding of elements (segments constituting edges) of spatial shapes in a desired relation with respect to each other - in particular parallel, perpendicular to each other.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made. Therefore, the claimed invention as recited in the claims that follow is not limited to the embodiments described herein.