Abstract: A deformable drawing tablet in which contiguous longitudinal edge portions of a stack of individual elongate strips which are confined for relative sliding movement to form a drawing surface. A user can shift individual strips longitudinally to deform the drawing surface thereby distorting an image drawn or preprinted on the drawing surface. Longitudinal end portions of the strips form a lateral edge of the tablet so that the lateral edge can be formed into profiles of different characters by shifting the strips longitudinally to different relative positions. An edge forming die includes a stencil for drawing character features. The strips are clamped in a coplanar stack by a transverse locating post, extending through slots in the strips and secured at opposite ends to a cap and a base which house an eraser and a drawing implement, respectively.

Abstract: An educational kit for use in teaching children shapes, colors and to exercise creativity. The kit comprises a backboard of a magnetically attractable material, at least one sheet of stencils, at least one sheet of a flexible magnetic material, at least one sheet of a laminating material, coloring implements and a set of graphical instructions. The child can use the stencil sheet to draw a figure or design on to the sheet of magnetic material and then use the coloring implements to color in that design or figure, thus learning shapes as well as colors and coloring techniques. After the design or figure is completed, it can be cut out of the magnetic sheet and laminated by use of the laminating sheets to protect that design or figure. Thus, the completed design or figure can then be affixed magnetically to the backboard so that the child can show off the completed product.

Abstract: A device includes a support, a lock connected to the support, and a protective element configured to protect the lock. The lock includes a plurality of strands. At least a portion of the protective element is transparent. The protective element is mounted to the support so as to permit movement of the support between a first position and a second position. When the protective element is in the first position, the lock is at least substantially contained inside the protective element and, when the protective element is in the second position, at least a portion of the lock is at least partly accessible to touch.

Abstract: Placemats having integrated adhesive stickers or labels constructed as a single sheet integrated placemat product. A preferred embodiment of the present invention is fabricated from a preprinted bond paper sheet having an underlying silicone coated kraft paper liner adhered to at least a portion of the rear side of the preprinted bond paper sheet. Portions of the preprinted bond paper sheet have die cuts which permit removal of preprinted designs on the integrated adhesive stickers or labels. Children or other interested patrons complete drawings on the placemats by placing or positioning the adhesive stickers or labels wherever the children or other interested patrons choose on the placemats. If desired, the adhered stickers and/or the remainder of the placemats may be further decorated or colored using various writing instruments, including pencils, pens, ink markers and crayons, to create a picture or artistic scene.

Abstract: The creation of computer generated lenticular images involves the computer manipulation of at least a first and second image. The images can be sequential in time of the same object or sequential in spatial perspective, or completely unrelated. The images are scanned into a computer memory and then digitally interlaced. The input can be any source of image. Likewise, the output can be manipulated to any resolution. The output interlaced image is then printed onto a substrate, such as the back surface of a lenticular lens. The resolution of the interlaced image can be matched to the geometry of the lenticules. Thus, the viewer will see the first image from a first viewing perspective and the second image from a second viewing perspective.

Abstract: An efficient economical process is provided to produce an impressive display with outstanding marketing and advertising appeal. In the process, multiple images are formed, such as on a central processing unit, the images are striped or manipulated, eliminating rows of pixels and replacing them with pixels from other images, and portions thereof are superimposed. The superimposed images can be printed on a viewable surface of the display. A lenticular lens, fresnel lenticular lens plate, lens with a textured surface, plate lens, ultraviolet cured resinous lens, lens with an undercut, cluster of anamorphic lenses, transparent rods, or grid, can be placed in front of the images to provide a special display which has the illusion of animation, morphing or movement as the angle of sight changes. The images can also be printed directly on the back surface of the lens to provide self-contained lenticular graphics.

Abstract: An efficient economical process is provided to produce an intricate impressive display with outstanding marketing and advertising appeal. In the process, multiple images are formed, such as on a central processing unit, the images are masked and striped, and portions thereof are superimposed. The superimposed masked images can be printed on an underlying back rearward web. Transparent rods, a plate lens, lenticular lens, a cluster of anamorphic lenses, or a grid, can be placed front of the back web to provide a special display which has the illusion of animation as the angle of sight changes.

Abstract: A laminated article includes a web releasably adhered to a carrier sheet having indicia imprinted thereon. The web includes a die cut top layer having indicia-imprinted separable pieces releasably adhered to a support layer. Upon separating the web from the carrier sheet, selected ones of the separable pieces can be releasably attached to the carrier whereby the respective indicia cooperate for the playing of a game or creation of a scene.

Abstract: A system for composing alphanumeric characters and/or decorative designs from modules containing line segments. The line segments within each module are to be provided with means to make each line segment differentially visible, for example light-emitting diodes, liquid crystal displays, etc. The arrangement of line segments within the modules is the means whereby a variety of typefaces previously unobtainable in illuminated lettering or signage is now made available through the use of the present invention. Two module types, each with a different arrangement of line segments within, are herein specified.

Abstract: Disclosed is a poster including a white base sheet and a plurality of parallel black stripes of various widths that are in conformity with the values in the light or dark tones in an original picture, thereby mixing black and white lines so as to produce a desired halftone picture. The parallel stripes of various widths are formed by a computer-assisted cutter. Its cutting tool is moved in an adhesive black film in response to an electrical signal representing the values in the light and dark tones in the stripe pattern of the original picture, thus cutting stripes of various widths in the black film. Then, the black stripes of various widths are applied to the white background, mixing the black stripes and the resultant white stripes, and producing a halftone-like picture.