The present invention relates to an erasable graphic panel. More particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a panel having a dark or coloured substrate and a semi-adhesive translucent film which when pressed in a localised area against the substrate by a pressing tip, turns dark or coloured to simulate writing or drawing. More particularly, the invention relates to such a panel having a special erasing slider for separating the translucent film from the substrate to thereby erase any graphic image showing through the film.
It is known to provide graphic panels having a pressure-sensitive translucent plastics film upon a dark rubbery-surfaced substrate. When an inkless writing tip is pressed against the translucent film, the film appears to turn dark due to adhesion of the back surface of the film at the pressed areas to the substrate and this simulates writing or drawing. Various methods have been developed for erasing the writing from the panels. These are usually expensive as they suffer from complexity of design.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantage and/or more generally to provide an improved erasable graphic panel.
There is disclosed herein an erasable graphic panel comprising:
a substrate having a dark surface,
a translucent film overlying the substrate and adapted upon application of pressure from a pointed implement thereto to adhere locally to the substrate and thereby produced a visible trace of movement of the pointed implement upon the film, and
a slider positioned over the substrate and comprising a lifting blade extending under the film and being movable across the substrate to lift the film therefrom to thereby erase the visible trace.
Preferably the slider comprises a deflector that is parallel and coextensive with the lifting blade and under which the film passes.
Preferably the substrate is positioned upon a base that comprises parallel tracks, one at either lateral side of the substrate, and wherein the slider comprises a guide at both ends of the blade, each riding along a respective said track.
Preferably a handle extends from the deflector for grasping by a user.
Preferably the panel includes a frame attached to the base and covering a periphery of the film and extending over the tracks to constrain the guides in the tracks.