Methods and Kits for Customizing Articles

Abstract

Kits and methods are provided for customization of articles by abrasion of materials that capable of retaining rub designs. The articles may, for example, be apparel such as jeans, and through the use of the components of the present invention one may transfer shapes, such symbols, letter, numbers, representations of animals, representations of persons, representation of flowers, representation of trees, representations of motor vehicles, logos or a combination thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A kit for customizing an article of personal property comprising:
 (a) a rubbing template, wherein the rubbing template has a front surface and a back surface, wherein the front surface defines a shape and the back surface has a surface area;   (b) a rubbing tool, wherein the rubbing tool comprises an abrasive surface; and   (c) a mounting sheet, wherein the mounting sheet comprises a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface comprises an adhesive material and the first surface has an area that is larger than the surface area of the back surface of the rubbing template.   
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface of the shape is comprised of rubber. 
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 2 , wherein the back surface of the shape is laminated. 
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface comprises a tacky material. 
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the area of the first surface of the mounting sheet is at least 30% larger than the surface area of the back surface of the rubbing template. 
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the rubbing tool further comprises an abrasive surface. 
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein the rubbing tool has a rubbing face and the abrasive surface and the buffing surface are located on the same side of the rubbing face. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 7 , wherein the rubbing tool has a non-abrasive surface and the kit further comprises a rubbings collector, wherein the rubbings collector has an adhesive surface and is capable of reversibly associating with the rubbing tool on the non-adhesive surface, and the adhesive surface of the rubbings collector is wider than the rubbing tool. 
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive material in reusable. 
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 9 , wherein the mounting sheet comprises a foam material. 
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the shape forms at least one of a symbol, a letter, a number, a representation of an animal, a representation of a person, a representation of a flower, a representation of a tree, a representation or a motor vehicle, a logo or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface is a flat surface that forms the outline of the shape and none of the interior of the shape. 
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 12 , wherein the flat surface has one or more edges that are beveled. 
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface is a flat surface that forms the outline of the shape and some but not the entire interior of the shape. 
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the flat surface has one or more edges that are beveled. 
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface is a flat surface that forms the outline and the complete interior of the shape. 
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein the flat surface has one or more edges that are beveled. 
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the rubbing template comprise a loop, wherein the loop is configured to allow the rubbing template to hang from a hook or a clip. 
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 1  further comprising an article of personal property, wherein the article of personal property comprises a fabric and the fabric is capable of retaining a rub design. 
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 19 , wherein the article is a pair of jeans. 
     
     
         21 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface of the shape is rubber, the rubbing tool has a rubbing face and the rubbing face comprises a first region that forms an abrasive surface and a second region that forms a buffing surface. 
     
     
         22 . The kit of  claim 1  further comprising a rubbings collector, wherein the rubbings collector has an adhesive surface and is capable of reversibly adhering to the rubbing tool, and wherein the adhesive surface of the rubbings collector is wider than the rubbing tool. 
     
     
         23 . The kit of  claim 22  further comprising an article of personal property, wherein the article of personal property comprises a fabric and the fabric is capable of retaining a rub design. 
     
     
         24 . The kit of  claim 23 , wherein the article is a pair of jeans. 
     
     
         25 . A method for customizing an article of personal property comprising:
 (a) affixing a rubbing template to a mounting sheet to form an affixed rubbing template, wherein the rubbing template has a front surface and a back surface, wherein the front surface defines a shape and the back surface has a surface area and wherein the mounting sheet comprises a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface comprises an adhesive material and the first surface has an area that is larger than the surface area of the back surface of the rubbing template;   (b) placing the affixed rubbing template adjacent to an inside surface of an article at a transfer location; and   (c) rubbing an outside surface of the article at a location that corresponds to the transfer location.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the rubbing of step (c) is performed with a rubbing tool and the rubbing tool comprises an abrasive surface. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the rubbing tool further comprises a buffing surface, and said rubbings comprises: (i) rubbing with the abrasive surface; and (ii) rubbing with the buffing surface. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the rubbing tool is associated with a rubbings collector, wherein the rubbings collector has an adhesive surface that is capable of reversibly adhering to the rubbing tool and the adhesive surface is wider than the rubbing tool and the method further comprises collecting displaced rubbings through adhesion of the displaced rubbings to the adhesive surface of the rubbings collector. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the affixing of step (a) is performed by affixing the first surface of the mounting sheet to the back surface of the rubbing template.