Item alignment device(s) and related methods

Abstract

An item alignment device, according to some embodiments, comprises a substantially elongated rectangular body that extends from a first end to a second end, the body defining a top surface and a bottom surface, a plurality of upper teeth extending perpendicularly upward from the top surface of the body, and a plurality of lower teeth extending perpendicularly downward from the bottom surface of the body. Some embodiments include a second alignment device comprising a rectangular second body having a first end portion, a second end portion, and first and second members extending therebetween. In some embodiments, the second member is spaced apart from the first member and defines a receiving cutout configured to receive the item alignment device. In various embodiments, the alignment device and second alignment device are configured for use in conjunction with one another to align one or more items according to a set of requirements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An item alignment device comprising:
 a substantially elongated rectangular body that extends from a first end to a second end, the body defining a top surface and a bottom surface;   a plurality of upper teeth extending substantially perpendicularly upward from the top surface of the body, each respective upper tooth of the plurality of upper teeth having a first height and being spaced apart a first distance from at least one adjacent upper tooth; and   a plurality of lower teeth extending substantially perpendicularly downward from the bottom surface of the body, each respective lower tooth of the plurality of lower teeth having a second height and being spaced apart a second distance from at least one adjacent lower tooth, wherein:
 the plurality of upper teeth define a plurality of upper recesses defined by two adjacent upper teeth of the plurality of upper teeth; and 
 the plurality of lower teeth define a plurality of lower recesses defined by two adjacent lower teeth of the plurality of lower teeth. 
   
     
     
         2 . The item alignment device of  claim 1 , wherein the first height, the first distance, the second height, and the second distance are substantially equal. 
     
     
         3 . The item alignment device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each respective upper tooth and each respective lower tooth are substantially cubic and substantially structurally identical; and   each respective upper tooth is at least substantially aligned with a corresponding lower tooth.   
     
     
         4 . The item alignment device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first end portion disposed adjacent the first end of the body, the first end portion being spaced apart from a first upper tooth of the plurality of upper teeth and a first lower tooth of the plurality of lower teeth by the first distance; and   a second end portion disposed adjacent the second end of the body, the second end portion being spaced apart from a second upper tooth of the plurality of upper teeth and a second lower tooth of the plurality of lower teeth by the first distance.   
     
     
         5 . The item alignment device of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first upper tooth is most proximate the first end out of the plurality of upper teeth;   the first lower tooth is most proximate the first end out of the plurality of lower teeth;   the second upper tooth is most proximate the second end out of the plurality of upper teeth; and   the second lower tooth is most proximate the second end out of the plurality of lower teeth.   
     
     
         6 . The item alignment device of  claim 5 , wherein the first end portion and the second end portion are substantially structurally identical. 
     
     
         7 . The item alignment device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of upper teeth comprise twenty three teeth; and   the plurality of lower teeth comprise twenty three teeth.   
     
     
         8 . The item alignment device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the alignment device has a thickness of substantially ⅛ th  of an inch;   the first height, the first distance, the second height, and the second distance are substantially ⅛ th  of an inch.   
     
     
         9 . The item alignment device of  claim 8 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of upper teeth and each of the plurality of lower teeth have a width of ⅛ th  of an inch.   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for aligning items comprising:
 a first alignment device comprising:
 a substantially rectangular first body having a first length, a first thickness, and a first height that extends from a first end to a second end, the substantially rectangular first body defining an upper surface and a bottom surface; 
 a first set of teeth extending perpendicularly upward from the upper surface, the first set of teeth having a first width and being substantially evenly spaced apart along the upper surface by a first distance; and 
 a second set of teeth extending perpendicularly downward from the bottom surface, the second set of teeth having a second width and being substantially evenly spaced apart along the bottom surface by a second distance; and 
   a second alignment device comprising:
 a substantially rectangular second body having a second length and a second thickness comprising:
 a first end portion; 
 a second end portion; 
 a substantially rigid first member that extends between the first end portion and the second end portion; and 
 a substantially rigid second member that extends between the first end portion and the second end portion and is spaced apart from the first member such that the substantially rigid second body defines a first alignment device receiving cutout that is defined by the first end portion, the second end portion, the first member, and the second member, wherein:
 the first length is the second length; 
 the first thickness is the second thickness; 
 the first height is double the first width; 
 the first width is the first distance; 
 the second width is the first width; and 
 the second distance is the first distance. 
 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus for aligning items of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the first width, the second width, the first distance, the second distance, the first thickness, and the second distance are substantially ⅛ th  of an inch.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus for aligning items of  claim 10 , wherein the second alignment device is configured to slidably maintain and at least temporarily couple at least one first alignment device perpendicular to the second alignment device such that:
 the first member is disposed between and engaged by each of a first upper tooth and a second upper tooth that is adjacent to the first upper tooth from the first set of teeth;   the second member is disposed between and engaged by each of a first bottom tooth and a second bottom tooth that is adjacent the first bottom tooth from the second set of teeth; and   a first portion of the substantially rectangular first body defined by a first spacing between the first upper tooth and the second upper tooth and a second spacing between the first bottom tooth and the second bottom tooth is disposed between and engaged by each of the first member and the second member.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus for aligning items of  claim 12 , wherein the second alignment device is configured to receive the first alignment device through the first alignment device receiving cutout to facilitate the at least temporary coupling of the at least one first alignment device perpendicular to the second alignment device such. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus for aligning items of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the at least one first alignment device comprises at least four alignment devices; and   the at least four alignment devices are configured to form a slidable stack of alignment devices configured to slide perpendicular to the second body within the first alignment device receiving cutout along a length of each of the first member and the second member between the first end portion and the second end portion.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus for aligning items of  claim 10 , wherein the first set of teeth comprise twenty three teeth and the second set of teeth comprise twenty three teeth, wherein each respective tooth in the first set of teeth has a corresponding tooth in the second set of teeth. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus for aligning items of  claim 10 , wherein a first profile of the first alignment device is substantially similar to a second profile of the second alignment device such that, when the first alignment device is placed on and aligned with the second alignment device, the first alignment device and the second alignment device form a substantially rectangular prism. 
     
     
         17 . A kit comprising:
 a first type of alignment device comprising:
 a substantially rectangular first body having a first length, a first thickness, and a first height that extends from a first end to a second end, the substantially rectangular first body defining an upper surface and a bottom surface; 
 a first set of teeth extending perpendicularly upward from the upper surface, the first set of teeth having a first width and being substantially evenly spaced apart along the upper surface by a first distance; and 
 a second set of teeth extending perpendicularly downward from the bottom surface, the second set of teeth having a second width and being substantially evenly spaced apart along the bottom surface by a second distance; and 
   a second type of alignment device comprising:
 a substantially rectangular second body having a second length and a second thickness comprising:
 a first end portion; 
 a second end portion; 
 a substantially rigid first member that extends between the first end portion and the second end portion; and 
 a substantially rigid second member that extends between the first end portion and the second end portion and is spaced apart from the first member such that the substantially rigid second body defines a first alignment device receiving cutout that is defined by the first end portion, the second end portion, the first member, and the second member, wherein:
 the first length is the second length; 
 the first thickness is the second thickness; 
 the first height is double the first width; 
 the first width is the first distance; 
 the second width is the first width; and 
 the second distance is the first distance. 
 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 17 , comprising:
 at least two of the first type of alignment device; and   at least one of the second type of alignment device.   
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 18 , comprising:
 five of the first type of alignment device; and   two of the second type of alignment device.   
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 19 , further comprising an alignment device case comprising:
 an elongated rectangular body defining a recess; and   a cap, wherein:
 the recess is dimensioned to receive the five of the first type of alignment device and the two of the second type of alignment device such that, when each of the five of the first type of alignment device and the two of the second type of alignment device are disposed within the recess in a stack, the cap at least temporarily secures the five of the first type of alignment device and the two of the second type of alignment device within the alignment device case.