Abstract:
The clipboard pencil holder is a device that can be easily attached to the clip of a conventional clipboard for the purpose of providing easy and convenient storage and retrieval of a pencil or other similarly-sized writing instrument. The holder holds the pencil horizontally against, and parallel to the clipboard clip while substantially avoiding interference with the clipboard clip&#39;s ability to grip a paper pad which, for example, is positioned between the clip and the board of the clipboard.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/460,965 filed Apr. 7, 2003, incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not applicable.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The invention relates to a clipboard pencil holder, and more particularly to a detachably mounted structure for use with a conventional clipboard.  
           [0004]    Heretofore, clipboards have utilized various structures to retain pencils. Such structures may be permanently fixed to, or designed into, the clip mechanism of the clipboard. For example, known retaining structures are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,250 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,127,649.  
           [0005]    Other types of holding mechanisms for clipboards are detachable to the clip. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,242 shows a detachable structure. Such holding mechanisms of the prior art, however, may come loose from the clipboard, may move sideways on the clip, provide for the holding of only one pencil, hold the pencil on only one side of the clip, or are difficult to use.  
           [0006]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a detachable holder for a clipboard, which is easy to use, durable, reliable, easily manufactured and manufacturable at a low cost, while simultaneously overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art holding methods and apparatus for clipboards.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    These and other objects of the invention are achieved in a holder detachably mountable to the clip of a conventional clipboard. The holder holds a writing instrument, as for example, a pencil. The holder grips the bottom edge of the clip in order to position a holding member relative to the planar surface of the clip.  
           [0008]    In one embodiment, a contact member is positioned relative to the holding member for engaging a pencil as the pencil moves into position in order to force open the holder to receive the pencil.  
           [0009]    In another embodiment, a second holding member is positioned relative to the clip for holding a second pencil.  
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a partial view of a clipboard and a front perspective view of an embodiment of a holder attached to the clip of the clipboard.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is the holder of FIG. 1, but illustrating a change in position of a pencil being held by the holder.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the holder of FIG. 1.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a front view of the holder of FIG. 1.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is back view of the holder of FIG. 1.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views of the holder of FIG. 1.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a clipboard  10  includes a planar board member  13  made of pressed fiber board, for example, and a conventional metal clip  15 . Clip  15  is formed from a front element  14  (FIG. 2) which is pivotably connected to a rear element  16 . Rear element  16  is riveted or otherwise secured to board member  13  in a conventional manner.  
         [0017]    Front element  14  includes a pair of planar side panels  18  (one shown in FIG. 2) which are spaced apart and extend rearwardly from a planar front panel  22 . As understood, front panel  22  includes a linear edge  17  (FIG. 1) that engages the flat surface of board member  13 . Clip  15  includes a spring (not shown, but see the prior art patents cited above which are incorporated herein by reference) which biases front element  14  to pivot about an axis  20  relative to rear element  16 . The force of the spring biases linear edge  17  firmly against board member  13 , so as to secure a pad of paper (not shown) which is placed between the board member  13  and linear edge  17  of the clip  15 .  
         [0018]    A pencil clip or holder  19  (hereinafter referred to as a “holder” so as to avoid confusion with “clip”  15 ) is positioned onto clip  15  by a user of the device. Holder  19  has three distinct sections—a lower section  21 , a mid-section  23  and an upper section  25 . Pencil holder  19  is made of a firm yet flexible material such as plastic. However, holder  19  may be made from metal, for example, spring sheet steel or brass sheeting.  
         [0019]    As shown in FIGS. 3-7, lower section  21  is formed of two legs  27 ,  29  (FIG. 3) are separably flexible, i.e., which flex outwardly to separate so as to receive and grip the bottom portion  31  (FIG. 1) of clipboard clip  15 . The gripping action of the legs  27 ,  29  against portion  31  is caused by the resiliency of the legs which generate a return bias when flexed outwardly. The return bias must be of a sufficient force so as to prevent holder  19  from falling off of, or coming loose from, clip  15  when the clip is opened, i.e., when front element  14  is pivoted relative to rear element  16  to provide an opening between edge  17  and board  13 . Additional force may be provided to draw leg  27  into contact with portion  31  of the clip, when the embodiment makes use of a rear holding member  35 , as described hereinafter.  
         [0020]    Legs  27 ,  29  are connected by a bottom portion  37 , and lower section  21  has a cross-sectional shape that may be described as U-shaped. Front leg  27  is approximately ⅜ ths of an inch “high”, as shown in FIG. 3. Rear leg  29  is ½ of an inch high. The difference in height is shown in FIG. 4. The topmost ⅛ th   of an inch of leg  29  may be angled or curved toward the rear, as seen in FIG. 7 and FIG. 3, so as to provide a surface to guide the clip edge  17  into the holder. There is a gap between the inside surfaces of legs  27 ,  29  which is sized in view of the thickness of bottom portion  31  of the clip. The bottom portion  37  has a length that is approximately (within 5% less or more) the length of the linear edge  17  of clipboard clip  15  in order to allow retention of all or nearly all of the clipboard clip&#39;s ability to grip. For example, bottom member  37  may be described as forming a linear edge  12  having a length within a range of plus or minus 0.25 inches of the length of linear edge  17 . Conventional clips typically have a linear edge  17  of a length of 6 inches or 5 and ⅞ ths inches. The spring-forced pressure of edge  17  of clip  15  (as against board  13 ) is transferred to the holder  19  along the entire length of linear edge  12  of section  21 . Thus, clip  15  controls an engagement contact area provided by bottom member  37  against board  13  which is approximately the same as the engagement contact area provided by edge  17 .  
         [0021]    The mid-section  23  includes a front member  33  and a rear member  35 . Front member  33  extends in an outward curve from the lower section  21  to a point approximately ¾ ths of an inch above the bottom  37  of the lower section, and then angles or curves inwardly toward the rear until it touches or nearly touches the rear member  35 . This shape provides a pencil receiving cavity  34  (FIG. 1) formed by front member  33  and the flat, planar front panel  22  of clip  15  when holder  19  is engaged onto clip  15 . The inside surface of front member  33  may be curved or have a shape formed of angled planes.  
         [0022]    As shown in FIG. 4, the longitudinal length  51  of front member  33  of the mid-section  23  is substantially (i.e., at least less than 50 percent) shorter than the longitudinal length  53  of lower section  21 . This allows less force to be required to flex front member  33  outwardly away from panel  22  of the clip so as to receive pencil  11 . In the same way, the longitudinal length  55  (FIG. 5) of rear member  35  is substantially (i.e., at least less than 50 percent) shorter than the longitudinal length  53  (FIG. 4) of lower section  21 . This allows less force to be required to flex rear member  35  outwardly away from the clip so as to receive the pencil.  
         [0023]    Upper section  25  includes a front cam member  41  and a rear top member  43 . Front cam member  41  angles or curves away outwardly from the top of front member  33 . Front cam member  41  includes an inside planar cam surface  40  which engages the pencil  11  so that front member  33  is lifted outwardly by the action of inserting a writing instrument between holder  19  and the clipboard clip. This camming action causes the cavity  34  between the front member  33  and the clip  15  to enlarge. The extension length (⅜ inches in FIG. 3) of cam member  41  is established in view of the diameter of pencil  11  and the angle between cam member  41  and front panel  22  of the clip  15 .  
         [0024]    Rear member  35 , like its front member counterpart, extends in a curve shape from the lower section  21  to an edge  30  touching or nearly touching the top edge  36  of front member  33 . This shape provides another pencil receiving cavity formed by rear member  35  and the flat planar rear surface of panel  22  of clip  15 , when holder  19  is engaged onto clip  15 .  
         [0025]    As referred to above, rear member  35  provides additional force to secure the holder to the clip. Leg  37  is drawn into contact with portion  31  of the clip, at least at the inside upper edge  28  of leg  27 , due to the force provided by the inside upper edge  30  of leg  29 , contacting the flat planar rear surface of panel  22 . This tends to force rear member  35  outwardly thus pulling the upper edge  28  against bottom portion  31  of the clip.  
         [0026]    The rear top member  43  has a planar shape and extends outwardly from the top of rear member  35 . Top member  43  may be aligned parallel to and in touching contact with the back planar surface of front panel  22  when the pencil holder is slipped onto the clip, depending upon the particular shape of clipboard clip  15 . In some cases, top member  43  may angle away from panel  22  of the clipboard clip. Top member  43  facilitates the initial insertion of the holder onto the clip. In addition, top member  43  extends between the two side panels  18 , and thus, prevents undesirable sideways movement of the holder  19  relative to clip  15 . Top member  43  is lifted or moved rearwardly from panel  22  by the action of inserting a writing instrument, for example, pencil  11 , into the cavity formed by rear member  35 . While the pencil  11  is being installed, the pencil holder&#39;s sideways mobility is minimized by side panels  18 . The length of top member  43  is sufficient to engage side panels  18 , but not so long as to interfere with the spring of clip  15 . In addition, a hole (not shown) may pass through top member  43  to facilitate hanging holder  19  onto a rack in a store. The hole may be centrally located.  
         [0027]    Pencil  11  is inserted into the front side of the pencil holder by placing it against the front of panel  22  of the clipboard clip at a point just above and parallel to the top edge of the pencil holder. The writing instrument is then moved downwardly along and against the surface of the clipboard clip until it meets camming member  41  and moves camming member  41  outwardly and then comes to rest and is held between the clipboard clip and the pencil holder. Pencil receiving cavity  34  is sized to receive a conventional pencil with a standard circumference. A pencil with a standard circumference is thus held by front member  33  being biased toward panel  22 , and receives a holding pressure required for effective use of holder  19 . As understood, pencils having non-standard circumferences may be held by holder  19 .  
         [0028]    The writing instrument is removed by reversing the insertion movement. The width of midsection  23  is shorter than that of lower section  21  so as to decrease (or establish) the resistance provided to the pencil when the pencil is slid downwardly into the holder. The shorter width of midsection  23  also allows the user to hold the pencil at one or both ends during insertion and to center the pencil relative to the holder. The pencil  11  may be pushed or slid sideways after insertion so as to center the pencil in holder  19 .  
         [0029]    A writing instrument is inserted into the rear side of the pencil holder by placing the writing instrument against the rear side of the clipboard clip at a point just to the side of the rear member  35  of the pencil holder. The writing instrument is then slid or moved sideways, point end first, along its longitudinal axis and against the surface of the clipboard clip until it is centered and held between the clipboard clip and the pencil holder.  
         [0030]    The writing instrument is removed by reversing the insertion movement or by moving it in the same direction in which it was inserted until it is free of the pencil holder. As understood, holder  19  may hold two pencils simultaneously, one in each of the pencil receiving cavities formed by members  33 ,  35 .  
         [0031]    While the invention has been described with reference to one or more preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. This is particularly true as to the given dimensions which represent only one embodiment. For example, the extending length of front cam member  41  which extends outwardly from edge  36  may be shorter than ⅜ inches. In another example, the clipboard  10  may be a version smaller or larger than a standard clipboard.  
         [0032]    In another example, clip holder  19  may be formed without rear member  35  and top member  43 , so as to provide a holder for one pencil. Also, for example, clip holder  19  may be formed without front member  33  and cam member  41 , so as to provide a holder for one pencil. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular step, structure, or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. The thickness of holder  19  is specified according to the need for flexibility and for durability, depending on the particular material which forms holder  19 . Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.