Abstract:
A back-lighted clipboard having a transparent writing surface, a light assembly, and power supplies held removably in place on a document storage container by a retaining clip. The writing surface is lighted from below from the light assembly which projects light into the storage container. The clipboard can be easily assembled for use and easily disassembled for storage or repair.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to clipboards generally and, more particularly, to a clipboard having a storage container and a transparent surface lighted from beneath. 
   2. Technical Background 
   Clipboards are well known, including those that have storage and/or lighting. Lighted clipboards are useful at night, or in poor ambient light, and storage containers are useful for holding fresh paper and completed documents. Lighted clipboards need to be lighted from above the writing surface to provide adequate light but are not practical for portable use. Lights located on the writing surface of a clipboard may not provide adequate light over the entire writing surface. An alternate approach is to provide light from beneath a transparent writing surface. Existing devices that function in this manner are relatively complex and require the lights to be imbedded in the writing surface or in an illuminated sheet. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The clipboard of the present invention has a transparent writing surface, a light assembly, and power supplies, held removably in place on an upper end of a document storage container by a retaining clip. The retaining clip can open and close for the insertion and retaining of writing material on the writing surface, or to remove the writing surface to gain access to the document storage container. The document container can hold fresh paper or completed documents and access to the container can also be from the lower end or side of the document container. Power for the light assembly can be contained within the light assembly and/or in the power supply. The transparent writing surface is lighted from below by the light assembly which projects light into the storage container. The light is reflected off the internal surfaces of the storage container to provide uniform lighting to the writing surface. The clipboard can be easily assembled for use and easily disassembled for storage or repair. 
   An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a removable light assembly, power source, and transparent writing surface held in place on the upper end of the document container by a clip. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is that light projects uniformly from beneath the writing surface. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is that said retaining clip also retains writing paper and documents removably on the writing surface. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is that the writing surface can still be illuminated even if the document container is up to two-thirds full. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is that it can be constructed so that access to the document container can be from the lower end, side, or top of the document container, as desired. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is that it is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows the clipboard of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  shows the clipboard of the present invention disassembled. 
       FIG. 3  shows a side view of the clip that holds the various parts of the clipboard together. 
       FIG. 4  shows the light assembly of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  shows a cross-sectional view of the clipboard of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   While the following description details the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of the parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced in various ways. 
     FIG. 1  shows the clipboard  10  of the present invention. The clipboard has a transparent writing surface  11 , a document container  12 , a light assembly  13 , one or more power supplies  14 , and a retaining clip  15 . Document container  12  has an upper end  16 , a lower end  17 , a bottom  18 , and sides  19 . Retaining clip  15  has a top portion  20 , a bottom portion  21  (see FIG.  2 ), and a lip  22 . Retaining clip  15  also has an optional extension  23  which serves as a stand to tilt clipboard  10  forward when resting on a desktop or similar surface. Light assembly  13  has a removable light cover  24 . Writing surface  11  can extend the length of document container  12  and be held in place only by the retaining clip  15 . However, in  FIG. 1  writing surface  11  is shown in an alternate embodiment attached to power supplies  14  by hinges  25 , which facilitate lifting writing surface  11  to gain access into document container  12 . A power on/off switch  26  may be contained on a power supply  14 . 
     FIG. 2  shows a disassembled view of clipboard  10 , with the writing surface  11  removed. The on/off switch  26  is shown attached to light assembly  13 . 
     FIG. 3  shows a side view of retaining clip  15 . Top portion  20  and bottom portion  21  are biased inward, as shown by the dashed arrows, to compress light assembly  13 , power supplies  14 , and writing surface  11  onto or within document container  12  and to hold all these items together. Lip  22  of retaining clip  15  can be pushed outward, as shown by the solid arrow, to open the clip upward in order to insert and fasten papers, documents, and the like to writing surface  11 , or to remove writing surface  11 . 
     FIG. 4  shows an illustration of light assembly  11  with cover  24  removed. Any type of replaceable light  30  known in the art may be used, preferably a fluorescent light. Power can be supplied to light assembly  13  from power supplies  14  through electrical contacts  31 , or power can be supplied within light assembly  13 . If power is supplied from power supplies  14 , the on/off switch  26  would be located on the power supply  14  (see FIG.  1 ). If the power source is within light assembly  13 , then the on/off switch  26  would be located on light assembly  13  (see FIG.  2 ). Any type of suitable batteries may be used in power supplies  14  or with light assembly  13 . Also, standard AC/DC converters (adapters) may be used, as well as automobile cigarette lighter adapters, which are well known in the art. 
     FIG. 5  shows a cross-sectional view of clipboard  10  along line  5   a  in FIG.  1 . However, writing surface  11  is shown as hinged at lower end  17  of document container  12  by hinge  40  instead of on power supplies  14 . Retaining clip  15  can be opened by pushing on lip  22  in the direction indicated by the solid arrow and raising top portion  20  above writing surface  11 . Paper can then be inserted under top portion  20  and lip  22  can then be released. Top portion  22  is biased towards writing surface  11  so the paper will be held in place until the clip is opened again by pushing on lip  22 . 
   Writing surface  11  need not be hinged to document container  12  at all because it is held in place on document container  12 , light assembly  13 , and power supplies  14  by the top portion  20  of retaining clip  15 . However, hinge  40  may facilitate opening document container  12  from the top by lifting writing surface  11 . As noted above, retaining clip  15  can be opened by pushing on lip  22  in the direction indicated by the solid arrow and raising top portion  20  above writing surface  11 . This will also permit writing surface  11  to be lifted or removed from document container  12  and permit the insertion of paper, documents, or the like within document container  12 . 
   Sufficient light is provided even if document container  12  is filled up to two-thirds. Light projects from light  30  out into document container  12 , shown by the dashed arrow, and is reflected off the internal surfaces of bottom  18 , sides  19 , and end  17 . The internal surfaces can be coated with white or reflective paint or covered with reflective materials, including mirrored surfaces. The light is, thus, reflected upward through the transparent writing surface  11 . Writing surface  11  can be made of transparent plastic or glass. When a piece of paper is placed on writing surface  11  and the light is reflected up through writing surface  11 , sufficient light is projected through the writing paper so that a user can write on the paper in a dark environment. 
   The foregoing description has been limited to specific embodiments of this invention. It will be apparent, however, that variations and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art to the disclosed embodiments of the invention, with the attainment of some or all of its advantages and without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the various described elements and components of clipboard  10  can be made of any suitable materials, such as, for example, plastic, metal, wood, and the like. Incandescent light sources can be used. Power can be stored and supplied from the power supplies  14  or light source  11  or both. Rechargeable batteries can be used. The power supplies  14  can be replaced with storage containers or the power supplies  14  can be removed altogether and replaced with a larger light supply  11 . The sides  19  or end  17  can have an opening for access to the internal compartment of document container  12 . A plurality of lights may be contained in light assembly  11 . 
   It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of the parts which have been described and illustrated above in order to explain the nature of this invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principle and scope of the invention as recited in the following claims.