Patent Publication Number: US-8533985-B2

Title: Magnetic planning board with stackable, snap-to-grid, self-aligning items

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The invention relates to planning boards. More particularly, the invention relates to a magnetic planning board with stackable, snap-to-grid, self-aligning items. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Magnetic white boards, planning boards, and calendar boards are a ubiquitous element of the modern workplace. For example, Magna Visual, Inc. of St. Louis, Mo., offers a planning kit in which a number of rectangular items of varied color and labeled with textual information may be affixed to a magnetic board. Each item can be labeled with information such as a project name, a team member name, a task, or a date, and arranged to illustrate the plan of action required to reach a particular objective. 
     Because such information is typically structured in nature, the Magna Visual planning kit, as with many other similar products, features an embedded grid that enables users to align the items affixed to the board more accurately. However, such grids serve only as a visual guide. There is no mechanical action that guides the user in aligning the affixed items to the board or to one another. In practice, accurately aligning the items to the visual grid is a delicate, time consuming process that distracts users from the underlying planning activity. Indeed, the visual grid often merely calls attention to improperly aligned items. 
     What is needed is a more convenient method of accurately aligning the affixed items to the board and, therefore, to one another. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,303 does disclose a magnetic display board that provides accurate mounting of display articles. In the disclosed display board, each display article must be mounted “at a pre-determined display location,” as is suitable for the display of set collection of items for sale in a department store. Such an approach does not provide the flexibility that is required for other applications, such as planning and calendar boards. Also, because magnets are directly affixed to the rear surface of the display articles, the displayed articles are not positioned flush with the display boards but, instead, hover above the surface. While this may be appropriate for a sales display, it compromises the aesthetics of the display in many other applications, such as planning and calendar boards. 
     Furthermore, the magnet itself must serve as the bearing surface between the article and the display board. This bearing surface may not provide desirable friction characteristics should the affixed items be repositioned using a sliding motion, as is common during the use of planning boards and planning calendars. 
     It would be advantageous to provide a simple, yet flexible mechanism for affixing items to a magnetic board such that they are accurately aligned to the board and to one another. It would also be advantageous if such mechanism allowed positioning and repositioning of the items as desired by the user, including stacked configurations. It would also be desirable if contact between the items and the board is aesthetically pleasing, and provides a bearing surface that allows for repositioning of items using a sliding motion. Further, it would be advantageous if aligning the items is convenient for the user and does not distract from the primary task at hand. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The presently preferred embodiment of the invention provides a simple, yet flexible mechanism for affixing items to a magnetic board such that they are accurately aligned to the board and to one another. Such mechanism allows positioning and repositioning of the items as desired by the user, including stacked configurations. Contact between the items and the board is aesthetically pleasing, and provides a bearing surface that allows for repositioning of items using a sliding motion. Further, aligning the items is convenient for the user and does not distract from the primary task at hand. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic overview of a magnetic planning board according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a detailed sectional view of a preferred construction method for a magnetic planning board according to the invention; 
         FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  show a magnetic planning board with snap-to-grid alignment behavior according to the invention; 
         FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  show the inner and outer surface of a unitary item according to the invention; 
         FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  show outer and inner surfaces of two attached multi-unit items according to the invention; 
         FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  show an elongated item used to denote a timeline according to the invention; 
         FIG. 7  shows a blank multi-unit item according to the invention; 
         FIG. 8  shows the stacking of items affixed to a magnetic planning board according to the invention; and 
         FIG. 9  shows the stacking of items for storage according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a simple, yet flexible mechanism for affixing items to a magnetic board, such that they are accurately aligned to the board and to one another. The inventive mechanism disclosed herein allows positioning and repositioning of the items as desired by the user, including stacked configurations. Contact between the items and the board is aesthetically pleasing, and provides a bearing surface that allows for repositioning of items using a sliding motion. Aligning the items is convenient for the user and does not distract from the primary task at hand. 
     The presently preferred embodiment of the invention provides a magnetic planning board and a method of attaching a first, smaller planar item to a second, larger planar item in a precise, yet repositionable manner, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The larger planar object, the board  11 , contains a magnetic grid  12  consisting of a series of magnets positioned such that the magnetic poles are evenly spaced on a Cartesian grid, with alternating outward facing polarity. Unitary items  14  and multi-unit items  16  that are affixed to the board each contain at least two magnets, separated from one another by a distance equal to the spacing of the magnetic grid and also with opposite outward facing polarity. As an item is placed on the board, it naturally locates in alignment with the underlying magnetic grid as the opposing magnetic poles attract one another. Once aligned with the underlying magnetic grid, the item is secured to the board in alignment with other affixed items. 
     While the magnetic grid and magnets on the affixed item ensure that the item is properly aligned and secured, the user is not constrained to placing the magnet in a small number of predetermined positions. Rather, the user is free to place and move the item anywhere within the magnetic grid. As a user moves items across the board, he feels an affirming, snap-to-grid action as the item attains one of the many available aligned positions. It is thus a simple matter for a user to position and align a large number of items in an aesthetically satisfying manner. 
     An item containing exactly two magnets is referred to as a unitary item  14 . Larger items based on the unitary item may also be used, such as the 2-by-2 multi-unit item  16  shown in  FIG. 1 . The presence of at least two magnets within each item ensures that the item is secured against both translation and rotation, thereby maintaining proper alignment. The equal spacing of the magnets in the grid and within the unitary item further allows items to be stacked atop one another when attached to the board and to one another. 
     A preferred form of construction for the invention is shown in  FIG. 2 . The magnets  22   a / 22   b  that are used to form the magnetic grid  12  are aligned within a grid alignment layer  24  and held captive by an outer layer  25  and inner layer  26  that are attached to the grid alignment layer in a sandwich style construction. The complementary magnets  24   a / 24   b  are recessed within the affixed item  14 . Significantly, the depth of the cavities exceeds the thickness of the magnets, ensuring that when the item is affixed to the board, the primary material of the item (and not the magnets) serves as the bearing surface. An additional layer of material, e.g. neoprene, Teflon® (DuPont, Wilmington Del.), which is a fluoropolymer, may be added to the outer surface of the board or the inner surface of the item if specific frictional qualities are desired. In either case, the affixed item directly abuts the board, providing a clean look to the attachment. 
     If an additional mechanical locating action is desired, each unitary item may be formed with a protrusion  27 , preferably between each pair of magnets, and the board may be formed with a depression  28 , such that the protrusion engages the depression when the item is aligned with the magnetic grid. This mechanical detent provides further feedback to the user that the item is properly aligned. 
     The outer layer of the board may be formed of a material such as white ceramic, allowing the surface to be used as a whiteboard. Similarly, the affixed item may be composed entirely of a white ceramic material, or an additional outer layer of white ceramic may be added, allowing the affixed items to be labeled and relabeled as desired by the user. Alternatively, adhesive labels may be used, or the outer surface of the item may be fitted with slots to receive removable label inserts. 
     DETAILED EXAMPLE 
     While the invention may be used in a wide array of applications, it is particularly useful as a magnetic calendar or planning board. An example of this application is shown in  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b . As described above, a number of items of varying size are affixed to the board, and an underlying magnetic grid ensures that the items are aligned with one another, providing a clean, aesthetic look. In this particular example, the majority of the affixed items represent tasks to be completed as part of a project timeline. 
       FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  show a unitary item  14 . An adhesive label  41  is adhered to the outer surface of the item, and has been labeled with a particular task. As described above, each unitary item contains exactly two magnets  24   a / 24   b  recessed beyond flush with the inner surface. Also as noted above, larger items may be formed through a repetition of the basic unitary item. These multi-items may themselves be linked to other items, by a fixed attachment, or by a removable fastening mechanism that allows items to be joined and separated as desired by the user. 
       FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  show two 2-by-2 multi-unit items joined by a fixed attachment. In this instance, the two attached items represent two closely related tasks. 
     Items of various shapes may be used, including the elongated items shown in  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b , which denotes a timeline atop the planning board. 
     In addition, unlabelled items, such as that shown in  FIG. 7 , may be affixed to the board and labeled as desired by the user. 
     Finally, the equal spacing of the magnets within the magnetic grid and the unitary item provides additional benefits: 
     First, as noted above, the equal spacing allows items to be stacked atop one another when attached to the board, as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     Second, the equal spacing allows for convenient storage of items not affixed to the board, as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     Alternative Embodiments 
     The magnets within the magnetic grid and unitary item may be configured in ways other than described above. For example, in one alternative variation, all magnets within the magnetic grid are oriented with the north pole towards the outer layer, and both magnets within the unitary item are oriented with the south pole facing inward. This configuration allows items to be positioned at half-intervals, effectively doubling the number of locations at which an item may be placed. However, this approach does not guarantee that the edges of all items are aligned, as is the case in the preferred embodiment. 
     In yet another variation, all magnets within the magnetic grid are oriented with the north pole towards the outer layer, but each unitary item contains only a single magnet oriented with the south pole facing inward. This configuration allows placement of items at half-intervals and guarantees the horizontal and vertical alignment of item edges. However, as the items are free (but for friction) to pivot about the single magnetic connection, rotational alignment is no longer guaranteed. 
     Although the invention is described herein with reference to the preferred embodiment, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that other applications may be substituted for those set forth herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the invention should only be limited by the Claims included below.