Patent Publication Number: US-7707756-B1

Title: Ironing board attachment assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to ironing board attachment devices and more particularly pertains to a new ironing board attachment device for allowing ease of ironing the sleeves of a shirt and which may also be used on pant legs. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a clamp that is removably couplable to a panel of an ironing board. A mount is attached to the clamp and a coupler is rotationally coupled to the mount. An arm has a planar upper surface, a planar lower surface, a first end, a second end, and a pair of side edges. The first end of the arm is attached to the coupler. The arm has a longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end that is positionable at a selected angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the panel. The arm is extendable into a shirt sleeve to allow the shirt sleeve to be ironed at a selected angle with respect to the panel. 
   There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
   The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a ironing board attachment assembly according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1  of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 5  thereof, a new ironing board attachment device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
   As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the ironing board attachment assembly  10  generally comprises a device positionable on a conventional ironing board  12  that includes a panel  14  having an upper side  16  and a lower side  18 . The panel  14  has first end wall  20 , a second end wall  22 , a first side wall  24  and a second side wall  26 . The first  24  and second  26  side walls taper toward each other and the first end wall  20  is wider than the second end wall  22 . A plurality of supports  28  is attached to the lower side  18 . 
   The assembly  10  includes a clamp  30  that is removably couplable to the panel  14 . The clamp  30  includes an elongated plate  32  that has a top side  33 , a bottom side  34 , a first lateral edge  36 , a second lateral edge  38 , a first end edge  40  and a second end edge  42 . The plate  32  has a width from the first lateral edge  36  to the second lateral edge  38  that is less than 8 inches. A pair of legs  44  is attached to and extends downwardly from the plate  32 . Each of the first  40  and second  42  end edges has one of the legs  44  attached thereto. The legs  44  have a distal end  46  with respect to the plate  32 . Each of the legs  44  has a height from a corresponding one of the distal ends  46  to the plate  32  between 1 inch and 3 inches. A pair of flanges  48  is provided. Each of the distal ends  46  has one of the flanges  48  attached thereto. The flanges  48  extend toward each other. The panel  14  is positionable between the plate  32  and the flanges  48  to releasably secure the plate  32  to the panel  14 . 
   A mount  49  is attached to the clamp  30  and includes a base wall  50  and an axle  52  engaging and extending upwardly from the base wall. A coupler  54  is rotationally coupled to the mount  49 . The coupler  54  is positioned on the mount  49  and receives the axle  52 . A locking member  56  is positioned on the mount  49  and the coupler  54  and resists rotation of the coupler  54  with the mount  49 . The locking member  56  includes interlocking detents and nubs positioned on the coupler  54  and the mount  49  that are pushed toward each other by gravitational forces. 
   An arm  58  has a planar upper surface  60 , a planar lower surface  62 , a first end  64 , a second end  66 , and a pair of side edges  68 . The first end  64  of the arm  58  is attached to the coupler  54  and the arm  58  has a longitudinal axis from the first end  64  to the second end  66 . The longitudinal axis is positionable at a selected angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the panel  14 . The upper surface  60  may be locked in a position orientated parallel to a plane of the upper side  16  of the panel  14 . However an embodiment of the invention may include the arm  58  being rotatably coupled to the coupler by a rod  70 . The arm  58  has a width from between the side edges  68  between 5 inches and 10 inches and the arm  58  has length from the first end  64  to the second end  66  between 18 inches and 36 inches. The second end  66  is rounded. 
   In use, the ironing board  12  is used in a conventional manner except that when a shirt sleeve is to be ironed the arm  58  is extended into a shirt sleeve to provide a support on which the shirt sleeve can be ironed. The pivotable nature of the arm  58  with respect to the panel  14  allows the sleeve to be ironed at a selected angle with respect to the panel  14 . 
   With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
   Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.