Patent Publication Number: US-6213439-B1

Title: Combination table easel, slant board and clipboard

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to table easels, slant boards and clipboards. More particularly, the present invention provides a combination table easel, slant board and clipboard. The present invention may be packaged and/or stored as a clipboard and may be readily adjusted to form a table easel or slant board. 
     The prior art includes a variety of table easels and slant boards. For example, the Herrera U.S. design patent 399,368 dated Oct. 13, 1998 teaches a book holder including a triangular support which includes means for adjusting the angle of the book support itself. Although this patent teaches one form of table easel, the patent does not teach a table easel readily adjustable to form a slant board or a clipboard. 
     The prior art also includes the Jacobson U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,182 dated Aug. 8, 1978, which teaches a collapsible and portable bookstand. However, this patent does not teach or suggest an adjustable apparatus which can also be used as a slant board and/or clipboard. 
     The Teague U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,919 dated May 26, 1987 teaches an apparatus for supporting a clipboard at different angles. However, this device is rather complex in that it includes a supporting base having slots at various angles into which the base of the clipboard is inserted. 
     The present invention contrasts with the above-identified prior art in that it provides a relatively simple and easily manufactured, shipped and stored device which can readily be adjusted to form a table easel, a slant board or clipboard. The present invention uses in its preferred form Velcro connectors which allow the device to be readily adjusted into one of its three configurations and readily detached from that configuration and adjusted to one of its other end uses. 
     A primary object of the invention is to provide a combination table easel, slant board and clipboard which is readily adjusted from one configuration to another. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a combination table easel, slant board and clipboard having a clipboard configuration which facilitates storage, shipping and handling. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a combination table easel, slant board and clipboard having predetermined discrete angular relationships between the major components of the apparatus, whereby predetermined support angles are provided. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide in an alternate embodiment an infinite number of angular relationships between the components of the device so that the user can provide a support angle of his or her choice. 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings wherein: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic representation illustrating the three configurations of the present invention and how the invention may be readily adjusted to any of the three configurations, namely, a table easel, a slant board or a clipboard; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the invention in its configuration as a table easel; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective representation showing the invention in its configuration as a slant board; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the invention in its configuration as a clipboard; 
     FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view showing the apparatus extended to illustrate the hinges and Velcro connectors; 
     FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the invention showing continuous Velcro strips mounted on the back surface of the body; 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the invention in its configuration as a table easel showing in greater detail the hinge configuration; and 
     FIG. 8 is a side elevational view partially in section showing an embodiment using living hinges. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 schematically illustrates how the present invention may be adjusted to form a table easel  10   a , a slant board  10   b  or a clipboard  10   c . The invention is readily convertible from any one of these three configurations to either of the remaining two configurations. 
     FIG. 2 shows table easel  10   a . Table easel  10   a  includes a body  20  having an upper edge  21 , a lower edge  22 , a front surface  23  and a back surface  24 . The body as illustrated in FIG. 2 is a rectangular shape, although the invention is not limited to rectangular shapes and other shapes may be utilized without departing from the spirit of this invention. The body may be made of plastic, metal, wood or other material. The preferred form of the invention utilizes plastic for the body as well as for the first and second support members described below. 
     A first support member  30  is pivotally connected to the lower edge  22  of body  20  by a pair of plastic hinges  41  and  42 . Hinges  41  and  42  allow the first support member  30  to assume a first position shown best in FIG. 4 where first support member  30  lies adjacent the back surface  24  of body  20  and a second position shown best in FIG. 2 where it forms an angle X with the body  20 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, when the apparatus is configured to form a table easel  10   a , the body  20  is positioned relative to first support member at an angle X of approximately 60°. A clip  95  of conventional design is provided to support paper materials and the like against the front surface  23 . 
     A second support member  50  is pivotally connected to first support member  30  by hinges  51  and  52 . Hinges  51  and  52  allow second support member  50  to lie parallel, and in the same plane, with first support member  30  as shown best in FIG.  4 . Hinges  51  and  52  allow second member  50  to pivot relative to first member  30  and to form a triangular support for the body  20  when connected to the body as described below. 
     FIG. 3 shows the invention after it has been adjusted to form a slant board lob. In this configuration, the “upper” and “lower” edges are reversed so that the “upper” edge  21  rests on a working surface and the “lower” edge  22  is supported in an elevated position by first support member  30  and second support member  50  forming a triangular support for body  20 . The clip  95  has simply been removed from “upper” edge  21  and attached to “lower” edge  22  to support papers and other working materials on the front surface  23  of the slant board. In this configuration, first support member  30  is positioned at an angle X of approximately 45° relative to body  20 . Second support member  50  is preferably mounted perpendicularly to first member  30  and supports the slant board  10   b  at an angle “a” relative to a working surface of approximately 30°. 
     FIG. 4 shows the invention in its configuration as a clipboard  10   c . In this configuration, clip  95  is attached to the upper edge  21  of body  20 . First and second support members  30  and  50  lie adjacent back surface  24 . In this configuration, the invention may be easily stored or transported. To maximize the efficiency for storage or shipping, clip  95  is removed and packaged without being connected to body  20 . FIG. 4 shows first and second support members  30  and  50  in their first position. 
     First and second support members  30  and  50  may be readily adjusted to the position shown in either FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 to form either a table easel  10   a  or a slant board  10   b.    
     FIG. 5 shows the back surface  24  of body  20  and shows the placement of a plurality of circular Velcro pieces  71 - 78 . Velcro pieces  71 - 78  are placed on back surface  24  by adhesive to form four pairs  71 - 72 ,  73 - 74 ,  75 - 76  and  77 - 78 . 
     FIG. 5 also shows first and second support members  30  and  50  rotated into an extended position where they are coplanar with body  20 . In this view, the relationship of hinges  41 - 42  and  51 - 52  and support members  30  and  50  are shown clearly. Second support member  50  carries two Velcro pieces  81  and  82  along its lower edge  53 . The Velcro pieces  81  and  82  are designed to connect with any one of the pairs  71 - 72 ,  73 - 74 ,  75 - 76  or  77 - 78  of Velcro pieces carried by the back surface  24  of body  20 . To adjust the invention to the clipboard configuration  10   c , the user simply rotates first and second support members  30  and  50  upwardly from the position shown in FIG. 5 to a position where Velcro pieces  81  and  82  connect with pieces  77  and  78 . To form a table easel  10   a , the user simply rotates first and second support members  30  and  50  from the position shown in FIG. 5 to a position wherein Velcro pieces  81  and  82  are in contact with either the pair  71 - 72  of Velcro pieces or the pair  73 - 74 . To adjust the invention to form the slant board  10   b , the user simply disconnects the Velcro pieces  81  and  82  from the pair  73 - 74  for example and connects them to pair  75 - 76 . As used in the claims herein, the pairs of Velcro pieces  71 - 72  and  73 - 74  cooperating with Velcro pieces  81 - 82  form a first detachable connection means and, when so connected, the apparatus forms a table easel. As used in the claims, the Velcro pieces  75 - 76  carried on back surface  24  working together with Velcro pieces  81 - 82 , carried at the lower edge  53  of second support member  50 , cooperate to form a second detachable connection means forming a slant board. Similarly, as used in the claims, Velcro pieces  77 - 78  carried on the back surface  24  of body  20  cooperate with Velcro pieces  81 - 82  to form a third detachable connection means which securely holds first and second support members  30  and  50  adjacent back surface  24  in the clipboard configuration  10   c.    
     FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the invention wherein two continuous Velcro strips  171  and  172  are provided which cooperate with Velcro pieces  181  and  182  carried by the lower edge  153  of second support member  150  to form first, second and third connection means in a fashion similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIG.  5 . However, it is clear that, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, an infinite variation of angular relationships may be selected by the user between said body and first and second support elements  130  and  150 . 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the table easel configuration of the invention showing hinges  41  and  51 . 
     FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the invention wherein, instead of using separate hinges, “living hinges”  241  and  251  are provided by using appropriate material known in the art such as polypropylene. 
     It is understood that variations in the design may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, various configurations of Velcro connection pieces or strips can be utilized. Various types of hinges may be provided to interconnect the body with first and second support elements  30  and  50  and a variety of angles may be provided between the support elements and the body.