Patent Publication Number: US-6213517-B1

Title: Clipboard

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a clipboard and, more particularly, to a clipboard in which all of the components are formed integrally and in one piece relationship with each other. 
     In the clipboard of the present invention, the integral one piece relationship of the components simplifies the manufacture and assembly of the clipboard, is more economic, and is less prone to breaking and loss of parts than the typical spring loaded clipboard assemblies that were previously common. 
     In one principal aspect of the present invention, a clipboard comprises a generally flat planar sheet of material; a clip head adjacent an end of the sheet and having a surface for contacting an object which is to be mounted to the clipboard; and a hinge mounting the clip head integrally with the sheet at the end of the sheet, the hinge permitting movement of the clip head into overlying relationship with the flat planar sheet. A receptacle underlies the overlying clip head, and the receptacle is flexibly fixed to either the sheet or to the clip head to permit the receptacle to move and flex relative thereto. A stud extends from the other of the sheet or overlying clip head and into locked relationship with the receptacle to form a spring arrangement which urges the surface of the clip head toward the flat planar sheet. 
     In another principal aspect of the invention, the receptacle is fixed to the sheet, and the stud is on and extends from the overlying clip head. 
     In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the hinge is a living hinge. 
     In still another principal aspect of the present invention, a resilient finger is on the sheet and extends upwardly from the sheet toward the surface on the clip head. 
     In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the resilient finger is formed integrally with the sheet. 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the course of this description, reference will frequently be made to the attached drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a preferred embodiment of clipboard of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the clipboard shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the clipboard shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a top end elevation view of the clipboard as viewed substantially along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectioned elevation view of the clipboard as viewed substantially along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the clipboard shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective bottom view of the clipboard of FIG. 1 with the clip head opened out; 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged broken, cross-sectioned side elevation of the clipboard as viewed substantially along line  8 — 8  of FIG. 7 with the clip head opened out; and 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged broken, cross-sectional side elevation view of the section shown in FIG. 8, but with the clip head closed and in its operational position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As shown in the drawings, the preferred embodiment of clipboard of the present invention includes a generally flat, rigid planar sheet of material  10  having an upper face  12  upon which sheets of paper P or other objects typically utilized with a clipboard may be supported. The edges  14  of the sheet  10  may be curved or rounded either or both for aesthetic reasons and/or to reduce sharpness. 
     A clip head  16  is fixed at the top end of the sheet  12  with a hinge  18 . The clip head  16  is preferably integrally molded with the sheet  12  and the hinge  18  is preferably of the same molded material so that it is formed as a “living hinge” as is known in the art. Such living hinges are formed during the molding process, and when the object is removed from the mold, the hinge is immediately flexed to activate it. With the hinge  18 , it will be seen that the clip head  16  is capable of pivotal movement along the hinge  18  between a position in which it is opened out as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, and an operational position in which it is in overlying relationship to the upper face  12  of the sheet  10  to perform its clipping function by clamping the sheets of paper P beneath the contact surface  19  of clip head where it most closely approaches the upper face  12 . 
     A pair of tabs  20 , as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, are also formed on the sheet  12 , preferably by being molded with the sheet. The tabs  20  include a receptacle  22  with an opening  24  therethrough. The tabs  20  are resilient and flexible to permit the receptacle to move relative to the sheet  10  and its upper face as best seen in FIG.  9 . 
     A winged stud  26  is also preferably molded integrally to the underside of the clip head  16 . The winged stud  26  comprises an elongate pin  28  with a plurality of spaced vertical wings  30  which extend partially over the length of the pin, as best seen in FIGS. 7-9. 
     When the clip head  16  is moved from the opened out position, as shown in FIG. 8, into overlying relationship with the face  12  of sheet  10 , as shown in FIG. 9, the pin  28  of the winged stud  26  will extend through the opening  24  of receptacle  22 , and the wings  30  will act as spacers between the clip head and the top of the receptacle. The pin  28  is then held in the receptacle  22  by a suitable lock washer  31 , as best seen in FIG.  9 . 
     A pair of resilient, flexible spring like fingers  32  are also preferably integrally molded with the sheet  10  and extend upwardly at a slight angle to its face  12  as best seen in FIGS. 2,  7 - 9 . The fingers  32  assist in gripping the paper P or other objects which are to be utilized with the clipboard by exerting an upward force on the objects in the direction of the contact surface  19  of the clip head  16 , as best seen in FIG.  9 . 
     Although it is believed that one skilled in the art would readily understand how to assemble the clipboard of the invention from the foregoing description, a brief description of assembly follows. 
     The clipboard and all of its components are preferably formed of the same material and in integral one piece relationship to each other by injection molding or other suitable molding procedure. The material may be any suitable polymer, but polypropylene is preferred. When the clipboard is removed from the mold, the living hinge  18  is preferably flexed immediately to activate it. The clip head  16  is then rotated from its open position as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8 to the position in which it overlies the clipboard upper face  12 , as seen in FIG.  9 . 
     When the clip head  16  is rotated to this position, the pin  28  of the winged stud will enter the opening  24  of the receptacle  22 . Once the pin is fully inserted into the opening  24  and spaced by the wings  30 , the lock washer  31  is positioned over the end of the pin  28  to hold the pin in the receptacle. It will be seen in FIG. 9 that when the winged stud  26  and receptacle  22  have been locked together, the receptacle  22  will be flexed upwardly slightly from the plane of the upper face  12 . Because of the resilient, flexible nature of the tabs  20 , this flexing will exert a spring force in the downward direction on the clip head  16  toward the surface  12  and against the upwardly extending resilient fingers  32 . This will provide a good spring frictional contact and engagement between the contact surface  19  of the clip head  16  and the spring fingers  32  to hold the paper P or other objects which are to be utilized with the clip board. 
     It will be understood that the preferred embodiment of the present invention which has been described is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.