Abstract:
A paper holder which includes a stock clip (e.g., a standard steel paper clip or an alligator clip) and a separate decorative portion which is attached thereto. The decorative portion is preferably made from the same material as the stock clip and is shaped to resemble an insect or bug. Optionally, the paper holder of the present invention may include an adhesive portion which allows the paper holder to be attached to a relatively flat surface. In addition, in an alternate embodiment, the stock clips is an integral part of the decorative portion.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a device for clipping or holding paper. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Devices for clipping and holding paper are of many different shapes and varieties. Perhaps the most common is the standard steel paper clip, countless numbers of which adorn the desks of businesspeople throughout the world. 
     There have been meager attempts to incorporate decorative elements into such devices. Grizzard, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 44,957, shows a paper clip shaped to resemble a dollar sign. Quilty, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 290,971, shows a paper clip shaped like a musical clef. Lo, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 399, 875, shows a paper clip shaped to resemble a crab. 
     However, the decorative elements shown in Grizzard, Quilty and Lo are not separable from the paper holding portion, thus limiting the shape, size and complexity of the decorative portion. In addition, the paper clips shown in Grizzard, Quilty and Lo do not incorporate standard clips that are readily available, (hereafter referred to as “stock clips”), which adds to the complexity and expense of products based on these designs. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper holder which is aesthetically pleasing. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a paper holder which is simple and economical to manufacture. 
     The foregoing and other objects are achieved in accordance with the present invention through the provision of a paper holder having a stock clip (e.g., a standard steel paper clip or an alligator clip) and a separate decorative portion which is attached thereto. The decorative portion is preferably made from the same material as the stock clip and is shaped to resemble an insect or bug. Optionally, the paper holder of the present invention may include an adhesive portion which allows the paper holder to be attached to a relatively flat surface. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood from the following detailed description of the present invention when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top view of a first embodiment of the paper holder of the present invention, showing the paper holder clipping two sheets of paper; 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of a third embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a top, partially fragmentary view showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention in use; 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of the fifth embodiment; and 
     FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG.  8 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 &amp; 2, reference numeral  10  generally refers to a paper holder according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Paper holder  10  is preferably made entirely of metal and comprises a decorative portion  12  and a paper holder portion in the form of a paper clip  14 . 
     Paper clip  14  preferably comprises a standard steel paper clip, for reasons of economy of manufacture, and is shown in FIG. 1 holding two pieces of a paper  16  and  18 . More specifically, paper clip  14  comprises a single length of wire having opposite end portions bent into a U-shaped configuration to provide two distinct, yet cooperating U-shaped portions, wherein one of the U-shaped portions is longer than the other. Decorative portion  12  is preferably made entirely of steel wire and rods and is shaped to resemble a dragonfly. However, as will become evident herein, decorative portion  12  can be shaped to resemble a wide variety of insects or other small creatures. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, decorative portion  12  includes a head  20 , a body  28 , a tail  30 , and wings  34 . Head  20  and tail  30  are located at opposite ends of body  28  and wings  34  are attached body  28  near head  20  in a manner to be described in greater detail hereinafter. 
     Head  20  comprises two eyes  22  and  24 , between which are located a mouth  26 . Eyes  22  and  24  and mouth  26  are each preferably formed by a piece of medium-gauge wire (similar in thickness to paper clip  14 ) which has been wound into irregular concentric loops at one end and extends from head  20  to tail  30 , forming a core (not shown) of body  28 . 
     Body  28  preferably comprises medium-gauge wire wrapped around the core. Tail  30  also preferably comprises medium-gauge wire wrapped around the core, but is smaller in overall diameter than body  28 . Tip  32  is preferably larger in overall diameter than tail  30 , but smaller in overall diameter than body  28 . 
     Wings  34  are comprised of an outer portion  36  formed of spiral-wound wire and infrastructure  38  which is formed of light-gauge wire. Wings  34  are preferably secured to body  28  by soldering outer portion  36  to body  28 . Infrastructure  38  is preferably looped around outer portion  36  at a plurality of different locations spaced about the periphery of outer portion  36 , as shown in FIGS. 1 &amp; 2. Infrastructure  38  also is looped about body  28 . Thus, infrastructure  38  provides added structural support for outer portion  36  and assists in securing wings  34  to body  28 . 
     Paper clip  14  is preferably permanently attached to decorative portion  12 . In FIG. 2, paper clip  14  is shown as being attached by solder  40 . However, any convenient means of affixing paper clip  14  may be used, such an adhesive. Paper clip  14  is also preferably oriented parallel to body  28  and tail  30  so that paper clip  14  appears to be an integral part of body  28 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, reference numeral  110  generally refers to a second embodiment of a paper holder of the present invention. 
     As with paper holder  10 , paper holder  110  includes a decorative portion  112  and a standard steel paper clip  114 . Decorative portion  112  is shaped to resemble a butterfly. 
     More particularly, decorative portion  112  includes a body  120  that comprises a portion of paper clip  114  which is wrapped in spiral-wound wire. Decorative portion  112  also includes a head  116  and antennae  118  which extend forwardly from a body  120  and are attached to body  120  by a binding  128  that is wrapped around a portion of body  120 . Binding  128  may be further secured with solder  130 . 
     Decorative portion  112  further includes wings  122  that extend outwardly to the left and right of body  120 . Wings  122  each comprise an outer portion  124  formed of spiral-wound wire and an infrastructure  126  that is looped around outer portion  124  and body  120 , thereby providing structural support. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, reference numeral  210  generally refers to yet another embodiment of a paper holder of the present invention. 
     Paper holder  210  includes a decorative portion  212  and a standard steel paper clip  214 . Decorative portion  212  is shaped to resemble a spider. 
     Decorative portion  212  preferably includes body  218 , a head  216 , a tail  220  and legs  222 . Head  216  and tail  220  are each formed by a concentrically-spiraled piece of wire. Legs  222  each extend downwardly from body  218  forming a gently curved portion  224  and terminating in a looped end portion  226 . 
     Stock paper clip  214  is affixed to the underside of decorative portion  212  with solder  228 , and is preferably aligned with head  216 , body  218  and tail  220  so that paper clip  214  appears to be an integral part of body  218 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, reference numeral  310  generally refers to yet another embodiment of a paper holder of the present invention. Paper holder  310  comprises a decorative portion  312 , a standard metal alligator clip  314  and an adhesive portion  316 . 
     Decorative portion  312  is preferably shaped to resemble an insect-like creature, having a head  318 , an elongated body  320 , wings  322  and legs  324 . Head  318  is made of one or more pieces of medium-gauge wire, each of which are wound into irregular loops at one end and extend longitudinally through body  320 , forming the core (not shown). Body  320  comprises medium-gauge wire irregularly spiral-wrapped around the core. 
     Wings  322  are affixed to body  320  and are shown as being elongated and “swept back”. However, a wide variety of shapes and orientations are possible for wings  322 . 
     Legs  324  are soldered to body  320  and extend outwardly therefrom. Obviously, legs  324  may be affixed to body  320  by any convenient means, including, for example, weaving legs  324  into the wrapped wire of body  320 . 
     A readily available, stock alligator clip  314  is preferably attached to the underside of body  320  and is longitudinally aligned with body  320 . As with paper clip  14  of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, alligator clip  314  is located and aligned to appear as an integral part of decorative portion  312 . Alligator clip  314  comprises a spring-loaded fastening device having jaws  326  with a saw-like edge that resemble those of an alligator, a first handle  328 , and a second handle  330 . Alligator clip  314  is preferably affixed to body  320  by weaving second handle  330  into the spiral-wrapped wire of body  320 . 
     Adhesive portion  316  preferably includes an adhesive mounting plate  334  and double-sided tape  332 . Alternatively, any suitable adhesive could be substituted for double-sided tape  332 . Mounting plate  334  is soldered to first handle  328 . 
     As is best shown in FIG. 6, mounting plate  334  is preferably slightly larger in width and length than tape  332 , so that tape  332  is not visible when paper holder  310  is affixed to a surface. 
     FIG. 7 shows yet another embodiment of the paper holder of the present invention, indicated generally by reference numeral  410 , in use. Paper holder  410  is affixed to a case  512  for a computer monitor  510  and is holding a note  516 . 
     FIGS. 8 and 9 shows paper holder  410  in more detail. Paper holder  410  is very similar to paper holder  310  (FIGS. 5 &amp; 6) and comprises a decorative portion  412  and an adhesive portion  416  including a mounting plate  436  and double-sided tape  438 . Decorative portion  412  is similar to decorative portion  312  (FIGS. 5 &amp; 6) in that it is shaped to resemble an insect-like creature and includes an elongated body  428 , wings  432  and legs  434 . 
     However, unlike paper holder  310 , alligator clip  414  of paper holder  410  forms a head  418  of the insect, and the jaws  422  of alligator clip  414  form a mouth  421 . Alligator clip  414  includes a first handle  424 , and a second handle  426 . Second handle  426  is enveloped by spiral-wrapped wire which forms body  428 . As is best seen in FIG. 9, second handle  426  preferable includes an aperture  440 . Aperture  440  further secures second handle  426  to body  428 . Two pieces of wire from body  428  pass through aperture  440 , extend upwardly to either side of alligator clip  414 , and are curved into concentric loops which form eyes  420 . 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other products for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the public generally, and designers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The Abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured solely by the claims, nor is intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It can be seen from the above that an invention has been disclosed which fulfills all the objects of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosure is by way of illustration only and that the scope of the invention is to be limited solely by the following claims: