Abstract:
A bulletin board includes a generally planar polyfoam layer having a front surface and a back surface, wherein the back surface includes a recessed surface portion formed therein having an integrally disposed generally planar stiffening member held in place by the polyfoam. The planar stiffening member is preferably a cardboard piece and the polyfoam penetrates a portion of the corrugation from peripheral edges thereof inward. A method of forming the bulletin board is provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a novel bulletin board onto which items may be pinned. More particularly, the invention relates to a bulletin board and method of making the same from a polyfoam material with a hardback cover. The term “polyfoam” is used herein to describe a foamed polymeric material. 
     2. Related Art 
     Bulletin boards have long existed in the form of cork with an adhered rigid backing to give stiffness and support to the cork and with a frame to prevent abrasion along the edge of the cork. This type board has been found to have disadvantages in that the cork tends to wear from pins which are inserted and removed on a frequent basis. Another disadvantage arose in the damage of such boards in shipping process, as well as size of the board for cost purposes. Further, current wall hangers attached to such boards add expense and are often damaged or lost in the shipping process. 
     One attempt to solve these problems was to provide bendable and shipable bulletin board comprising front and rear layers heat sealed to one another, a foam core between the front and rear layers, and at least one stiffening layer between the front and rear layers. This design has not met commercial acceptance. 
     Another type of board was adapted to retain paper and other articles without the use of thumb-tacks or other extrinsic fastening means. The display board included a pressure-sensitive adhesive surface onto which paper, cards, coins, keys, and even heavier articles may be removably mounted and retained thereon for extended periods of display by simply pressing the article against the adhesive surface. 
     While these boards have attempted to solve deficiencies in the art, there remains a need to improve bulletin board designs. Accordingly, the present invention improves upon the art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved bulletin board. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a relatively inexpensive and durable bulletin board. 
     Still another object is to provide a bulletin board with improved wall mounting means. 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a bulletin board which includes a generally planar polyfoam layer having a front surface and a back surface, wherein the back surface includes a recessed surface portion formed therein having an integrally disposed generally planar stiffening member held in place by the polyfoam. The planar stiffening member is preferably a cardboard piece and the polyfoam penetrates a portion of the corrugation from peripheral edges thereof inward. 
     Additionally, an exposed back surface portion surrounding the stiffening member includes a plurality of recessed surface portions to enable the board to be easily mounted to a wall using nails or the like. The stiffening member is preferably sufficiently rearwardly disposed from a front surface of the planar polyfoam such that conventional tack pins do not penetrate the stiffening member. 
     A method of forming the bulletin board is provided. The method includes positionably disposing a stiffening member on a surface of an injection mold and injecting a polyfoam material around the stiffening member in a manner such that a substantially uniform layer of the polyfoam is integrally connected thereto. 
     Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon viewing the drawings and reading the detailed description hereafter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a back view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention through line  3 — 3  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG.  2  through line  4 — 4 . 
     FIG. 5 depicts a method of making the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, the bulletin board is generally designated by the numeral  10 . The bulletin board  10  includes a polyfoam layer material  12 . The polyfoam layer material  12  can be a polyurethane or like polyfoam which will permit penetration of a pin with a holding action. Its thickness will correspond approximately to that of a pin of a conventional tack. 
     Formed as a function of the molding process described later herein, the polyfoam material  12  includes a front side  14  having a raised peripheral edge  15  to provide an aesthetic appeace of a conventional bulletin board, as seen in FIG.  1 . In viewing FIG. 3, the bulletin board  10  includes a recessed back surface  16  and raised peripheral edge  17 . In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, there is a plurality of wall mounting recessed surfaces  22  which are spaced along the peripheral edge  17  and inwardly recessed from the recessed surface  16 . In this way, nails or other wall hanger devices can be disposed in the wall mounting recessed surfaces  22  and the bulletin board  10  can be mounted flush with the wall. Also, the opposing relation of the wall mounting surfaces  22  permits the board  10  to be secured at an upper and lower position when attached to a wall to prevent the same from being easily pulled away therefrom. 
     The bulletin board  10  further preferably includes a plurality of stiffening members  1   8 a and  18   b , each of which included a plurality of cut out surfaces  19   a  and  19   b  (not shown), respectively, which are so configured therein to permit the formation of the wall mounting recessed surfaces  22 . FIGS. 3 and 4 depict cross-sections of the bulletin board  10  and the features previously described. The stiffening members  18   a  and  18   b  can be a cardboard sheet, rigid plastic sheet or the like. Preferably, a cardboard sheet works well in the invention as the cardboard includes corrugations  20   a  and  20   b , of  18   a  and  18   b , respectively, which permit at least partial filling thereof with polyfoam material from the peripheral edge inward. This partial filling of the corrugations  20   a  and  20   b  lend strength to the overall structure of the bulletin board  10  and is uniquely bonded thereto. The members  18   a  and  18   b  are preferably cross lapped such that the corrugations  20   a  and  20   b  generally run perpendicular to one another. The members  18   a  and  18   b  are glued to one another. This overall structure aids to prevent natural curl of the corrugated members  18   a  and  18   b . It is also noted that the polyfoam urethane bonds to the stiffening members  18   a  and  18   b  in the molding process. 
     Turning now to FIG. 5, the molding process is depicted for the present invention. A lower injection molding head portion  30  is provided as having a generally planer surface  31  with a plurality of wall mounting protrusions  33  formed thereon to impart the wall mounting recessed surfaces  22  during the molding process. Also, the injection molding head portion  30  includes a plurality of openings  34  which communicably interconnect with a vacuum inlet  32  which in turn is connected to a vacuum  50 . The particular shape or orientation of the openings  34  and  32  can vary to accomplish the invention. In this regard, the stiffening members  18   a  and  18   b  can be positioned and held in place on the surface  31  via the vacuum  50 . 
     An upper injection molding head portion is also provided to mate with the lower injection molding head portion  30  in a sealable manner. A protruding flat surface  37 , which can have a texture aspect, is provided to impart the form of the surface  14  of the board  10  when formed. A thin slot inlet  38  is provided in the side of the injection molding head portion  36  to enable injection of polyfoam material  40  to be passed therethrough and between the injection molding head portions  30  and  36 . The length of the slot inlet  38  is approximate that of the width of the-to-be formed bulletin board  10 , wherein the polyfoam material  40  flows over the stiffening members  18   a  and  18   b  in a relatively quick manner to assure coverage and filling of the mold as the polyfoam material  40  tends to set quickly. Prior to the injection of the polyfoam material  40 , the stiffening members  18   a  and  18   b  are disposed in their proper places to insure all vacuum openings  34  are covered and the vacuum is on to create a seal therebetween and substantially prevent any polyfoam material  40  from entering As the polyfoam material  40  enters, a portion thereof flows to fill the open areas. This includes entering and filling at least a portion of the corrugations  20   a  and  20   b.    
     While the above described embodiments set forth by way of example, they are not for the purpose of limiting the present invention. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that obvious modifications, derivations and variations can be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the claims appended hereto should be read in their full scope including any such modifications, derivations and variations.