AU720318B2

AU720318B2 - Backing board

Info

Publication number: AU720318B2
Application number: AU65738/96A
Authority: AU
Inventors: John Foss
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-09-22
Filing date: 1996-09-20
Publication date: 2000-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 2016-09-20
Also published as: AU6573896A

Description

P/00/01 1 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

STANDARD

PATENT

9* a 9* a Invention Title: Backing Board The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: a.

FHPMELCD\96264006.0

A

BACKING

BOARD

Introduction The present invention relates to a board for supporting a notepad or other multi-page document.

Background to the Invention Many people commonly carry a notepad or other bound multipage document with them. In many circumstances, it is either necessary or desirable to write upon a notepad or document in a location in which there is no readily available flat surface to support the notepad or document. Although a notepad or document may often have a back cover, this is generally not of sufficient rigidity to provide adequate support.

It is known to provide support by use of a board (for example, of rigid cardboard, wood or the like) on which is mounted a spring clip, often called a clipboard. A *disadvantage of such a clipboard apparatus is that when the notepad or document is 15 engaged by the clip, it is difficult to turn the pages of the notepad or document in use.

Usually, the pages cannot be turned without creasing the page or first disengaging the pad from the clip. A further disadvantage is that because such a clipboard consists of separately manufactured elements, it is complex and thus more expensive to manufacture. A further problem is that, in use, the notepad or document will often 20 disengage from the clip. Further, the clip itself may fail or because the clip itself is S. manufactured separately and attached to the board, the connection between the clip and the board may fail.

The known forms of clipboard described above do not work with spiral bound documents. If the notepad or document is spiral bound, the types of clip generally 25 used, particularly where the clamping member is planar, generally either do not i engage or otherwise do not accommodate the spiral binding. In some known clips, the clamping member has a curved arm which is often not of a sufficient size to accommodate the spiral binding. A further disadvantage, is that the pages cannot be turned without creasing the page or first disengaging the pad from the clip. Further, if the spiral binding is located at the side of the notepad or document rather than at the top, the known forms of apparatus do not engage the spiral binding and it is not possible to turn the pages without first disengaging the pad from the clip.

A further difficulty with such a clipboard is that it is often necessary for the user to use two hands to engage or disengage the notepad or document from the clip.

CD95234o015.9 Summary of the Invention According to the present invention, there is provided a board for supporting a spiral bound notepad or multi-page document, the board including: Sa generally planar supporting surface to support the notepad or document; and an elongate tongue adapted to be received within at least either the spiral binding of the notepad or a tongue receiving means connected to the multi-page document, so as to removably secure said notepad or document to the board.

Preferably, the tongue is integrally formed with the board but displaceable from a first disengaged position (prior to engagement or following disengagement of the l o notepad or document from the tongue) to a second engaging position (during the course of engagement of the notepad or document) to a third engaged position, being part way between the first and second positions (when engagement of the notepad or document has been completed).

Preferably, the board has an elongate opening having a first end and a second endand the tongue is located in and extends across a substantial part of the elongate opening.

Advantageously, the tongue has a fixed end connected to the board at the first end of the elongate opening, and extends to a free end adjacent to the second end.

More preferably, the tongue is raised at its fixed end above the plane of the board and extends downwardly at least into the plane of the board. Advantageously, the free 2o end of the tongue extends below the plane of the board at the second end of the elongate opening. Furthermore, the tongue may have a downwardly extending foot S: at its free end.

Preferably, the tongue is adapted to resist withdrawal of the notepad or document, for example the tongue may have a ridged, corrugated or roughened surface.

S 25 Preferably, the board has a rounded lip along one side to facilitate in use insertion of egos the board into a pocket in clothing of a user.

Preferably, the board is larger than the notepad or document to permit advertising or other informative material to be displayed. Such material may be engraved into the ••co board or attached to the board by any suitable means, for example, with an adhesive.

30 Preferably, a pocket is attached to the board by any suitable means, for example by an appropriate adhesive, for display or storage of one or more business cards or like articles.

In a further preferred form of the invention, means for engagement of a writing Ainstrument may be attached to the board.

CD\952340l15.9 Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment(s) of the Invention Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig 1 represents a perspective view of the board according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig 2 represents a plan view of the embodiment illustrated in Fig 1; Fig 3 represents a cross-section of the embodiment shown in Fig 1 along the line denoted A A; Fig 4 represents a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention; Fig 5 represents a plan view of the embodiment illustrated in Fig 4; Fig 6 represents a perspective view of a third embodiment; Fig 7 represents a plan view of the embodiment illustrated in Fig 6; Fig 8 represents a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention; and Fig 9 represents a plan view of the embodiment illustrated in Fig 8.

For convenience only, in the drawings, like numerals refer to like components. For clarity, the notepad or document supported by the board is not shown in the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, there is generally depicted a board 1 which has a 20 generally planar supporting surface 2 and a tongue 3 adapted to engage a spiral bound notepad or document.

As shown more particularly in Fig 1, the tongue 3 is integrally formed with the board 1 and is formed by means of an elongate opening 4, having a first end 5 and a second end 6, extending substantially from one side 11 of the board 1 to the opposite side 12 of the board 1, the tongue 3 being located in and extending across a substantial part of the elongate opening 4.

To engage a notepad or document, the tongue 3 is displaced from a first position (prior to engagement of the notepad or document) to a second position (during the course of engagement of the notepad or document) by pushing the edge of the notepad or document against the free end 7 of the tongue 3. The tongue 3 is then inserted into a receiving part of the notepad or document. The receiving part may be through the notepad or document itself or where the notepad or document is spiral bound, the tubular area defined by the spiral binding. When insertion of the tongue 3 CD9W5234015.9 is complete, the tongue 3 moves towards the plane of the board 1 by the resilient nature of its connection to board 1 to a third position, being part way between the first and second positions (when engagement of the notepad or document has been completed).

The insertion of the tongue 3 into the receiving part of the notepad or document holds the notepad or document in position on the board 1 while permitting the user to turn the pages of the notepad or document in use.

To disengage the notepad or document from the tongue 3, the user pulls the edge of the notepad or document which is closest to the free end 7 of the tongue 3 away from the board 1, the upward force displacing the tongue 3 from the third position to the second position. The tongue 3 is then disengaged from the receiving part of the notepad or document by pulling the notepad or document away from the board 1.

When disengagement is complete, the tongue 3 returns by the resilient action of the tongue 3 to the first position.

It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the tongue 3, connected to the board at its fixed end, may be raised above the plane of the board 1, the tongue 3 extending downwardly at least into the plane of the board 1 as shown in the embodiment illustrated in Fig 3. Further, the free end 7 may extend below the plane of the board 1. The tongue 3 may also have a downwardly extending foot at the free 20 end 7.

As shown in Fig 1, the area 13 can be used to display informative material or for advertising purposes. In a further non-illustrated form of the invention, edge 14 of the board 1 (as shown in Fig 1) has a rounded lip to reduce the likelihood of an edge of either the board 1 or a supported notepad or document catching on the edge of a pocket of a user. The lip extends in the same direction as the fixed end of the tongue 3 in those embodiments of the invention in which the tongue is raised. Preferably, the lip also protects the edge of the supported notepad or document.

It will also be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that although the tongue 3 is integrally formed with the board 1 in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs 1-3, it may alternatively be affixed to the board 1 by any suitable means.

Figs 4 and 5 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention in which instead of the elongate opening 4 illustrated in Figs 1 to 3, the tongue 3 is formed by an elongate opening 8 cut from the corner 9 of the opening 8 to an outside edge of the board 1.

The tongue 3 is inserted through a receiving part of the notepad or document in the same manner as described above in respect of the first embodiment shown in Figs 1- 3.

CD\95234015.9 Figs 6 and 7 show a third embodiment for engaging a notepad or document which is bound at its side rather than at the top in which the tongue 3 is located along the length and at the edge of the board 1.

Figs 8 and 9 illustrate a fourth embodiment of the invention in which engagement means 10 of a writing instrument is attached to the board 1. The means 10 illustrated in the fourth embodiment is tubular in shape and of a resilient material and partly cut away to allow a writing instrument to be inserted and held by a snap fit. It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the engagement means 10 may take a number of forms. It will also be appreciated that the engagement means 10 could be affixed to the board by any suitable means, including by the use of an appropriate glue or adhesive.

The board can also be used for the display of advertising material or other information. This may required the enlargement of the board, particularly at adjacent area 13. This area may also be shaped into the form of a logo or other distinctive shape as required to facilitate identification, ownership, sponsorship or endorsement of the board. It is also desirable in some circumstances for the board to have a pocket which is adapted for holding business cards. In this way, the user of the board (which will usually be larger than a standard sized business card) can store business cards in a readily accessible place. The pocket may be integral with the board or subsequently attached to the board. The pocket may be made of a rigid or flexible material.

Conveniently, the pocket may be located on the planar surface opposite the planar surface which supports the notepad.

o Conveniently, the board 1 may be made of a rigid PVC (poly vinyl chloride) material which is appropriate to be moulded.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that if the document is spiral bound, engaging :ii the notepad or document by means of a tongue through or adjacent the spiral binding t has the advantage that it does not interfere with the operation of the spiral binding while also providing more secure engagement means when compared with the known forms of apparatus, for example clipboards.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the invention is applicable to many and varied uses. It has general application to any situation in which it is necessary or desirable for a person to write on a notepad or other document in a location in which there is no convenient flat supporting surface upon which to rest the notepad or document but also in which it is necessary or desirable for the user to carry the notepad or document with them.

CD\95234015.9 By way of further example, additional applications of the invention are in the fields of arts and education for drawing, sketching and painting on location, or for use in the home, office or any situation where a notepad, scribble pad or calendar mounting is useful, for example, a board according to the invention may also be suspended attached to a support for the display of a multi-page document (eg. a calendar). The invention is also useful where a single page document must be easily attached/detached from a supporting surface, providing appropriate attachment means are attached to the document.

Other advantages and modifications to the basic invention and its construction as o0 described above will be apparent to persons skilled in the art and all modifications and adaptations are included in the scope of the invention.

.a* a C9W95234015.9

Claims

1. A board for supporting a spiral bound notepad or a multi-page document, the board including a generally planar supporting surface to support the notepad or document and an elongate tongue adapted to be received within at least either the spiral binding of the notepad or a tongue receiving means connected to the multi-page document, so as to removably secure said notepad or document to the board.

2. A board as claimed in claim 1, in which the tongue is integrally formed with the board but displaceable from a first disengaged position to a second engaging position to a third engaged position, being part way between the first and second positions.

3. A board as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the board has an elongate opening extending substantially from one side of the board to the opposite side of the board, the tongue having a first end and a second end, being located in and extending across a substantial part of the elongate opening, the tongue being connected to the board at the first end.

4. A board as claimed in claim 3, in which the tongue is raised above the plane of the board at the first end, the tongue extending downwards at least into the plane of the board. S 20 5. A board as claimed in claim 4, in which the second end of the tongue extends below the plane of the board.

6. A board as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 5, in which the tongue has a downwardly extending foot at the second end. oo& 7. A board as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the tongue is adapted 25 to resist withdrawal of the notepad or document.

8. A board as claimed in claim 7 in which the tongue has ridges, is corrugated or o-oo has a roughened surface for resisting withdrawal of the notepad or document.

9. A board as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, further including a portion ooo° .permitting the display of advertising or other informative material when, in 30 use, a notepad or document is being supported by the board. ooo° A board as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, to which means for engagement of a writing instrument is attached.

11. A board as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 further including a portion RAadapted to receive advertising or other informative material for display. adapted to receive advertising or other informative material for display. CD\95234015.9

12. A board as claimed in claim 11 in which the portion includes an extension of the generally planar supporting surface.

13. A board as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 having a lip at a side of the board adapted to facilitate insertion and removal of the board from a pocket in clothing of a user in use.

14. A board as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 to which a pocket is attached to the board for storage of one or more business cards. A board substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in one or more of the accompanying drawings. JOHN FOSS by his Registered Patent Attorneys Freehills Patent Attorneys 20 October 1999 0 ft* *f CD\95234015.9