GB2155406A

GB2155406A - Ruler with holder

Info

Publication number: GB2155406A
Application number: GB08406462A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive Walter Warwicker
Original assignee: Helix Ltd
Current assignee: Helix Ltd
Priority date: 1984-03-12
Filing date: 1984-03-12
Publication date: 1985-09-25
Also published as: GB2155406B; GB8406462D0

Abstract

A ruler 12 is provided on its front face with a holder 10 for holding small stationary items such as pens, pencils, erasers and pencil sharpeners. The holder 10 comprises a separate elongate plastics part extending centrally along the length of the ruler 12 and bonded in place. In includes a sleeve portion 18 with internal lugs 22a, 22b, (not shown) defining side-by-side channels adapted to accommodate therein a pen 24 and a pencil 26 which are held under a light clamping pressure, a raised bridge portion 35 which defines an open pocket to receive and hold an eraser, and a box-like housing 30 at one end which is adapted to receive and hold a pencil sharpener 32. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ruler The present invention relates to rulers.

According to the invention, a ruler is provided on a face thereof with a holder for holding one or more small stationery items such as writing and drawing instruments (e.g. pens and pencils), erasers or pencil sharpeners.

Preferably, the holder is formed of plastics material and is adapted to grip the or each stationery item with a resilient clamping pressure.

In preferred embodiments, the holder is in the form of an elongate member which extends along at least part of the length of the ruler and which is designed releasedly to hold a number of different items, all without projecting laterally of the edges of the ruler.

The holder may be fabricated as a separate element which is then permanently secured or bonded to the front face of the ruler. It may also be designed to provide a convenient finger-grip element when using the ruler for drawing.

By way of example, one form of ruler provided with a holder in accordance with the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view; Figure 2 is a side elevation; Figure 3 is an end view in the direction of arrows "A" of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a view from the opposite end in the direction of arrows "B", and Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line V-V of Figure 2.

In this embodiment, the holder 10 is an elongate member, separately fabricated as a plastics moulding, which is bonded to the front face of the ruler 12 so as to extend longitudinally thereof in the space between the usual graduated edge markings 14a, 14b.

The ruler is also made of plastics material and the holder 10 is conveniently bonded thereto by ultrasonic welding. Alternatively, high strength bonding adhesive could be used.

The holder 10 is designed in this case to hold a pen, a pencil, an eraser and a pencil sharpener so that all these items can be stored compactly with the ruler when not in use.

As shown, the holder 10 has a plate-like base portion 16 carrying towards one end a sleeve part 18 of rectangular cross-section defined by a pair of upstanding side walls 19, 19, bridged by a flat top 20. Within the sleeve part 18, the base portion 16 is cut away to provide a rectangular aperture and a pair of elongate lugs 22a, 22b, depending integrally from the flat top 20 define, with the side walls 19, 19, a pair of side by side channels. These channels accommodate a pen 24 and a pencil 26 which are fitted into the sleeve part 18 as indicated. When in place, such pen and pencil are both gripped with a light clamping pressure between the lugs 22a, 22b, and the respective side walls 19, 19.

The other end of the holder 10 extends almost to the end of the ruler and is formed with an openended rectangular box-like housing 30 adapted to receive a pencil sharpener, indicated in outline at 32, which is a push fit therein. The housing 30 is connected to the base portion 16 of the holder by an intermediate bridge piece 35 which is cranked upwardly at 36 and is spaced above the face of the ruler to define an open pocket 37 adapted to receive an eraser as indicated at 38. The bridge piece 35 has a narrowed central neck portion 40 so that it is resiliently yieldable and on its underside it is formed with a pair of integral ribs 42, 42, which provide pressure pads adapted to bear on the eraser to clamp it against the face of the ruler.

Each of the items, the pen 24, pencil 26, eraser 38, and pencil sharpener 32, can readily be removed when required but when not in use they can each be kept stored neatly and compactly with the ruler.

It will also be noted that the holder 10, especially the sleeve part 18, provides a convenient fingergrip for holding and manipulating the ruler when this, for example, is being used for drawing lines.

Many modifications may of course be made within the scope of the invention in the particular structural details of the holder herein described, especially in respect of the specific items intended to be carried thereby.

1. A ruler having secured or bonded to its face a holder for holding small stationary items, said holder being in the form of an elongate holder member which extends along at least part of the length of the ruler and which provides a sleeve section defining channel means adapted to receive an elongate writing element such as a pen or pencil of appropriate dimensions inserted endwise therein and to hold said writing element in place under a resilient clamping pressure.

2. A ruler as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the elongate holder member includes a plate-like base portion which, within the sleeve section, is formed with an aperture extending substantially for the entire length of said sleeve section.

3. A ruler as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the sleeve section has a substantially rectangular cross-section provided by upstanding side walls and by a top transverse bridging portion which carries downwardly projecting lug means defining a pair of side-by-side longitudinal channels through the sleeve section for receiving and accommodating a pair of said elongate writing elements disposed in side-by-side relationship.

4. A ruler as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein a portion of the elongate holder member comprises a resiliently yieldable longitudinal bridge piece spaced above the face of the ruler so as to define an open pocket within which a stationery item, for example an eraser, can be wedged and held under a clamping pressure provided by deformation of said bridge piece.

5. A ruler as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the bridge piece is formed on its underside with down

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Ruler The present invention relates to rulers. According to the invention, a ruler is provided on a face thereof with a holder for holding one or more small stationery items such as writing and drawing instruments (e.g. pens and pencils), erasers or pencil sharpeners. Preferably, the holder is formed of plastics material and is adapted to grip the or each stationery item with a resilient clamping pressure. In preferred embodiments, the holder is in the form of an elongate member which extends along at least part of the length of the ruler and which is designed releasedly to hold a number of different items, all without projecting laterally of the edges of the ruler. The holder may be fabricated as a separate element which is then permanently secured or bonded to the front face of the ruler. It may also be designed to provide a convenient finger-grip element when using the ruler for drawing. By way of example, one form of ruler provided with a holder in accordance with the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view; Figure 2 is a side elevation; Figure 3 is an end view in the direction of arrows "A" of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a view from the opposite end in the direction of arrows "B", and Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line V-V of Figure 2. In this embodiment, the holder 10 is an elongate member, separately fabricated as a plastics moulding, which is bonded to the front face of the ruler 12 so as to extend longitudinally thereof in the space between the usual graduated edge markings 14a, 14b. The ruler is also made of plastics material and the holder 10 is conveniently bonded thereto by ultrasonic welding. Alternatively, high strength bonding adhesive could be used. The holder 10 is designed in this case to hold a pen, a pencil, an eraser and a pencil sharpener so that all these items can be stored compactly with the ruler when not in use. As shown, the holder 10 has a plate-like base portion 16 carrying towards one end a sleeve part 18 of rectangular cross-section defined by a pair of upstanding side walls 19, 19, bridged by a flat top 20. Within the sleeve part 18, the base portion 16 is cut away to provide a rectangular aperture and a pair of elongate lugs 22a, 22b, depending integrally from the flat top 20 define, with the side walls 19, 19, a pair of side by side channels. These channels accommodate a pen 24 and a pencil 26 which are fitted into the sleeve part 18 as indicated. When in place, such pen and pencil are both gripped with a light clamping pressure between the lugs 22a, 22b, and the respective side walls 19, 19. The other end of the holder 10 extends almost to the end of the ruler and is formed with an openended rectangular box-like housing 30 adapted to receive a pencil sharpener, indicated in outline at 32, which is a push fit therein. The housing 30 is connected to the base portion 16 of the holder by an intermediate bridge piece 35 which is cranked upwardly at 36 and is spaced above the face of the ruler to define an open pocket 37 adapted to receive an eraser as indicated at 38. The bridge piece 35 has a narrowed central neck portion 40 so that it is resiliently yieldable and on its underside it is formed with a pair of integral ribs 42, 42, which provide pressure pads adapted to bear on the eraser to clamp it against the face of the ruler. Each of the items, the pen 24, pencil 26, eraser 38, and pencil sharpener 32, can readily be removed when required but when not in use they can each be kept stored neatly and compactly with the ruler. It will also be noted that the holder 10, especially the sleeve part 18, provides a convenient fingergrip for holding and manipulating the ruler when this, for example, is being used for drawing lines. Many modifications may of course be made within the scope of the invention in the particular structural details of the holder herein described, especially in respect of the specific items intended to be carried thereby. CLAIMS

5. A ruler as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the bridge piece is formed on its underside with down wardly projecting pressure pad means.

6. A ruler as claimed in Claim 4 or 5 wherein the bridge piece has a narrowed central neck portion.

7. A ruler as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the elongate holder member is formed at one end with an open-ended box-like housing providing a socket adapted to receive a stationary item such as a pencil sharpener.

8. A ruler as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein both the ruler and the holder member are composed of moulded plastics material and are secured or bonded together by ultrasonic welding.

9. A ruler as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the face of the ruler is provided along each longitudinal edge with graduated measurement markings, and the holder member extends along the length of the ruler wholly within the intermediate central region between such edge markings.

10. A ruler having a holder for holding small stationery items, said ruler being constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawing.