GB2212443A

GB2212443A - Illuminated clipboard

Info

Publication number: GB2212443A
Application number: GB8727148A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Edward Green
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-11-19
Filing date: 1987-11-19
Publication date: 1989-07-26
Also published as: GB8727148D0

Abstract

A clipboard is formed from two unitary plastics mouldings. A first moulding forms a stiff base 10 and a lamp housing 16 which is mounted on an upper side of the base and stands over an opening 22 through the base. A second moulding forms a box-like battery carrier 28 mounted on a closure plate 30 (Figs 4 and 5). The closure plate fits into the opening 22 in the base, to close the opening when the battery carrier is inserted into the lamp housing. A lighting assembly comprising a lens 60, a reflector 62, a bulb bolder 64 and a bulb 66 is retained in position within the lamp housing by means of tabs 68 of the lamp housing and tabs of the closure plate. <IMAGE>

Description

ILLUMINATED CLIPBOARD Clipboards are articles of everyday utility. They comprise a baseboard which is sufficiently stiff to provide a firm support for writing, and some form of clip for clamping paper (or other writing materials) to the board. Such boards are used by many people, e.g.

students, door-to-door canvassers, surveyors and many others, who have a need to write where a convenient writing surface may not otherwise be readily accessible.

Clipboards having a light source, mounted so as to shine in use on to the writing surface of the board, are known and extend the articles' utility. Various specific proposals for such illuminated clipboards are described, for example, in United States patents Nos.

2 492 034, 3 381 122, 3 875 396 and 4 153 927.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved illuminated clipboard and in accordance with the invention, in one of its aspects, an illuminated clipboard comprises a stiff base providing a writing board which on an upper side presents a writing surface, a lamp housing mounted on the upper side of the base over an opening through the base, a battery carrier which is mounted on a closure plate and can be introduced into the housing from the underside of the base through the opening, and fastening means arranged to secure the closure plate releasably to close the opening in the base with the battery carrier accommodated within the housing.

In a preferred construction the clipboard comprises a first plastics moulding comprising a first portion forming the stiff base and a second portion forming the lamp housing, and a second plastics moulding comprising a first portion forming the battery carrier and a second portion forming the closure plate, the fastening means being arranged to secure the two mouldings together releasably with the closure plate of the second moulding closing the opening in the first moulding.

A light source within the lamp housing may be a bulb or fluorescent tube and, if so desired, more than one may be used. A lens or diffuser may be placed in front of the light source to provide better uniformity of illumination on the writing surface. An on/off switch should preferably be incorporated in the lighting circuit to enable the light to be switched on only when required; such a switch may be of any suitable type such as a tumble push-button or slide switch. The light may conveniently be located near the top of the clipboard, but may be located at any position on the board consistent with providing good illumination. A paper-holding clip may be of a conventional sprung kind attached to the board, or might be moulded integrally with a plastics board.The respective positions of the lamp housing and the paper clip are so chosen that the housing does not prevent the paper being fixed nor the clip act to screen the light, preventing it illuminating the paper.

If desired, the clipboard may include other functions already known with existing clipboards, such as pockets for holding pens and/or pencils, documents, etc. The board may, for example, have fold-over flaps with which the paper on the board can be covered when not being used.

There now follows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of an illuminated clip board which illustrates the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an illuminated clipboard; Figure 2 is a back end view of a lamp housing of the clipboard; Figure 3 is a scrap plan view from beneath the clipboard with a closure moulding forming a combined battery carrier and closure plate removed, showing details of the interior of the lamp housing; Figure 4 is a top plan view of the closure moulding; and Figure 5 is a back end view of the closure moulding.

An illuminated clipboard comprises a stiff, generally rectangular, base forming a writing board 10. An upper side of the board presents a smooth and flat writing surface 12. A spring clip 14, of a conventional kind for clipboards, is secured to the board generally adjacent to the middle of one side edge of the board, to clamp a sheet or sheets of paper to the board over the writing surface 12.

The board 10 is formed by a first portion of a first unitary plastics moulding. A second portion of the moulding forms a lamp housing 16, mounted on the upper side of the board generally at one end of the board. In other embodiments of the invention the relative positions around the board of the lamp housing and the spring clip or other clamping device, and the shape of the board 10, may all be varied from those shown in Figure 1.

The lamp housing 16 has a window opening 18 in a front wall 20, and stands over an opening 22 (Figure 3) through the board 10. The underside 24 of the board 10 is recessed all around the opening, as indicated 26 in Figure 3.

The clipboard comprises also a second unitary plastics moulding (Figures 4 and 5) a first portion of which forms a battery carrier 28 and a second portion of.which forms a closure plate 30. The closure plate comprises a thin margin 32 which is shaped to occupy the recess 26 in the board 10. The central part 34 of the plate (i.e. bounded by the margin 32) is shaped to plug the opening 22 in the board. When the plate is fitted into the opening 22 from the underside of the board, with the margin 32 fitted into the recess 26, an undersurface 36 of the plate lies flush with the underside 24 of the board 10 around the recess, so having no part projecting to any appreciable extent from the underside of the board.

The battery carrier 28 is in the form of a box which is upstanding from an upper surface 38 of the plate 30. The box is open at a back face 40 for the insertion of two standard cylindrical batteries (not shown) to lie one above the other accommodated within the box, lying parallel with the closure plate 30. The batteries, when positioned, extend between electrical contact plates (not shown) which are slipped into slideways 42 provided on inside surfaces of side walls 44 and 46 (Figure 5) of the housing box. Fingers of the contact plates, when inserted, project through openings 48 in a front wall 50 of the box, two for connection into a wiring circuit and two simply for the purposes of securing a battery-linking one of the plates (which would be in the righ-t--hand position as viewed in Figure 5) to the housing box.

The second moulding comprises also two tubular fixing posts 52 and 54 which align axially with two tubular pillars 56 and 58 (Figure 3) of the lamp housing 16 when the closure plate 30 is in place closing the opening 22. Means for securing the closure plate 30 releasably in place in the opening 22 in the board 10 comprises two headed screws (not shown) which are screwed axially into the pillars from inside the fixing posts; the posts are arranged to accommodate and retain the heads of the screws, so that the posts become secured to the pillars.

The clipboard comprises also an assembly comprising a lens 60, a reflector 62, a bulb holder 64 and a bulb 66 (all indicated in broken line in Figure 3). The lens 60 and the reflector 62 are retained inside the lamp housing 16, adjacent to the window opening 18, by means of top and bottom locating tabs 68 and 70, of the lamp housing 16 and the closure plate 30 respectively.

An electrical switch 72 (Figures 2 and 3) is secured in an aperture through a back wall 74 of the lamp housing 16. Three raised ribs 76, projecting from the back wall 74, shield the switch 72 against accidental actuation.

The switch 72 and the bulb 66 are wired up to the battery contact plates in a conventional manner for the bulb to be lighted in use, as required, under the control of the switch. The light from the bulb shines through the lens 60 to illuminate paper held on the writing surface 12. Should the batteries or the bulb need to be changed, this can be effected after undoing the securing screws to permit removal of the closure plate 30 from the opening 22.

Claims

1. An illuminated clipboard comprising a stiff base providing a writing board which on an upper side presents a writing surface, a lamp housing mounted on the upper side of the base over an opening through the base, a battery carrier which is mounted on a closure plate and can be introduced into the housing from the underside of the base through the opening, and fastening means arranged to secure the closure plate releasably to close the opening in the base with the battery carrier accommodated within the housing.

2. A clipboard according to claim 1 comprising a first unitary plastics moulding comprising a first portion forming the stiff base and a second portion forming the lamp housing, and a second unitary plastics moulding comprising a first portion forming the battery carrier and a second portion forming part at least of the closure plate, the fastening means being arranged to secure the two mouldings together.

3. A clipboard according to claim 2 in which the fastening means comprises screws extending through the second moulding and threadedly engaged in the first moulding.

4. A clipboard according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 in which the stiff base is generally rectangular and the lamp housing is arranged generally at one end of the board.

5. A clipboard according to claim 4 in which a sprung clip suitable for clamping sheets of paper to the writing surface is arranged generally adjacent to -the middle of one side edge of the board.

6. A clipboard according to any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the underside of the base is recessed all around the opening and the closure plate comprises a thinned margin shaped to occupy the recess so that an undersurface of the plate lies substantially flush with the underside of the board.

7. A clipboard according to any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the battery carrier is in the form of a box which is upstanding from an upper surface of the closure plate.

8. A clipboard according to any one of claims 1 to 7 in which a lighting assembly comprising a lens, a reflector, a bulb holder and a bulb are retained in position within the lamp housing by means of locating means of the lamp housing and the closure plate.

9. A clipboard according to any one of claims 1 to 8 in which an electrical switch for control of operation of the bulb is secured in an aperture through a back wall of the lamp housing.

10. An illuminated clipboard substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.