US3407757A

US3407757A - Knee-board

Info

Publication number: US3407757A
Application number: US664549A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis A Warner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-08-30
Filing date: 1967-08-30
Publication date: 1968-10-29
Anticipated expiration: 1985-10-29

Description

Oct. 29, 1968 L. A. WARNER KNEE-BOARD Filed Aug 50. 1967 INVENTOR. LOU/S A. WARNER ATTYS United States Patent M ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A knee-board having a number of resilient preferably rubber straps having a plurality of fastening apertures therein afiixed to it in spaced relation along one of its sides. One of the straps is adapted to be secured about the thigh and to the opposite side of the knee-board, by extending a fastening pin through one of the fastening apertures formed in the strap. In this fashion, the kneeboard can be secured to the leg, about the thigh, as tightly as desired, simply by extending the fastening pin through an appropriate one of the fastening apertures. The other ones of the straps are adapted to stretch across the top of the kneeboard, to fasten papers, charts, computers and the like beneath them, against the top surface thereof. These straps are drawn tight and affixed to the other side of the knee-board, by extending fastening pins through one of said fastening apertures formed therein.

A computer mounting board also can be affixed to the knee-board, as a hinged cover, if desired, for retaining a computer thereon, for one-handed operation.

This invention relates, in general, to clipboards and, in particular, to so-called knee-boards which are adapted for use by aircraft personnel such as pilots and/or co-pilots while flying.

The term knee-board refers to that special class of clipboards which is adapted to be affixed to the thigh of one of the personnel in an aircraft, such as the pilot or copilot, and which is adapted to hold and support papers, approach charts, and the like, for use by them. Presently, there are many knee-boards available, however, they are generally unsatisfactory, for one reason or another.

For example, many of these knee-boards have a belt type strap with buckle which is adjustable to aflix the knee-board to a persons thigh. These straps are initially adjusted to fit a particular person, and generally therefore, must be re-adjustable to adapt it to fit another persons thigh. While this feature is not particularly unde sirable, it is inconvenient since it generally requires time to make the necessary adjustments. It is further found that these straps require constant re-adjustment to keep the straps tight so that the knee-board is securely, fixedly held in position on the thigh.

Resilient pads usually are affixed to the underside of the knee-boards, for cushioning them on the thigh. The pads on many of these knee-boards are adhesively affixed thereon and, after the knee-boards have been used for a period of time, the pads become loosened and fall off. This, of course, is objectionable, for the knee-boards must be repaired each time it happens. Many times the user is not aware of the fact that the pad has fallen off, or uses the knee-board even though it has, because he does not have time to repair it. Those who have used the kneeboards after the pads have fallen off usually discover, much to their displeasure, that some of the adhesive used to afiix the pads to the knee-board sticks to the trousers when the knee-board is removed. It is also generally found that the pads satisfactorily cushion the knee-board on the thigh, however, the pads remove the crease in the trousers and/or create wrinkles in them. Businessmen who fly their own aircraft find this extremely objectionable since their suit trousers usually require pressing when the businessmen arrive at their destination.

3,407,757 Patented Oct. 29, 1968 Others of the available knee-boards are designed for use by military aircraft personnel and have numerous features such as variable lighting or illuminating systems which the average private pilot does not need or use. These knee-boards are therefore of a relatively complex construction and, accordingly, cost more than the private pilot cares to pay for them, for the limited application he has of these features.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved clipboards, particularly of the so-called kneeboard type, which are used by aircraft personnel to hold papers, charts and the like, while flying.

It is another object to provide knee-boards having a construction particularly suited for use by the average private pilots, such as students, businessmen and the like.

Another object is to provide improved knee-boards having a relatively simple construction in comparison to those presently available.

Still another object is to provide improved knee-boards having means for removably aifixing them to the thigh which is easily adaptable to fit any size thigh.

A still further object is to provide improved kneeboards having means for easily and quickly removably affixing a supply of paper or the like to the knee-board.

A still further object is to provide improved kneeboards, having means whereby a navigational computer can be easily and quickly removably affixed to the kneeboard, for one-handed operation.

Still another object is to provide improved knee-boards having a construction so as to substantially reduce the tendency of the knee-boards to crease or wrinkle trousers.

The above objectives are provided by a knee-board having a number of resilient preferably rubber straps having a plurality of fastening apertures therein affixed to it in spaced relation along one of its sides. One of the straps is adapted to be secured about the thigh and to the opposite side of the knee-board, by extending a fastening pin through one of the fastening apertures formed in the strap. In this fashion, the knee-board can be secured to the leg, about the thigh, as tightly as desired, simply by extending the fastening pin through an appropriate one of the fastening apertures. The other ones of the straps are adapted to stretch across the top of the knee-board,

t to fasten papers, charts, computers and the like beneath them, against the top surface thereof. These straps are drawn tight and affixed to the other side of the kneeboard, by extending fastening pins through one of said fastening apertures formed therein.

A computer mounting board also can be affixed to the knee'board, as a hinged cover, if desired, for retaining a computer thereon, for one-handed operation.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a knee-board exemplary of the invention; t

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the knee-board, further illustrating a navigational computer removably atfixed to it; and

FIG. 3 is an end plan view of the computer, with a pad of paper affixed to it.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a kneeboard 10 which is generally rectangular-shaped, having 3 a top wall 12 which preferably is a flat surface and a bottom wall 14 which is contoured, with a concave curvature, so as to substantially conform to the shape of a persons leg, or more particularly, his thigh.

The knee-board can be formed in several different fashions. For example, a sheet of material such as aluminum or other lightweight metal, or plastic such as rigid polyethylene and the like, can be formed to provide a frame 16 having a top wall which forms the top wall 12 of the knee-board and a pair of spaced

side walls

18 and 20. A resilient pad 22 preferably of polystyrene or other similar lightweight material having insulative qualities so as to transfer little, if any, body heat, is affixed within the frame 16. This preferably is accomplished using suitable fastening means such as rivets, or by applying an adhesive to the pad and folding the ends of the

side walls

18 and 20 inwardly, parallel to the top wall 12, so as to form a pair of flanges 21 Which cooperate with the adhesive to support and retain the pad 22 within the frame. When the pad 22 is aflixed within the frame 16 in this fashion, there is little likelihood that it will become loose and fall out so that the above-mentioned objectionable features of the available knee-boards are eliminated.

Alternatively, the knee-board can be formed as an integral unit, preferably of plastic so that it can be easily molded having a similarly shaped structure. In this latter case, the interior of the knee-board preferably is hollow so that the knee-board is lightweight.

A knee-board 10 formed in the first described and illustrated manner, with a pad 22 of polystyrene aflixed Within the frame 16, is preferred since it can be easily and inexpensively fabricated. Furthermore, the polystyrene pad 22 will cause little if any, perspiration to occur between a persons thigh and the knee-board 10 when the latter is aflixed to the thigh, so that there is far less tendency for the knee-board to crease or wrinkle a per sons trousers. At least one and preferably a number of air slots or grooves 24 which can be V-shaped, as illustrated, are formed in the pad 22, extending longitudinally along its entire length. These air grooves further reduce the tendency for a persons thigh to perspire when the knee-board is affixed to it, by permitting air to circulate between the thigh and the knee-board. If only one air groove 24 is used, it preferably is of substantial size and is centrally positioned, so that it generally bridges the crease in trousers and thereby lessens the tendency to wrinkle or remove the crease.

An elastic leg strap 26 preferably rubber has one of its ends affixed to the side wall 18 of the frame 16, centrally of the knee-board 10. The side wall 18 can have a generally rectangular-shaped pocket 28 formed therein, for receiving the end of the leg strap 26. The leg strap can be fixedly secured therein, by an suitable fastening means, such as rivets.

A lock pin 30 is affixed to the side wall 20 of the frame 16, and the leg strap 26 has a number of spaced lock pin apertures 32 in its opposite end, each of which is adapted to receive the lock pin therein. The leg strap 26 is adapted to extend beneath the knee-board 10 and is of sufiicient length to extend about a persons thigh and to receive the lock pin 30 in one of the lock pin apertures 32. A suflicient number of apertures 32 is provided so that the knee-board 10 can be securely affixed to any thigh, simply by stretching the leg strap 26 and extending the lock pin 30 through an appropriate one of the lock pin apertures 32. Accordingly, this construction eliminates the objectionable feature of the belt-type straps. Additional leg straps 26 can be provided, if desired.

A pair of elastic clamp-down straps 34 which can be of the same material and construction as the leg strap 26 each have one of their ends fixedly secured in spaced relation to the side wall 18 of the frame 16. Pockets 36 also can be formed in the side wall 18, for receiving and securing the ends of the clamp-down straps therein. Lock pins 38 are afiixed to the side wall 20, and the clamp-down 4% straps 34 each have a number of spaced lock pin apertures 40 in their free ends.

The clamp-down straps 34 are adapted to extend across the top wall 12 of the frame 16, and to receive the lock pins 38 within one of the locking pin apertures therein. This arrangement permits objects such as the papers 42 to be easily clamped atop the knee-board 10, by stretching the clamp-down straps 34 over them and extending the lock pins 38 through an appropriate one of the lock pin apertures 40, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. It can be seen that the clamp-down straps 34 provide numerous advantages which are not provided by available knee-boards, particularly those of the type having spring-loaded clamps thereon, so the clamp-down straps permit virtually any thickness of paper, charts and the like, and/or other objects having an irregular size and shape to be affixed to the knee-board 10.

A computer mounting board 50 in the form of a rectangular-shaped flat sheet of rigid material such as metal or plastic, to which a navigational computer can be removably affixed, also is preferably provided and aflixed to the knee-board 10, by extending the same clamp-down straps 34 or other similar clamp-down straps over it. In the illustrated example, the computer mounting board 50 is in the form of a rectangular-shaped flat sheet of material such as plastic and has four mounting pins 51 affixed in spaced relation to it for adapting it to securely retain thereon a navigational computer 52 (FIG. 2) of the type disclosed in a copending United States patent application, Ser. No. 631,691, filed Apr. 18, 1967. by Louis A. Warner, now Patent No. 3,361,346. The computer 52 has four apertured rivets 54 positionally spaced therein for securing the two halves of its body portion 56 together, so as to cooperatively and slidably receive its slider portion 58 between them, as fully explained in said copending application. The mounting pins 51 are positioned to extend through the apertured rivets 54, to secure the computer 52 to the computer mounting board 50. The mounting pins 51 can be of the split, resilient type which are compressible to extend them through an aperture and which will spread and frictionally engage the edges of the aperture to releasably secure itself therein.

The computer mounting board 50 therefore can be affixed to the knee-board 10, by stretching the clampdown straps 34 over it, and the computer 52 thereafter afiixed to the computer mounting board, by extending the mounting pins 51 through the apertured rivets 54. When the computer 52 is affixed to the knee-board 10 in this fashion, it can be seen that it is securely and positionally held so that it can be easily operated with one hand. This feature is particularly important to the private pilot since he generally both flies the aircraft and navigates. Accordingly, he must perform the navi gational tasks while piloting the aircraft and therefore usually has only one free hand to operate the computer. In addition, being securely afiixed to the knee-board 10 which is, in turn, securely aflixed to the pilots thigh, the computer 52 also is always readily available and is not subject to being lost or misplaced. Any pilot who has flown in rough weather will appreciate this latter feature.

The computer mounting board 50 can be adapted to securely support other types of navigational computers as well and, further can be advantageously hingedly aflixed to the knee-board 10, in a cover-like fashion. As can be best seen in FIG. 1, a pair of flexible hinges 60 which can be strips of canvas or other similar material are affixed at one end to the side wall 18 of th frame 16. The opposite ends of the hinges are afiixed to the computer mounting board 50. The hinges 60 also are of sufiicient length to compensate for the various thicknesses of material clamped on the knee-board, with the clamp-down straps 34.

With this construction, the computer mounting board 50, with the computer 52 attached, can be hingedly opened like a book so that notes can be written on the paper 42 clamped on the knee-board 10.

It can be seen from the above description that the knee-board can be easily and inexpensively manufactured since it is relatively simple in construction and does not have complex illuminating means and the like. The knee-board 10 also is easily clamped to the thigh, simply by stretching the leg strap 26 about the thigh and extending the lock pin 30 through an appropriate one of the lock pin apertures 32. Papers, charts, computers and the like, of irregular size and of various thickness, are likewise easily aflixed to and held upon the kneeboard 10, by clamping the clamp-down straps 34 atop them. A computer mounting board 50 also can be removably aflixed to the knee-board 10 with clamp-down straps or, alternatively, can be permanently hingedly affixed thereto, with flexible hinges 60. The knee-board 10 further has a construction which lessens the tendency to crease or wrinkle the trousers of the party using it.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above article without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of langauge, might be said to fall therebetween.

Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A knee-board which is adapted for use by aircraft personnel such as pilots, co-pilots and the like, while flying, comprising: a generally rectangular-shaped body having a top wall, a pair of side Walls and a bottom wall; a leg strap lock pin atfixed to one of said side walls; a leg strap having one end thereof fixedly secured to the other one of said side walls, the opposite end of said leg strap having a plurality of lock pin apertures therein; said knee-board being removably secured to a persons thigh by extending said leg strap about the persons thigh and extending said lock pin through an appropriate one of said locking pin apertures; and clamp means comprising at least one clamp-down strap aflixcd at one of its ends to one of said side walls and having a plurality of clamp-down lock pin apertures formed therein; a clamp-down strap lock pin affixed to the other one of said side walls; said clamp-down strap being adapted to extend across the top of said knee-board to extend said clamp-down strap lock pin through an appropriate one of said clamp-down strap lock pin apertures to removably clamp papers and the like atop the top wall of said knee-board.

2. A knee-board, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said leg strap and said clamp-down strap are of rubber.

3. A knee-board, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bottom wall has at least one air groove formed therein, centrally positioned and extending longitudinally along its length.

4. A knee-board, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body comprises a frame having a top wall and a pair of side walls, and a resilient pad secured within said frame having a bottom wall which is contoured so as to generally correspond to the shape of a persons thigh.

5. A knee-board, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said resilient pad is formed of polystyrene.

6. A knee-board, as claimed in claim 4, wherein the ends of said side walls of said frame are folded inwardly so as to form flanges disposed beneath said pad, for assisting in retaining said pad within said frame.

7. A knee-board, as claimed in claim 1, further including a computer mounting board which is adapted to support a computer thereon, said computer mounting board being removably affixed to said knee-board by extending said clamp-down strap over the top of it and extending the clamp-down lock pin through an appropriate one of said clamp-down lock pin apertures therein.

8. A knee-board, as claimed in claim 1, further including a computer mounting board which is adapted to support a computer thereon, said computer mounting board being hingedly affixed to one of said side walls to overlie said top wall and the objects clamped thereon in a cover-like fashion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,930,478 10/1933 Jones 10843 XR 2,420,673 5/ 1947 Monrad. 2,701,173 2/1955 Senior et a]. 10843 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.