BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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1. Field of the Invention
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This invention relates to a clipboard.
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2. Description of the Related Art
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A conventional clipboard generally includes a main plate, and a clip fixed pivotally to a top face of the main plate. In use, a document is retained on the main plate through the clip so as to facilitate reading or writing of the same. When it is necessary to hang the document on a wall or a frame, a hanger that is provided on a bottom face of the main plate may be used. The hanger usually has one end fixed to the main plate, while the other end thereof is free. Hence, when the clipboard is removed from the wall or the frame, the other end of the hanger produces a beating sound against the main plate, which is irritating.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a clipboard that is capable of overcoming the aforementioned drawback of the prior art.
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According to this invention, a clipboard comprises a main plate having top and bottom faces and lateral sides, a clip plate of triangular cross section, and a fixing plate. The clip plate includes a mid-portion provided at one of the lateral sides, top and bottom plate portions extending convergingly from two opposite ends of the mid-portion and having converging distal press ends abutting respectively against the top and bottom faces of the main plate, and two press levers connected pivotally and respectively to the distal press ends of the top and bottom plate portions. The fixing plate has two opposite ends fixed to the bottom face of the main plate, and a middle section between the ends of the fixing plate and pressing the bottom plate portion against the bottom face of the main plate, thereby fixing the bottom plate portion to the main plate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a clipboard according to the first preferred embodiment of this invention;
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FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the first preferred embodiment;
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FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic bottom view of the first preferred embodiment;
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FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the first preferred embodiment;
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FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but illustrating how the clipboard of the first preferred embodiment can be hung;
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FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a clipboard according to the second preferred embodiment of this invention;
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FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, but with a cover plate pivoted away from a top face of a main plate; and
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FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6, but illustrating how the clipboard of the second preferred embodiment can be hung.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
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Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that the same reference numerals have been used to denote like elements throughout the specification.
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Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a clipboard according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown to comprise a main plate 3, a clip plate 4, and a fixing plate 5.
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The main plate 3 has top and bottom faces 31, 32, and four lateral sides 33. The main plate 3 may be made of plastic or paper.
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The clip plate 4 has a triangular cross section, and includes a mid-portion 43 provided at one of the lateral sides 33 of the main plate 3, top and bottom plate portions 41, 42 extending convergingly from two opposite ends of the mid-portion 43 and having converging distal press ends 411, 421 abutting respectively against the top and bottom faces 31, 32 of the main plate 3, and top and bottom press levers 45, 45′. The distal press end 411, 421 of each of the top and bottom plate portions 41, 42 has two spaced-apart tubular portions 412, 422 that are aligned axially. Each tubular portion 412, 422 has two cam surfaces 413, 423, and an apex 414, 424 between the cam surfaces 413, 423.
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The top and bottom plate portions 41, 42 and the mid-portion 43 are integrally made into one body by bending, pressing, and rolling a metal sheet, so that the distal press ends 411, 421 of the top and bottom plate portions 41, 42 can cooperatively clamp the main plate 3 therebetween. The top press lever 45 is bent and pressed to form a substantially U-shaped lever, and has two opposite lever ends 451 (only one is visible in FIGS. 1 and 2) inserted respectively and pivotally into the tubular portions 412. The bottom press lever 45′ is also bent and pressed to form a substantially U-shaped lever, and has two opposite lever ends 451′ (only one is visible in FIG. 2) inserted respectively and pivotally into the tubular portions 422. Through the apices 414, 424 of the tubular portions 412, 422, the top and bottom press levers 45, 45′ can snap to an open position, as shown in FIG. 4, when pivoted upwardly, and can snap to a close position, as shown in FIG. 1, when pivoted downwardly. Through such a configuration of the tubular portions 412, 422, regardless of whether the top and bottom press levers 45, 45′ are in the open or close position, the lever ends 451, 451′ of the press levers 45, 45′ are limited within the respective tubular portions 414, 424 and cannot swing freely.
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With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the fixing plate 5 has two opposite ends fixed to the bottom face 32 of the main plate 3 by using two rivets 51, and a middle section between the opposite ends and overlapping the bottom plate portion 42. That is, the fixing plate 5 presses the bottom plate portion 42 against the bottom face 32 of the main plate 3, thereby fixing the bottom plate portion 42 to the main plate 3.
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In use, the top and bottom press levers 45, 45′ are pivoted to the open position, as shown in FIG. 4, and the ends thereof that are opposite to the lever ends 451, 451′ are then pressed toward each other so as to move the top plate portion 41 away from the main plate 3, so that a document (not shown) can be clamped between the top plate portion 41 and the main plate 3. When no document is to be clamped onto the clipboard or removed from the same, the press levers 45, 45′ are pivoted to the close position, as shown in FIG. 1, so that the clipboard 2 can be placed in a bag, a briefcase, etc. When it is necessary to hang the clipboard of the present invention, the bottom press lever 45′ is pivoted to the open position so as to engage an S-hook, as best shown in FIG. 5, which in turn is fixed to a wall (not shown). When the clipboard of the present invention is removed from the wall, no beating sound can be heard, unlike when performing the same action with the conventional clipboard. Hence, the clipboard of the present invention is very simple and convenient to use, and does not produce a beating sound when removed from the wall.
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Referring to FIGS. 6 to 8, a clipboard according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown to be similar to the first preferred embodiment. However, in this embodiment, the clipboard further comprises a cover plate 6 that covers the top face 31 of the main plate 3 and that has a cutout portion 63 corresponding to the clip plate 4 so as to expose the same, and left and right folding parts 62 connected pivotally and respectively to said one of the lateral sides 33 of the main plate 3 (i.e., the lateral side 33 at which the mid-portion 43 of the clip plate 4 is provided) on two sides of the cutout portion 63.
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In use, when it is necessary to read a document (not shown), the cover plate 6 is pivoted from a closed position shown in FIG. 6 to an opened position shown in FIG. 7. After reading the document, the cover plate 6 is pivoted back to the closed position to cover the document. At this time, the clip plate 4 is exposed through the cutout portion 63, and does not hinder the cover plate 6 from covering the document. The clipboard of this embodiment can be similarly hung by pivoting the bottom press lever 45′ to the open position so as to engage the S-hook, as shown in FIG. 8.
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While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.
