Supports: racks – Special article – Paper or textile sheet type
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-29
2001-07-10
Gibson, Jr., Robert W. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Paper or textile sheet type
C211S089010, C040S124000, C248S316700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257422
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OP THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an article holder which is useful in multiple fields of use.
Sheets of material and loose papers must often be held in a certain position for the purpose of viewing, segregation from other like-sheets or papers, mounting above a work surface, and the like.
In the past, articles or papers have been held in a certain position by the use of tape, thumb tacks, glue, hook and pile fastener.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,852,457, 1,893,594, 2,779,114, 4,105,127, 4,479,584, and 4,899,974 show holders for cards and sheets which utilize spring members and channels to hold the cards in an upright position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,785,919 shows a holding device for tobacco leaves in which a flexible insert is used within an inverted channel. The channel is supported between rails.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,530,821, 4,010,517, 4,194,635, 4,773,545, and 5,251,766 depict elongated retainers which are mountable on a wall and include a flexible flange or insert to hold the sheet material in place between the flexible flange and the holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,075 describes a mounting strip having an inverted channel and a clamp within the channel for hanging strips in a downward position.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,602,341 and 3,671,004 describe channels members having spring loaded clips that press a sheet of paper to a surface adjacent to the support.
A simple and reliable sheet holder which may be formed into a continuous member would be a notable advance in the mechanical arts.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a novel article holder.
The article holder of the present invention includes a backing member which may be an elongated flat piece of material. The backing member may be rested on a surface or mounted to the surface utilizing fixing means. For example, fixing means may take the form of glue, hook and pile fasteners, magnetic strips, and the like. The backing member may extend a predetermined length, preferably corresponding to the width of sheet of material, such as pages or papers, being supported by the holder of the present invention. Another element of the present invention is a first portion which is movable relative to the backing member the first portion and the backing member form an open cavity therebetween. The first portion may be contiguous with the second portion. Reinforcing means may also be included between the backing member on the first portion to provide strength to the article holder of the present invention.
A first hinge interconnects the first portion to the backing member. The first hinge also biases movement of the first portion toward the backing member. The reinforcing means may also serve to adjust the degree of biasing between the backing member of the first portion through the first hinge. The first hinge may be formed contiguously with the backing member and the first portion, exhibiting such biasing movement through resiliency and memory inherent to the material being used to form these elements. For example, the backing member first portion and first hinge may be formed of a plastic materials, elastomeric materials, and the like.
The article of the present invention also includes a second portion which is movable relative to the first portion. The second portion is oriented to extend into the cavity formed by the first portion and the backing member. The second portion may be formed as a unitary member with the first portion and the backing member.
A second hinge interconnects the second portion to the first portion. The second hinge, similar to the first hinge, biases movement of the second portion away from the first portion and toward the backing member. An article, such as a sheet of paper, is held between the second portion and the backing member in this manner. Again, the second hinge may be formed as a separate item or contiguously with the backing member, first portion, first hinge, and second portion by the use of flexible materials having a positional memory. In essence, the article is held between the second portion and the backing member at an edge portion along the second portion. Such edge portion may include a plurality of fingers to evenly distribute the force of the second portion against the article being held. The multiple fingers also facilitate the insertion and removal of the article being held from the cavity and into a position between the edge of the second end portion and the backing member.
It may be apparent that a novel and useful article for holding objects has been hereinabove described.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an article holder in which a sheet of material, such as a sheet of paper, may be easily held and removed from such holder.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an article holder which is easily mounted to a surface and is capable of holding sheets of material on a vertical surface.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an article holder which may be constructed of a single unit of material and may be formed of a predetermined size to hold single or multiple sheets of material to a surface.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an article holder for sheets of material which supports sheets of material to a horizontal or vertical surface without damaging the same.
The invention possesses other objects and advantages especially as concerns particular characteristics and features thereof which will become apparent as the specification continues.
Reference is made to the following detailed drawings illustrating the present invention.
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Bielen, Jr. Theodore J.
Gibson , Jr. Robert W.
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