Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
12~3637
51103-00200
WRITING BOARD
Specification
This invention relates to a portable writing board
mountable for use on a steering wheel of a vehicle and also
entirely stable for writing use when rested upon any flat
surface. The invention also relates to the writing board in
combination with the stecring wheel of the vehicle.
All heretofore known portable writing boards for the
steering wheels of vehicles have suffered from instability and
a tendency to scratch when attempted to be used as a writing
hoard on a substantially fl,at surface apart from a steering
wheel. The under surface of those heretofore known has been
equipped with projecting elements useful in the mountiny of
the writiny board to a vehicle steer,ing wheel but highly
objectionable when empluying the board in any other environment.
Additionally, the mounting techniques heretofore employed for
holding the writing board on a steering wheel have been relatively
complex with none approaching the utter simplicity of .structure
made possible by this invention.
Summary of the Invention
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The writing board of this invention is designed for
multi-puxpose use, not just on the steering wheel of a vehicle.
It is quickly attachable to and detachable from t,he steering
wheel of a vehicle. This point is especially significant
inasmuch as it permits the user to avoid wasted time and efort
in seeking proper adjustments in the placement of ~he writing
board of this invention on the steering wheel of a vehicle
while at the same time allowing the user quick portability and
use of the writing board in a multitude of environments without
risk of scratching or damaging surfaces on which the writing
board may be placed temporarily to accomplish any task.
An important feature of my writing board is its
curved upper edge and associated retaining collar. A flange-
like portion of the retaining collar, which may be considered
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a backing plate, is another feature allowing for versatility
of u~e and standardization of manufacture without the necessity
for designing the writing board to fit a particular diameter of
steeriny wheel. In effect, this special structure for my
writing board allows mounting of it on steering wheels of
smaller as well as larger diameter than the curved upper edge
of my writing board, In all instances of steering wheel
mounting, my collar structure serves to offset dislodgement from
the steering wheel as may be occasioned by the application of
downward pressures in writing; and this is accomplished with
extraordinary sirnplicity of design as compared to anything
heretofore known.
When ~sed on a flat surface or a substantially flat
surface, even on a hood of a car, the tapered character of the
bottommost surface of my collar structure provides continuous
contact for stable support of the entir~ extent o the upper
curved èdge of my writing board for writing use, without danger
of scratching or denting the underlying support surface. My
wheel board when placed on a flat surface provides a stable
inclined plane for writing without the problem of t,ilting as
left and right motions take place in writing.
Preferred features of my writing board are: the
platform member has substantially parallel side edges, a lower
edge, and a curved upper edge which suitably approximates the
curvature of the outer diameter of a vehicle steering wheel
but need not conform thereto. A retaining collar depends
downwardly from the curved upper edge of the platform member
and is unified thereto. There is no other structure extending
downwardly from the platform member, the pla'tform being otherwise
flat on its under side. The retaining collar consists essentially
of a depending skirt portion and a flange-like portion directed
radially inward from the bottom edge of the skirt portion to
thereby form a recess for accommodation of the rim of a vehicle
steering wheel. The depending retaining collar structure is
further characterized by the fact that its most depending
portions form a bottom surface which extends continuously along
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the entire retaining collar; and in addition, the bottom
surface of the retaini~g collar lies in an imaginary plane
which intersects the platform of the writing board at an axis
line perpendicular to the side edges of the platform and
located at the lowermost bottom edge of the platform, whereby
the bottom surface of the retaining collar provides continuous
contact for underlying stable support of the entire curved upper
edge of my writi~g board when it is used on a flat surface.
Writlng boards of the invention are formed preferably
out of organic plastics material and preferably molded as a
unitary structure. At least the platform member and collar are
in effect a unified structure.
l~n especially useful writing board of the invention
is one formed in a unified manner and possessing sufficient
elasticity or ~ieldability in the flange-like portion of the
col]ar structure to allow a sliyht spread or distension of the
collar structure for a tight fit or clamping effect on a
steering wheel.
The Drawing
Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the
under side of a basic writing board of the invention;
Fiyure 2 is a cross-sectional view cf Figure 1 taken
at line 2-2 of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the upper
surface of a writiny board of the invention incorporating
optional elements.
Figure 4 is a schematic end view of a clip structure
of the invention;
Figure 5 is a schematic side view of a mounting base
for the clip;
Figure 6 is a schematic side view of a writing board
of the inven~ion having a storage compartment and a hinged cover
which provides the upper flat writing surface; and
Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of a basic
writing board of the invention wherein the collar structure is
contouxed.
I
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Description of Pre~e~red Embodiments
~ _ . . . . _
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the writing board
has a platform member lO which in this embodirnent presents a
flat upper surface for writing (not shown) and a flat underside
surface except for the collar structure ll. This platform
member has substantially parallel side edges 12 and 13, a lower
edge 14 which in this instance is curved, and a curved upper
edge 15. The curvature of the upper edge suitably approximates
the curvature of the outer diameter of a vehicle steering wheel,
but that radius of curvature for the upper edge suitably may ~e
more or less than the outer diameter curvature of a steering
wheel without detracting from the utility of the writing board.
The retaining collar 11 depends downwardly from the
curved upper edge 15 and is unified thereto. The collar structure
has a depending portion which suitably may be characterized as a
skirt section or portion 16 and a flanye-like portion 17 which
is direc-ted radially inwardly from the bottom edge of the skirt
portion. In this manner a recess is formed for accommqdating
the rim of a vehicle steering wheel. It does not matter that
the vehicle steering wheel may have an outer diameter smaller
than or greater than the inner diameter of the recess. In
either event, the flange-like portion or backing plate part of
the collar structure will hold the writing board on the steering
wheel when the writing ~oard is temporarily placed thereon by a
salesman or the like; and nevertheless, the writing board is
quickly removed from the steering wheel with one hand and then
readily placed upon a flat surface without danger of scratching
the surface and immediately useful for any further writing.
The nature of the depending collar structure is
especially important. The most depending portions form a
bottom surface which extends continuously along the entire
curvature of the retaining collar. This bottom surface is
tapered from the center point 18 of the curvature to the terminus
or ends (both marked 17) on each side of the writing board. A
more accurate way of putting that point is as follows: the
bottom surface lies in an imaginary plane which intersects the
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platform at an axis line 19 perpendicular to the side edges of
the platform. The axis line of intersection is located at the
lowermost bottom edge of the platfor~. In this manner, the
bottom surface of the collar structure provides continuous
contact or flush contact to a flat surface and thus provides
an underlying stable support of the entire upper edge oE the
writi.ng boarcl (and in effect stability for the entire board)
when it is used on a flat surface.
The writing board of Figure 3 is comparahle to that
illustrated in Fk~ure 1 except that the lower edge instead of
being curved as preferred is provicled with a. straight edge
perpendicular to the side edges of the platform and equipped
with an upstanding ledge 20 which is optional. Other optional
features illustrated in Figure 3 are one or more clip members 21
for holdi.ng papers on the upper surface of the platform, which
upper surface forms a flat writing surface, plus one or more
grooves 22 or depressions or slots (which may vary in size) into
the upper surface of the platform and located near the upper edge
thereof for rece:Lviny or holding physical objects such as a writing
instrument, or a plastic carcl such as a driver's license or credit
card, or even a thin calculator.
In Figure 4, there is illustrated a novel design for
a clip member 21 such as schematically illustra~ed also in
Figure 3. Illustrati.vely, the clip member may be formed entirely
of organic plastics material, as indeed the entire writing board
preferabJ.y is. Fi.yures 4 and 5 should be referred to for a
compl.ete understanding of the clip and its mounting. The mounting
posts for the clip member 21 may consist of stub shafts 23, 24
molclecl unitarily as part of a base structure which itself is
molded unitarily upon the platform member 26. The clip member
itself suitabl~ is provided with ear-like flanged elements 27 at
each end. Each such element carries a bore which snaps in position
on the stub shafts 23, 24. Deformable but resilient plastic, in
the forrn of a strip 28, may be employed as the spring means to
mai.ntain the clip member normally in a clamping or clipping
condition (e.g., not~ the showing in Figure 4 where the strip or
band 28 extendinc~ upward from the base 25 is distended backward
and puts pressure on the clip to hold it in cLipping position.)
The arrangemerlt allows opening or elevation o-f the clip edge 29
by depression of the thumb element 30 against the resilient plastic
28. If desired, the stub shafts for mountiny the clip member may
be incorporated as part of the clip member per se at the location
of the bores in the flange-like ears of the clip member; and in
that event, the base mounting structure 25 unified with the
platform should be equipped with recesses instead of the outwardl;
projecting stub shafts illustra~ted. Optionally, other forms of
plastic clip and spring structures may be employed, or even metal
springs and clips, if desired, preferably keeping all edges smooth
and free of scratching tendency.
The writing board illustrated in Fiyure 6 incorporates
a compartment (not shown) for the storage of writing supplies or
papers. The underlying structure of this writing board includes
a platform member 31 with the collar 32 aforedescribed as a part
thereof. ~dditionally, the platform member is provided with a
low upstanding wall extending within the interior of a cover mem~er
33 which provides the flat writing surface and is hinged for
pivotal opening about hinge 34. A clip 35 is schematically
illustrated. Clip 35 is suitably of the type aforedescribed. It
is contoured to perform the dual function of holding the cover
member 33 down upon the platfc~rm member 31 as well as for clamping
paper upon the top surface of the cover member for writing purposes
The writing board of Figure 7 is comparable to that
illustratecl in Figure l except that the very upper edge 36 of the
p]atEorm member 37, and the entire depending retaining collar
structure 38, are gracefully contoured more or less merging the
skirt section or portion 39 and the radiall~ inward flange-like
portion 40. The result gives a visually attractive and graceful
appearance but yet a functional relationship having all the
features illustrated in the writing board of Figures 1 and 2, plu5
even more advantageous functional features. Ideally, the writing
board of Figure 7 is molded out of organic plastics material. The
particular material selected may vary. Where a relatively
flexible organic plastics material is employed (such as some forms
of polyethylene), the thickness of the platform portion of the
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i~3637
st~ucture suitably is increased to cause the platform portion
to be relatively rigid and exhibit a stable flat top surface
(as snown) for writing. The retaining collar portion may be
relatively decreased in thickness although still relatively
thick in the case of employing an organic plastic of relative
flexibility. Organic plastics which exhibit greater stiffness
even when relatively thin, such as some forms of polystyrene
and acrylates suçh as polymethylmethacrylate, are likewise useful
in the formation of the writing board illustrated in Figure 7.
Use of these may permit an even thinner wall at the collar
structure with retention of strength and yet realization of
distendability feature discussed below.
A key feature of the most preferred writing board
mo]ded out of plastic in acc~rdance with the showing in
Figure 7 is that of an expandable or distendable retaining collar,
that is a retaining collar which can be distended or expanded as
it is pressed over a rim of a steering wheel 41, with the result
that it effectively clamps the steering wheel 41 or pinches
against the under side of the steering wheel, as schematically
illustrated in Figure 7. Even so, the characteristics of the
bottommost surface ol the flange-like portion 40 which is
radially inwardly directed are such that the benefits of
tapering from the medial section toward the lateral edges, as
discussed for the board of Figures 1 and 2, are retained Here
also, the bottom surface along the flange-like portion provides
continuous contact with a flat surface when the writing board
is employed apart from a steering wheel. In this respect, the
retaining collar structure, even when formed of organic plastics
material having some distendability or yield~bility and elasticity
as aforediscussed, is nevertheless sufficiently stiEf to perform
the support function as described for flat surface use of the
writing board.
For purposes of illustration, it should be noted that
most automobile steering wheels have a rim which is approximately
one inch up to about one and one-fourth inch in thickness. Where
an expandable or distendable retaining collar is to be employed
as in the case particularly illustrated in Eigure 7, the
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distance between the inner surface of the flange-like radially
inward directed portion of the collar and the opposing under
side of the platform member at the collar location should not
exceed about one inch and suitably is fractionally less than
one inch.
However, where the retaining collar structure employed
is such that it does not have the expanding capability just
discussed, it is,preferable to employ a larger space between
the inside surface of the flange-like portion and the opposing
under surface of the platform member, say a space on the order
of at least one and one-eighth inches or about one and one-
fourth inches or slightly more in thickness or width.
The illustrated specific embodiments are to be taken
as il].ustrative and not limitative of my invention, the
principles of which are set forth in the appended claims.
