Bulletin board accessories and accessory attaching mechanism

• US 5,976,663 A
• Filed: 06/17/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ACCO Brands USA LLC (ACCO Brands Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Boone International, Inc. (ACCO Brands Incorporated)
• Inventors: Davis, Bradley C., Boone, Michael K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Deborah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bahta, Abraham
• Application Number:
  US08/877,280
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 428/99, 428/100, 428/192, 428/74, 428/511, 428/194, 428/81, 428/83, 52/239, 52/583.1, 52/38, 52/27, 40/793, 40/620, 248/229.26, 248/231.81, 248/213, 248/225.11, 248/229.12-229.16, 248/229.1, 248/316.7
• US Class Current: 428/81
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 97/04 Easels or stands for blackboards or the like easels combined with seats A47B83/008
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 1/06 rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 21/04 Wiper holders
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 1/10 Supports or holders for show-cards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12264 having outward flange, gripping means or interlocking feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/237 Noninterengaged fibered material encased [e.g., mat, batt, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24008 including fastener for attaching to external surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24017 Hook or barb
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24198 Channel-shaped edge component [e.g., binding, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24793 Comprising discontinuous or differential impregnation or bond
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31895 Paper or wood

Abstract

A message board comprising a bulletin board fixedly mounted on a backing of heavy cardboard or other substrate, and an optional dry-erase laminate fixedly mounted onto the bulletin board. A frame is fixedly secured to the edges of the bulletin board and backing. The frame is provided with a front channel and a rear channel, each adapted to receive and firmly retain a portion of a generally "C"-shaped grip. The grip may be integrally formed with various accessories desired to be attached to the frame of the message board or other similarly shaped fixed member.

Claims

1. An edge joiner comprising:

a first grip having;

a first front extension having a first integrally formed tip, and

an end extension connected to said first front extension by a first connecting portion, said end extension having a first curled lip,

wherein said first tip of said first front extension and said first curled lip of said end extension are adapted to detachably engage a fixed member, and

a second grip formed integrally with said first grip.

2. The edge joiner of claim 1, wherein said second grip comprises:

a second front extension connected to said end extension by a second connecting portion, said second front extension having a second integrally formed tip, and

a second curled lip formed integrally with said end extension,

wherein the second tip of said second front extension and the second curled lip of said end extension are adapted to fixedly engage a fixed member.

3. The edge joiner of claim 1, wherein said first grip is attachable to a frame of a first message board.

4. The edge joiner of claim 3, wherein said second grip is attachable to a frame of a second message board.

5. The edge joiner of claim 1, wherein said first tip of said first front extension and said first curled lip of said first grip are attachable to front and rear channels, respectively, of a fixed strip extending along an edge of the fixed member.

6. The edge joiner of claim 1, wherein first tip of said first front extension and said first curled lip of said first grip are attachable to a front channel and a rearwardly extending corner, respectively, of a fixed strip extending along an edge of the fixed member.

7. The edge joiner of claim 6, wherein said second grip is attachable to a frame of a second message board.

15. The edge joiner of claim 1, wherein said first and second grips are formed from resilient, flexible material.

8. An edge joiner comprising:

a base member,

a first front extension formed integrally with and extending generally perpendicularly from a first edge of said base member, said first front extension having an integrally formed first tip,

a second front extension formed integrally with and extending generally perpendicularly from the first edge of said base member in a direction generally opposite to that of said first front extension, said second front extension having an integrally formed second tip,

a first curled lip formed integrally with and extending generally perpendicularly from a second edge of said base member, and

a second curled lip formed integrally with and extending generally perpendicularly from the second edge of said base member in a direction generally opposite to that of said first curled lip.

9. The edge joiner of claim 8, wherein said first front extension and said first curled lip are adapted to attach to a first fixed member, and

wherein said second front extension and said second curled lip are adapted to attach to a second fixed member.

10. The edge joiner of claim 9, wherein said first front extension and said first curled lip are together attachable to a frame of a first message board.

11. The edge joiner of claim 10, wherein said second front extension and said second curled lip are together attachable to a frame of a second message board.

12. The edge joiner of claim 9, wherein said first front extension and said first curled lip are together attachable to front and rear channels, respectively, of a fixed strip extending along an edge of the fixed member.

13. The edge joiner of claim 9, wherein said first front extension and said first curled lip are together attachable to a front channel and a rearwardly extending corner, respectively, of a fixed strip extending along an edge of the fixed member.

14. The edge joiner of claim 13, wherein said second front extension and said second curled lip are together attachable to a frame of a first message board.

16. The edge joiner of claim 8, wherein said first and second front extensions and said first and second curled lips are formed from resilient, flexible material.

17. An edge joiner for connecting a pair of adjacent message boards, comprising:

a base portion having first and second ends,

a first grip extending from said base portion and formed from substantially flexible, resilient material, said first grip comprising;

a front extension portion extending substantially perpendicularly from said first end of said base portion, and

a lip extension portion extending from said second end of said base portion, and

a second grip extending from said base portion back-to-back with said first grip.

18. The edge joiner of claim 17, wherein the front extension portion terminates in a tip extending substantially perpendicular from said front extension portion.

19. The edge joiner of claim 17, wherein said second grip comprises a front extension portion extending substantially perpendicularly from said first end of said base portion away from said front extension portion of said first grip, and a lip extension portion extending from said second end of said base portion away from said lip extension of said first grip.

20. The edge joiner of claim 17, wherein said first grip has a generally "C" shape for detachably engaging the edge of a message board, the message board including front and rear channels extending along the edge of the message board for detachably engaging said front extension portion and said lip extension portion, respectively, of said first grip.