Dry erase and tack display board having no frame

• US 6,837,715 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2001
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Binding LLC (ACCO Brands Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: General Binding Corporation
• Inventors: Beno, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Application Number:
  US09/799,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20020160352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 434/408, 434413-416, 434/417, 434/430, 434/421, 428/81, 704/272, 273/148.A, 379/88, 379/96, 52/361, 406/11, 406/06, 406/15, 405/33, 405/35, 406/17, 235/152, 281/15.1, 462/14, 381/80, D19/20, D19/25
• US Class Current: 434/408
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 1/00 Repeatedly-usable boards or tablets for writing or drawing drawing-boards B43L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49984 and casting

Abstract

Tackable and markable dry erase display boards which have no frame and which may be die cut from moldable foam material capable of receiving and holding mounting pins and substantially closing after a pin is withdrawn. Such boards are light weight and can be mounted on substantially any desired surface without hardware or tools, and can be fabricated in substantially any desired color. The boards may have convenient means for holding accessories such as an eraser or marking implement.

Claims

1. A tackable and markable dry-erase board assembly for receiving at least one tack and displaying an erasable writing material, the board assembly comprising:

(a) a board comprising an integral body of a moldable plastic foam material, the board having sufficient thickness and rigidity to maintain its shape without the need for a separate structural frame or structural backing, the board further comprising a mounting surface capable of receiving and holding the tack, wherein the plastic foam material is capable of substantially closing a hole made by the tack when the tack is withdrawn such that the same hole is capable of holding the tack for more than one time; and

(b) a panel secured to a portion of the board mounting surface, the panel having a surface adapted to display the erasable writing material.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the moldable plastic foam material comprises ethyl vinyl acetate.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the moldable plastic foam material is a die-cut sheet.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the board is elastic.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the panel comprises a sheet of a material selected from the group consisting of melamine, porcelain, coated paper, metal, and thin laminate plastic having a film surface.

6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the panel is secured by glue.

7. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a surface-mounting means capable of securing the assembly to a surface.

8. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the surface-mounting means comprise magnetic tape secured to the board.

9. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein the surface-mounting means comprise double-sided pressure sensitive tape secured on one side to the board.

10. The assembly according to claim 7, further comprising an eraser, and wherein the board comprises an edge, the edge having a recess eraser being removably secured in the recess.

11. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a clip secured on the assembly, the clip capable of removably securing a writing implement.

12. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a second board comprising an integral body of a moldable plastic foam material, the second board having a mounting surface capable of receiving and holding the tack, wherein the plastic foam material of the second board is capable of substantially closing a hole made by the tack when the tack is withdrawn such that the same hole is capable of holding the tack for more than one time, wherein the second board is cooperatively assembled with the first board to create a decorative form selected from the group consisting of a free form, a geometric form, a circular form, and a combination thereof.

13. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein the first and second boards are nested together to form a unitary display.

14. The assembly according to claim 12, further comprising a second panel secured to the second board.

15. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein the second board comprises the same plastic foam material as the first board.

16. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein the first and second boards have different colors.

17. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the panel comprises a sheet of dry-erase styrene.

18. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a writing implement coupled to at least one of the board or panel.

19. The assembly according to claim 1 further the board comprises a peripheral edge, and the panel is spaced from at least a portion of the peripheral edge.

20. A tackable and markable dry-erase board assembly for mounting to a surface, and for receiving at least one tack and displaying an erasable writing material, the board comprising:

(a) a board comprising an one-piece body of an ethyl vinyl acetate foam material, the board having sufficient thickness and rigidity to maintain its shape without the need for a separate structural frame or structural backing, the board further comprising a mounting surface capable of receiving and holding a tack, wherein the foam material is capable of substantially closing a hole made by the tack when the tack is withdrawn such that the same hole is capable of holding the tack for more than one time;

(b) a dry-erase styrene panel secured to a portion of the board mounting surface, the panel having a surface adapted to display the erasable writing material; and

(c) a surface-mounting means secured to the board and capable of securing the assembly to the surface.

21. The assembly according to claim 20, further comprising an eraser and wherein the board comprises an edge, said edge comprising a recess the eraser being removably secured in the recess.

22. A tackable and markable dry-erase board assembly for receiving at least one tack displaying an erasable writing material, the board assembly comprising:

(a) a board comprising an integral body of a plastic foam material, the board having sufficient thickness and rigidity to maintain its shape without the need for a separate structural frame or structural backing, the board further comprising a mounting surface capable of receiving and holding a tack, wherein the plastic foam material is capable of substantially closing a hole made by the tack when the tack is withdrawn such that the same hole is capable of holding the tack for more than one time; and

(b) a panel secured to a portion of the board mounting surface, the panel having a surface adapted to display the erasable writing material.

23. A tackable and markable dry-erase board assembly for receiving at least one tack and displaying an erasable writing material, the board assembly comprising:

(a) a board comprising an integral body of a plastic foam material comprising ethyl vinyl acetate, the board having sufficient thickness and rigidity to maintain its shape without the need for a separate structural frame or structural backing, the board further comprising a mounting surface capable of receiving and holding the tack; and

(b) a panel secured to a portion of the board mounting surface, the panel having a surface adapted to display the erasable writing material.

24. The assembly according to claim 23 wherein the plastic foam material is capable of substantially closing a hole made by the tack when the tack is withdrawn such that the same hole is capable of holding the tack for more than one time.

25. The assembly according to claim 23 wherein the board is die cut from a sheet of said plastic foam material.

26. The assembly according to claim 23 wherein the board is resilient.

27. The assembly according to claim 23 wherein the panel comprises a sheet of material selected from a group consisting of melamine, porcelain, coated paper, metal, and thin laminate plastic having a film surface.

28. The assembly according to claim 23 further comprising dry erase pen coupled to the board.

29. The assembly according to claim 28 further comprising a clip coupled to the board, said clip being functional to couple the pen to the assembly.

30. The assembly according to claim 23 further comprising an eraser.

31. The assembly according to claim 23 further comprising at least one magnet coupled to the assembly for mounting the assembly to a surface.

32. The assembly according to claim 23 further comprising double sided tape for mounting the assembly to a surface.

33. The assembly according to claim 23 wherein further comprising mounting structure operable to mount the board to a surface.

34. The assembly according to claim 23 further comprising a second board comprising a body of a plastic foam material, the plastic foam material comprising ethyl vinyl acetate, the second board having a mounting surface capable of receiving and holding the tack, the second board being cooperatively assembled with the first board to create a decorative form.

35. The assembly according to claim 34 further comprising a second panel secured to the second board.

36. The assembly according to claim 34 comprising further foam structures selected from the group consisting of a free form, a geometric form, a circular form, and a combination thereof.

37. The assembly according to claim 23 comprising further foam structures selected from the group consisting of a free form, a geometric form, a circular form, and a combination thereof.