Cross Reference To Related Application

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/358634, filed June 25, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Field of the Invention

The invention disclosed herein relates to assemblies for displaying writable surfaces, particularly adjustable mounting assemblies for hanging easel pads.

Background

Writing surfaces and mounts for displaying writing surfaces are often built in or positioned on easel stands. For some easel stands, a writing surface can be adjusted on the stand to accommodate a user depending on his or her height. Users often find it difficult to adjust the position of a writing surface on an easel stand, and often it is unclear to a user as to how to make the adjustment. Thus, it is often the case that such adjustments are made only at the beginning of a presentation or meeting, or not at all.

Easel pads generally provide writing surfaces that are fairly large such that it can be uncomfortable or even difficult for a user to write at the top and/or bottom of the writing surface. For example, it may be uncomfortable for someone who is tall to write near the bottom of the writing surface, and it may be difficult for someone who is short to write near the top of the writing surface. These problems can lead to painful postures for users. Also, the writing surface of the pad is not used to its fullest which is wasteful. Often it is beneficial to display a writing surface such as an easel pad at a higher level than the level at which the pad is written on.

Summary

Disclosed herein is an assembly for mounting an easel pad. The easel pad comprises a front plate having a front outer face and a front inner face, the front plate having at least one hanging element that projects from the front outer face and is configured to hang an easel pad; a back plate having a back outer face and a back inner face; the front plate being movably coupled to the back plate such that the front plate is repositionable from a first position to a second position in a vertical direction with respect to the back plate, and the front and back inner faces oppose each other and are generally parallel to each other in both the first and second positions. The distance between the first and second positions may be, for example, from about 10 in. to about 24 in.

In general, the back plate is affixed to a surface of a wall or other object capable of supporting the assembly during use. In some embodiments, the front and back plates are movably coupled using grooves and slots that mate with each other. In some

embodiments, the front and back plates are movably coupled using at least one rotatable arm. Other embodiments are described, for example, the front plate may be infinitely or incrementally repositionable with respect to the position of the back plate.

Kits comprising the easel pad assembly are also described herein. Various embodiments include kits comprising one or more additional items, for example, means such as an adhesive for attaching the back plate to a wall or other surface, an easel pad, and/or a portable display stand to which the back plate can be affixed.

These and other aspects of the invention are described in the detailed description below. In no event should the above summary be construed as a limitation on the claimed subject matter.

Brief Description of Drawings

The invention is further explained with reference to the following drawings which are intended to be merely illustrative and not limiting. The drawings are not necessarily to scale.

FIGS, la, lb, 2a and 2b show perspective views of an easel pad mounted on an exemplary mounting assembly.

FIGS. 3a and 3b show perspective views of front and back plates of an exemplary mounting assembly.

FIGS. 4a-4c show perspective views of exemplary mounting assemblies employing a sliding mechanism.

FIGS. 5a-5c show perspective views of exemplary mounting assemblies employing a rotating mechanism. Detailed Description

Disclosed herein is an assembly for mounting a writing surface, particularly an adjustable assembly for mounting an easel pad. The assembly mounts the easel pad such that the pad can be positioned at more than one height. Generally, the assembly can be mounted to any vertical surface of a stationary object such as a wall, easel stand, etc. conducive to supporting the assembly and pad, which may depend on the attachment means as described below. As used herein, the term "vertical surface" refers to a surface in a vertical position or at some acute angle to a vertical axis. As used herein, the term "stationary object" refers to any object which can support the assembly with a desired degree of stability. A stationary object is not necessarily an unmovable object, but can be movable or portable such as an easel stand.

The assembly is particularly useful for mounting an easel pad which typically comprises a pad of paper, the paper providing a writeable surface and being large enough for the intended purpose. The easel pad may be from about 10 in. to about 48 in. in either height or width, and from about 0.1 in to about 5 in. thickness. For example, the easel pad may be about 30 in. height and about 25 in. in width, or about 23 in. height and about 20 in. in width. Exemplary easel pads are those known as Post-It® Easel and Wall Pads available from 3M Company.

FIGS, la and lb show perspective views of exemplary easel pad 10 mounted on exemplary assembly 12 according to embodiments of the invention. In FIG. la, the user is writing on the easel pad at a first position with the bottom of the easel pad approximately level with the user's waist. In FIG. lb, the user is writing on the easel pad at a second position with the bottom of the easel pad at a second position approximately level with the user's chest.

FIGS. 2a and 2b show perspective views of exemplary easel pad 10 mounted on exemplary assemblies 20 and 25, respectively. At the top of easel pad 10 are openings such as slots 11. In FIG. 2a, the front plate 21 of the assembly (described below) comprises hanging elements 22 used to hang easel pad 10. In FIG. 2b, assembly 25 comprises front plate 26, hanging elements 27, and ledge 28. Easel pad 10 may hang from hanging elements 27, or rest on ledge 28, or both.

FIGS. 3a and 3b show perspective views of exemplary assembly 30 according to embodiments of the invention. Assembly 30 comprises front plate 31 having front outer face 31a and front inner face 31b (not visible) opposing front outer face 31a. Hanging elements 32 project from front outer face 31a and are configured to hang an easel pad. In this particular embodiment, a cut-out feature is exemplified for front plate 31 which has a rectangular portion removed from the center of the plate in order to reduce material cost and minimize weight of the plate. The top of the cut-out feature is defined by top inner edge 31c. Assembly 30 also comprises back plate 33 having back outer surface 33a (not visible) and opposing back inner face 33b. The front and back inner faces oppose each other and are generally parallel to each other.

In FIG. 3a, the front plate is in a first position relative to the back plate, wherein top edge 33c of the back plate is near top inner edge 3 lc of the front plate, as indicated by distance x. In FIG. 3b, the front plate is in a second position relative to the back plate, wherein top edge 33c is farther apart from top inner edge 3 lc, as indicated by distance y. Since back plate 33 is stationary during use, front plate 31 is repositioned from a first position to a second position in which the front plate is higher relative to the back plate. Exemplary assembly 30 additionally comprises a locking mechanism for securing front plate 31 in the second position. The locking mechanism comprises latch 34 and knob 35 which mates with the latch.

For FIGS. 3a and 3b, the first position is defined for the front plate in a lower position, and the second position for the front plate in a higher position. Generally, the first and second positions may be defined in any way as long as they differ in height, i.e., the first position may be defined for the front plate in a higher position as compared to the front plate in the second position.

Generally, the front and back plates are main components of the mounting assembly. The dimensions and shapes of the front and back plates are selected depending on a variety of factors such as the dimensions and weight of the easel pad to be mounted on the assembly. The assembly may be designed to mount more than one size or type of easel pad, and the dimensions and shapes of the front and back plates can be selected accordingly. The front plate is designed to support the easel pad particularly when a user is writing on the pad. The back plate is designed to provide secure attachment of the assembly to a stationary object such that the back plate remains stationary when the assembly is in use. Although the sizes and shapes of the front and back plates are not particularly limited, it is usually desirable for most of the front and back plates to be hidden behind the mounted pad.

The front plate may have a height from about 5 in. to about 50 in., from about 5 in. to about 40 in., or from about 15 in. to about 40 in.; a width from about 5 in. to about 20 in.; and a thickness from about 0.125 in to about 1 in. The front plate may have a square or rectangular shape as shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, or it may have a unique shape with more than one height or width, for example, as shown in FIGS. 5a-5c (described below).

The back plate may have dimensions commensurate with those of the front plate. In some embodiments, the back plate may be smaller than the front plate and have a height from about 5 in. to about 25 in.; a width from about 5 in. to about 20 in.; and a thickness from about 0.125 in to about 1 in. The back plate may have a square or rectangular shape, or it may have a unique shape with more than one height or width. The back plate may have a cut-out shape, for example, as shown for the back plate in FIGS. 5a-5c.

In some embodiments, the front plate has a height of from about 32 in. to about 38 in., and the back plate has a height of from about 15 in. to about 21 in.

The materials used to form the front and back plates can be selected depending on a variety of factors such as weight, cost, manufacturability, etc. As described above, the front plate is designed to support the easel pad, and the back plate is designed to provide secure attachment of the assembly to a stationary object, and the materials should be chosen accordingly. The front and back plates may be plastic, metal or some combination thereof.

Generally, the back plate is configured such that it can be mounted to a stationary object with the back outer face opposing a surface of the stationary object. The back plate is stationary upon mounting and remains stationary when the mounting assembly is in use. Although not shown in any of the figures, the back plate can be mounted to a stationary object using standard mounting means. For example, holes through the back plate may be present so that the back plate can be attached to a stationary object with screws or bolts. For another example, features may be formed into the back plate so that the back plate can be hung from a hook or nail projecting from a stationary object.

For yet another example, double-sided adhesive strips disposed between the back outer face and a stationary object may be used. The back outer face can have features formed into the back plate or projecting out of the back plate such that double-sided adhesive strips can be applied in particular locations on the back outer face. Any suitable double-sided adhesive strips can be used with the adjustable mounted assembly of the invention. For example, the double-sided adhesive strips may have pressure sensitive adhesive surfaces on one or both sides. For another example, the double-sided adhesive strips may comprise stretch releasable adhesive strips known as Command™ products available from 3M Company.

The front and back plates can be movably coupled using any means as long as the desired change in height for the front plate can be obtained. In some embodiments, the distance between the first and second positions is from about 10 in. to about 24 in., or from about 14 in. to about 20 in.

FIG. 4a shows a perspective view of exemplary assembly 40 which employs a sliding mechanism when assembled. Assembly 40 comprises front plate 41 having front outer face 41a (not visible) and front inner face 41b opposing front outer face 41a. Front inner face 41b has elongated projecting features 41c which form elongated slots 4 Id. Assembly 40 also comprises back plate 43 having back outer surface 43a and opposing back inner face 43b (not visible). Back plate 43 has opposing edges 43c having elongated grooves 43d (only one is visible).

FIG. 4b shows a cross-sectional view of front plate 41 and back plate 43 attached to stationary object 44. Front and back plates 41 and 43 are movably coupled such that the front plate can slide up and down with respect to the back plate. This sliding mechanism is enabled because elongated slots 41d mate with elongated grooves 43d.

Generally, for the sliding mechanism, the front and back plates can be designed such that they mate with each other in any configuration as long as the front plate can slide up and down with respect to the back plate. FIG. 4c shows a cross-sectional view of front plate 45 and back plate 43 attached to stationary object 44. Front plate 45 has elongated step features 45 a which oppose each other and mate with elongated grooves 43 c of back plate 43. The elongated step features, in combination with the back plate, provide an overall outer surface of the assembly that can be flush with the stationary object thus improving stability of the assembly against the stationary object.

FIG. 5a shows a perspective view of exemplary assembly 50 which employs a rotating mechanism. Assembly 50 comprises front plate 51 having front outer face 51a (not visible) and front inner face 5 lb opposing front outer face 51a. Assembly 50 also comprises back plate 53 having back outer face 53a and opposing back inner face 53b (not visible). Back plate 53 is exemplified with a cut-out feature for clarity. Assembly 50 further comprises arms 54 rotatably secured to the front and back plates such that the front plate is repositionable by rotating each arm while holding the back plate stationary, as shown by the arrow. FIG. 5b shows a perspective view of exemplary assembly 50 after front plate 51 has been rotated in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 5a. In FIG. 5a, arms 54 are directed downward from the back plate to the front plate at a lower position, and in FIG. 5b, arms 54 are directed upward from the back plate to the front plate at a higher position.

Generally, for the rotating mechanism, the at least one arm, front plate and back plate can be designed in any way as long as the front plate can rotate as desired. For example, each arm may comprise more than one piece, each piece being rotatably secured to the front and back plates. In FIGS. 5a and 5c, each of arms 54 is shown as a single piece having a U-shape. Each arm is secured to the front plate by being inserted through openings formed in projections molded with the front plate. The central portion of the U- shape is mostly hidden from view, as shown by the dotted lines. Arms 54 may be secured to the back plate in the same manner. Alternatively, each arm 54 may comprise two separate L-shaped rods with a shorter section inserted into openings formed in the front plate.

FIG. 5c shows a perspective view of an exemplary assembly 60 which also employs a rotating mechanism. Assembly 60 comprises front plate 61 having front inner face 61b, and back plate 63 having back face outer face 63a and opposing back inner face 63b (not visible). Back plate 63 is exemplified with a cut-out feature for clarity.

Assembly 60 further comprises arms 64 rotatably secured to the front and back plates such that the front plate is repositionable by rotating each arm while holding the back plate stationary, as shown by the arrow. In this embodiment, front plate 61 has a rectangular projection 61c for stabilizing the front plate after repositioning. For example, when the front plate is in a first or second position, the back plate and any securing means fit inside the "cavity" formed by rectangular projection 61c such that the outer edge of the rectangular projection can rest against the stationary object. Also in this embodiment, assembly 60 comprises arms 64 which are secured to front and back plates 61 and 63 by securing elements 65. The securing elements can be formed as part of the front plate, or they can be separate elements secured to the front plate by screws or the like.

The assembly comprises at least one hanging element for hanging the easel pad. The at least one hanging element may comprise two hooks spaced apart on the front outer face, such that a typical easel pad can hang from the elements. In some embodiments, the hanging elements comprise two hanging elements positioned apart from each other by about 10 in. to about 16 in.

For the embodiments described above, the front and back plates are movably coupled such that the front plate is repositionable from a first position to a second position, or vice versa, wherein the positions differ by height.

In some embodiments, the front and back plates are movably coupled such that the front plate is repositionable at one or more intermediate positions between the first and second positions, wherein the one or more intermediate positions have different heights within the range of heights defined by the first and second positions. The front plate can be "infinitely" repositionable with respect to the back plate, meaning the front plate can be movably coupled to the back plate using a mechanism which does not limit the height of the front plate, as long as the height is between that of the first and second positions. For example, the front plate can be movably coupled to the back plate using an extension spring such as a constant force spring consisting of a tightly wound strip of metal. The load bearing end of the metal strip is fastened to the front plate.

The front plate can be incrementally repositionable with respect to the back plate, meaning the front plate can be movably coupled to the back plate using a mechanism which allows repositioning of the front plate at one or more predetermined heights, as long as the height is between that of the first and second positions. For example, the front plate can be movably coupled to the back plate using spring-loaded teeth that selectively engage with slots.