Clipboard device with elastic retainer
A clipboard device having an elastic retainer member which is alternately deployable to hold papers or other items in place on the front or rear surface of the clipboard and related methods of manufacture and use.
1. A clipboard device comprising:
a board member having a top edge, a bottom edge opposite the top edge, a front surface and a back surface;
a clip mounted at or near the top edge and useable for clipping papers or articles on the front surface of the board member;
an elastic retaining member which has a first end attached to the board member at a first attachment location at or near the top edge and a second end attached to the board member at a second attachment location at or near the top edge, said first attachment location and said second attachment location being spaced apart by a first distance; and
first and second notches formed in the bottom edge of the board member, said first and second notches being spaced apart by a second distance that is less than the first distance;
wherein the elastic retainer member, while its first and second ends remain attached at said first and second attachment locations, is alternately moveable between:
a) a first position wherein the elastic retaining member is stretched over the front surface and inserted into said first and second notches such that a mid-region of the elastic retainer member extends horizontally across a portion of the back surface between the first and second notches and first and second portions of the elastic retaining member extend from top to bottom over the front surface so as to hold papers against the front surface; and
b) a second position wherein the elastic retaining member is stretched over the back surface and inserted into said first and second notches such that the mid-region of the elastic retainer member extends horizontally across a portion of the front surface between the first and second notches and the first and second portions of the elastic retaining member extend from top to bottom over the back surface so as to hold papers against the back surface.
2. A clipboard device according to claim 1 wherein when placed in the second position, the elastic retaining member passes over the top edge, is stretched downwardly over the back surface and is inserted into the first and second notches such that the mid-region extends horizontally across said portion of the front surface between the first and second notches.
3. A clipboard device according to claim 1 further comprising locator grooves formed in the front surface adjacent to the first and second notches, said locator grooves being configured such that portions of the elastic retaining member will seat within the locator grooves when the elastic retaining member is inserted to the first and second notches.
4. A clipboard device according to claim 3 wherein the locator grooves ramp downwardly into the notches.
5. A method for using a clipboard device according to claim 1 , said method comprising the steps of:
placing an item against a surface of the board member selected from the front surface and the back surface; and
when said item is placed against the front surface, placing the elastic retaining member in said first position to hold said item against the front surface; or
when said item is placed against the back surface, placing the elastic retaining member in said second position to hold said item against the back surface.
6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the front surface is the selected surface of the board member and wherein the method further comprises:
using the clip to clip papers or articles to the front surface of the board member.