US 9,597,919 B1Granted

Trading card autograph clipboard

OwnerAllen Lee Ruggles, Michael Kent Robertsinventors

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Abstract

A clipboard that holds trading cards in a protected, secure position and that allows them to be signed while in the clipboard. The clipboard has recessed regions into which trading cards may be placed. Cards are held in place by retaining tabs along the bottom edge, and by a clip that contacts the top edge of the cards; thus the majority of the cards' areas are exposed for autographs. The edges of the recessed regions are offset from the corners with corner relief regions to prevent damage to the corners of the cards. Finger holes through the back of the recessed regions allow a user to push the cards gently out of the recessed area for removal. The clipboard may have a top hole for attachment of a lanyard that may be used to carry the clipboard or to lower it to a person for an autograph or signature.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A trading card autograph clipboard comprising:

a base plate that is substantially planar, having a front side and a back side;
two card holders integrated into said base plate, each card holder of said two card holders comprising
a recessed rectangular region within said base plate, having a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge, and a right edge, wherein said base plate has
a finger hole through said base plate located within an interior of said recessed rectangular region;
a corner relief region within said base plate located at each corner of said recessed rectangular region, wherein each corner of said recessed rectangular region lies within an interior of its corresponding corner relief region;
a bottom left retaining tab coupled to said front side of said base plate that covers the corner relief region located at a bottom left corner of said recessed rectangular region, said bottom left corner located at an intersection of said bottom edge and said left edge;
a bottom right retaining tab coupled to said front side of said base plate that covers the corner relief region located at a bottom right corner of said recessed rectangular region, said bottom right corner located at an intersection of said bottom edge and said right edge;
a clip coupled to said front side of said base plate, comprising
a pivoting retaining arm having an open position and a closed position, wherein when in said closed position said pivoting retaining arm contacts a card inserted into either card holder of said two card holders at a contact area that is proximal to said top edge of said recessed rectangular region associated with said card holder.

6 more elements

A trading card autograph clipboard comprising:

a base plate that is substantially planar and substantially rectangular, having
a front side;
a back side;
a base plate top edge;
a top hole located proximal to a midpoint of said base plate top edge;
two card holders integrated into said base plate, each card holder of said two card holders comprising
a recessed rectangular region within said base plate, having a top edge that is substantially parallel to said base plate top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge, and a right edge, wherein said base plate has
a finger hole through said base plate located within an interior of said recessed rectangular region, wherein said finger hole is substantially circular and has a diameter between 0.5 inches and 1.5 inches;
a corner relief region within said base plate located at each corner of said recessed rectangular region, wherein
each corner of said recessed rectangular region lies within an interior of its corresponding corner relief region;
said corner relief region is substantially circular, having a center at the corresponding corner of said recessed rectangular region and having a diameter between 1/16 inches and 3/16 inches;
said corner relief region comprises a recessed area having a bottom surface that is flush with a corresponding bottom surface of said recessed rectangular region;
a bottom left retaining tab coupled to said front side of said base plate that covers the corner relief region located at a bottom left corner of said recessed rectangular region, said bottom left corner located at an intersection of said bottom edge and said left edge;
a bottom right retaining tab coupled to said front side of said base plate that covers the corner relief region located at a bottom right corner of said recessed rectangular region, said bottom right corner located at an intersection of said bottom edge and said right edge;
a clip coupled to said front side of said base plate, comprising
a pivoting retaining arm having an open position and a closed position, wherein when in said closed position said pivoting retaining arm contacts a card inserted into either card holder of said two card holders at a contact area that is proximal to said top edge of said recessed rectangular region associated with said card holder;
a compliant sleeve that covers said pivoting retaining arm at one or more locations where said pivoting retaining arm contacts said card inserted into either card holder of said two card holders;
a spring that biases said pivoting retaining arm towards said closed position.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.