Patent Application
20070020600
1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure is generally related to laptop activity centers and specifically related to laptop activity centers that have an eraseable drawing surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Compact activity centers that include art activities for children are known in the art. Most activity center systems include a myriad of art activities and have a great number of parts and pieces. Additionally, such activity centers generally create a large amount of debris as a result of the art work. Further, the potential exists for such systems to stain or otherwise discolor surrounding carpeting, tabletops, and other surfaces. For example, often with activity centers that include markers or paintbrushes, the child may color on furniture or other fixtures, thereby damaging these items. Moreover, whenever a children's toy includes many pieces, often, several of the pieces will become lost over time.
Most often, the problems encountered with these activity center systems include a large and bulky case, too many pieces and lack of easy clean up.
An activity center is provided that includes a case having an upper and lower portion hingedly joined at one edge thereof. A writing surface is hingedly engaged with the upper housing portion and a recessed portion is disposed on the top surface of the upper housing portion. The case also includes at least one writing instrument securement well provided in the upper housing portion.
Generally, an activity center includes a case having a top and bottom shell pivotably joined together. The top shell includes a central recessed portion, a writing surface and a well. The well is formed in the top shell and is adapted to store writing utensils. A lid generally covers the well. The top and bottom shells form a storage compartment adapted for storing templates, sheets of paper and the like.
Both the upper and lower shells 12, 14 may include openings 32, 34 along one side wall thereof. These openings 32, 34 align with each other when the upper and lower shells 12, 14 are in the closed condition forming a handle 36. The handle 36 may be used to carry the activity center 10 when the upper and lower shells 12, 14 are closed.
The center recessed portion 16 is generally sized and shaped to receive a sheet of paper or a template 38 in a generally horizontal position, bearing indicia thereon. Additionally, a writing surface 40 is hingedly joined to the upper shell 12 between the center recessed portion 16 and the well 18. The writing surface 40 is generally transparent. However, the writing surface 40 may be translucent or tinted as long as the template or paper 38 disposed in the center recessed portion 16 is visible through the writing surface 40. Furthermore, the writing surface 40 may be generally colorless or may be tinted with any color as long as it is transparent or sufficiently translucent to view the indicia on the paper or template 38 received in the center recessed portion 16.
In
The center recessed portion 16 of the upper shell 12 is approximately the same size as the retention area 58 of the lower shell 14. The center recessed portion 16 is sized and shaped to receive a paper or template 38 adjacent a mounting surface 64 of the center recessed portion 16. The writable surface 40 overlays the center recessed portion 16 thereby securing the paper or template 38 within the center recessed portion 16. The writable surface 40 is hinged to the upper shell 12 between the center recessed portion 16 and the well 18. Additionally, the writable surface 40 includes a tab 66 extending from a front edge 68 of the writable surface 40. This tab 66 provides a gripping or lifting surface and aids in raising and lowering the writable surface 40.
The mounting surface 64 is angled towards the front edge 54 of the upper shell 12. This feature gently angles the paper or template 38, and thus the writing surface 40, towards the user making writing on the writing surface 40 and viewing the paper or template 38 easier. Additionally, when the writing surface 40 is in the closed position, side walls 70 of the upper shell 12 extend to an elevation above that of any portion of the writing surface 40. The side walls 70 of the upper shell 12 provide a physical barrier at the edges of the writing surface 40, thus reducing the chance of inadvertent marks being caused by the writing instrument falling off of the writing surface 40. The central recessed portion 16 includes a plurality of openings 72 disposed in therein. The openings 72 each include a downward extending flexible tongue 74. The flexible tongues 74 are generally elongate in shape and extend downward, into the storage space 60 formed between the upper and lower shells 12, 14. The upper shell 12 includes two slots 76 between the central recessed portion 16 and the well 18 that form a part of a hinge for the writable surface 40.
The well 18 is adapted for storing writing instruments therein. The well 18 includes a plurality of ribs 78 disposed along inner walls thereof. The plurality of ribs 78 form holding surfaces for marker type pens or other writing instruments. A generally elongate well cover 80 includes a pair of hinge extensions 81 along one end thereof for hingedly connecting the well cover 80 to the case. The well cover 80 may be translucent or transparent to allow a user to discern if a writing utensil is disposed within the well 18. Of course, the well cover 80 may be opaque if desired. The well cover 80 also includes a plurality of ribs 82 extending from the bottom side thereof, that are similar to the ribs 78 disposed in the well 18 for removably mounting writing instruments. The ribs 82 are configured to accept the writing instruments bi-directionally in a longitudinal orientation. Additionally, the upper shell 12 includes a plurality of slots 84 in the upper surface thereof between the well 18 and a back edge 86. These slots 84 are sized and shaped to receive and support the hinge extensions 81 on the well cover 80. The hinge extensions 81 are removably disposed in the slots 84 with a snap-fit type arrangement and function as living hinges allowing the well lid 80 to be bent at the living hinge to a closed position that substantially covers and secures the well 18. A tab 90 extends generally outward from the front edge 92 of the well cover 80 to facilitate moving the well cover 80 to the open position.
While certain embodiments have been described herein, it will be understood that variations may be made that are within the scope of the appended claims.
