The present invention is directed to a notebook holder, and more particularly, to a notebook holder which can be configured in various positions.
Notebook holders and the like may include a panel with a pocket formed thereon, with the pocket being configured to receive a notebook therein. Once the notebook is mounted to the notebook holder, the user can write on the pages of the notebook and use the notebook holder to carry and protect the notebook. However, in many existing notebook holders, the configuration in which the notebook can be used is limited. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved notebook holder.
In one embodiment the invention is a notebook holder which can receive a notebook therein, wherein the notebook holder can be used in various configurations. More particularly, in one embodiment the invention is a notebook holder system including a notebook holder having a cover and a panel pivotally coupled to the cover, the panel having an outer perimeter. The system further includes a bound component, wherein the panel and bound component are configured to be releasably attached together. The bound component has a plurality of pages and a binding mechanism binding the plurality of pages together. The panel and the bound component are configured such that when the bound component is releasably attached to the panel at least part of the binding mechanism is positioned outside the outer perimeter. The pages of the bound component are pivotable about the binding mechanism between a first position, wherein the pages are located adjacent to and supported by a first side of the panel, and a second position wherein the pages are located adjacent to and supported by a second opposite side of the panel.
As shown in
When the notebook holder 10 is in the closed position, the outer panel 14 may be positioned between the notebook panel 16 and the center panel 12 (i.e., in the thickness direction of the notebook holder 10). Alternately, the notebook panel 16 can be positioned between the outer panel 14 and the center panel 12. In either case all panels 12, 14, 16 may be generally aligned with each other when the notebook holder 10 is closed. The center 12 and outer 14 panels (and the hinge portions 22) can constitute a cover 15 with the notebook panel 16 coupled thereto.
Each of the panels 12, 14, 16 may be generally flat and sheet-like, but with enough thickness/stiffness to be self-supporting. The panels 12, 14, 16/notebook holder 10 can be made of any of a wide variety of materials, such as plastic, paper, cardboard, vinyl, plastic (i.e., PVC) leather, cardboard covered by plastic, or the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer panel 14 includes an outer panel flap 24 coupled thereto (such as by stitching, adhesives or the like) along the bottom and outer edge of the flap 24. The outer panel flap 24 may include a business card holder and various slits and pockets for storing loose items therein. The center panel 12 may include a center panel flap 26 coupled thereto (i.e., by stitching, adhesives or the like) along the bottom edge of the flap 26 for trapping various components between the center panel flap 26 and the center panel 12.
As best shown in
The notebook holder may be used in conjunction with a notebook 34. The notebook 34 may include a plurality of pages or sheets of paper 38 bound together by a binding mechanism 40. Each of the sheets 38 of the notebook 34 may be made of a cellulose-based or pulp-based paper that is generally water-absorbent so that the sheets 38 can be written upon by a wide variety of media, such as pens, pencils, marker, highlighters and the like. The notebook 34 may include at least one cover or generally rigid backing sheet 36 bound to the binding mechanism, wherein the cover 36 has about the same size and shape as the sheets 38.
The cover 36 may have at least one of a thickness or stiffness that is greater than the thickness/stiffness of the sheets 38 to provide protection and support, and to allow easy coupling to the pocket 30, which will be described in greater detail below. The cover 36 may be made of the same materials, and have about the same thickness and/or stiffness as the panels 12, 14, 16. The notebook 34 may have a pair of covers 36 such that the papers 38 can be positioned between the covers 36 in a thickness direction of the notebook 34 such that the covers 36 protect and cover the paper 38.
In the illustrated embodiment, the binding mechanism 40 of the notebook 34 is a wire binding mechanism, such as a coil, spiral or twin-wire binding mechanism which allows the sheets 38 and/or cover(s) 36 to pivot 360 degrees, or nearly 360 degrees, about the binding mechanism 40 without bending or creasing of the sheets 38. Accordingly such a binding mechanism may be particularly appropriate for use with the present invention. However, the binding mechanism 40 can take any of a wide variety of forms, such as an adhesive binding mechanism, staples, clasps, brackets, book-style binding mechanisms or the like. It should be understood that the term “notebook” as used herein includes any of a variety of bound components (i.e. components with a binding mechanism that binds sheets or papers together), such as notepads, notebooks and the like.
As shown in
The attachment structure, which releasably attaches the notebook 34 and the panel 16, can take a variety of other forms besides the pocket 30/cover 36. For example, hook-and-loop fasteners (such as VELCRO®), hooks, clasps, snaps, interengaging geometries, magnets, and the like may be use to releasably attach the notebook 34 and panel 16.
When the notebook 34 is mounted to the notebook holder 10 as shown in
The notebook holder 10 of the present invention allows increased flexibility in the use of the notebook 34. For example, as shown in
The sheets 38 are generally parallel to the underlying notebook panel 16, and are thus generally parallel relative to the notebook panel 16. Thus, the notebook holder 10 of the present invention provides great flexibility and a user can write upon the sheets 38 in two different configurations (i.e., on either side 16a, 16b of the notebook panel 16), and also allows the user to utilize the notebook holder 10 folded in different configurations.
In order to allow such pivoting of the sheets 38, the binding mechanism 40 may protrude outwardly beyond, or be spaced outwardly from, the outer edge 42 of the notebook panel 16. For example, the notebook panel 16 may have an outer perimeter 44, and at least part of the binding mechanism may be positioned outside the outer perimeter 44. In addition, by providing a binding mechanism 40 which is spaced away from the outer edge 42, the sheets 38 can lie flat upon, and be fully supported by, the notebook panel 16 when located on either side 16a, 16b thereof. Further, the binding mechanism 40 may be configured such that at least part of the binding mechanism 40 is located on either side of the notebook panel 16, which helps to ensure that the sheets 38 lie flat on the notebook panel 16 on either side thereof. In other words at least part of the binding mechanism 40 may be located on both sides of a plane defined by the notebook panel 16.
In order to utilize the notebook in the configuration shown in
Thus, for example, it may be desired to ensure that the binding mechanism 40 is located adjacent to the outer edge 42 of the notebook panel 16 such that the binding mechanism 40 is not spaced away from the outer edge 42 by a distance greater than the width (i.e., in a left-to-right direction) of the binding mechanism 40, or such that the binding mechanism 40 is not located away from the outer edge 42 by a distance greater than one-half inch. Thus, the system 10 may be configured to provide the desired characteristics described herein when the notebook 34 is fully and securely coupled to the panel 16—i.e. in one case, when the cover 36 is fully inserted or seated into the pocket 30. In addition, the panel 16 which receives the notebook 34 thereon may be a panel having a free outer longitudinal edge 42 and not be a captured panel, such as panel 12, which lacks a free outer edge 42.
The notebook 34 may have about the same size as the notebook panel 16 to allow efficient use of the space on the panel 16. More particularly the notebook 34 may have a surface area that is within at least about 20%, or at least about 10%, of the surface area of the notebook panel 16. The notebook 34 may be sized to dispense various sizes of sheets 38, such as sheets 38 having a size of about 8.5 inches by about 11 inches, or about 4.25 inches by about 5.5 inches, or about 5 inches by about 7 inches, or about 6 inches by about 9 inches, or A3, A4 or A5 size sheets, etc.
Another embodiment of the notebook holder 10 of the present invention is shown in
A pair of side gussets 62, such as accordion-style side gussets, are positioned between the pocket panel 54 and the bottom panel 50. In this manner a storage pocket 64 is formed between the pocket panel 54, bottom panel 50, and side gussets 62.
As shown in
The notebook panel 56 is pivotally coupled to an upper surface of the pocket panel 54. The notebook panel 56 can be made of the same materials and function in substantially the same manner as the notebook panel 16 described above and shown in
The top panel 60 is pivotally coupled to the pocket panel 54 and located adjacent to the notebook panel 56, and has about the same size as the pocket panel 54, notebook panel 56 and bottom panel 50. If desired, the top panel 60 may include a device on its inner surface for retaining loose sheets of paper thereon, such as a clipboard or the like (not shown). As shown in
The retaining flap 52 can then be folded on top of the top panel 60, and a retaining mechanism 66 may be utilized to couple the retaining flap 52 and the top panel 60 and keep the notebook holder 10 in the closed position shown in
In this case it should be noted that the patch 66a of hook-and-loop fastening material located on the retaining flap 52 serves a dual purpose. For example, the patch 66a can be coupled to a corresponding patch 66b of hook-and-loop fastening material on the pocket panel 54 (as shown in
When a notebook 34 is inserted into the notebook panel pocket 72, the notebook 34/notebook panel 56 can be positioned as desired. For example, when space is available and/or it is desired to position the notebook 34 on the right hand side of the notebook holder 10, the notebook panel 56 and notebook 34 can be positioned on top of the top panel 60, as shown in
When the notebook panel 56 and notebook 34 are positioned on top of the pocket panel 54/bottom panel 50, the notebook holder 10 can assume a compact position. More particularly, as shown in
Thus the patches 66a, 66c of hook-and-loop fastening material are engageable while the notebook holder is in two different configurations: a first configuration as shown in
While the notebook panel 16 of
Having described the invention in detail and by reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be apparent that modifications and variations thereof are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.
This application claims priority to provisional Application Ser. No. 60/760,066, filed on Jan. 19, 2006, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60760066 | Jan 2006 | US |