MULTIPLE COPY NOTE PAD

Abstract: By combining a pad having a repositionable adhesive with a carbonless imaging system, multiple copies of a writing on the top sheet of the pad are provided. These features have application in pads for memos, interoffice correspondence, and notes. A user may select the desired set of copies by removing the required number of sheets from the pad. If a divider is provided with each pad, e.g. a cardboard or a hard insert sheet, the multiple pages are imaged before they are removed from the pad by inserting the divider into the pad after counting the appropriate number of sheets to be copied. Thus, the divider prevents copying and imaging throughout the entire pad.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of The Invention The present invention relates to multiple copy note pads and the like having a repositionable adhesive on the back of each sheet. 2 Description of The Related Art At present, note pads having a repositionable adhesive on the back of each sheet are limited to providing a single original and no copies of each writing. US Patent No. 3,981,523 of Maalouf, No. 4,126,334 of Van Malderghem, and No. 4,199,174 of Sornberger, all assigned to Moore Business Forms Inc., show multiple sheet forms with carbonless coatings for producing multiple copies of an original writing. However, none of them teach the use of repositionable adhesives on the back of each sheet for holding the stack of note sheets together as a pad. Moreover, none permit the forming of sets by removing a specific number of sheets from a pad. Also German DE-B-1211226 describes a roll of webs embodying self copy paper. US Patent No. 4,230,514 of Becker et al teaches a process for separating copy paper sheets into form sets employing an adhesive and US Patent No. 4,500,021 to Bildusas describes an article such as a storage bag with adhesive to enable the sealed bag to be opened and reclosed. It also describes a peelable label with reusable adhesive. US Patent No 4,334,771 of Ryan, Jr., reveals a system where information can be duplicated onto a certain number of forms. US Patent No 4,583,765 of Messinger discloses a self-sticking label set involving multiple transfer copying. US Patent No. 3,257,129 of Malone describes an accounting form including a cover capable of insertion between adjacent ones of the forms in a group of forms to prevent transfer of indicia from an upper one to a lower one of the forms during filling out of the form. Reference is also made to European Patent Specification No EP-A-0261817 (Moore Business Forms Inc) not published at the date of filing of this application and which describes a pad of preprinted sheets each sheet being serially connected to its neighbour by a strip of adhesive. British Specification No. GB1007543, on which the introductory portion of the main claim is based describes a doctor's prescription writing pad with a plurality of joined sheets, all for carrying data, with image transfer material between them. At fixed intervals through the pad some of these data carrying sheets are thicker to prevent transfer of writing pressure to sheets below. The pad does not include repositional adhesive and being intended for a dedicated purpose is inflexible in its use. Although these prior art arrangements show several types of multiple sheet sets which serve the purpose of enabling a user to take a set of sheets, rather than a single sheet from the multiple sheet set, in order to create the same information at once on each sheet of the set, none of these arrangements adhere the sheets together by a repositional adhesive and with a divider means for blocking transfer of an image to a remaining number of sheets in the set, nor does any have a divider means with repositional adhesive forming part of the stack. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a multiple copy note pad for carrying data comprising a plurality of sheets adhered to one another in a stack such that the currently top sheet is available for receiving writing, a pressure sensitive image transfer system arranged between each of the sheets such that writing on said top sheet will be transferred to sheets therebelow unless a blocking divider means is interposed, and including blocking divider means comprising one or more divider sheets located in or insertable into the stack between two adjacent sheets thereof for preventing such transfer at selected positions of the stack, characterised in that:- a) all said sheets are adhered to adjacent sheets by means of a strip of repositional adhesive extending along a marginal edge portion of significant width on one side of each sheet, b) there is no image transfer system between the or each divider sheet and one of said adjacent two sheets and that the divider sheet does not act as a data carrying sheet, and c) the or each divider sheet is either separate from the stack and insertable therein at a selected position or is integral with the stack by means of repositional adhesive along a strip of significant width along a marginal edge portion thereof so that it can be disconnected from the stack and the stack reassembled adhered together with the divider sheet omitted or inserted at a different position. One of the problems encountered in the prior art but overcome by the present invention is the blocking of impressions coming through onto the sheets below. There are several alternative ways by which this problem is handled in the present invention. One of the ways is simply to tear off two or more sheets. In other words, it will not matter how many sheets a selected set contains because all of them can be placed together on another surface and then the writing can be done on the top sheet. Another alternative is to insert a piece of cardboard underneath the set of selected sheets while the sheets are still attached together in the pad so that, upon writing a message on the top sheet, impressions are transferred to the remaining selected sheets but such impressions are blocked from further penetration through the pad. A third way is to have the cardboard built directly into the pad between various preselected sets of sheets. The advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description of the drawings and the preferred embodiments, given by way of example only. BRIEF DESCRIPTON OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the note pad of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment; Figure 5 shows a fragmentary perspective view of the note pad of the second embodiment shown in Figure 2; Figure 6 shows a fragmentary perspective view of a fifth embodiment; and Figure 7 shows a fragmentary perspective view of a sixth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the four embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the image transferring systems are shown to be various combinations of two different kinds of carbonless coatings. In Figs. 1, 3 and 4, any type of carbonless coating contained in microcapsules which burst to transfer an image upon the application of pressure thereto is designated schematically by a plurality of small circles, i.e. "o", while in Figs. 2 to 4, any type of resinous or clay coating which transfers an image upon the application of pressure thereto is designated schematically by a plurality of small crosses, i.e. "+". In Fig. 1, a first embodiment of the present invention is shown to comprise a multiple copy note pad 10 having a plurality of sheets 12, each of which has an underside with a top strip 14 along a marginal edge portion containing a respositionable adhesive such that, as seen, all said sheets 12 are adhered to adjacent sheets to form the stack. Each underside also is covered with a layer of a carbonless image transfer material (which as will be understood from the drawings extends over substantially the whole area of each sheet apart from the marginal edge portion 14) contained in a coating of microcapsules 16. A separate cardboard divider comprising divider means 18 is placed (i.e. inserted) between two adjacent sheets 12 in a selected position after a selected number of sheets 12, in this case only two, so that a writing made on a top sheet 12 may be transferred to all underlying sheets above the divider 18, in this case only one, but is blocked by the divider means 18 from transferring the writing to any sheets underneath the divider 18. In Fig. 2, a second embodiment is shown to comprise a note pad 20 having a plurality of sheets 22, each of which has an underside with a top strip 24 containing a repositionable adhesive. Each top side is covered with a layer of a carbonless image transfer material contained in a resinous or clay coating 26. An integral cardboard divider 28 is placed periodically after a preselected number of sheets 22, only two in this case, for the same purpose of allowing an image to be transferred to a limited number of sheets 22. Each such integral divider 28 has an underside also with a top strip 24 containing a repositionable adhesive. As seen from the drawings the top strip 24 carrying the adhesive on the divider is the same width as the top strip carrying the adhesive on the sheets 22 and in each case this width is significant as seen in all the drawings. In Fig. 3, a third embodiment is shown to comprise a note pad 30 having a plurality of sheets 32, each of which has an underside with a top strip 34 containing a repositionable adhesive. However, each top side is covered with a layer of mixed carbonless image transfer materials self-contained in a coating 36 made of both microcapsules and resin or clay. A separate cardboard divider 38 is placed after a selected number of sheets 32, three in this case, in order to allow an image to be transferred to such sheets 32. In Fig. 4, a fourth embodiment is shown to comprise a note pad 40 having a plurality of sheets 42, each of which has an underside with a top strip 44 containing a repositionable adhesive. Each underside also is covered with a layer of a carbonless image transfer material contained in a coating of microcapsules 46A while each top side is covered with a layer of a different carbon less image transfer material contained in a resinous or clay coating 46B. A separate cardboard divider 48 is placed after a selected number of sheets 42, only two in this case, in order to prevent an image being transferred to the sheets 42 below the divider. In Fig. 5, a fragmentary perspective view of the note pad 20 of the second embodiment shown in Fig. 2 is illustrated and marked with labels identifying the various parts which comprise the pad 40, i.e., a plurality of sheets 22 including an image transfer system and an integral cardboard divider 28 placed after a preselected number of sheets 22. The undersides of the sheets 22 and the periodically arranged dividers 28 have a top strip 24 containing a coating of a repositionable adhesive. In the two embodiments shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the image transferring system is shown to be a plurality of interleaved carbon copy papers. In Fig. 6, a fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown to comprise a note pad 50 having a plurality of sheets 52 and a plurality of interleaved carbons 56. Each of the sheets 52 and carbons 56 has an underside with a top strip 54 containing a repositionable adhesive. A separate cardboard divider 58 is placed after a selected number of sheets 52, three in this case, for transferring an original writing made on a first top sheet 52 to all underlying sheets, in this case two, via the interleaved carbons 56. The divider 58 blocks the original writing on the first top sheet 52 from being transferred to any sheets underneath the divider 58. In Fig. 7, a sixth embodiment is shown to comprise a note pad 60 having a plurality of sheets 62 and a plurality of interleaved carbons 66. An integral cardboard divider 68 is placed after a selected number of sheets 62, and intermittent dividers 68 have an underside with a top strip 64 containing a coating of a repositionable adhesive. Again the divider 68 blocks any original writing on the first top sheet 62 from being transferred to the sheets underneath the divider 68. As seen in Figs. 6 and 7, there is no image transfer system (carbon) between the divider and the sheet above it so the divider cannot act as a data carrying sheet. As seen, particularly in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, the dividers do not themselves carry image transfer material; therefore in all embodiments there is no image transfer material between the or each divider sheet and one of the adjacent two sheets between which a divider is inserted (as in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6) or located as an integral part of the stack (as in Figs. 2, 5 and 7). It is inherent in the term "repositional adhesive" that a sheet carrying a strip of such adhesive can be removed from the stack and replaced thereon or therein to again form an integral stack. It is therefore inherent in the foregoing description that a divider can be disconnected from the stack and the stack reassembled adhered together with that divider sheet omitted or inserted in a different position. The foregoing preferred embodiments are considered illustrative only. Numerous other modificiations and changes will readily occur to those persons skilled in the paper manifolding art after reading this disclosure. Consequently, the disclosed invention is not limited to the exact construction shown and described hereinabove but rather is intended to be encompassed within the scope of the following claims.

Claims: A multiple copy note pad (10) for carrying data comprising a plurality of sheets (12) adhered to one another in a stack such that the currently top sheet is available for receiving writing, a pressure sensitive image transfer system (16) arranged between each of the sheets (12) such that writing on said top sheet will be transferred to sheets therebelow unless a blocking divider means is interposed, and including blocking divider means comprising one or more divider sheets (18) located in or insertable into the stack between two adjacent sheets (12) thereof for preventing such transfer at selected positions of the stack, characterised in that:- a) all said sheets (12) are adhered to adjacent sheets by means of a strip (14) of repositional adhesive extending along a marginal edge portion of significant width on one side of each sheet, b) there is no image transfer system between the or each divider sheet and one of said adjacent two sheets and that the divider sheet does not act as a data carrying sheet, and c) the or each divider sheet (18) is either separate from the stack and insertable therein at a selected position or is integral with the stack by means of repositional adhesive along a strip of significant width along a marginal edge portion thereof so that it can be disconnected from the stack and the stack reassembled adhered together with the divider sheet omitted or inserted at a different position. A multiple copy note pad according to Claim 1 in which the image transfer system is arranged to transfer writing equally over substantially the whole area of each sheet apart from the marginal edge portion. A multiple copy note pad according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 characterised in that the divider means includes a plurality of non image-transferring sheets (18) integrally arranged at preselected intervals within said plurality of sheets (12). A multiple copy note pad according to any of claims 1 to 3 in which each sheet (12) and divider sheet (18) has the repositional adhesive on the underside thereof. The pad according to any of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the image transfer system (16, 26, 36, 46A, 46B) is a plurality of microcapsules containing a carbonless coating applied to a side of each of the plurality of sheets (12, 22, 32, 42). The pad according to claim 5 characterised in that the side to which the carbonless coating is applied is an underside of each of the plurality of sheets (12, 22, 32, 42). The pad according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterised in that the image transfer system (16, 26, 36, 46A, 46B) is one of a resinous coating or clay coating applied to a side of each of the plurality of sheets (12, 22, 32, 42). The pad according to claim 7 wherein: the said side (12, 22, 32, 42) to which said one of the resinous coating or the clay coating is applied is a top side of each of the plurality of sheets (12, 22, 32, 42). The pad according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein: the image transfer system (16, 26, 36, 46A, 46B) is a self-containing mixed coating of microcapsules containing a carbonless image transfer material and a selected one of a resin or a clay, the coating being applied to one side of each of the plurality of sheets (12, 22, 32, 42). The pad according to claim 9 wherein: the side (12, 22, 32, 42) to which the mixed coating is applied is a top side of each of the plurality of sheets. The pad according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein : the image transfer system (16, 26, 36, 46A, 46B) includes a plurality of microcapsules containing a carbonless coating applied to one side of each of the plurality of sheets (12, 22, 32, 42) and also includes a selected one of a resinous coating or a clay coating applied to an opposite side of each of the plurality of sheets (12, 22, 32, 42). The pad according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein: the image transfer system (56, 66) is a plurality of carbons interleaved between the plurality of sheets (52, 62). The pad according to claim 12 wherein: each of the plurality of carbons (56, 66) also has a side with a repositionable adhesive strip means (54, 64) for aiding in maintaining the stack together. The pad according to claim 12 or 13 wherein: the divider means (58, 68) includes a plurality of non image-transferring sheets integrally arranged at preselected intervals within said plurality of sheets (52, 62). The pad according to claim 14 wherein: each of the plurality of carbons (56, 66) and the plurality of non image-transferring sheets (58, 68) also has a side with a repositionable adhesive strip means for aiding in maintaining the stack together. A multiple-copy note pad (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60) according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of sheets form at least two sets of writing sheets (12, 22, 32, 42, 52, 62) in a stacked formation, each set of writing sheets (12, 22, 32, 42, 52, 62) having at least two writing sheets therein; the image transfer system (16, 26, 36, 46A, 46B, 56, 66) is responsive to an image impression on one sheet of a writing sheet set for transferring the image to the successive underlying sheets in the writing sheet set: the divider means is arranged to alternate with the sets of writing sheets in stacked formation, said divider means (18, 28, 38, 48, 58, 68) blocking image transfer from a writing sheet of one set to a writing sheet of another set; and wherein the repositionable adhesive strip means (14, 24, 34, 44, 54, 64) is associated with each of said writing sheets (12, 21, 31, 41, 51, 62) and said divider means (18, 28, 38, 48, 58, 68) for maintaining said sheets and divider together in the stacked formation.

Inventors: GREIG, WALTER G.
Applicants: MOORE BUSINESS FORMS, INC.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B41L1
IPC codes: G09F3, B41M5, B42D11, B41L1