BOUND PAPER ELEMENT WITH FUNCTIONAL SURFACES

Abstract: A notebook or similar paper element comprises a plurality of bound pages (2), a first page (3) provided with a limited-friction surface, with the function of supporting and serving as a computer "mouse" pad, and a second page (4) prepared with a non-slip surface (4a) located on an extremity of the plurality of pages; the first page being arranged with cited controlled-friction surface opposite to the non-slip surface of the second page.

Description: "BOUND PAPER ELEMENT WITH FUNCTIONAL SURFACES" Technical field The present invention relates to a bound paper element, such as a notebook, index book, book or manual, note-block or similar. Background art Such paper elements as the above (which for brevity will hereafter be referred to by the term "notebook" ) are well known and in common and frequent use, and for such reasons are constantly found on desks and worktops in offices and workshops . These worktops are occupied , not only with paperwork and other obj ects of work, but also by many other devices : computers , printers and similar machines . Disclosure of the invention The purpose of the present invention is to modify such elements , or notebooks , to adapt them for an additional us e , in o rde r to reduce the space oc cupied on the worktops . Such purpose is achieved by means of the present invention, which relates to a paper element comprising a plurality of bound pages characterized by comprising a first page provided with a controlled-friction surface and a second page provided with a material with a non-slip surface, said second page being arranged at one extremity of said plurality of pages and said first page with cited controlled-friction surface being arranged opposite to the non-slip surface of the said second page. By the term "controlled-friction surface" is meant here a fit surface to support a "mouse" for computer and to permit controlled and precise movements. Surfaces of this type are produced in embossed plastic (e.g. PVC, PP or PE) , particularly with cusp-embossing. According to a preferential embodiment of the invention, the first and the second page are arranged on opposite sides of the plurality of bound pages. According to another aspect of the invention, the first and the second page are joined internally by at least one layer of material with such a coefficient of friction to maintain them substantially fixed with respect to the underlying pages. According to a further aspect of the invention, the angles of the notebook are rounded. Best mode for carrying out the invention The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings which are illustrative and not limiting, and in which: - fig. 1 is a schematic partial view and in exploded section of a preferential embodiment of the present invention; - fig. 2 is a perspective schematic view of the embodiment shown in fig. 1; and - figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of a further embodiment according to the invention. As can be seen in these figures, the notebook 1 (or other bound paper element) according to the present invention presents a plurality of pages 2, of paper, which constitute the functional part to its use as notebook or index book or manual of instructions, etc. The notebook 1 comprises a first page 3 provided with a controlled-friction surface, i.e. a fit surface to act as support for a computer "mouse" and a second page 4 provided with a material with a non-slip surface whose function is to prevent the movement of the notebook 1 with respect to the plane of support. The first page 3 and the second page 4 correspond therefore to the cover pages of the notebook 1 and are arranged at opposite extremities of the central pages 2. The first page 3 generally comprises a layer 3a in an embossed, plastic material e.g. PVC, PP (polypropylene) or PE (polyethylene) or analogous material that furnishes the cited controlled- riction surface. The embossing has the function of improving the precision in the control of the movements of the "mouse" and is preferentially of the cusp type. To improve the aesthetic appearance of the first page 3, the layer 3a is preferably in transparent material and is provided internally with a printed layer 3b and of a screen-printed base layer 3c. The second page 4 comprises a layer 4a in thermoplastic material, generally expanded, with non-slip function. Materials suited to this use are the thermoplastic rubbers (preferably SBR) or analogous polymers, such as for instance those known as EDM and EPDM. The layer 4a is generally joined with a layer 4b in similar PVC material or, if necessary, embossed in the above way suitable for the first page 3. In the preferential embodiment shown, the first and the second page are joined internally with a layer of material, 3d and 4c respectively, with a coefficient of such friction to maintain them substantially fixed with respect to the pages 2 (underlying page 3 and overlying the page 4) . The material of the layers 3d and 4c are preferably rigid or joined in turn with a layer of rigid material. Materials proper are card and cardboard, thermoplastic resins and rubbers, if necessary applied as film on a rigid suppor . In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, wherever the number of pages 2 is very high and the notebook 1 is very tall, the first page 3, with its controlled-friction surface, is placed in an intermediate position inside the plurality of pages 2. Therefore, opening the notebook 1 in correspondence of page 3, the "mouse" can be used on the embossed layer 3a. In this embodiment, page 3 can be provided with the layer 3d to mantain it substantially fixed with respect to the underlying pages 2. The binding of the notebook 1 could be of any known type, for instance of the spiral or wi-reo type, of the open rigid type, of the paper covered type or of the so-called book or ribbon type, and will be such as to limit the possible movements between the pages of the notebook 1 under the pressures caused by the movements of the "mouse" on the first page 3. With the same object of reducing to a minimum the possible relative movements of the pages of the notebook, one or more of the angles of the first and/or of the second page, and if necessary also the angles of all the pages of the notebook, are rounded. Generally there will be two rounded angles (opposite the binding) on the first and on the second page. The fig.3 shows a variation of the embodiment according to the figures 1 and 2, in which the second page 4 is provided with an extension 5 which can fold back onto page 4 when not in use. The extension 5 presents a lower layer 5b in similar non-slip material to that of the layer 4a of the page 4, as well as an upper layer 5a in similar controlled-friction material to that of the layer 3a of the page 3. The extension 5 can therefore be used for the movements of the "mouse" in addition or in alternative to the page 3. Fig. 4 shows a disposition of notebook also using the extension 5. The production of the notebook according to the invention happens in the following way: the decorative layer 3b is at first applied by printing to the inside side of the layer 3a and then the base layer 3c is screen-printed. Alternatively, the printing could be effected on the external side of layer 3a. Page 4 is produced by joining layer 4a with the layer 4b. The pages thus obtained are then preferably joined with the layers 3d and 4c, respectively.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A paper element (1) comprising a plurality of bound pages (2) , characterized by comprising a first page (3) provided with a controlled-friction surface (3a) and a second page (4) provided with a material with a non-slip surface (4a) , • said second page (4) being arranged at one extremity of said plurality of pages (2) and said first page (3) with cited controlled-friction surface (3a) being arranged opposite to the non-slip surface (4a) of the said second page (4) . 2. A paper element according to claim 1, wherein said first (3) and second (4) pages are arranged at opposite extremities of the said plurality of pages (2) . 3. A paper element according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first (3) and/or said second page (4) are joined internally by at least one layer (3d, 4c) of material with such a coefficient of friction as to maintain them substantially fixed with respect to the underlying pages (2) . 4. A paper element according to any of the claims from l to 3, wherein is present a book or ribbon binding. 5. A paper element according to any of the claims from 1 to 4, wherein said first page (3) is constituted by or comprises a layer (3a) in an embossed plastic material and said second page (4) is constituted by or comprises a layer (4a) in expanded thermoplastic material. 6. A paper element according to any of the claims from 3 to 5, comprising an internal layer (3d, 4c) selected from cardboard, resins and thermoplastic rubbers. 7. A paper element according to claim l and to any of the claims from 3 to 6, wherein said second page (4) is provided with a sideways-folding extension (5) . 8. A paper element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the angles of at least the said first (3) and/or second page (4) are rounded.

Inventors: LUINI FRANCO, LURANI NICOLO, LUINI, FRANCO, LURANI, NICOLO
Applicants: LEDIBERG S P A, LUINI FRANCO, LURANI NICOLO, LEDIBERG S.P.A., LUINI, FRANCO, LURANI, NICOLO
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B42D5
IPC codes: B42D1, B42D5, G06F3