Abstract:
A notebook including a plurality of sheets, each sheet having a width, an inner edge and a tear guide line that extends generally parallel to and spaced apart from an inner edge of the sheet. The notebook further includes at least one divider pocket having a pocket having a width substantially equal to the width of the sheets. Each sheet can be torn along its tear guide line to produce a torn sheet having a width significantly less than the width of the at least one pocket such that a number of torn sheets can be received in the at least one pocket.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/189,665, filed Mar. 15, 2001, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     
         [0002]    The present invention is directed to a notebook having a plurality of pockets and removable sheets, wherein the torn sheets can be received in the pockets of the notebook.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Notebooks are widely used by students and professionals as a storage device and a source of paper. The notebooks may include a plurality of loose paper sheets that are bound together by a binding mechanism. However, the pockets of most existing notebooks can receive a relatively low number of loose papers. Thus, the user may be required to carry an auxiliary storage folder to store papers.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention is a notebook having a plurality of bound sheets that can be separated from the notebook. The notebook has at least one divider pocket having a pocket, and the sheets are shaped such that a large number of torn sheets can be received in the pocket. The torn sheets have a narrow width relative the pockets of the notebook, so that the pockets can receive relatively large volumes of the torn sheets.  
           [0005]    In one embodiment, the invention is a notebook including a plurality of sheets, each sheet having a width, an inner edge and a tear guide line that extends generally parallel to and spaced apart from an inner edge of the sheet. The notebook further includes at least one pocket divider having a pocket having a width substantially equal to the width of the sheets. Each sheet can be torn along its tear guide line to produce a torn sheet having a width significantly less than the width of the at least one pocket such that a number of torn sheets can be received in the at least one pocket. 
       
    
    
       [0006]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the notebook of the present invention;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a top view of a paper sheet of the notebook of FIG. 1; and  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a top view of a pocket of the notebook of FIG. 1, with the pocket receiving a torn sheet therein. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]    As shown in FIG. 1, the notebook  10  of the present invention includes a top cover  14 , a bottom cover  16 , and a plurality of paper sheets or other media  18  located between the covers. The binder also includes a plurality of pocket dividers  20  spaced throughout the width of the notebook. Each pocket divider  20  has a pocket  30  (FIG. 3) formed between a backing portion  36  and a lower portion  34  of the pocket divider  20 . The notebook  10  may also include a binding mechanism, generally designated  12 , for binding the sheets  18  and pocket dividers  20  together. The binding mechanism  12  may be nearly any binding mechanism, including but not limited to a spiral binder, binding spine, three-ring binder, adhesives, etc. Each pocket divider  20  preferably has a width B that is about the same as the untorn sheets  18  received in the binding mechanism  12 .  
         [0011]    As shown in FIG. 2, each sheet  18  of the notebook  10  includes an inner edge  22 , an outer edge  24 , and a set of attachment holes or binding holes  26  extending along the inner edge  22 . Each binding hole  26  is shaped to receive a turn of the coil binding mechanism  12  to attach the paper sheet  18  to the spiral binder  12 . However, the binding holes  26  may be omitted or replaced with other shapes or sizes of holes when other binding mechanisms are used. The paper sheet  18  also includes a perforation line  28  that is laterally spaced from the inner edge  22  of the sheet. The perforation line  28  is spaced away from the inner edge  22  of the sheet  18  by a distance A, such that when a sheet  18  is torn along the perforation line  28 , a torn sheet  18 ′ (FIG. 3) has a width that is significantly less than an untorn sheet. Thus, the perforation line  28  divides the sheet  18  into a wide portion  35  and a narrow portion  37 , and the wide portion  35  can be separated and removed from the binding mechanism while the narrow portion  37  remains bound. Any other structure besides a perforation line  28  that can enable the sheet  18  to be torn along a predefined path may also be used in place of the perforation line, including but not limited to a fold, an area of weakness formed in the sheet  18 , etc. (together, termed a “tear guide line”).  
         [0012]    Each sheet  18  may include a set of laterally extending guide lines  45 . Because the narrow portion  37  is quite wide as compared to many existing notebooks, it may be easier or tempting for the user to write on the narrow portion  37  of the sheet  18 . However, if the user writes on the narrow portion  37 , the material written on the narrow portion  37  will be separated from the sheet when the sheet is torn along its perforation line  28 . Thus, in one embodiment, the narrow portion  37  and the wide portion  35  have different appearances to convey to the user that the wide portion  35  can be separated from the narrow portion  27 . For example, in one embodiment the narrow  37  and wide  35  portions has different colors (i.e., the wide portion  35  may be a standard color, such as white, and the narrow portion  37  may be colored, such as yellow). In another embodiment, only the wide portion  35  includes the generally laterally-extending guide lines  45 , and the narrow portion  37  is unlined, or includes lining having a different spacing, line thickness, etc. These features help to prevent a user from writing indica on the narrow portion  37  due to the coloring or unlined features of the narrow portion  37 . Nearly any feature that distinguishes the wide portion  35  from the narrow portion  37  may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. In yet another embodiment, the narrow portion  37  includes a coloring (i.e., a dark color), coating, or the like that makes it difficult for a user to write on the narrow portion.  
         [0013]    A torn sheet  18 ′ that is removed from the notebook  10  may be sized to be easily received in the pocket  30  pocket divider  20 . As shown in FIG. 3, the torn sheet  18 ′ has a width that is significantly narrower than pocket  30  of the pocket divider  20 . In one embodiment, the wide portion  37  is about 2.5 to about 15 times wider than the narrow portion  37 , preferably about 10 times wider. In this case, the width of the torn sheet  18 ′ may be about 90% of the width of the untorn sheet  18  or the pocket  20 .  
         [0014]    After the paper  18  is torn along its perforation  28  and uncoupled from the notebook  10 , the torn sheet  18 ′ may have a standard width (i.e., 8½″×11″), although other sizes of the torn sheet are equally acceptable. Because the pocket  30  of the pocket divider  20  is significantly wider than the torn sheet  18 ′, the pocket  30  can accommodate a large number of sheets  18 ′, as the lower portion  34  of the pocket divider  20  can be pulled away from the backing portion  36  of the pocket divider  20  to accommodate the sheets. In contrast, the pockets in many prior art notebooks may be approximately the same width as the torn sheets, which limits the number of sheets which can be accommodated by the pockets.  
         [0015]    Returning to FIG. 2, each paper sheet  18  may also include a first set of binder holes  21  and a second set of holes  23 . The narrow portion  37  may be about 2-4 times as wide as the holes  21 ,  23 . The first set of binder holes  21  enable the notebook  10  to be mounted into a three ring binder passed through the first set of binder holes  21 . The second set of binder holes  23  are located on the torn sheet  18 ′ such that the torn sheet  18 ′ can be received in a three ring binder. The second set of binder holes  23  may be laterally aligned with the first set of binder holes  21 , or have a similar spacing pattern, such that the torn sheet  18 ′ can be received in the same three ring binder that receives the notebook  10 . The pocket dividers  20  may also include a set of holes  40  so that the pocket dividers  20  can be mounted on the binding mechanism  12 . The pocket dividers  20  may also include a set of binder holes  43  to receive the rings of a three ring binder.  
         [0016]    Having described the invention in detail and by reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations thereof are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.