Patent Publication Number: US-5152405-A

Title: Note pad holder and note display

Description:
This invention relates to a tray for holding, dispensing and displaying notes from a stack thereof, and more particularly to such tray adapted for stack (block) of self-adherent postable notes in the nature of Post-It (a trademark of the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company) notes. The Post-It notes have a narrow band of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the back of each sheet. In a stack (block) the top edge often is covered with a thin layer of adhesive helping to keep that edge from fanning out. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Heretofore there have been upright display boards with slantwise projecting arms on which to secure notes in an overlapping accessible fashion, containers for a block of the instant self-adherent notes, foldable racks and stands for holding a card, a book or the like almost upright to facilitate the reading of same, folding artists&#39; easels, music stands, desk organizers for holding note pads, erasers, pencils, etc., and tiltable stenographic notebook holders. 
     While these are useful items, none of them unite the dispensing-from-a-pad function for the instant self-adherent notes with means for their effective, immediate and convenient display of a reminder or message, as for example, near a telephone or workspace. The instant invention accomplishes that. It provides a compact &#34;high flag&#34; display, retains a reserve of the note paper for it that is immediately accessible, and even can have a provision for holding a marking instrument such as a pencil or pen. Thus, memoranda and reminders can be made timely and conveniently before memory crumbles. 
     BROAD STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant note pad holder and note display comprises: 
     the deck member having means for accessibly retaining at least one block of postable, self-adherent notes; 
     a note display bar for retaining and displaying one or more individual notes; and 
     display bar support means pivoted to said base, 
     the bar support means holding the note display bar above the base when the support means is folded upwardly to a substantially erect position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric rendering of a preferred holder and display unit of this invention in &#34;open&#34; position, i.e., with the display bar up; 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric rendering of the same article, but in the &#34;closed&#34; position, i.e., with the display bar down; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation taken through Section 3--3 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation taken through Section 4--4 of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional elevation taken through Section 5-5 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional elevation taken through Section 6--6 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is an isometric rendering of another preferred holder and display unit in the &#34;open&#34; position, this one without a tray for pencil or pen; 
     FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the article of FIG. 7, but in the &#34;closed&#34; position; and 
     FIG. 9 is an isometric view of still another of the instant articles. There is a short display bar like a taximeter flag on the left side, and there can be one on the right also, if desired. The right side one is shown in dashed lines to indicate its being optional. 
    
    
     BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1-6, arrow 1 indicates generally the note pad holder and note display. The front of the base, a tray for a pencil or the like, is formed from front member 21 rising from projecting member 16. The inner rim 24, back wall 22, front abutments 19, notch 14, and bottom 16 form a well to hold a block of the self-adherent 3&#34;×3&#34; Post-It notes. The block 20 is indicated in dotted outline in FIGS. 5 and 6. The righthand vertical edge of block 20 in FIG. 5 is peelably adhered together to preclude fanning out; the front edge will tend to fan up a bit in use. Individual sheets, usually having a message written on them, are plucked from upper surface of the block with the thumb and forefinger, one&#39;s thumb generally riding over the notch 14. 
     Display bar 18 is integral with the supports 17, and the latter are pivoted to the base by pins 23. The article preferably is made of a molded polymer composition, i.e., base, display bar, and supports (and even the pins 23, if desired). The notes are stuck manually to the display bar, front and/or rear. If it is desired to collapse the display bar (as in FIG. 2) with the notes still adhering to it, the notes best are stuck only to the back of the bar and/or the side extensions of it. Normally the notes are removed as their message is returned or executed as the case may be. 
     The deck of the article is notched with notches 13 so that the supports 17 close flush with the remainder of the deck, i.e., the top of outer wall 12 and the inner rim 24. The display bar forms a cover over the pencil tray at the front. The bar can be made wider to rest on or over the front member 21, if desired. 
     Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, arrow 2 indicates generally a device quite similar to that of FIG. 1 except is has no pencil tray, the supports 38 and display bar 39 are hollowed out to make them lighter, and the bar 39, when closed down, rests on forward deck portions 32 and 34. The access notch 42 for plucking a self-adherent sheet from the note block (not shown) breaches the well 44 broadly from the front. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, arrow 3 indicates generally a note pad holder display device with a base like that in FIG. 1 and a small &#34;high flag&#34; note display bar 52 extending to the left of the base on support 51. If desired, the device can have the bar on the other side of the top, the support 51 can be pivoted from the outside of the base, and there can be yet an additional side display bar 54 extending to the right from support 53. (Items 53 and 54 are shown in dotted outline to indicate their being optional.) Also possible, of course, is to have the bar simply extend between supports 51 and 53 without substantial projection beyond the base edges. 
     The well in the article can be subdivided, as by septa not shown, to accommodate two or more blocks of the Post-It-type notes of the same or different sizes, or simply made large enough to hold the two or more blocks without appreciable lateral slip as the sheets are plucked. In any event, whether one or more blocks are accommodated, it is desirable that the well hold the blocks without appreciable such slip (i.e., firmly) for sheet-by-sheet extraction. 
     Many other modifications and variations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure and drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention can be practiced otherwise than has been specifically shown or described.