Patent Publication Number: US-2007114780-A1

Title: Address book with update stickers

Description:
BACKGROUND  
      The present invention relates to address books, and more particularly, to address books utilizing update stickers.  
      Information recorded in address books often becomes cluttered and of reduced usefulness over time. This is typically due to the repeated need to amend or remove entries, which often entails messy erasures, strike-overs, white-outs, etc. The most common reaction to this problem has been to simply replace the address books which requires a time consuming transfer of information from the old book to the new.  
      Accordingly, there is a need for an address book and updating system where the recorded information can be easily updated.  
     SUMMARY  
      The present invention is an address book and updating system where the recorded information can be easily updated. In particular, in one embodiment the user can write the new information on an update sticker, remove the sticker from the associated sticker sheet, and adhere the updated sticker over the previously-written entry. The update stickers may have the same size, shape and indicia as the previously printed entries such that the written entries can be easily updated with a seamless look.  
      In one embodiment the invention is an address book including a plurality of bound pages, wherein each page has at least one address book entry printed thereon. The address book entry includes an information template including at least one of name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, anniversary date, passwords, frequent websites or birth date indicia arranged in a predetermined format. The address book further includes a plurality of update stickers coupled to the pages, each update sticker including an address book entry printed thereon. The address book entry printed on each update sticker includes the information template including at least one of name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, anniversary date, passwords, frequent websites or birth date indicia arranged in the predetermined format.  
      Other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a top view of one embodiment of the address book of the present invention, with the address book shown in its closed position;  
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the address book of  FIG. 1 , showing examples of completed information templates;  
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the address book of  FIG. 1 , showing a printed address book sticker page;  
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the address book of  FIG. 3 , showing a completed update sticker being removed from the sticker sheet; and  
       FIG. 5  is a top elevation view of the address book of  FIG. 2 , showing the update sticker of  FIG. 4  adhered on the page of  FIG. 2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , in one embodiment of the present invention, the address book  10  includes a plurality of bound pages  12 . Each bound page  12  includes at least one address book entry  14  printed thereon. In the illustrated embodiment, each bound page  12  includes four address book entries  14  printed thereon, although the number of address book entries  14  can be varied as desired.  
      Each address book entry  14  may constitute or include an information template  16  which can include, for example, name indicia, mailing address indicia, phone number indicia, e-mail address indicia, anniversary date indicia, password indicia, frequent website indicia or birth date indicia arranged in a predetermined format. Each of the indicia can take the form of text, for example “Name” or “Telephone Number.” Alternately, the indicia can take the form of various other letters, symbols, abbreviations, drawings, etc. For example, a drawing or symbol of a telephone may constitute indicia used to represent a telephone number, and a drawing or symbol of a computer may constitute indicia used to represent an e-mail address.  
      In the illustrated embodiment, each template  16  includes a generally horizontally extending line located adjacent to each indicia to provide a space upon which a user can write appropriate information thereon. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , each address book entry/information template  14 ,  16  also includes a “Notes” section such that the user can record various additional pertinent information thereon. Each bound page  12  may be made of a generally water-absorbent material such as cellulose or pulp-based paper to allow a user to write information on the address book entries with a wide variety of writing instruments, including pen, pencil, marker and the like.  
      In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of pages  12  are bound together by a binding mechanism  18 . The binding mechanism  18  can take any of a variety of forms, including but not limited to coil binding mechanisms, spiral binding mechanisms, adhesive bindings, three-ring binders, prong binding mechanisms, case binding mechanisms, perfect binding mechanisms, stitched binding mechanisms, etc. A plurality of dividers  19  may be bound to the pages  12  to provide protruding alphabetical labels  20  which allow quick and easy indexing and accessing of the address information. Rather than having separate dividers  19 , if desired, all or selected ones of the bound pages  12  could have alphabetical index tabs located thereon.  
      The address book  10  may include a front  22  and a rear  24  cover bound to the plurality of pages  12 . Each cover  22 ,  24  can have a stiffness or thickness greater than the bound pages  12  to provide protection to the pages  12 . For example, the covers  22 ,  24  can be made of cardboard, plastic, tweeds, faux leathers, cottons, silk and the like. The address book  10  may include a closure mechanism  26  to retain the book  10  in its closed position. For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment the closure mechanism  26  takes the form of an elastic strap which can be expanded and passed around the front  22  and rear  24  covers to secure the book  10  in its closed position. However, the closure mechanism  26  can take any of a variety of forms including but not limited to extensible strap, non-extensible strap, hook and loop closure mechanisms, mechanical snaps, magnets, releasable adhesives, buttons, and ribbons. Furthermore, the closure mechanism  26  can be made of a solid material that is not stretchable. For example, rather than being made of an elastic material, the closure mechanism  26  may be made of paper, plastic, fabric, metal or the like.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , the address book  10  may include a plurality of sticker sheets  28  bound to the pages  12  by the binding mechanism  18 . In the illustrated embodiment, the sticker sheets  28  are located at the back of the address book and are located immediately below a divider  19  labeled “Change of Address.” However, the sticker sheets  28  can be located at any location throughout the thickness of the address book  10  and may be co-located with or without a divider  19 , wherein the divider  19  may be configured with or without labeling. Each update sticker sheet  28  may have a size and shape generally corresponding to the size and shape of each of the bound pages  12 .  
      Each sticker sheet  28  may include a plurality of update stickers  30  adhesively yet releasably located thereon. For example, in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the sticker sheet  28  includes four update stickers  30  located thereon, which correspond to the number of address book entries  14  on the bound pages  12 . However, each sticker sheet  28  can include various numbers of update stickers  30  located thereon as desired.  
      Each update sticker  30  includes an address book entry  14  printed thereon. Each address book entry  14  may include the information template  16  arranged in the same format as the information template  16  located on each of the bound pages  12 . In addition, each update sticker  30  may have a size and shape generally corresponding to the address book entry  14  of the bound pages.  
      Each sticker sheet  28  may be a two-ply sheet including a release liner  32  and an overlay sheet  34  with a pressure sensitive adhesive releasably adhering the overlay sheet to the release liner layer. The overlay sheet  34  may be die cut to define the plurality of update stickers  30  therein. The overlay sheet  34  (and thereby each update sticker  30 ) may be made of a generally water-absorbent paper material, such as cellulose or pulp-based paper. The release liner  32  maybe a non-porous, heat resistant substrate coated with a lubricant, such as wax or silicone oil to prevent the overlay sheet  34  from sticking when the update stickers  14  are desired to be removed. Representative examples of substrate include polyester, polypropylene, coated paper, and the like.  
      In order to utilize the address book  10 , a user first writes the address information on the bound pages  12  in the standard manner. For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , an entry for John Adams includes name, address, phone number, e-mail and birthday information manually printed thereon by a user. When the information for this entry needs to be updated (i.e., when the individual changes address), a user of the address book accesses the sticker sheets  28  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The new, updated (i.e., address) information for the individual is then printed onto one of the update stickers  30 . The update sticker  30  is then peeled away from the release liner  32  located below, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The removed update sticker  30  is then adhered over the old printed information, as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
      Each update sticker  30  may be configured to be permanently adhered to the associated bound page  12 . In particular, each update sticker  30 /bound page  12  may be configured such that, once an update sticker  30  is adhered to a bound page  12 , the update sticker  30  cannot be removed therefrom without at least partially tearing or removing part of the bound page  12  located below. However, it is within the scope of the present invention to provide update stickers/bound pages which do not become permanently adhered and which can be separated from each other without causing damage thereto.  
      As noted previously, each update sticker  30  may include an information template  16  in the same format as the information template  16  of each bound page  12 . In this manner, when an update sticker  30  is adhered to a bound page  12  to provide updated information, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the format of the update sticker  30  matches the format of the remaining address book entries  16  on the printed sheet  12 . In this manner, the use of the update stickers  30  provides a clean, seamless look, and allows the user to quickly and easily update information.  
      Although the invention is shown and described with respect to certain aspects, modifications may occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. The address book with update stickers includes all such modifications and is limited only by the scope of the claims.