Patent Publication Number: US-5026196-A

Title: Information organizing system

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to information organizing systems usable in looseleaf notebooks and elsewhere. In particular, it relates to a system by which notebooks may be organized for more efficient use. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An information organization system is provided which utilizes a series of imprinted organizational sheets which have releasable, pressure-sensitive adhesive on the lower edge of the reverse surface. These sheets are carried on a pad and are thereafter individually removed and placed upon preprinted notebook sheets or other sheets and are held in place by the adhesive. Since they are adhered along their lower edges, the organizational sheets can be placed in overlapping juxtaposition with only their upper areas showing; and, yet, each sheet can be read in its entirety from the top down without removing other sheets. The sheets can be adhered to, or removed from, the notebook pages or other reference sheets in any sequence. 
     The organizational sheets may include printed pointers enabling them to be adhered to the notebook or other sheets in a specified position which identifies their purpose and/or identifies a time such as an appointment time. The notebook pages are complementary to the organization sheets and are printed to identify the places where the organizational sheets are to be adhered. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of my system used in a notebook. The notebook is in open position showing some organizational sheets adhered to notebook pages. It will be noted that pointing indicia on the organizational sheets are correlated with appointment times printed on the notebook sheets. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pad of preprinted organizational sheets. A lower corner of the top sheet has been turned to show the releasable, pressure-sensitive adhesive along the lower edge of the back surface. This adhesive serves to hold the sheets on the pad. 
     FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1 showing several organizational sheets adhered to one notebook page and overlapping one another. 
     FIGS. 4 and 5 are plan views of notebook pages with different types of preprinted spaces to receive organizational sheets. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A loose-leaf notebook 1 with rings 3 carries notebook pages 5. Preferably, the pages are preprinted with appointment times along their right-hand edges. 
     A pad 11 carries organizational sheets 15. The sheets carry releasable, pressure-sensitive adhesive 18 along the lower edges of their back surfaces. This adhesive, which may be of the type used on note pads sold as &#34;Post-It&#34; notes, serves to hold sheets 15 together as a pad and also serves to temporarily secure them to notebook pages 5. Sheets bearing this adhesive can be easily adhered to and removed from the notebook pages. The system provides great flexibility since sheets 15 may from time to time be moved to different positions on the notebook page, to a different type of notebook page, or to separate sheets. 
     Sheets 15 include upper printed area 16 and lower printed area 17. The upper area is used for matter which the user desires to remain exposed and readable when the sheets are on notebooks pages 5; it could include printed spaces for names of persons to be met with, location of a meeting, purpose of the meeting, and the like. It should also include a pointer, such as pointing indicia 21, along the right edge of the upper printed area. This permits each sheet 15 to be positioned on the note-book page with the pointer indicating an appointment time or other desired data. 
     The lower printed area 17 may have areas to carry specific information or, as shown, simply be lined for entering notes. 
     Sheets 15 should have a width such that, when adhered to a notebook page 5, they essentially fill the width of page 5 except for that portion 7 showing appointment times. Then a sheet 15 can be adhered to notebook page 5 with its pointing indicia 21 pointing to the appointment time relating to that sheet. Alternatively, the dimensioning could be such as to permit two columns of sheets 15 on one page 5. If the sheets are used in connection with charts, they would normally be considerably smaller than the charts. 
     It will be noted from FIG. 1 that several sheets 15 can be adhered to page 5 in overlapping, juxtaposed relationship such that only the upper printed area 16 is exposed (except for the lowermost sheet 15). As a result the subject matter of the upper printed area can be read and, if desired, the entire contents of a sheet can be read by simply bending the lower sheets downwardly. This is far more convenient to use, and an improvement over having sheets which have their adhesive along the top edge. The pages 5 should be lined to complement the vertical dimension of the upper printed area 16, so that the sheets 15 may be adhered to and removed from the pages in any sequence. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-section showing the sheets 15 adhered to a notebook page 5 in staggered, overlapping juxtaposition. As can be seen, the upper printed area 16 of each sheet remains visible, but the lower printed areas 17 are covered (except for the lowest sheet 15). The printing on pages 5 should be so dimensioned as to provide for this spacing. Normally, the vertical width of the adhesive should be about the same as the spacing of the lines; it can, however, be slightly greater, if desired, to provide overlap between sheets and, so, slightly greater integrity. 
     Alternative types of notebook pages 5 are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and bear printing for customer names or dates. These pages provide reserve space for keeping used sheets 15 in either chronological order or for keeping all used sheets for a given client or customer. Thus, the user can keep his day to day appointments on pages such as those shown in FIG. 1 and, thereafter, retain them chronologically by customer or client on a sheet such as shown in FIG. 4 or a simple single chronological file as with the sheet of FIG. 5. As with all types of notebook pages, they should be printed with spacing so dimensioned as to complement the size and printing of the organizational sheets. Since sheets 15 are removable, notebook pages 5 can be reused.