Abstract:
A lightweight molded notepad holder that straps to the users wrist. The holder uses commercially available self-stick notes that insert directly into the holder. The individual pages of the notepad may be prevented from flying up or curling by use of one or more retainers built into the corners of the holder. Once in the holder, the pages are instantly available for note taking or dispensing as self-stick notes. The wrist strap also accommodates a wristwatch in conjunction with the wrist notepad holder.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/299,933 filed on Jun. 21, 2001 (Attorney Docket No. 005702P001Z). 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to the field of wrist mounted note taking devices.  
           [0004]    2. Prior Art  
           [0005]    Prior art wrist mounted notepads require the user to either use a slate with special writing instrument, or a continuous scroll of specialized paper, or individual sheets of specialized paper held in place by various mechanical devices. Such prior art devices include those disclosed by Weiss, U.S. Pat. No. 1,407,239, Zelenko, U.S. Pat. No.4,083,136, Rankin, U.S. Pat. No.4,824,140, Schreindl, U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,025, Wiltshire, U.S. Pat. No.5,531,481, Zipoy U.S. Pat. No.1,419,190, and Canfield U.S. Pat. No. 2,099,295.  
           [0006]    Most devices in prior art have a tendency to be too specialized for general use, particularly when one considers that the self stick notepad concept is now so universal. Also many devices in the prior art are cumbersome in design, incorporating detachable parts and assemblies susceptible to loss or damage. Nearly all devices utilize a specialized note material or note size not otherwise commercially available. The present invention, using commercially available notepads in a simple, one piece holder, provides an efficient device to a universal-market.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    A lightweight molded notepad holder that straps to the users wrist. The holder uses commercially available self-stick notes that insert directly into the holder. The individual pages of the notepad may be prevented from flying up or curling by use of one or more retainers built into the corners of the holder. Once in the holder, the pages are instantly available for note taking or dispensing as self-stick notes. The wrist strap also accommodates a wristwatch in conjunction with the notepad holder.  
           [0008]    Accordingly, the objects of the invention include, but are not limited to:  
           [0009]    [0009] 1 . providing a simple, economical device for holding a notepad on the wrist; and,  
           [0010]    [0010] 2 . providing a notepad holder that accommodates commercially available replacement notepads.  
           [0011]    Other objects and advantages include:  
           [0012]    [0012] 1 . the convenience of using a self-stick note;  
           [0013]    [0013] 2 . the use of replacement notepads that are available at most stationary and convenience stores;  
           [0014]    [0014] 3 . a simple, molded one-piece holder without removable components that may get lost or broken;  
           [0015]    [0015] 4 . an ergonomic design offering stability and comfort while worn on the wrist;  
           [0016]    [0016] 5 . built-in page retainers to prevent the top pages of the notepad from flying up or curling when in the holder;  
           [0017]    [0017] 6 . a contoured shape of the holder that allows the user to wear it under clothing like a jacket without it snagging or catching on the clothing; and,  
           [0018]    [0018] 7 . an adjustable strap design that allows a wristwatch to be attached in conjunction with the Wrist Writer  
           [0019]    Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 is a top view of the exemplary wrist notepad holder of the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 is an end view of the exemplary wrist notepad holder of the present invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 is a first side view of the exemplary wrist notepad holder of the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the exemplary wrist notepad holder of the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6 is a second side view of the exemplary wrist notepad holder of the present invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 7 is a cross section taken through one of the page retaining members of the exemplary notepad holder of the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 8 is an end view illustrating the further mounting of a watch on the wrist notepad holder wristband of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0028]    First referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as the same may be used, may be seen. The wrist pad holder is comprised of a body member  20  and a wrist strap  22 . Mounted within the body member is a conventional self-stick removable notepad  23  the type widely commercially available and sold under various trademarks, such as the registered trademark “POST-IT”. The particular embodiment shown is sized and proportioned to receive a 1″ by 1.5″ notepad, though the invention could be sized to receive larger notepads if desired. Also visible in FIG. 1 is a page retaining member  24 , the view of a second page retaining member being obstructed by the depiction of a user&#39;s hand and pen. Worn in this way, adhesive edge  26  of the notepad would be positioned opposite the page retaining members  24  so that the page retaining members  24  prevent the free edges of the notepad pages from curling up, getting caught on sleeves, etc. For removal of a notepad page, body member  20  includes a depression  28  opposite the adhesive edge  26  to allow one to get under the top notepad page for removal of that page from the notepad. In that regard, obviously the wrist notepad holder may be rotated 180° with respect to the user&#39;s arm so that the page removal depression  28  is on the opposite side of the wrist notepad holder if the user finds that more convenient. Further, while FIG. 1 suggests that the wrist notepad holder be positioned to hold the notepad on the top of the wrist, the same may be positioned under the wrist if the user finds that more convenient or comfortable in use.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIGS. 2, 3,  4 ,  5  and  6  present a top view, an end view, a first side view, a bottom view, and a second side view, and respectively, of the exemplary embodiment of wrist notepad holder of the present invention. As may be seen in these Figures, the wrist notepad holder is contoured to fit comfortably on a user&#39;s wrist with a contoured exterior shape to allow the user to wear it under clothing, such as a long sleeved shirt or jacket without snagging or catching on the clothing. The depression or pocket for receiving the notepad may be of sufficient depth so that the top page of the notepad is substantially level with or even slightly below the adjacent exterior surface of the wrist notepad holder further reduce the tendency of pages to snag on clothing, to lift up, or become frayed.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 7 presents a cross section taken through one of the page retaining members  24 . As may be seen in FIG. 5, the page retaining members  24  fit within depressions  30  in internal walls  32  so as to engage the respective edges of the notepad  23  in the wrist notepad holder. The page retaining members  24  in the preferred embodiment are pieces of hook material of the well-known and readily commercially available hook and loop type fasteners, such as, by way of example, are sold under the registered trademark “VELCRO”. The page retaining members  24  resist lifting of the edges of the notepad  23 , though do not interfere with the intentional removal of each page of the notepad when desired.  
         [0031]    Now referring to FIG. 3 again, it may be seen that the wristband  22  in the preferred embodiment is a single band passing through a slot in the lower edge  34  of the body  20 . The opposite edge  36  of the body  20  has a similar slot, with the wristband  22  also passing there through. In that regard, the inner end of the wristband adjacent region  38  preferably has an enlarged end to keep that end of the wristband from passing through that slot. In a preferred embodiment, the wristband as shown in FIG. 3 is a single band having hook and loop fastener material on adjacent surfaces o-f the wristband in region  40  so that the wristband is fully adjustable and readily releasable for the convenience of the user.  
         [0032]    In addition, the wristband may also accommodate a watch as shown in FIG. 8. In particular, the wrist notepad holder, generally indicated by the numeral  42 , may be positioned to rest on one side of the user&#39;s wrist with a watch  44  supported by the same wristband on the other side of the user&#39;s wrist if desired.  
         [0033]    As may be seen from the foregoing disclosure, the wrist notepad holder of the exemplary embodiment is a simple light weight and low cost device comprised of two principal parts, namely the body  20  and the wristband  22 . The body  20  is preferably injection molded of a semi-rigid or rigid plastic. As suggested in FIG. 7, the walls of the body  20  are preferably generally of uniform thickness, providing the desired shape and structural integrity while minimizing the weight of the device.  
         [0034]    While a preferred embodiment of the present invention and certain variations thereof have been disclosed herein, such disclosure is only for purposes of understanding the exemplary embodiment and not by way of limitation of the invention. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set out in the full scope of the following claims.