A notepad and cover therefor

Abstract

 A notepad housed in a cover (3) having a foldable front cover panel (8) is constituted by a plurality of superimposed, substantially square sheets (1) provided along one edge with an intermediate recess (4) defining two projecting lateral portions (1′) by which the sheets of the stack are joined to the spine (2) of the cover (3). The cover (3) has a rear cover panel (6) in which is formed a shallow V-shape slot (7) and a front cover panel formed with fold lines (9, 10) defining foldable portions allowing a tab (17) at the free edge thereof to be folded back to be inserted into the slot (7) so that the front cover panel (8) forms a plurality of surfaces for displaying advertising messages.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a notepad housed in a foldable and shaped cover, which is designed to facilitiate the separation of the individual sheets from the pad and to meet other criteria for such notepads.

[0002] As is known, various promotional articles are distri­buted by enterprises in general, such as on the occasions of festivities, anniversaries and the like, and notepads currently find great favour for this purpose. Obviously such notepads must have a shape and other characteristics which make them pleasant to possess and use by those who receive them. The chief object of such promotional articles, of course, is that of functioning as a vehicle for transmission of the publicity mesages which in many cases is printed, in the case of notepads, on the side walls of the pads themselves. On the other hand, the conventional shape of such notepads makes the printing operation itself rather difficult.

[0003] Moreover, current notepads provided with covers usually have problems involved in the correct separation of the individual sheets from the pads themselves, which gives a poor image and to some extent prejudices the advertising value of the article.

[0004] The present invention therefore seeks to provide a notepad the shape of which facilitates the printing of publicity messages on its sides, and in particular to provide a notepad on the sides of which printing can be impressed even by means of rotary silk screen printing machines.

[0005] According to the present invention there is provided a notepad, characterised by the fact that it comprises a plurality of superimposed, substantially square sheets each joined to the other along one side which has an intermediate recess formed therein defining two lateral projecting portions by which the said stack of sheets is joined to the spine of a cover which has a rear cover panel in which is formed a slot and a front cover panel having parallel fold lines and a free edge portion which can be engaged in the said slot in the said rear cover panel upon folding of the front cover panel along the said fold lines.

[0006] A particular advantage of notepads made in accordance with the present invention is that the structure thereof enables an easy and correct separation of the sheets from the pad when gripped from either side.

[0007] One embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a notepad with the front panel of the cover resting on the stack of sheets in a closed position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same pad with the said front panel of the cover folded back;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the same notepad in an inverted position to show the rear panel of the cover;
and;

Figure 4 is another perspective view of the notepad shown in a configuration of use.

[0008] With reference now to the attached drawings, the notepad shown is constituted by a plurality of substantially square sheets 1 which are superimposed to form a block. The sheets 1 are intended to be joined to the spine 2 of a cover generally indicated 3 along one edge, which has an intermediate recess portion 4. The sheets of the stack 1 are joined to the spine 2 of the cover 3 by means of an appropriate elastic adhesive applied solely to the portions 1′ on either side of the recess 4. By means of this arrangement, in practice, there is obtained a significant saving of adhesive and the separation of individual sheets from the pad is made easier. Indeed a sheet may be removed by gripping the sheet either on the left side or the right side to peel it off the stack 1.

[0009] Between the spine 2 of the cover and the stack 1 of sheets there is formed a space 5 which can receive visiting cards, communications to be displayed, or other such material.

[0010] As can be seen in Figure 3 the cover 3 has a rear cover panel 6 in which there is formed a slot 7 having a wide V-shape extending generally parallel to the edge of the rear panel 6 which joins the spine 2. The cover 3 also has a front cover panel 8, which has two parallel scored ribs 9,10 which form hinge lines defining between them three mutually foldable portions 14, 15 and 16.

[0011] The smallest portion 16, which lies adjacent the spine, has a through-hole 11 formed therein to receive and support in a more or less oblique position the stem of a ball point pen or the like. The outer portion 14 of the said front cover has in its free edge two half-round notches or recesses 12 each of which joins a radial slot 13 to form a tab 17 between them.

[0012] In use, by folding the front cover panel 8 backwards and downwardly it is possible to join the front cover panel 8 to the rear panel 6 by inserting the tab 17 lying between the two half-round notches 12 and the slots 13 into the wide V-shaped slot 7 formed in the rear cover panel 6. This is illustrated in Figure 4 in which it can be seen that such folding positions the portion 15 as an inclined frontal plane and the portion 16 as an almost horizontal plane facing the user of the pad. Publicity messages can thus be advantageously printed on the portions 15 and 16.

[0013] Moreover, the particular shape of the stack of sheets 1 makes it possible to use rotary silk screen printing machines for the printing of written publicity material on the sides of the stack of sheets.

Claims

1. A notepad, characterised by the fact that it comprises a plurality of superimposed, substantially square sheets (1) each joined to the other along one side which has an intermediate recess (4) formed therein defining two lateral projecting portions (1′) by which the said stack of sheets (1) is joined to the spine (2) of a cover (3) which has a rear cover panel (6) in which is formed a slot (7) and a front cover panel (3) having parallel fold lines (9,10) and a free edge portion (17) which can be engaged in the said slot (7) in the said rear cover panel upon folding of the front cover panel (8) along the said fold lines (9,10).

2. A notepad according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said slot (7) formed in the rear cover panel (6) of the cover (3) has a shallow V-shape, and by the fact that the fold lines in the front cover panel (8) of the cover (3) are defined by two parallel ribs (9,10) defining three mutually foldable portions (15,16,17) thereof.

3. A notepad according to Claim 2, characterised by the fact that in the foldable portion (16) of the said front cover panel (8) nearest the spine (2) of the cover (3), there is formed a through-hole (11) for receiving and supporting the stem of a ball point pen or the like.

4. A notepad according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 characterised by the fact that the outer portion (14) of the front cover panel (8) has two half-round notches (12) in its free edge, each of which notches (12) communicates with a respective radial slot (13) to define between them a tab (17) for insertion into the said slot (7) upon folding the front cover panel (8).

5. A notepad according to any preceding Claim, characterised by the fact that the stack of sheets (1) is shaped such that the side faces of the stack can be printed utilising a rotary silk screen printing machine.

6. A notepad according to any preceding Claim, characterised by the fact that the recess (4) in the said one edge of each sheet defines, with the spine (2) of the cover (3) in which the stack of sheets (1) is housed a cavity (5) to receive visiting cards, communications to be displayed, or the like.

Drawing