[0001] The present invention relates to a notebook with pen.
[0002] The patent application
US-20040136774 describes a notebook with pen similar to that shown in the web-site
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-89852536/stock-photo-empty-opened-white-block-notes-with-spiral-and-pen.html. According to this patent application loose leaves laterally provided with a plurality
of holes are hold by one double ring spiral passing through the holes. A pen is inserted
into an elastic strap in the form of a loop attached to the back plate of the cover
in its right-hand side edge.
[0003] It should be understood that such an arrangement of the pen inside the cover increases
the lateral dimensions of the same. This arrangement, in addition to increasing the
overall size of the notebook without providing a useful extension of the size of the
leaves, can determine the risk that the pen accidentally slips off the strap to loop,
without the user noticing as the pen is covered by the cover front plate. Another
notebook with pen called
Recycled cardboard journal is shown in
http://www.szwholesale.com/shenzhen_China_products/Recycled-Cardboard-Journal 1.htm. This second notebook basically includes a front plate, a back plate and loose leaves,
all of them being provided with two separate series of square holes on a portion of
the left-hand vertical edge. Two double ring spirals pass through the square holes
of the plates and leaves. A rigid sleeve made of cardboard is sewn on the left-hand
vertical edge portion to allow a pen to be inserted and retained in the rigid sleeve.
In this second notebook the pen as well as the same rigid sleeve, when the pen is
removed from it, hinders complete opening of the notebook, which makes uncomfortable
to write on the back of the leaves. When the notebook is combined with other blocks
or books, it does not rely on them uniformly because it does not provide a flat surface.
The overall width of the set of books and blocks is also increased. Furthermore, since
the pen is completely exposed, it is likely to easily slip off and fall due to a contact
with other objects.
[0004] In this context, a technical task underlying the present invention is to propose
a notebook with pen that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above.
In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a notebook with pen
in which a pen is applied in a notebook without increasing unnecessarily its encumbrance.
[0005] A further object of the present invention is to prevent a pen applied on a notebook
to slip off accidentally and fall.
[0006] The technical task mentioned and the aims specified are substantially achieved by
a notebook with pen, comprising the technical features set forth in one or more of
the appended claims.
[0007] The features and advantages of a notebook with pen according to the invention will
become clear from the following detailed description, relating to embodiments thereof
as described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a notebook with pen according
to the invention, in a closed position;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the notebook in Figure 1 from which the pen has
been removed;
Figure 3 is a plan view of the notebook in Figure 1 when it is leafed to the last
page; and
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the notebook according to
the invention when it is at the first page.
[0008] A first embodiment of a notebook 10 with pen according to the present invention is
shown in Figures 1 to 3, as seen in a perspective view in a closed position, with
and without a pen, and in an open position respectively until the last page. According
to the terminology used in book binding, a front plate is denoted as 1, a back plate
as 2, and loose leaves of the notebook are generally denoted as 3. Respective series
of square holes generally indicated as 4 are formed in the front plate 1 and in the
rear plate 2 and in the loose leaves 3 on upper and lower ends of an edge thereof
that is the left-hand one in the shown embodiment. Two double ring spirals 5, 5, made
generally of metal, pass through the respective series of holes 4 in order to hold
together the front plate 1, the rear plate 2 and the leaves 3. The plates 1 and 2
are made of stiff cardboard as desired, or other suitable material.
[0009] According to the present invention a loop-shaped elastic strap 6 is fixed by means
of a rivet 7 on the inner side of the rear plate 2, i.e. the one facing the leaves
3. The elastic strap 6 is fixed in a central position in the same edge portion in
which the square holes 4 are made. In this way the elastic strap 6 protrudes laterally
from the rear plate 2 and is adapted to retain a pen 8 between the two spirals 5,
5. The pen 8 is shown in Figure 1 as positioned in the notebook 10. The pen 8 is prevented
from slipping off accidentally as its unwanted sliding in the loop of the elastic
strap 6 would cause the ends of the pen to be inserted in the one or the other of
the two spirals 5, 5. On the contrary, an user can remove easily the pen 8 by pulling
laterally outwardly the upper side of the pen with a consequent deformation of the
elastic strap 6, which allows the pen 8 to be tilted with respect to its position
coaxial to the two spirals 5, 5. Thus the pen 8 can slide out of engagement with the
spirals 5, 5 and, therefore, be removed from the notebook.
[0010] Shown in Figure 4 is a second embodiment of a notebook 11 with pen according to the
present invention. The second embodiment differs from the first one as the leaves
3 are placed inside a cover 9, where a front plate 12 and a back plate 13 are joined
by a spine 14. Glued on the third page of the cover, i.e. on the inner side of the
rear plate 13, is a flyleaf 15, namely a sheet of cardboard bored like the leaves
3. In the field of bookbinding it is known that the flyleaf is a connection element
between the cover and the sheets of the book. Two double ring spirals 5, 5 pass through
respective series of square holes 4 formed in the flyleaf 15 and in the leaves 3 in
order to hold the leaves together and with the cover 9. The notebook 11 differs from
the notebook 10 of the first embodiment in that the spirals 5, 5, and the pen 8 are
hidden when the cover 9 is closed, but nothing changes in the functional features
of the notebook that is able to reliably hold the pen in place, preventing accidental
removal thereof. Conventionally, the cover 9 can be held closed by an elastic strip
not shown in the drawings.
[0011] Another feature of the invention is that the pen 8 does not disturb the use of the
notebook when the pen 8 is inserted into the elastic strap 6, nor the latter creates
discomfort to the user even in the absence of the pen 8.
1. A notebook (10; 11) with pen, including a front plate (1; 12), a rear plate (2; 13),
loose leaves (3) being provided with a double series of square holes (4) on an edge
portion thereof, two double ring spirals (5, 5) passing through the double series
of square holes (4) and a loop-shaped elastic strap (6) for holding a pen (8), characterised in that said elastic strap (6) is attached to said rear plate (2; 13) on its side facing
the loose leaves (3) in said edge portion so as to protrude from the loose leaves
(3) for retaining the pen (8) between the two spirals (5, 5).
2. The notebook (10; 11) with a pen according to claim 1, wherein said elastic strap
(6) is attached centrally in said edge portion of the rear plate (2; 13).
3. The notebook (10) with a pen according to claim 1, wherein the front plate (1) and
the back plate (2) are provided with square holes (4) in correspondence of said double
series of square holes (4) of the loose leaves (3), the two spirals (5, 5) being adapted
to pass through the square holes (4) of the front plate (1) and rear plate (2) and
leaves (3), and said elastic strap (6) is fixed by a rivet (7).
4. The notebook (11) with a pen according to claim 1, wherein the front plate (12) and
the back plate (13) are joined together by a spine (14) to form a cover (9), and a
flyleaf (15) being equipped with square holes (4) in correspondence of said double
series of square holes (4) of the loose leaves (3) is glued to the rear plate (13),
the two spirals (5, 5) being adapted to pass through the square holes (4) of the flyleaf
(15) and of the loose leaves (3), and said elastic strap (6) is covered by the flyleaf
(15).
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only.
It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has
been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and
the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description