Strip material exposure device

Abstract

 A device for locating and showing a portion of strip material comprises a length of strip material (30) passing over a base portion (10) and wound between two spools (40) which are in turn located at each end (16,17) of the base portion (10) by an upper portion (11) attached over the base (10). In use the strip (20) is wound over a flat portion (14) of the base (10) which together with a corresponding aperture (30) in the upper portion (11) forms a window thereby exposing selectively any portion of the strip material.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a device for selectively exposing a portion of strip material contained within the device.

[0002] An object of the invention is to provide a device from which information can be obtained and/or to which written data can be applied.

[0003] According to the invention there is provided a device for the selective exposure of a portion of strip material contained therein, comprising a casing having a central base part which has a smooth upper surface, a central upper part located over the central base part in closely spaced relation thereto and having an aperture therein to expose a portion of the smooth surface of the base part, a pair of chambers one at each end of the central parts and in parallel disposition, each removeably containing a spool and a strip of material connected to the spools and passing over the central base part whereby a portion of the strip material is supported thereby and exposed by the aperture in the upper central part, and means for rotating the spools to transfer a portion of the strip material from one spool to the other and to expose a fresh portion of the strip material.

[0004] Preferably, the means for rotating the spools is a winder knob which may be integral with or attached to an end of each spool and which is at least partially exposed externally of the casing for manual rotation.

[0005] Preferably also, each knob has a central opening engageable by a writing instrument to effect rotation of the knob.

[0006] Preferably also the casing has an upper part and a base part hinged together at one end or adapted to snap-fit together the ends of said parts being curved to form in combination the compartment for the spools which can be inserted or removed when the parts are hinged apart or separated.

[0007] The strip material may be of any material suitable for the purpose, such as paper, synthetic paper, laminated paper and plastics, foil or other suitable material in combination. It may be waterproof, resistant to oil or grease. ^*T\ lid may be hingedly attached or snap-fitted to the device to overlie the upper part when the device is not in use. Preferably, the lid and upper part of the casing have a common fixing attaching them to the base part.

[0008] Means is provided for securing one or more attachments to the casing, said means preferably comprising receiving holes or a socket at each end of the casing and a plug for fixed location in said holes or socket, said plugs carrying such attachments.

[0009] The attachments may be a carrying strap, writing instrument on a chain, key holder, or apertured plate for holding one or more writing instruments. A closure plug, which is easily removable, is located in the holes or a socket when no attachment is provided.

[0010] The lid, if provided can carry an attachment on its underside such as a pocket calculator, mirror or magnifying sheet.

[0011] Preferably, the major portion of the compartments are in the base part and preferably also the space between the curved ends of the base part and below the central portion of the base part is enclosed by a compartment or drawer.

[0012] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the top and one end of a device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a corresponding view exploded of the casing of the device;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional end view of a spool.

[0013] Referring to the drawings, the device comprises a casing containing a strip of material which can be wound manually from one spool to another. The casing has two main parts, a base part 10 and an upper part 11 and optional parts such as a lid 12 and a storage compartment 13 (Fig. 3) below the base part 10.

[0014] The base part 10 has a central portion 14 which has a flat smooth upper surface 15 and a pair of part cylindrical portions 16, 17 parallel to each other at the ends of the central part. These end portions 16, 17 carry slotted brackets 18 to receive the spools (not shown in Figs. 1 to 3) which carry the strip material.

[0015] The upper part 11 has a central portion 19 which has a large rectangular opening 20 therein, and two curved end portions 21, 22 which combine with the end portions 16, 17 of the base part to form tubular compartments (in this embodiment cylindrical) to re- cieve the spools.

[0016] The base and upper parts 10, 11 may snap-fit together, but in this embodiment the upper part 11 is hinged to the base part 10 at one end by hinge pins (not shown) which are clipped into or moulded to one or both parts and may pass through transverse tubular portions (not shown) at that end of the base and upper parts, and a catch 23 on the upper part 11 engages a recess 24 on the base part at the other end of these parts; also at each end of the base part 10 are a pair of holes 25 or a socket to receive plugs (not shown) carrying attachments 26 (Fig. 3) such as a pen/pencil stand, or carrying strap as shown, or a key holder or pocket clip or other accessory. These plugs are intended to firmly hold in the holes or socket but a readily removeable closure plug 27 is provided to close these holes 25 socket when no attachment is mounted therein.

[0017] When the upper part 11 overlies the base part 10, there is a slight gap between the central portions 14 and 19 so that the strip of material 30 (Fig. 1) can run from one spool to the other across the flat smooth surface 15 of the base part.

[0018] A pair of transverse ridges 31, 32 may be provided at the ends of the central portion 14 of the base part, particularly if the device is likely to be subjected to moisture, i.e. for outdoor use, or water (for underwater use) because the ridges will assist in breaking any vacuum which is created between the strip material 30 and the smooth surface 15 (if the strip material becomes damp or wet) when the spools are rotated to wind on the material.

[0019] The means of rotating the spools is a knob 35 integral with or attached to one (or each) end of each spool, so that the strip material can be wound on or back as desired. Each knob 35 is at least partially exposed at the side of the casing for manual rotation of the chosen knob. Each knob has a central aperture 36 for engagement by a writing instrument to which can effect quicker rotation of the chosen knob than rotating the knob by hand.

[0020] In this embodiment, each spool is tubular and made of a rigid plastics material and it has a specially shaped interior as shown in Fig. 4: knob 35 is omitted.

[0021] The inner side of the spool 40 has three ribs 41 and the knobs 35 each have a transverse hollow shaft 42 which is externally shaped to locate within the spool. The aperture 36 in the knob extends through the shaft 42 and said through aperture is also correspondingly shaped so that a writing instrument 43 having a longitudinally fluted outer surface can locate in the through aperture and on manual rotation will cause the spool 40 to rotate. The three ribs 41 and corresponding. deformations in the knob ensure a firm non-slip engagement of the fluted body 43 of the writing instrument. Such a writing instrument, for example a ball-point pen, can have a body which is fluted over most of its length apart from a small portion at the end remote from the ball-point end so that the pen can be carried in the spool when not in use, only the non-fluted end projecting from the knob.

[0022] The pen is normally used for writing data into the portion of strip material exposed by the opening in the upper part of the casing, for example, when the strip material is a series of report sheets exposed at a time and after completion wound on to expose the next report sheet. Writing on the exposed face is possible because the flat base plate supports the portion ot strip material; also the material of the strip may be treated to enable writing upon it, for example, waterproofed material.

[0023] A knob 35 is preferably provided at each end of each spool so that the device is more readily usable by right-handed and left-handed persons.

[0024] The major portion of the cylindrical compartments of the casing are, in this embodiment, in the base part and a relatively large space is provided between the curved ends of the base and below the central portion; this space is utilized for storing items (Fig. 3) such as one or more spare spools of strip material. A storage compartment (not shown) having a lid for access, or one or more drawers 45 form the storage means.

[0025] A longitudinal strengthening rib 46 may be provided on the underside of the base part and it may be on the central axis or off set to one side as in Fig. 3; in either case, a drawer 45 can be provided at each side of the casing, terminating inwardly at the rib, or one or two compartments can be provided one on each side of the rib 46.

[0026] The device has a great many applications to business, commerce and industry. The strip may for example, form a series of report sheets whereby when one report has been filled in the strip is wound on to expose the next report sheet; it may form the pages of a book such as particularly for use by invalids, instruction manual for service engineers, a diary or a series of colouring pictures or story book for children; the strip may be blank for use as a note pad or sketch pad; it may be waterproof for use by divers.

[0027] It is proposed to produce the device in four sizes; from pocket size, through small and medium to large with approximate outside dimensions as follows. Approximate. Dimensions (Outside.)

[0028] The lid, if provided can carry an attachment on its underside such as a pocket calculator, mirror or magnifying sheet 50.

Claims

1. A device for the selective exposure of a portion of strip material contained therein, characterised in that a casing has a central base part (14) which has a smooth upper surface (15), a central upper part (19) located over the central base part in closely spaced relation thereto and having an aperture (20) therein to expose a portion of the smooth surface (15) of the base part, a pair of chambers (16, 21) and (17, 22) one at each end of the central parts and in parallel disposition, each removably containing a spool (40) and a strip of material (30) connected to the spools and passing over the central base part (14) whereby a portion of the strip material is supported thereby and exposed by the aperture (20) in the upper central part (19), and means (35) for rotating the spools (40) to transfer a portion of the strip material from one spool to the other and to expose a fresh portion of the strip material.

2. A device according to claim 1 characterised in that the means for rotating the spools (40) is a winder knob (35) which is integral with or attached to an end of each spool and which is at least partially exposed externally of the casing for manual rotation.

3. A device according to claim 2, characterised in that each knob (35) has a central opening (36) engageable by a writing instrument to effect rotation of the knob.

4. A device according to claim 1, 2 and 3 characterised in that the casing has a base part (10) and an upper part (11) hinged together at one end or adapted to snap-fit together, the ends (16, 17) and (21, 22) of said parts being curved to form in combination the compartment for the spools (40) which can be inserted and removed when the parts (10) and (11) are hinged apart or separated.

5. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that a lid (12) is hingedly attached or snap-fitted to the casing to overlie the upper part (11, 19, 21, 22) when the device is not in use.

6. A device according to claim 5, characterised in that the lid (12) and upper part (11) of the casing have a common fixing attaching them to the base part.

7. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the space between the curved ends (16, 17) of the base part (10) and below the central portion (14) thereof is enclosed by a compartment or drawer (45).

8. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that means (25) is provided for securing one or more attachments (26) to the casing.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the means (25) comprises a receiving hole (25) or a socket at one or each end of the casing, and a plug for fixed location in said hole (25) or socket, said plug to carry an attachment (26).

10. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the strip material (30) is of a material suitable for writing on.

11. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the strip material (30) is resistant to water, oil or grease.

12. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the spool (40) is tubular and has a knob (35) attached to at least one end, the inner side of the spool has three ribs (41) and the knob (35) has a central aperture and a transverse hollow shaft (42) which is externally shaped to locate within the spool, a central aperture (36) in the knob and hollow shaft (42) being substantially triangular in shape to receive a writing instrument for manual rotation of the spool.

Drawing