Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
Descri~ton
Notepaper Dispensing ~ray
Technical Field
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The present invention relates to an improvement
in a tray for supporting notepaper, and in one aspect to a
new configuration of a tray ~or supporting the stack of
notepaper to permit dispensing single sheets from a stack
of notepaper without separatin~ the stack from the support.
sackground Art
Notepaper has become commercially available by
the assignee of this application, Minnesota Mining and
Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minnesota U.S.A. wherein
the stack of sheet material comprises a plurality of sheets
each of which are coated with a narrow band of readily
releasable pressure-sensitive adhesive along one ed~e and
the sheets are stacked with the adhesive coated edge of
each sheet positioned above each other adhesive coated
edge. The band of adhesive ranges between one-quarter and
three-quarters of an inch wide~ The individual sheets may
be readily withdrawn from the stack by peeling the sheet
and its adhesive from the next adjacent sheet in the stack.
The adhe~ive is a readily repositionable pressure-sensitive
adhesive such that the separated sheet may be attached to
another sheet or other receptor sur~ace and readily removed
withou~ tea~in~ the Eiber~ of the othcr ~h~t or r~c~ltor
surface upon later separating the sheet.
A stack of this notepaper is adapted to be
supported on a holder such as is disclosed in U.S.A.
Letters Patent No. Des. 273,798 issued May 8, 1984. This
particular prior holder had a surface for supporting the
stack of sheet material and relied on the adhesive on the
surface o~ the lower sheet of the stack or on an additional
strip o~ adhesive to secure the stack of sheets or pad to
the support surface on the holder~ After several uses of
the pad holder, it was noted that the surface would become
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soiled or the strip of adhesive applied to the holder became
contaminated such tha~ the pad was no-t secure enough tc, the holder
to permit separation or one sheet from the stack without the
separating force being sufficient to also separa~e the entire
stack from the holder, particularly as the number of sheets in the
stack was depleted. Therefore, improvements in holders for
dispensing the pressure-sensitive adhesive coated notepapers from
a stack became desirable.
The present invention describes an improved notepaper
dispenser which a-ffords a support surface for supporting a stack
or pad of sheet material and on a surface which permits writing on
the notepaper before the same is removed from the s-tack. Further,
the holder of the present invention provides means for holding the
bottom sheet in a stack against movement in the plane of the
support surface. The holder for the notepaper is provided with
abutment means which projects above the plane of the support
surface supporting the notepaper to restrict movement of the stack
during the separation of ~he uppermost sheet from the stack and
peeling forces from being applied to the band of adhesive on the
lowermost sheets.
_isclosure of Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in
notepaper dispensers and particularly to an improvement in holders
for pads of notepaper which comprise sheets held together with a
narrow band of pressure sensitive adhesive material. The holder
permits the sheets to be dispensed individually ancl holds a stack
B f sheets such that the forces imparted to the stack during the
sq~
separation of the individual sheets will not separate the stack
from the holder.
The invention provides a dispenser for a stack of sheet
material comprising sheets joined in the stack by a narrow band of
pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side of each sheet ad]acent one
end and affording dispensing of single sheets from the stack and
separation of the adh~sive coated end of the single sheet from the
remaininy sheets in the stack, said dispenser comprising: a
support member having a generally planar support surface for
supporting the stack of sheet material, clamping means cooperating
with said support surface for engaging the lowermost sheet of said
stack between said adhesive coated end and the other end opposite
said coated end, and fixing said sheet in relationship to the
support, and abut.ment means pro3ecting above the plane of the
support surface for engaging said other end of said stack for
cooperating with said clamping means for restricting movement of
said stack in relationship to the support surface during
separation of the top sheet from a said stack, wherein said
clamping means cooperating with said support surface comprises a
clamping plate adapted to be positioned over a lowermost sheet in
a said stack and said clamping plate is formed with a clamp member
comprising a flange connected to the forward edye of the clamping
plate and extending transversely of the support member and a
second plate member positioned beneath the support member which is
normally spaced from the clamping plate by a distance less than
the thickness of the support member to urge the clamping plate
toward -the support surface to frictionally fix said lowermost
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sheet onto said support surface.
The invention also provides a dispenser for a stack of
sheet material comprising sheets joined in the s~ack by a narrow
band of pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side of each sheet
adjacent one end and affordiny dispensing of single sheets from
the stack and separation of the adhesive coated end of the single
sheet from the remaining sheets in the stack, said dispenser
comprising: a support member having a generally planar support
surface for supporting the stack of sheat material, clamping means
cooperating with said support surface for engaging the lowermost
sheet of said stack between said adhesive coated end and the other
end opposite said coated end, and fixing said sheet in
relationship to the support, and abutment means projecting above
the plane of the support surface for engaging said other end of
said stack for cooperating with said clamping means for
restricting movement of said stack in relationship to the support
surface during separation of the top sheet from a said stack,
wherein said clamping means cooperating with said support surface
comprises a plate extending transversely of the support member,
~0 said plate having clamp members at the ends thereof which
cooperate with ~he ends of the support member to frictionally
engage the ends of said support member adjacent the edges of said
support surface for holding the plate and the bottom sheet of a
said stack against movement in the plane of the support surface,
said plate havi.ng said abutment means affixed thereto to engage
the sheets along the front edge of the support member.
The invention further provides a dispenser for a stack
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of sheet material comprising sheets joined in the stack by a
narrow band of pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side of each
sheet adjacent one edge of the stack and affording dispensing of
single sheets from the stack and se~aration of the adhesive coated
end of the single sheet from the remaininy sheets in the stack,
said dispenser compris.ing a support member having a generally
planar support surface for supporting said one edge of the stack
of sheet material, a plate member positioned on said support
member and movable with respect to said support member, means
afforcling limited movement of said plate member with respec~ to
said support member for inserting the adhesive-free portion of the
lowermost sheet in a said stack between said plate member and said
support member, an abutment member formed along an edge of said
plate member and projecting from the surface of said plate member
supporting said stack to engage the edge of the stack of sheets
opposite said one edge and projection means projecting from the
opposite surface of said plate member for penetrating a said
lowermost sheet in a said stack, said projection means being
positioned on said plate member to penetrate a said sheet when
said edge of said stack opposite saicl one edge is contacting saicl
abu-tment.
The clamping action may be afforded by physical forces
applied to the lowermost sheet, such as frictional forces applied
by weight, by springs, by the use of magnets, or by physically
bending the lowermost sheet such that increased forces are needed
to release the lowermost sheet from the support surface.
The abutment means may be formed on the frame of the
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holder or may be formed in the clamping plate. The abutment means
projects above the plane of the support platen and engayes at
least a number of the sheets along the front edge of the stack on
an edye opposite the edge where the sheets are adhered together.
The abutment means restricts movement of the stack with respect to
the support platen including lifting or rotational movement.
Brief Description of Drawin~
The present inventlon will be described in greater
detail with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein
FIGURE 1 is a perspeckive view of a holder according to
the present invention;
FIGURF 2 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken
along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the clamping
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portion of the holder in raised position to accept the
lowermost sheet of a stack of notepaper;
FIGURE 3 is a vertical ~ectional view taken
along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the ~tack of
notepaper supported on the holder partially in phantom
view;
FIGURE 4 i~ a fragmentary detailed side view
showing the frame of the holder and the support for the
clamping plate with the adjacent edge of the clamping plate
in phantom broken lines;
FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary detailed bottom view
partly in section showing the clamping plate and the frame
of the holder;
FIGURE 6 is a detailed sectional view showing
the clamping plate and holder frame with pins to penetrate
the bottom sheet of the stack;
FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of a second
embodiment of the present invention,
FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a
further embodiment of the present invention with the figure
partly in section and a phantom view of the clamping plate
separated from the holder;
FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a further
embodiment showing portions broken away for purposes of
illustration; and
FIGURE 10 is a vertical sectional view of a
further embodiment of a holder according to the present
invention.
Detailed DescriEtion
Referring now to Figure 1 there is illustrated a
dispenser for a stack of notepaper, which dispen~er iB
generally designated by the reference numeral 11 and
compri~e~ a main Erame 12 which may be molded and formed of
joined parts to have an inner cavity 13 which may be filled
with a sand or other heavy material to weight the
dispenser~ The frame 12 has a bottom plate 14, a rear wall
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15, opposed side walls 16 and 17, between which extend a
generally planar support 20 for a stack of sheet material.
The support 20 extends from the front edge 21 of the holder
to a generally vertical member 22, which woul~ be at one
end of the stack 30 of sheet material and which, at its
upper end, connects with the top 23 of the frame 12. The
top 23 is shaped to form a cradle for a writing instrument
and con-tinues to a well 24 shaped to receive a refill stack
of notepaper, paper clips, or the upper sur~ace surrounding
the well 2~ may support a nameplate, etc.
Supported for pivotal movement relative to the
frame 12 is a platen or planar clampin~ plate 25 which is
adapted ~or clamping the lowermost sheet 26 of a stack of
sheets 30 onto the frame 12 of the holder~ As illustrated
in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the plate 25 is adapted to pivot
relative to the frame 12 and cooperates with the support 20
to firmly hol~ the lowermost sheet 26 in a position between
the support 20 and the under side of the plate 25 to
restrict movement of the sheet 26 with respect to the plane
of the support 20. Extending upwardly from the ~orward end
of the plate 25 is an abutment 31 which engages the edge of
the lowermost sheets in the stack. The abutment 31 serves
to restrict movement of a stack of sheets with respect to
the platen 25 and support 20 during separation of the
uppermost sheet in the stack. During the peeling or
stripping movement when separating one sheet from the stack
30 the stack ~ends to li~t adjacent th~ edge where the
sheets are joined, driving the stack ~orward or to apply a
rotational or torsional force to be transmitte~ to the
stack. These forces will be absorbed by the abutment and
restrict movement of the pad with respect to the support
and translates the forces to shear forces on the bands of
adhesive joining the sheet~ to restrict separation of the
stack ~rom the lowermost sheet.
Figure 3 illustrates in sectional view a stack 30
of sheet material on the dispenser 11 with the lowermost
sheet 26 clamped between the platen 25 and the support
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surface 20. The clamp holds the lower sheet at a position
adjacent the edge where the sheets are joined ~ogether as
illustrated. This restricts a lifting and peeling force to
be exerted between the lower sheet and the pad.
The pad or stack of sheet material illustrated
comprises sheets of notepaper, approximately twenty pound
bond paper, with each sheet coated along one edge with a
readily repositionable pressure-sensitive adhesive. The
adhesive is coated in a band about one-quarter to three
quarters of an inch wide.
L~`igures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the de~ail~ of the
clamping plate and the support. The main frame 12 is
provided at its forward end with a cut~away as illustrated
at 34 to leave a narrow resilient finger 35 extendin~ along
the lateral edge o~ the frame 12. Extending outward from
the finger 35 is a fulcrum member 37 which defines the
fulcrum for the pivoting clamping plate 25. Also extending
outwardly from the lateral edge of the frame 12 is a stop
member 39 which is spaced from the front edge of the frame
12.
~ s illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the platen 25
is formed with depending side members 40 which cover the
lateral edges of the frame 12 and the cover members 40 are
provided with interior recesses cooperating with the
fulcrum members 37 and the stop members 39 affording
limited pivotal movement of the plate 25 and positioning of
the plate 25.
As illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 6, the under
surface of the clamping plate 25 may be provided with
transversely spaced pointed projections 45 which extend
from the under surface of the plate 25 and cooperate with
recesses 46 in the support member 20 such that upon
insertion o~ the lowermo~t sheet 26 in the stack 30 the
projection~ 45 will penetrate the sheet and hold the sheet
securely against movement with respect to the support 20.
The clamping plate 25 could also be formed with a
resilient detent similar to the stop ~ember 39 which would
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loc~ in a cooperating rece~s to frictionally hold the
bottom sheet 26 securely between the support 20 and plate
25.
The dispenser 11 with the pivoted clamping plate
25 locks the lowermost sheet in position and holds the
paper in a predetermined plane with respect to the support
20 and the plate 25 such that the user may write on the
sheets of notepaper before separation from the stack down
to the very last sheet without encountering an uneven
writing surface beneath the next to the last sheet in the
stack~
A second embodiment of the invention is
illustrated in Figure 7 which illustrates a dispenser
generally designated 51 comprising meAns defining a frame
having means defining a support surface 52. Embedded in the
support ~urface 52 and extending transversely thereof are a
pair of permanent magnet~ 53 and 54 which are bars of a
permanent magnetic material. A clamping plate 55 formed of
a magnetic material may be inserted between the lowermost
sheet 26 of a stack oE sheet material and the next adjacent
sheet and the ~agnets 53 and 54 will clamp the sheet
against the support 52 with sufficient force to hold the
sheet 26 and the stack 30 against movernent with respect to
the support surface. The magnetic plate 55 is provided
with a raised and transversely extending abutment 57 which
enga~3es one or more of the 3heets in the stack adjacent the
front edge of the stack to hold the stack against movement.
~lso, the end 59 of the plate 55 may be bend downwardly
acro~ the width of the plate to position the plate with
respect to the front edge 60 of the holder, and position
the opposite edge of the plate adjacent the adhe~ive band
of the stack.
In a further embodiment of the invention as
illu~trated in Figure 8 the dispenser 61 may have a frame
formed of wood, stone, or other solid rnaterial and shaped
to define a ~upport surface 62. ThG ~upport surface 62 may
be formed on a surface recessed between edges 63 and 64 to
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afford an improved artistic design for supporting the
notepaper. In this embodiment the stack 30 of notepaper is
positioned within the recessed area and the lowermost sheet
in the stack is clamped between a clamping plate member 65
and the support surface 62 as illustrated in Figure 8~ The
clamping plate 65 as shown more clearly in phantom view in
Figure 8 and partially in section appears generally
U-shaped comprises an upper support plate 66 that fits over
the lowermost sheet in the stack and forms a support or
wr.iting surface for the sheet material. Bent ~rom the
surface of the plate 66 and extending upwardly therefrom is
~n abutment member 67 which engages the front edge of the
sheets in the stack 30. The clamping plate 66 has a
depending flange portion 68 which has a thickness equal to
or slightly greater than the height of the front edge 69 of
the holder 61 and has a lower locking plate 70 which fits
beneath the holder 61 and the support surface 62 thereof.
In operation, as the clamping plate 67 is
inserted over the lowermost sheet and moved rearwardly with
respect to the recess in the holder 61, the normal
resilience of the material forming the clamping plate 67
pinches or binds and frictionally holds the lowermost sheet
of the stack firmly on the support 62. The abutment 67 in
the meantime enqages the front edge of the stack to
restrict any rotational movement of the stack with respect
to the ~upport plate 650
A similar embodiment for a notepad holder and
dispenser is illustrated in Figure 9r This holder,
generally designated 71, formed of a solid material and
generally wedge ~haped, ha~ an wpper support surface 72 for
3upporting the tack 30 of notepaper. A clamping plate Eor
clamping the lowermost sheet in the stack to the holder 71
and in po~ition on the support ~urface 72 compriqes a
clamping member 73 comprising a clamping plate 7~ adapted
to extend over the lowermost sheet in the stack and to
suppsrt the stack and clamp the lo:.armo~t sheet against the
support surface 72. Extending upward from and cut from the
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plate 7~ defining the support platen i,s a bent flange
portion 75 defining an abutment member engaying the stack
30 along the lower ~ront edge of the sheet material.
The plate 74 is joined to generally U-shaped
clamping members including sidewalls 76 which are
trapazodial in shape to conform substantially to the shape
of the ends 77 of the frame forming the holder 71. To these
side members 76 are connected reversely turned flanges 78
serving to hold the plate 74 to the holder 71 when the
support plate is slid up over the ~rame between lowermost
sheet in the stack and the next sheet to a position near
the coating of adhesive on the lowermost sheet to clamp the
lower sheet in place.
Figure lO shows a further embodiment which
comprises a holder for notepaper which is a unitary member
without detachable pieces or pivotally joined pieces. In
Figure lO the d;spenser 81 comprises a frame 82 which may
be molded of a suitable material and provided with a
support surface 8~ for ~upporting the stack 30 of note-
paper. In this embodiment the lowermost sheet 26 is heldtightly to the support surface 84 by the sheet being
directly sharply back upon itself and then reversely
directed again to bind the sheet in a narrow slot 85
defined by ~enerally parallel wall members Eormed in the
support plate 8~ at an acute angle to support plate 84
which thus clamps the sheet 26 against vertical movement
with respect to the support 84~ An abutment 86 is forrned at
the front edge of the holder and of the support surface 84
to engage the lowermost sheet~ in the stack to re~trict
movement of the stack as the result o~ the lifting and
peeling forceA applied to remove a sheet -from the ~tack of
sheets 30.
To place the stack of sheets on the holder 81,
the lowermo~t sheet is peeled from the ~orward edge of the
pad and then directed through the slot 85 and drawn forward
again to pull the pad down onto the upper edge of the
support surface 84. The ~rictional ~orces applied against
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the opposite edges of the bent or folded sheet restricts
its movement on the support surface 84~
In each embodiment the clamping action applied to
the lowermost sheet extends to a position adjacent the
adhesive bonded edge of the stack. The edge of the
clamping member is thus one quarter of an inch to one inch
from the edge of the stack opposite the abutment, when on
the support surface.
~laving thus defined the present invention with
reference to a preferred embodiment and several other
embodiments, it is to be understood that other embodiments
may be formed which do not depart from the spirit of the
invention or the scope of the invention as claimed in the
appended claims.
