GB2117706A - Foldable information displaying device - Google Patents

Abstract

An information recording and/or displaying device comprises a plurality of interengaged display areas (4-18) arranged into an array of at least two rows and at least three columns, each of the areas provided with means (20-28) for displaying or recording information. The display areas are foldable upon each other to form a compact unit having a top surface substantially equal in area to the area of any of the individual display areas. The display areas may carry note pads, card pockets, calendars, telephone indexes etc. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Information displaying device The present invention relates to an information recording and/or displaying device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information displaying device having means for separately displaying different groupings of information in an orderly fashion.

As is known, people are always making notes and lists. Irrespective of whether said lists relate to things to do, people to call, products to buy or any of the myriad other subjects about which people need to remember and/or remind themselves a basic problem exists where and how to record these matters in an orderly fashion.

The most common practice is to simply jot down different lists and notes on pieces of paper which are then stuffed into pockets, purses, etc. hopefully to be remembered and used. As is known, said pieces of paper, however, usually remain with their writer long after the subject matter of the note has been attended to, until such time as spring cleaning or a trip to the cleaners necessitates disposal of the accumulated debris of used notes and reminders. Furthermore, such notes are often not even used or referred to simply because they are forgotten or not found when needed.

People who are more organized use memo or note pads which they carry with them, however, problems still occur when the user is faced with the choice of using the topmost sheet to note varying and unrelated subject matters which are attended to at various times leaving the sheet containing reminders of totally unrelated things both done and not done and the alternate choice of using separate sequential sheets for each subject matter with the inherent risk that only the topmost reminder sheet in the pad will catch the attention of the user.

With this state of the art in mind the present invention provides an information recording and/or displaying device comprising a plurality of interengaged display areas arranged into an array of at least two rows and at least three columns each of said areas provided with means for displaying separate indicia bearing means and wherein said areas are interfoldabie upon each other to form a compact unit having a top surface substantially equal in area to the areas of any of said individual display areas.

Since in the context of the present invention the difference between columns and rows is merely one of orientation and the positioning of information in the display areas, it is to be understood that said terms as used herein are interchangeable and thus a device having an array of at least two columns and at least three rows is obviously also included within the above definition.

As will be realized the novel device of the present invention has a multitude of uses both domestic and commercial.

Thus, for example, the manager of a repair service can use the separate display areas of such a device in its open array to record and arrange the names and particulars of clients ordering house visits according to the area in which they live. Alternatively, each display area could be used for a separate employee whost trips and stops are noted so that each employee can be reached and/or visited based on the information noted in the separate areas of the device which device is designed to be folded into a compact array so that it can be readily carried and referred to on such visits.

Preferably, at least several of said display areas are provided with pockets for receiving and retaining a plurality of cards, papers, pads or the like indicia bearing means, so that each area can be used many times without disturbing the displays in the other areas.

As will thus be realized, the term indicia means as used herein is intended to include any material containing or adapted to receive written or printed material such as index cards, note pads, calendars, telephone directories, map sections or the like.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention at least several of said display areas are provided with sleeves for releasably retaining a back of a writing pad so that writing pads can be inserted in each of said areas and independently replaced aftery they are used up.

Said device can be manufactured in several different ways.

In a first preferred embodiment said display areas are interengaged by means of flexible connecting strips which connecting strips are preferably made of plastic material.

Alternatively, said display areas can be interengaged by means of rings or threads or cords, all of which engaging means enable the interfolding of said display areas with any chosen one of said areas forming the top surface of the compact folded unit, so that the user can interchangably and at will place whichever list is of immediate importance on top and then switch another list to the top when dealing with the subjects thereon.

While the invention will now be described in connection with certain preferred embodi ments with reference to the following illustrative figure so that it may be more fully understood, it is stressed that the particulars shown and described are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard no attempt is made to shown structural details of the devices of the invention and their component parts in more detail tnan is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawing making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

In the Figure, which is a plane view of a pocket memo device 2 according to the present invention, there is seen such a device comprising a plurality of interengaged display areas 4-18 arranged into an open display array of at least two rows and at least four (or any larger number of) columns.

As will be noted display area 10 is provided with a pocket 20 for receiving and retaining a plurality of cards, papers, pads or the like indicia bearing means, (not shown) and display area 1 8 is provided with sleeves 22 for releasably retaining a back of a writing pad, such as writing pads 24 shown being interchangably and replacably engaged in identical display areas 6, 8, 14 and 16. Display area 4 is provided in the embodiment shown with a calendar 26 and display area 1 2 is provided with a small letter-indexed phone directory 28.

As noted, said display areas 4-18 are interengaged by means of flexible connecting strips 30 and one or more strips can be used to connect each two adjacent areas.

In the embodiment shown said display areas 4-1 8 and said strips 30 are all made from a single integral plastic sheet of material although as indicated this is not essential and different engagement means can be used instead.

Said areas 4-18 are interfoldable upon each other to form a compact unit, not shown, having a top surface substantially equal in area to the area of any of said individual dispaly areas since said areas are substantially of equal size and can be juxtaposed on each other.

In order to better protect the device of the invention and make it more convenient for carrying, in the preferred embodiment shown, display area 10 is provided with an elongated wrapping strip 32 attached thereto, having interengaging closure means 34, 36 at opposite ends thereof which strip is sized to be wrapped and closed around and protect said pocket memo in its compact folded array in a manner similar to a check-book wrapper.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments, and that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing description, and all changes which come with the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims (9)

1. An information recording and/or displaying device comprising a plurality of interengaged display areas arranged into an array of at least two rows and at least three columns each of said areas provided with means for displaying separate indicia bearing means and wherein said areas are interfoldable upon each other to form a compact unit having a top surface substantially equal in area to the area of any of said individual display areas.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least several of said display areas are provided with pockets for receiving and retaining a plurality of cards, papers, pads or the like indicia bearing means.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least several of said display areas are provided with sleeves for releasably retaining a back of a writing pad.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said display areas are interengaged by means of flexible connecting strips.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein said display areas and said connecting strips are made of plastic material.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said display areas are engaged by means enabling the interfolding of said areas with any one of said areas forming the top surface of the compact folded unit.

7. A device according to claim 1 comprising indicia bearing means interchangeably and replaceably engaged in said display areas.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein one of said display areas is provided with an elongated wrapping strip attached thereto, having interengaing closure means at opposite ends thereof and sized to be wrapped and close around and protect a pocket memo in its compact folded array.

9. An information recording and/or displaying device substantially as hereibefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.