U.S. patent application number 10/313767 was filed with the patent office on 2003-05-08 for computer accessory having assemblage of mouse pad and paper pad.
Invention is credited to Callahan, William, Goodman, Kenneth.
Application Number | 20030085329 10/313767 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46281676 |
Filed Date | 2003-05-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030085329 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Goodman, Kenneth ; et
al. |
May 8, 2003 |
Computer accessory having assemblage of mouse pad and paper pad
Abstract
A handy computer accessory provides a mouse pad, which is cut
out to provide an opening, and a paper pad in the opening. The
paper pad consists of a stack of repositionable pressure sensitive
adhesive sheets. When needed, the paper pad is visually and
manually accessible to a computer operator. Graphics on the mouse
pad and paper pad are functional and/or aesthetic. A used paper pad
may be replaced easily by removing any residual backing and
pressing a replacement paper pad into the opening in the mouse
pad.
Inventors: |
Goodman, Kenneth; (Weymouth,
MA) ; Callahan, William; (Weymouth, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MORSE, ALTMAN & MARTIN
P.O. BOX 6926
BOSTON
MA
02102
US
|
Family ID: |
46281676 |
Appl. No.: |
10/313767 |
Filed: |
December 6, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10313767 |
Dec 6, 2002 |
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09309694 |
May 11, 1999 |
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6491275 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
248/346.01 ;
248/918 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B32B 25/10 20130101;
G06F 3/0395 20130101; B32B 5/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/346.01 ;
248/918 |
International
Class: |
B65D 019/00; A47G
029/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A computer accessory comprising: a) a mouse pad and a paper pad;
b) said mouse pad being a planar unit and including a lower
resilient base and an upper face having a surface that coacts with
a mouse; c) said mouse pad being cut out within its planar
periphery to provide a receptacle that has a planar profile of
predetermined size and shape; d) said paper pad being a planar unit
and including a stack of repositionable paper sheets; e) said paper
pad having a profile of substantially the same predetermined size
and shape as has said receptacle; f) said paper pad being retained
in said receptacle.
2. The computer accessory of claim 1, wherein said lower resilient
base is composed of an elasotmeric foam.
3. The computer accessory of claim 1 wherein said upper face is
composed of a member of the class consisting of vinyl polymer,
leather, rubber, cloth and paper.
4. The computer accessory of claim 1, wherein said paper pad is
press fitted into said receptacle.
5. The computer accessory of claim 1, wherein said mouse pad and
said paper pad have adjacent registered indicia.
6. The computer accessory of claim 1, wherein said mouse pad and
the sheets of said paper pad have a seamless visual motif.
7. The computer accessory of claim, wherein said mouse pad has at
least one narrow trough for the reception of a writing
implement.
8. The computer accessory of claim 1, wherein said mouse pad has a
finger notch, which tapers downwardly from the front to the back of
the mouse pad and inwardly from the body of the mouse pad toward
said receptacle, whereby to facilitate removal of said sheets of
the mouse pad, one at a time.
9. A computer accessory comprising: a) a mouse pad and a paper pad;
b) said mouse pad being a planar unit and including a lower
resilient base and an upper face having a surface that is adapted
to coact with a mechanical or optical mouse; c) said mouse pad
being cut out within its planar periphery to provide an opening
that has a planar profile of predetermined size and shape; d) said
paper pad being a planar unit and including a stack of
repositionable paper sheets; e) said paper pad having a profile of
substantially the same predetermined size and shape as has said
opening; f) said paper pad being retained in said opening; g) said
lower resilient base being composed of an elasotmeric foam; h) said
upper face having furrows for the reception and presentations of
writing implements; i) said paper pad being fitted into said
opening; j) said mouse pad having a finger notch, which tapers
downwardly from the front to the back of the mouse pad and inwardly
from the body of the mouse pad toward said opening, whereby to
facilitate removal of said sheets of the paper pad one at a time.
k) each of said sheets having at its rearward edge a pressure
sensitive adhesive.
10. The computer accessory of claim 9, wherein said mouse pad and
each of said sheets of said paper pad have adjacent registered
indicia.
11. The computer accessory of claim 9, wherein said mouse pad and
each of said sheets of said paper pad have a seamless visual
motif.
12. The computer accessory of claim 9, wherein said mouse pad and
each of said sheets of said paper pad have like graphical
presentations.
13. A computer accessory comprising: a) a desk pad and a paper pad;
b) said desk pad being a planar unit and including a lower
resilient base and an upper face having a surface that coacts with
a mouse; c) said desk pad being cut out within its planar periphery
to provide a receptacle that has a planar profile of predetermined
size and shape; d) said paper pad being a planar unit and including
a stack of repositionable paper sheets; e) said paper pad having a
profile of substantially the same predetermined size and shape as
has said receptacle; f) said paper pad being retained in said
receptacle.
14. The computer accessory of claim 13, wherein said lower
resilient base is composed of an elasotmeric foam.
15. The computer accessory of claim 13 wherein said upper face is
composed of a member of the class consisting of vinyl polymer,
leather, rubber, cloth and paper.
16. The computer accessory of claim 13, wherein said paper pad is
press fitted into said receptacle.
17. The computer accessory of claim 13 wherein the profile of said
desk pad is sufficiently large to cover a major portion of a
conventional desk top.
18. The computer accessory of claim 3 wherein said mouse pad is a
desk pad that is adapted to cover a substantial part of a desk and
has a plurality of furrows for the reception and presentations of
desktop utensils, and a plurality of cut-outs for the reception and
presentation of a plurality of pads of repositionable paper.
19. The computer accessory of claim 9 wherein said mouse pad is a
desk pad that is adapted to cover a substantial part of a desk and
has a plurality of furrows for the reception and presentations of
desktop utensils, and a plurality of cut-outs for the reception and
presentation of a plurality of pads of repositionable paper.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to mouse pads and paper pads,
and, more particularly, to mouse pads of the type that provide a
surface for frictional or optical contact with a computer mouse,
and paper pads that are composed of a stack of repositionable
sheets for the reception of hand-written notes or other visual
matter.
[0003] 2. The Prior Art
[0004] Mouse pads, per se. are well known computer accessories that
provide a surface for frictional or optical contact with a
hand-operated computer mouse for interaction with the graphical
user interface (GUI) of the computer. Many computer applications
enable the entry of keyboard-driven electronic notes for such
purposes as reminders, notices, remarks, references, etc. Such
electronic notes sometimes either are not permitted or are too
unwieldy for use in connection with the particular computer
application being run. Small paper pads of pressure sensitive
sheets are widely available for use in a myriad of situations in
which handwritten notes are convenient to create and to affix at
desired locations either permanently or temporarily. Oftentimes,
attention is so focused when using a computer, that there may be
inherent frustration when shifting attention between: the locations
of small objects such as mouse pads and paper pads on the physical
desktop (on which the computer rests); and the locations of small
icons on the virtual desktop (of the computer screen). Facilitation
is to be desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a
handy computer accessory in which a mouse pad and a paper pad are
structurally integrated and operationally coordinated. The mouse
pad is a planar unit, which generally includes a lower elastomeric
foam base and an upper accessible face, and which is cut out within
its planar periphery to provide a receptacle in the form of an
opening that has a profile of predetermined size and shape. The
paper pad is a planar unit, which generally includes a stack of
repositionable pressure sensitive sheets, and which has a profile
of substantially the same predetermined size and shape as the
opening in the mouse pad has. The paper pad is press fitted into
the opening in which it is retained snugly. The paper pad and the
opening thus are geometrically congruent. In one embodiment, the
mouse pad and the paper pad have registered graphics that provide
matching indicia or a seamless background design. In another
embodiment, the upper accessible face is provided with elongated
furrows for the reception and presentation of pens, pencils or
crayons. In a further embodiment, the mouse pad is in the form of a
desk pad which is sufficiently large to cover a major part of the
surface of a conventional desk.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the
present invention, reference is made to the following
specification, which is to be taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 is an exploded view in perspective of a paper pad and
mouse pad assemblage embodying the present invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the assemblage of FIG.
1, taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the assemblage of FIG.
1, taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the paper pad of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a paper pad and mouse pad
assemblage having graphics in accordance with the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another paper pad and mouse
pad assemblage having graphics in accordance with the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a further paper pad and
mouse pad assemblage having graphics in accordance with the present
invention; and
[0014] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a paper pad and desk pad
assemblage, in which the desk pad provides a surface for coaction
with a mouse and is sufficiently large to provide associated
furrows for the reception and presentation of writing utensils.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate a preferred embodiment of a computer
accessory of the present invention as comprising a handy
combination, in which a mouse pad 20 and a paper pad 22 are
structurally integrated and operationally coordinated.
[0016] Mouse pad 20 is a planar or plate-like unit, which generally
includes a lower elastomeric foam base 24 and an upper face 26.
Face 26 provides a frictional surface on which a mouse 28 is
adapted to be moved. In one form, mouse 28 includes a contact ball
that rolls in accordance with the movement of the mouse on the
mouse pad. In another form, mouse 28 includes an optical detector
(not shown) and an optical sight (not shown) for coaction with a
contact area 30 on the mouse pad. In either case, movement of mouse
28 is translated to movement of an arrow or other indicator on the
graphic user interface of a computer.
[0017] As shown, mouse pad 20 has a cutout 32 for the reception of
paper pad 22. Paper pad 22 includes a stack of sheets 34. Cutout 32
constitutes a receptacle that has a planar profile of predetermined
size and shape. The paper pad is a planar unit that is provided
with a profile of substantially the same predetermined size and
shape as does the window in the mouse pad. The paper pad is press
fitted into the opening in which it is retained snugly. The paper
pad and the opening thus are geometrically congruent. A web 36 that
spans the back of cutout 32 limits movement of paper pad 22 into
the cutout. In one form, the dimensions of this web are only
sufficient to overlap the edges of the cutout. In another form, the
dimensions of this web are sufficient to provide a backing for the
entire mouse pad.
[0018] Each of sheets 34 has a front face that is adapted to
receive pencil or pen notations, and a back face that, along at
least one of its edges, has a band 38 of coating of repositionable
pressure sensitive adhesive. In one form, this repositionable
pressure sensitive adhesive is of the type sold under the trade
designation, "Post-it" by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing
Corporation. An example of this type of adhesive is disclosed in
the following patent, which is incorporated herein by reference:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,636, issued Aug. 18, 1998, in the names of
Janet T. Keller, et. al. for "Positionable and Repositionable
Adhesive Article". This patent defines "positionable" as meaning an
adhesive or pressure sensitive adhesive that can be placed against
a substrate surface and easily slid over the surface into proper
position without preadhering or sticking the adhesive article;
pressure is generally required to adhere the adhesive article to
the substrate". This patent defines "repositionable" as meaning "an
adhesive or pressure sensitive adhesive" being "one that can be
applied and adhered to a substrate and then removed and reapplied
without distorting, defacing, or destroying the film, adhesive, or
substrate".
[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the mouse pad and the paper pad
have registered graphics that provide matching indicia. FIG. 5.
illustrates the mouse pad as having along an edge of the cutout, a
listing 42 of string variables, and illustrates each sheet of the
paper pad as having a listing 44 of indicated areas to encourage
consistent manual entry of information. FIG. 6 illustrates a
decorative motif that blends the upper surfaces 46, 48 of the paper
pad and the mouse pad to produce a seamless design. FIG. 7
illustrates an organization of indicia 50 on the mouse pad and
indicia 52 on each sheet of the paper pad, which indicia are
identically matched.
[0020] In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the mouse pad is
in the form of a desk pad 54 that is sufficiently large to cover a
substantial part of a conventional desk and to provide a plurality
of furrows 56 in the form of elongated narrow troughs for the
reception and immediate presentation of a plurality of pens,
pencils, crayons or the like. In a further embodiment, the desk pad
additionally provides a plurality of cut-outs for the reception of
a plurality of pads of repositionable papers.
[0021] Operation
[0022] In operation, a computer operator uses mouse 28 in a
conventional manner within bounds that are outside of cutout 32 and
paper pad 22. When needed, the paper pad is visually and manually
accessible. Graphics on the mouse pad and paper pad are functional
and/or aesthetic. A used paper pad may be replaced easily by
removing any residual backing and pressing a replacement paper pad
into the cutout of the mouse pad. A finger notch 40, which tapers
downwardly from the front to the back of the mouse pad and inwardly
from the body of the mouse pad toward the cutout and the paper pad,
facilitates removal of the sheets of the paper pad, one at a
time.
* * * * *