EP0852784B1

EP0852784B1 - Presentation assembly and material web roll intended for such presentation assembly

Info

Publication number: EP0852784B1
Application number: EP96926663A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Franciscus Augustinus Ludovicus Maria Nyst; Wilhelmus Gerardus Albertus Maria Zwartkruis; Rudolf Nicolaas Bax; Paulus Henricus Maria Nyst
Original assignee: Louis Leitz International & Co GmbH; LOUIS LEITZ INTERNATIONAL GmbH
Current assignee: Esselte Leitz GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1995-09-29
Filing date: 1996-08-16
Publication date: 2000-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 2016-08-16
Also published as: JPH11513501A; CA2232062A1; DE29617025U1; DE69606419D1; WO1997012352A1; DE69606419T2; TR199800567T1; EP0852784A1; AU6671596A; NL1001318C2

Description

The present invention relates to a presentation assembly comprising a housing and a material web which is capable of being written on and which is wound into a roll, the roll being accommodated in the housing so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis thereof, the housing being provided with a dispensing slot through which the material web capable of being written on is dispensed from the housing when the roll is being unwound.

Such an assembly is disclosed in the Boyd application WO 94/25294. In this application, the roll is formed by a web of plastic film having an electrostatic charge. The presentation assembly described by Boyd is in itself particularly convenient, because it provides the possibility of forming presentation sheets of different sizes coming from a plastic film web roll, which sheets, as a result of the electrostatic charge of the plastic film web roll, can readily be stuck to a surface elsewhere, such as for instance a wall, a window or a door.

The Stonehouse patent US-A-5,010,671 discloses a writing pad with electrostatically charged sheets. Compared with the Boyd proposal, such a pad-like construction is difficult to handle, because the user should handle a relatively large pad. Moroever, in each case, an entire sheet of material is used, even if only one single piece of information is taken down. This is a waste of material. Also, it has appeared that if such pads are stored for a longer period, the electrostatic charge leaks away and the adhesive properties decrease considerably. Because the material is statically charged, this attracts dust and becomes dirty during storage.

Inspite of the many advantages that Boyd's proposal has over Stonehouse's proposal, there are nevertheless significant drawbacks inherent in Boyd's proposal which are also inherent in Stonehouse's proposal. It is in particular these drawbacks that have stood in the way of commercial success of the known devices.

The invention particularly resides in the recognition of this problem.

Strangely enough, both the Boyd publication and the Stonehouse publication only mention a film on which the writing is erasable. Both Boyd and Stonehouse have halted between two opinions, viz. on the one hand the use of a film which is thrown away after use, and on the other the use of a film which can be reused each time, owing to the erasability thereof. Apparently, in this line of business, the prejudice exists that the user wants an erasable film.

The present inventor has had the insight that most users prefer a writing surface which, as far as the writing properties and the surface structure are concerned, reminds one of paper as much as possible. Secret tests among potential users have confirmed this insight.

Hence, the presentation assembly according to the invention is characterized in that the material web is provided with at least one relatively rough main surface, so that the writing thereon cannot be erased, and with means whereby a part of the material web capable of being written on can be stuck flat to a base.

To the user, it is much more agreeable if the material web is of non-erasable design. After the material web has been cut loose, securement of the material web part to another surface involves far less chance of the written text being wiped out and of stain formation on the user's clothes and hands. Moreover, the material web can easily be rolled up or unfolded and stored without causing the text to be lost. In addition, because of the relatively rough surface, the material web is mat. Hence, light falling on the material web is not at the expense of the legibility and the material web surface is also suitable for projection of, for instance, overhead sheets and slides. In this connection, one may for instance think of the projection of diagrams to be filled in, surveys, graphs and the like. Moreover, the relatively rough or matted surface permits the material web to be written on with more types of markers and to be preprinted more properly. Further, the relatively rough surface results in a better adhesion to all sorts of surfaces, owing to the greater unevenness. An additional advantage to the producer of the material web is that in the case of a non-erasable material web, the user will take a new material web part much sooner, which is favorable for commercial reasons. Compared with the known flip-over with a pad of paper sheets, the presentation assembly according to the invention offers the enormous advantage that it can be of a particularly compact design, because the material web is disposed as a roll. Obviously, this aspect was known per se from Boyd; however, the writing surface thereof did not have the desired structure, as a consequence of which Boyd's presentation assembly has never become a success. With the proposal according to the present invention, a highly compact presentation assembly is provided which offers a writing surface of excellent properties.

In accordance with a further elaboration of the invention, the markable material web is formed by a paper web, and the means whereby a paper web part can be stuck flat to a base are formed by a reusable adhesive provided on at least one main surface of the paper web.

A presentation assembly of such design offers the advantage that the roll can be of a relatively cheap design while the quality of the writing surface is very good. After all, by most users, paper is considered the most desirable surface. In order to keep the rolled-up paper flat after unwinding the roll, and to enable securement thereof to all kinds of surfaces, the reusable adhesive is provided. Preferably, the reusable adhesive is provided on the longitudinal edges of the paper web. The reusable adhesive can for instance be the glue that is also used for the yellow Post-it™ notes by 3M, known from practice.

In accordance with an alternative further elaboration of the invention, the material web is manufactured from a plastic film web, and the means whereby a plastic film web part can be stuck flat to a base are formed by an electrostatic charge applied to the plastic film web.

The advantage of such an electrostatically charged plastic film is that it adheres particularly easily to all kinds of surfaces and that the tendency of the film to curl up is minimized. Owing to the relatively rough surface of the film, the advantages described in detail hereinabove are obtained. As a particular advantage of the plastic film, it can further be mentioned that the relatively rough surface yields a writing surface which optimally reminds the user thereof of paper.

In accordance with a further elaboration of the invention, the surface on the other side of the relatively rough surface of the material web can be relatively smooth, so that the writing thereon is indeed erasable. In the particular case where a user does temporarily need a writing surface from which the writing is erasable, the roll can readily be reversed, so that the smooth, erasable surface faces the user.

In accordance with a further elaboration of the invention, it is also possible that both surfaces of the plastic film web are provided with a relatively rough surface, so that on both surfaces, the writing thereon is not erasable.

If the material web is a plastic film web, in order to further strengthen the user's associations with paper, it is particularly favorable if the plastic film web is nontransparent. For this purpose, the plastic film web can for instance be of a white or colored design.

However, for some applications, it is favorable if the plastic film web is transparent. One may for instance think of uses where a particular figure underlying the transparent material web is to be traced.

Another drawback of the Boyd proposal is formed by the construction of the blade guide which also constitutes a pressure strip. After a sheet has been cut from the material web, the material web should in each case be fed through underneath the pressure strip again, which is laborious and causes a great loss of time.

In order to overcome this drawback, in accordance with a further elaboration of the invention, the presentation assembly is characterized in that at an end upstream of the dispensing slot, viewed in a material web dispensing direction, the housing comprises a cutting blade holder guide to which a cutting blade holder is slidably connected, the cutting blade holder extending over the dispensing slot, and that at an end downstream of the dispensing slot, viewed in the material web dispensing direction, the housing comprises a cutting blade intended for cutting off a sheet from the material web. Because the guide of the blade is located at the upstream end of the dispensing slot and there is no pressure strip, the material web, after a sheet has been cut off, can readily be further unrolled and stuck to the base by means of the electrostatic charge or the reusable adhesive.

In order to have the cutting operation proceed without any problems, in accordance with a further elaboration of the invention, the presentation assembly is characterized by a hardened strip located at the downstream end of the dispensing slot, viewed in the material web dispensing direction, and at a shortest possible distance therefrom, the hardened strip serving as cutting surface for the cutting blade. Because the cutting operation can take place at a shortest possible distance from the dispensing slot, the chance of the material web tucking up as a consequence of the cutting operation is minimized. In fact, owing to this construction, the dispensing slot has the action of a pressure strip. In order to enhance this action still further, in accordance with a further elaboration of the invention, the presentation assembly is characterized in that the dispensing slot comprises material web flattening means, such as a brush or a flexible flap. Apart from the fact that the pressure strip action of the dispensing slot is enhanced thereby, the housing is moreover less accessible to dust, as a result of which, in the case where the material web is an electrostatic plastic film web, the electrostatic charge of the plastic film web is better maintained and the user is provided with a cleaner writing surface.

To minimize shifting of the material web roll in the housing during cutting, which shifting can affect the cutting operation in a negative sense, the housing comprises, at two end faces thereof, frustro-conical, rotatably bearing-mounted roll holders, at least one of which is resiliently slidable in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the roll, allowing the roll to be clamped between the two roll holders with pre-compression. Owing to this manner of bearing-mounting the roll in the housing, a stable positioning of the material web roll is obtained.

The housing preferably comprises winding means which are engageable from the outside of the housing and whereby the roll can be wound and unwound. Such winding means can for instance be constructed as a crank or a turning knob. By means of the winding means, a partly unwound material web can be wound on the roll again and thus be safely stored in the housing.

The housing of the presentation assembly according to the invention can comprise fasteners for attachment to a board or plate-shaped part.

In order to effect that the two surfaces of the material web can easily be written on without the material web roll having to be removed from the housing, the attachment can be of such design that the housing can be provided on the plate-shaped part in two positions, with the dispensing slot always being located on the same side of the plate-shaped part, so that the material web in a first position can be written on on one surface thereof, and in a second position can be written on on the other surface thereof.

In accordance with a further elaboration of the invention, an exemplary embodiment of the presentation assembly according to the invention which is particularly simple to transport is characterized by a stretching screen, which in a first condition is rolled up and forms a compact unit together with the housing, and which in a second condition is unrolled and stretched taut, so that it can serve as a base for an unwound material web part to be written on.

An alternative embodiment of a presentation assembly which is easy to transport is characterized by a plate-shaped part which in a first condition is collapsed and forms a compact unit together with the housing, and which in a second condition is unfolded so that it can serve as base for an unwound material web part to be written on.

In order to further facilitate transportation, in accordance with a further elaboration of the invention, it is particularly favorable if the presentation assembly comprises a collapsible supporting frame which in a collapsed condition forms a compact unit with the housing.

It is understood that the presence of a handgrip even further contributes to a simpler transportation of the collapsed unit.

The housing of the presentation assembly can for instance be manufactured in an injection-molding process or by means of extrusion. In the latter case, a part of a desired length is sawn from an extrusion section and provided with two end stops which also serve as roll bearing. In this manner, a number of presentation assemblies of different lengths can be manufactured in an economical manner.

The invention also relates to a material web rol evidently intended for a presentation assembly as described hereinabove, at least one surface of the material web being relatively rough, so that the writing thereon is not erasable, and the material web is provided with means whereby a material web part capable of being written on can be stuck flat to a base.

Hereinafter, the invention will be further explained with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows the different parts of the presentation assembly according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows the plate-shaped part according to Fig. 1, rolled up into a container for containing the other parts of the presentation assembly;

Fig. 3 shows the presentation assembly according to the invention in cross section;

Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of the presentation assembly according to the invention;

Fig. 5 shows a front view of an alternative embodiment of the presentation assembly according to the invention; and

Fig. 6 shows a rear view of the exemplary embodiment shown in Fig. 5.

The presentation assembly shown in Fig. 1 consists of a plate-shaped part 1, built up of a number of laminations which are coupled together and are slightly displaceable relative to each other. A presentation assembly 2 is present which is shown in more detail in Fig. 3, in cross section. By 3, a supporting frame is indicated consisting of two legs connected by pivotable connecting arms 4. The legs consist of leg parts 5 and 6, and the leg part 5 can be received within the leg part 6.

As Figs. 2 and 3 demonstrate, a detachable handgrip 15 is present, which also serves to fasten container 12 to a board 21. By 7, an attachment receiving member is indicated. In this manner, a complete, optionally mobile presentation assembly is provided.

On the other hand, after use, it is possible to detach these parts from the supporting frame 3 again and to collapse the supporting frame 3 by both moving the legs together and telescoping them. Thus, a whole is obtained which is sufficiently compact for being accommodated, together with the presentation sheet assembly 2, in the plate-shaped part 1, rolled up into a tube. This is shown in Fig. 2. The handgrip 15 is attached to the receiving members 22 of plate-shaped part 1.

In Fig. 3, the presentation sheet assembly 2 is shown. This assembly consists of a housing, indicated by 12, wherein a roll 10 of plastic film material 11 is accommodated whose film is electrostatically charged. The housing can be opened in a simple manner, allowing the roll 10 to be reversed or changed while the presentation assembly is in the operative position, after which it is directly ready for use again, without superfluous operations. It is understood that for this, it is also possible to choose a paper web, wound into a roll, which web has been provided with means whereby a paper web part can be stuck flat to a base. Reusable adhesive as is for instance used for Post-it® would be suitable for this. The housing 12 comprises a dispensing slot 13. There is also provided a cutting blade 14, which is operative adjacent the dispensing slot 13. The cutting blade 14 can be moved forward and backward for the purpose of cutting off part 11 from the plastic film web. In Fig. 3 it is clearly visible that the guide 23 of the cutting blade holder 24 of the cutting blade 14 is located at the upstream end of the dispensing slot 13 and that the cutting blade 14 is located at the downstream end of the dispensing slot 13. The cutting blade holder 24 extends transversely over the dispensing slot 13. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the blade 14 operates on a hardened cutting strip 25 against which the blade 14 is pressed during cutting. However, in accordance with an alternative elaboration of the invention, it is very well possible that instead of the cutting strip 25, a groove is provided wherein the blade 14 operates. With such a construction, the risk of the film or paper 11 tucking up during cutting is minimized.

When an electrostatically charged plastic film is used for the material web, this film preferably has a thickness ranging between 30 and 60 µm, and more in particular a thickness of about 35 µm, and is preferably a white film. It has appeared that with the construction here shown, the electrostatic charge of the film material is maintained. This electrostatic charge is important for enabling a sheet of film 11, after the sheet 11 in question has been written on, to be fixed on a wall or the like without necessitating separate adhesive means. Obviously, the electrostatic charge is also important for keeping the film web, rolled up during a longer time, in a flat position when it is being written on.

Fig. 4 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention. The presentation assembly is mounted on a leg consisting of telescoping

leg parts

8,9. Such a leg can for intance be secured to a wall by means of, for instance, suction cups or the like, and sheet material can be unrolled therefrom laterally in accordance with the invention.

Figs. 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment of the presentation assembly according to the invention, wherein the collapsible plate part 1 has been replaced by a stretching screen 26. In a first condition, the stretching screen 26 is rolled up and forms a compact unit together with the housing, and in a second condition it is unrolled and stretched taut, so that it can serve as a base for an unwound part of plastic film web or paper web to be written on. For the purpose of stretching taut, the screen 26 is tightened by a spring not shown, and can be unrolled to different extents by means of the toggle link assembly 27 shown in Fig. 6. A presentation assembly of such design is of a light construction and easy to transport.

The plastic film web can for instance be a film of polypropylene, polyester or vinyl. It is understood that these materials are mentioned as an example only and that other film materials or mixtures of different types of film material can also be suitable. As indicated hereinabove, a paper web may also serve as material to be written on.

It is essential that for the presentation assembly according to the invention, the material web has at least one relatively rough surface, so that the writing thereon is not erasable, and for the sake of the compactness of the presentation assembly, the material is disposed as a roll and comprises means whereby the material, inclined to roll up, can be stuck flat to a base, while the material web reminds the user of paper as much as possible.

Although the invention has hereinabove been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood that numerous modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present application.

Claims

A presentation assembly (2) comprising a housing (12) and a material web (11) which is capable of being written on and which is wound into a roll (10), the roll (10) being accommodated in the housing (12) so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis thereof, the housing (12) being provided with a dispensing slot (13) through which the material web (11) capable of being written on is dispensed from the housing (12) when the roll (10) is being unwound, characterized in that the material web (11) is provided with at least one relatively rough main surface, so that the writing thereon cannot be erased, and with means whereby a part of the material web capable of being written on can be stuck flat to a base.
A presentation assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the material web (11) capable of being written on is formed by a paper web (11), and the means whereby a part of the paper web can be stuck flat to a base are formed by a reusable adhesive provided on at least one main surface of the paper web (11).
A presentation assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the reusable adhesive is provided on the longitudinal edges of the paper web (11).
A presentation assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the material web (11) is manufactured from a plastic film web (11), and the means whereby a part of the plastic film web can be stuck flat to a base are formed by an electrostatic charge applied to the plastic film web (11).
A presentation assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main surface on the other side of the relatively rough main surface of the material web (11) is relatively smooth, so that the writing thereon can be erased.
A presentation assembly according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the two main surfaces of the material web (11) are provided with a relatively rough surface, so that for both main surfaces, the writing thereon cannot be erased.
A presentation assembly according to at least claim 4, characterized in that the material web is nontransparent.
A presentation assembly according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that the material web is transparent.
A presentation assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at an end upstream of the dispensing slot (13), viewed in a material web dispensing direction, the housing comprises a cutting blade holder guide (23) to which a cutting blade holder (24) is slidably connected, the cutting blade holder (24) extending over the dispensing slot (13), and that at an end downstream of the dispensing slot (13), viewed in the material web dispensing direction, the housing comprises a cutting blade (14) intended for cutting off a sheet (11) from the material web.
A presentation assembly according to claim 9, characterized by a hardened strip located at the downstream end of the dispensing slot (13), viewed in the material web dispensing direction, and at a shortest possible distance therefrom, the hardened strip serving as cutting surface for the cutting blade (14).
A presentation assembly according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the dispensing slot (13) comprises material web flattening means, such as a brush or a flexible flap.
A presentation assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (12) comprises, at two end faces thereof, frustro-conical, rotatably bearing-mounted roll holders, at least one of which is resiliently slidable in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the roll (10), allowing the roll (10) to be clamped between the two roll holders with pre-compression.
A presentation assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing comprises winding means which are engageable from the outside of the housing and whereby the roll (10) can be wound and unwound.
A presentation assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (12) comprises fasteners (7, 15) for attachment to a board or plate-shaped part (1).
A presentation assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that the fasteners (7, 15) are of such design that the housing can be provided on the plate-shaped part (1) in two positions, with the dispensing slot (13) always being located on the same side of the plate-shaped part (1), so that the material web (11) in a first position can be written on on one main surface thereof, and in a second position can be written on on the other main surface thereof.
A presentation assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a stretching screen (26) which in a first condition is rolled up and forms a compact unit together with the housing (12), and which in a second condition is unrolled and stretched taut, so that it can serve as base for an unwound material web part (11) to be written on.
A presentation assembly according to any one of claims 1-14, characterized by a plate-shaped part (1) which in a first condition is collapsed and forms a compact unit together with the housing, and which in a second condition is unfolded so that it can serve as base for an unwound material web part (11) to be written on.
A presentation assembly according to claim 15 or 16, characterized by a collapsible supporting frame (3) which in a collapsed condition forms a compact unit with the housing (12).
A presentation assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a handgrip (15).
A presentation assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing is manufactured by means of an injection-molding process.
A presentation assembly according to any one of claims 1-19, characterized in that the housing comprises a body part manufactured through extrusion and sawn to a desired length from an extrusion section, and two end stops which also serve as roll bearing.
A material web roll adapted to be used in a presentation assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one main surface of the material web (11) is relatively rough, so that the writing thereon is not erasable, and wherein the material web is provided with means whereby a material web part capable of being written on can be stuck flat to a base.