GB2313572A

GB2313572A - A note pad for conveying confidential messages

Info

Publication number: GB2313572A
Application number: GB9611270A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Hilary Paul Stuart; Richard Leslie Bartram; Ian Cowlard
Original assignee: HARDY HOLDINGS Ltd
Current assignee: HARDY HOLDINGS Ltd
Priority date: 1996-05-30
Filing date: 1996-05-30
Publication date: 1997-12-03
Also published as: GB9611270D0

Abstract

The note pad comprises upper, middle and lower sheets 2-4, upper sheet 2 having an area 13 for writing messages thereon and the middle and lower sheets 3,4 being attached together at 21 to form a sealed pouch. The middle and lower sheets 3,4 have transfer coatings so that when a message is written on the upper sheet 2, a copy of the message is formed in the pouch on the top surface 16 of the lower sheet 4. The pouch is detachable along line 18 and the concealed message can be viewed by tearing along perforations 19 to open the pouch.

Description

NOTE PAD The invention relates to a novel note pad and a method of recording and/or conveying confidential messages.

Conventional note pads comprise a cardboard base, a stack of notepaper sheets glued, stitched or otherwise fastened together at one end to form a spine and fixed to the base. Each sheet of notepaper has a blank region on which a notes or other information can be written or drawn.

A note pad for conveying messages differs from a note pad for making notes in that the sheets of a message note pad are, typically, perforated along one edge adjacent the spine of the note pad so that the sheet can be detached and passed to a recipient. If the message to be conveyed is private or confidential, folds may be made in the sheet to hide the message. The sheet containing the message may also be placed in an envelope or secured in a folded fashion by a staple, paperclip or the like.

Such procedures are not necessarily secure in that envelopes containing messages, notes or other information even when sealed, can be opened, the contents reviewed, and the envelope re-closed or even re-sealed or replaced.

Thus, it is possible that the note taker or message recipient has no way of knowing that the notes or message has been reviewed by a third party and that the integrity of the notes or message is no longer intact. Furthermore, such folding and securing procedures are time consuming and also expensive in the provision of additional material such as envelopes etc.

This can be particularly problematical, for example, in a hotel where messages may be left in pigeon holes or passed to a third party such as a porter, room maid etc before being handed to or left for the recipient.

There is therefore a need to provide a means of conveying information such as messages or notes in a confidential manner.

In a first aspect, the invention provides a note pad for use in recording private or confidential information such as notes, messages, or drawings and so on and/or for conveying such information for example to a recipient.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a note pad comprising: at least one each of first, second and third sheets arranged sequentially in overlaying fashion; said first sheet having an area adapted for writing information thereon; said second and third sheets being attached theretogether to form a pouch positioned behind said area such that a corresponding area of the third sheet is concealed from view by the second sheet; said second and third sheets being adapted such that when information is written on said first sheet, a corresponding image of the information is formed on the third sheet and the image is concealed until the pouch is opened.

In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of first, second and third sheets are provided sequentially in the note pad.

In a preferred embodiment, the pouch is detachable from the note pad. Preferably, a frangible connection such as a series of perforations along a line adjacent to the spine of the note pad are provided on each of the second and third sheets.

Preferably, the second and/or third sheet is provided with a further series of perforations to allow the pouch to be opened. Preferably, the second and third sheets are frangibly connected theretogether so that once the pouch has been opened the second and third sheets can be separated about at least a part of their periphery.

In a further preferred embodiment, the first sheet is detachable from the note pad. Preferably, a frangible connection is provided such as a line of perforations on the first sheet adjacent the spine of the note pad.

Preferably, at least a portion of the front side of the second sheet is patterned or otherwise obscured. The pattern typically comprises dark printing. This discourages writing on the front of the pouch and reduces the possibility of information inside the pouch from being seen through the second sheet.

Preferably, the rear side of the third sheet is provided with a patterned, and preferably darkened, surface to reduce the possibility of a note written on the front side of the third sheet from being viewed through the rear side.

In a preferred embodiment, the rear side of the second sheet and/or the front side of the third sheet is provided with a coating so that when pressure is applied to the front side of the second sheet, a corresponding image is formed on the front side of the third sheet.

Pressure is applied to the front side of the second sheet when information is written on the first sheet.

In a preferred embodiment, the note pad is provided with a front cover. This prevents the contents of the note pad from being seen by a casual observer.

In a preferred embodiment, a divider is also provided. Preferably, the divider is attached to a rear cover of the note pad. The divider is placed between the rear side of the third sheet of one set of sheets and the front side of the first sheet of the next set of sheets.

Thus, a message can be written a first sheet of one set to appear on the third sheet of the same set without being transmitted to the first or subsequent sheets of the remaining sets of sheets on the message pad.

Preferably, the divider comprises cardboard.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of recording and/or conveying a confidential message comprising: writing on a set of sheets, said sheets comprising at least one each of first, second and third sheets arranged sequentially in overlaying fashion, said first sheet having an area adapted for writing information thereon; said second and third sheets being attached theretogether to form a pouch positioned behind said area such that a corresponding area of the third sheet is concealed from view by the second sheet; said second and third sheets being adapted such that when information is written on said first sheet, a corresponding image of the information is formed on the third sheet and the image is concealed until the pouch is opened.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a message pad in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2A shows a plan view of the front side of a first sheet. Figure 2B shows a plan view of the rear side of the sheet of figure 2A.

Figure 3A shows a plan view of the front side of a second sheet. Figure 3B shows a plan view of the rear side of the sheet of figure 3A.

Figure 4A shows a plan view of the front side of a third sheet. Figure 4B shows a plan view of the rear side of the sheet of figure 4A.

Referring now to figure 1, a note pad for conveying confidential messages to a recipient is indicated at 1.

Note pad 1 comprises first sheet 2 and second and third sheets 3 and 4 respectively, all arranged frontside uppermost, in that order. The sheets are bound together within a cover 5 and glued along spine 6.

Stitching can also be used.

The rear panel of cover 5 comprises a divider flap 7 for interleaving between each set of sheets 2, 3 and 4.

The remaining sheets 8 lie beneath divider 7.

Referring now to figures 2A to 4B, the front and rear sides 2a and 2b respectively of sheet 2, the front and rear sides of 3a and 3b respectively of the second sheet 3 and the front and rear sides 4a and 4b of the third sheet 4 are illustrated in plan view. Each set of three sheets 2, 3 and 4 are glued together along region 6 to form the spine of the note pad (not shown).

First sheet 2 comprises a first panel 9 on which the addressee of the message or, where the note pad is for making notes rather than passing messages, a title can be written. The rear side 2b of sheet 2 has transfer properties in that it comprises an inked panel 10 correspondingly placed behind panel 9 so that when an addressees name or a title is inscribed on panel 9, an image detailing corresponding information is formed in panel 11 on the front side 3a of the second sheet 3.

Similarly, the rear side 3b of sheet 3 comprises a panel 15 which is coated with a special coating, as is the front side 4a of sheet 4, so that when pressure is applied to panel 9, and hence panel 11, an image is also transferred to panel 12 on the front side 4a of third sheet 4. The coatings on the rear side 3b of sheet 3 and the front side 4a of sheet 4 are well known from pay slip and computer print out technology to those skilled in the art.

Referring again now to figure 2A, a second panel 13 is provided on which information, such as notes, messages, drawings etc, can be written. Rear side 2b of sheet 2 is not provided with an inked section corresponding to panel 13 and therefore no image is transferred from the rear side 2b to front side 3a of sheet 3. Indeed, sheet 3 is shaded within corresponding panel 14 so that it is, firstly, difficult to see through sheet 3 and, secondly, it is difficult to write on panel 14. Thus, front side 3a of sheet 3 comprises a title portion or an addressee portion 11 but otherwise conveys no information to a casual observer.

The rear side of second sheet 3 comprises a panel 15 and the front side 4a of the third sheet 4 comprises a correspondingly located panel 16. Panels 15 and 16 have transfer properties. Coatings are provided on panel 15 and panel 16 such that an image corresponding to that written on panel 13 is formed on panel 16 when pressure is applied to panel 13. Rear side 4b of sheet 4 is also patterned or blacked out to prevent the message on the front side of sheet 4 from being seen.

Sheets 3 and 4 are fixed together about a peripheral region 21 which encircles the panels. Thus, sheets 3 and 4 comprise an enclosed pouch within which the rear surface of sheet 3 and the front surface of sheet 4 are concealed. The pouch is detachable at 18 from note pad 1. The pouch can then be passed to a recipient who, on receipt, opens the pouch by tearing along perforations 19 detaching the sheets one from the other about at least part of the periphery 21 in order to read the message or other information placed on panel 16.

Once the pouch portion of sheets 3 and 4 has been removed from note pad 1, only sheet 2 remains as a record of the contents of panel 16. Indeed, sheet 2 may also be provided with a line of perforations 20 so that once a message has been written, sheet 2 may be disposed of, for example by shredding, so that no record of the contents remains.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the note pad of the invention may be used to record and/or convey notes, messages, drawings and the like.

The note pad of the invention is particularly suitable for recording and/or conveying handwritten notes and messages etc. Also, the note pad may be of any appropriate size for its designed purpose. Therefore, where a lengthy notes are to be made, a pad of A4 size may be provided. Alternatively, where short telephone messages are to be passed along, a small note pad can be provided.

Alternative embodiments of the invention can be envisaged by those skilled in the art from the information contained herein. All such alternative embodiments are intended to lie within the scope of this application.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A note pad comprising: at least one each of first, second and third sheets arranged sequentially in overlaying fashion, said first sheet having an area adapted for writing information thereon; said second and third sheets being attached theretogether to form a pouch positioned behind said area such that a corresponding area of the third sheet is concealed from view by the second sheet; said second and third sheets being adapted such that when information is written on said first sheet, a corresponding image of the information is formed on the third sheet and the image is concealed until the pouch is opened.

2. A note pad according to claim 1, in which a plurality of sets of sheets are provided, each of the sets comprising first, second and third sheets in that order.

3. A note pad according to claim 1 or 2, in which at least one set of sheets is provided having more than one each of said second and third sheets per first sheet.

4. A note pad according to any of claims 1 to 3, in which the pouch and/or the first sheet is detachable from the note pad.

5. A note pad according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which the pouch and/or the first sheet is frangibly attached to the note pad.

6. A note pad according to claim 4 or 5 in which the second and third, and/or first sheets are provided with a line of perforations adjacent the spine of the note pad.

7. A note pad according to any preceding claim in which a divider is provided for placing, in use, between the third sheet of one set of sheets and the first sheet of an adjacent set of sheets whilst information is written on the first sheet of the first set of sheets.

8. A note pad according to claim 7 in which the divider is a flap extending from a rear cover of the note pad.

9. A note pad according to any preceding claim in which a front portion of the second sheet and/or a rear portion of the third sheet is shaded, patterned or otherwise obscured in order to prevent an image being seen through the said sheet or sheets.

10. A note pad according to any preceding claim in which a header panel is provided at the top of each sheet.

11. A note pad according to claim 10, in which, a carbon or inked section is provided on the rear surface of the first sheet corresponding to the location of the header panel whereby when a header is written on front side of the first sheet, an image of the header is transferred to the front side of the second sheet.

12. A note pad according to any preceding claim in which the rear surface of the second sheet and/or the front surface of the third sheet are provided with a coating whereby when pressure is applied to the front side of the second sheet an image is formed on the front side of the third sheet.

13. A method of recording and/or conveying a confidential message comprising: writing on a set of sheets comprising at least one each of first, second and third sheets arranged sequentially in overlaying fashion, said first sheet having an area adapted for writing information thereon; said second and third sheets being attached theretogether to form a pouch positioned behind said area such that a corresponding area of the third sheet is concealed from view by the second sheet; said second and third sheets being adapted such that when information is written on said first sheet, a corresponding image of the information is formed on the third sheet and the image is concealed until the pouch is opened.

14. A note pad substantially as described herein with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

15. A message pad for conveying confidential messages substantially as described herein with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

16. A method of recording and/or conveying confidential messages substantially as described herein with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.