Supports: racks – Special article – Stacked articles
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-04
2001-05-22
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Stacked articles
C206S555000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234324
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to paper trays.
2. Prior Art
Various paper trays are known for holding a stack of paper sheets. U.S. Pat. No. 2,100,720 to Page discloses a paper tray with a base plate and four straight walls defining a rectangular paper holding area. The walls are centered about the longitudinal and traverse medial lines of the holding area, and are spaced from each other to form gaps at the comers of the holding area. The gaps extend short of the medial lines. U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,709 to Stokes discloses a tray with a base and four right-angled walls defining a rectangular holding area. The walls are spaced from each other to form gaps which are centered about the longitudinal and transverse medial lines of the 16 holding area. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 264,352 to Goutchat discloses a tray with a base and two right-angled walls defining a rectangular holding area. The walls are at two diagonally opposite corners of the holding area, and are spaced from each other to form gaps at the other two diagonally opposite comers.
With all the aforementioned trays, paper sheets must be placed onto them by being lowered directly from the top. The trays cannot be used in a vertical position because the sheets will fall out. The wide and tall walls prevent a user from resting a hand on the top sheet for writing. The wide walls limit the grasping areas on the sheets to between the narrow gaps, and make removing the sheets inconvenient. The wide walls also require a relatively large amount of material, so that such trays are more expensive to produce than necessary.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 246,373 to Crandell et al. discloses a paper tray with a rectangular base, a pair of side walls, and a plurality of end walls. One end of the base is completely unobstructed. The top of the side walls are folded inwardly to retain paper sheets when the tray is positioned vertically. The sheets can only be inserted and removed from the unobstructed end of the base, which is inconvenient. The wide walls also require a relatively large amount of material to produce.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, objects of the present sheet holder are:
to neatly hold a stack of loose sheets;
to prevent the sheets from unintentionally sliding and rotating;
to enable individual sheets to be easily inserted;
to enable individual sheets to be easily removed;
to enable the top sheet to be conveniently grasped substantially anywhere along its perimeter;
to enable a hand to comfortably rest on the top sheet for writing; and
to be assembled with a minimum of materials for economy.
Further objects of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A sheet holder is comprised of a base with a sheet holding area, a pair of side posts attached to the base on opposite sides of the sheet holding area, a top post attached to the base at a top edge of the sheet holding area, and a bottom post attached to the base at a bottom edge of the sheet holding area. The side posts are positioned one higher than the other. The bottom post is offset to a side of the sheet holding area corresponding to the lower side post, and the top post is offset to a side of the sheet holding area corresponding to the higher side post. The posts secure a stack of sheets between them on the sheet holding area, and prevent the sheets from rotating or sliding in any direction. The sheet holder can be positioned horizontally or vertically. Heads on the side posts prevent the sheets from falling out when the sheet holder is positioned vertically, or from being blown out by wind. In alternative embodiments for vertical mounting only, the top post is eliminated.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 147591 (1947-09-01), Kramer
patent: D. 246373 (1977-11-01), Crandell et al.
patent: D. 264352 (1982-05-01), Goutchat
patent: 2100720 (1937-01-01), Page
patent: 2621807 (1952-12-01), Rendich
patent: 4492307 (1985-01-01), Hargrave
patent: 4505395 (1985-03-01), Nathan
patent: 5005709 (1991-04-01), Stokes
Harris Erica B.
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Stodola Daniel P.
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