Device for dating notes

• US 6,527,462 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brainwaves, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Brinwaves Incorporated
• Inventors: Arledge, Arthur L., Austrian, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirshfeld, Andrew H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Jr., Charles H.
• Application Number:
  US09/814,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20020136581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 400/103, 400/104
• US Class Current: 400/103
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/32 using thermal heads
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 5/006 combined with auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: B42F 7/14 Boxes box features in general B65D

Abstract

A device for placing the time and date on notepaper comprises a container, a tray within the container for holding a pad of notepaper, and means for biasing the tray upwardly. The device includes a thermal print head attached to the bottom surface of a cover for the container for printing a time and date stamp on a single sheet of paper in response to the user'"'"'s removal of the sheet from the container.

Claims

1. In combination, a pad of notepaper, a device for keeping track of time information, a printer mounted in operative engagement with the pad of notepaper;

means for sensing movement of the top piece of notepaper on said pad of notepaper as said top piece is removed from said pad; and

means responsive to said sensing means for causing said printer to print time information on said top piece of notepaper while it is being removed from said pad.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the printer is a thermal printer and each piece of paper includes a heat sensitive ink coating at least in the area which is engaged by the printer.

3. The combination according to claim 2, including a moveable tray for receiving the pad of notepaper, the tray biasing the notepaper against the printer.

4. The combination according to claim 2, including a display unit for displaying time information.

5. The combination according to claim 2, wherein the printer includes a print head having a multiplicity of individually actuable print elements, and wherein the time information is printed sequentially as the paper is removed from the pad.

6. The combination according to claim 1, including a container having a tray for holding the pad of paper and wherein the printer is mounted in a cover which is moveable with respect to the tray and overlies at least a portion of the paper when the cover is closed.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein the tray is moveable within the container, and further including means for biasing the tray toward the printer.

8. The combination according to claim 7, further including means for holding the tray in a position toward the bottom of the container so that a pad of paper can be placed on the tray;

and means for releasing said holding means when the cover is closed.

9. The combination according to claim 2, including a container having a tray for holding the pad of paper and wherein the printer is mounted in a cover which is moveable with respect to the tray and overlies at least a portion of the paper when the cover is closed.

10. The combination according to claim 9, wherein the tray is moveable within the container, and further including means for biasing the tray toward the printer.

11. The combination according to claim 10, further including means for holding the tray in a position toward the bottom of the container so that a pad of paper can be placed on the tray;

and means for releasing said holding means when the cover is closed.

18. The combination according to claim 1, including:

means for producing an optical beam,

means for periodically interrupting the beam at a rate dependent on the rate of movement of the paper as it is removed from the pad, and

means for producing a signal dependent on the periodic rate of interruption of the beam, the printer being responsive to such signal to print said time information at a rate also dependent on the rate of movement of such paper.

12. Apparatus for printing time information on sheets of paper which are removed from the device comprising:

a container including a tray for supporting a pad of notepaper;

a cover connected to said container;

a printer mounted in said cover for printing time information on the uppermost piece of paper on the pad;

a microprocessor for keeping track of time information, said microprocessor being connected to said printer for enabling the printing of time information;

means for sensing movement of the top piece of notepaper on said pad of notepaper as said top piece is removed from said pad; and

means responsive to said sensing means for causing said printer to print time information on said top piece of notepaper while it is being removed from said pad.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the printer is a thermal printer.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the tray is moveable within said container and further including means for urging the tray and printer toward each other.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, further including means for holding the tray in a position near the bottom of the container so that a pad of paper can be placed on the tray, and means for releasing said holding means when the cover is closed.

16. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the printer includes a print head having a multiplicity of individually actuable print elements, and wherein the time information is printed sequentially as the paper is removed from the pad.

17. In combination, a device according to claim 13, and a pad of paper, the pad of paper being supported on said tray, and each piece of paper including an area coated with a heat responsive ink in proximity to said print head.

19. The apparatus according to claim 12, including:

means for producing an optical beam,

means for periodically interrupting the beam at a rate dependent on the rate of movement of the paper as it is removed from the pad, and

means for producing a signal dependent on the periodic rate of interruption of the beam, the printer being responsive to such signal to print said time information at a rate also dependent on the rate of movement of such paper.