Watertight Note Card Assembly

This invention relates to a waterproof or watertight note card assembly. More specifically, in a preferred embodiment, it relates to a note card assembly for sports games, such as golf, where the recording of data on the note card is necessary, and where the note card is likely to be exposed to moisture and the elements.

As is known, various devices have been proposed for recording data on a card. Generally these include recording media that is directly marked, such as paper note cards marked with a pencil, "erasable" plastic coated cards written on by non-permanent markers, and score recording cards and programs written on with pens and pencils used for sport games.

The known prior art also discloses the use of carbon paper and the like materials which can be marked with a non-recording stylus. In addition, it is known to use so-called non-carbon required or carbonless paper using a conventional CF (Coated Front) coating on one side on one paper and a conventional CB (Coated Back) coating on an abutting side of a second paper. For example, a U.S. patent to Neubauer, No. 4,729,506 discloses a non-waterproof mailer assembly comprised of a transparent CB coated window that lies against a CF coated paper. Writing with a stylus on the window results in legible indicia on the paper. The U.S. Chang Pat. No. 4,448,445 discloses another type of pressure sensitive record keeping assembly employing a translucent layer. The Strauss U.S. Pat. No. 2,333,597 discloses a writing tablet having a solid backing and an overlying transparent plastic layer.

The known prior art also discloses many varieties of score cards. Some examples of such score cards can be found in the following U.S. Pats.: Bates, U.S. Pat. No. 797,548; Brown U.S. Pat. No. 1,353,889; Seguine U.S. Pat. No. 1,447,358; and Davis U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,425.

However, none of these known prior art devices teaches the incorporation of a recording medium in a waterproof writing assembly. While these devices vary in many different aspects, none of them has solved the problem encountered by golf players and others who are exposed to dirt, rain and other adverse elements and who need to make permanent records in an adverse environment. To record safely a score on a score card in such circumstances, it is necessary that the score card be waterproof, and that the apparently contradictory requirements that the data be permanently recorded, visable and on a replaceable card also be satisfied.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a note card assembly for achieving the above desired requisites of permanently recording data on a note card, in the rain and in other wet environments. The present invention provides a score recording card assembly that is waterproof, as well as one that has a permanently recorded, visible image on a changeable card.

It is also the object of the present invention to provide a note card assembly that is extremely inexpensive. Another objective is that the note card assembly should be extremely easy to use, be reusable and its record keeping element should be easy to replace. In particular, it is an object that the present invention provide a hand held record keeping assembly that can use a non-marking stylus to make a permanent marking.

It has been found that these objects can be achieved by providing a watertight envelope-like member having at least a portion of it transparent and further having a separate card assembly which is slidable into the envelope for recording data thereof. In a specific embodiment, the envelope has at least a front panel and a back panel, and a watertight seal permanently seals the edge portions of the front and back panels to define an interior pocket. The envelope has an opening in it so as to permit access into said pocket. A watertight resealable sealing means is provided along said opening. The envelope can have a square shape, an elongate or rectangular shape, and any other shape appropriate for the use as a note card. The card assembly has an appropriate dimension and shape so as to be slidably inserted into said pocket. The card assembly has a piece of carbon-back (CB) coated transparent glassine paper, a piece of carbon-front (CF) coated score card and a piece of rigid board. The CF coated card has permanently printed indicia thereof for recording score data.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a watertight note card assembly.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view not necessarily to scale taken on the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a foldable, golf score record card.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the reverse side of the card of FIG. 3 showing exemplary printed reference information, which in this case is a layout of the particular golf course and the course rules.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of another embodiment of the note card assembly.

Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views, and specifically referring to FIG. 1, a watertight note card assembly in accordance with a presently preferred embodiment is generally designated by reference number 10. Note card assembly 10 is particularly adapted for use in scoring golf and includes a golf record or score card 11, and a rectangular, watertight, resealable envelope, generally designated by the number 12, which is adapted to receive card 11.

Score card 11 is of conventional size and construction, and is preferably a panel of paper, cardboard, plastic and similar material which is conventionally employed in the construction of a record keeping cards such as golf score record cards. As shown in FIG. 3, score card 11 is preferably of double width size with a fold line 13 dividing it into two equal parts, 13' and 13". In this way, score card 11 provides score recording area on both sides of card assembly 10. In the presently preferred embodiment of score card 11, it is noted that it has printed indicia 25 for recording golf scores on the first nine holes on the obverse side of part 13' and for recording golf scores for the last nine holes on the obverse side of part 13". There is also some free areas 26 for adding further indicia or information. The printed indicia is reversed on both sides so that card assembly 10 can be easily flipped from one part 13' to the other part 13". As depicted in FIG. 4, the reverse side of record card 11 has permanently printed information 30 that is comprised of the layout of the particular golf course on a panel 32 on part 13" and other indicia, such as the course rules, on a panel 34 on part 13'. Exemplary dimensions of a single part of score card 11 are 6 inches (15.2 cm) long by 4 inches (10.2 cm) wide.

Envelope 12 is preferably constructed of a transparent plastic film, or like materials, which can be constructed into a watertight envelope. Envelope 12 has a front panel 15 and a back panel 16 faced to each other and a watertight seal 17' sealing along three peripheral edge portions of said front panel 15 and back panel 16 along the two longer sides and one shorter side. Seal 17' defines an interior pocket 17 in envelope 12 which has a size and dimensions for removably containing record card 11 in it. An opening 18 is located at the other shorter side along the fourth edge portion to provide an access into said pocket 17. A watertight resealable seal 18' resealably seals opening 18. Exemplary type watertight resealable seals include the conventional "ZIP-LOC" seal and a zipper type seal. By locating opening 18 along the shorter side, there is less likelihood that it would be directly exposed to water than if it were located at the top, longer side.

An extension panel 19 extends from back panel 16, beyond the edge of front panel 15. Extension panel 19 is provided with an orifice 20 for holding a stylus that can be used to write scores, etc., and which can be an appropriate golf accessory such as a golf tee 23. In addition orifice 20 can be used to mount card assembly 10 on a golf cart between holes or on a rack for merchandizing. Envelope 12 has exemplary external dimensions, not including extension 19, of 61/2 inches (16.5 cm) long by 4 3/8 inches (11.1 cm) wide.

Referring to FIG. 2, a first, transparent glassine paper sheet 21 is located in pocket 17 between front panel 15 and the front half of card 11 and a second such paper sheet, denoted 22, is located in pocket 17 between back panel 16 and the back half of card 11. Glassine paper sheets 21 and 22 are a type of transparent carbonless paper such as that available under the trademark NCR paper from Appleton Papers of Appleton WI. One type of such carbonless paper is described in the aforementined Neubauer patent (in column 2), incorporated herein by reference. In addition to glassine, paper sheets 21 and 22 can also be made from CB coated cellophane, polyethyline and polyvinylchloride. Glassine paper sheets 21 and 22 are preferably of a size substantially equal to parts 13' and 13" of score card 11. Furthermore, paper sheets 21 and 22 are preferably part of a single large sheet of a size substantially equal to score card 11 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thus the large glassine paper sheet also is folded along a fold line (not shown) so as to cover both sides of card 11.

Alternatively, the inside surfaces of envelope 12 could be CB coated, thus eliminating the need of a separate sheet in assembly 10. However, most presently available CB-CF coating pairs have a large degradation in visability and marking quality between the first mark and the second mark over the same surfaces. If it is not desirable to reuse envelope 12, then this is not a problem, but it could result in increased costs of manufacture. For envelope 12 to be reusable, then a better quality CB-CF coating must be used.

A rigid, but lightweight, board 24 having substantially the same dimensions and shape as that of parts 13' and 13" of score card 11 is located between and abutting said folded card parts 13' and 13". Preferably, board 24 is constructed of cardboard, pressed fiberboard, wood, plastic (e.g., PVC plastics), and the like materials that are normally used to make a clip board or other writing support surface.

In use, a new score card 11 is folded over board 24 and a glassine paper sheet 21, 22 is folded over the top of score card 11. The assembly is then slidably inserted into transparent envelope 12 through opening 18. After the insertion, seal 18' is resealed or closed to provide a watertight seal. When a golf score needs to be recorded, a golf player uses a stylus tool such as golf tee 23 to write on the envelope in an appropriate area as indicated by the printed indicia on golf score card 11. A permanent image is formed on score card 11 as a result of the chemical reaction between the CB coating of glassine paper sheet 21 or 22 and the CF coating of golf score card 11. The now completely sealed watertight plastic film of envelope 12 protects the images formed on card 11, and card 11 itself, from moisture, dirt and grease.

In FIG. 5 there is depicted another embodiment of a card assembly, denoted 110, in accordance with the present invention. Card assembly 110 is also comprised of a watertight envelope 112 containing a score card 111. It can be seen that note card assembly 110 has an elongate shape and an extension part 119 located on one of the short sides of the envelope 112 instead of on the length thereof. However, card assembly 110 is similar to card assembly 10 in all other respects.

While a full and complete description of the invention has been set forth in accordance with the dictates of the patent statutes, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific form herein shown. Accordingly, modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.