GB2346951A

GB2346951A - Computer mouse pad with disposable layers

Info

Publication number: GB2346951A
Application number: GB9903657A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chris Webb
Original assignee: MOUSEJOTTER Ltd
Current assignee: MOUSEJOTTER Ltd
Priority date: 1999-02-17
Filing date: 1999-02-17
Publication date: 2000-08-23
Also published as: GB9903657D0

Abstract

A computer mouse mat 1 comprises a plurality of disposable paper sheets 2 disposed on a rigid cardboard base 3. The sheets are bound together along at least half of their periphery, using a latex adhesive or mechanical means. The sheets may be circular except for a straight edge chord portion 4 for effective removal of the topmost sheet. Alternatively, the sheets may be rectangular (Figure 3). The sheets are first printed with graphical, promotional or textual material, then the sheets are cut to provide the chord portion prior to binding, the chord portion ensuring that the sheets are registered with respect to one another. Alternatively, the sheets may be bound prior to cutting of the chord portion.

Description

Mouse Mat The present invention relates to mouse mats for use with the mouse of a computer, i. e. the mats on which a computer pointing device, e. g. that commonly referred to as a"mouse", is moved.

Viewed from one aspect, the present invention provides a mouse mat comprised of a pad of a plurality of substantially circular sheets, e. g. of paper, which are bound together along substantially one half of their circumference (corresponding to the bottom half of the mat), and which have a straight edge portion along a part of the unbound portion of their circumference.

A mouse mat in accordance with the present invention has a number of advantages. When the top sheet is dirty, it may be replaced to leave a clean sheet. The sheets may also be written on as with a normal writing pad, and/or may include promotional and/or other graphical or textual material thereon.

The use of circular sheets is particularly advantageous and mouse mats formed from such sheets have been found to be particularly easy to write on when on a desk, the mat providing a good amount of writing space whilst taking up relatively little of the user's workspace. Furthermore, the provision of an unbound straight edge on the circumference of the mat allows a user to peel off the topmost sheet from the rest of the pad in a simple and effective manner, whilst the binding of the sheets over the bottom half of their circumference ensures that the sheets do not ride up or scuff and become dog-eared through the movement of the mouse and user's hand over the mat's surface.

The sheets are printed to with whatever markings are desired, e. g. advertisements or ruled areas, so that the bound part of the mat is the lower portion of the mat, i. e. the part of the mat nearest the user in use.

The straight edge is preferably at the top of the mat, i. e. at the centre of the unbound portion of the circumference, although it could be to either side of the centre.

The sheets may be of any suitable materials, size and thickness, as may be the resulting mat. In a preferred embodiment, the sheets are white bond paper, preferably of 80 gsm. They may be mounted on a support base, which may be e. g. a cardboard base, e. g. a grey board base or a white board base. In a preferred embodiment, there are 25 sheets per pad.

It is especially preferred for the circular sheets to have a diameter of about 210 mm, whilst the straight edge is preferably about 10 mm in from the circumference so that the distance from the centre of the straight edge to the diametrically opposite point is about 200 mm.

The sheets are preferably bound together by glue, which may be a latex adhesive.

It would be possible to glue circular sheets together and then to cut the resulting pads to produce the straight edge. In a preferred embodiment, however, the sheets are first cut to the required shape, i. e. circular but with the straight edge, and are then glued together half way about their circumferences.

The sheets are printed to before they are cut out ready for gluing, and the use of a straight section on their circumferences has the advantage that it allows the sheets to be easily registered with one another before gluing, so that they are all in the same orientation.

Viewed from a further aspect, therefore, the present invention provides a method of making a mouse mat comprised of a pad of substantially circular sheets, in which the sheets are first printed to and cut out before being bound together, the sheets being cut to have a straight edge portion which is used to register the sheets with respect to one another during binding.

The sheets could if desired be glued about their circumferences by more than half, and for example could be glued fully along the circumference except at the straight edge. It has been found however that the binding of the lower half of the circumference adequately prevents riding up or curling of the sheets during use.

The binding of the sheets about their lower circumferential portion can be extended to other mat constructions, and, viewed from a further aspect, the present invention provides a mouse mat comprised of a pad of a plurality of substantially rectangular sheets, e. g. of paper, which are bound together along their bottom edges, i. e. the edges which correspond with the bottom edge of the mat, and along substantially one half of each of their side edges up from said bottom edge.

It has been found that prevention of scuff is achieved well by binding the bottom edge of the mat, whilst prevention of slipping of the top sheet at its top edge can be facilitated by the binding of the lower halves of the two side edges of the sheets. Further, by binding the sheets together only along the lower portions of their side edges, the sheets can be easily removed from the pad when necessary.

The sheets can be of any size and materials, and are preferably of the same paper as mentioned above in respect of the circular sheets. Again, twenty five sheets may be used per pad. In a preferred embodiment, the sheets are 9 by 6 inches, the bottom edge being the longest.

The corners of the mat are preferably rounded e. g. to facilitate binding.

Although gluing the sheets of either of the mats described above is preferred, mechanical binding may also be used. Where the sheets are glued together along their circumferences, this may be carried out by applying adhesive to their edges, which is preferred, or by applying adhesive along the top and/or bottom surface of each sheet along their peripheral edge areas.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a mouse mat in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention ; Fig. 2 is a top perspective view of the mat of Fig.

1 showing the top sheet being removed; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a mat in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 4 is a top perspective view of the mat of Fig.

3 showing the top sheet being removed.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a mouse mat 1 comprises a plurality of sheets 2 (e. g. 25 sheets) of white bond paper of weight 80 gsm on a rigid cardboard base 3 of e. g. grey or white board.

The sheets 2 are of circular shape apart from a straight edge portion 4, and have a central porion 5 on which to write and/or on which is provided promotional or other graphical or textual material.

The sheets 2 are bound together by e. g. a latex adhesive along the lower half of their circumferences opposite the straight edge portion 4, i. e. between the points A-A of Fig. 2.

The sheets 2 may have a diameter of about 210 mm, whilst the straight edge may be about 10 mm in from the circumference at its centre point, so that the distance from the centre of the straight edge to the diametrically opposite point is about 200 mm.

The overall assembly provides a mouse mat 1 which a mouse may easily move over, without disturbing the topmost one of the sheets 2, whilst allowing the sheets to be easily removed, one at a time, by peeling them off from the straight edge portion 4, as shown in Fig. 2.

Thus, if the topmost of the sheets becomes dirty, it may be removed to reveal a clean sheet. The sheets may also be written on as one would with the sheets of a writing pad, and may be removed e. g. when full or to put in a file if necessary. Promotional material may also be provided on the sheets.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a mouse mat 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and in which the sheets 2 are rectangular. The sheets 2 may be of the same paper as the first embodiment, and there may again be 25 sheets to the pad. The sheets may be e. g. 9 by 6M inches in size. Although not shown in the drawings, the sheets 2 preferably have rounded corners.

Again, the lower edges of the sheets 2 are bound together. In this case, the lower edge 6 is glued along its length, whilst the side edges 7 are glued halfway therealong from the bottom edge 6 to the points A.

Again, the topmost of the sheets 2 can be easily peeled off, whilst the glued portions prevent riding up and curling of the edges of the sheets 2 when a mouse is moved across the mat 1.

The above are only specific embodiments of the present invention, and modifications and variations on the above are also possible.

Claims

Claims 1. A mouse mat comprising a pad of a plurality of substantially circular sheets which are bound together along substantially one half of their circumference and which have a straight edge portion along a part of the unbound portion of their circumference.
2. A mouse mat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the straight edge is at the centre of the unbound portion of the circumference.
3. A mouse mat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the straight edge is to one side of the centre of the unbound portion of the circumference.
4. A mouse mat as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the circular sheets have a diameter of about 210 mm.
5. A mouse mat as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the distance from the centre of the straight edge to the diametrically opposite point is about 200 mm.
6. A mouse mat comprised of a pad of a plurality of substantially rectangular sheets which are bound together along a first edge and along substantially one half of each of their side edges up from said first edge.
7. A mouse mat as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sheets are 9 by 6 inches (24.1 cm by 16.5 cm), the first edge being the longest.
8. A mouse mat as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the corners of the mat are rounded to facilitate binding.
9. A mouse mat as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sheets are paper.
10. A mouse mat as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sheets further comprise markings.
11. A mouse mat as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sheets are mounted on a support base.
12. A mouse mat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the support base comprises cardboard.
13. A mouse mat as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein there are 25 sheets per pad.
14. A mouse mat as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sheets are bound together by glue.
15. A mouse mat as claimed in claim 14, wherein the glue is a latex adhesive.
16. A method of making a mouse mat as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising the steps of: printing to the sheets; cutting the sheets to have a straight edge portion; binding the sheets together using the straight edge portion to register the sheets with respect to one another during binding.
17. A method of making a mouse mat as claimed in claim 16, comprising gluing the sheets about their circumferences by more than half.
18. A method of making a mouse mat as claimed in claim 17, comprising gluing the sheets fully along the circumference except at the straight edge.
19. A method of making a mouse mat as claimed in claim 17 or 18, comprising applying adhesive to the edges of the sheets.
20. A method of making a mouse mat as claimed in claim 17 or 18, comprising applying adhesive along the top and/or bottom surface of each sheet along their peripheral edge areas.
21. A method of making a mouse mat as claimed in claim 16, comprising mechanically binding the sheets.
22. A method of making a mouse mat as claimed in any of claims 1-15, comprising the steps of: printing to the sheets; gluing the sheets together; then cutting the sheets to have a straight edge portion.