GB2513890A

GB2513890A - A weatherproof envelope with a combination window and transfer sheet

Info

Publication number: GB2513890A
Application number: GB1308372.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Kenneth Hailwood
Original assignee: IKH PRODUCTS Ltd
Current assignee: IKH PRODUCTS Ltd
Priority date: 2013-05-09
Filing date: 2013-05-09
Publication date: 2014-11-12
Also published as: GB201308372D0

Abstract

A weatherproof envelope 1 comprising a window and transfer sheet arrangement, in which the rear side (3, Fig.2c) of the envelope 1 is composed of weatherproof material, and in which the front side 2 of the envelope 1 is composed at least partly from transparent weatherproof sheet. The front and rear sides are connected to form a sleeve with an opening 5 for inserting or removing items. The envelope 1 further comprises a transferable medium (4, Fig.2c) applied to at least part of the transparent portion of the inner surface of the front side 2 of the envelope 1. The envelope 1 is adapted such that writing on a sheet of paper or card located within the envelope 1 can be viewed and read, and such that portions of the transferable medium 4 can be transferred to the surface of a sheet located within the envelope 1 to form written text, by pressing on the outer surface of the front side 2 with a stylus. The card to be marked may be a golf scorecard and the stylus may be a golf tee. The transferable medium (4, Fig.2c) may be in the form of a dot matrix or grid.

Description

A weatherproof envelope with a combination window and transfer sheet

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a weatherproof envelope that incorporates a combined window and transfer sheet to allow a sheet of paper, card or similar located in the envelope to be read, and to be written on by using a stylus or similar pressed against the outer surface of the window.

Background

There are several sports and other activities that take place outside where the participants are exposed to the prevailing weather conditions. It is often necessary or at least useful for participants in these activities to make notes or keep score as the activity takes place. For example, when golf players are playing a round of golf, they will keep score on a hole-to-hole basis as the round is played, usually by marking an individual scorecard for each player. Making notes, such as a record of scoring etc, can be difficult if the weather is inclement, and especially if it is raining, where paper or card sheets for note-taking can easily become wet, potentially making them illegible or damaged to the point of uselessness. Weatherproof sheets, either printed or unprinted, are known, but are not ideal as they can be difficult to write on without a special writing instrument, and are usually only weather-resistant to a certain point -continuous or semi-continuous exposure to inclement weather can cause them to start to absorb water and become damaged. Wherein transcription of scores to further materials is onerous, and in any event provision by golf clubs of branded, * customised and weatherproof scorecards is costly economically. * .

Prior Art * . .

**. S. Accordingly a number of patent applications have been filed in an attempt to resolve the problem or similar, including the following: *SSe

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* S US5653342 discloses an enclosure for protecting and carrying a golf scorecard, formed from a translucent or transparent material and having a tubular shape with a closed end and an open end. The enclosure is sized to receive a golf scorecard so that all the pertinent information regarding all 18 holes can be viewed through the walls of the enclosure. The closed end includes an aperture for receiving a writing device such as a pen or pencil. The enclosure is sized to be readily carried in a shirt or pants pocket of the golfer and serves to protect the card from the elements such as perspiration or precipitation.

US2005/0077719 discloses a sleeve for receiving a score-card. The score-card can be inserted between an external face and an internal face, configured only in the form of a border strip, in such a way that the card is accessible and can be marked via the cavity of the internal face.

US20020029833 describes a flexible golf scorecard holder that includes a centre fold line to separate the scorecard holder into similarly sized front and back panels, with the front panel completely covering the back panel. The back panel has an interior transparent sleeve allowing access from two opposite ends at all times. The sleeve is adapted to hold one half of a golf scorecard while allowing the other half to be folded on top of the transparent sleeve, providing access to the exposed portion of the golf scorecard for scorekeeping. Therefore, one-half of the golf scorecard is protected by the transparent sleeve, with the exposed half of the scorecard protected when the front panel of the holder is folded over the back panel.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a weatherproof envelope with a combination window and transfer sheet which goes some way to overcoming the abovementioned disadvantages or which at least provides the public or industry with a useful choice.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a weatherproof envelope comprising a window and transfer sheet arrangement, in which the rear side of the envelope is composed of weatherproof material, and in which the front side of the envelope is composed at least partly from transparent weatherproof sheet, and in which the front and rear sides are connected to form a sleeve with an opening for inserting or removing items, and in which the envelope further comprises a transferable medium applied to at least part of the transparent portion of the inner surface of the front side of the envelope, and adapted such that writing on a sheet of paper or card located within the envelope can be viewed and read, and such that portions of the transferable medium can be transferred to the surface of a sheet located within the envelope to form written text, by pressing on the outer surface of the front side with a stylus.

Preferably, the transferable medium distributed substantially evenly across at least part of the transparent portion of the inner surface of the front side This allows paper or card in the envelope to be protected from the elements and rain in particular, while still allowing a user to write on the card using a stylus or similar instrument.

In this way scores or other details may be recorded on a golf club's own scorecard as it is typically a requirement of golf clubs to have their own personalised scorecards submitted after a game of golf. , Whereas a score or other details recorded on other materials would then require transcribing onto the golf club's own scorecard, which process is tedious and perhaps outside the etiquette of the game.

Preferably the transferable medium has the form of a dot matrix. This allows the best combination of transferrability as legible writing to the card or paper in the envelope and readability of any printed item already in the envelope.

Preferably the dots are sized, spaced and distributed such that a written sheet or card located in the envelope can be read through the transparent weatherproof sheet.

Preferably the dots that form the matrix are evenly distributed to form rows and columns.

The transferable medium may take the form of a grid, the lines of the grid sized, spaced and distributed such that a written sheet or card located in the envelope can be read through the transparent weatherproof sheet, and also so that portions of the transferable medium can be transferred to the surface of a sheet located in the envelope to form written text. *

Preferably the front and rear sides are formed from plastic sheet, Preferably the envelope is rectangular.

Preferably the two longer edges of the front and rear sides are joined to form a continuous seam along the length of each edge.

Preferably one of the shorter edges forms a base of the envelope and is closed by a * * stiff plastic panel that runs across the width of the lower short edge of the envelope.

Preferably the plastic panel has a hole, the hole formed to pass through the panel without allowing access to the interior of the envelope.

Preferably the envelope further has a loop of cord passed through the hole.

Preferably one of the front or rear sides incorporates a flap at or towards the upper shorter open edge of the envelope, the flap adapted to fold over and close the open edge.

Preferably the flap has a sticky strip on the inner face so that the flap can be stuck down.

Preferably the plastic sheets that form the front and rear sides are flexible and in some embodiments both comprise transparent material in whole or part. In particular in some embodiments the inside of both front and rear sides comprise transferable medium to allow for additional uses and to make the envelope/sleeve more economical. In such embodiments in particular the two inside surfaces would need to be protected from each other by separation by a loose sheet that will not readily accept the medium.

This allows multiple uses: 1st use -1st scorecard upright in sleeve 2nd use -2nd scorecard inverted in sleeve 3rd use -3rd scorecard reversed and upright in sleeve 4th use -4th scorecard reversed and inverted in sleeve Yet further uses additiohal uses may be possible whereby for example the sleeve is larger than a standard scorecard and the scorecard can be positioned to receive unused transferable medium. In some further embodiments books, booklets or folders arranged with plural sleeves and sides may be provided for yet further uses.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realised that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification flfl are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the weatherproof envelope of the present invention, front face upwards, the upper edge and an associated flap to the lower-right.

Figure 2a shows a front view of the weatherproof envelope of figure 1.

Figure 2b shows a detail front view of one section of the envelope of figure 2a, with detail of a transferable medium located on the inner surface of the front face.

Figure 2c shows a side view of the detail view of figure 2b, with the front face being pressed inwards towards the rear face by the point of a stylus or similar so that a portion of the transferrable medium directly under the stylus can be transferred to a score card or similar located in the envelope between the front and rear faces.

Detailed Description of Figures

The preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the figures. The preferred embodiment is a weatherproof sleeve for a golf score card, and the preferred embodiment of envelope is sized accordingly. The preferred embodiment of envelope 1 is shown in Figure 1. Envelope 1 is rectangular, and has a flat front side 2 and a flat rear side 3. The front and rear sides 2, 3 are connected along their longer edges to form a sleeve. The two top edges of the front and rear sides 2, 3 are unconnected, so that an opening is formed for inserting or removing : * items at the top side or edge 5 of the envelope 1. The rear side 3 is formed from weatherproof material, in the preferred embodiment plastic sheet. The front side 2 is : ** formed at least partly and preferably wholly from a weatherproof transparent material such as a transparent plastic sheet. That is, the front side has at least a transparent window formed in it, of weatherproof material. The longer edges are connected to each other to form a seam, by heat sealing or a similar connection method. These edges could also be glued together, or fastened or connected by any other suitable means.

The front side 2 has a transferable medium 4 applied to the inner surface (before it is connected to the rear side 2). The transferable medium 4 is distributed substantially evenly across at least part and preferably the whole of the transparent portion of the inner surface of the front side 2 in such a manner that a score card located in the envelope can be viewed and read, and also so that portions of the transferable medium 4 can be transferred to the surface of the score card to form written text, by pressing on the outer surface of the front side with a stylus. The stylus in this context could be any suitable instrument with a pointed or semi-pointed end -for example the end of a golf tee could be used, or the end of a ballpoint pen or a pencil could be used. The act of pressing down and writing with the stylus on the outer surface of the front sheet, over the transferable medium, causes any portion of the transferable medium directly underneath the tip of the stylus to transfer from the inner surface of the front sheet to the surface of the score card in the envelope. It can be thus seen that as a user writes words and numbers with the stylus on the outer surface of the front sheet, these will then form as legible and permanent words and numbers on a score card or similar as the transferable medium transfers from the inner surface of the front sheet onto the score card.

In the preferred embodiment, the transferable medium is formed from any suitable material. These are collectively known as dry transfer materials, or rub-down or rub-on materials. The preferred form is as a dot matrix, the dots are sized, spaced and distributed such that a written sheet or card located in the envelope can be read through the transparent weatherproof sheet without being overly obscured by the dots, either individually or collectively. The dots that form the matrix are evenly distributed to form rows and columns, the dots small arid closely spaced èo that there are no significant breaks between portions of a number or character when a user writes on the card, and a user can write using their normal-sized handwriting without having to exaggerate the size in order to form legible characters.

Alternatively, the transferable medium could have the form of a gild, for example * of a series of parallel and perpendicular lines, the lines of the grid again sized, spaced and distributed such that a written sheet or card located in the envelope can be read through the transparent portion of the front face 2, and also so that portions of the transferable medium can be transferred to the surface of a sheet located in the envelope to form written text.

The lower shorter edge 6 forms a base of the envelope (opposite the open end *.** 5). This base end 6 is closed by a stiff plastic panel 7 that is connected to the front S..... - * and rear sides 2, 3, and which runs across the width of the lower short edge 6 of the envelope. The plastic panel 7 has a hole 8 which passes through it, the hole 8 formed to pass through the panel 7 without allowing access to the interior of the envelope 1. A loop of cord 9, or similar, is passed through the hole 8. This cord can be used to hang the envelope from a convenient hook or similar, for transport during a game.

* The open end 5 is closed by way of a flap 10 connected to, or integrally formed as part of, one of the front or rear sides. The flap 10 folds over and closes the open edge or end 5. The preferred embodiment of flap 10 has a sticky strip on the inner face so that the flap can be stuck down, the sticky strip protected by way of a removable wax paper strip or similar connected to it which is peeled off to allow the flap to be stuck down.

As described above, the front and rear sides of the envelope are formed from flexible plastic sheet, However, the rear sheet could be rigid or semi-rigid plastic (or a similar material) in order to assist a user when writing, any other suitable material aside from plastic could also be used.

It should also be noted that although rectangular or possibly square envelopes will almost certainly be the most common shape, other shapes are not excluded from the scope of the invention -the envelope could be circular, hexagonal, etc. For a circular envelope, some of the mutual edges of the rear and front sides would be connected to form a sleeve, and for a hexagon, the lower three or lower five edges would be connected. It should also be noted that sleeve' in the context of this invention should be taken to mean that the upper edge is open, and the lower edge could be open, or it could be closed (to form a pocket). For the preferred embodiment described above, the lower edge is closed by the plastic panel 7. This edge could however, be closed by heat sealing or similar, as for the side edges, or it could be open, although this increases the chances of exposing the score card or similar to the elements.

The preferred form of envelope as described above is for a golf score card, but * the envelope as described and claimed is suitable for a range of similar sports, or for * spectating where spectators wish to note scores or similar at an exposed venue. The * ** envelope as described and claimed could also be used for non-sporting purposes, for example to protect and mark maps for orienteering or hiking, or for military uses such as artillery range-finding and calculations on a map. It could also be used for builders or tradesmen who need to make a note of measurements or make **.

calculations while exposed to the elements, for example while on a roof in the rain or in a garden or in a ditch, or halfway up a ladder in the rain. It is anticipated that the transferable medium will last long enough for plural uses before the envelope cannot be used for further new writing. It should also be noted that in this context, weatherproof indicates a certain amount of protection from the elements, without necessarily indicating that the envelope is intended to be entirely watertight. *. ** * * a * S

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