1. A preformed polymeric composition comprising a crosslinked thermally treated polymer.
2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition possesses one or more of the following charcteristics: degree of swelling of between about 1.7 to about 5.3; molecular weight between crosslinks of between about 400 to about 8400 gmol; and a gel content of between about 95 to about 99%.
3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the preformed polymeric composition is crosslinked by gamma radiation at a dose from about 1 to about 100 Mrad.
4. The composition of claim 3, wherein the dose is from about 5 to about 25 Mrad.
5-30. (canceled)
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-23. (canceled)
24. A note holder, comprising:
a bottom portion that includes a bottom inner surface and a bottom outer surface;
a top portion that includes a top inner surface and a top outer surface;
a hinge that separates said bottom portion and said top portion;
a pull tab that extends from the note holder when the note holder is closed,
wherein the note holder when in a closed position is about the size of a standard credit card, thereby allowing the note holder to fit within a slot of a wallet; and
wherein said pull tab is to assist a user with pulling the note holder out of a slot of a wallet.
25. The note holder of claim 24, further comprising:
an instrument receptacle formed by a loop capable of holding an instrument generally adjacent an inner surface of said hinge.
26. The note holder of claim 25, further comprising a writing instrument that fits within said instrument receptacle, wherein said writing instrument has a length that does not exceed a length of said hinge so that said writing instrument remains protected within the note holder when the note holder is closed.
27. The note holder of claim 26, wherein said writing instrument has a diameter that is not greater than about 0.125\u2033.
28. The note holder of claim 26, wherein said writing instrument includes at least one tab that protrudes generally radially from a shaft of said writing instrument, and wherein said tab of said writing instrument is to assist a user with both removing said writing instrument from said instrument receptacle and griping gripping said writing instrument during writing.
29. The note holder of claim 24, wherein said pull tab is formed by a continuous slit into one of said bottom and top portions, such that said pull tab in an extended position protrudes beyond said hinge or another edge of said bottom and top portions when the note holder is in the closed position.
30. The note holder of claim 24, further comprising a second pull tab, which extends in a direction generally perpendicular to said pull tab,
where one of said pull tabs is to assist a user with removing the note holder from a wallet slot intended to hold a credit card lengthwise, and the other one of said pull tabs is to assist a user with removing the note holder from a wallet slot intended to hold a credit card widthwise
31. (canceled)
32. The note holder of claim 25, wherein said top and bottom portions, said hinge, said pull tab and said instrument receptacle are made from a single sheet of material.
33. The note holder of claim 32, wherein said hinge is formed by a single fold line in said sheet of material.
34. The note holder of claim 33, comprising:
a first slit or cutout in said sheet of material; and
a second slit or cutout in said sheet of material;
wherein each said slit or cutout extends between said bottom and top portions and across said single fold line; and
wherein said instrument receptacle is formed by a portion of said sheet of material between said first slit or cutout and said second slit or cutout that is urged in a direction opposite said hinge to thereby form a loop capable of holding an instrument generally adjacent said inner surface of said hinge.
35. The note holder of claim 32, wherein said hinge is formed by a pair of parallel fold lines in said sheet of material.
36. The note holder of claim 35, comprising:
a first slit or cutout in said sheet of material; and
a second slit or cutout in said sheet of material;
wherein each said slit or cutout extends across at least one of said fold lines; and
wherein said instrument receptacle is formed by a portion of said sheet of material between said first slit or cutout and said second slit or cutout that is urged in a direction opposite said hinge to thereby form a loop capable of holding an instrument generally adjacent said inner surface of said hinge.
37. The note holder of claim 34, wherein said top and bottom portions and said hinge are formed from a first piece of material and said instrument receptacle is formed from a separate second piece of material that is affixed to said first piece of material.
38. The note holder of claim 37, wherein a first end of said second piece of material is affixed to said bottom inner surface, and a second end of said second piece of material is affixed to said top inner surface, such that said loop extends across said inner surface of said hinge.
39. The note holder of claim 24, wherein at least one sheet of note paper is affixed to at least one of said inner bottom surface and said inner top surface.
40. The note holder of claim 24, wherein said pull-tab generally has one of said following shapes:
a semi-oval shape;
a semi-circular shape;
a rectangular shape; and
a triangular shape.
41. A note holder, comprising:
a bottom portion that includes a bottom inner surface and a bottom outer surface;
a top portion that includes a top inner surface and a top outer surface;
a hinge that separates said bottom portion and said top portion;
an instrument receptacle formed by a loop capable of holding an instrument generally adjacent an inner surface of said hinge; and
a writing instrument that fits within said instrument receptacle, wherein said writing instrument has a length that does not exceed a length of said hinge so that said writing instrument remains protected within the note holder when the note holder is closed
wherein the note holder when in a closed position is about the size of a standard credit card, thereby allowing the note holder, with said writing instrument within said instrument receptacle, to fit within a credit card slot of a wallet.
42. The note holder of claim 41, further comprising:
at least one sheet of note paper affixed to at least one of said inner bottom surface and said inner top surface.
43. The note holder of claim 41, further comprising:
a pull tab that extends from the note holder when the note holder is closed,
wherein said pull tab is to assist a user with pulling the note holder out of a slot of a wallet.
44. The note holder of claim 43, wherein said top and bottom portions, said hinge, said instrument receptacle and said pull tab are made from a single sheet of material.
45. The note holder of claim 43, wherein said pull tab is formed by a continuous slit into one of said bottom and top portions, such that said pull tab in an extended position protrudes beyond said hinge when the note holder is in the closed position.
46. The note holder of claim 43, wherein said pull tab is formed by a continuous slit into one of said bottom and top portions, such that said pull tab in an extended position protrudes beyond said hinge or another edge of said bottom and top portions when the note holder is in the closed position.
47. The note holder of claim 43, wherein said pull-tab generally has one of said following shapes:
a semi-oval shape;
a semi-circular shape;
a rectangular shape; and
a triangular shape.
48. The note holder of claim 41, further comprising first and second pull tabs that extend from the note holder when the note holder is in the closed position,
wherein said first pull tab is to assist a user with removing the note holder from a wallet slot intended to hold a credit card lengthwise; and
wherein said second pull tab, which extends in a direction generally perpendicular to said first pull tab, is to assist a user with removing the note holder from a wallet slot intended to hold a credit card widthwise.
49. The note holder of claim 41, wherein said writing instrument includes at least one tab that protrudes generally radially from a shaft of said writing instrument, and wherein said tab of said writing instrument is to assist a user with both removing said writing instrument from said instrument receptacle and gripping said writing instrument during writing.
50. The note holder of claim 41, wherein:
said top and bottom portions, said hinge and said instrument receptacle are made from a single sheet of material;
said hinge is formed by a pair of parallel fold lines in said sheet of material;
said instrument receptacle is formed by a portion of said sheet of material, between a first slit or cutout in said sheet of material and a second slit or cutout in said sheet of material, that is urged in a direction opposite said hinge to thereby form a loop capable of holding an instrument generally adjacent said inner surface of said hinge; and
each said slit or cutout extends across at least one of said fold lines.
51. A note holder, comprising:
a sheet of material;
a hinge formed by a pair of parallel fold lines in said sheet of material, said hinge separating said sheet of material into a bottom portion and a top portion;
a first slit or cutout in said sheet of material that extends across at least one of said fold lines; and
a second slit or cutout in said sheet of material that extends across said at least one of said fold lines; and
an instrument receptacle formed by a portion of said sheet of material between said first slit or cutout and said second slit or cutout that is urged in a direction opposite said hinge to thereby form a loop capable of holding an instrument generally adjacent said inner surface of said hinge;
wherein the note holder is in a closed position when folded such that inner surfaces of said bottom and top portions face one another; and
wherein the note holder is in an open position when unfolded such that inner surfaces of said bottom and top portions are exposed
52. The note holder of claim 51, wherein the note holder when in a closed position is about the size of a standard credit card, thereby allowing the note holder to fit within a credit card slot of a wallet.
53. The note holder of claim 51, further comprising:
a pull tab to assist a user with pulling the note holder out of a credit card slot of a wallet.
54. The note holder of claim 51, further comprising a writing instrument that fits within said instrument receptacle, wherein said writing instrument has a length that does not exceed a length of said main hinge so that said writing instrument remains protected within the note holder when the note holder is closed, and so the note holder with said writing instrument within said instrument receptacle fits within a credit card slot of a wallet.
55. The note holder of claim 54, wherein said writing instrument has a diameter that is not greater than about 0.125\u2033.
56. The note holder of claim 54, wherein said writing instrument includes at least one tab that protrudes generally radially from a shaft of said writing instrument; wherein said tab is to assist a user with both removing said writing instrument from said instrument receptacle and gripping said writing instrument during writing; and wherein said tab is substantially flat such that it does not contribute to a thickness of the note holder when said writing instrument is within said instrument receptacle.
57. A note holder, comprising:
a generally rectangular first body portion;
a generally rectangular second body portion;
a hinge that separates said first body portion and said second body portion; and
a closure mechanism including a first loop that is located adjacent an edge of said first body portion that is opposite said hinge, and a second loop that is located adjacent an edge of said second body portion that is opposite said hinge;
wherein the note holder is in a closed position when folded such that said first and second loops are collinear; and
wherein a writing instrument can be inserted through said first and second loops when the note holder is in the closed position, to thereby maintain the note holder in the closed position until the writing instrument is removed.