Notebook and notebook cover

1. A notebook consisting of: a plurality of sheets of paper;

a binding mechanism binding the plurality of sheets together; and

a cover bound to the plurality of sheets of paper disposed therebetween, the cover comprising first and second opposed covers, the first cover including a first portion and a second portion and having a hinge line extending therebetween;

a closing mechanism coupled to at least one of the opposed covers to retain the cover in a closed position; and

a retaining mechanism comprising a loop of elastic material;

wherein the second portion is pivotable about the hinge line between a closed position and an open position; and

wherein the first and second opposed covers consist of a single, unitary sheet of material.

2. The notebook of claim 1 , wherein the hinge line extends longitudinally from a top edge of the first cover to a bottom edge of the first cover.

3. The notebook of claim 2 , wherein the notebook comprises a spine located between and coupled to the first and second opposed covers, and wherein the first and second covers each comprise a binding edge adjacent to the spine and a free edge on a generally opposite side thereof, and wherein the hinge line does not extend laterally from the binding edge to the free edge of the first cover.

4. The notebook of claim 2 , wherein the cover is bound to the plurality of sheets of paper by the binding mechanism, and wherein the binding mechanism is located on an inner surface of at least one of one of the first cover, second cover, and spine.

5. The notebook of claim 3 , wherein the second portion pivots about the hinge line from an angle α, defined as the angle between the second cover and the second portion,of −90° to 270°, and the first portion is pivotable about the binding edge between a closed position and an open position from an angle βof 0° to 270°.

6. The notebook of claim 5 , wherein the angles αand βare the same when the first and second portions are in the closed positions, and the angles αandβare different when the first and second portions are in the open positions.

7. The notebook of claim 5 , wherein the first and second portions facially abut against a sheet of the plurality of sheets of paper when the notebook is in a closed position, and wherein the first portion facially abuts against the sheet of the plurality of sheets of paper and the second portion does not facially abut against the sheet of the plurality of sheets of paper when the notebook is in a partially open position.

8. The notebook of claim 5 , wherein the first portion facially abuts against a sheet of the plurality of sheets of paper when in a closed position and the first portion pivots about the hinge line away from the second cover when in an open position.

9. The notebook of claim 6 , wherein the angle βis less than the angle αwhen the first and second portions are in the open positions.

10. The notebook of claim 1 , wherein the opposed covers are directly coupled together.

11. The notebook of claim 1 wherein the first cover comprises:

first and second opposed edges along a first axis; and

third and fourth opposed edges along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and

wherein the hinge line extends from the first edge to the second edge, and

wherein the first cover comprises a second hinge line that extends from the first edge to the third edge.

12. The notebook of claim 11 , wherein the second portion pivots about the hinge line from an angle α, defined as the angle between the second cover and the second portion,of −90° to 270°, and the first cover comprises a third portion pivotable about the second hinge line between a closed position and an open position from an angle γof 0° to 270°.