GB2223449A

GB2223449A - Book mark

Info

Publication number: GB2223449A
Application number: GB8823574A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew W Isaac
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-10-07
Filing date: 1988-10-07
Publication date: 1990-04-11
Also published as: GB8823574D0

Abstract

A book mark for adhering within a book by the reader comprises a strip of flexible material 2 having a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 3 provided on one of its surfaces at one end thereof. The book mark is usually supplied mounted on a substrate 4 provided with a release layers in contact with the adhesive. The book mark may have decorative printing on at least one of its surfaces. <IMAGE>

Description

BOOK MARK The present invention relates to a book mark, in particular to a book mark for adhering within a book by the reader.

It is well known to use a strip of material, either flexible or rigid, as a book mark to mark the page of a book. When the book is opened such book marks must be removed entirely from the book and set to one side or replaced at some other page in the book. This can be inconvenient.

Another type of book mark often used in reference books, for instance text books or atlases, comprises a strip of flexible material fixed permanetl to the book, usually into the binding of the book.

A new type of book mark according the invention comprises a strip of flexible material which has a laer of pressure sensitive adhesive provided on one of its surfaces at one end of the strip.

The book mark may be applied by the reader to the book and used as a marker thereafter whenever the reader reads or refers to the book. The book mark has advantages over a conventional book mark of the first type described above in that it will remain adhered to the book even when removed from the page which it is used to mark. The book mark has the further advantage that it is less likely to become removed from the position it is marking in a book than a conventional book mark of that type. The book mark can furthermore be held and used to open the book at the marked page more easily than a conventional loose book mark.

The layer of pressure sensitive adhesive generally extends substantiall across the width of the strip. The adhesive layer usually commences at or near one end of the strip and it preferably extends from between '0 and 100mm along the length, more preferably in the range 25 to 75mm, for instance around 50mm. The strip of material is preferably long enough to be suitable for use in even the largest hooks. When used in smaller books it can be trimmed to the desired length, generally such that it protrudes a few centimetres from the bottom of the bool;.

The strip of material is for instance up to 60cm long, generally up to 50cm long. If the book mark is intended for use in small books only, for instance in paperhack books, then it need not be longer than around 30cm.

Preferably it is at least 40cm long and a particularly convenient length is around 45cm long.

The flexible material of the strip may be a woven or non-woven fabric or paper material, and is most conveniently a length of ribbon. The strip may be, for instance, up to 15mm wide, usually at least 5 or 6mm wide and preferably around 9 or lOmm wide. A particularly suitable material is 9mm woven ribbon.

The strip may be provided with decorative features.

It is usually suitab'e for the book mark to be inserted into a book by contacting the adhesive layer with the top of the back page, against the spine of the book. In order that any decorative markings are visible on the front of the strip as it lies in a book whilst marking a page, those markings should be provided on the opposite surface of the strip to the side on which the adhesive is provided. The decorative markings may be provided in any conventional way and are conveniently printed onto the flexible material. Metal foil printed onto a ribbon provides an attractive decorative surface.

Although the adhesive layer may comprise an adhesive which is permanently tacky and removable from the surface onto which it is applied, so that the book mark may be re-used (for instance of the type used in well known "Post It Notes" manufactured by 3M) , the adhesive is generally intended to adhere the book mark permanently in its position in the book. The adhesive is a conventional pressure sensitive adhesive, for instance as used on self adhesive labels intended for adhesion to paper and similar substrates. Suitable adhesives are polyvinylether-based adhesives or, preferably, acrylic based, for instance comprising acrylic esters, for example comprising units derived from one or more C1 alkyl(meth)acrylate esters. These adhesives are conveniently applied as oil-in-water emulsions by conventional techniques and allowed to dry.

In a further aspect of the invention a product comprises the new book mark adhered to a substrate provided with a release layer, the adhesive on the book mark being applied to the release layer. The substrate is for instance a strip of paper or card and the release layer is a conventional silicone release layer. The strip may be wrapped around a card substrate.

The invention is further illustrated in the enclosed drawings in which: Figure 1 is a section through one end of the product of the invention, and; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the book mark when fixed in position in a book.

A book mark 1 comprises a flexible strip of material 2 provided with a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 3 on one of its surfaces. In this case the pressure sensitive adhesive is an acrylic based adhesive and extends across substantially the entire width of the strip of material and for approximately 50mm along its length near to the end of the strip. When presented for use the book mark 1 is attached to a rigid card substrate 4 which carries a release layer of a silicone material on one of its surfaces. The adhesive layer 3 is applied over the silicone release layer. The book mark can be removed from the substrate 4 leaving the adhesive layer 3 attached to the book mark.

To use the book mark 1 it is removed from the card 4 and the adhesive layer is applied to the hack page 6 of a book 7, parallel with the spine of the book and near to the top of the page, so that it extends from the top of the hook. As can be seen in figure 2 the book mark is provided with decorative printing 8 on one of its surfaces, being the opposite surface to that to which the adhesive is applied. Thus the decoration will be visible from the front of the book when the book mark is being used to mark a page.

Claims

1. A book mark comprising a strip of flexible material which has a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive provided on one of its surfaces at one end thereof.

2. A book mark according to claim 1 in which the layer of adhesive extends substantially across the width of the strip and is in the range 10 to 100mm, preferably 25 to 75mm long.

3. A book mark according to claim 1 or claim 2 having decoration applied to the other of its surfaces.

4. A book mark according to any preceding claim in which the strip of material is in the range 5 to 15mm, preferably 6 to 12mm, more preferably about 9mm wide.

5. A book mark according to any preceding claim in which the strip of material is in the range 30 to 60cm long, preferably in the range 40 to 50cm long.

6. A book mark according to any preceding claim in which the adhesive is an acrylic based adhesive.

7. A book mark according to any preceding claim ln which the adhesive is substantially permanently adherent to paper.

8. A product comprising a book mark according to claim 7 which is adhered to a substrate provided with a release layer, the adhesive of the book mark being applied to the release layer of the substrate.