GB2281056A - A support attachment for filing literary work in a ring binder or by suspension - Google Patents

Abstract

A support attachment for literary work in the form of loose leaf papers, magazines, periodicals and the like to enable same to be hung or filed, comprising a length of flexible strip material 1 for securing to the literary work by means of an adhesive layer applied to a face 2 of the strip material, the strip material being provided with support loops or rings 4 projecting at intervals from the strip. The loops or rings 4 may be part of a longitudinal wire 3 or integral with the strip material 1. In use, the strip material is folded around the line of the loops or rings 4 so that the adhesive face 2 contacts the front and back cover of the literary work. The loops or rings may then be used to file the literary work in a ring binder file or similar storage medium, or hang the work from suitably arranged supports for display or archive purposes. <IMAGE>

Description

FILING STRIP FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the filing and storage of articles such as loose leaf papers, magazines, periodicals and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At the present time there are various methods of filing literary articles such as periodicals, magazines, explanatory booklets or loose leaf papers such as, for example, in a ring binder or other file cover. This is accomplished by providing punched holes in such literature at suitably spaced locations thereby to engage the rings of the binder when filed away.

An alternative approach when assembling a magazine, for example, is to employ looped staples in the binding process which loops project fi-om the spine of the finished product being then available to store the magazine in a ring binder and the like.

These present methods while being entirely satisfactory for the purpose for which they were intended, have limitations and disadvantages. For example, punching holes in magazines and periodicals can have the effect of destroying information contained therein. Also in some cases, the magazine is so thick that punching holes is not possible. With regard to the provision of integrally provided ring loops, these can only be provided where there is an initial requirement by the buyer for such a facility so limiting choice in the sense that if they are not asked for initially, they cannot be added subsequently.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to solving these difficulties by providing a support attachment which has universal application in that it can be used to file literally works of the type specified above after the event of normal manufacture and without causing damage to the product, such as by hole punching and the like.

According to the invention there is provided a support attachment for articles such as loose leaf papers, magazines, periodicals, booklets and the like to enable same to be filed, comprising a length of strip material provided with one or more filing loops or rings on one side of the strip, the loops or rings being disposed between longitudinal edges of the strip so that the strip may be folded and secured around the spine of the article to be filed.

Preferably the loops or rings project though the strip to emerge from said one side of the strip, and are part of a rigid element disposed along an adhesive layer provided on the other side of the strip material, the strip being foldable around the line of the loops or rings to provide longitudinal adhesive strip edge portions to either side thereof for attachment to the article.

Advantageously, a groove is formed along the adhesive face of the backing strip as bv rib portions for receiving the rigid element, with a peelable protective layer covering the adhesive face and the rigid element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a perspective view of a support attachment for an article such as a literary work according a preferred embodiment of the invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The support attachment for literary articles shown in the drawing comprises a rectangular strip of clear plastics material 1, the underside face 2 of which is provided with an adhesive layer of a known proprietary type. The strip is normally flat but for the pulposes of illustration is shown in a semi-folded state in the drawing.

The face 2 of the plastics strip 1 is divided longitudinally by a length of stiff wire 3 pressed into the adhesive layer thereon, the wire 3 having looped sections 4 emerging through slits 5 in the plastics strip 1 provided at preselected positions along its length corresponding to the standard spacing, for example, between the filing rings of a ring binder file.

In an alternative alTangement (not shown) the wire element 3 may be retained between longitudinal rib formations formed in the plastics strip.

A peelable layer 6 is disposed over the adhesive face and the wire element.

In use, to file a magazine or similar periodical in a ring binder, for example, the peelable layer 6 is removed and the attachment is secured to the spine of the magazine by first folding the strip 1 around the line of the loops 4 with the adhesive layer facing inwardly, and then pressing the folded parts of the strip respectively against the front and back cover of the magazine with the element 3 abutting the spine so that the loops 4 project from the strip 1 for engagement with the rings of the ring binder as required.

It will be appreciated that the above description is in relation to but a preferred embodiment of the invention and modifications thereof are possible within the scope of the claims accompanying this disclosure.

For example, the rigid wire element 3 does not necessarily have to be made of metal but could be of a stiff plastics material.

Also the backing strip 1 need not be clear plastics but could be opaque or of any desired colour to suit taste and demand.

An adhesive layer need not necessarily be provided on the strip 1 during manufacture, but could be applied prior to use as desired.

Moreover the rigid element 3 need not necessarily extend the whole length of the backing strip but may comprise two individual shorter sections provided with loops projecting from the backing strip 1 so long as they are sufficiently retained between the backing strip 1 and the object to be filed when adhesively attached thereto.

It is also possible that the loops 4 could be formed integrally with the strip 1 so that if the strip 1 with the integral loops 4 were made of a sufficiently strong plastics material, no additional strengthening as with the rigid wire element 3 forming the loops 4 as shown in the illustrated preferred embodiment, would be necessary.

Although the support attachment has been shown in generally strip form in this disclosure so that the folded sides generally extend over the front and back cover of a magazine, for example, to a limited extent, it is possible to construct the attachment so that the folded sides are of a size to cover the entire front and back pages of the magazine or similar periodical with the adhesive layer either over the whole surface area of the folded sides or restricted only to the surface area adjacent the magazine spine. In this way the folded sides of the strip can additionally act to protect and/or improve the appearance of the magazine where, for example, the material of the support attachment were made of a glossy clear plastics material.

Claims (5)

1. A support attachment for articles such as loose leaf papers, magazines, periodicals, booklets and the like to enable same to be filed, comprising a length of strip material provided with one or more filing loops or rings on one side of the strip, the loops or rings being disposed between longitudinal edges of the strip so that the strip may be folded and secured around the spine of the article to be filed.

2. A support attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the the other side of the strip material is provided with an adhesive layer.

3. A support attachment as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the filing loops or rings are part of an elongate rigid element disposed along the other side of the strip containing the adhesive layer and around which rigid element the strip material may be folded to provide longitudinal adhesive edge portions to either side thereof for attachment to the article.

4. A support attachment as claimed in claim 3 wherein a groove is formed in the strip material as by spaced longitudinally directed ribs for receiving the rigid element, with a peel able protective layer covering the adhesive face and the rigid element.

5. A support attachment for a literary work substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.