CA2231036A1

CA2231036A1 - Magnetic bookmark

Info

Publication number: CA2231036A1
Application number: CA 2231036
Authority: CA
Inventors: Christina Marie Bialczyk; Sara Lisa Bialczyk
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-05-01
Filing date: 1998-05-01
Publication date: 1999-11-01

Abstract

A magnetic bookmark for securely identifying a location on a page which will function on all common forms of printed surfaces;
either holding a fixed position on a single page or holding a group of pages together to identify a specific section, e.g.
chapter of a book. In one form this magnetic bookmark may be used specifically to hold loose pages together.

Description

Page 2 of 6 TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to bookmarks and to pages) or papers) holding devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional bookmarks are specifically intended to be used to mark or identify a section of two pages in a bound (pages secured to a cover with staples, cord, glue, etc.) book, magazine, etc.
when a page may not be marked or folded (e. g. library or borrowed books, artwork, etc. ) These bookmarks do not function effectively to identify a page or location on that page. As well, these common bookmarks tend to slide down and or fall out of books without tight binding. Since they do not identify a specific location on a page it is up to the reader's memory to determine where to continue resulting in wasted time searching for the starting location. In use, (especially where the binding is loose,) these bookmarks are burdensome on the user to try to maintain the bookmark in a fixed position in a book or magazine, etc.; the conventional bookmark is prone to falling out and being lost.
For loose pages such as in a binder or unbound manuscript a conventional bookmark will not work. Using self adhesive paper strips to identify such pages is also not practical since the adhesive many damage the page or print and is not reusable indefinitely nor will it hold a group of pages securely together.
Patented bookmarks such as U.S. Patent No. 4,569,538 issued Feb.
11, 1986 to L.F. Kurschner to prevent bookmark movement and U.S.
Patent No. 5,311,835 issued May 17, 1994 to H.A. Knowles for identifying an area on a page use complicated instructions and/or attachments to mark a specific position on a page. These use methods are not intuitive, are complicated, and require detailed instructions, and will also not identify a location if the bookmark slips. They will also not work with unbound or loose bound pages . A need thus exists for a bookmark that will securely hold its position, securely hold a number of pages together, not mark or damage a page, identify a specific location on a page, intuitively work with loose or individual pages of any material in any type of book, magazine, manuscript, artwork, etc. or page construction.

Page 3 of 6 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention in its preferred embodiment, of a two piece "bookmark" with at least one small magnetic element on the base of one of these supporting surfaces and a small "attraction element"
(magnet or metal) on the base of the open end of the second supporting surface, when attached (through magnetic attraction) to opposite sides of a specific page location will securely retain its relative position on the page. With a suitably selected pattern or design (e. g. printing in the form of an arrow) this magnetic bookmark will identify an exact, specified, location on a page, document, etc. The larger supporting flat surfaces will protrude at an edge of a page to identify its position, will not slide or fall off when in use, or otherwise will not mark the page such as to deface or damage the print or page material thereof, and will work with most thicknesses and materials used for retaining print, art, etc. This invention will also hold a sequential group of pages together such as to identify an interesting portion of a book or document or to simply hold a group of loose pages together functioning as a "page(s) clip" or an alternative form of a "paper clip".
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying Drawings are provided of the present invention in one Preferred Embodiment of a long thin rectangular shape with a decoration on one side of a down "arrow".
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the present invention marking a page of a portion of an open book from the top book position.
FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the present invention marking a page of a portion of an open book from the side book position.
FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the present invention securing a group of loose pages on a wall hook.

Page 4 of 6 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIGURE 1, the Magnetic Bookmark of the present invention is generally identified by reference numeral 100. Two supporting surface substrates 110 and 120 provide a base for mounting the magnetic elements 130 and 140 to these substrates respectively. Any protruding portion of these supporting surface substrates will therefore function as a readily visible indicator (in a binder, book, magazine, etc.).
By placing each supporting surface with magnetic element on opposite sides of a page or group of pages the magnetic attraction force between elements 130 and 140 will hold the Magnetic Bookmark 100 tightly together between this (these) pages) in a secure and fixed position as shown in FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 3. The number of pages that may be securely held by the Magnetic Bookmark 100 as is shown in FIGURE 4 is only limited to the strength developed by the magnetic elements 130 and 140 in this preferred embodiment of the present invention.
To construct the preferred embodiment of this invention a suitable supporting substrate 110 and 120 is selected from any durable sheet material maintaining a planar shape. Preferably, the supporting substrate provides a printable surface or a printable surface may be bonded or laminated to this substrate. A
combination of magnets or magnet and metal elements may be attached to either supporting substrates to form either half of the supporting surface substrate and magnetic element portion of this preferred embodiment of the present invention.
In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, each supporting surface may also be of a different shape, size and various surface printing or other decorations (e. g. various patterns, colours, etc.) In yet another embodiment of the present invention the supporting surfaces 110 and 120 may be separate pieces or jointed with various alternate materials.
In yet another embodiment of the pesent invention the main purpose is strictly to hold several pages together for display or other needs.
Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific preferred embodiments thereof, various changes and modifications may be proposed by one skilled in the art and it is intended that the present invention encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A magnetic bookmark consisting of two flat supporting surface substrates of a suitable material with each supporting substrate suitably possessing magnetic properties of sufficient attractive force for secure attachment on opposite sides of any sheet material such as a page, canvas, a loose page, or a group of pages of a book, magazine, manuscript, drawing, artwork, etc.

2. The magnetic bookmark of Claim 1, wherein each supporting substrate is of any suitably durable sheet material, preferably printable, without magnetic interference, such as paper, plastic, natural or synthetic resins, etc.

3. The magnetic bookmark of Claim 1, wherein the supporting substrate may itself be magnetic entirely; either both supporting substrates are magnetic, or one substrate may be of a metal which is magnetically attracted to the other supporting surface magnetic element (s).

4. The magnetic bookmark of Claim 2, wherein powdered metal or magnetic material is deposited and adhered or formed onto the supporting substrate through various means, e.g., impregnation into molten plastic or an 655aggregate within a resin comprising the supporting substrate.

5. The magnetic bookmark of Claim l, wherein the supporting substrate magnetic properties are created through the attachment, through various means, of magnetic or metallic elements to appropriate sides of each supporting substrate.

6. The magnetic bookmark of Claim 5, wherein the magnetic elements are sealed into a blister cavity of a thermal formed material, e.g., the top surface of the support surface substrate 110a may be paper and the bottom of this same support surface substrate 110b may be PVC formed to accept the shape of the magnetic element 130 and sealed together under elevated heat and pressure.

7. The magnetic bookmark of Claim 1, wherein each supporting substrate is of any size, shape, colour, design, marking, etc, for identifying a specific location on such sheet material.

8. The magnetic bookmark of Claim 7, wherein the supporting substrate design, printing, etc. is either printed or labelled onto each supporting substrate.

Page 6 of 6

9. The magnetic bookmark of Claim 1, wherein one single piece of substrate is folded in half forming each supporting surface 110 and 120 to which magnetic properties are suitably constructed.

10. The magnetic bookmark of Claim 1, wherein each supporting surface 110 and 120 is separately constructed with magnetic properties and joined through any means (e.g. string, spring wire, etc.).

11. The magnetic bookmark of Claim 1, wherein the purpose of this invention is to hold a group of loose pages together.

12. The magnetic bookmark of Claim 1, constructed with any combination, in part or whole, of Claims 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and/or 11.