GB2114514A

GB2114514A - A reading aid

Info

Publication number: GB2114514A
Application number: GB08302103A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tessa Lorant
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-02-09
Filing date: 1983-01-26
Publication date: 1983-08-24
Also published as: GB2114514B; GB8302103D0

Abstract

A reading aid comprises a sheet of material folded about a crease (2) to provide two portions (4) and (6). The sheet has a transparent region (10) and an opaque region (8). In use of the reading aid, it would be positioned over, for example, a page of text so that a line of text was visible through the transparent region (10) the opaque region (8) isolating surrounding matter from the line to be read. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A reading aid This invention relates to a reading aid which is particularly, although not exclusively for use with printed material such as writing or drawings.

In this specification, "writing" and "drawing" have the same meanings as in the United Kingdom Copyright Act 1956.

Some people have difficulty in reading because, when reading a line of print, their attention is distracted by the adjcent lines of print. This problem is particularly acute for young children and people with poor eyesight, especially when reading small print. The problem also arises when reading complicated instructions, for example knitting patterns, where attention is diverted from the written instructions as each step is performed, and it is not always easy to return to the correct place in the instructions.

Devices are known for alleviating this problem. For example, a known device is disclosed in UK Patent No. 446,849. This device comprises an opaque sheet from which a strip is punched to provide a tongue. In use, the tongue lies on the underside of a printed sheet and the remainder of the device lies on the top, forming a frame around a selected area of the sheet.

A disadvantage of this device is that it is likely to damage the printed material by means of a shearing or pinching action which occurs where the tongue meets the remainder of the device.

According to the present invention there is provided a reading aid comprising two portions of sheet material which overlie each other and are connected together at a common edge, at least one of the portions having a relatively opaque region and a relatively transparent region which is at least partially bounded by the relatively opaque region, whereby the reading aid can be positioned on a printed sheet with the two portions on opposite sides of the sheet to grip the sheet between them, so that matter on the sheet which is to be read is disposed beneath the relatively transparent region and surrounding matter is disposed beneath the relatively opaque region, the matter to be read thereby being isolated from the surrounding matter.

In a preferred embodiment, the reading aid is formed from a single sheet of flexible material which is folded about the common edge to provide two portions. Alternatively, the two portions may be made separately (not necessarily from flexible material) and subsequently joined together at the common edge. Both of the portions may have the relatively transparent and relatively opaque regions so that the reading aid can be used to isolate printed matter on both sides of a sheet without needing to remove the reading aid from the sheet. The sheet material may be transparent, the opaque regions being created by printing over the appropriate parts of the sheet.

The reading aid may be made from material which is entirely opaque, in which case the transparent region or regions may comprise cut-out portions.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a reading aid; Figure 2 is an edge view of the reading aid of Figure 1 when positibned on a sheet of printed matter; and Figure 3 is a plan view of a sheet of material from which another embodiment of a reading aid can be formed.

The reading aid shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a rectangular strip of poly(vinyl chloride) which is folded about a crease 2 to provide two portions 4 and 6. Before folding, the strip is printed over most of one surface to provide a relatively opaque region 8, leaving a relatively transparent region 10. In the preferred form of the reading aid, the region 8 is, for practical purposes, totally opaque, and the region 10 is entirely transparent and colourless. However, it would be possible for the region 8 to be less than totally opaque.

On each portion 4, 6, the region 8 comprises two parallel bands 12 and 14, between which is left the transparent region 10. At the end of the portion 4 away from the crease 2, the opaque region 8 includes a connecting strip 16 which bridges the gap between the two bands 12 and 14. It will be appreciated from Figure 1 that the transparent region 10 extends across the crease 2 and over both portions 4, 6.

In use, as shown in Figure 2, the reading aid shown in Figure 1 is positioned over a printed sheet 22, for example the page of a book, with the portions 4 and 6 on opposite sides of the page. The spring action at the crease 2 causes the portions 4 and 6 to be pressed towards each other, gripping the sheet 22 between them. The portions 4 and 6 in Figure 1 are shown separate from each other for the purposes of illustration only. The reading aid is positioned so that the transparent region on one of the portions, for example the portion 4, is directly over a single line of writing on the respective side of the page.

That line is thus isolated from the surrounding matter on that side and consequently stands out clearly, making it easier to read. As the reader progresses, the reading aid is moved down the page to reveal, and isolate, each line in turn. When the time comes to turn the page, the reading aid need not be removed, but is merely slid to the top of the page again so that the top line on the other side is revealed by the transparent regions 10 of the portion 6. Assuming that the reading aid is being used with a book, it will, of course, be necessary for it to be removed at the end of the second side of the page and replaced on the next page.

It will be appreciated that the transparent region 10 could be confined to one of the portions 4 and 6, but this would mean that the reading device would need to be removed and replaced the other way round each time a page is turned.

Of course, page format and print size vary from publication to publication, and so the length and height of the lines of print will vary. Where a reading device is intended for use with a particular format, the transparent region 10 should have a width which is just greater than the print height and a length which is just greaterthan the length of each line, so that an entire line of print, but nothing else can be confined within the transparent region 10 on each portion 4, 6.

It will be appreciated that, although reference has been made to reading individual lines of writing, the reading aid could also be used to isolate individual columns of, for example, a table in which case the reading aid could be positioned on the printed sheet from the top or bottom, rather than from the side.

To provide greater versatility, the reading aid could include two transparent regions 18 and 20, as shown in Figure 3. This Figure shows a flat sheet of material, before it is folded about the crease 2, and it will be observed that, in this embodiment, the transparent areas 18 and 20 are confined only to the portion 4 of the reading aid. The portion 8 is opaque over its whole area, and may be provided, for example, with advertising, instructional or other material. It would be possible for either portion to be provided with embossed lettering, which could improve the friction between the reading aid and the page on which it is positioned. Another possibility is for the inner surfaces of the portions 4 and 6 to be provided with a weak adhesive coating so as to create a releasable and a repositionable bond between the reading aid and the page on which it is positioned.

The transparent regions 18 and 20 are of the same length, but are of different width, so that the reading aid can be used with printed matter in which the print height is different. Similarly, the reading aid could be provided with transparent regions of different length. Furthermore, it is not necessary for the transparent regions to be elongate. For example, a curved (such as circular or elliptical) or rectangular (such as square) transparent region could be useful when isolating a portion of a drawing such as a map.

In this connection, a transparent region which extends from one portion to the other is particularly valuable, because it means that where a map is folded, or a map on one side of a page is a continuation of a map on the other, the transparent region will automatically be positioned in the correct place when the folded map or page is turned over.

A reading aid as described above can be used in a wide range of reading activities. For example, it can be used to locate and keep the place in reference books such as telephone directories, dictionaries, cook books and scientific works. It can also be used to isolate a line for typing or typesetting of difficult material, in particular material which may be mean ingless to the typist or compositor, such as computer programs, scientific texts, mathematical texts and knitting patterns.

The reading aid can be used as a book mark, in which case it can serve not only to identify the page, but also to identify the particular line on the page from which reading is to be continued. It is particu larly suitable for children who are learning to read and to people with poor eyesight.

The transparent region 10 may incorporate a magnifying device which would magnify each individul column or line of text as well as isolating it from the surrounding material. It would be preferable for the magnifying device to be flush with the remainder of the surface of the reading aid. It would also be possible for the reading aid to be incorporated in a stand or holder for receiving, for example, knitting patterns.

In the Figures, the reading aid is shown as comprising two portions which are connected together at a common edge defined by the crease 2.

It would be possible to form the reading aid from two separate portions 4 and 6 which are bonded together. This would mean that the portions 4 and 6 could be made from different materials, and would also mean that a tab could be provided at the region where the portions 4 and 6 are connected together which could be grasped by the fingers to move the reading aid over the material to be read. Also, such a tab would make the reading aid more useful as a conventional book mark.

Although the portions 4 and 6 are shown in the Figures as having the same length as each other, this is not an essential requirement. For example, the portion which is to lie underthe page (i.e. the portion 6 in Figure 3) could be made shorter and the portion which is to lie above the page, and this would make the reading aid easier to position on the age, as well as saving material.

It is envisaged that a reading aid as described above could be supplied as a free gift or promotional item with a book, or other printed material. Under such circumstances, the shape and size of the transparent region 10 would be selected to match the print size and format of the book, and it would also be possible for the opaque region 8 to be decorated, either by shape colour and/or pattern, in a manner which conforms to the subject-matter of the book. Such an approach could be used, in particular, with childrens books, where for example, a "Paddington Bear" book could be accompanied by a reading aid bearing pictures or other material relating to Paddington Bear.

Claims

1. A reading aid comprising two portions of sheet material which overlie each other and are connected together at a common edge, at least one of the portions having a relatively opaque region and a relatively transparent region which is at least partially bounded by the relatively opaque region, whereby the reading aid can be positioned on a printed sheet with the two portions on opposite sides of the sheet to grip the sheet between them, so that matter on the sheet which is to be read is disposed beneath the relatively transparent region and surrounding matter is disposed beneath the relatively opaque region, the matter to be read thereby being isolated from the surrounding matter.

2. A reading aid as claimed in claim 1, in which the two portions of sheet material are formed from a single sheet of flexible material which is folded about the bottom edge.

3. A reading aid as claimed in claim 2, in which the sheet material is plastics material.

4. A reading aid as claimed in claim 3, in which the sheet material is poly(vinyl chloride).

5. A reading aid as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 3, in which the sheet material is transparent, the relatively opaque region being provided by printing onto the sheet material.

6. A reading aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the relatively opaque region comprises two bands which extend from the common edge towards an opposite edge, the relatively transparent region being disposed between the two bands.

7. A reading aid as claimed in claim 6, in which the relatively opaque region includes a connecting strip which interconnects the two bands at their ends away from the common edge.

8. A reading aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which both portions are provided with the relatively opaque and relatively transparent regions, whereby the reading aid can isolate matter to be read on both sides of a sheet without removing the reading aid from the sheet.

9. A reading aid as claimed in claim 8, in which the relatively transparent region on one portion joins the relatively transparent region on the other portion at the common edge.

10. A reading aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which means is provided for improving friction between the reading aid and a printed sheet on which the reading aid is to be used.

11. A reading aid as claimed in claim 10, in which the means for improving friction comprisesembos- sed portions of the reading aid.

12. A reading aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the relatively opaque region is coloure, patterned and/or shaped to have a decorative effect.

13. A reading aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one of the portions has at least two of the relatively transparent regions, these regions being of different shape and/or size from each other.

14. A reading aid substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

15. In combination, printed material comprising one or more sheets carrying writing, and a reading aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

16. A combination as claimed in claim 14, in which at least some of the writing is arranged in rows and/or columns, and in which the relatively transparent region, or at least one of the relatively transparent regions, has substantially the same length and width as the rows and/or columns.

17. In combination, printed material comprising one or more sheets carrying one or more drawings, and a reading aid as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14.