GB2258190A

GB2258190A - Unfoldable information booklet

Info

Publication number: GB2258190A
Application number: GB9116764A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Johnson
Original assignee: HUNTERS ARMLEY Ltd
Current assignee: HUNTERS ARMLEY Ltd
Priority date: 1991-08-02
Filing date: 1991-08-02
Publication date: 1993-02-03
Also published as: GB9116764D0

Abstract

An unfoldable information booklet (10) comprises a front portion (11) and a back portion (12) both of durable material, joined together along a fold line (13). An information pack (14) is secured to the inner face of the back portion. The information pack is derived from a single sheet (15), which is preformed with fold lines (18, 19) which permit the pack to be unfolded to a display position, displaying the information thereon, and to be refolded to a storage position within the booklet. The folded booklet may be of credit card size. <IMAGE>

Description

UNFOLDABLE INFORMATION BOOKLET This invention relates to an unfoldable information booklet, and has been developed primarily, though not exclusively. with a view to provide a readily portable credit-card size type product which can be unfolded to display any required information and which can be re-folded to resume its normal size suitable for carrying about the person e.g. in a wallet, purse or handbag.

In all manners of industries and services, it is desirable to provide handy size packs of information for customers, but when a large amount of information has to be conveyed. it is usually necessary to supply a foldable pack of information. If used frequently. the sheets of the pack which form the front and back pages. when folded. become soiled, worn or torn over a period of time.

The invention addresses this problem by providing a foldable pack of information derived from a single sheet, and which is incorporated in a booklet having a front and back made of more durable material than the material from which the foldable pack is made.

According to the invention there is provided an unfoldable information booklet which comprises: a front and back portion joined together along a fold line for movement between an open and closed position; and, an information pack secured to the inner face of one of said portions and derived from a single sheet which is preformed with fold lines which permit the pack to be unfolded to a display position displaying the information borne thereon, and to be refolded to a storage position within the booklet; in which the single sheet is rectangular having two pairs of opposed edges, the sheet having first and second sets of fold lines which are spaced apart from each other and with the fold lines in each set extending parallel to each other and to a respective one of -the pairs of opposed edges of the sheet so as to define a plurality of separate panels.

whereby the sheet can be unfolded to the display position bearing information on all of the panels and can be refolded to the storage position in which the panels are superposed one upon the other in a stack which is located within the confines of the front and back portions of the booklet when in the closed position.

Therefore, the invention provides an information booklet which is easily portable when in the closed position.

but which can allow the information pack to be unfolded to display required information.

The booklet is preferably made so that the front and back portions are substantially of credit card size. so that the booklet can easily be carried in a wallet or handbag.

Preferably. the front and back portions will be made of more durable material than the information pack. so as to withstand repeated usage. whereas the information pack can be printed on paper as it is protected when folded-up in the booklet.

Preferably. the information pack is secured to the inside face of the back portion of the booklet. This may be achieved by simple adhesion of the underside of a single one of the display panels. which forms the base of the stack when the sheet is re-folded to the storage position.

In a typical arrangement. the sheet may have five fold lines extending generally parallel to the fold line axis of the front and back portions of the booklet, and a pair of transversely extending fold lines. so that 18 separate display panels are provided on each side of the sheet. This enables a variety of different types of information to be displayed, but all of which can be easily folded to form the stack which is located between the front and back portions of the booklet when the later is in the closed position.

One embodiment of unfoldable information booklet according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic and perspective illustration of a front and back portion of a booklet which can incorporate an information pack derived from a single sheet which is secured to an inside face of one of these portions; Figure 2 is a plan view showing the single sheet unfolded to a display position; and.

Figure 3 is an end view showing a wavy formation adopted by the information sheet as it moves between a folded-up storage position and an unfolded display position.

Referring now to the drawing, an unfoldable information booklet according to the invention is designated generally by reference 10 and comprises a front portion 11 and a back portion 12 joined together along a fold line 13 for movement between an open and a closed position. An information pack, shown only by dotted outline 14 in Figure 1 is secured to the inner face of one of the portions. which in the illustrated arrangement is the back portion 12. The information pack is derived from a single sheet which is preformed with fold lines which permit the pack to be unfolded to a display position displaying the information thereon, and to be re-folded to a storage position within the booklet.

The single sheet is shown by reference 15 in Figures 2 and 3, and is rectangular having two pairs of opposed edges 16 and 17. The sheet has a first set of fold lines 18 which extend parallel to each other and to the edges 16, and a second set of fold lines 19 which extend parallel to each other and to the opposed edges 17.

The fold lines 18 and 19 are spaced apart from each other and define a plurality of separate panels. one of which is shown by reference 20, whereby the sheet can be unfolded to the display position shown in Figure 2 and then re-folded to a storage position in which the panels are superposed one upon the other in a stack which is located within the confines of the front portion 11 and back portion 12 when the booklet 10 is in the closed position.

The sheet 15 is shown in Figure 2 in the unfolded display position. but can be folded-up to form a stack of panels. by first folding the panel in concertina manner until each vertical set of three panels is located over the left hand set of three vertical panels shown in Figure 2.

Thereafter, the stack comprising three panels in each layer is then inwardly folded in succession about the fold lines 19. so that there is then a stack of 18 panels. with a base panel 21. shown in shaded outline in the left hand end of Figure 2, forming the base of the stack. It will be the base panel 21 which is adhesively secured to the inside face of back portion 12. Figure 2 is a reduced size view of the sheet 15. and panel 21 will in fact substantially overlie the majority of the inside surface area of back portion 12.

The front portion 11 and back portion 12 are preferably of credit card size and made of any suitable card so as to be made of more durable material than the information pack, which may comprise a printed sheet of paper.

It should be understood that the embodiment shown schematically in Figures 1 to 3 is by way of example only and many variants thereof may be provided within the scope of the invention as defined herein.

Claims

1. An unfoldable information booklet comprising: a front and back portion joined together along a fold line, for movement between an open and closed position; and an information pack secured to the inner face of one of said portions and derived from a single sheet, which is preformed with fold lines, which permit the pack to be unfolded to a display position displaying the information borne thereon, and to be refolded to a storage position within the booklet;; in which the single sheet is rectangular, having two pairs of opposed edges, the sheet having first and second sets of fold lines which are spaced apart from each other, and with the fold lines in each set extending parallel to each other, and to a respective one of the pairs of opposed edges of the sheet, so as to define a plurality of separate panels, whereby the sheet can be unfolded to the display position bearing information on all of the panels, and can be refolded to the storage position in which the panels are superposed, one upon the other in a stack which is located within the confines of the front and back portions of the booklet when in the closed position.

2. A booklet according to claim 1 wherein the front and back portions are substantially of credit card size.

3. A booklet according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the front and back portions are made of more durable material than the information pack, so as to withstand repeated usage.

4. A booklet according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the information pack is secured to the inside face of the back portion of the booklet.

5. A booklet according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sheet has five fold lines extending generally parallel to the fold line axis of the front and back portions of the booklet, and a pair of transversely extending fold lines, such that 18 separate display panels are provided on each side of the sheet.

6. A booklet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.