GB2281716A

GB2281716A - Attachment device for a magazine and supplement

Info

Publication number: GB2281716A
Application number: GB9418468A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Charles Andrews
Original assignee: Geevax Ltd
Current assignee: Geevax Ltd
Priority date: 1993-09-14
Filing date: 1994-09-14
Publication date: 1995-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-14
Also published as: GB9418468D0; GB2281716B

Abstract

A stiff card or plastics body 11 with an elastic hand 12 engaged at one end may secure a supplement (19, Fig. 4) to a magazine (18). The body may be located within the magazine with the band passing around the supplement and looped over the other end of the body or a body hook (17, Fig. 3). The supplement may be placed on the body (21, Fig. 6) and respective elastic bands (25, 26) used to secure the supplement and magazine. A portion of the body 11 to be inserted into the magazine may be secured to the remainder of the body by a snap stud (Figs. 10 to 11). A card (34, Fig. 12) has top and bottom pairs of projections (37, 36), one of each pair being foldable into a magazine and the other of each pair into a supplement. <IMAGE>

Description

Attachment Devices This invention relates to attachment devices for interconnecting a supplement to a magazine and preferably to devices which allow at least some of the magazine pages to be inspected without the removal of the supplement or the device. The terms magazine and supplement are used throughout the specification, because this is the principle market in which the device will be used. However, the device is equally applicable for attaching a supplement to a book or other leaved publication. Equally the supplement need not be leaved and could be in the form of a calendar or indeed a free gift.

It is very common for magazine publishers to provide a separate supplement with particular issues of a magazine and if they do so they have the joint problems of attaching the supplement to the magazine and making the public aware of its presence. The only solution to date has been the use of a band which surrounds both the magazine and the supplement and which can carry printing. The problem with this arrangement is that the supplement itself cannot be seen and it is not possible for a prospective purchaser to inspect the inside of the magazine without detaching the band.

Such detachment normally means that the supplement is lost or drops in an untidy fashion elsewhere on the display.

Embodiments of the proposed invention meet one or both of these problems.

From one aspect the invention consists in an attachment device for interconnecting a supplement to a magazine comprising a body for engagement against or in one of the supplement or magazine and an elastic element engageable on each end of the body to pass around or through the other of the supplement or magazine.

Preferably the body is stiff, by which is meant, in this specification, that the body is sufficiently rigid to resist distortion by the elastic element when engaged in or against the magazine or supplement.

The body or a part thereof may have location means disposed at or adjacent either end for releasably securing the element. Alternatively, the element may be attached to one end and the body or part may include location means disposed at or adjacent the other end for releasably securing the member. The or each location means may be a hook or similar projection of a waisted or re-entrant portion of the body.

Conveniently the element is made of rubber or artificial rubber and indeed may be constituted by a rubber band.

The body may have a portion with a visible surface or surfaces at at least one end or side. The body is preferably made of plastics, although it can be made of card provided that the particular use allows a design of sufficient strength. The portion and the body may form a closed loop in which case, the loop may be arranged to be opened and re-engaged to allow the body to be inserted between the leaves of one of the supplement or magazine. The portion may be spaced from the body to allow the other of the supplement or magazine to be threaded through the resultant gap and the portion may include a support for the other of the magazine or supplement.

A further element may be provided for passing through the one of the supplement or magazine.

From another aspect the invention includes a display for use with a magazine or supplement, comprising a sheet having top and bottom edges and having aligned inward projections, which may be foldable, extending from the top and bottom edges and disposed so that they overlie a portion of the sheet for locating between leaves of the magazine or supplement to secure the sheet thereto such that a portion of the sheet is exposed to carry a gift and for advertising or other printed matter.

From yet another aspect the invention includes an attachment device for interconnecting a supplement to a magazine comprising, a sheet having top and bottom edges and at least two pairs of aligned inward foldable projections extending from the top and bottom edges and disposed so that they overlie a portion of the sheet, a first one of the pair being for locating between the leaves of the supplement and the second one of the pair being for locating between the leaves of the magazine so that both the magazine and supplement are located with respect to the sheet.

The invention further includes a magazine and supplement interconnected by the attachment device as defined above and in that case the supplement may be offset with respect to the magazines so that it is visible when the assembly is viewed from the front.

From a further aspect the invention consists in a method of assembling a magazine and a supplement including placing a magazine one on top of the other with their spines offset such that a part of the front cover of each is exposed, inserting a body between the pages of one of them parallel with its spine and looping at least one elastic band around the supplement and/or magazine so that the body, supplement and magazine are held together in their located portions.

From a still further aspect the invention includes a method of assembling a magazine and a supplement comprising laying one of the magazine or supplement on a sheet, folding portions of the sheet between the leaves of one of the magazine or supplement from the top and bottom edges of the sheet, laying the other of the magazine or supplement on the one and folding further portions of the sheet between the leaves of the other from the top and bottom edges.

Although the invention has been defined above it is to be understood that it includes any inventive combination of the features set out above or in the following description.

The invention may be performed in various ways and a specific embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is an overall view of an attachment device; Figure 2 is a plan view from the rear of the body of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the body; Figure 4 illustrates a magazine and supplement attached to each other by means of the device of Figure 1; and Figures 5a to c illustrate consequences for assembling the combination of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a perspective view of an alternative device; Figure 7(a) and (b) show the steps of assembling a magazine and supplement on the device.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a still further device; Figure 9 illustrates a detail at A of Figure 8; Figures 10 (a) to (d) show the assembly steps using the device of Figure 8; Figure 11 shows a display device and magazine; Figure 12 shows a further embodiment of Figure 11; and Figures 13 (a) to 13(d) illustrate the assembly of steps using the device of Figure 12.

An attachment device 10 comprises a stiff body 11 and a rubber band 12. The body 11 has an elongate portion 13, which may include a number of holes 13a to reduce both its weight and the plastics used in manufacture, and a flag portion 14. The elongate portion also includes a hole 15 at one end 16 through which the rubber band 12 can be looped and secured and a hook 17 adjacent the flag portion 14.

Alternatively the band 12 can be looped over the flag portion 16.

As can best be seen in Figures Sa to c a magazine 18 can be assembled with its supplement 19 by placing the magazine 18 on the front face of the supplement 19 and in a fractionally offset position so that the supplement is visible. The attachment device 10 is then located within the magazine 18 so that the elongate portion 13 extends, in the manner of a book mark, between two pages 20. The free end of the band 12 is then looped around the back of the supplement and engaged on the hook 17. The elastic band 12 holds the supplement 19 firmly against the magazine 18 and it has been found that the relatively high frictional coefficient of the band prevents the supplement and magazine slipping relative to one another.

With this arrangement, it is possible for a prospective purchaser to inspect at least a large proportion of the pages of the magazine and research suggests that this facility increases the chances of purchase. As shown in Figures 4 and 5 the supplement cannot be inspected, but in certain instances it would be possible to provide limited access to the supplement by passing an elastic band between the pages of the supplement.

As has been mentioned above the above configuration is believed to be the most significant use of the attachment device, but it will be understood that it could be used to attach any suitable additional item to the back of any leaved product.

The flag portion 14 is not essential to the main functions of the attachment device but provides a surface on which a message to the consumer can be printed or indeed moulded into the flag portion.

For occasions where a greater printed surface area is required or there is a need for a free gift to be attached other than to the magazine or supplement then it may be desirable to provide a visible surface and/or support to the left of the spine of the magazine or supplement.

Thus in Figure 6 the body 11 comprises a sheet 21 on which supplement 19 can lie. The sheet 21 has a hook 23 at its lower edge and a tab 24 at its upper edge. First and second elastic bands 25, 26 are located in the hook 23. As can be seen in Figure 7(a) the first band 25 can pass through the leaves 27 of the supplement 19. The magazine 18 is then placed on the supplement 19 in an offset position and secured by band 26 as shown in Figure 7(b). Area 28 on the sheet 21 is available for printing etc.

Figure 8 shows a further alternative device 29. Here the body 11 carries a lateral web 30, which is spaced from it by arms 31, 32 to leave a gap 33. One arm 31 is releasably secured to the body 11 by a snap stud as shown in Figure 9. The method of assembly is shown in Figures 10(a) to (d). It will be noted that the supplement 19 partially threads through the gap 33.

Another method of providing a display/gift surface for any magazine, but in particular in combination with the device of Figure 1, is illustrated in Figure 11. Here a sheet of card 34 has top and bottom foldable projections 36, 37 which can be inserted between the magazine leaves to secure the card 34 to the magazine 18.

A gift is illustrated at 38.

Figure 12 illustrates a further development of the device of Figure 11. Here the card 34 has two sets 39, 40 of the projections 36, 37. Set 39 secures the supplement 19, whilst set 40 secures the magazine 18. The assembly is illustrated progressively in Figures 13(a) to (b).

The devices of Figures 11 and 12 both leave the exposed card portion 41 for free gifts, advertising etc., but the device of Figure 12 could be supplied without.

Claims

1. An attachment device for interconnecting a supplement to a magazine comprising a body for engagement against or in one of the supplement or magazine and an elastic element engageable on each end of the body to pass around or through the other of the supplement or magazine.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the body is stiff.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein at least part of the body is larger than the height of the magazine or supplement so that the ends of the part project beyond the top of the magazine or supplement in use.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the ends are formed with formations for locating the ends of the element.

5. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further including a further elastic element for passing through the one of the supplement or magazine.

6. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the device includes a portion which is exposed in use for carrying information.

7. A device as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the portion and the body formed a closed loop.

8. A device as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the loop can be opened and re-engaged to allow the body to be inserted between the leaves of the one of the supplement or magazine.

9. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 8 wherein the portion is disposed relative to the body so. that it extends along the edge of the magazine or supplement.

10. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 8 wherein the body is spaced from the portion to allow the other of the magazine or supplement to be threaded through the resultant gap.

11. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the portion includes a support for the other of the magazine or supplement.

12. A display for use with a magazine or supplement comprising a sheet having top and bottom edges and having aligned inward projections (preferably foldable) extending from the top and bottom edges and disposed so that they overlie a portion of the sheet for locating between leaves of the magazine or supplement to secure the sheet thereto such that a portion of the sheet is exposed to carry a gift and for advertising or other printed matter.

13. An attachment device for interconnecting a supplement to a magazine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 or Figures 1 to 5 as modified by Figures 6 and 7 or Figures 8 to 10.

14. An attachment device for interconnecting a supplement to a magazine comprising, a sheet having top and bottom edges and at least two pairs of aligned inward foldable projections extending from the top and bottom edges and disposed so that they overlie a portion of the sheet, a first one of the pair being for locating between the leaves of the supplement and the second one of the pair being for locating between the leaves of the magazine so that both the magazine and supplement are located with regard to the sheet.

15. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the pairs are laterally offset with respect to each other so that the magazine and supplement are offset.

16. A device as claimed in claim 14 or claim 15 wherein the sheet has a portion for displaying a free gift, advertising or other printed matter when the magazine and supplement are located.

17. An assembly of an attachment device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, a magazine and a supplement.

18. An assembly as claimed in Claim 17 further including a display device as claimed in Claim 12.

19. An assembly of a magazine and/or supplement, and a display device as claimed in Claim 12.

20. A method of assembling a magazine and a supplement including placing a magazine one on top of the other with their spines offset such that a part of the front cover of each is exposed, inserting a body between the pages of one of them parallel with its spine and looping at least one elastic band around the supplement and/or magazine so that the body, supplement and magazine are held together in their located portions.

21. A method of assembling a magazine and a supplement comprising laying one of the magazine or supplement on a sheet, folding portions of the sheet between the leaves of one of the magazine or supplement from the top and bottom edges of the sheet, laying the other of the magazine or supplement on the one and folding further portions of the sheet between the leaves of the other from the top and bottom edges.