GB2622218A

GB2622218A - A bookmark

Info

Publication number: GB2622218A
Application number: GB2212978.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ojuyah Toritseju
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2022-09-06
Filing date: 2022-09-06
Publication date: 2024-03-13
Also published as: GB202212978D0

Abstract

A bookmark 99 comprises an elongated rigid body 1 defining a longitudinal axis with a slot 2 along this longitudinal axis; at least one clip 6 arranged to clip over a page located at an end of the body; and one or more sliders A, B, C. The slot includes at least one section 4 that is wider than the slot. The one or more sliders has a body attachment means with a stem (13, 25, 35, Fig.4) adapted to slide in the slot and a base (11, 22, 32, Fig.4) wider than the slot but narrow enough to pass through the section; such as to allow the slider to slide laterally in the slot and highlight an area of the page and displace with respect to the section allowing a plurality of sliders to be used to highlight a plurality of areas of the page. The bookmark may include the section at each end of the slot. The body may be translucent or transparent. The slider may comprise two parts engageable to form the slider. The slider may have a pointed end.

Description

A BOOKMARK

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a bookmark, in particular a bookmark for highlighting a plurality of areas of text, images or figures on a page.

Background

Many people continue to enjoy or require reading in many societies. Despite increasing digitisation many people continue to read physical books.

Although physical books can be preferable for research or reviewing purposes, allowing easy and effective skipping through pages, it can accordingly prove difficult 15 to keep track of particular areas of the book when required, and particularly for students, people with learning difficulties or the partially sighted.

Prior Art

CN 106 476 466 (LIU et al) discloses a bookmark comprises a long-strip-shaped bookmark main board and a marking component used for marking the number of a line movably arranged on the front face of the main board, and a fixing component used for fixing the bookmark to a page arranged on the back face of the main board.

KR 2015 0 029 953 (SOHN) disclose s bookmark including a marker and a rail part having a rail groove on which the marker moves. The marker includes a display part, a contact part, and a support part to adhere to each other to be engaged with the rail groove. The display part adheres to the contact part to point the position of a book in accordance with the movement of the marker. The contact part adheres to the display part to move the display part and the support part by coming in contact with the rail groove and moving. The support part adheres to the contact part to support the display part and the contact part by joining the same to the rail groove to move the marker.

US 2007 0 266 926 (SWALLOW) discloses a bookmark comprising: a panel member having a top end, a bottom end, a front side and an opposite back side for positioning between pages; a position indicator located on the front side near the top end of the panel member for indicating to the user where to position the panel member on the page; at least one slit on the panel member; and a line indicator body being slidably mounted using the at least one slit.

The present invention arose in order to overcome problems suffered by existing devices.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a bookmark comprising: an elongated rigid body defining a longitudinal axis with a slot along the longitudinal axis; at least one clip is arranged to clip over a page located at an end of the body; and one or more sliders; wherein the slot includes at least one section that is wider than the rest of the slot; and wherein the at least one slider has a body attachment means with a stem adapted to slide in the slot and a base wider than the slot and sufficiently narrow to pass through the section so as to allow the slider to slide laterally in the slot and highlight an area of the page, and displace through the section to allow at least one additional slider to be used to highlight at least one other area of the page.

In this way the bookmark of the present invention is able to be used to maintain a page with the body and further allow a user to mark a particular line or portion of text or images with the slider or sliders on the page.

Additionally or alternatively the bookmark of the present invention enables the user to choose their slider for example to one appropriate for the text or portion or image, after marking the page.

Additionally or alternatively the bookmark of the present invention enables the user to use a plurality of sliders on one body and page as required meaning that an area of text or images may be delineated by a two sliders for example.

In some embodiments the body is transparent or translucent.

In this way the user may be enabled to see through the body during usage of the bookmark, meaning for example that the bookmark may be left in place and the text, images or area can still be seen, such that the slider or sliders may be added or removed from the body as required, all without interference to the legibility and usability of the book.

In some embodiments the slot comprises a section at either end. In this way the slider or sliders may be displaced from either end, such that a first slider may be left in position, and a second slider added from either end without disturbance to the first 10 slider.

In some embodiments the clip comprises resiliently deformable material, such that the clip is enabled to clip onto and over one or more pages of the book. Additionally it may be envisaged that the clip may be arranged to clip onto and over the body.

In other embodiments the clip may comprise ferromagnetic clip means for example such that the clip clips onto the page by attracting a part behind the page to a part in front of the page.

In some embodiments through such resilient deformation or otherwise the clip is displaceable from the body. For example the clip may comprise ferromagnetic material, so as to clip onto the body.

In some embodiments the slider comprises a laterally extending form orthogonal the 25 longitudinal axis of the body. In this way the slider may be envisaged to extend beyond the body so as to highlight a particular area of text or images.

In some embodiments the slider provides at least one pointed end extending orthogonal the longitudinal ais of the body. In this way the slider may be envisaged 30 to more precisely highlight a particular area of text or images, with or without extending beyond the edge of the body.

In some embodiments the slider comprises two parts Such parts may include right-angled triangle ends or other halved-shapes.

In some embodiments the two parts adapted to engage to form a whole slider, for example wherein the parts combine to form a single arrow pointer.

In some embodiments the two parts adapted to engage to form the body attachment means, for example wherein the two parts comprise a top part and a bottom part, which clip into or through the slot.

In some embodiments the slider comprises four parts, provided by a further set of parts, for example wherein a slider is formed of a pair of slider parts, each having a top part and a bottom part.

In some such embodiments two parts are therefore adapted to engage to form a whole slider part and two slider parts adapted to engage to form a whole slider.

The device of the present invention therefore slides over the top of the page and can point to a chosen line of text for the slider to slide along the slot and be placed in any 15 position before the book is closed.

It may be envisaged that the device may be provided in three different sizes according to typical reading book sizes and A4 learning books. The bookmark may be envisaged to be suitable both leisure reading and learning situations, and be particularly useful for children, people with learning difficulties and pupils or students.

The bookmark of the present invention may thereby provide a nice touch to narrative books with emphasis on characters, places or historical themes for instance. It may be envisaged that patterned bodies, or stylised sliders may be more versatile and suitable for any kind of book, and more studious graphics may also help stimulate concentration for reading informative books or manuals.

Various embodiments may be 20MM wide bodies, of lengths of 155MM, 210MM or 270MM.

It may be envisaged that replacement or bespoke sliders may be accessed separately through book stores, stationary outlets, schools or online services for example.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which:

Brief Description of Ficiures

Figure 1 shows an isometric view of an embodiment of the bookmark according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an exploded isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; and Figure 4 shows a reverse exploded isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1

Detailed Description of Figures

With reference to the figures there is shown an embodiment 99 of the bookmark generally comprising an elongated rigid body 1 with a longitudinal axis and a slot 2 along the longitudinal axis; at least one clip 6 arranged to close over a page located at an end of the body; and three sliders ABC; wherein the slot 2 includes a wide section 4; and wherein the one or more sliders is provided with a body attachment means having a stem 13,25,35 adapted to slide in the slot and a base 11,22,32 wider than the slot 2 but narrow enough to pass through the section 4, so as to allow displacement of the slider into and out of the body at any time during use.

With particular reference to the pictured embodiment the embodiment comprises a flat straight body 1 formed in a transparent or translucent plastic such as acrylonitrile 30 butadiene styrene (ABS).

The body is rectangular and elongated, with a longitudinal slot which ends near the ends. One end is shown with a displaceable clip 6, which clip is formed in a resiliently deformable plastic material, and comprises two rectangular panels joined 35 by a living hinge along one long edge and flexes over the top of any page.

The slot has substantially square wider sections 4 at its ends, proximate the ends of the body, which allow sliders to be added and removed when required.

The embodiment is shown with three sliders which fit onto the central slot and slide 5 up and down the body to designate lines or paragraphs.

All the sliders can be used as a single slider or separated into two slider parts so as to delineate an area on the page or portion of text of images.

A first embodiment C of the slider comprises a double-sided pointer formed of a pair of slider parts 30 that fits permanently onto the bookmark, for basic quick and easy usage. The slider parts 30 are formed of two parts which clip together with a tolerance or interference fit.

The two parts comprise a top face 11 with male connectors below, connecting into female connectors in bases 12, wherein the connectors form the stem and are sized to fit the slot. In this way the slider parts may be disconnected from the body either through the sections or by disconnection of the stem. It may be envisaged that this embodiment of the sliders is permanently or semi-permanently in place in the slot.

The pointer is formed by two right angled triangles on each slide part, forming an equilateral triangle when the slider parts are approximated. The pointer has a depth equal to the stem so as to provide a solid pointing end to the slider embodiment C. The two other pictured embodiments B,A comprise removable pointers that are 25 inserted from each end of the bookmark. The sliders are formed of single parts, which may be envisaged to be moulded plastic for example.

With reference to the embodiment shown as B, the slider comprises two slider parts, which together provide an equilateral triangle pointer, and are formed of top faces 21, 31, and narrower bases 22, 32 which are wider than the slot, with stems the width of the slot. In embodiment A one slider part has a longitudinal male projection 34 that interfits a female receiving hole to form a mating connection to hold the slider parts together through a tolerance fit. The embodiment B has a stem 25 in two halves.

In use: Insert the slider onto the bookmark Customise by sliding new sliders through the sections.

Insert the bookmark onto the page using the clip.

Separate the slider into the slider parts to highlight paragraphs.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention as defined by the claims, in particular but not solely combination of features of described embodiments.

Claims

Claims 1 A bookmark comprising: an elongated rigid body defining a longitudinal axis with a slot along the longitudinal axis; at least one clip is arranged to clip over a page located at an end of the body; and one or more sliders; wherein the slot includes at least one section that is wider than the rest of the slot; and wherein the at least one slider has a body attachment means with a stem adapted to slide in the slot and a base wider than the slot and sufficiently narrow to pass through the section so as to allow the slider to slide laterally in the slot and highlight an area of the page, and displace through the section to allow at least one additional slider to be used to highlight at least one other area of the page.
2. A bookmark according to claim 1 wherein the body is transparent or translucent.
3. A bookmark according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the slot comprises a section at each of its two ends.
4. A bookmark according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the clip comprises a resiliently deformable material.
5. A bookmark according to any preceding claim wherein the clip is removable from the body.
6. A bookmark according to any preceding claim wherein the slider comprises a laterally extending form orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the body.
7. A bookmark according to any preceding claim wherein the slider provides at least one pointed end extending orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the body.
8. A bookmark according to any preceding claim wherein the slider comprises two parts.
9. A bookmark according to claim 8 wherein the two parts are adapted to engage one with another to form the slider.
10. A bookmark according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the two parts are adapted to engage to form the body attachment means.
11. A bookmark according to any preceding claim wherein the slider comprises two further parts.
12. A bookmark according to claim 11 wherein two parts are adapted to engage to form the body attachment means and to form a whole slider part and such two slider parts are adapted to engage to form a whole slider.