Lay flat hinge binding
AssigneeR.R. Donnelley & Sons Company
InventorRonald S. Danhoff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A book according to the present invention has a front cover and a back cover joined by a spine. A plurality of pages are bound to each other and to the cover near the spine. All or nearly all of the pages have a lay flat hinge so that the book will lie flat when opened. The lay flat hinge comprises a weakened portion, a first non-weakened portion between the weakened portion and a head of a page, and a second non-weakened portion between the weakened portion and a foot of the page. The weakened portion allows the book to lie flat when opened and the first and second non-weakened portions prevent pages from being easily torn from the book and prevent the weakened portion from being visible along edges of the book.
Claims14
A lay flat hinge for a page to be bound in a book, said page having a head edge, a foot edge, and first and second side edges between said head edge and said foot edge, said first side edge adapted to be bound in said book, said lay flat hinge comprising:
- a weakened portion between said head edge and said foot edge of said page, said weakened portion facilitating a book in lying flat when the book is opened, said weakened portion including a plurality of slits each having a slit length which is substantially parallel to said first side edge of the page;
- a first non-weakened portion between said weakened portion and said head edge of said page;
- and,
- a second non-weakened portion between said weakened portion and said foot edge of said page;
- wherein said weakened portion and said first and second non-weakened portions prevent said page from being easily torn from said book and prevent said weakened portion from being visible along said head edge and said foot edge of said page.
A method of making a flat opening book comprising the following steps:
- weakening a plurality of pages by an amount which, when said pages are bound into a book and said book is opened, will allow said book to lie flat, which will not allow said pages to be easily torn from said book, and which will preclude a hinge line from being visible along edges of said book;
- weakening a cover so as to facilitate said book lying flat when said plurality of pages are bound to said cover and said book is opened;
- and,
- binding said plurality of said pages to each other and to said cover.
A book having a cover and a plurality of pages each of which is bound to each other and to said cover near a spine of said cover, each of a majority of said pages comprising:
- a head;
- a foot;
- means including a plurality of slits for weakening said each of said majority of said pages so that said book will lie flat when said book is opened;
- a first non-weakened portion between said means and said head of said each of said majority of said pages;
- and,
- a second non-weakened portion between said means and said foot of said each of said majority of said pages;
- wherein said first and second non-weakened portions also prevent said means from being visible along edges of said book.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.