US 5,449,202 AGranted

Method and apparatus for color coded library and shelved media system

OwnerMichael D. Nalepka, William H. Gunninventors

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Abstract

The method and apparatus for color coding library books and/or shelved media system that utilizes a plurality of color coded labels. Each label has a number of bands of horizontally disposed colors and each color in the color band is assigned to a unique letter, or number, forming part of the alpha-numeric library code and/or shelved media system. Each label further includes a removable spacing tab along its lower edge which, when the label is mounted to the designated book, the bottom edge of the removable spacing tab is aligned with the bottom edge of the spine of the book. Upon affixing the label to the book or the media case, the removable spacing tab is separated from the label by a horizontal separation joint, thereby aligning the bottom edge of the remaining portion of the label at a fixed position relative to the bottom of the book.

Claims7

Dependent claims

In combination with a plurality of books stacked on a plurality of book shelves, each book having a spine attached and affixed between a front and a back cover of said book, said plurality of books stacked on said plurality of shelves with each respective spine facing a user and front and back covers of adjacent books being proximate each other, a color coded library system comprising:

a plurality of color coded labels, each label having (n) number of horizontally disposed color bands, each color band assigned to a unique letter or number and said letter or number being part of an alpha-numeric library code such that n number of color bands on a particular label is a subset of m available colors, each of said m available colors substantially equivalent to respective letters and numbers forming said alpha-numeric library codes, each label imprinted with a unique alpha-numeric library code both horizontally and vertically, at least a portion of said vertically imprinted unique alpha-numeric code being imprinted as a single letter or number over the corresponding assigned color band;
each label having a body portion with an adhesive on a backside of said body opposite an imprinted side of said body which reveals said n horizontal color bands and vertical and horizontal unique alpha-numeric code;
each label having a removable spacing tab along a lower edge of said imprinted side of said body, said spacing tab being removably affixed to said body via one of horizontal perforations, a horizontal tear crease and a plurality of vertical tear-through strips;
each label being mounted to a designated book by alignment of a bottom edge of said spacing tab with a bottom edge of said spine of said book, each label being substantially permanently attached on said spine via said adhesive, and a plurality of labels mounted on a plurality of adjacent, shelved books forming color block patterns by the uniformly placed labels mounted at predetermined positions on said plurality of shelved books, said color block patterns formed by a plurality of similar color bands on adjacent shelved books to form a visually identifiable block of similar colors;
and, a clear layer of UV blocking plastic having an adhesive which attaches to said imprinted face.

2 more elements

A method of color coding and stacking a plurality of books stacked on a plurality of book shelves, each book having a spine, a front cover and a back cover, each respective spine for said plurality of stacked and shelved books facing a user when front and back covers of adjacent books are proximate each other, the method comprising the steps of:

assigning a color to each letter and number forming a part of an alpha-numeric library code;
providing a plurality of color coded labels each having n bands of horizontally disposed color bands;
providing each label with a removable spacing tab along a lower edge of said label, said spacing tab being removably affixed via a horizontal separation joint to said label;
imprinting each color coded label with a unique alpha-numeric library code corresponding to a respective book and at least a portion of said imprinted unique alpha-numeric code displayed as an assigned color in said color band;
adhering each label on a respective book corresponding to said unique alpha-numeric library code by (a) aligning a lower edge of said spacing tab with a lower edge of said spine of said book, and (b) removing said spacing tab from said label by separation along said separation joint;
and,
forming color block patterns with aligned color bands visually displaying books having similar characteristics when said books are stacked adjacent each other in accordance with said alpha-numeric library code on said book shelves.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.