A book is a common vehicle for presenting reading material. In the main there are two methods of binding together a book and the pages within. They are a book comprising either hardback or paperback outer covering.

The characteristics of a paperback book often cause the pages to have a tendency to spring closed when opened; conversely the pages of a hardback book when fully opened have a tendency to remain open. A paperback book therefore is appreciably more difficult to hold open than a hardback book, especially so if the book is new and/or held with only one hand. The spine of a paperback book can be broken in so as to lessen the springiness of its pages and so making it easier to hold and read, however this has a detrimental effect upon the appearance of the book and may compromise its function.

Commonly, and of necessity, a paperback book is held for reading by positioning the thumb and fingers of the holding hand in a way to prevent the book from closing, a typical method being the placement of the thumb perpendicularly over the centre parting of the open book, the other digits of the holding hand serving to support the weight of the book. In this instance the thumb separates the pages and prevents them from closing. However, because the thumb is narrow it cannot exert a very wide lateral downforce upon both open pages and thus it can become quite awkward and difficult to retain the angle at which the pages need to be opened for reading purposes, especially so if the book is new. The thumb may alternatively be placed at an angle over and across the centre parting of the open book, typically at an approximately 60° angle. This method inherently widens the thumb's lateral downforce and therefore makes it easier to hold open the book. However, this method can become somewhat uncomfortable after a while. Another common method of holding open a book, especially a paperback book, is to place a little finger and a thumb of the holding hand onto each of the adjacent pages of an opened book. The other digits are placed upon the outer cover or spine to act as support. This

method is successful in holding the pages apart at a wider angle, however it can again become uncomfortable after a while. Another common method of holding open a book, especially a paperback, is to hold it in two hands, typically the second hand serving to hold the pages open at a wider angle to make reading easier. Alternatively, a device may be used to attach to the book to aid the reader. One of the simplest known methods is to wrap an elastic band around the book and across the page (s) required to be kept open or marked. Such a device, although satisfactory for marking purposes, requires constant removal and replacement every time a new page is turned.

An example of a more elaborate device is found in US-A- 5,427,414 which describes a device for holding pages of a book and marking a place in a book comprising an elongated strip of a flexible, non-extendible material having a length greater than the width of the book with which it will be used, when the book is open, a flexible, elastic cord connected to the elongated strip near the ends of the strip and being of a length such that the elastic cord is in a substantially unstretched state when not in use, the strip and the elastic cord having sufficient respective flexibility and extendibility as to extend over the full width of a book when opened and whereby the elastic cord will stretch and the strip will flex as the book is moved from a fully open position to a partially open position to allow turning of the pages of the book in either direction. Although such a page holding bookmark serves the purposes of holding a book open without assistance and a page marker, it may be seen as a little cumbersome and impractical for everyday fictional reading, for example, whereby pages need to be turned over regularly every few minutes or so.

EP-A2-0338733 comprises a bookmarker with a spring retaining marking arm that again both assists in holding the pages of a book open whilst acting as a page marker. Although such bookmarker serves its purpose, it is rather impractical, requiring some manual dexterity when applying it to everyday fictional reading, for example, especially of paperback

books.

US-A-4,382,617 describes a combined book leaf holder and bookmark for both paperback and hard cover books comprised of a pair of substantially parallel prongs for insertion of one of the prongs behind the spine of the book and the other prong between the leaves several pages beyond the pages of immediate interest, each of the prongs being in the form of two wire legs with one of the legs of each of the prongs emanating from a common juncture and the other leg of each of the prongs emanating from a reverse bend at the extremity of the prong, each of the other legs having a wire arm extending outwardly at substantially right angles to the prongs, the respective arms being in substantially a single plane with the prongs and extending in opposite directions from each other, and each of the arms having a finger transverse to the associated arm for engaging a page of the book on respective sides of the spine to hold the book open at the engaged pages.

GB-A-2058668 describes a clip which can act as a book marker and includes a body portion positionable outwardly on the spine of the book and a tail portion positionable inwardly on the inner spine of the book. A head portion extends laterally of the body portion and when placed over the inner corners of adjacent pages holds them apart. The pages can be turned over with the clip retained on the spine and can be received in a cavity between the tail portion and the head portion.

GB-A-400348 describes a book-leaf holder which may also be used as a book-marker, intended for application to the leaves of a book to prevent them from turning over when in use as frequently occurs when books are new or of stiff binding, constituting a single strip of suitable material, provided with one or more tongues, teeth or the like formed on the strip by cutting or punching and bending the tongues or teeth so as to enable them to be inserted between the leaves at the top or bottom of a book with one or more of the leaves located between the tongues or teeth and the strip to hold the strip across the open book so that it extends wholly

or partly over the opposite halves of the book to prevent turning of the leaves. To enable the article to be used as a book-marker, the strip may have an additional tongue or tooth adapted for insertion between the leaves of the book when the strip is disposed lengthwise between the pages.

These examples require some amount of practised manual operation for them to function and by their use they inherently make more probable the likelihood of damaging a book or its pages within.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method comprising applying a book reading aid to opened pages of a book so that the book reading aid extends transversely of a spine of the book and applying a force to a mid-portion of the book reading aid towards the spine of the book to urge end portions of the book reading aid to press respective opened pages of the book towards respective covers of the book.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to hold open. and turn over the facing pages of a book relatively easily without damaging the book and with a relatively simple article.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a book reading aid for holding open pages of a book, comprising a body of sheet form, and co-operating means on a surface of said body for co-operating with a reader's digit to facilitate the use of said book reading aid.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a book reading aid for holding open pages of a book, comprising a body of flat sheet material, and an attachment device provided on said body for use in applying a force to a mid-portion of the body towards a spine of the book to urge end portions of the aid to press respective opened pages of the book towards respective covers of the book.

Owing to these aspects of the invention, it is possible to provide a relatively simple article for holding open the facing pages of a book and allowing turning over of the pages

without damage to the book.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a book reading stand comprising a back support for a book, a bottom support for said book, and a book reading aid mounted at the front of the stand, said aid being arranged to press against open pages of said book to keep said pages open.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to provide a relatively simple book reading stand wherein facing pages of a book can be held open and turned over without damage to the book.

Examples of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:- Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a flat splint capable of use as a book reading aid/bookmark; Figure 2 shows a front elevation of a modified form of a book reading aid/bookmark; Figure 3 shows a front elevation of a further embodiment of a book reading aid/bookmark; Figure 4 shows a front perspective view of a further embodiment of a book reading aid/bookmark; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the book reading aid/bookmark of Figure 4, in use; Figure 6 shows a side elevation of the book reading aid/bookmark of Figure 4 with a digit receiving loop flattened; Figure 7 shows a side elevation of a further modified version of the book reading aid/bookmark; Figure 8 shows a front perspective view of yet another modified version of the book reading aid/bookmark; Figure 9 shows a front perspective view of a yet further modified version of the book reading aid/bookmark; Figure 10 shows a side elevation of the book reading aid/bookmark of Figure 6 but with the loop raised; Figure 11 shows a front perspective view of a still further modified version of the book reading aid/bookmark; and Figure 12 shows a front elevation of a book reading

stand incorporating a yet still further modified version of the book reading aid.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows an article 10 which simply comprises a rectangular piece of flat strip material, such as plastics material, having a surface 2, longer edges 4 and shorter edges 6 capable of use as a book reading aid or a bookmark, selectively. As the book reading aid, the article 10 is placed over the central parting of the pages at the spine of a book with the edges 4 transverse to the spine and a downward pressure towards the book being applied by a reader's digit, i. e. finger or thumb, to a central portion of the book reading aid to keep open and apart the pages of the book.

Figure 2 shows a modified form in which the article 10 is crescent-shape, with the horns 12 of the crescent directed downwards in the shape of a boomerang, and is provided with a digit anti-slip area 18 comprised of nodules or dimples on the surface 2 at a central lateral location and arranged to co-operate with a thumb or finger of the reader to discourage slippage between the same and the book reading aid 10.

In Figure 3, the article 10 comprises a single piece of rigid or flexible flat material with horns 12, the length of the article 10 being preferably shorter in length than the open book width with which it is to be used, there being a protrusion in the form of a region of extended surface area 126 of the flat material of rounded form and a corresponding recess in the form of a reduction of surface area 128 of similar form immediately opposite to that area 126. The uppermost points of the curved edges of the horns 12 and the area 126 are substantially co-linear.

The preferred design of the article 10 is crescent- shaped, having lateral symmetry with angles of the horns 12 of the crescent being extending between 10°-45° to the general longitudinal direction of the article.

A receiver 14 for attaching to a digit of a reader is seen in Figure 4 where a loop 13 is attached to a body 15 of the article 10 through slots 16 through the body 15. The receiver 14 co-operates with the digit to retain the body 15

on the digit.

The preferred plastics material of the article 10 is shatterproof and transparent in order that printed matter covered by the article 10 can be seen and is polycarbonate, the article being produced by injection moulding and of a thickness of between lmm and 2mm. The horns 12 have a rounded form and may be provided with rubberised material or the like to discourage sliding over the pages of the book.

A digit, of either hand of the reader, may be placed through the loop 13 and on to a digit anti-slip area 18 as seen in Figure 4. The digit anti-slip area 18 may be formed by providing nodules, dimples or the like in any convenient arrangement such as the triangular pattern shown in Figure 2 or the circular pattern shown in Figures 8 and 9, or a single hole 19, which may be countersunk and/or deburred, into which the digit 20 rests and which is roughly lcm in diameter, as shown in Figure 4.

The digit anti-slip area 18 is provided on the area 126 and discourages the reader's digit from sliding over the surface of the body 15.

When the book reading aid, attached to the thumb, is held away from a book the thumb is given more freedom of movement owing to the cut-away provided by the reduction of surface area 128.

The loop 13, preferably made of elastic material such as braided polyester, can be a freely moveable continual loop with each end, when manufactured, fed through the slots 16, sealed to prevent fraying of the elastic material and then attached to one another to form a loop, preferably with an adhesive, such as"LOCTITE" (Registered Trade Mark) or ultrasonically, to form an overlap join 140. The size and/or shape of the slots 16, in this instance the length of the slots 16, is such that their edges provide some degree to adjustment of the loop 13, in this instance because the length of each slot 16 is less than the width of the material of the loop 13. The resistance can be increased further by providing narrower slots 16 or thicker loop material. The most preferred length of elastic material that forms the loop

13 is 85mm. Such size of loop is large enough to accept the thumbs of those users with larger digits. The resistance to the loop 13 by the edges of the slots 16 allows the reader to insert his digit through the loop 13, and then pull the loop 13 outwardly at the page-contacting side of the book reading aid 10 so as to tighten the loop 13 upon the digit, thus in effect providing for an adjustable size of loop 13. The resistance of the edges of the slots 16 is such that, once the loop has been adjusted to fit the size of the reader's digit, it is capable of retaining its set size. With the book reading aid 10 attached, when the reader takes his hand away from the page, it is retained upon his digit by the resistance to and set size of the loop 13. The slots 16 are of such size and/or shape, in this instance width, that the join 140 of the loop ends cannot, or at least cannot readily, be pulled through the slots 16 and is therefore retained at the page-contacting side of the book reading aid 10. Thus, the thumb loop 13 is able to move through the slots 16, held onto the book reading aid 10 only by the portion of the body 15 between the slots 16. If the join 140 is a non-overlap join, then the loop 13 could be turned around to an unlimited extent by pulling it through the slots 16. The loop 13 may alternatively be a fixed strap with both separate ends attached to the body 15 with adhesive, rivets or the like. In that instance, the slots 16 as seen in Figure 4 may not be required.

The size of the loop 13 or length of the fixed strap may be determined by the size of the digit of its intended user.

Figure 5 shows a thumb 20 placed through the loop 13.

There are no restrictions as to which way round the book reading aid 10 should be held, i. e. with horns 12 pointing in an upwards manner as shown in Figure 5 or in a downwards manner as shown in Figure 2, but the preferred manner which benefits the reader more is that seen in Figure 5 with the horns 12 pointing somewhat upwards. Once the book reading aid 10 is attached to the thumb 20 it may be positioned over the centre parting of an open book 22 perpendicularly to the spine of the book. The other digits of the holding hand or

the other hand may be used to support the weight of the book as per common reading practice. The thumb 20 with book reading aid 10 attached may now be pressed down upon the centre parting of the book, the user thereby applying a force to a mid-portion of the book reading aid 10 towards the spine of the book. The end portions 12 of the book reading aid 10 press the opened pages of the book towards respective covers of the book. The positioning of the thumb over the centre parting of a book is a very common and practised method of holding open and apart the pages of a book, especially paperback books. The downward pressure of the thumb 20 upon the centre parting of a book with book reading aid 10 attached will cause, along the length of book reading aid 10, a downforce upon the pages of the open book 22. In this instance the thumb is the only digit required to hold open and apart the pages of a book. Once a page needs to be turned over, the thumb 20 with the book reading aid 10 attached is taken away and the page turned. The procedure may then be repeated.

To enable the article 10 to be used as a bookmark in a closed book, the loop 13 may be collapsed to a flattened state as seen in Figure 6. On removal of the thumb 20 from loop 13 the loop may retain its rounded form to some degree as shown in Figure 10. This may depend upon the material used in making the loop 13 and the time period for which a reader's digit is inserted. Once the bookmark 10 is placed into a book with the intention of marking a page, the weight and the springiness of pages, especially of a paperback book, flattens the loop down and so assists its purpose as a bookmark. Alternatively, the loop may be flattened manually prior to placing within the book. In the case of a fixed strap with the strap ends attached to the body 15, there may be provided an elongate hole in one or both strap ends. This would allow the strap to be flattened down to a minimum thickness. In the continuous loop arrangement as in Figure 6 the loop can be flattened to a minimum thickness of approximately twice that of the loop material thickness.

Figure 7 shows another modified version of the article

10 where the loop 24 is adjustable. As a preferred design, the adjustable loop 24 would be made of elastic material. The adjustable loop 24 would be attached to the body 15 through slots 16; one end 26 of the adjustable loop 24 would be adhered to the page contacting surface of the body 15 and the other end 28 would remain free. Loop end 28 may be affixed to the loop end 26 with VELCRC) or the like. This enables the loop end 28 to be easily attached to or detached from the loop end 26. The thickness of the VELCROX, for example, would prevent the loop end 28 from being pulled through the relevant slot 16 when adjustments to the loop size are made.

The adjustable loop 24 is collapsible and the book reading aid can therefore be used as a flat bookmark in a closed book.

The receiver 14 shown in Figure 8 comprises two rectangular strips 30 cut out of the body 15 but with their shorter sides, furthest from the centre of the body 15, left uncut. The two rectangular pieces 30 are angled away from the surface of the body 15 in the direction of the reader. This leaves behind two rectangular open slots 32. A digit may then be inserted between the rectangular pieces 30 and the open slots 32. There may be provided cushioning pads beneath the rectangular pieces 30. The receiver 14 as shown in Figure 8 is also collapsible and the article 10 can therefore be used as a flat bookmark in a closed book.

Figure 9 shows a further modified form of the article 10. The receiver 14 comprises two, preferably elastic, string cords 34 and 35 and a central joining piece 36. Four holes 38 are drilled through the body 15, slightly larger in diameter than that of the string cords 34 and 35. The two string cords 34 and 35 are threaded through the central joining piece 36 which occupies a position generally central of the drilled holes 38. The ends of both string cords 34 and 35 are fed through the drilled holes 38 and are knotted, melted or the like on the opposite side from the central joining piece 36 so that they are prevented from being pulled through and detached from the body 15. The receiver 14 as shown in Figure 9 lies flat to the body 15 when not in use. The article 10

can therefore be used as a bookmark in a closed book. When article is in use as a book reading aid, the reader's digit is placed beneath the central joining piece 36 with the two string cords 34 and 35 holding the body 15 on to the digit.

The article 10 as shown in Figure 11 includes a spring snap 40 which is fixed to the body 15 and which comprises a torsion spring 42, a return arm 44 and a push plate 46. The return arm 44 may be angled and pre-sprung so that it rests upon the page contacting surface of body 15 when idle. There may be provided a depth adjustment device to the spring snap 40 to allow use with different thicknesses of books. The spring snap 40 may be permanently attached to the book reading aid 10 with adhesive, by moulding, or the like, or may be removable, allowing the book reading aid 10 to be used solely with a receiver additionally attached for receiving a reader's digit.

The book reading aid 10 of Figure 11 is attached to an open book either at the top or at the bottom of the book. The return arm 44 is positioned up from the bottom or down from the top on the outer spine of a book with the book reading aid 10 positioned over and across the open pages as required.

The spring 42 will hold the book reading aid 10 firmly against the open pages by producing a clamping force between the body 15 and the return arm 44 to hold the pages of the book open and apart. Once this device is attached to a book the spring 42 keeps the book reading aid 10 clamped to the book without assistance. The push plate 46 may be pushed or pulled against the action of the spring 42 to release the book reading aid 10 from the book. Alternatively, the book reading aid 10 may be pulled or dragged off in one go from the book without releasing the spring 42.

In the book reading stand 47 shown in Figure 12, a spring snap 40 (not shown), attached to the body 15, is attached to a weighted base 48 of the stand 47 via an arm 52.

Attached to the weighted base 48 is a back support 50. The book reading aid 10 may be removed from the arm 52 and the spring snap 40 so that it may be also used solely by the manual method with a receiver for a reader's digit

additionally attached. A book reading aid 10 with the spring snap attached, in turn attached to an arm 52, in turn attached to the weighted base 48, in turn attached to the back support 50, will support the weight of a book if it is to be held at an angle upwards from the horizontal, towards the reader. The arm 52 and back support 50 may be hinged to the weighted base 48 by friction hinges so that a book may be supported at an angle in the range of 0°-90° to the horizontal. The weighted base 48 may be provided with an adjustable extension to increase its stability and to support a book held close to or at the horizontal. The adjustable extension of the weighted base 48 is to prevent the device from toppling over under different ranges of book weight distribution. Attached to the weighted base 48 and to the arm 52 there may be provided a cam-type hinge so that the book reading aid 10 may be levered forward to release the book, without the necessity of pushing or pulling against the push plate 46 of the spring snap device 40.

It is to be understood that the modified versions of the book reading aid shown in Figures 1,3,11 and 12 may include an anti-slip area 18.