Index system

• US 6,659,506 B1
• Filed: 10/10/2000
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Austin Rand
• Original Assignee: Enn Erisalu
• Inventors: Erisalu, Enn
• Primary Examiner(s): CARTER, MONICA SMITH
• Application Number:
  US09/684,429
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 281/16, 281/15.1, 281/29, 281/36, 281/37, 281/38, 281/2, 281/5, 281/3.1, 283/36, 283/37, 283/38, 283/39, 283/40, 283/41, 283/42, 283/43, 283/61, 283/62, 283/63.1, 283/65
• US Class Current: 283/36
• CPC Class Codes: B42F 21/02 Tabs integral with sheets, papers, cards, or suspension files

Abstract

An index system using single axis or multiple axes with single and multiple leaves turning around this axis (axes). All leaves or groups of leaves present an exposed marginal portion obtained by relative extension of leaves and/or partial removal of a portion of the marginal portion (s), which provides an overview of the content, which is indexed in groups and subgroups. Use is made of brief descriptions, capital letters, numbers, arrows and distinctive background color for facilitating the use of the index system.

Claims

1. A booklet having an indexing system comprising:

a cover, constituted from a left cover and a right cover, between which a folding line defining a first axis is provided;

at least two leaves attached to said cover along said first axis, being a first or left leaf and a second or right leaf, each of said leaves having a front face and a back face on which printed matter is disposed;

said at least two leaves each having an upper edge, a lower edge, and a side edge, each of said leaves being of substantially the same dimensions;

said at least two leaves being axially displaced along said first axis relative to each other, such that when one of said leaves overlays the other underlying one of said leaves, the top and bottom edges of said respective leaves are not congruous, revealing a margin portion of said underlying one of said leaves;

indexing means being located on said margin portion of each face of each of said leaves, said indexing means for both the first leaf and the second leaf being viewable when said first leaf and second leaf lie respectively one to the left and one to the right of said folding line, when said first leaf and second leaf are both turned to lie to the right of said folding line and when said first leaf and second leaf are both turned to lie to the left of said folding line;

said indexing means being related to said printed matter provided on the face of the said leaf of which said margin portion, bearing said indexing means, forms a portion; and

said printed matter and said indexing means being identically oriented for easy reading.

2. The booklet of claim 1, wherein said indexing means comprise a brief description.

3. The booklet of claim 1, wherein said indexing means comprises background coloring.

4. The booklet of claim 1, wherein said printed material is compartmentalized in groups and subgroups, said indexing means identifying said groups and sub-groups.

5. The booklet of claim 4, further comprising background colors to distinguish said groups and subgroups.

6. The booklet of claim 1, further comprising a foldable flap laterally extending from at least one of said left and right covers, and a succession of indexing means related to the contents of said booklet being provided on said foldable flap.

7. The booklet of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional folding line, said additional folding line providing a second axis at a distance from said first axis and oriented parallel to said first axis, so that said booklet comprises at least two axes, at least one leaf rotating around said second axis.

8. A booklet having an indexing system comprising:

a cover, constituted from a left cover and a right cover, between which a folding line is provided;

at least two leaves attached to said cover, being a first or left leaf and a second or right leaf, each of said leaves having a front face and a back face on which printed matter is disposed;

said at least two leaves sharing a substantially common first axis of rotation with each other and with said cover, each of said leaves having an upper edge, a lower edge, and a side edge, a portion of said top edge of said leaves, the bottom edge of said leaves and the side edge of said leaves, but less than the whole of all of said sides, being congruous when any said leaf lies on any other said leaf;

each of said leaves being provided with a first cut with a side edge and a top edge in each leaf, said first cut revealing a margin portion of an underlying leaf when said leaves are turned to a first side of said folding line, and each of said leaves being provided with a second cut with a side edge and a bottom edge in each leaf, said second cut revealing a margin portion of an underlying leaf when said leaves are turned to a second side of said folding line;

said revealed margin portion containing indexing means related to said printed matter provided on the face of said leaf of which said revealed margin portion, bearing indexing means, forms a portion; and

said printed matter and said indexing means being identically oriented for easy reading.

9. The booklet of claim 8, wherein said indexing means comprise a brief description.

10. The booklet of claim 8, wherein said indexing means comprises background coloring.

13. The booklet of claim 8, further comprising a foldable flap laterally extending from at least one of said left and right covers, on said foldable flap being provided a succession of indexing means related to the contents of said booklet.

14. The booklet of claim 8, further comprising at least one additional folding line, said additional folding line forming a second-axis which is set at a distance from said first axis and is oriented parallel to said first axis, so that said booklet comprises at least two axes, at least one leaf rotating around said second axis.

11. The booklet of claim 11, wherein said printed material is compartmentalized in groups and subgroups, said indexing means identifying said groups and sub-groups.

12. The booklet of claim 11, further comprising background colors distinguishing said groups and subgroups, said background colors appearing on a marginal portion of said leaf and in conjunction with said printed material on said leaf.

15. A booklet having an indexing system comprising:

a cover, constituted from a left cover and a right cover, between which a folding line defining an axis is provided;

a plurality of leaves attached to said cover, each of said leaves having a front face and a back face on which printed matter is disposed, each of said leaves having an upper edge, a lower edge and a side edge, each of said leaves being of substantially the same dimensions;

at least two leaves of said plurality of leaves sharing a substantially common first axis of rotation with each other, and a third leaf of said plurality of leaves having a second axis of rotation parallel to but at a distance from said first axis of rotation, said at least two leaves forming a first set of leaves and said third leaf forming the first leaf of a second set of leaves;

a visible portion being revealed on an uppermost leaf of one of said sets of leaves when underlying an other of said sets of leaves, said visible portion being effected by the displacement between the axis of rotation of the first set and the axis of rotation of the second set, on which visible portions of said first set and said second set a first indexing means being provided, said first indexing means being

related respectively to said printed matter provided on the face of the leaf or leaves of said first and second sets; and

said printed matter and said first and second indexing means being identically oriented for easy reading.

16. An index system as claimed in claim 15, and comprising further revealing means including a cut with side edge and a top or bottom edge, which cut reveals indexing means positioned on a marginal portion of at least one underlying leaf, said indexing means being related to said printed matter provided on the face of the leaf of which said revealed margin portion, bearing indexing means, forms a portion.

17. An index system as claimed in claim 16, and further comprising revealing means including a cut with side edge and a top or bottom edge, made in any leaf which is not the last leaf of said first set or the last leaf of said second set, said cut revealing indexing means positioned on a marginal portion of at least one underlying leaf, said indexing means being related to said printed matter provided on the face of the leaf of which said revealed margin portion, bearing indexing means, forms a portion.

18. The booklet of claim 15, wherein at least one of said first and second axis being substantially similar to said axis of said folding line of the cover.

19. The booklet of claim 15, wherein said first and second set of leaves is each comprised of leaves from at least two units, each unit being formed of a left leaf and a right leaf together with a joining portion mutually joining said left leaf and said right leaf, said joining portion being attached to said cover, said left leaves of said at least two units together forming the leaves of said first set and said right leaves of at least two units together forming the leaves of said second set.

20. The booklet of claim 15, wherein said indexing means comprise a brief description.

21. The booklet of claim 15, wherein said indexing means comprises background coloring.

22. The booklet of claim 15, wherein said printed material is compartmentalized in groups and subgroups, said indexing means identifying said groups and sub-groups.

23. The booklet of claim 22, further comprising background colors to distinguish said groups and subgroups.

24. The booklet of claim 15, further comprising a foldable flap laterally extending from at least one of said left and right covers, on said foldable flap being provided a succession of indexing means related to the contents of said booklet.

25. The booklet of claim 15, wherein said first axis of rotation and said second axis of rotation are perpendicular to said folding line, on one side of said folding line, said leaves of said sets of leaves rotating about said axes having a resting position lying on said cover and, when rotated, lying in part beyond an edge of said cover;

and

each leaf of a respective set of leaves that has an underlying leaf within said respective set when said respective set is rotated to a first side of an axis of rotation having a first cut with a side edge and a top or bottom edge, said first cut revealing second indexing means positioned on a marginal portion of said underlying leaf, said second indexing means being related to said printed matter provided on the face of the leaf of which said revealed marginal portion, bearing said second indexing means, forms a portion.

26. The booklet of claim 25, wherein sets of leaves rotating as described are positioned at right angles to the folding line of the cover on each side of said folding line.

27. The booklet of claim 25, wherein said first and second set of leaves is each comprised of leaves from at least two units, each unit being formed of a left leaf and a right leaf together with a joining portion mutually joining said left leaf and said right leaf, said joining portion being attached to said cover, said left leaves of said at least two units together forming the leaves of said first set and said right leaves of at least two units together forming the leaves of said second set.

30. The booklet of claim 25, wherein said indexing means comprises background coloring.

31. The booklet of claim 25, wherein said printed material is compartmentalized in groups and subgroups, said indexing means identifying said groups and sub-groups.

32. The booklet of claim 31, further comprising background colors to distinguish said groups and subgroups.

33. The booklet of claim 25, further comprising a foldable flap laterally extending from at least one of said left and right covers, on said foldable flap being provided a succession of indexing means related to the contents of said booklet.

28. An index system as claimed 25, further comprising revealing means including a cut with side edge and a top or bottom edge, said cut revealing indexing means positioned on a marginal portion of at least one underlying leaf, said indexing means being related to said printed matter provided on the face of the leaf of which said revealed margin portion, bearing indexing means, forms a portion.

29. The booklet of 25, wherein said indexing means comprise a brief description.