Abstract:
The present invention relates to bindings for books, wherein the spine is hidden behind an extension of the cover. Specifically, a piping element is inserted into a recess formed by a doubled-over center section of a cover of the book. Because of the structure of the piping element, the book is capable of laying flat when opened, while hiding the spine and concurrently protecting both the spine and other objects from damage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to bindings for books. Specifically, by providing a stitched doubled-over center section to form a recess in a cover of the book, and a piping element placed in the recess, the spine of the book may be hidden from view. 
     2. Background 
     In conventional book bindings, using round or spiral binding elements, such as metal coils or rings, the binding elements are generally disposed such that they are visible from outside of the book. However, such an arrangement is often objectionable, for aesthetic and other reasons. For example, the binding elements may cause injury or damage to articles with which they may contact, as well as having the potential to become damaged themselves. 
     Prior attempts to hide the binding elements include U.S. Pat. No. 2,082,423 to Schade, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. Therein, a coiled wire is hidden by a stitched cover requiring two lines of stitching to maintain the structure of the binding. However, due to the construction of this binding, the resulting product will tend to lean to one side when the book is opened. Thus, when the book is opened, the pages and coil will generate forces preventing the book from laying flat. 
     It would be desirable to provide a hidden spine for a book, which also permits the book to lie flat, despite forces acting on the spine laterally. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to hidden spine for books wherein a piping element is inserted into a recess formed by a doubled-over center section of the cover of the book. In particular the book having a hidden spine comprises a cover comprising a front section, a back section and a doubled-over center section, the front section and the back section being connected to or integral with the doubled-over center section; the doubled-over center section comprising a first section and a second section and having a longitudinal axis, the first section comprising a first top surface, a first outer longitudinal edge portion and a first inner longitudinal edge portion, the second section comprising a second top surface, a second outer longitudinal edge portion and a second inner longitudinal edge portion, the first top surface being opposed to the second top surface to form a flange section; a piping element having a longitudinal axis and extending longitudinally along the first and second outer longitudinal edge portions and comprising a stem and a transverse head, wherein at least a portion of the stem is located between the first and second top surfaces and the stem is integral with or attached to the head, the first and second top surfaces are attached to the piping element along an attachment portion of the stem at or adjacent the first and second outer longitudinal edge portions; and at least one page connecting element linked to at least one member of the group consisting of the piping element and the doubled-over center section. Optionally, the first inner longitudinal edge portion is integral with the second inner longitudinal edge portion. 
     Typically stitching, used to secure the pages to the book, is also used to maintain the piping element in position. In one embodiment, the piping element is in the general shape of a “T” and formed from a resilient structure. Due to the construction, the ends of the T-shape help to maintain the book in a closed position, in addition to ensuring that the book lie flat when opened. 
     In its method aspects the present invention relates to a method of forming a hidden spine for a book comprising: providing a cover, having a front section and a back section and providing a piping element comprising a stem and a crossbar; folding the cover about the piping element and bending the crossbar such that the cover is in a folded position and the piping is between the front section and the back section and the crossbar is bent away from the stem and a doubled-over center section of the cover is formed; stitching together the cover and the stem while the cover is in the folded position and the crossbar is bent; creating a plurality of holes in at least one member of the group consisting of the doubled-over center section and the stem; passing at least one page connecting element through the plurality of holes. Typically, the stitching penetrates through the stem. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the structure of the hidden spine of a first embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an end view of the hidden spine of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the piping element removed. 
     FIG. 3 is a view of a cover of the book alone of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of the spine of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the book in an open position and the piping element removed for clarity. 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of an end view of section V—V of FIG. 4 of the piping element of FIG. 1 that shows typical dimensions and rounded opposed ends. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of a second embodiment of the piping element having a tapered end. 
     FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of a cover of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 shows an embodiment not having aligned holes through the cover of FIG. 7, but having holes through the piping element. 
     FIG. 9 shows an embodiment having aligned holes through both the cover of FIG. 7 and a piping element. 
     FIG. 10 shows an embodiment having a short piping element, relative to a center section of the cover of FIG. 3, and having aligned holes only through the cover. 
     FIG. 11 shows the cover and piping element in a bent position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to FIG. 1, a book  1  is provided with a piping element  25 . The piping element  25  is disposed between a front section  7  and a back section  8  of a book cover  3 , in the vicinity of a doubled-over center section  10  (FIG.  2 ). Shoulders  12  are located where the front section  7  and back section  8  respectively meet the doubled-over center section  10 . Front section  7  and back section  8  and center section  10  may be integrally formed, as in FIG. 1, or front section  7  and back section  8  may be attached to center section  10  at a crease such as a weld (not shown). 
     The doubled-over center section  10  and has two sections  10 A,  10 B (FIG. 3) to form a recess  14  (FIG.  3 ). Each section  10 A,  10 B has an outer longitudinal edge portion  11 , an inner longitudinal edge portion  13  (shown as integral edges in FIG.  3 ), and a top surface  15 . “Outer” and “inner” for the edges  11 ,  13 , respectively, refer to their positions when the book  1  is in a closed position, as for example shown by FIG.  1 . The expression “top” for the surface  15  relates to the position of the surface  15  as shown by FIG.  3  and merely functions as a label for the element. 
     Through doubled-over center section  10  a plurality of openings  16  (FIG. 4) are located. Page connecting elements  20  pass through the plurality of openings  16 . Openings  16  may be pairs of aligned holes through the two parts  10 A,  10 B (FIG. 2) of doubled-over center section  10 . Typically, the piping element  25  also has holes  16 A aligned respectively with the holes  16 . Pages  22  are attached to book  1  through page connecting elements  20 . Thus, the piping element  25  and sections  10 A,  10 B reinforce each other to hold connection elements  20 . 
     The piping element  25  has a “T” shape and comprises a stem  25 A and a transverse head  25 B. In use, the stem  25 A of the piping element  25  is located within recess  14 . Typically, the stem  25 A has sufficient length and has holes  16 A for the page connecting elements  20  to pass through it. Also, typically stitching  37  passes through sections  10 A,  10 B and through the stem  25 A. Thus the stitching forms holes  16 B (FIG. 4) in the stem  25 A. 
     FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of an end view of section V—V of FIG.  4  and shows typical dimensions of piping element  25 . In FIG. 5 the dimensions are as follows width “A”={fraction (7/32)} inch; height “L” equals {fraction (13/32)} inch; height “C” equals {fraction (3/128)} inch; height “D” equals {fraction (1/16)} inch; width “E” equals {fraction (3/128)} inch; radius of curvature r 1  equals {fraction (3/64)} inch; and radius of curvature r 2  equals {fraction (9/64)} inch. Typically these dimensions can be varied ±10% or ±30% or more depending, for example, upon the cover used with the piping element  25 . 
     FIG. 2 shows book  1  in the closed position, i.e., back  8  and front  7  laying in different planes. With book  1  in such a position, the stem  25 A of piping element  25  is located within recess  14 , before the stitching  37  of FIG. 3 is put into place. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, piping element  25  has a general “T”-shape, and the transverse head  25 B has two ends  27  and  29  and the stem  25 A has an end  30 . When fully constructed, stem  25 A is inserted into recess  14 , such that it is hidden from view. However, ends  27  and  29  rest adjacent to doubled-over center section  10  of the cover. Ends  27 ,  29  may be sharp as shown in FIG. 2 or rounded as shown in FIG.  5 . The transverse head  25 B of FIG. 5 may also be known as a crossbar. The colors of the piping element  25  and the cover  3  may be the same or different. 
     In a second embodiment, a stem  125  has a tapered end  125 A and a transverse head  125 B as shown in FIG.  6 . The tapered end  125 A facilitates simultaneously stamping and die cutting holes  16 ,  16 A into the parts  10 A,  10 B and stem  125 . FIG. 4 shows typical dimensions of piping element  125 . In FIG. 6 the dimensions are as follows width “X 1 ”0.213 inches; width “X 2 ” equals 0.020 inches; width “X 3 ” equals 0.030 inches; height “Y 1 ” equals 0.313 inches; height “Y 2 ” equals 0.244 inches; radius of curvature r 3  equals 0.051 inches; and radius of curvature r 4  equals 0.116 inches. Typically these dimensions can be varied ±10% or ±30% or more depending, for example, upon the cover used with the piping element  125 . 
     Preferably, piping element  25 , and in particular rounded ends  27  and  29  are formed from a material having memory. For example, piping element  25  may include a metal wire, or similar structure, which when ends  27  and  29  are diverted from their natural positions, the internal structure of piping element  25  permits maintaining book  1  either in either an open or closed position. Typically, the material is flexible enough that the ends  27 ,  29  can be bent back when the cover front  7  and back  8  are bent to have access to stitch the stem  25 A to the cover  3  (FIG.  10 ). However, the material is resilient enough to exert pressure on the shoulders  12  to snugly press against the shoulders (FIG.  1 ). Typically, the stitching is sewn close to the transverse head  25 B so that the cover shoulders  12  stay snug to the armpit undersides  23  (FIG. 5) of the transverse head  25 B. 
     Typically the transverse head  25 B of the piping element  25  has an upper convex outer surface  27 A and concave underside surfaces  27 B. Preferably, the radius of curvature r 2  of the upper convex outer surface  27 A is greater than the radius of curvature r 1  of the concave underside surfaces  27 B. This radius relationship encourages a snug fit to the undersides  23  to shoulders  12 . 
     Typically the material of piping element  25  is a polymer. A typical PVC polymer has a durometer shore A hardness of 60 to 90 or 60 to 70. A typical polymer is virgin extruded polyvinyl chloride having the properties listed on Table 1. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 P.V.C. (Virgin) EXTRUSIONS 
               
               
                 Physical Properties Compound 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 ASTM 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Specific Gravity (±0.2) 
                 1.32 
                 D-792 
               
               
                   
                 Hardness - Shore A (±3) 
                 90 
                 D-2240 
               
               
                   
                 Tensile Strength 
                 2760 
                 D-4123 
               
               
                   
                 (pounds per square inch) 
               
               
                   
                 Elongation Percent 
                 365 
                 D-412 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 1. Specific Gravity - relative density 
               
               
                 2. Hardness - The durometer based on Shore A is a measure of flexibility 
               
               
                 and rigidity. 
               
               
                 3. Tensile Strength - Pounds per square inch that the material will 
               
               
                 withstand before breaking. 
               
               
                 4. Elongation - Determines how far the product will stretch before 
               
               
                 bursting. 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 ODOR - Inoffensive 
               
               
                 TEAR STRENGTH - 250 DPI minimum 
               
               
                 FADE-O-METER EXPOSURE - Minimum 200 standard FADE-O- 
               
               
                 METER hours 
               
               
                 WEATHER-O-METER EXPOSURE - Minimum 200 standard 
               
               
                 WEATHER-O-METER hours 
               
               
                 COLD TEST - A 1″ × 6″ × .080″ strip of material shall be first aged 7 
               
               
                 days at 80° C.-2° C. the 1 day at −40° C.-2° C. The strip shall be bent 
               
               
                 around a 2 inch diameter mandrel in not more than three seconds without 
               
               
                 any evidence of breaking, cracking, splitting, etc. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Other typical polymers include polyolefin, polyurethane, polystryrene, a polymer latex synthetic rubber, such as carboxylated styrene, butadiene copolymer, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, or other elastomer. For example, a carboxylated styrene/butadiene copolymer such as BAYPREN latex, available from Bayer, may be employed. 
     The cover  3  may also be made of a material suitably flexible to bend to facilitate construction, yet rugged enough to be a cover. This facilitates making the entire cover from a single sheet as explained below. However, if desired a cover  103  maybe made of two sheets  107 ,  108 , as shown in FIG.  7 . The two sheets have an inner longitudinal edge 
     If desired, the construction and/or shape of piping element  25  may tend to generate a force to fully open front  7  and back  8  only when front  7  and back  8  are manually passed a particular open threshold apart, such as 30°, 45° or 75°. That is to say, unless front  7  and back  8 , through doubled-over center section  10 , are manipulated to define an angle greater than the predetermined open threshold, piping element  25  maintains book  1  closed. However, when front  7  and back  8 , through doubled-over center section  10 , are manipulated to define an angle greater than the predetermined open threshold, piping element  25  provides a force to assist in opening book  1  and to maintain book  1  in the open position. As such, a user need only separate front  7  and back  8  a small amount, after which, piping element  25  takes over and fully opens book  1 . 
     FIG. 4 shows a particular embodiment of the invention partially assembled. In particular, piping element  25  has been removed in order to show the general construction of the invention. Although not required by the invention, FIG. 4 shows a plurality of page connecting elements  20  maintaining pages  22  in book  1 . Each page connecting element  20  passes though one opening  16 , i.e., pair of aligned holes, to hold page  22  inside book  1 . After piping element  25  has been inserted into recess  14 , stitching  32  is added, through doubled-over center section  10  to (1) secure doubled-over center section  10  closed and (2) prevent piping element  25  from exiting recess  14 . 
     If desired, the two part cover  103  of FIG. 7 may have sections  110 A,  110 B having a length “LL” which is longer or shorter than the length “L” of stem  125 A of FIG.  6 . For example, FIG. 8 shows the two part cover  103  employed with a piping element  225  having a stem  225 A having a relatively longer length protruding from the inside edges  113  such that only the stem  225  need have holes  216 A therethrough. In contrast, FIG. 9 shows the lengths as equal. 
     If desired, the one part cover  3  is employed with stem  125 A, and sections  10 A,  10 B having a length “LL” which is longer or equal to the length of “L” of stem  125 A. FIG. 9 shows length “LL” greater than length “L” of stem  325 A of piping element  325  such that only parts  310 A,  310 B need have holes  316  therethrough. In contrast, FIG. 1 shows the lengths of sections  10 A,  10 B and stem  25 A as equal. 
     Preferably, stitching  32  is positioned in a line, parallel to the longitudinal axis “LA” of piping element  25  and/or the longitudinal axis of center section  10  shown in FIG.  1 . As such, stitching  32  can actually be located through the center section  10  at or adjacent the shoulder  12  (at or adjacent the joint between front  7  and/or back  8  and doubled-over center section  10 ). However, it is within the scope of the invention to position stitching  32  at any location along doubled-over center section  10  between the shoulder  12  and holes  16 ,  16 A. Additionally, stitching  32  need not extend completely along doubled-over center section  10 . Stitching  32  assists to hold doubled-over center section  10  closed and piping element  25  in position, and, when book  1  is manipulated into the open position (manually or automatically due to internal forces), stitching  32  keeps doubled-over center section closed and assists to keep book  1  flat against a surface when the book  1  is in an open position. 
     Stitching  32  may be replaced by another suitable fastener such as staples (not shown) or rivets (not shown). 
     Straight end  30  of piping element  25  is inserted into recess  14  before stitching  32  is added. Straight end  30  may also assist in maintaining the arrangement of book  1  when in the open position. For example, in one embodiment (not shown), straight end  30  may be provided with a structural element, such as a metal strip along its length, either internal to straight end  30  or fastened to its length, resisting bending of straight end  30 . Therefore, when book  1  is opened, and pages  22  through page connecting elements  20  create a force tending to push and/or pull doubled-over center section  10  towards either front  7  or back  8 , piping element  25  can resist such forces and keep page connecting elements  20  in place. 
     It must be understood that although page connecting elements  20  are shown in the Figs. as being closed circular wires, the invention is not so limited. For example, in another embodiment not shown, page connecting elements  20  are joined into a single structure, such as a spiral metal coil, passing through each opening  16 , e.g., similar to a coil of a conventional spiral notebook. As long as page connecting elements  20  form a joint between pages  22  and at least one member of the group consisting of stem  25  and doubled-over center section  10 , any shape is sufficient. 
     The hidden spine of the invention is preferably constructed in the following manner. A cover  3 , having a front section  7  and a back section  8  and a piping element  25  comprising a stem  25 A and a crossbar  25 B, are provided. The cover  3  is folded about the piping element  25  and the crossbar  25 B is bent such that the cover  3  is in a bent or folded position (FIG. 10) and the piping element  25  is between the front section  7  and the back section  8  and the crossbar  25 B is bent away from the stem  25 A and a doubled-over center section  10  of the cover  3  is formed. Then, the cover  3  and the stem  25 A are stitched together while the cover  3  is in the folded position and the crossbar  25 B is bent. Then a plurality of holes  16  and/or  16 A are created in at least one member of the group consisting of the doubled-over center section and the stem  25 A. At least one page connecting element  20 , for example a metal wire spiral, is passed through the plurality of holes  16  and/or  16 A. Typically, the stitching  37  penetrates through the stem  25 A and sections  10 A,  10 B. 
     The holes  16  and/or  16 A can be cut before or after the cover  3  and piping element undergo one or more of the steps of being contacted, bent and stitched together. 
     If the cover  103  (FIG. 7) is formed of two separate pieces  107 ,  108  stitched together during construction of the invention, then openings  116  may pass through doubled-over sections  110 A,  110 B of center section  110  and stem  125  (FIG. 9) or, in an alternative, openings  216 A pass through only stem  225  (FIG.  8 ). The holes can be cut before or after the covers and piping elements of FIGS. 8 and 9 undergo one or more of the steps of being contacted, bent and stitched together. 
     The particular order of these steps is not mandatory. For example, it is possible to create doubled-over center section  10  after creating openings  16 ,  16 A or pages  22  may be attached to page connecting elements  20  prior to being assembled into the structure of the invention. 
     It should be apparent that embodiments other than expressly described above come within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not limited by the foregoing description but rather by the claims appended hereto.