Abstract:
A book cover holds a coloring book and includes a removably mounted storage page that holds coloring implements such as crayons and the like. The storage page holds pages of the coloring book not being used out of the way while allowing easy access to the coloring implements. When not in use, the book cover allows the coloring book and crayons to be securely stored and transported.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    One of the treasured rites of childhood is the coloring book. Generations of children have first expressed themselves artistically by filling in the blank outlines of a coloring book using only their imaginations to guide their creative output. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    The technology to be protected is set forth in the claims below, and the remainder of this disclosure is not in any way to limit, define or otherwise establish the scope of legal protection. In general terms, the disclosed technology relates to book covers that include configurable storage capabilities. In one embodiment, a book cover is adapted and configured to hold a coloring book and further includes a removably mounted storage page adapted to hold a plurality of coloring implements, such as crayons and the like. 
         [0003]    Further embodiments, forms, benefits, aspects, features and advantages of the disclosed technology may be obtained from the description, drawings, and claims provided herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a book cover according to one embodiment of the disclosed technology. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the book cover in  FIG. 1  from line A 1 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a front view of a book cover according to another embodiment of the disclosed technology. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the book cover in  FIG. 3  from line A 2 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the book cover in  FIG. 3  in a folded configuration. 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is a front view of a storage page according to a third embodiment of the disclosed technology. 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is a front view of a book cover according to a fourth embodiment of the disclosed technology. 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is a front view of a page holder according to a fifth embodiment of the disclosed technology. 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is a rear view of a page holder according to the fifth embodiment of the disclosed technology. 
           [0013]      FIG. 10  is a coloring kit including a book cover according to a sixth embodiment of the disclosed technology. 
           [0014]      FIG. 11  is a front view of a book cover according to a seventh embodiment of the disclosed technology. 
           [0015]      FIG. 12  is a front view of a page holder for use with the seventh embodiment of the disclosed technology. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosed technology and presenting its currently understood best mode of operation, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosed technology is thereby intended, with such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device and such further applications of the principles of the disclosed technology as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosed technology relates. 
         [0017]      FIGS. 1-2  show a book cover  10  according to one embodiment of the disclosed technology. In this particular embodiment, the book cover  10  includes a first cover portion  12  and a second cover portion  14  and is capable of folding at a middle portion  25 . First cover portion  12  includes an inner surface  32  and an outer surface  34  that together form a pocket  36  therebetween, which pocket  36  is accessible through a slot  20 . First cover portion  12  further includes a fixing member  18 , which may be a hook-and-loop type fastening system such as Velcro®, buttons, snaps, a zipper, an adhesive surface, magnets, another suitable fastening system, or a combination thereof. Second cover portion  14  includes an inner surface  38  and an outer surface  40  that form a pocket  42  therebetween, which pocket  42  is accessible through a slot  22 . Second cover portion  14  further includes a fixing member  16 , which may be a hook-and-loop type fastening system such as Velcro®, buttons, snaps, a zipper, an adhesive surface, magnets, another suitable fastening system, or a combination thereof. 
         [0018]    Continuing with the present example, a coloring book  24  having a front cover  26 , a rear cover  28 , and a plurality of colorable pages  30  disposed therebetween is removably engaged with book cover  10  by inserting front cover  24  into pocket  36  through slot  20 . Likewise, rear cover  28  is inserted into pocket  42  through slot  22 . The size of pockets  36  and  42  is exaggerated for the sake of clarity as shown in  FIG. 2 . Book cover  10  may be made from a variety of suitable flexible materials such as cloth, plastic, and the like, or from stiffer materials such as cardboard, paperboard, or hard plastics, as desired. Optionally, portions of book cover  10  may be made from softer, more flexible materials such as cloth while other portions are made from or strengthened by harder, more stiff materials such as cardboard. For example, inner surfaces  32  and  38  may be made from a soft flexible cloth so as to allow for easy engagement and removal of coloring book  24  with book cover  10 , while outer surfaces  34  and  40  may be made from a stiffer material such as plastic so as to provide a firm coloring or drawing surface. In another example, first cover portion  12  and/or second cover portion  14  further include a stiff insert to provide a firm coloring surface. The overall dimensions of book cover  10  may vary according to the size and shape of the coloring book(s) to be accommodated. 
         [0019]      FIGS. 3-6  show a book cover  50  and storage page  70  according to second and third embodiments of the disclosed technology. In the embodiment in  FIGS. 3-5 , book cover  50  includes a first cover portion  52  and a second cover portion  54  and is capable of folding at a middle portion  67 . First cover portion  52  includes an inner surface  86  and an outer surface  90  that together form a pocket  91  therebetween, which pocket  91  is accessible through a slot  56 . First cover portion  52  further includes a fixing member  60 , which may be a hook-and-loop type fastening system such as Velcro®, buttons, snaps, a zipper, an adhesive surface, magnets, another suitable fastening system, or a combination thereof. Second cover portion  54  includes an inner surface  84  and an outer surface  88  that together form a pocket  89  therebetween, which pocket  89  is accessible through a slot  58 . Second cover portion  54  further includes a fixing member  62 , which may be a hook-and-loop type fastening system such as Velcro®, buttons, snaps, a zipper, an adhesive surface, magnets, another suitable fastening system, or a combination thereof 
         [0020]    Continuing with the present example, a coloring book  64  having a front cover  78 , a rear cover  80 , and a plurality of colorable pages  69  disposed therebetween, of which a first page  66  and a second page  68  are visible in  FIG. 3 . Coloring book  64  is removably held by book cover  50  by inserting front coloring book cover  78  into pocket  91  through slot  56 . Likewise, rear coloring book cover  80  is inserted into pocket  89  through slot  58 . The size of pockets  89  and  91  is exaggerated in  FIG. 4  for the sake of clarity. Book cover  50  further includes a closure device  73  comprising a hasp portion  72  and a latch portion  82  which removably latch together using a snap in this particular example. In other examples, a closure device may comprise two lengths of string or material that users may tie together, a hasp and latch that utilize a button, clasp, hook-and-loop fasteners, or other suitable latching means. 
         [0021]    Book cover  50  further includes a storage page  70  comprising a surface  71  having a plurality of storage slots or pouches  74  disposed thereupon. Storage pouches  74  are sized and configured so as to accommodate the storage and removal of drawing or coloring implements  76  such as crayons, markers, pencils, and the like. Optionally, pouches  74  may further be configured so as to accommodate additional items normally associated with coloring and other arts and crafts activities such as glue, scissors, rulers, straight edges or drawing aids, tape, glitter, paint, brushes, and the like. Additionally, one or more closable pouches  73  may be included so as to contain smaller items such as paper clips, pins, and the like. 
         [0022]    Storage page  70  is removably mountable to fixing member  60  or  62 . In some embodiments, storage page  70  further includes a fixing member  77  corresponding to fixing members  60  and  62 . For example, if fixing members  60  and  62  comprise a hook-and-loop type fastener strip then fixing member  70  would comprise a corresponding hook-and-loop type fastener strip. If fixing members  60  and  62  comprise an adhesive surface, then storage page  70  will not necessarily include a corresponding fixing member. Storage page  70  may be made from a soft and flexible material such as cloth or soft plastic or from harder and stiffer materials such as resins, cardboard, and the like. 
         [0023]    In this particular example, storage page  70  is shown in  FIG. 3  mounted to fixing member  60  so as to cover coloring book page  62 . This configuration allows the child to color page  68  while coloring implements  76  are readily accessible and neatly organized on the facing storage page. The weight and positioning of storage page  70  also acts to hold coloring book pages not being used in position when the child is coloring in a windy environment such as a moving car. When not in use, book cover  50  is folded at middle portion  67 , thereby enclosing coloring book  64 , storage page  70 , and coloring implements  76  safely and conveniently within book cover  50 . Optionally, book cover  50  may be secured in the closed position using closure device  73 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 7  shows yet another embodiment of a book cover  92 . In this particular example, book cover  92  includes a first cover portion  94  and a second cover portion  96 . First cover portion  94  includes a slot  106 , a handle  112 , and a latch  1   10 . First cover portion  94  further includes a first fixing member  98  and a second fixing member  100 . Second cover portion  96  includes a slot  108 , a handle  114 , a first fixing member  102 , and a second fixing member  104 . A storage page  116  such as that shown in  FIG. 8  having a first fixing member  118 , a second fixing member  120  and a plurality of storage locations  122  is suitable for use with book cover  92 . A page holder  124  having a first fixing member  126  and a second fixing member  128  such as that shown in  FIG. 9  allows the page of the coloring book being colored to be held in place by mounting page holder  124  to cook cover  92 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 10  shows a kit  130  comprising a book cover  132  according to one embodiment of the disclosed technology, two storage pages  134  and  136 , a plurality of coloring books  138 , and a plurality of coloring utensils  140 . It is understood that other kits having a greater or lesser number of book covers, storage pages, coloring books, and/or coloring utensils may also be configured. It is also understood that the disclosed book covers may be configured and adapted for use with other arts and crafts projects, with such storage pages designed to hold art or drawing implements such as charcoals, pencils, colored pencils, erasers, brushes, and the like and a book cover designed to hold drawing tablets or sketch books with blank pages. 
         [0026]    Book cover  92  includes a first cover portion  94  and a second cover portion  96 . First cover portion  94  includes a slot  106 , a handle  112 , and a latch  1   10 . First cover portion  94  further includes a first fixing member  98  and a second fixing member  100 . Second cover portion  96  includes a slot  108 , a handle  114 , a first fixing member  102 , and a second fixing member  104 . A storage page  116  such as that shown in  FIG. 8  having a first fixing member  118 , a second fixing member  120  and a plurality of storage locations  122  is suitable for use with book cover  92 . A page holder  124  having a first fixing member  126  and a second fixing member  128  such as that shown in  FIG. 9  allows the page of the coloring book being colored to be held in place by mounting page holder  124  to cook cover  92 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 11  illustrates a book cover  142  according to yet another embodiment. Book cover  142  includes a first cover portion  144  and a second cover portion  146 , and further includes fixing members  148  and  150  near the outer edge of the facing surfaces of first cover portion  144  and second cover portion  146 , respectively. A storage page  152  as shown in  FIG. 12  includes several pockets  154  for holding coloring utensils or other supplies, and has fixing member  156  on its back for attachment to either fixing member  148  or  150 . 
         [0028]    While the disclosed technology has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that the embodiments have been shown and described in the foregoing specification in satisfaction of the best mode and enablement requirements. It is understood that one of ordinary skill in the art could readily make a nigh-infinite number of insubstantial changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments and that it would be impractical to attempt to describe all such embodiment variations in the present specification. Accordingly, it is understood that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosed technology are desired to be protected.