Line identifying bookmark

A bookmark device is disclosed which is adapted to mark a particular line on a particular page of a book. The device includes a generally rectangular member having a plurality of portions and segments which fit about the page to be identified and which are further adapted to underline and thereby identify a particular line on a book page. Portions of a tying member are connected to one end of the rectangular member and may be wrapped around the outside of the book and tied near the book spine to releasably retain the book in its closed configuration.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to bookmark devices utilized to identify a 
page of a book for future reference, and more particularly to an improved 
bookmark which can be used to mark a particular line on a particular page 
of a book. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
As is well known, a wide variety of bookmark devices are available which 
can be utilized to generally locate the place in a book where a reader has 
stopped reading and desires to resume reading at a later time. These 
devices are typically formed from an elongate rectangular strip of 
construction paper or other material available in thin sheets in which the 
particular design is determined primarily by aesthetic appearance 
considerations. It has been found, however, that such bookmark devices as 
are heretofore known in the art have limited utility in that they are not 
well adapted for identifying the particular line on a particular page of a 
book at which the reader desires to resume reading at a later time. 
Although it is commonly known to place such a device on a page with an 
edge of the device positioned thereon to underline a particular line, 
since line identification is frequently lost, since the bookmark has a 
tendency to slide or fall downwardly when the book is turned to a vertical 
orientation for shelving or reopening. Even when the reader undergoes the 
inconvenience of carefully shelving and reopening the book in a horizontal 
orientation, these prior art devices fail, upon reopening the book, to 
provide a means for identifying which of two facing pages the reader had 
intended to identify with the bookmark. Other contemporary bookmarks are 
suited to remain in place when the book is opened, yet they do not 
indicate which side of the marked page is being referenced as the page and 
line of interest to the reader. 
As such, there exists a need in the art for a bookmark device which can be 
used to identify a particular line on a particular page of a book for 
future reading and which is further adapted to retain this line 
identification without requiring the reader to undergo the inconveniences 
noted above. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention specifically addresses and satisfies the 
above-reference need in the art by providing a bookmark device comprising 
a generally rectangular member which is further formed to include a 
plurality of elongate portions adapted to be fitted about the page to be 
identified so that an edge of one of the portions can be used to mark a 
particular line on a page where future reading is to begin. The present 
invention also includes a tying member affixed to the rectangular member 
which can be tied around the outside of the book to hold it securely in 
its closed configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The detailed description set forth below is intended merely as a 
description of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and is 
not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention may 
be constructed or utilized. The description below sets forth the structure 
of the invention in accordance with the illustrated embodiment. It is to 
be understood, however, that the same or equivalent structures are 
intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown the presently preferred embodiment of 
the line identifying bookmark device of the present invention. The 
bookmark 1 includes a generally rectangular member 2, which may be formed 
from a single piece of construction paper such as that typically utilized 
in bookmark applications or any other material which can be formed into a 
flattened sheet adaptable to the construction and functions of the present 
invention as described below. In the preferred embodiment, the bookmark 1 
is formed from rectangular member 2 simply by forming two generally 
parallel separations or cuts 17, 19 which extend from the peripheral side 
or edge 13 and terminate at a distance short of the opposite peripheral 
edge 15, wherein the portion of rectangular member 2 between the cut 
terminations and the opposite peripheral edge comprises a first portion 3 
and the remaining three elongate appendanges or strips separated by the 
cuts comprise a second portion which is formed to receive and engage a 
page of a book. The second portion includes a first segment 4 disposed 
between two second segments 5. The present invention also includes a tying 
member for holding the book in a closed configuration after use once the 
bookmark 1 is in place, which in the preferred embodiment consists of a 
string extending through aperture 21 formed in the first portion 3 of 
rectangular member 2. Tying member 6 may also be formed from ribbon such 
as that typically utilized in gift wrapping applications. 
FIG. 2 illustrates the use of the preferred embodiment of the present 
invention. After reading a portion of a book 7 the reader can mark for 
future identification a particular line 8 on a particular page 9 at which 
to resume reading at a later time. Segments 4 and 5 are disposed about 
page 9 so that first segment 4 is disposed upon page 9 with its upper edge 
10 being positioned parallel to and below the line 8 to identify the same 
as the line to resume future reading. Segments 5 are disposed on the 
opposite side of page 9, and cooperate with segment 4 to hold the bookmark 
in place identifying the particular line of interest. 
When the bookmark 1 is in position on page 9, first portion 3 extends from 
the edge of the page. The length of cuts 17, 19 may be selected such that 
edge 15 extends along substantially the same vertical plane as the edges, 
e.g. edge 23, of book 7. The closed book 7 can be optionally retained or 
held in its closed configuration by wrapping the two ends of tying member 
or cord 6 around the outside of the book and tying ends together at a 
point near the book spine 10 as shown in FIG. 3. 
It is to be understood that various alterations, modifications, additions 
and improvements to the presently preferred embodiment may be implemented 
without departing from the broader aspects of the invention. For example, 
a different number of segments may be utilized to engage a book page and 
identify a particular line. The sizes and shapes of the segments could 
also be modified. These and other modifications will be apparent to those 
of ordinary skill in the art in view of the particular application desired 
.