Patent Publication Number: US-2011062732-A1

Title: Low-cost page-turning aid

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus that assists a user in turning the pages of a magazine, newspaper, or other composition, and, more specifically, to an apparatus that worn on the user&#39;s finger, and is thin, lightweight, and disposable. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Throughout any normal day we are presented with periods of time where we are given the chance to review a newspaper or magazine—during a morning coffee at a local cafe, while waiting at the doctor&#39;s office, or upon finding an abandoned periodical on the train. Reading such magazines and newspapers is an enjoyable way to pass time, but may result in dirty, or newsprint covered hands. Additionally, at times we are presented with pages that are stuck together and tough to turn. The traditional fix, of licking your fingers and then separating the pages, is not an ideal solution when reading a public or abandoned periodical. 
     What is needed is a single-use, disposable page-turning aid, which creates a frictional region at the tip of the reader&#39;s finger(s) and provides the casual reader the ability to keep his or her hands clean while reading a publicly available periodical. This page-turning aid should be easy to figure out upon first glance, made of minimal material, and provided at no additional cost to the reader. A small page-turning aid can be easily provided in multiplicity with the periodical, allowing for multiple successive readers to each enjoy the same magazine or newspaper. Additionally, with the page-turning aid comprised of a paper, or substantially paper material, the aid can be printed on and provide the periodical publisher with additional revenue through commercial advertising. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, an apparatus to assist an individual in turning the pages of a newspaper, magazine, book, or other periodical or composition is disclosed. The apparatus is made of an inexpensive, flexible, lightweight material, for example paper, and may come in a variety of conformations, each of which snugly fit the tip of a user&#39;s finger. The apparatus has an inside surface and outside surface, with an adhesive or frictional layer on at least the outside surface. The apparatus is either tightly wrapped or affixed to the user&#39;s fingertip, and the outside adhesive or frictional layer allows the user to more easily turn the pages of the composition. 
     Additionally, the apparatus may be printed on by advertisers, and/or supplied free of charge for use with periodicals, such as newspapers and magazines, that are available in publicly accessible places. This system of distribution provides users the ability to read publicly available materials while maintaining a sense of cleanliness, and provides publishing companies and printers with an additional source of revenue. 
    
    
     
       IN THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1(   a )-( c ) show an embodiment of the present invention, in a flat finger-wrap conformation. 
         FIGS. 2(   a )-( c ) show another embodiment of the present invention, in flattened thimble-conformation. 
         FIGS. 3(   a )-( c ) show yet another embodiment of the present invention in rounded thimble-conformation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1(   a ), an angular view of flat finger-wrap page-turning aid  10  is shown, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Flat finger-wrap page-turning aid  10  is comprised of base strip  12  and interface layer  14 . Base strip  12  is comprised substantially of any material that is flexible, to allow for wrapping around a finger; smooth, to avoid damage of the skin; strong enough to avoid tearing when pulled by a force perpendicular to the plane of its surfaces, and capable of being printed on the outer face of base strip  12 , beneath interface layer  14 . Exemplary materials for base strip  12  include, for example, paper, a cotton fiber reinforced paper, or DuPont™ Tyvek®. 
     Interface layer  14  of finger-wrap page-turning aid  10  is the layer which interfaces with the pages being turned, and is formed on top of base strip  12 . Interface layer  14  may be a high-friction material, for example, rubber; or may be an adhesive that is strong enough to adhere to and release from the pages of a newspaper or book for hundreds of cycles, but not strong enough so as to tear the pages being turned. Interface layer  14  may be transparent, so that any printing on base strip  12  is visible to the user. When interface layer  14  is comprised of an opaque adhesive or rubber, interface layer  14  may be capable of having text or graphics printed thereon, so that a visible printed area is not lost. Interface layer  14  should be thin, so as not to destroy the flexibility of base strip  12 , allowing finger-wrap  10  to be easily and tightly wound around a user&#39;s finger. Where interface layer  14  is an adhesive, it may be tear-resistant, adhere firmly to turned pages yet be easily removable with clear release, durable and disposable, and easy to apply to base strip  12 . 
       FIG. 1(   b ) shows a side view of finger-wrap page-turning aid  10 . Interface layer  14  is formed directly upon base strip  12  without any intermediate layers therebetween. In  FIGS. 1(   a ) and ( b ), interface layer  14  is shown to be formed substantially covering the top surface of base strip  12 , and in a substantially similar rectangular shape. In other embodiments of the present invention, interface layer  14  may take the conformation of round adhesive or rubber dots covering a surface of base strip  12 ; narrow adhesive/rubber strips alternating with non-adhesive or non-rubber areas; checkerboard patterning; lettering; or any other shapes and patterns formed onto base strip  12 . 
       FIG. 1(   c ) shows page-turning aid  10  ready for use, wrapped around the tip of finger  15  of hand  16 . Flat finger-wrap page-turning aid  10  may be wrapped around the tip of finger  15  at the furthest distance possible from hand  16  in order to maximize accessibility to the pages that will be turned. As finger-wrap  10  is located further down finger  15  towards hand  16  it may become more difficult for page-turning aid  10  to successfully contact the page to be turned; and more difficult for the other available fingers to assist in turning the page once page-turning aid  10  has contacted the page. 
     In order for page-turning aid  10  to be easily attached to finger  15  at least a small portion of either interface layer  14  or base strip  12  should be adhesive. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the non-adhesive inner face of base strip  12  comes in contact with an adhesive portion of interface layer  14  when wrapped around finger  15 , and thereby prevents page-turning aid  10  from unwrapping and falling off of finger  15 . In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the interface layer  14  comes in contact with an adhesive region on the inner face of base strip  12  when page-turning aid  10  is wrapped around finger  15 , thereby preventing page-turning aid  10  from unwrapping and falling off of finger  15 . 
     In yet another embodiment of the present invention, both the inner face of base strip  12 , which contacts finger  15 , and interface layer  14  may be treated with a frictional or adhesive material. In such a configuration, page-turning aid  10  may more easily remain fixed on the tip of finger  15  during use. Additionally, if both faces of base strip  12  include adhesive, then application by the user becomes simplified, as the user no longer needs to determine the proper orientation of page-turning aid  10  for wrapping around his or her finger. 
     Finger-wrap page-turning aid  10  may function as intended in any of a variety of lengths and widths. Preferably, base strip  12  is about 70 mm to 120 mm long, and about 6 mm to 35 mm wide. Preferably, base strip  12  is a quadrilateral, and, more preferably, is rectangular, with opposing edges being of substantially identical lengths so that multiple page-turning aids  10  may be cut from a single, larger sheet. For example, a square of base strip  12  material which is 120 mm by 120 mm may be cut 19 times along the same axis to create 20 page-turning aids  10 , each of which are 6 mm by 120 mm. 
       FIG. 2(   a ) shows a top angular view of a flattened thimble-conformation page-turning aid  20 , in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. Flattened thimble-conformation page-turning aid  20  may be supplied to the user flattened, at edges  27  and  28 , so that the user pops it open and then places upon their fingertip, positioned as demonstrated by page-turning aid  10  in  FIG. 1(   c ). Page-turning aid  10  may offer a benefit over page-turning aid  20  because aid  10  is wound tightly around the user&#39;s finger, and thus it may provide a more custom fit and be less likely to inadvertently slip off. Because the same utility is desired of each page-turning aids  10  and  20 , base strip  22  is made of substantially the same material as base strip  12  of page-turning aid  10 ; and interface dot  24  is made substantially of the same material as interface layer  14  of page-turning aid  10 . 
     Top hole  25  may have a diameter of about 10 millimeters (mm) to 19 mm, which prevents page-turning aid  20  from sliding down the finger of an average adult. Bottom hole  26  (shown in  FIG. 2(   b )) may have a diameter in the range of 15 mm to 25 mm to ensure that page-turning aid  20  can fit over the finger of an average adult. The width of base strip  22 , or height of page-turning aid  20  (the distance from top hole  25  to bottom hole  26 ), may range from about 25 mm to 35 mm, depending on various factors, such as the size of the printing desired and quantity of page-turning aids  20  to be distributed together. 
       FIG. 2(   b ) shows a bottom angular view of page-turning aid  20 . Bottom hole  26  may be of a size that is large enough to allow the tip of a finger to pass through, but becomes snug around the finger as the finger widens and further enters page-turning aid  20  towards top hole  25  (as seen in  FIG. 2(   a )). For use on a thumb, page-turning aid  20  may have a bottom hole  26  diameter of about 25 mm; and for use on a an index finger, page-turning aid  20  may have a bottom hole  26  diameter of about 15 mm. 
       FIG. 2(   c ) shows a top view of flattened thimble-conformation page-turning aid  20 . The top view more clearly shows the creases present at edges  27  and  28  due to page-turning aid  20  being flattened for distribution. Additionally, the top view of  FIG. 2(   c ) better illustrates the size difference between bottom hole  26  (as seen in  FIG. 2(   b )), where the finger enters, and top hole  25 , which has a smaller diameter opening so that page-turning aid fits snugly on the fingertip. Top hole  25  is small enough so that the user&#39;s finger does not continue through, and out of, page-turning aid  20 , causing it to slide down the user&#39;s finger. 
     For particular users, page-turning aids  10  and  20  may be the preferred embodiment of the present invention because of the benefits conferred by a flattened device. Page-turning aids  10  and  20  are amenable to distribution within the periodical itself (e.g., between the pages), on the cover of the periodical, or for sending within an envelope via the United States Postal Service. Such options are of little additional cost for a publisher or distributor to supply with a periodical, or for separate mailing. Additionally, because page-turning aids  10  may be created in multiplicity, for example multiple page-turning aids  10  may be created and printed from a single common sheet (and then torn off by the individual users), aids  10  may be quicker to manufacture, and offer greater visibility to passersby. 
       FIG. 3(   a ) shows an angular side view of rounded thimble-conformation page-turning aid  30 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Other than the fact that page-turning aid  30  is not supplied to the user flattened like page-turning aid  20 , these are substantially the same devices. Interface dot  34  is the same material and serves the same function as interface dot  24  of page-turning aid  20 ; and base strip  32  is the same material and serves the same function as base strip  22 . Top hole  35  may allow a small portion of a user&#39;s finger to pass through, e.g., the tip of an index finger, but is of a diameter which disallows any significant portion of the user&#39;s finger from passing through. Top hole  35  may have a diameter of about 10 millimeters (mm) to 19 mm, which prevents page-turning aid  30  from sliding down the finger of an average adult. 
       FIG. 3(   b ) shows an angular bottom view of rounded thimble-conformation page-turning aid  30 . Bottom hole  36  is sized so that the tip of a finger can be inserted snugly, and page-turning aid  30  will not be pulled off by the frictional forces generated by interface dot  34  contacting and adhering to paper. 
     The width of base strip  32 , or height of page-turning aid  30  (the distance from top hole  35  to bottom hole  36 ), may range from about 25 mm to 35 mm, depending on factors such as the size of the printing desired, and quantity of page-turning aids  20  to be distributed together. 
       FIG. 3(   c ) shows a top view of rounded-thimble conformation page-turning aid  30 . The top view more clearly shows the rounded conformation of page-turning aid  30 , and that it lacks the creases found at edges  27  and  28  on page-turning aid  20 , due to flattening of page-turning aid  20 . The top view of page-turning aid  30  in  FIG. 3(   c ) also illustrates the size difference between bottom hole  36 , where the finger enters, and top hole  35 , which has a smaller diameter opening so that page-turning aid fits snugly on the fingertip. Top hole  35  is small enough so that the user&#39;s finger does not continue through, and out of, page-turning aid  30 , causing it to slide down the user&#39;s finger. Bottom hole  36  may have a diameter in the range of 15 mm to 25 mm to ensure that page-turning aid  30  can fit over the finger of an average adult. 
     An advantage of page-turning aid  30  is that a multiplicity of page-turning aids  30  may be supplied in stack, similar to drinking cups at a water cooler, at a location where individuals may find and borrow communal periodicals. For example, a stack of page-turning aids  30  may be found on the table at a doctor&#39;s office, or periodical rack at a library, where the aids  30  are clearly visible and easily accessible. In such circumstances, aids  30  may be conducive to individuals reading where they otherwise might abstain from handling communal periodicals for a variety of reasons, e.g., for fear of catching the flu. 
     In alternative embodiments of the present invention interface dot  34  is not restricted to being round shaped. The material used for interface dot  34  may completely cover the outer face of base strip  32 , or may constitute any intermediate level of coverage between the two extremes, i.e. rings, lettering, or other patterns of frictional rubber or adhesive material which partially cover base strip  32 &#39;s outside face. 
     Although the present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiment, it is anticipated that alterations and modifications thereof will no doubt become apparent to those more skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that the following claims be interpreted as covering all such alterations and modification as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.