Abstract:
Binding pages of a book. A spine member has spine coupling features. A plurality of spinelet members each have one or more spinelet coupling features designed to repeatedly conjoin with and disconnect from a corresponding one of or set of the spine coupling features, or to spinelet coupling features of other spinelet members, and have a binding surface designed to provide a permanent or semi-permanent attachment for one or more pages of the book. A kit for binding books may include a device for making spinelet members, the device being adjustable to make spinelet members of varying widths corresponding to thicknesses of desired sections of the book.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This invention relates to bookbinding. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0002]    In general, in a first aspect, the invention features an apparatus for binding pages of a book. A spine member has spine coupling features. A plurality of spinelet members each have one or more spinelet coupling features designed to repeatedly conjoin with and disconnect from a corresponding one of or set of the spine coupling features, and have a binding surface designed to provide a permanent or semi-permanent attachment for one or more pages of the book. 
         [0003]    In general, in a second aspect, the invention features a kit for binding books. A device is designed for making spinelet members, each spinelet member having a binding surface designed to provide a permanent or semi-permanent attachment for sections of pages of a book, the spinelet members having spinelet coupling features designed to repeatedly be conjoined with and disconnect from other spinelet members to form a spine of the book, the device being adjustable to make spinelet members of varying widths corresponding to thicknesses of desired sections of the book. 
         [0004]    In general, in a third aspect, the invention features a method of binding a book. Two or more sections of pages of the book are bound to binding surfaces of corresponding spinelet members, the binding being permanent or semi-permanent. The spinelet members are conjoined to a spine member using coupling features of the spinelet members and the spine, the coupling features being designed to permit repeated conjoining and disconnection between the spinelet members and the spine member. 
         [0005]    In general, in a fourth aspect, the invention features a method of reading a book, comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining a book, the book being divided into sections of pages, each section being permanently or semi-permanently bound to a corresponding spinelet member, the spinelet members being coupled to a spine by coupling features that are repeatedly detachable and reattachable; (b) detaching one of the sections of the book from the spine by detaching the coupling features of the corresponding spinelet; (c) carrying the detached section of the book away from the remaining sections of the book; and (d) reassembling the book by reattaching the detached section to the spine. 
         [0006]    In general, in a fifth aspect, the invention features a book. A spine member has a length, a width, and a plurality of first coupling features raised or recessed thereon substantially parallel to the length. A plurality of spinelet members each have a side configured to repeatedly conjoin securely with and disconnect from the first coupling features, each spinelet member also having an opposite side permanently or semi-permanently binding one or more pages. 
         [0007]    Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The spinelet coupling features and spine coupling features may be designed to permit repeated conjoining and disconnecting without the use of special tools or adhesives, for example, using an end-sliding joint, or hooks and pockets or slots to receive the hooks, or snaps, or hook-and-loop fasteners. The spinelet coupling features may be spinelet-to-spinelet coupling features designed to repeatedly conjoin the spinelets directly with each other and disconnect the spinelets from each other. The coupling features may include a lock for release by finger pressure. The spine member is designed for hingedly or flexibly attachment to front and back covers having toughness to be protective of pages of the book. Two of the spinelet members may be formed a the request of a specific customer for the specific book, to have widths that differ from each other, corresponding to thicknesses of corresponding customer-designated sections of pages of the book. The spine and spinelet members may be designed to be cut to length to correspond to a height of pages of a commercially-significant broad range of pre-existing books. Pages of the book may be attached to the spinelet members, the spinelet members being conjoined with the spine to form a bound book. The pages may be sewn signatures of pages of the book, or may be glued or stapled to the spinelet members. 
         [0008]    The above advantages and features are of representative embodiments only, and are presented only to assist in understanding the invention. It should be understood that they are not to be considered limitations on the invention as defined by the claims. Additional features and advantages of embodiments of the invention will become apparent in the following description, from the drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIGS. 1 ,  4 ,  5  and  6  are perspective views of open books. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b ,  3   a  and  3   b  are end views of books. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , in a multi-spinelet book binding arrangement, book  100  may be divided into sections  110 ,  112 . Each section  110 ,  112  may have pages  114 ,  116  that are permanently or semi-permanently bound to a respective spinelet  120 ,  122 . In turn, the spinelets may have coupling features  124 ,  126  that couple the spinelets  120 ,  122  to spine  130 . Spine  130  may have coupling features  134 ,  136  that couple to the coupling features  124 ,  126  of spinelets  120 ,  122 . Spine  130  may also have attached covers  138 . Coupling features  124 ,  126 ,  134 ,  136  of binding arrangement  100  may allow one or more sections  110 ,  112  to be separated out from the book  100 , for example, to be carried about. Later, removed sections  110 ,  112  may be recoupled to the rest of the book. Binding arrangement  100  may be advantageous for large textbooks, or other books that need to be carried about and where the portion of interest can be predicted sufficiently to allow that portion to be separated from the rest of the book, to reduce the load being carried. 
         [0012]    In one example, coupling features  124 ,  126 ,  134 ,  136  may be mating dovetail tongues and grooves. 
         [0013]    In some cases, pages of a section  110 ,  112  may be permanently attached to a spinelet, for example so that they cannot be removed without damaging the pages or the spinelet. In other cases, the pages may be semi-permanently attached to a spinelet, for example by using a binding technique that allows the pages to be removed without permanently damaging either the pages or the spinelet, or that requires damaging the spinelet and replacement with a new spinelet for rebinding, but the pages will remain fixed to the spinelet during normal use of the book. Examples of attachment include sewn signature binding and glue perfect binding, removable pins, openable and closeable snaps, or staples, or a hot knife melt post-though-hole system similar to that used in the VeloBind™ system. Binding methods that do not wrap the spinelet around the pages may result in thinner, more-compact books. Other examples of permanent or semi-permanent attachment are discussed below. In other cases, the pages may be readily removable from and replaceable in/on the spinelet. 
         [0014]    In some cases, the spinelets may be disconnectable from and re-connectable to the spine without tools. In other case, disconnection may require the use of an everyday object, such as a coin, as a tool. In other cases, disconnection may require a special key. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , a multi-spinelet binding system may include a spine  230 , front and back covers  138 , and one or more sections  110 ,  112 . Each spinelet  220  may have a circular tongue  224  that is shaped to couple with a corresponding circular groove  234 ,  236  in spine  230 , thereby attaching sections  110 ,  112  to spine  230 . Other interlocking shapes for end-sliding engagement may be used as well. Each section  110 ,  112  may in turn include a spinelet  220  attached to a set of pages  114 ,  116 , attached permanently or semi-permanently, as described above. In the example of  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b , pages  114  may be attached to spinelet  220  as one or more signatures  240 ,  242 . 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b , spine  330  may include one or more circular or dovetail tongues  334 ,  336 . Each section  110 ,  112  may have a spinelet  320 ,  322  with groove  324 ,  326  that is shaped to couple with a corresponding tongue  334 ,  336  of spine  330 . In the example of  FIGS. 3   a ,  3   b , pages  314  are attached to spinelet  320  by a perfect glue binding  340 . 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , spine  430  may include one or more female snap connectors  434 . Spinelets  420 ,  422  may have one or more male snap connectors  424  arranged to couple with female snap connectors  434 . Alternatively, spinelet  420  may have female snap connectors, and spine  430  may have corresponding male snap connectors. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , spine  530  may include one or more pockets or slots  534 . Spinelets  520 ,  522  may have one or more hooks or tabs  524  that are shaped to interlock with pockets or slots  534 . Alternatively, pockets or slots  534  may also be located on spinelet  520 , and mating hooks or tabs  524  may be located on spine  530 . In some cases, for example where the number of connect-disconnect cycles for any particular spinelet will be relatively small, less expensive joint technologies may be used. Other configurations for spinelet connectors  124  and spine connectors  136  may include T-locks, various configurations of pins fit into holes, various click or slide joints, hook-and-loop fasteners, ratcheting connectors, various forms of joint that require finger pressure or the heat of a hand for release, or may use certain kinds of adhesives. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , one or more sets of tabs  634  may extend outwardly from spine  630 . Tabs  634  may have protrusions  635 . Corresponding indentations  624  may be located on spinelet  620 , allowing spinelet  620  to be repeatedly attached to and detached from spine  630 . Alternatively, the locations of protrusions  635  and indentations  624  may be reversed. In another embodiment, tabs  634  may extend from spinelet  620  and be configured to attach to spine  630 . 
         [0020]    Other mechanisms may be used to couple spinelets  120 ,  122 ,  220 ,  320 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620  to spine  130 ,  230 ,  330 ,  430 ,  530 ,  630 . The widths of spinelets  120 ,  122 ,  220 ,  320 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620  and the corresponding spacing of coupling features  134 ,  234 ,  424 ,  434 ,  534 ,  634  across spine  130 ,  230 ,  330 ,  430 ,  530 ,  630  may be uniform, or may be variable to accommodate sections  110 ,  112  of varying widths. In some cases, each section  120 ,  122  may have a set of covers for durability during carrying; generally these section covers may be of thinner material than the main covers  138  of the entire book  100 . 
         [0021]    Spine  130  and spinelets  120 ,  122  may be made from a variety of materials including plastic and rubber polymers, metals, fabrics, paper products, or leather. The components of the multi-spinelet binding system may be manufactured in a variety of ways, including casting, extruding, pressing, stamping, molding, forming, and machining. The components of the multi-spinelet binding system may be manufactured in bulk, or they may be custom manufactured for specific applications. 
         [0022]    Spines  130  and/or spinelets  120  may be custom- or semi-custom manufactured, or may be manufactured at point of sale or for aftermarket rebinding, for example, by arranging dies or molds of varying widths or spacings and extruding, casting, or forming the spine and/or spinelets to accommodate page sections with non-uniform widths or widths that are established after a fully-bound book is sold. In some cases, a machine for forming spines  130  and spinelets  120  may be sold or leased to a publisher or retailer, so that the publisher or retailer can configure the spacing of coupling members  134 , etc. as required for a particular set of sections  120 ,  122 . For example, a set of replaceable or moveable dies may be provided to allow the extrusion of “custom” configurations of spines  130  and spinelets  120  as needed for a particular publication and its division into sections. 
         [0023]    The spine  130  and/or spinelet members may have a form that permits them to be cut to length, to adapt to the height of the pages of a book to be bound or rebound at point of sale or aftermarket. 
         [0024]    In some cases, spinelets  120  may lock to each other, without a spine  130 . 
         [0025]    Multi-spinelet binding arrangement  100  may be useful for binding textbooks or other large books. Multi-spinelet binding arrangement  100  may also be useful for books distributed to small children. Additionally, multi-spinelet binding arrangement  100  may be used by copy shops for re-binding of existing books or the binding of course-packs or photocopied materials. 
         [0026]    In some cases, books may be originally bound and sold using multi-spinelet binding arrangement  100 . 
         [0027]    For the convenience of the reader, the above description has focused on a representative sample of all possible embodiments, a sample that teaches the principles of the invention and conveys the best mode contemplated for carrying it out. The description has not attempted to exhaustively enumerate all possible variations. Other undescribed variations or modifications may be possible. For example, where multiple alternative embodiments are described, in many cases it will be possible to combine elements of different embodiments, or to combine elements of the embodiments described here with other modifications or variations that are not expressly described. Many of those undescribed variations, modifications and variations are within the literal scope of the following claims, and others are equivalent.