Reversible book jacket and method of transformation of its way of use.

Abstract

 A reversible book jacket (1) comprises an internal face (14) designed to be in contact with the book cover of a book (L) , and an external face (12) opposite to the internal face (14) and printed with traditional publishing piece of information being visible when the book is for example in a bookshelf. The internal face (14) comprises printed patterns and colours typical of gift wrapping paper. Further, the invention provides a method of transforming the way of use of the reversible book jacket (1) to make a gift packaging for the book itself.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a reversible book jacket. Further a method of transformation of its way of use is described.

[0002] The German patent for utility model No. DE 203 10 323U1, granted on 13 November 2003 to PT Papier + Technik OHG, discloses a book arranged for its shipping. It has a book cover with an extension flap of its upper part; such a flap holds a strip of adhesive tape on its lower face, the strip being covered in turn by a protective film. A double folding of the extension flap allows the book to be wrapped oppositely to the spine, so to reach the back panel of the book cover. By removing the protective film of the adhesive tape, the flap is stuck on the back panel of the book cover, and the book is closed. Thus, the book can be shipped as both a letter or a small parcel. Fields are provided on the book cover in order to write the name and the address of the addressee, the name and the address of the sender, as well as for a stamp. It is understood that this transformation of a book cover in a package for shipment of the book has some drawbacks. The book cover, which characterises the book's image, is permanently altered. Further the book cover, and the book itself as well, could be damaged during the shipping. Furthermore, a drawback is the fact that the addressee, after receiving and opening the parcel, can not remove the flap with double folding, that remains connected to the book cover, since the flap can not be torn off.

[0003] The UK patent GB 222.297, granted on 2 October 1924 to Oscar Victor Lalonde, discloses a reversible book jacket being adjustable according to the size of the book. The book jacket can be printed on both its faces.

[0004] The above mentioned patents propose some solutions to the problems that may occur during the shipment of a book or during its use, i.e. the solutions are essentially aimed at protecting the book itself that is considered as a perishable item. Said patents do not face other very important problems, such as those occurring when a book is given.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to save disposable paper usually used to wrap a book.

[0006] Another object is to allow someone, even if they do not possess the necessary skill, to make a fast and accurate gift packaging for a book.

[0007] A further object is to give a gift book a pleasant appearance designed to be a source of permanent positive emotions.

[0008] Yet another object of the present invention is to allow different uses for a book jacket.

[0009] Therefore, according to a first aspect the invention, a reversible book jacket is provided in accordance with the main claim and the claims dependent thereon. According to a second aspect, a method of transformation of the way of use of a reversible book jacket is provided in accordance with a method claim and a claim dependent thereon.

[0010] Additional features and advantages of the present invention will appear mostly clear from the indicative but not limiting description of a preferred embodiment of a reversible book jacket and of a method of transformation of its way of use, as shown in the attached drawings in which:

• Figure 1 shows a top plan view of the external face of the reversible book jacket according to the invention;
• Figure 2 shows a top plan view of the internal face of the reversible book jacket of Figure 1, and
• Figures 3 to 11 show in perspective view a book and a book jacket according to the invention in successive steps of a method of a manual transformation of its way of use.

[0011] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, top plan views of a reversible book jacket 1 according to the invention, lying horizontally, are shown. Traditionally, the reversible book jacket 1 has a rectangular shape, having two long sides 2 and 3 and two short sides 4 and 5. In Figures 1 and 2 four folding lines 6, 7, 8 and 9, that are parallel to the short sides 4 and 5 of the reversible book jacket 1 are shown. Such folding lines are normally used to have a book jacket adhere to a book cover. By folding the reversible book jacket 1 according to the folding lines 6 and 9 two flaps 10 and 11 are made, which are designed to rotate about edges of both the front panel and the back panel of the book cover. The flaps 10 and 11 have a proper width, as discussed below.

[0012] In particular, Figure 1 shows the external face 12 of the book jacket, usually showing publishing pieces of information about the book, such as author's name, title, one or more images, barcodes and so on. All these indications, for simplicity's sake, are not here denoted with reference numerals. These publishing pieces of information are visible when the book is in a bookshelf.

[0013] According to the invention, adhesive means 13 are properly positioned on the external face 12 to achieve a releasable closure, as it will be evident below.

[0014] The top plan view of Figure 2 shows the internal face 14 of the reversible book jacket 1 that is always hidden from view when it is in contact with the book cover. According to the present invention the internal face 14, which is usually blank, is printed in an attractive way, be it with a solid background or with different colour patterns. In particular, in the shown embodiment, coloured stripes are printed on the internal face 14 so that they can be stood out against the background: there are at least one stripe 15 parallel to the long sides 2 and 3, and at least two stripes 16, 17 parallel to the short sides 4 and 5 of the reversible book jacket 1. The arrangement and number of stripes are optional, as it will be clear below. Other decorative and functional patterns are also shown, such as the representation of a bow or rosette 18 and of a ticket 19.

[0015] Figures 3 to 11, where the same reference numerals are given to indicate the same parts as in Figures 1 and 2, show in perspective views successive steps of a method of transformation of the way of use of the reversible book jacket 1 according to the invention, as already described.

[0016] Figure 3 shows a book L with its reversible book jacket 1 that is normally placed on the book so that its external face 12 is shown.

[0017] Figure 4 shows the hands of a user who is about to remove the reversible book jacket 1 from the book L by opening the front panel (not shown) of the book cover, and to show the first pastedown endpaper of the book cover, indicated as C2.

[0018] Figure 5 shows the front panel of the book cover, indicated as C1, when it is being closed. In this way the internal face 14 of the reversible book jacket 1 is further in view.

[0019] In Figure 6, the reversible book jacket 1 is completely separated from the book L and placed in contact e.g. with a support surface (not shown) through its external face 12. The internal face 14 of the reversible book jacket 1 is now fully in view.

[0020] In Figure 7, the reversible book jacket 1 is turned upside down by placing the internal face 14 in contact with the support surface, and the external face 12 is now fully in view, with its flaps 10, 11 unfolded on the support surface.

[0021] As shown in Figure 8, the book L is repositioned on the external face 12 of the reversible book jacket 1 that is spread on the support surface. The flap 11 of the reversible book jacket 1 has already been rotated by 180 degrees to the support surface according to the folding line 9 so that the second pastedown endpaper of the book cover, indicated as C3, is covered as shown in Figure 9. Figure 8 shows, with a dash line, a further folding line 20 for the packaging.

[0022] As shown in Figure 9, the reversible book jacket 1 is folded on the spine cover of the book L according to the fold lines 7 and 8 with two successive rotations, each of 90 degrees, from the support surface. Then, flap 10 is folded by first rotating it by 90 degrees on the book L according to the fold line 6, and the cover of the book L is closed. Finally, the flap 10 is folded by further 90 degrees according to the folding line 20 for the packaging, so that the flap 10 overlaps that portion of the reversible book jacket 1 already covering the back panel of the book cover. The book L is now completely wrapped, as shown in Figure 10, which is a rear view of the book L eventually packed. It is clear that the flaps 10, 11 are so wide to allow the above described overlapping. At this point the user sets the flap 10 on the rest of the reversible book jacket 1 by using the supplied adhesive means 13 already shown in Figures 1 and 7. Preferably, the adhesive means is adhesive labels or seals, which are i.e. golden or silvered, bearing a logo or any other data of a bookshop, and usually used as gift tags in order to seal the envelope containing a gift book. Alternatively, the seals may bear the logo of the publisher so that they are an advertising media for the publisher itself. The adhesive on the seals has to allow a releasable closure without causing irreparable damages to the reversible book jacket when the addressee opens the gift. Otherwise, the reversible book jacket itself would be unusable in the conventional way of operation.

[0023] Before being used, the adhesive means may be located removably on the reversible book jacket itself. The above described choice of the adhesive means is only indicative because hidden double-sided adhesive labels could be used and placed between the flap 10 and the rest of reversible book jacket 1.

[0024] As shown in Figure 11, the transformation of the reversible book jacket 1 into a gift parcel is completed, and the internal decorated face 14 is now in view. Its stripes 15, 16 and 17 form a band; the decoration is completed by the bow or rosette 18 and the ticket 19 that can be filled with a goodwill message to the addressee of the book L. The book L now looks like a gift parcel. Once the gift has been received by the addressee, the book returns to the original look it had in the bookshop by using a reverse procedure to the previously described one.

[0025] The advantages of the invention should be understood.

[0026] The packaging of the book is made using the reversible book jacket and does not involve further use of paper to wrap the book as a gift parcel. Accessories i.e. strips, bows, ribbons or greeting cards are not needed. The card with the dedication of the donor will not be lost because it is integral part of the reversible book jacket, which presumably will be kept together the book throughout its life, ever preserving the memory of the donor.

[0027] These advantages from the invention consist of cost savings with a positive impact on the environment obtained by reducing paper and accessories consumption. Further they consist of time savings for the packaging, due to the practicality of the method according to the invention. The method also allows those who are inexperienced to easily prepare a gift parcel.

[0028] Modifications to the described embodiment can be made. For example, the adhesive means may be different and placed on the book jacket and positionable in various positions to get the closure of the package. Obviously, any kind of decoration for the package can be done, the choice being left to the buyer of the book.

Claims

1. A reversible book jacket (1) having an internal face (14) designed to be in contact with both the front panel and the back panel (C1, C4) of a book cover of a book (L), as well as with the spine of the book cover, and an external face (12) opposite to the internal face (14), the reversible book jacket (1) having at least four folding lines, i.e. two central folding lines (7, 8) in correspondence with the joints of the spine of the book cover, and two lateral folding lines (6, 9) in correspondence with the edges of the book cover, so that two flaps (10, 11) are formed having a width larger than the width of the spine of the book cover, overlapping both the first pastedown endpaper (C2) and the second pastedown endpaper (C3) of the book cover, the external face (12) being printed with traditional publishing pieces of information, characterised in that the internal face (14) is printed with colours and patterns usually used in the gift wrapping papers.

2. The reversible book jacket (1) according to claim 1, wherein the colours and patterns printed on internal face (14) include a reproduction of a ribbon for gift wrapping.

3. The reversible book jacket (1) according to claim 2, wherein the ribbon is shaped like stripes (15, 16, 17) mutually intersecting each other at right angles.

4. The reversible book jacket (1) according to claim 1, wherein the colours and patterns printed on internal face (14) include a reproduction of a bow (18) for a gift parcel.

5. The reversible book jacket (1) according to claim 1, wherein the colours and patterns printed on internal face (14) include a reproduction of a greeting card (19).

6. The reversible book jacket (1) according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive means (13) is provided to allow a releasable closure.

7. The reversible book jacket (1) according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive means (13) is adhesive labels or seals.

8. A method of transformation of the way of use of a reversible book jacket (1) having both its faces (12, 14) printed, whose internal face (14) is designed to be in contact with the front panel and the back panel (C1, C4) of a book cover of a book (L) as well as with its spine, and external face (12) opposite to the internal face (14) has at least four folding lines, i.e. two central folding lines (7, 8) in correspondence with the joints of the spine of the book cover, and two lateral folding lines (6, 9) in correspondence with the edges of the front panel and the back panel (C1, C4) of the book cover, so that two flaps (10, 11) are formed having a width larger than the width of the spine of the book cover, overlapping both the first pastedown endpaper (C2) and the second pastedown endpaper (C3) of the book cover, characterised in that the method makes a gift parcel of the book itself.

9. The method of transformation according to claim 8, characterised by comprising the following steps:

- to remove the book (L) from the reversible book jacket (1) and place the external face (12) thereof on a plane extending its flaps (10, 11) in a coplanar way;

- to turn upside down the reversible book jacket (1) setting its internal face (14) on said plane,

- to reposition the book (L) on the reversible book jacket (1) putting it in contact with its external face (12),

- to rotate a first flap (11) of the reversible book jacket (1) around the edge of the back panel (C4) of the book cover by turning it by 180 degrees in order to rest on the second pastedown endpaper (C3) partially covering it,

- to rotate a second flap (10) of the reversible book jacket (1) about the edge of the front panel (C1) of the book cover by turning it by 90 degrees,

- to close the front panel (C1) of the book cover by turning it by about 180 degrees,

- to fold the second flap (10) on the part of the reversible book jacket (1) that already covers the back panel (C4) of the book cover, and

- to stick with adhesive means (13) the second flap (10) on the reversible book jacket (1).

Drawing