BINDER SPINE LABEL INSERT REMOVER

EXTRACTEUR DE PORTE-ETIQUETTE DE DOS DE RELIURE

English Abstract

A tool for removing a labeling insert on a spine of a binder is disclosed.
The tool includes a semi rigid metal or plastic to remove labels from a binder
spine slot. The remover includes a first end portion having a slightly
protruding
hook, where the remover pierce through and hook into a binder label. It also
includes a second end portion, an attached handgrip for pulling the label
remover
to remove a binder label. The first and second portions are attached to the
remover as a single unit.

French Abstract

Il s'agit d'un outil d'extraction de porte-étiquette de dos de reliure. Celui-ci comprend un élément métallique ou une pièce en plastique semi-rigide servant à enlever les étiquettes de la fente du dos de reliure. Ledit extracteur comporte une première extrémité munie d'un crochet légèrement saillant que l'extracteur utilisera pour transpercer et accrocher l'étiquette. Il comprend aussi une deuxième extrémité munie d'une poignée solidaire servant à tirer sur l'extracteur pour enlever l'étiquette de dos de reliure. Ces deux parties sont fermement fixées à l'extracteur de façon à former une seule unité.

Claims

CLAIMS
I claim:
1. A flexible label remover for removing a label insert from a slot of a
binder
spine, the label remover comprising:
a first end portion having at least one protruding hook, the at least one
hook piercing a surface of the label and thereby attaching the label to the
label remover;
a second end portion for pulling the label remover and the label attached
to the first end portion of the label remover out of the slot; and
a middle portion between the first end portion and the second end portion,
the middle portion connecting the first end portion and the second end
portion.
2. The label remover of claim 1, wherein the at least one hook is not
detachable from the first end portion.
3. The label remover of claim 1 or 2, wherein the label remover is made of
steel.
4. The label remover of claim 1 or 2, wherein the label remover is made of
plastic.
5. The label remover of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when the first end
portion pierces the surface of the label, the second end portion protrudes
from
the slot.
6. The label remover of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second end
portion is provided with a handgrip.
7

7. The label remover of claim 6, wherein the handgrip is a silicon epoxy
handgrip.
8. The label remover of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the label remover
is narrower than the label.
9. The label remover of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one
hook is triangular and protrudes outwardly from the label remover.
10.A method for removing a label from a slot in the spine of a bound work,
the method comprising:
providing a label remover having a first end portion and a second end
portion, the first end portion having at least one hook;
inserting the first end portion of the label remover into the slot, the second
portion protruding from the slot when the first end portion is inserted into
the
slot;
piercing a surface of the label with the at least one hook such that the
label attaches itself to the label remover; and
removing the label attached to the label remover from the slot by gripping
the second end portion and pulling out the label remover and the label
attached to the label remover from the slot.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising attaching the label to the at
least one hook by aligning the label with the label remover and tilting the
label
remover until the at least one hook pierces the surface of the label.
12. The method of claim 10 or 11 further comprising removing the label
attached to the label remover by sliding the label remover in a direction
opposite to the second end portion.
8

Description

CA 02665830 2011-06-27
1 BINDER SPINE LABEL INSERT REMOVER
2
3 FIELD OF THE INVENTION
4 The present invention relates to a new label remover and method for
removing a label from a label insert slot on a spine of a loose-leaf binder.
6 DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
7 Loose-leaf binders and other bound works may be conveniently provided
8 with transparent overlays on their spines that are sealed along longitudinal
edges
9 of the spine. An elongated pocket or slot is defined between the cover and
spine
into which a label may be inserted to identify the contents of the bound work.
A
11 label attached in such manner is protected from wear and tear by the
durable
12 overlay.
13 A label is difficult to remove from a binder slot due to the length of a
slot,
14 and the fact that an overlay fits tightly over the spine. Attempts to
remove a label
from a slot will generally result in tear, fold, or the separation of the
overlay by the
16 force used to pull a label from a slot. Additional damage may also be done
to the
17 binder spine and/or overlay if a pen, paper clip, or similar sharp objects
are used
18 to force a label of a slot.
19 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
21 Embodiments herein include a new tool for removing a label from a spine
22 of bound works. One embodiment includes a flexible label remover to remove
23 labels from a binder slot. The remover has a first end portion having a
hook or
24 hooks section for attaching a binder label thereto. It also has a second
end
portion for pulling the label, attached to the first end portion, from a
binder slot.
26 The first or second end portions are not detachable from the remainder of
the
27 remover.
1

CA 02665830 2011-06-27
1 Accordingly, in one broad, aspect a flexible label remover for removing a
2 label insert from a slot of a binder spine is provided. The label remover
3 comprises a first end portion having at least one protruding hook. The at
least
4 one hook pierces a surface of the label and thereby attaches the label to
the
label remover. The label remover also comprises a second end portion for
pulling
6 the label remover and the label attached to the first end portion of the
label
7 remover out of the slot. The label remover further comprises a middle
portion
8 between the first end portion and the second end portion. The middle portion
9 connects the first end portion and the second end portion.
11 Accordingly, in another broad aspect, a method for removing a label from
12 a slot in the spine of a bound work is provided. The method comprises
providing
13 a label remover having a first end portion and a second end portion. The
first end
14 portion has at least one hook. The first end portion of the label remover
is
inserted into the slot. The second portion protrudes from the slot when the
first
16 end portion is inserted into the slot. A surface of the label is pierced
with the at
17 least one hook such that the label attaches itself to the label remover.
The label
18 attached to the label remover is removed from the slot by gripping the
second
19 end portion and pulling out the label remover and the label attached to the
label
remover from the slot.
21
22 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
23
24 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a label remover inserted into a slot on
the
spine of a loose-leaf binder according to one embodiment;
26
27 Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the binder and the label remover of
28 Fig.1
29
Figures 3a to 3d are simplified front elevation views illustrating removal of
31 a label insert from the slot of the binder using the label remover of Fig.
1;
2

CA 02665830 2011-06-27
1
2 Figure 4 is a duplicate of Fig.1;
3
4 Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of removing a label insert
from
the slot of the binder using the label remover of Fig. 1; and
6
7 Figures 6a and 6b are front and side elevation views of the label remover
8 of Fig. 1.
9
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
11 A label remover 28 disclosed herein is illustrated in Figs. 1, 4 and 2. The
12 label remover has been referred to as an arrangement or a tool or a label
13 remover assembly herein.
14 A bound work is shown herein as being a loose-leaf binder 10. The binder
10 is comprised of a spine or end cover 24 with a pair of parallel
longitudinal
16 edges 18 and 20 and a pair of parallel transverse edges 30 and 32. Front
and
17 rear covers 14 and 16, respectively, are attached to the spine along each
18 longitudinal edge with hinges located at the spines longitudinal edges 18
and 20,
19 between the covers 14 and 16 and the spine 12. A transparent or
semitransparent cover or overlay 22 is located on the spine 12 and sealed to
the
21 spine along the longitudinal edges 18 and 20, and transverse edge 32,
forming a
22 one end non-sealed slot 24 between the spine 12 and the overlay cover 22.
23 With reference to Figs. 6a and 6b, the label remover 28 has a first end
24 portion having a protruding hook or hook section 28b. The label has a
second
end portion or an upper end which is provided with a handgrip 38. The handgrip
26 can be a silicon epoxy handgrip. The first end portion and the second end
portion
27 is connected by a middle portion. The label remover 28 is thin and flexible
and
28 can be made of plastic or steel. The hook is triangular and protrudes
outwardly
29 from the label remover.
3

CA 02665830 2011-06-27
1 In order to enable a label or label insert 34 made of flexible paper or the
2 like to be removed from the slot 24 of the binder 10, the thin, flexible
label
3 remover 28 is extended through the slot 24 and the label in the slot 24 is
hooked
4 to the label remover. As viewed in Fig. 1, the upper end of the remover 28
having
the handgrip 38, sticks out of the binder 10 spine label overlay. The lower
end or
6 the first end portion of the remover 28 is attached to the label of the
binder 10, to
7 remove the label from the slot 24.
8 Figs. 3a to 3d are simplified diagrams illustrating how the label remover 28
9 is used to remove the label from the slot 24. These figures, as well as
similar
figures, which will be referenced below, are not drawn to scale, but are
11 compressed along the axis of the spine 12 to facilitate description of the
12 invention.
13
14 In operation, the hook section 28b of the flexible label remover is
attached
to a surface of the label 34 and the label remover is then used to pull the
label
16 from the binder slot. The label remover is then removed from the label by
sliding
17 the remover in opposite direction of the handgrip 38. This will prevent the
18 possibilities of the label from being damaged when the label remover is
19 unhooked from it. As seen in Fig. 3d, when the label remover is removed
from
the label a hole 40 is formed in the label where the hook 28b pierces the
label.
21
22 The directions included with overlay binders, which are sold to the public
23 including spine labels, advise that the step of Fig. 3a should be performed
by
24 popping the label remover 28 to hook to the label 34 using a gentle upward
motion. No problems will be encountered if the directions are followed.
However,
26 users who don't receive or read the directions or who are careless and/or
27 impatient tend to jerk on the remover 28 rather than hook the label 34
gently as
28 advised. if the label remover 28 is jerked rather than gently hooked, part
of the
29 label 34 can shear and be tom off and can remain inside the slot 24.
4

CA 02665830 2011-06-27
1 Also, the label 34 needs to be hooked to the label remover 28 so that both
2 are in a longitudinal alignment. This allows the label 34 to be more easily
pulled
3 out of the slot by the label remover 28. If they are not aligned properly,
the edges
4 of the label 34 can hit the slot edges preventing the label 34 from being
pulled
out of the slot or damaging the label.
6
7 The label remover may sometimes tear away part of the label when the
8 label remover and the label are separated, damaging the label. Also, the
label
9 and the label remover can get hooked to the binder spine on the longitudinal
alignment making it difficult to pull the label from the slot.
11
12 With reference to Fig. 5, the label 34 from the spine slot 24 is removed by
13 inserting the label remover 28 into the binder slot 24. The label remover
28 is
14 held firmly and aligned with the label 34. The label remover 28 is attached
to the
label by slightly tilting the label remover until the hook 28b on the label
remover
16 pierces the label. The label remover is pulled upwards to remove the label
17 remover and the label attached to the label remover from the binder slot.
The
18 label remover is then removed from the label by sliding the label remover
in
19 opposite direction of the handgrip 38.
21 The label remover 28 can be used with many different types of binders
22 with the binder 10 being a standard loose-leaf binder. The slot 24 is sized
to
23 accept flexible labels made of paper or the like, which are generally
undersized
24 as compared to the length and width of the slot 24. The label remover is
narrower
than the label, typically 1.27 cm (1/2 inches) wide and 12.7 cm (5 inches)
long,
26 and made of flexible plastic or steel or other suitable material. The label
remover
27 is inserted in the slot 24 and extends beyond the sealed transverse edges
30 of
28 the spine 12 when the label is attached to the first end portion of the
label
29 remover.
5

CA 02665830 2011-06-27
1 The label remover is very effective in removing the label from the binder
2 spine label transparent overlay slot.
3
4 In summary a flexible label remover is provided to pull out a label insert
from a binder spine slot which comprises first end portion having slightly
6 protruding hook to pierce and hook a binder spine label insert, second end
7 portion to pull the said label insert attached to said first end portion out
of the
8 binder slot, and middle portion between said first and second portions, said
9 middle connects the first and second end portions.
The first end portion can have a protruding hook or hooks from the said
11 first end to allow the binder label insert to attach to the remover. The
hook or
12 hooks are not detachable from the said portion.
13 The label remover further comprises a flexible metal or plastic strip and a
14 silicon epoxy handgrip or the like. A first end portion which extends
through a
slot; a second end portion which protrudes from said top transverse end of a
slot.
16 The label remover has silicon epoxy handgrip to pull out a binder spine
label
17 insert.
18 The first end portion and second end portion of the label remover are
19 sufficiently long enough to attach to a label insert inside binder spine
label slot.
Means for removing a label insert includes a hook or hooks to said end
21 portion.
22 The flexible label remover is made of steel or plastic.
23
24
6

Representative Drawing