The invention relate to a colour selection system for selecting a combination of paint colours from a main colour collection, the system comprising a set of leaves each showing at least one paint colour of the main colour collection. Such colour selection system is particularly used by professional designers, architects, painters, etc. A colour selection system is for instance described in European patent application EP-A 1 313 083 . This system consists of cards showing a main colour in combination with three possible combination colours. The system leaves few possibilities for designers to personalize their choices.

US 6,270.123 discloses a colour selection guide, wherein a selection of colour samples can be made. Per sample, a number of closely related colours is shown.

US 2003/0234945 discloses a tint guide using a three-dimensional model of three primary colours. Fan decks can be formed from selected arrays of colour samples of the three-dimensional model.

Selecting colours for a design or a redecoration generally involves the selection of more than one colour. In colour selection, a designer may have personal preference for certain colours and colour combinations. It is the object of the invention to provide a system enabling a designer to compose a personal individualized collection of colours selected from a main selection.

The object of the invention is achieved with a colour selection system which further comprises a sample fan comprising a binding element adapted to receive and collect a personal sub-selection of colour samples separated from the leaves showing the main colour collection. When a colour combination is to be selected, the designer can select the leaves with the colours he wishes to use, cut off a strip of the selected leaves, and make a sub-selection of these cut-off colour samples with the aid of the sample fan.

The sample fan may optionally comprise a front panel cover and a back panel cover, the binding element being a flexible band or cord linked to both covers. In that case, the separated colour samples can be provided with openings allowing passage of the binding element, in order to properly bind the leaves between the panel covers instead of having a loose-leaf system.

The flexible band or cord can be held in a corresponding opening in one or both of the cover panels, allowing sliding of the cover panel via the band or cord. This way, the sample leaves of the fan cannot only be fanned out, but when the cover panels are slid away from each other, the sample leaves can also be held next to each other irrespective of the order of the leaves. A further advantage of this construction is that the pile of sample leaves can vary widely in thickness.

To hold the binding element, one or both of the panel covers can be provided with a recess to receive a part of the band in a clamping manner. The covers can for instance be made of a sheet metal or plastic material profiled to provide the recess.

The band can be made of an elastic material, such as a rubber, having a cross-section corresponding to the recess in the covers. When the rubber is stretched, the cross-section shrinks and can easily be placed in the recess. After relaxation of the rubber, the cross-section extends again and clamps itself in the recess. Whereas normally ropes or bands are stretched and stressed when tied, in this case the rubber band is relaxed and unstressed when it ties the fan and clamps itself in the recess. As a result, the risk of band fatigue failure is minimized.

To store the set of leaves of the main collection in a well-organized manner, the system can comprise a binder, such as a ring binder. When using a ring binder, the leaves of the main collection should have openings to cooperate with the rings of the ring binder. These openings can for instance be arranged in a strip along the side of the leaf, the strip being separatable from the rest of the leaf by a tear-off perforation line. After the leaf of a colour has been used up completely, the strip stays behind in the ring binder as a reminder for the user that a new leaf of this colour should be re-ordered.

Further, the ring binder can include a colour code booklet showing an overview of the complete colour collection, optionally including the corresponding colour codes.

Optionally, the system may also include an Internet website showing all available leaves of the main collection and an order form for ordering new leaves.

With the system according to the invention, the designer does not merely cut samples into pieces, as is the case with prior art systems, but the user actively builds a personal collection of his own and, as a result, works in a more constructive and edifying fashion.

The invention is further illustrated by the drawings. In the drawings;

Figure 1:

shows a ring binder for use in a system according to the invention;

Figure 2:

shows a sample fan for a selection of colours according to the present invention;

Figure 3:

shows the sample fan of Figure 2 in an open manner;

Figure 4:

shows, in cross-section, the cord clamped in the recess of a system as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 1 shows a ring binder 1 binding a stack of leaves 2, each of a different single colour. The leaves 2 span a complete colour collection. The user can cut off strips from the leaves 2 for presentation purposes or as samples for his or her personal collection to be stored in a separate sample fan, e.g., as shown in Figure 2. The leaves 2 have openings 3 to cooperate with the rings 4 of the ring binder. These openings 3 are arranged in a strip 5 along the side of the leaf. The strip 5 can be separated from the rest of the leaf 2 by a tear-off perforation line 6. After a leaf 2 of a colour has been used up completely, the strip 5 stays behind in the ring binder 1 as a reminder for the user that a new leaf 2 of this colour should be re-ordered.

Figure 2 shows a sample fan 7 for a collection of coloured cardboard samples 8. The sample fan 7 is shown opened in Figure 3. The sample fan 7 comprises a stack of samples 8 and a rubber, elastic cord 9 with a rectangular cross-section serving as a coupling element to join the samples 8. The cord 9 is inserted through aligned openings 10 in each sample 8. The samples 8 are sandwiched between a front cover 11 and a back cover 12. Both covers 11, 12 comprise a recess 13 forming a tight fit for the cord 9. One of the outer ends 14 of the flexible cord 9 is permanently attached to the outer end 15 of the back cover 12. The other outer end 16 of the cord 9 is loosened when the sample fan 7 is opened and in use. The samples 8 can be shifted apart and each sample can be held next to any other one irrespective of their order, to examine particular colour combinations. When the sample fan 7 is closed for storage, the samples 8 and the front cover 11 are shifted to the back cover 12 and the cord 9 is folded over the front cover 11 to the other outer end 17 of the back cover 12, where it is clamped in the recess 13 of the back cover 12, as shown in detail in Figure 4's cross-section. The front cover 11 has a similar recess in which the middle part of the cord 9 is received and clamped. The rubber cord can be easily stretched to reduce its width, enabling the user to lay the cord 9 in the recess 13. After relaxation of the cord 9, it retains its original width, thus clamping itself in the recess 13. By pulling on the outer end 16 of the cord 9, the width of the cord 9 is reduced again, thus terminating the clamping force, and the cord 9 can easily be taken out of the recess 13 again to open the sample fan 7.