In the leading order of the heavy quark expansion, we propose a covariant method, within the OPE and the trace formalism, that allows to obtain, in a systematic way, Bjorken-like sum rules for the derivatives of the elastic Isgur-Wise function ξ(w) in terms of corresponding Isgur-Wise functions of transitions to excited states. To illustrate the method, we give a simultaneous derivation of Bjorken and Uraltsev sum rules, with generalizations of the latter for w = 1. On the other hand, we obtain a new class of sum rules that involve the products of IW functions at zero recoil and of IW functions at any w.These sum rules give new information on the slope ρ 2 = −ξ ′ (1) and also on the curvature σ 2 = ξ ′′ (1), and imply, modulo a very natural assumption, the inequality σ 2 ≥ 5 4 ρ 2 , and therefore the absolute bound σ 2 ≥ 15 16 .