CA1309986C - Method for producing a series of personalized laminated sheets - Google Patents
Method for producing a series of personalized laminated sheetsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1309986C CA1309986C CA000522831A CA522831A CA1309986C CA 1309986 C CA1309986 C CA 1309986C CA 000522831 A CA000522831 A CA 000522831A CA 522831 A CA522831 A CA 522831A CA 1309986 C CA1309986 C CA 1309986C
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- printed
- printing
- increment
- laminating
- Prior art date
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Abstract
METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SERIES
OF PERSONALIZED LAMINATED SHEETS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
In a preferred embodiment of the method, at a printing station, at least one field of printed infor-mation is printed on at least one face of a succession of increments on various paper substrates. By using an intelligent printer, the printed information may be varied from increment to increment at will. At subsequent stations, at least part of the printed areas on at least one side of each increment is laminated with clear filmy and at least part of the laminated area is partially cut so that a user may subsequently detach it from the remainder of the increment for use as a label. Where the increments are initially provided in continuous web form, stations subsequent to the partial-cutting station may sever the web into a series of sheets bearing the laminated, detachable labels, and an enveloping station.
OF PERSONALIZED LAMINATED SHEETS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
In a preferred embodiment of the method, at a printing station, at least one field of printed infor-mation is printed on at least one face of a succession of increments on various paper substrates. By using an intelligent printer, the printed information may be varied from increment to increment at will. At subsequent stations, at least part of the printed areas on at least one side of each increment is laminated with clear filmy and at least part of the laminated area is partially cut so that a user may subsequently detach it from the remainder of the increment for use as a label. Where the increments are initially provided in continuous web form, stations subsequent to the partial-cutting station may sever the web into a series of sheets bearing the laminated, detachable labels, and an enveloping station.
Description
:l3~9~
BACKGROUND 0F THE_INVENTIOM
Many organizations hold periodic conventions, membership drives, open-house celebrations, recruiting days, and ~he like, or otherwise have a need to issue passes, identifica~iQn cards, labels, scrip, debit/credits cards and the like and frequently in such connection wish not only to personalize each such label or the like, but also to provide a communication in the nature of a welcoming message or instructions in conJunction with issuing the label.
The development of high-speed programmable intelligent printers has raised the prospects for innovation in this field.
But, heretofore, it seems that the neecl for a system as provided by use of the principles of the present invention has gone unmet.
SUMMARY OF THE INyENTION
In one aspect, the invention broadly resides in a series of customized clear film-protected potential label-:
bearing sheets, comprising, a plurality of increments of bi-faced sheet material each increment of which has at least oneblock of indicia printed on at least one portion of at least : ~ .
one;face thereo~; a layer o~ clear film laminated onto each said increment so that such layer of clear film covers at least part of said at least one block of printed indicia while permitting the same to be viewed therethrough; each said increment being dlvided into a potential label and a remainder by a boundary llne of discontinuous cuts about at leas~ a sufficient portion of the perimeter of a selected area of the respective said~part of the respective said at least one block , ~30 of printed indicia.
: :~: ~ :
~ .
.
.
la In a further aspect, the invention resides in a process providing a sheet of material including a potential label severable ~herefrom, said process comprising: providing at least one increment o~ bi-faced sheet material which is printable on at least one portion of at least one said face thereof; printing at least one block of indicia on at least one said portion; laminating a layer of clear film onto said increment so that it protectively covers at least part of at least one said block of printed indicia while permitting the same to be viewed therethrough; and dividing said increment into a potential label and a remainder by cut~ing a discontinuous boundary line of cuts about at least a sufficient portion of the perimeter of a selected area of said part of said at least one block of printed indicia.
In a preerred embodiment of the method, at a printing station, at least one field of printed information is printed : on at least one face of a succession of increments of sheet stock. By using an intelligent printer, the printed information ~ may be varied from increment to increment at will. At ~ ~20 subsequent statlons, at least paxt of the printed areas on at least one side of each increment is laminated with clear film, and at least part of the laminated area is partially cut so that a user may :: ~
~ 3 ~
subsequently detach it from the remainder of the increment for use as a label. Where the increments are initially provided in continuous web form, stations subsequent to the partial-cutting station may sever the web into a series of sheet~ bearing the laminated, detachable labels, and an enveloping station.
In describing the invention~ the term 'label' will be u~ed herein as a generic term embodying all sorts of indicia-bearing sheet material u ed for communicatin~ inf~rmation from the person or bearer of the sheet, to other persons or computerized readers.
The principles of ~he invention will be further discussed with reference to the drawings wherein a preferred embodiment is shown. The specif iC3 illustrated in the drawings are intended to exemplify, rather than limit, aspect~ of the invention as defined i~ the claim~.
, :: .
' FIG~RE 1 is a schematic flow 3hee~ of a preferred embodiment of a personalized label manufacturing process which mak~ use of principles of the present invention;
IGURE 2 is a plan view of the obverse of a : typical customized labe}-bearing sheet~ with the r~cipient detaching th~ label therefrom, and FIGU~E 3 is a plan vie~ of the reverse of the customized label-bearing sheet of FI~URE 2.
~ ~ ' ~::
I
. .
~3~9~6 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
_._ In ~IGU~E 1 there is shown a supply of stock at 10, e.y ., in the orm of a roll of paper which is being continuously unrolled to provide a web 12 which is traveli~g in the direction of arrow 14 through a printing station 16. Accordingly, in pas~ing through the printing station, the we~ 12 can b~ considered to be constituted by a plurality of increments connected to one another in a longitudinally extending series.
At the printing station 16, at least one block of printing (18 in ~IGURES 2 and 3) is applied to at least one face of the sheet material 12 within each increment. 8y preference~ the printing is performed by known printing head 22, 24 which are controlled by a known intelligent printer controller 26, e.g., of the type disclosed in the U.SO Paten~ of McIlvaine, 3,911,818, issued October 14, 1975, so that ~::
a~ least part of the pri~ting that is applied to at least: one face of ~he sheet in each increment is uni~u~ to tha increment ox to a sel~cted series or sub et of ~uch increments.
Downstr~am of the prin~ing station 16, at ea~t a~se~ected portion of at lea~t:one face of ea~h increment, e.90, a~band 28, 30 of the respective face of~ the~web 12, is covered ~y a film 32, 34 of clear or preprinted mat~rial or film which forms a protectlvS
sheet~material by using, e.g., an adhe~ive applied to the web fa~e or to the film by applicators 36 and 38. Alternatively, the clear strip may be purchased wlth the adhesive already applied to it. The film/adhesive~printed paper web composi~e 40 is laminated:, e.y~., by~prc~sing its layer~ together at rolls~:42~ The ~elected portion 28, 30 preferably includ s at least a portion of the block of p~inting :,: ~:
~ ' ~ :
`
:
~ ~ ;
~ 3 ~
18, 20 which includes at least a selected part 28a, 3Qa, that is unique to the particular increment 9 series or subset of potential sheets.
Following lamination, the composite web 40 travels through an embossing, perfora~ing and die-cutting station or the like 44 in which at least one selected part 46 of the clear film-protected printed part of at least selected ones of said increments is made potentially completely severable from the remainder 48 by provision of a bounding discontinuous line 50 of hol~ or cuts 52 interspersed with rangible temporarily-connecting uncut por~1Ons 54.
In an in~tance where the remainder 48 surrounds the part 46, the line 50 extend completely around the perimeter of the part 46. ~aut in. an instance where the part 46 extend~ the full length of the increment longitudinally with the web, the line 50 may be constituted by one longitudinally extending se~ment, if th~ part 46 is also coterminous with either the left or right lateral margin of the web 40, or two txansver ely spaced longitudinally extending segmen~ where the part 4~ i spaced from both ~he left and the right margin~ of th~ web 40.) At~the ensuing statlons depicted in FI~URE 1, he web 40 i~ transversely folded, e~g., U-, V- or Z-fa:shion, e.g., by a conventional plow folder 56, so that the potential label 46 lie3 on a respectiYe panel 58 between an:edge 60 and a fold line 62 ~or ~etween two fold:lines 62) on a respective increment o~ the compos1te we~ 4~0. The compo~ite web is rep~atedly severed transversely by ~onventional cutters applied at 64:to transform the sucees~ion o~ increments into respective sheet~ 66 which, i~ de ired, may be automatically inserted into automatically addressed envelopes 6~. :In the instance depicted, a set of webs :::~ :
:
~ 3 ~
70, 72 of envelope face stock is unrolled, provided on its facing surfaces with adhesive along left and right margins of its longitudinal edges and periodically in bands extending transversely thereof, with such synchronization that each of the folded sheets 66 become~ enveloped in a separate 'pod' 74 of the composite envelope web 76. An addreqs or the like may be applied to each pod 74, e.g. using a printing head 78 that is linked to the same intelligent printer controller 26 with a corresponding time delay so a to apply to the pod containing a particular potential label 46 an addre~s whic~ is coordinated thelrewith in a sense to direct the qnvelope containing that potential label to the per~on.or orga~ization which is to become responsible for bearing the respective label. At 80, the composite envelope web i3 severed into individual pre-addressed, potential label- ~.
contalning envelope~ 74'.
When each envelope 74' reaches th~ intended responsible per~on and is opened, the respective sheet may be withdrawn and, if olded, unfolded, e.g., so that it appears as in ~IGURE 2 (from the front) and IGURE 3 ~from the back).
In the example shQwn in FIGURES 2 and 3, the potential label 46 is in the form of a laminated membership card which is embodied a~ a separate field in a le~ter from a member~hip-type organi~ation, in which ~ er an official o th~ organization is welcoming the bearer to membership and informins the bearer of the privilege~ and responsibilities of a member, and of the uses to which the card ~ay be put. ~or instance, the label 46 may be severed from th~ letter by tearing alony the discontinuous line of perfora~ions or cuts which bounds it, and then carried in a wallet or lapel-type cardholder as an I.D. cardl :
: ::
1 3 0 ~ ~ 8 ~
or if i~s backing is a peelable backing strip of a pressure-sensitive adhe ive, the backing strip may be peeled off and the label 46 ~tuck to a suit jacket lapel or to a jar of contents as an identifying label~
In general, it is believed to be the organization of steps to readily produce a series of customized clear film-protected labels which i9 thought to be unique, rather than any one of the individual steps or the apparatus for carrying out any such step.
Intelligen~ printers and programmable controllers for them are known. Typically, ~hey are used by ma~s mailing orga~ization~ such as those which mail periodical~ to a list of. ubRcriber~, and such as those which mail advertisement~ and~or appeals for contributions to a list of potential customers or donor~, e.g., using a computer which may be programmed in an updatable manner with a set of addre~se which is fed serially in controlled coded form ~o an ink jet print~r or the like i~ order to deflect droplets of ink into charact2rs of respectiYe addres5es on a web of lab~l ~tock r or on a succe~sion o~ e~velopes or the like.
In the in~tance depicted a~ an ~xample of the process, the prin~in~ proces~ i a roll-~upplied, web-fed press which i~ capable of simultaneously printing a cu~tomized message on both face~ o~ the web. Such pre ~e~ are known, Typically, they are used by mass mailing organization~ to print a customized letter, such a "Dear Mr. Allen, You and ~:
: your ~amily residing at 1237 Ingle Street may already ~:: hav~ won... 'i, which practically all of us have received at one time or another.
In fact, the blocks of printing material being printed on successive increment~ of the web : :: ~
~ 3 ~
shown in FIGURE 1 may be constituted by precisely such customized letters, in which the blocks of printing that ~re to be clear film-covered may precede, qucceed or be incorporated as an intermediate field in the text of the letter. In such a case some of the text th~t will not be laminated, e.g., the "Dear Mr. Allen"
will be customized in corre~pondence with the part of the text that will be laminated.
Further, although in many perceived uses for the method of the present invention, each card 46 will contain some printed indicia that i~ uni~u~ to that particular card, iOe., the name, member~hip number and membership validity period for the intended bearer, it would be within the purview of the present invention to provide a who e series of laminated sheets in which the potential labels 46 are identical. For instance, a supplier of an indus~rial chemical newly found to have a dangerou~ property could issue a "Dear Cu~tomer" letter to e ch recent cu~tomer believed to be holding one or more carboys of the chemical9 issuing that oustomer a new warning label for each, together wi~h instructions for applying the label and an admoni~hment to observe the warningO
Any suitable paper or similar substra~e can be used for the base o~ the label~O By preference, it generally would enter ~h~ proce~s as a roll being unrolled to provide a continuotls web, a~ ~hown. ~ut sheet-fed printing pres~es are equaIly well known, and it~would not be a:complete departure from the invention to use a stack of succes~ively abstracted sheets of~paper a ~he 5upply. ~oweuer, this would complicate th~ clear film laminating step and that is why~it is not preferred.
Clear film, adhesive and apparatus for laminating a layer of clear ilm by means of adhesive ~ 3 ~
and pressure to either or both sides of a web of paper are well known. Typically, such materials and apparatus are used by printers of soft-cover books for laminating a see-through protective film of polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylacetate or the like to the exterior face of printed cover stock for soft-cov~r books. Similar materialR are conventionally similarly laminated on a marginal band on one or both faces of oaktag stock or the like to make hole-punched and tabbed reinforced edges of divider pages for loose~leaf notebooks.
Perforators and die cutter~ for sheet stock are w211 known. Typically~ such apparatus i3 used by printers oE advertising and subscription-invitation material having a potential pre-addres~ed, postpaid busine~s reply card or coupon severable ~rom a sheet of advertising/promotional literature by tearing along a pre-cut discontinuous line of small perforation holes or da~h-like cut~ bordering one, ~wo, three or all four ~ide of the potential po~tal eard or coupon. Pr2sently, each week'~ Sunday edition of The Washington Post is published with several such po~ent1al cards and coupons. The same equipment as is used ~or cuttin~ the perforation holes or cut dash~s in such in tances may be similarly us~d in practicing the process of the pre ent invention.
Automated machines for cu~ting printing webs in~o shee~s, folding the sheets into convenient size (eithe~before or after the web i~ sever~d into sheets) and for inserting ~he sheets into envelopes, which are cus~om-addressed (either by being printed or by having the addres~ that i~ printed on the letter show through a window ~ovided in the proper location on the front of the envelope) are well known. Typical users, again, are mas~ mailer~ of political, ,: ~
:;:
, . .
8 ~
religious, environmental and like invitations and pleas for donations~ contest managing or~anizations and direct mail catalog merchants.
Variations from the disclosed preferred embodiment are possible within the scope of the invention, including (without lamination) that more than one potential label can be provided on each increment of the web ~ for instance a ' his ' and a ' hers ' library card could be printed side by side on a one-sheet letter weicoming a new couple to a co~munity; that some increments could be left without a potential lahel (for instance for a two-paga letter made from one web, on:ly alternate increments in the series would be provided with potential labels~; and a two-, three- or more-page letter could be provided, with only one page bearing a potential label, by merging the output from ~everal web-fed press lines, including the unusual one depictedi at the point where the severed shee~ are being folded and put into envelope stock. ~hat i~, of the multiple lines of a conventional multiple-page web-fed printing press only at least one line:but less than all would have ~he unusual feature~ which have been d~acribed in relation to~FIGURES 1-3, and the output of the several lines would b~ conventionally collated9 olded and/or enveloped.~
: It should now be apparen~ that the method for producing a series of personalized laminated labels as described hereinabove, po~esses each of ~he attribut:es set ~orth in the specification under the heading "Summary of the Invention" hereinbefore.
Because it can be modified to some exte~t without departing from ~the princi~le~ thereo~ as they have been outlined and explained in this specifica~ion, the present inven~ion should b~ und~rstood as encompassing .
~3~8~
all such modifications as are within ~he spirit and scope of the following claims.
:
~:
:~
~ '
BACKGROUND 0F THE_INVENTIOM
Many organizations hold periodic conventions, membership drives, open-house celebrations, recruiting days, and ~he like, or otherwise have a need to issue passes, identifica~iQn cards, labels, scrip, debit/credits cards and the like and frequently in such connection wish not only to personalize each such label or the like, but also to provide a communication in the nature of a welcoming message or instructions in conJunction with issuing the label.
The development of high-speed programmable intelligent printers has raised the prospects for innovation in this field.
But, heretofore, it seems that the neecl for a system as provided by use of the principles of the present invention has gone unmet.
SUMMARY OF THE INyENTION
In one aspect, the invention broadly resides in a series of customized clear film-protected potential label-:
bearing sheets, comprising, a plurality of increments of bi-faced sheet material each increment of which has at least oneblock of indicia printed on at least one portion of at least : ~ .
one;face thereo~; a layer o~ clear film laminated onto each said increment so that such layer of clear film covers at least part of said at least one block of printed indicia while permitting the same to be viewed therethrough; each said increment being dlvided into a potential label and a remainder by a boundary llne of discontinuous cuts about at leas~ a sufficient portion of the perimeter of a selected area of the respective said~part of the respective said at least one block , ~30 of printed indicia.
: :~: ~ :
~ .
.
.
la In a further aspect, the invention resides in a process providing a sheet of material including a potential label severable ~herefrom, said process comprising: providing at least one increment o~ bi-faced sheet material which is printable on at least one portion of at least one said face thereof; printing at least one block of indicia on at least one said portion; laminating a layer of clear film onto said increment so that it protectively covers at least part of at least one said block of printed indicia while permitting the same to be viewed therethrough; and dividing said increment into a potential label and a remainder by cut~ing a discontinuous boundary line of cuts about at least a sufficient portion of the perimeter of a selected area of said part of said at least one block of printed indicia.
In a preerred embodiment of the method, at a printing station, at least one field of printed information is printed : on at least one face of a succession of increments of sheet stock. By using an intelligent printer, the printed information ~ may be varied from increment to increment at will. At ~ ~20 subsequent statlons, at least paxt of the printed areas on at least one side of each increment is laminated with clear film, and at least part of the laminated area is partially cut so that a user may :: ~
~ 3 ~
subsequently detach it from the remainder of the increment for use as a label. Where the increments are initially provided in continuous web form, stations subsequent to the partial-cutting station may sever the web into a series of sheet~ bearing the laminated, detachable labels, and an enveloping station.
In describing the invention~ the term 'label' will be u~ed herein as a generic term embodying all sorts of indicia-bearing sheet material u ed for communicatin~ inf~rmation from the person or bearer of the sheet, to other persons or computerized readers.
The principles of ~he invention will be further discussed with reference to the drawings wherein a preferred embodiment is shown. The specif iC3 illustrated in the drawings are intended to exemplify, rather than limit, aspect~ of the invention as defined i~ the claim~.
, :: .
' FIG~RE 1 is a schematic flow 3hee~ of a preferred embodiment of a personalized label manufacturing process which mak~ use of principles of the present invention;
IGURE 2 is a plan view of the obverse of a : typical customized labe}-bearing sheet~ with the r~cipient detaching th~ label therefrom, and FIGU~E 3 is a plan vie~ of the reverse of the customized label-bearing sheet of FI~URE 2.
~ ~ ' ~::
I
. .
~3~9~6 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
_._ In ~IGU~E 1 there is shown a supply of stock at 10, e.y ., in the orm of a roll of paper which is being continuously unrolled to provide a web 12 which is traveli~g in the direction of arrow 14 through a printing station 16. Accordingly, in pas~ing through the printing station, the we~ 12 can b~ considered to be constituted by a plurality of increments connected to one another in a longitudinally extending series.
At the printing station 16, at least one block of printing (18 in ~IGURES 2 and 3) is applied to at least one face of the sheet material 12 within each increment. 8y preference~ the printing is performed by known printing head 22, 24 which are controlled by a known intelligent printer controller 26, e.g., of the type disclosed in the U.SO Paten~ of McIlvaine, 3,911,818, issued October 14, 1975, so that ~::
a~ least part of the pri~ting that is applied to at least: one face of ~he sheet in each increment is uni~u~ to tha increment ox to a sel~cted series or sub et of ~uch increments.
Downstr~am of the prin~ing station 16, at ea~t a~se~ected portion of at lea~t:one face of ea~h increment, e.90, a~band 28, 30 of the respective face of~ the~web 12, is covered ~y a film 32, 34 of clear or preprinted mat~rial or film which forms a protectlvS
sheet~material by using, e.g., an adhe~ive applied to the web fa~e or to the film by applicators 36 and 38. Alternatively, the clear strip may be purchased wlth the adhesive already applied to it. The film/adhesive~printed paper web composi~e 40 is laminated:, e.y~., by~prc~sing its layer~ together at rolls~:42~ The ~elected portion 28, 30 preferably includ s at least a portion of the block of p~inting :,: ~:
~ ' ~ :
`
:
~ ~ ;
~ 3 ~
18, 20 which includes at least a selected part 28a, 3Qa, that is unique to the particular increment 9 series or subset of potential sheets.
Following lamination, the composite web 40 travels through an embossing, perfora~ing and die-cutting station or the like 44 in which at least one selected part 46 of the clear film-protected printed part of at least selected ones of said increments is made potentially completely severable from the remainder 48 by provision of a bounding discontinuous line 50 of hol~ or cuts 52 interspersed with rangible temporarily-connecting uncut por~1Ons 54.
In an in~tance where the remainder 48 surrounds the part 46, the line 50 extend completely around the perimeter of the part 46. ~aut in. an instance where the part 46 extend~ the full length of the increment longitudinally with the web, the line 50 may be constituted by one longitudinally extending se~ment, if th~ part 46 is also coterminous with either the left or right lateral margin of the web 40, or two txansver ely spaced longitudinally extending segmen~ where the part 4~ i spaced from both ~he left and the right margin~ of th~ web 40.) At~the ensuing statlons depicted in FI~URE 1, he web 40 i~ transversely folded, e~g., U-, V- or Z-fa:shion, e.g., by a conventional plow folder 56, so that the potential label 46 lie3 on a respectiYe panel 58 between an:edge 60 and a fold line 62 ~or ~etween two fold:lines 62) on a respective increment o~ the compos1te we~ 4~0. The compo~ite web is rep~atedly severed transversely by ~onventional cutters applied at 64:to transform the sucees~ion o~ increments into respective sheet~ 66 which, i~ de ired, may be automatically inserted into automatically addressed envelopes 6~. :In the instance depicted, a set of webs :::~ :
:
~ 3 ~
70, 72 of envelope face stock is unrolled, provided on its facing surfaces with adhesive along left and right margins of its longitudinal edges and periodically in bands extending transversely thereof, with such synchronization that each of the folded sheets 66 become~ enveloped in a separate 'pod' 74 of the composite envelope web 76. An addreqs or the like may be applied to each pod 74, e.g. using a printing head 78 that is linked to the same intelligent printer controller 26 with a corresponding time delay so a to apply to the pod containing a particular potential label 46 an addre~s whic~ is coordinated thelrewith in a sense to direct the qnvelope containing that potential label to the per~on.or orga~ization which is to become responsible for bearing the respective label. At 80, the composite envelope web i3 severed into individual pre-addressed, potential label- ~.
contalning envelope~ 74'.
When each envelope 74' reaches th~ intended responsible per~on and is opened, the respective sheet may be withdrawn and, if olded, unfolded, e.g., so that it appears as in ~IGURE 2 (from the front) and IGURE 3 ~from the back).
In the example shQwn in FIGURES 2 and 3, the potential label 46 is in the form of a laminated membership card which is embodied a~ a separate field in a le~ter from a member~hip-type organi~ation, in which ~ er an official o th~ organization is welcoming the bearer to membership and informins the bearer of the privilege~ and responsibilities of a member, and of the uses to which the card ~ay be put. ~or instance, the label 46 may be severed from th~ letter by tearing alony the discontinuous line of perfora~ions or cuts which bounds it, and then carried in a wallet or lapel-type cardholder as an I.D. cardl :
: ::
1 3 0 ~ ~ 8 ~
or if i~s backing is a peelable backing strip of a pressure-sensitive adhe ive, the backing strip may be peeled off and the label 46 ~tuck to a suit jacket lapel or to a jar of contents as an identifying label~
In general, it is believed to be the organization of steps to readily produce a series of customized clear film-protected labels which i9 thought to be unique, rather than any one of the individual steps or the apparatus for carrying out any such step.
Intelligen~ printers and programmable controllers for them are known. Typically, ~hey are used by ma~s mailing orga~ization~ such as those which mail periodical~ to a list of. ubRcriber~, and such as those which mail advertisement~ and~or appeals for contributions to a list of potential customers or donor~, e.g., using a computer which may be programmed in an updatable manner with a set of addre~se which is fed serially in controlled coded form ~o an ink jet print~r or the like i~ order to deflect droplets of ink into charact2rs of respectiYe addres5es on a web of lab~l ~tock r or on a succe~sion o~ e~velopes or the like.
In the in~tance depicted a~ an ~xample of the process, the prin~in~ proces~ i a roll-~upplied, web-fed press which i~ capable of simultaneously printing a cu~tomized message on both face~ o~ the web. Such pre ~e~ are known, Typically, they are used by mass mailing organization~ to print a customized letter, such a "Dear Mr. Allen, You and ~:
: your ~amily residing at 1237 Ingle Street may already ~:: hav~ won... 'i, which practically all of us have received at one time or another.
In fact, the blocks of printing material being printed on successive increment~ of the web : :: ~
~ 3 ~
shown in FIGURE 1 may be constituted by precisely such customized letters, in which the blocks of printing that ~re to be clear film-covered may precede, qucceed or be incorporated as an intermediate field in the text of the letter. In such a case some of the text th~t will not be laminated, e.g., the "Dear Mr. Allen"
will be customized in corre~pondence with the part of the text that will be laminated.
Further, although in many perceived uses for the method of the present invention, each card 46 will contain some printed indicia that i~ uni~u~ to that particular card, iOe., the name, member~hip number and membership validity period for the intended bearer, it would be within the purview of the present invention to provide a who e series of laminated sheets in which the potential labels 46 are identical. For instance, a supplier of an indus~rial chemical newly found to have a dangerou~ property could issue a "Dear Cu~tomer" letter to e ch recent cu~tomer believed to be holding one or more carboys of the chemical9 issuing that oustomer a new warning label for each, together wi~h instructions for applying the label and an admoni~hment to observe the warningO
Any suitable paper or similar substra~e can be used for the base o~ the label~O By preference, it generally would enter ~h~ proce~s as a roll being unrolled to provide a continuotls web, a~ ~hown. ~ut sheet-fed printing pres~es are equaIly well known, and it~would not be a:complete departure from the invention to use a stack of succes~ively abstracted sheets of~paper a ~he 5upply. ~oweuer, this would complicate th~ clear film laminating step and that is why~it is not preferred.
Clear film, adhesive and apparatus for laminating a layer of clear ilm by means of adhesive ~ 3 ~
and pressure to either or both sides of a web of paper are well known. Typically, such materials and apparatus are used by printers of soft-cover books for laminating a see-through protective film of polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylacetate or the like to the exterior face of printed cover stock for soft-cov~r books. Similar materialR are conventionally similarly laminated on a marginal band on one or both faces of oaktag stock or the like to make hole-punched and tabbed reinforced edges of divider pages for loose~leaf notebooks.
Perforators and die cutter~ for sheet stock are w211 known. Typically~ such apparatus i3 used by printers oE advertising and subscription-invitation material having a potential pre-addres~ed, postpaid busine~s reply card or coupon severable ~rom a sheet of advertising/promotional literature by tearing along a pre-cut discontinuous line of small perforation holes or da~h-like cut~ bordering one, ~wo, three or all four ~ide of the potential po~tal eard or coupon. Pr2sently, each week'~ Sunday edition of The Washington Post is published with several such po~ent1al cards and coupons. The same equipment as is used ~or cuttin~ the perforation holes or cut dash~s in such in tances may be similarly us~d in practicing the process of the pre ent invention.
Automated machines for cu~ting printing webs in~o shee~s, folding the sheets into convenient size (eithe~before or after the web i~ sever~d into sheets) and for inserting ~he sheets into envelopes, which are cus~om-addressed (either by being printed or by having the addres~ that i~ printed on the letter show through a window ~ovided in the proper location on the front of the envelope) are well known. Typical users, again, are mas~ mailer~ of political, ,: ~
:;:
, . .
8 ~
religious, environmental and like invitations and pleas for donations~ contest managing or~anizations and direct mail catalog merchants.
Variations from the disclosed preferred embodiment are possible within the scope of the invention, including (without lamination) that more than one potential label can be provided on each increment of the web ~ for instance a ' his ' and a ' hers ' library card could be printed side by side on a one-sheet letter weicoming a new couple to a co~munity; that some increments could be left without a potential lahel (for instance for a two-paga letter made from one web, on:ly alternate increments in the series would be provided with potential labels~; and a two-, three- or more-page letter could be provided, with only one page bearing a potential label, by merging the output from ~everal web-fed press lines, including the unusual one depictedi at the point where the severed shee~ are being folded and put into envelope stock. ~hat i~, of the multiple lines of a conventional multiple-page web-fed printing press only at least one line:but less than all would have ~he unusual feature~ which have been d~acribed in relation to~FIGURES 1-3, and the output of the several lines would b~ conventionally collated9 olded and/or enveloped.~
: It should now be apparen~ that the method for producing a series of personalized laminated labels as described hereinabove, po~esses each of ~he attribut:es set ~orth in the specification under the heading "Summary of the Invention" hereinbefore.
Because it can be modified to some exte~t without departing from ~the princi~le~ thereo~ as they have been outlined and explained in this specifica~ion, the present inven~ion should b~ und~rstood as encompassing .
~3~8~
all such modifications as are within ~he spirit and scope of the following claims.
:
~:
:~
~ '
Claims (30)
1. A process providing a sheet of material including a potential label severable therefrom, said process comprising:
providing at least one increment of bi-faced sheet material which is printable on at least one portion of at least one said face thereof;
printing at least one block of indicia on at least one said portion;
laminating a layer of clear film onto said increment so that it protectively covers at least part of at least one said block of printed indicia while permitting the same to be viewed therethrough; and dividing said increment into a potential label and a remainder by cutting a discontinuous boundary line of cuts about at least a sufficient portion of the perimeter of a selected area of said part of said at least one block of printed indicia.
providing at least one increment of bi-faced sheet material which is printable on at least one portion of at least one said face thereof;
printing at least one block of indicia on at least one said portion;
laminating a layer of clear film onto said increment so that it protectively covers at least part of at least one said block of printed indicia while permitting the same to be viewed therethrough; and dividing said increment into a potential label and a remainder by cutting a discontinuous boundary line of cuts about at least a sufficient portion of the perimeter of a selected area of said part of said at least one block of printed indicia.
2. The process of claim 1, wherein: said step of providing at least one increment comprises providing a web constituting a longitudinally extending series of such increments; said step of printing comprises successively printing at least one said block on at least one said portion of each of a plurality of said increments; said step of laminating comprises laminating the layer of clear film onto each such increment after said step of printing has been conducted in respect thereto; and said step of dividing comprises successively similarly dividing each such increment into a respective said potential label and a respective said remainder.
3. The process of claim 2, wherein:
said step of printing comprises customizing said increments by changing at least part of the informational content of what is being printed between the printing of at least two of said increments.
said step of printing comprises customizing said increments by changing at least part of the informational content of what is being printed between the printing of at least two of said increments.
4. The process of claim 3, wherein:
at least part of the information content of what is being printed that is changed between the printing of at least two of said increments is printed within what is layer divided in said step of dividing, to lie within the perimeter of said selected area of the respective said potential labels.
at least part of the information content of what is being printed that is changed between the printing of at least two of said increments is printed within what is layer divided in said step of dividing, to lie within the perimeter of said selected area of the respective said potential labels.
5. The process of claim 4, wherein:
a lea t part of the information content of what is being printed that is changed between the printing of at least two of said increments and is printed with the perimeter of what will become the respective said potential labels is changed between the printing of each of said increments.
a lea t part of the information content of what is being printed that is changed between the printing of at least two of said increments and is printed with the perimeter of what will become the respective said potential labels is changed between the printing of each of said increments.
6. The process of claim 5, wherein:
said step of laminating is carried out by adhering a strip of transparent film to a respective face of said web of sheet material so that the longitudinal axis of the trip extends longitudinally of said web.
said step of laminating is carried out by adhering a strip of transparent film to a respective face of said web of sheet material so that the longitudinal axis of the trip extends longitudinally of said web.
7. The process of claim 6, wherein:
said web is substantially broader than said strip, so that some of each increment outside of the respective said perimeter remains uncovered by said film.
said web is substantially broader than said strip, so that some of each increment outside of the respective said perimeter remains uncovered by said film.
8. The process of claim 7, wherein:
in conducting said step of printing at least some of said at least one block of indicia is applied to each increment where it will remain uncovered by said film even after said step of laminating is conducted and outside of the respective said perimeter even after said step of dividing is conducted.
in conducting said step of printing at least some of said at least one block of indicia is applied to each increment where it will remain uncovered by said film even after said step of laminating is conducted and outside of the respective said perimeter even after said step of dividing is conducted.
9. The process of claim 8, wherein:
at least some of said block of indicia which is applied where it will remain uncovered by said film even after said step of laminating is conducted and outside the respective said perimeter even after said step of dividing is conducted includes at least a part which is changed in informational content between the printing of at least two of said increments.
at least some of said block of indicia which is applied where it will remain uncovered by said film even after said step of laminating is conducted and outside the respective said perimeter even after said step of dividing is conducted includes at least a part which is changed in informational content between the printing of at least two of said increments.
10. The process of claim 2, comprising the succeeding step of:
severing the printed, laminated and divided web into separate sheets each containing a respective one of said increments.
severing the printed, laminated and divided web into separate sheets each containing a respective one of said increments.
11. The process of claim 8, further comprising the succeeding step of:
severing the printed, laminated and divided web into separate sheets each containing a respective one of said increments.
severing the printed, laminated and divided web into separate sheets each containing a respective one of said increments.
12. The process of claim 9, further comprising the succeeding step of:
severing the printed, laminated and divided web into separate sheets each containing a respective one of said increments.
severing the printed, laminated and divided web into separate sheets each containing a respective one of said increments.
13. The process of claim 12, wherein:
at least part of each at least one block which is changed in informational content is a name and postal address; and said process further comprises:
successively folding each said separate sheet so that the respective said potential label lies wholly within a single panel thereof delimited by at least one fold line; and successively enclosing each such folded separate sheet in a respective envelope which is adapted to expose to view externally thereof the name and address of an intended recipient corresponding to those provided on the respectively enclosed potential label or which is printed to show the same name and address as are on the label.
at least part of each at least one block which is changed in informational content is a name and postal address; and said process further comprises:
successively folding each said separate sheet so that the respective said potential label lies wholly within a single panel thereof delimited by at least one fold line; and successively enclosing each such folded separate sheet in a respective envelope which is adapted to expose to view externally thereof the name and address of an intended recipient corresponding to those provided on the respectively enclosed potential label or which is printed to show the same name and address as are on the label.
14, The process of claim 1, wherein:
said sheet material provided is printable on a respective at least one portion of each said face thereof; and in conducting said step of printing, at least one said block of indicia is printed on at least one said portion on each said face.
said sheet material provided is printable on a respective at least one portion of each said face thereof; and in conducting said step of printing, at least one said block of indicia is printed on at least one said portion on each said face.
15. The process of claim 14, wherein.
in conducting said step of laminating, a respective said layer of clear film is laminated onto each said face so that it protectively covers at least part of said at least one block of printed indicia on each said face.
in conducting said step of laminating, a respective said layer of clear film is laminated onto each said face so that it protectively covers at least part of said at least one block of printed indicia on each said face.
16. The process of claim 15, wherein.
said steps of printing and laminating are so conduct d in relation to said step of laminating, that when said step of laminating has been conducted, said potential label contains clear film-protected printed indicia on both faces of said sheet.
said steps of printing and laminating are so conduct d in relation to said step of laminating, that when said step of laminating has been conducted, said potential label contains clear film-protected printed indicia on both faces of said sheet.
17. The process of claim 16, wherein:
said step of providing at least one increment comprises providing a web constituting a longitudinally extending series of such increments;
said step of printing comprises suceessively printing at least one said block on at least some of said at least one portion on each face of each of a plurality of said increments, said step of laminating comprises laminating a respective layer of clear film onto each face of each such increment after said step of printing has been conducted in respect thereto; and said step of dividing comprises successively dividing each such increment into a respective said potential label and a respective said remainder.
said step of providing at least one increment comprises providing a web constituting a longitudinally extending series of such increments;
said step of printing comprises suceessively printing at least one said block on at least some of said at least one portion on each face of each of a plurality of said increments, said step of laminating comprises laminating a respective layer of clear film onto each face of each such increment after said step of printing has been conducted in respect thereto; and said step of dividing comprises successively dividing each such increment into a respective said potential label and a respective said remainder.
18. The process of claim 17, wherein:
said step of printing comprises customizing said increments by changing at least part of the informational content of what is being printed on at least one of said faces between the printing of at least two of said increments.
said step of printing comprises customizing said increments by changing at least part of the informational content of what is being printed on at least one of said faces between the printing of at least two of said increments.
19. The process of claim 17, wherein:
said step of printing comprises customizing said increments by changing at least part of the informational content of what is being printed on both of said faces between the printing of each of said increments.
said step of printing comprises customizing said increments by changing at least part of the informational content of what is being printed on both of said faces between the printing of each of said increments.
20. The process of claim 18, wherein:
at least part of the information content of what is being printed that is changed between the printing of at least two of said increments is printed within what is later divided in said step of dividing, to lie within the perimeter of said selected area of the respective said potential labels.
at least part of the information content of what is being printed that is changed between the printing of at least two of said increments is printed within what is later divided in said step of dividing, to lie within the perimeter of said selected area of the respective said potential labels.
21. The process of claim 20, wherein:
at least part of the information content of what is being printed that is changed between the printing of at least two of said increment and is printed with the perimeter of what will become the respective said potential labels is changed between the printing of each of said increments.
at least part of the information content of what is being printed that is changed between the printing of at least two of said increment and is printed with the perimeter of what will become the respective said potential labels is changed between the printing of each of said increments.
22. The process of claim 21, wherein:
said step of laminating is carried out by adhering a respective strip of transparent film to each respective face of said web of sheet material so that the longitudinal axes of these strips extend longitudinally of said web.
said step of laminating is carried out by adhering a respective strip of transparent film to each respective face of said web of sheet material so that the longitudinal axes of these strips extend longitudinally of said web.
23. The process of claim 22, wherein: said web is substantially broader than at least one of said strips, so that some of at least one face of each increment outside of the respective said perimeter remains uncovered by the respective said film.
24. The process of claim 23, wherein: in conducting said step of printing at least some of said at least one said block of indicia is applied to at least one face of each increment where it will remain uncovered by the respective said film even after said step of laminating is conducted.
25. The process of claim 24, wherein: in conducting said step of printing said step of laminating and said step of dividing said at least one block of indicia which remains uncovered is placed so as to lie outside of the respective said perimeter.
26. The process of claim 18, comprising the succeeding step of: severing the printed, laminated and divided web into separate sheets each containing a respective one of said increments.
27. The process of claim 1 which also includes an embossing step for embossing the increments.
28. A series of customized clear film-protected potential label-bearing sheets, comprising:
a plurality of increments of bi-faced sheet material each increment of which has at least one block of indicia printed on at least one portion of at least one face thereof;
a layer of clear film laminated onto each said increment so that such layer of clear film covers at least part of said at least one block of printed indicia while permitting the same to be viewed therethrough;
each said increment being divided into a potential label and a remainder by a boundary line of discontinuous cuts about at least a sufficient portion of the perimeter of a selected area of the respective said part of the respective said at least one block of printed indicia.
a plurality of increments of bi-faced sheet material each increment of which has at least one block of indicia printed on at least one portion of at least one face thereof;
a layer of clear film laminated onto each said increment so that such layer of clear film covers at least part of said at least one block of printed indicia while permitting the same to be viewed therethrough;
each said increment being divided into a potential label and a remainder by a boundary line of discontinuous cuts about at least a sufficient portion of the perimeter of a selected area of the respective said part of the respective said at least one block of printed indicia.
29. The series of customized clear film-protected potential label-bearing sheets of claim 28, wherein:
said increments of sheet material are provided so as to constitute a succession of increments;
each said at least one block of indicia includes informational content; and at least part of said informational content differs for at least two successive sheets in said succession of increments.
said increments of sheet material are provided so as to constitute a succession of increments;
each said at least one block of indicia includes informational content; and at least part of said informational content differs for at least two successive sheets in said succession of increments.
30. The series of customized clear film-protected potential label-bearing sheets of claim 29, wherein:
on each said potential label at least some of said printing exists as embossment.
on each said potential label at least some of said printing exists as embossment.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US83273386A | 1986-02-25 | 1986-02-25 | |
| US832,733 | 1986-02-25 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1309986C true CA1309986C (en) | 1992-11-10 |
Family
ID=25262480
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000522831A Expired - Fee Related CA1309986C (en) | 1986-02-25 | 1986-11-13 | Method for producing a series of personalized laminated sheets |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (2) | JPS62231737A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU583682B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1309986C (en) |
| NZ (1) | NZ218797A (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPH02146069U (en) * | 1989-05-12 | 1990-12-11 | ||
| JPH0329978U (en) * | 1989-08-01 | 1991-03-25 |
Family Cites Families (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS5248080A (en) * | 1975-10-15 | 1977-04-16 | Hitachi Cable Ltd | Method of repairing paper packs for enamel wire packing |
| JPS548699U (en) * | 1977-06-21 | 1979-01-20 | ||
| JPS5770638A (en) * | 1980-10-17 | 1982-05-01 | Gen Foods Corp | Manufacture of coupon on package which can be stripped off |
| GB2122968B (en) * | 1982-06-25 | 1985-09-04 | Instance David John | Method and apparatus for producing labels |
| US4849043A (en) * | 1982-09-15 | 1989-07-18 | Instance David John | Method of producing labels |
| AU2337084A (en) * | 1982-12-13 | 1984-07-05 | John Norman Dent | Label issuing machines |
-
1986
- 1986-11-13 CA CA000522831A patent/CA1309986C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1986-11-19 AU AU65378/86A patent/AU583682B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1986-12-23 NZ NZ21879786A patent/NZ218797A/en unknown
-
1987
- 1987-02-23 JP JP3999287A patent/JPS62231737A/en active Pending
-
1993
- 1993-01-11 JP JP1993003104U patent/JPH078187Y2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU6537886A (en) | 1987-08-27 |
| JPH0591837U (en) | 1993-12-14 |
| JPH078187Y2 (en) | 1995-03-01 |
| NZ218797A (en) | 1989-01-27 |
| JPS62231737A (en) | 1987-10-12 |
| AU583682B2 (en) | 1989-05-04 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLA | Lapsed |