CN112272845A

CN112272845A - Improved self-destruct document for information security and privacy protection

Info

Publication number: CN112272845A
Application number: CN201880094278.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 科迈尔·伊斯梅尔
Original assignee: Invaluable Inventions
Current assignee: Invaluable Inventions
Priority date: 2018-06-06
Filing date: 2018-06-06
Publication date: 2021-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 2038-06-06
Also published as: DK3799655T3; AU2018427101A1; CA3099855C; IL279187B1; ZA202100028B; FI3799655T3; PT3799655T; KR102511892B1; LT3799655T; EP3799655A1; SG11202011001VA; CA3099855A1; KR20210016542A; CN112272845B; IL279187A; BR112020024716B1; WO2019236080A1; JP7278308B2; EP3799655B1; ES2930369T3

Abstract

The inventors herein disclose a destructible (self-destructing) file useful for protecting confidential information. The present invention includes a document that can be readily broken down into many discrete components in a timely manner to destroy any information contained thereon. The present invention represents a great improvement over the prior art, since the self-destruction of this document does not require additional equipment for destruction and ensures the elimination of readable data. Further improvements allow simple mass production of the invention using current manufacturing equipment and techniques. There are shown and described numerous embodiments of the present document specific to different applications.

Description

Improved self-destruct document for information security and privacy protection

Background

The threat of data privacy and identity theft is becoming more prevalent, inflicting endless distress on subjects whose personal or corporate information is stolen or abused and incurring billions of dollars of annual losses. However, despite cyber hacking, phishing, and other computer-assisted personal information pirating of news that has become the top of newspapers, much of this information is still stolen in an old-fashioned manner by extracting information Personally Identifiable Information (PII), commonly referred to as a spam search, from printed correspondence that is eventually thrown into a trash can.

The myriad of items (some solicited and others beyond the individual's control) delivered through a typical mailbox contain a large amount of information in the public's field of view, from names and addresses to other more private information that is not intended to be disclosed to the public. Further, the information contained in medical mailpieces and prescription containers is highly confidential and subject to abuse. Currently, such items do not have a quick and simple way to ensure destruction of the information, and the use of information stolen from discarded mailpieces and the like remains a significant problem for which the present invention provides a solution.

In addition, data theft and espionage within the industry are also becoming more common. Even in offices with strict environmental controls (such as using a secure intranet and no file saving on sensitive devices), the necessity of handwriting documents and temporary memos remains a weak link in the original security system.

While there are many solutions to protect such private information, most of these solutions often require additional equipment such as paper shredders or may result in incomplete erasure of the information, as is the case with simple paper shredding, the use of masking stamps and markings, and the like. In addition, the ability to manufacture and distribute solutions is critical to availability in a competitive and cost-conscious market. Further improvements to the present invention allow simple mass production using current manufacturing equipment and techniques. Due to the lack of utility in the real world, none of the currently available solutions address the pressing need. The inventors herein disclose a destructible (e.g., self-destructing or self-shredding) document and provide a range of solutions for the theft of personal, medical, and industrial information, thereby providing a high level of affordability, manufacturability, privacy, and protection.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a series of solutions for the embezzlement of personal information, medical information and industrial information. Briefly, the present invention comprises a printable surface, referred to as a cover sheet. The use of a pattern of cuts or perforations to divide the cover sheet into a residual frame and a series of releasable island cuts allows each cut to be released from the page with only a small force due to the presence of the cuts or perforations while maintaining the integrity of the page. To release the cut-out, two additional sheets are placed above or below the cover sheet-a separator and a top sheet, which together make up a release unit. The separator sheet has a series of small holes positioned to be placed over the cut-outs on the cover sheet, and the top sheet is attached to the cut-outs of the cover sheet through the holes of the separator and may in some embodiments help to hold the cut-outs in place. The separator and top sheet are bonded to each other at their peripheries and have a lug at one or both ends-a removal lug on the separator and an activation lug on the top sheet). The separating member may also be bonded to the cover sheet at its periphery to hold the release unit in place. To destroy the document, the release unit is first disengaged from the cover sheet using the removal lug, thereby separating the perforated cut-outs from the top sheet due to their attachment to the top sheet. The top sheet is then released from the separator using the actuating lugs. Since the attached cut-out is larger than the hole of the separator, the shear force breaks the fixed engagement that keeps the top sheet connected to the cut-out and the individual cut-outs are released as debris. Each fragment contains a small portion of the original document information, thereby ensuring that the original document data is completely destroyed. In some embodiments, the cover sheet is fully perforated and the cut-outs are held in place by attaching them to the top sheet.

In some embodiments, releasing the cover sheet cut-out will reveal information contained on one or more other layers. In some embodiments, the cover sheet may be adhered to an adhesive backing sheet with an optional release liner, allowing the cover sheet to be adhered to an article when desired. In all embodiments, the present invention presents the destruction of the printed surface and the destruction of any readable text. Further details and embodiments are discussed below.

The invention comprises the following elements:

one or more perforated cover sheets are provided,

one or more separator sheets

One or more top sheets

The present invention may also include one or more optional backing sheets, which when adhesive may incorporate an optional associated release liner,

each of these elements will be described in further detail below, followed by a description of certain preferred embodiments. For the sake of brevity, the singular is used in referring to the above elements but is intended to include one or more of the referenced elements where appropriate.

The first element of the present invention comprises one or more cover sheets. The cover sheet is typically a sheet of paper, plastic, polymer, fabric, metal or other suitable material. One surface includes a writable or printable surface on which handwritten information, printed information, graphical information, mailer information, and other information may be entered. In some cases, the text may be applied to the cover sheet by one or more overlying layers using a thermal printing process. In some cases, both surfaces may be writable. The cover sheet is cut or perforated to have a series of island-like contours or "cuts" using methods such as die or laser cutting, which are well known in the art and are commonly employed in the production of decals, adhesive labels, stamps, toilet paper, and the like. The cover sheet may be slightly perforated so that a great force is required to disengage the cut-outs, or any change to the cover sheet up to the full perforation so that the cut-outs are free floating and can be held in place by attachment to the top sheet. The cut-outs may be of the same or different shapes and sizes, and the pattern of these cut-outs on the cover sheet may be uniform or random and may cover all or part of the cover sheet. The size, size and shape of the cutout will depend on the font type, font characters, font size, file format, etc., and may be selected to mask the data to the maximum extent. These parameters can be optimized using typical cryptographic methods of hiding information to ensure that the information is difficult to identify after destruction and cannot be reconstituted by forensics. After releasing the cut-out, the remaining portion of the cover sheet is referred to as a residual frame. In some embodiments, the cover sheet is bonded to an underlying adhesive or non-adhesive backing sheet having an optional release liner. In some embodiments, the backing sheet is transparent. When no backing sheet is present, the cutting or perforation should generally substantially separate the cut-outs from the cover sheet, but maintain the integrity of the page, and each cut-out can be released from the page with only a small force due to the presence of the perforation. When a backing sheet is present to further support the cut-outs, the cutting/perforation may make it easier to release the cut-outs from the backing sheet and the cover sheet, leaving a grid of residual cover sheets adhered to the backing sheet placed below. In some embodiments employing a backing sheet, the cover sheet may resemble a perforated sticker, and the lower surface of the cover sheet is covered by an adhesive, which may form a releasable bond with the upper surface of the underlying backing sheet, which releasable bond is made into a release layer, as described further below. In some embodiments, the cover sheet further comprises one or more lugs at one or each end, which may be used to secure the cover sheet ends, act as finger grips to help separate the layers from each other, or may be grasped to help pull the cover sheet. The lugs may have any shape and configuration suitable for gripping and may be integral with the cover sheet, including flat portions and reinforced portions. The lug may additionally include a mechanism for securing the free end.

The second element of the present invention comprises one or more separator sheets or separators comprising a pattern of apertures placed over each cut-out in the cover sheet. The holes may be of any shape and size and placed over the cut-outs to allow spot bonding of the top sheet to the cut-outs. The separating member is typically, but not necessarily, transparent and serves to break the connection between the top sheet and the cut-outs and subsequently release the cut-outs from the cover sheet, releasing the cut-outs into debris. The separator may be equal to or smaller in size than the top sheet, but in any case, the separator is at least large enough to cover the attachment to the cut-out. The separator may be permanently or temporarily bonded on one or both sides and at one or more locations to form an attachment to the top sheet and/or the remnant frame of the cover sheet. In some embodiments, the separator may not be peripherally bonded, but held in place by the engagement between the top sheet and the cut out of the cover sheet. The separator typically has a removal tab at one or both ends thereof that can be grasped to assist in separating the separator from the other elements of the invention and in document destruction. The lugs may have any shape and configuration suitable for gripping and may be integral with the separator, including a flat portion and a reinforced portion. In a preferred embodiment, the removal tab is positioned at an end opposite the release tab and may be offset relative to the top sheet or the cover sheet. The lug may additionally include a mechanism for securing the free end.

The third element comprises one or more top sheets at least completely covering each hole on the separator and fixed to each cut-out through the holes of the intermediate separator. The attachment may be by any suitable means and may include point or other bonding, fusing or any chemical or mechanical joining method. The attachment may be of any size, shape and number such that the cut-out is securely fixed to the top sheet by the hole without being bonded to the intervening separator. The top sheet will typically be a sheet of any suitable material and will typically, but not necessarily, be transparent. The top sheet further comprises one or more release tabs at one or each end similar to the tabs previously described, which act as finger grips to help separate the top sheet from the other layers. In a preferred embodiment, the release tab is positioned at an end opposite the removal tab and may be offset relative to the separator or cover sheet. Pulling the top sheet away from the separator using the release tab breaks the engagement of the top sheet with the cut-out, causing the cut-out to be released as debris. In some embodiments, the top sheet is peripherally bonded directly to the cover sheet remnant frame, and the separator is held in place by fixation between the top sheet and the cut-out. In some embodiments, the cover sheet is fully perforated and the cut-outs are held in place by securing them to the top sheet layer.

A fourth optional element of the invention comprises a backing sheet and an optional release liner. By including a backing sheet, the document of the present invention can be reinforced or can be adhered to an article when desired. The backing sheet includes an upper surface that can be bonded to the cover sheet. The upper surface is characterized by the characteristics of a release liner, i.e. coated with a polyolefin (such as HDPE, LDPE and PP plastic resins), silicon, polyvinyl alcohol or other suitable composition, which coating may cover all or part of the backing sheet and allow for reliable but temporary bonding to the lower surface of the cover sheet. This facilitates adhesion to the cover sheet, but allows for subsequent release of the perforated cut-outs from the upper surface of the backing sheet. In some embodiments of the invention, adhesive is applied to the lower surface of the backing sheet, and the backing sheet is used to reinforce the cover sheet by bonding to the cover sheet placed thereunder. In other embodiments, the lower surface of the backing sheet comprises a second adhesive surface that is capable of adhering to a mailer surface or other surface and is typically protected by a release liner. In some embodiments, the lower surface, with or without an optional release liner, may be coated with an adhesive and may be adhered to a mailer or other surface by any technique known in the art. For example, the lower surface may typically comprise a simple sticker with a pressure sensitive adhesive covering the surface. The adhesive is protected by a release liner to protect the adhesive prior to application of the label as is common in the sticker industry. Similar to the upper surface of the backing sheet, the release liner is characterized as comprising an upper surface coated with silicon, polyvinyl alcohol, or other suitable composition to reduce the tackiness of the surface and allow for reliable but temporary bonding to a second adhesively coated surface. The attached release liner can be peeled away from the backing sheet to expose the lower surface covered by the adhesive to facilitate adhesion to a mailer or other surface. Alternatively, the adhesive on the lower surface of the backing sheet may not be covered and needs to be activated by water, light, temperature or other means known in the art, and in this case the optional release liner may be omitted.

The particular choice or combination of materials employed in the construction of the invention depends upon the particular application and embodiment. Suitable materials are or will become known to those skilled in the art and the absence of inclusion in a listed material does not imply that the material is of reduced importance in the present invention. In any event, suitable materials and methods are well known in the art, and the following is intended to illustrate, but not limit, the selection of materials that can be employed. Typically, the cover sheet, backing sheet, and release liner are constructed of paper or cardboard (e.g., any wood pulp or other fibrous product known in the art). In some embodiments, these elements are constructed of a fabric or other woven material. Alternatively, plastics and other organic polymers may be used. In certain applications, metal foils and alloys may also be advantageous. In some applications, thermally active materials and thermal printing methods may be employed to print through the layers placed above. The thermal printing method produces a printed image by selectively heating the coated thermochromic or thermal paper, and can be used to create an image on a sheet through layers placed above or below. The heated area of the coating changes color, thereby producing an image having one or more colors. Alternatively, thermal transfer, laser, inkjet or any other form of printing may be employed. Depending on the embodiment, the text and images may be applied before, during, or after the layers of the roll-to-roll are combined, and may appear on either side of either layer. The top sheet may also be composed of the above-described materials, and the material thereof may be the same as or different from that of the covering sheet. Also, the separator piece and the lugs may be constructed from the various materials listed above. In many applications, one or more layers will be constructed of a transparent material. Preferred materials may be stored and utilized in roll form to facilitate ease of manufacture.

The adhesive may be of any type commonly used in the production of stickers and labels. For example, the adhesive may be permanent, peelable, or highly tacky. The adhesive chosen for each surface will be most suitable for the task at hand. For example, a relatively strong engagement between the backing sheet and the mailer is required to ensure fastening, whereas a relatively weak engagement between the backing sheet and the cover sheet may be employed to facilitate easy release of the cut-out when the top sheet is pulled. Any materials and methods known in the art that produce a secure engagement of the lower surface with the mailer and a releasable engagement between the upper surface and the cover sheet are contemplated within the scope of the present invention.

The particular selection or combination of perforation techniques employed in the construction of the cover sheet will depend on the embodiment and may be applied before, during, or after the layers of the roll-to-roll are combined. In some cases, the cover sheet will be lightly perforated so that the cut-outs are securely attached to the cover sheet and a shear force between the separator and the cover sheet is required to aid removal. At the other extreme in this respect, the cover sheet may be perforated completely so that the cut-outs are separated from the cover sheet for all purposes and may be held in place by fixing them to the top sheet. This can be achieved using laser cutting after the individual layers are brought together and the cut-out spots are glued to the top sheet during the conversion phase of the roll-to-roll process.

The main advantage of the present invention over the prior art is the combination of simplicity and safety features provided. Since this advantage is indispensable to the present invention and no additional equipment is required, there is minimal incremental cost and no further ongoing cost or requirement. As described in most cases, after destruction, the text is broken down into physically distinct portions, i.e., on each released cut-out (debris), on the residual frame. After destruction of the file, each separate part contains text components that cannot be independently deciphered and is doubly secure due to the combination of features cited herein.

Importantly, the present invention provides a significant improvement over other solutions in the prior art that is easy to manufacture using current technology. Typically, label manufacturers employ roll-to-roll processing (also known as reel-to-reel processing or R2R) and utilize a rolled continuous sheet of flexible material (known as a roll) for easier handling and transportation. Thus, materials of various weights and lengths, such as paper, fabric, plastic film and foil, and the like, can be employed in processing machines, such as printers, laminators, coaters, and cutters/punches, to produce intermediate or final products. In this case, each layer of the label is contained in a roll, and the various layers are combined and manipulated in a process called conversion. The individual rolls of each layer are delivered to a machine and joined using chemical, mechanical, thermal, adhesive or other means as indicated by the examples. The use of various layers allows for customization of the label embodiment (such as preprinting), use of thermally active materials for later application of information, and selection of different materials and transparencies for different layers. After completion, the combined layers may be rewound to form an output roll, or may be further processed on the same machine or a different machine depending on the application. Common conversion techniques include die cutting, laser cutting or other suitable perforation/cutting techniques, and thermal or conventional printing methods. Common finishing techniques include techniques known in the art such as slitting, sheeting, fan folding, scoring, or other processing means for providing a customized finished label. The advantage of the invention compared to other solutions of the prior art is that all elements can be contained on a roll and processed by means of the equipment currently utilized and economically competitive in the label-making industry. The rolls with each inventive element can be customized to have the final printed matter and perforations already applied so the rolls can be simply combined and then cut or processed for distribution. Alternatively, the input may be blank and ready for inputting custom data and/or perforations during or after layer assembly processing. This gives flexibility to the various solutions. The use of other materials such as tape or filaments, robust lugs and cutting devices requires specialized machinery and expertise not currently available on the market.

Drawings

The drawing on the first page shows an embodiment of the device that is useful in protecting information on mailpieces. FIG. 1A details the document components in an exploded view, including a small drawing detailing the apertures in the separator layer (FIG. 1E). FIG. 1B shows a document adhered to a box. Fig. 1C shows the release of the cut out, separator and top sheet from the cassette, while in fig. 1D the cut out is released from the top sheet by pulling the separator away from the top sheet.

The drawing on the second page shows another embodiment of a device that is useful in protecting information on mailpieces. Fig. 2A details the document components in an exploded view, including a small drawing detailing the apertures in the separator layer (fig. 2E). Figure 2B shows a document adhered to a box. Fig. 2C illustrates the release of the cover sheet, cut-out, separator and top sheet from the box, while in fig. 2D the cut-out is released from the cover sheet and top sheet by pulling the separator away from the top sheet.

The figures on the third page show embodiments of the invention that are useful in terms of company security. Fig. 3A details the file components in an exploded view, while fig. 3B shows the filled-in file. Fig. 3C illustrates the release of the cutout and file destruction.

The figures on the fourth page show embodiments of means for protecting prescription and medical information. In fig. 4A, the label of the present invention is adhered to a square container.

The drawings on the fifth page show in fig. 5 an embodiment of an apparatus in which a plurality of labels are made into a single sheet.

The drawings on page six show in fig. 6 a roll to roll mass production of the present invention using current commercial technology.

Detailed Description

The following drawings are provided to illustrate, but not to limit the claimed invention.

The drawing on the first page shows an embodiment of the apparatus useful in protecting information during mailing. Fig. 1A shows an exploded view of a mailpiece label (1). This embodiment comprises a heat activated perforated cover sheet consisting of a residual frame (6) and cut-out (4), a backing sheet (10) with an optional release liner (11) that can be adhered to a package, container or mailer (12) as described above. An intermediate separator sheet (7) is positioned between the cover sheet and the top sheet (5). Referring to panel 1E, a small hole (19) in the separator allows the top sheet to be directly joined to the underlying lidding sheet cut-out. The separator may be sandwiched between the top sheet and the cut-out and held in place by the engagement of the two, or may be engaged to the periphery of the top sheet (5) and/or the periphery of the residual frame (6) of the cover sheet, with one or more release lugs (8) feature to allow separation of the layers. In fig. 1B, the mailer label (1) is shown adhered to the box (12). In fig. 1C, the top sheet (5) and separator (7) have been removed from the box using release lugs (8). When the top sheet is point bonded to the cut-out (4), the cut-out will be released from the perforated cover sheet, leaving a residual frame (6) attached to the box. In fig. 1D, document destruction is accomplished by separating the top sheet (5) from the separator (7) using the release lugs (8) so that the cut-outs are released as debris (14).

The drawing on the second page shows another embodiment of a device useful in protecting information during mailing. Fig. 2A shows an exploded view of a mailpiece label (1). This embodiment comprises a heat activated perforated cover sheet consisting of a residual frame (6) and cut-out (4), a backing sheet (10) with an optional release liner (11) that can be adhered to a package, container or mailer (12) as described above. In this embodiment, an intermediate separator sheet (7) is positioned between the cover sheet and the top sheet (5). A small hole in the separator (see (19) of fig. 2E) allows the top sheet to directly engage the fully perforated cut-outs, thereby holding them in place. In addition, the separator is temporarily joined to the periphery of the residual frame (6) and/or the top sheet (5) and features one or more lugs (8) to allow separation or separation of the layers. In fig. 2B, the mailer label (1) is shown adhered to the box (12). In fig. 2C, the cover sheet (2), separator (7) and top sheet (5) with cut-outs (4) and residual frame (6) have been removed from the box using first release lugs (8), leaving a backing sheet (10) attached to the box. In fig. 2D, document destruction is accomplished by separating the top sheet (5) from the separator (7) and the bonded residual frame (6) using the second release tab (8) so that the fully perforated cut is released as debris (14). The labels of the present invention are suitable for all forms of transportation and communication requiring labels including, but not limited to, boxes, letters, mailers, packages, mailing tubes, postal delivery, air mail, shipping, documents, memorandum, flyers, newspapers, advertising materials, and the like.

The drawing on page three shows an embodiment of the device for protecting company information and documents. Fig. 3A shows an exploded view of a security document (1) comprising a cover sheet (2), a separator (7) and a top sheet (5) with one or more tab (8) features to allow separation or separation of the various layers. In this embodiment, after the individual layers are combined together, the cut-outs (4) are perforated completely out of the cover sheet (2) using laser cutting and are held in place by fixing them to the top sheet. An intermediate separator sheet (7) is positioned between the cover sheet and the top sheet (5) and permanently attached to the remnant frame (6). Figure 3B shows the application of text to the top writable surface of the security document (1). In fig. 3C, the top sheet (5) is pulled away from the joined separator (7) and cover sheet (2) using the lugs (8). Since the holes of the separating member (7) are smaller than the cut-outs, the engagement between the top sheet (5) and the cut-outs (4) will be broken by the shear forces generated, the cut-outs will be released as scattered debris (14) and the information on the document (1) will be destroyed. Since the printed matter is distributed over the entire surface of the document, the printed matter remaining on the residual document frame may become unintelligible by removing the cut-out and the information printed thereon. The security document of the present invention is suitable for all forms of confidential information.

The figures on the fourth page show embodiments of means for protecting prescription and medical information. The label of the invention is adhered to a prescription container (15). This embodiment comprises the elements listed above, including a cover sheet (2) comprising a residual frame, perforations (3) and cut-outs (4), a top sheet (5), a separator (7) and one or more lugs (8) for releasing and destroying the tag. This embodiment is useful for all labeled medical supplies (including hospital prescriptions, research prescriptions, blood bank prescriptions, hospitalization prescriptions, and outpatient prescriptions), law enforcement documents, and all other situations where medical information may be at risk.

The drawings on the fifth page illustrate in fig. 5 the use of multiple label panels (17) incorporated into a single sheet (16). The elements of the invention are as described previously and comprise a perforated cover sheet (2) and cut-out (4), a separator (7), a lug (8) and a top sheet (5). Each label instance can be applied separately as the backing sheet and release liner (11) are perforated at the edges of each panel. In the illustration, six panels (each including one copy of the label) are shown as one sheet. In the lower right corner, a panel with a set of repeat labels (17) is shown cut from a sheet (16). Each panel may comprise a single or multiple top sheets, such that releasing the top sheets causes information from only a portion of the panel to be destroyed, while leaving the information on lower layer portions intact for later use. Thus, each top sheet may be used individually to release a cut-out from one or more portions of the cover sheet while leaving adjacent text intact for later use.

The drawings on page six show the present invention in mass production using current commercial technology in figure 6. The top sheet (5), separator sheet (7), cover sheet (2) and backing sheet (10) with release liner (11) are combined (20) together using a roll-to-roll manufacturing method using a suitable adhesive or fusion technique as described. After the layers are combined, other conversion (21) techniques may be employed, including thermal or conventional printing and/or die or precision laser perforation. The final step involves finishing (22), where the coil may be separated, cut or otherwise processed to produce the final embodiment. Depending on the embodiment, the cover sheet (2) may be pre-printed with information, or a thermally active surface may be employed, so that information may be applied to the label during conversion (21) or later. In some embodiments, the backing sheet (10) and/or the release liner (11) are omitted.

Description of the embodiments

It should be understood that the drawings, examples, and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this application and scope of the appended claims. The following examples are provided to illustrate and not to limit the claimed invention, and no limitation imposed by the example embodiments is to be construed as a limitation on the claims. All publications, patents, and patent applications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

Because the present invention includes certain optional elements, these elements may be customized for each desired use. The backing sheet and associated release liner are optional elements of the present invention, both included and excluded in each embodiment depending on the selected application. Further, the top sheet and separator may be below or placed above the cover sheet, and many mechanisms for attaching the top sheet, separator, and/or lugs are contemplated.

Example 1: this example provides a solution for the theft of personal information from waste mailpieces and containers, and employs a top sheet with a separator sheet positioned between a cover sheet and the top sheet. As shown in fig. 1A, the present invention provides a label for a mailpiece that includes a heat-activated lidding sheet and a backing sheet with a release liner that can be adhered to a package, container, or mailpiece. Placed over the cover sheet is a separator that covers the writable portion of the cover sheet, has small holes aligned over each cut-out, and has all or a portion of its periphery temporarily bonded to the underlying cover sheet remnant frame. A removal lug at one end of the separator allows the separator/top sheet sandwich to be separated from the cover sheet, thereby removing the cut-out secured to the top sheet from the cover sheet. Placed above the separator is a top sheet that is at least equal in size to the separator and offset relative to the separator to allow easy access to the protruding release tabs. The top sheet is secured to the cut out of the cover sheet by aligned apertures in the intervening separator and all or a portion of its perimeter is temporarily bonded to the separator placed below. In this embodiment, the text may be applied to the cover sheet by a separator and top sheet placed above using a thermal printing method. Alternatively, where no backing sheet is present, text can be applied to the lower surface of the cover sheet and the present invention shows the text inserted into the text side of the transparent mailer. After the separator, the top sheet, and the attached cut-out are removed from the cover sheet with the removal lug, the tag is destroyed by pulling the lug to separate the top sheet from the separator. A shear force is generated and the cut-out cannot pass through the small hole of the separator, so the engagement of the cut-out with the top sheet is broken and the cut-out falls as random debris. Now, as the document information is broken down onto the cover sheet residual frame and a large amount of debris, the remaining printed matter becomes unintelligible.

Example 2: this example provides a solution for the theft of personal information from waste mailpieces and containers, and employs a top sheet with a separator sheet positioned between a cover sheet and the top sheet. As shown in fig. 2A, the present invention provides a label for a mailpiece that includes a heat-activated lidding sheet and a backing sheet with a release liner that can be adhered to a package, container, or mailpiece. A tab at one end of the coversheet allows the release of the coversheet, separator and top sheet sandwich from the adhesive backing sheet and wrapper. Placed over the coversheet is a separator that covers the writable portion of the coversheet and has an aperture aligned over each cut-out. After the individual layers have been combined together, the cut-outs have been completely perforated using laser cutting and held in place by the attachment of the cut-out points to the top sheet. All or a portion of the perimeter of the separator may be temporarily bonded to the underlying remnant frame of the cover sheet. Placed above the separator is a top sheet which is secured to the cut-out through the aligned separator holes and which may otherwise have all or a portion of its periphery temporarily bonded to the separator placed below. The top sheet is at least equal in size to the separator and is typically offset relative to the separator to allow easy access to the projecting release tabs. In this embodiment, the text may be applied to the cover sheet by a separator and top sheet placed above using a thermal printing method. Alternatively, where no backing sheet is present, text can be applied to the lower surface of the cover sheet and the present invention shows the text inserted into the text side of the transparent mailer. After the separator, top sheet and attached cut-out are removed from the cover sheet with the removal lugs, the tag is destroyed by pulling the lugs to separate the top sheet from the other layers. A shear force is generated and the cut-out cannot pass through the small hole of the separator, so its fixed engagement with the top sheet is broken and the cut-out falls as random debris. Now, as the document information is broken down onto the cover sheet residual frame and a large amount of debris, the remaining printed matter becomes unintelligible.

Example 3: this example provides a solution for the theft of corporate information, such as communications generated within a controlled work environment. As shown in fig. 3A, the present invention includes a cover sheet having a suitable writable surface, a separator, a top sheet, and one or more lugs. In some embodiments, after the layers are combined together, the cut-outs are perforated completely out of the cover sheet using laser cutting and held in place by attaching the cut-outs to the top sheet. An intermediate separator sheet is positioned between the cover sheet and the top sheet and permanently attached to the remnant frame around its perimeter. After the text is added, the document may be destroyed by pulling the tab of the separator. Since the separator is joined to the cover sheet and the cut-out has been laser cut from the cover sheet, the shear force generated by pulling the lug can cause the fixed engagement between the top sheet and the cut-out to break, the cut-out can be released as scattered debris, and the information on the document (1) can be destroyed. In an alternative embodiment, the separator is temporarily joined to both the cover sheet and the top sheet, the cut out is only slightly perforated from the cover sheet, such that the separator and top sheet provide support for the perforated cover sheet, and the page retains its integrity and usability prior to release. At destruction, pulling on the separator tab and the lidding sheet tab causes the separator/top sheet to be pulled away from the lidding sheet, and the shear forces generated also cause the cut-outs to separate from the perforated lidding sheet as the top sheet is secured to the cut-outs through the holes in the separator. Next, the two layers are pulled apart using the top sheet and lugs on the separator. Since the holes of the separator are smaller than the cut-outs, the engagement between the top sheet and the cut-outs may be broken and the cut-outs may be released as scattered debris. Since the printed matter is distributed over the entire surface of the document, the printed matter remaining on the residual document frame may become unintelligible by removing the cut-out and the information printed thereon. In some embodiments, a label may comprise a single panel having one or more instances of the invention, or may have multiple panels, each with zero or more of the example features of the invention. The panels may abut or appear as separate components. By providing a fast, simple, and integrated system to remove all identifying information from confidential documents, the present invention provides companies with a way to protect their own or customers' information from capture and abuse. Ease of use and plasticity is maximized as no additional equipment is required and in situ destruction can be achieved. The tags of the present invention are readily manufactured using currently available technologies and are suitable for all forms of confidential communication including, but not limited to, letters, documents, memos, drawings, graphics, sketches, graffiti, scrawling, cards, forms, reels, large amounts of paper and images.

Example 4: this example provides a range of solutions for the theft of personal, industrial and medical information. As previously mentioned, the present invention includes a cover sheet, a top sheet, a separator, and an adhesive backing sheet that can be adhered to any item bearing private medical information (e.g., a package, container, document, or mailer). This embodiment contains all the elements of example two and allows the removal of the complete label from the medical container. In an alternative embodiment, the backing sheet and release liner may be omitted and the cover sheet bonded directly to the container, leaving a residual frame of cover sheet bonded to the container after destruction of the document. In some embodiments, the release tab is integral with the top sheet and may be a rigid extension of the top sheet that lies flush with the cover sheet, thereby presenting a uniform surface for printing after being bonded to the container. In a preferred embodiment, the top sheet is offset relative to the cover sheet to allow easy access to the lugs. In another preferred embodiment, the label may comprise a single panel having one or more embodiments of the invention, or may have multiple panels, each with zero or more of the embodiments features of the invention. The panels may abut or appear as separate components. With the progress of genetic science and the subsequent introduction of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996, the need for higher information security of patients has never been pressing. This embodiment is well suited for protecting patient information on prescriptions and on drugs, containers, labels, prescriptions and other items containing such sensitive medical information.

Example 5: this example provides an overview of the invention as it is manufactured on a commercial scale using currently available technology. As illustrated in fig. 6, roll-to-roll processing is commonly employed in the manufacture of labels and is readily utilized in the present invention. The individual rolls of each layer are delivered to a machine and joined using chemical, mechanical, thermal, adhesive or other means as indicated by the examples. After joining, the combined layers may be rewound to form an output roll, or may be further processed (converted) depending on the application on the same machine or a different machine. Common conversion techniques include die cutting, laser cutting or other suitable perforation/cutting techniques, and thermal or conventional printing methods. Common finishing techniques include techniques known in the art such as slitting, sheeting, fan folding, scoring, or other processing means for providing a customized finished label. In some embodiments, the cover sheet is pre-printed, while in other embodiments, a roll of thermally active material is employed so that the information can be applied later. In some embodiments, the backing sheet with the release liner is omitted. In some embodiments, the top sheet and separator may be supplied as a transparent roll. In some embodiments, the cover sheet is fully perforated using a precision laser after the cut-outs have been secured to the top sheet. The advantage of the invention compared to other solutions of the prior art is that all elements can be contained on a roll and processed by means of the equipment currently utilized and economically competitive in the label-making industry. The roll with each inventive element may be customized ready for lamination of the final product, or blank and ready for customized data and perforations during or after the lamination process. This gives flexibility to the various solutions. The use of other materials such as tape or filaments, robust lugs and cutting devices requires specialized machinery and expertise not currently available on the market.

Claims

1. A self-destructing document comprising:

a cover sheet on which can be written or printed and which can be cut or perforated to form a series of island-like cut-outs, from which these can be released by pulling;

a top sheet placed above or below the cut-out portion and fixed to the cut-out portion;

a separator comprising a sheet material incorporating a pattern of apertures positioned over each of said cut-outs in said cover sheet material.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein one or more of the cover sheet, or the separator or the top sheet has one or more lugs at each or both ends thereof.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the shape of said cutout is selected to mask data to a maximum extent.

4. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said cover sheet is made of a thermally printable material.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein any of said sheets is transparent.

6. The invention as recited in claim 1, further comprising a backing sheet.

7. The invention of claim 6, wherein the backing sheet further comprises an adhesive surface capable of adhering to a mailer or other surface.