EP1009639A1

EP1009639A1 - Method of grouping and cutting printed matter

Info

Publication number: EP1009639A1
Application number: EP97950519A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Adrianus Wilhelmus Alfontius Grimbergen
Original assignee: Spragen NV
Current assignee: Spragen NV
Priority date: 1996-12-24
Filing date: 1997-12-24
Publication date: 2000-06-21
Also published as: AU5349498A; CA2276005A1; WO1998028155A1; JP2001506944A; AU736926B2; NL1004888C1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of grouping and cutting of printed matter, in which printed matter divided in a number of groups is brought together, in which from at least two groups, each having a distinctly specific character, subgroups are brought together in a repetitive sequence, in which parts of the sheets are cut off at at least one sheet edge, in such a way that within one group, one can jump to the subsequent subgroups, and one can leaf within said subgroups.

Description

Method of grouping and cutting printed matter.

The invention relates to the grouping and cutting of printed matter, in which printed matter divided in a number of groups is brought together, as well as printed matter manu- factured according to the method.

Printed matter comprising a number of separately distinguishable groups is known per se . One can think of e.g. a dictionary or an encyclopedia, in which groups based on the letters of the alphabet can be recognized. Within each group, one can then recognize subgroups, having in common that they all begin with the same letter, in which the ranking within a subgroup is also based on the alphabet.

In order to go quickly from one subgroup to another, or for leafing, the groups can be provided with e.g. a blacking of the front sheet margin applied on a separate location, an incision in the sheet margin as a result of which a certain letter of a group can indicate the beginning of that group, or be provided with protruding tab sheets.

However, with some printed matter, it can be a solution, if the groups are not positioned immediately in succession, but that subgroups thereof are positioned in succession in a repetitive sequence. One can think of e.g. a diary in which a number of groups are accommodated, such as e.g. a group for business appointments, a group for social appointments, and a group for other appointments, in which subgroups thereof succeed each other, e.g. per day or per week, or any other subdivision.

The object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturing such printed matter, in which measures are taken as a result of which one can easily leaf to subsequent subgroups within a group by leaps .

To that end, according to the invention it is provided for, that from at least two groups, each having a distinctly specific character, subgroups are brought together in a repetitive sequence, parts of the sheets being cut off at at least one sheet edge, in such a way that within one group, one can jump to the subsequent subgroups, or one can leaf within said subgroups .

Through this, it is achieved that it is easy to leaf within a group and that, to stay with the example of the diary, the subgroups of the various main groups can be grouped according to chosen unity of time and be in immediate succession, so that one need not leaf through a large part of the diary for finding the various subjects.

According to a further elaboration thereof, it is provided for that the first page of every subgroup is put on the second side of a sheet and that the last page of a subgroup is put on the first side of a sheet, in which from the sheets of a subgroup, starting with the sheet the first page of a subgroup is printed on, a portion or portions specific to that complete group of the sheet, are cut off, except for the sheet being printed with the last page of a subgroup.

Through this, it is achieved that on a predetermined locati- on along the front sheet edge, the edge opposite the sheet edge where the sheets are kept together, the sheet edges of each sheet, of which the second side or the first and second sides belong to one subgroup, protrude in relation to the sheet edges of the other sheets.

Preferably, it is provided for, that subgroups of three groups of printed matter, each having a distinct character, are brought together in a repetitive sequence, a first cutoff is made across the major part of the sheet edge and a small part of the upper edge of the sheet, a second cut-off is made, in which corner points of the sheet at top and bottom are cut off, and a third cut-off is made across the major part of the first sheet edge and a small part of the lower edge of the sheet .

Through this, a piece of printed matter is obtained in which it is possible to leaf in one of the groups in a very simple way, that is, according to subsequent subgroups thereof, as well as within the subgroups. By grasping the sheets at the top side of the foremost edge, one can leaf in a first group, by grasping the foremost edge in a second group and finally by grasping the foremost edge at the bottom side in a third group.

By further providing for that the number of pages per subgroup is small and the cut-offs form a small angle in relation to the foremost edge, it is not clearly visible right away that the sheets are provided with cut-offs. Apart from the fact, that this provides a visually attractive diary, book or other printed matter, leafing, in which subsequently the foremost edge is engaged in the various locations, has a particular surprising effect.

This effect can be further enhanced by e.g. using specific colours, graphic representations for the various subgroups and/or designing one of the groups in black and white.

Although it is basically possible, especially with a larger sheet size, to employ more than three groups, the visibility of the cut-offs increases quickly, as a result of which the appearance as well as the surprising effect will clearly be reduced. In the following, the invention is explained by way of the drawing, in which

Fig. 1 shows schematically a pile of subgroups; Fig. 2 shows schematically a plan view of the pile accor- ding to Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 shows schematically a number of subsequent repetitions of subgroups.

A simple embodiment is shown in Fig. 1, in which subgroups 1, 2, 3 of three groups in all are illustrated. Each of the subgroups consists of two pages, the first page of which being printed on the second side of a sheet, so that for the first subgroup, an additional sheet must precede the pile, which sheet is not shown in the example.

The first subgroup consists of the second side of the addi- tional sheet not shown and the first side of the sheet indicated by 2, the second subgroup consists of the second side of sheet 2 and the first side of sheet 3, respectively, and the third subgroup consists of the second side of sheet 3 and the first side of the next subgroup of the first group. Therefore, an additional sheet will have to be added for the last subgroup of the third group too.

In the figure, a first cut-off is indicated by 4, cutting off the major part of the front edge and a small portion of the top edge of the sheet, a second cut-off is indicated by 6, 7, cutting corner points from the sheet, and a third cutoff 5, cutting the largest part of the front edge and a small portion of the lower edge of the sheet.

In Fig. 2 , the parts of the sheets of the subgroups of one group, at that location protruding above the sheet edges of the subgroups of the other groups are illustrated in hatching. At the corner points, one can leaf through the sub- groups, which are determined by the sheets 1 and 3, and in the middle of the edge one can leaf through the groups determined by the sheets 2 (see also Fig. 3) .

The sheet portions of the sheets 2 which protrude freely, are determined by the line going through the starting points of the cut-offs 4 and 5 and the crossing point 8 of the cutoffs 4, 5.

The distance across which the free sheet portions should protrude can be relatively small, such as it has been indi- cated in the middle for the sheets 2. For the sake of clarity, the illustrated free portions of the sheets 1 and 3 are illustrated comparatively larger than necessary.

Claims

Claims :

1. Method of grouping and cutting printed matter, in which printed matter divided in a number of groups is brought together, characterized in that from at least two groups, each having a distinctly specific character, subgroups are brought together in a repetitive sequence, in which parts of the sheets are cut off at at least one sheet edge, in such away that within one group, one can jump to the subsequent subgroups, or one can leaf within said subgroups.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first page of each subgroup is put on the second side of a sheet and that the last page of a subgroup is put on the first side of a sheet.

3. Method according to claim 1 - 2, characterized in that from the sheets of a subgroup, starting with the sheet the first page of a subgroup is printed on, a portion or portions being specific to that complete group of the sheet, are cut off, except for the sheet being printed with the last page of a subgroup.

4. Method according to claim 1 - 3, characterized in that the cut-offs are made at the sheet edge situated opposite the sheet edge where the sheets are kept together, and in which the cut-offs extend across two adjacent sheet edges.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the cut-offs are straight cut-offs.

6. Method according to one or more of the claims 1 - 5, characterized in that the cut-offs can be made in such a way, that on a predetermined location along the foremost sheet edge, the edge opposite the sheet edge where the sheets are kept together, the sheet edges of each sheet having its second side or first and second sides belonging to a subgroup, protrude in relation to the sheet edges of the other sheets .

7. Method according to one or more of the claims 1 - 6, characterized in that subgroups of three groups of printed matter, each having a distinctly unique character, are brought together in a repetitive sequence, in which a first cut-off is made across the major part of the frontmost sheet edge and a small part of the top edge of the sheet, a second cut-off is made, in which corner points are cut off at the top and bottom of the sheet, and a third cut-off is made across the major part of the foremost sheet edge and a small part of the bottom edge of the sheet .

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the first and third cut-off actions cut off bottom and top edge at equal distances respectively, by which the cut-offs of the second cut-off action cut off the bottom and top edge, in which the distances across which the cut-off actions cut off the bottom and top edge are smaller than the distances across one or more of the cut-offs of the foremost sheet edge take place.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that a cutoff from the foremost sheet edge of the first and the third cut-off begin approximately there where the respective cutoffs from the foremost sheet edge of said second cut-off end.

10. Printed matter according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 - 9, characterized in that the printed matter com- prises at least two groups, subgroups of which being brought together in a repetitive sequence, each consisting of at least two pages, in which cut-offs have been made that cut off parts of the foremost sheet edge and of the bottom and top edge of the sheet, in such a way that within one group, one can jump to the subsequent subgroups, or one can leaf within said subgroups .

11. Printed matter according to claim 10, characterized in that the printed matter comprises at least two groups, the subgroups of which consisting of two pages, and in which a first cut-off is made across the major part of the foremost sheet edge and a small part of the top edge of the sheet, a second cut-off is made in which corner points are cut from the sheet at the top and bottom, and a third cut-off is made across the major part of the foremost sheet edge and a small part of the bottom edge of the sheet, and in which the first and third cut-offs cut off top and bottom edge at equal distances, respectively, by which the cut-offs of the second cut off action cut off the bottom and top edge, the distance across which the cut-offs cut off the bottom and top edge being smaller than the distances across which one or more of the cut-off actions of the foremost sheet edge takes place, and the cut-offs of the foremost sheet edge of the first and third cut-off actions begin approximately there where the respective cut-offs of the foremost sheet edge of the second cut-off end.