GB2192587A

GB2192587A - Self-adhesive laminar elements

Info

Publication number: GB2192587A
Application number: GB08609895A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Raymond Edward Heming
Original assignee: FREEWAY MARKETING Ltd
Current assignee: FREEWAY MARKETING Ltd
Priority date: 1986-04-23
Filing date: 1986-04-23
Publication date: 1988-01-20
Also published as: GB8609895D0

Abstract

A sheet assembly of self- adhesive laminar elements (2) e.g. reinforcing 'rings', is disclosed in which each element is polygonal e.g. hexagonal and share at least part of one edge with at least one adjoining element. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Self-adhesive laminar elements The present invention relates to sheet assemblies of self-adhesive laminar elements.

The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to sheets of reinforcement rings. It is known to provide sheet assemblies of self-adhesive laminar elements on a backing sheet. Such elements may be, for example, annular reinforcement rings for reinforcing the retaining holes for sheets held in a file. Such assemblies are conventionally manufactured as follows. To a backing sheet, which may be coloured, for example black, is applied a selfadhesive sheet, which may be coloured differently from the backing sheet, for example white. A cutter device comprising a plurality of pairs of concentric cutter blades is then brought into contact with the self-adhesive layer in order to cut through the self-adhesive layer and to form the individual annular reinforcing rings. It will be apparent that this process is bound to give rise to wastage.Since each ring is circular, material exists between adjacent rings which is waste and which must be peeled away before the assembly can be sold. Furthermore, the centre hole of each ring is also waste, but is not joined onto the surrounding material. The usual methcd is to peel away only the surrounding material, which can be removed in one piece, and to leave the central disks of material in respective rings in position. These central disks are usually coloured the same colour as the backing material, so that the appearance is created that the central disks are removed. In fact however the central disk must be removed by the user during peeling of the individual ring from the backing sheet.

Alternatively, the central disks may be completely removed by the manufacturer together with corresponding disks of backing material.

It is not feasible to position the individual rings in contact with each other for two reasons. Firstly, this would cause the waste material to be split up into a plurality of individual segments so that it could not be peeled away in one piece during manufacture. Secondly, it would cause problems in the cutting process since the circular blades would have to merge at the points of contact.

An object of the invention is to provide a sheet assembly comprising a plurality of selfadhesive laminar elements on a backing sheet which can be manufactured with reduced wastage of material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet assembly comprising a plurality of self-adhesive laminar elements on a backing sheet in which the number of elements in a given area can be significantly increased.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet assembly comprising a plurality of self-adhesive laminar elements, on a backing sheet which can be manufactured without the need to remove excess waste material, for example by a reverse winding arrangement.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a sheet assembly comprising a plurality of self-adhesive laminar polygonal elements on a backing sheet. each element sharing at least part of one edge with at least one adjoining element.

Preferably, each element is shaped as a regular polygon or as a rectangle. The regular polygon is preferably a square or a hexagon.

Although it is preferred that all the elements are identical, it is also conceivable that elements of two or more differing shapes may be so arranged on a backing sheet in such a manner as to permit sharing of adjoining edges.

Preferably, each element shares the whole of one edge with at least one adjoining element.

Where the elements are hexagons, it will be apparent that most of the elements share each edge with a respective adjoining hexagonal element. The only elements for which this condition is not satisfied will be those at the edge of the sheet.

Preferably, in order to manufacture reinforcement rings, the centre of each element is cut away completely or partially, this cut away portion being, for example, circular.

It will be apparent that by means of the invention as defined above a tessellated appearance may be created, the individual elements covering the whole area of the backing sheet and thus minimizing the amount of wasted material.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a self-adhesive laminar polygonal element removed from a sheet assembly according to the above defined aspect of the invention.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a sheet of seif-adhesive laminar polygonal elements the method comprising: providing a laminate of a self-adhesive layer and a backing layer; and cutting polygonal elements in said self-adhesive layer in such manner that each element shares at least part of one edge with at least one adjoining element.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the single Figure of the accompanying drawing which shows a sheet assembly comprising a plurality of self-adhesive laminar polygonal elements on a backing sheet.

Referring to the Figure in more detail, a backing sheet 1 carries a plurality of self-adhesive laminar polygonal elements 2. In the illustrated embodiment, each element 2 is a regular hexagon and all the elements 2, except those at the edge of the assembly, adjoin six other similar hexagons. At the centre of each element 2, a circular disk 3 is removed so that each element 2 forms a reinforcement ring. If desired, the backing material may be coloured black and each element 2 may be coloured white. If each disk 3 is not actually removed from the sheet assembly, but only has its periphery partially cut, the disk 3 may be coloured black or some other colour contrasting with the colour of the element 2.

As will be apparent, since the self-adhesive material is substantially entirely sub-divided into hexagonal elements 2, there is virtually no wastage. The only wasted self-adhesive material is that occuring at the edges of the.

sheet assembly and that represented by the disks 3.

Of course, it is unnecessary to provide the cut away disks 3 if the elements are to serve only as decorative shapes, for example for use by children. and are not intended to serve as reinforcement rings.

In addition to the advantage of reducing the amount of wastage, the invention also enables the number of reinforcement rings of given equivalent diameter per unit area to be substantially increased. Furthermore, owing to the fact that there is no waste material between the individual elements 2, it is of course unnecessary to remove such material during manufacture, in contrast to the prior art sheets of reinforcement rings.

Another advantage is that the substantially continuous surface of the elements 2 permits advertising material or other written material to be printed on the elements 2.

Although the specific embodiment utilizes hexagonal elements, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that the hexagonal shape is not the only shape which is suitable.

Clearly square elements would also achieve the same result. Similarly, equilateral triangles can be fitted together without wastage. Furthermore, if there is no restriction to the elements all being identical, combinations of differing shaped elements may be fitted together without wastage in the manner of tessellated pavements.

It will be apparent that the primary important feature is that each element shares at least part of one edge with at least one adjoining element.

Although in the preferred embodiment each sheet comprises a two dimensionai array of elements, the invention is also applicable to strips of elements which may comprise only a single tine of elements, in a pattern corresponding for example to the elements having reference numerals 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the Figure.

Claims

1. A sheet assembly comprising a plurality of self-adhesive laminar polygonal elements on a backing sheet, each element sharing at least part of one edge with at least one adjoining element.

2. An assembly according to Claim 1 wherein each element is shaped as a regular polygon.

3. An assembly according to Claim 1 wherein each element is shaped as a rectangle.

4. An assembly according to Claim 2 wherein each element is shaped as a hexagon.

5. An assembly according to Claim 1 wherein elements of two or more differing shapes are arranged on the backing sheet in such manner as to permit sharing of adjoining edges.

6. An assembly according to any of Claims 3 to 5 wherein each element shares the whole of one edge with at least one adjoining element.

7. A sheet assembly substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.

8. A self adhesive laminar polygonal element removed from a sheet assembly according to any of Claims 1 to 7.

9. A method of manufacturing a sheet of self-adhesive laminar polygonal elements comprising providing a iaminate of a self-adhesive layer and a backing layer; and cutting polygonal elements in said self-adhesive layer in such manner that each element shares at least part of one edge with at least one adjoining element.

10. A method of manufacturing a sheet of self-adhesive laminar polygonal elements substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.