GB2444142A

GB2444142A - Forming leaflets

Info

Publication number: GB2444142A
Application number: GB0721996A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Dyson; Jonathan Dyson
Original assignee: GRANGEFIELD PRODUCTS
Current assignee: GRANGEFIELD PRODUCTS
Priority date: 2006-11-22
Filing date: 2007-11-09
Publication date: 2008-05-28
Anticipated expiration: 2027-11-09
Also published as: GB2444142B; GB0721996D0; GB0623223D0

Abstract

A flat web (10 fig 1) with printed matter on both sides is perforated by spikes (26 fig 1) of a roller (22 fig 1), deflectors 32 initiate folds parallel to the sides of the web about the perforations, after completion of which the orientation of the web is changed from vertical to horizontal by passing through a pair of cooperating conveyors (50 and 52 fig 6), double sided tape (72 fig 7) then secures the folded web to a further web (68 fig 7). A third web (78 fig 8) is then adhered on top of those two webs. The web (10 fig 1) may pass between three deflectors 32, 38 in order to form two parallel folds. The folding may be assisted by passing the web (10 fig 1) over a W-shaped guide (42 fig 3), rollers (44, 46 figs 4 and 5) may close the W shaped folds to concertina the web together. The completed web may form a folded leaflet to be secured to a product.

Description

LEAFLETS

The present invention relates to leaflets, a method of making a leaflet and apparatus for making a leaflet.

When referring to a leaflet the present invention also includes booklets or any information bearing article.

Many products are required to have information attached to them and the amount of such information is increasing.

Accordingly, leaflet labels with a folded leaflet contained between two outer layers are provided with one of the outer layers being stuck to the product. The other outer layer has perforations that can be torn to allow the leaflet to be accessed and unfolded.

At present, the leaflet information is printed on to a single sheet of paper from which the individual leaflets are cut and then subsequently folded. The folded leaflets are then encapsulated on to a continuous base layer and the leaflet labels cut therefrom. This is expensive and time consuming. Further the method wastes some of the cut sheet.

It is an object of the present invention to attempt to overcome at least one of the above or other disadvantages.

The present invention is defined in the claims and

elsewhere in the specification.

A requirement for more information to be held on product than space allows.

Produce a folded continuous length of paper that is printed on one or both sides and then folded along its length to create a continuous web of folded material. The folded continuous strip is the adhered to a base carrier and encapsulated with a top layer of self adhesive material stock. The finished laminated material may be then printed and cut in such a way as to create product or label that when split along the length of perforation that is placed to revealthe folded material stock inside. This product is therefore capable of containing more information in a given space.

The present invention may be carried into practice in various ways but one embodiment will now be described with reference to and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a leaflet made of printed material passing through a perforation/creasing station 12; Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 are successive views of folding stations 14, 16, 18 and 20 for folding the leaflet in to a web 10; Figure 6 is a schematic view of a conveyor system that takes a vertically extending folded leaflet and reorientates that leaflet to extend horizontally; Figure 7 is a schematic view showing the attachment of the folded leaflet to a continuous printed backing sheet; Figure 8 is a schematic view showing the attachment of a cover sheet over the folded leaflet and onto the backing sheet; Figure 9 is a rear view of the cover sheet; Figure 10 is a view showing individual leaflet labels in a continuous strip being deposited onto a carrier layer; Figure 11 is a schematic side view showing a leaflet label opened up; Figure 12 is a schematic side view of a printing station 96, creasing station 12 and a fold station 14, 16, 18, 20, and Figure 13 is a plan view showing the folded paper web 10 mounted on the backing sheet 68 with the cover sheet 78.

As shown in Figure 1, a flat leaflet 10 has printed matter on both sides. The printed matter includes repeated information and also periodic register marks 21 at one side and corresponding to defined position within each repetition of information. The leaflet is scored, creased, or perforated (or any combination thereof) along its length to form fold lines and then progressively folded into a web that is concertinaed into the vertically extending form shown in Figure 5.

The perforations are effected by cooperating driven rollers 22 and 24. The upper roller 22 has radially extending spikes 26 at three axial locations that penetrate through the leaflet into grooves (not shown) in the lower roller 24 to effect the perforations 28.

Alternatively, the leaflet 10 is scored by moving the leaflet past a blade, with the blade in slight contact in order to make a score line.

The leaflet is folded into the concertinaed web by passing through four folding stations 14, 16, 18 & 20. Initial folding is effected at the station 14 where an upper, fixed bar 30 has two axially spaced deflectors 32 that extend forwardly and downwardly with respect to the direction 34 of travel of the leaflet. A lower, fixed bar 36 includes a single forwardly and upwardly extending deflector 38. The lower ends of the deflectors 32 extend to an elevation below the upper end of the deflector 38 to cause the folding into the W or N form 40.

At the second folding station 16 the form 40 is fed through the station 16 where a W guide 42 forces the form to start to close in on itself. The next station 18 provides two upwardly and outwardly diverging rollers 44 that further collapse the W or N form. Finally the sheets are caused to contact each other and to lie parallel to each other by being passed through parallel rollers 46 (section 20) . The folded web now has its major surfaces extending vertically upwards.

The conveyor system 48 shown in Figure 6 reorientates the folded web 10 to extend with its major surface extending horizontally. The system 48 includes two conveyors 50 and 52.

Each conveyor passes around adjacent parallel rollers 54 and 56 that extend vertically. At the mid extent of each conveyor a pair of rollers 58 and 60 extend at 45 to the vertical to cause each conveyor to be deflected from the vertical by 450 Finally each conveyor passes around adjacent parallel driven rollers 62 and 64 that extend horizontally.

The folded web 10 is fed in the direction of arrow 66 between the conveyors 50 and 52 in the space between the vertically extending rollers 54 and 45. The web is then carried between the conveyors and changes orientation with the conveyors until the web 10 exits the conveyors with a horizontal orientation.

Figure 7 shows how the folded web 10 is also attached to a much wider, backing sheet 68 which may also be printed.

The backing sheet passes around a first roller 70 where it is joined by a strip of double sided tape 72. Then the sheet 68 and tape 72 pass around a second roller 74 where the folded web 10 is introduced and is attached to the sheet 68 by the tape 72. The printing on the sheet 68 is aligned with the printing when the backing sheet is printed, on the web 10 by the presence of the register marks 21 on the web 10 and register marks 76 on the backing sheet 68. The register marks 21 are visible from what was the original front face of the web 10 as there is a greater distance across the web seen in Figure 1 from the side of the web with the mark 21 to the adjacent perforations than the distance between the other adjacent perforations.

A cover sheet 78 which may also be printed is then attached to the backing sheet 68, over the web 10, as shown in Figure 8. The cover sheet 78 is self-adhesive with the backing sheet removed just prior to being adhered to both the exposed portions of the backing sheet 68 and also to part of the exposed edge 82 of the web 10 having the register marks. The printed cover sheet 78 may also have register marks 84 to permit alignment with the web 10 and backing sheet 68.

In an alternative embodiment the perforations and the printing of the cover sheet are both made before attachment of the cover sheet.

The backing sheet 68 comprises two layers. An upper layer 68A that has an adhesive surface facing the lower layer 68B that has a release surface. The assembled layers can then be formed into individual leaflet labels by cutting into the web at intervals determined by the register marks. The various layers that are left outside the predetermined cutter shape are then removed therefore leaving the finished leaflet label 90 still attached to the lower layer 68b at set intervals to be wound up into rolls 94 or released from the backing layer and collected individually as shown in Figure 10.

Figure 11 shows the leaflet label 90 in an opened position. The cover layer 80 has had the perforations 86 separated. The cover layer 80 has been folded about the perforations 88 which are less severe than the perforations 86 and serve as a fold line. The leaflet 10 has been unfolded about the lines 28. Information on all visible surfaces can then be read.

The present invention enables leaflets to be attached to the backing sheet without first separating the individual leaflets from the continuous printed sheet. Furthermore, because of the process, extra leaflets do not need to be printed in order to achieve a certain yield of leaflet labels.

It will be appreciated that by adapting the shape and form of the deflectors and guides at stations 14 and 16, the flat leaflet 10 can be folded into forms having any number of parallel fold lines. For instance, the form shown in Figures 2-5 shows a "w" form having three parallel fold lines. However, the flat leaflet may also be folded with one fold line or, for example, with up to seven fold lines.

The parts of the leaflet label may be made of any suitable material, for instance paper. Additionally, a waterproof leaflet label may be made by using parts made from synthetic stock.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including s any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s) . The invent ion extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features

is disclosed in this specification (including any

accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of forming a leaflet comprising folding a continuous sheet about at a least one fold extending parallel to the sides of the sheet.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 comprising folding first and second panels on opposed sides of the fold towards each other.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 2 comprising folding the first and second panels to contact each other.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 2 or 3 comprising folding first and second panels towards each other by causing the sheet to pass two deflectors on one side of the sheet to either side of the fold and a third deflector on the other side of the sheet and located between the two deflectors with respect to the direction of movement of the sheet.

5. A method as claimed in Claim 4 in which the deflectors on one side of the sheet is caused to extend between the two deflectors on the other side of the sheet in a direction across the sheet.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim including at least two spaced parallel folds.

7. A method as claimed in Claim 6 in which each adjacent fold caused to fold in a different direction.

8. A method as claimed in any of Claims 4 to 7 in which at least one of the deflectors assists in the movement of adjacent folds.

9. A method as claimed in any preceding claim comprising assisting in making the fold by passing the sheet over a forming member having the same valley or mountain fold as required to be made by the or each fold.

10. A method as claimed in any preceding claim comprising assisting in making the fold by passing the sheet between two members extending at an angle to each other.

11. A method as claimed in any preceding claim comprising assisting in making the fold by passing the sheet through two parallel members.

12. A method as claimed in any preceding claim comprising reorientating the folded sheet such that the plane of the sheet at least one side of the fold is altered.

13. A method as claimed in Claim 12 comprising effecting the reorientation by passing the sheet between two conveyors that have a different angle of opening at the entry to those conveyors than the angle of the opening at the exit.

14. A method as claimed in Claim 13 comprising causing the opening angle to extend upwardly and the exit opening to extend transversely to the opening angle.

15. A method as claimed in Claim 13 or 14 comprising causing the conveyors to pass around rotating members at opposed ends of each conveyor with rotational axes of the rotating members at each end extending at a different angle and past a deflector of at least one conveyor located between the ends of each conveyor.

16. A method as claimed in any preceding claim comprising adhering at least one part of a first panel on one side of the continuous folded sheet to a first continuous web of greater width than the folded sheet.

17. A method as claimed in Claim 16 adhering the folded sheet and web with double sided tape extending parallel to the sides of the web.

18. A method as claimed in Claim 16 or 17 adhering a second continuous web of greater width than the folded sheet to the first web with the second web extending over the continuous folded sheet.

19. A method as claimed in Claim 18 comprising adhering the second web to the first web on both sides of the folded sheet.

20. A method as claimed in Claim 18 or 19 comprising adhering the second continuous web to part of the folded sheet.

21. A method as claimed in any of Claims 16 to 20 comprising detaching an outer layer of one web from an inner layer of that web.

22. A method as claimed in Claim 21 comprising adhering the inner layer to a support web to raise one edge of the sheet to be further from a first fold adlacent to that edge than an adjacent fold or edge on the other side of the first fold.

23. A method as claimed in Claim 21 or 22 comprising detaching the assembled first web, folded sheet and second web from the continuous assembly and adhering the inner layer to the second web at spaced locations.

24. A method as claimed in any of Claims 21 to 21 causing the exposed sided of at least one web to be adhesive.

25. A method as claimed in any of Claims 16 to 24 comprising forming a weakened portion in at least one web extending parallel to the sides of that web.

26. A method as claimed in Claim 25 comprising forming the weakened portion prior to attachment of that web to the folded sheet.

27. A method as claimed in Claim 25 comprising forming the weakened portion after attachment to the folded sheet.

28. A method as claimed in any of Claims 16 to 27 comprising forming a fold in at least one web parallel to the sides of the web.

29. A method as claimed in Claim 28 comprising forming that fold prior to attachment to the folded sheet.

30. A method as claimed in Claim 28 comprising forming that fold after attachment to that other web.

31. A method as claims in any preceding claim comprising folding the sheet.

32. A method of forming a booklet substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings.

33. A leaflet forming apparatus including a sheet folding means arranged, in use, to fold a continuous sheet about at least one fold extending parallel to the sides of the sheet.

34. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 33 in which the folding means includes means for weakening the sheet.

35. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 34 in which the weakening means comprise means for perforating the sheet comprising at least one rotating member including projections around the circumference of that member that are arranged to perforate the sheet as the sheet passes that member.

36. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 33 to 35 including deflectors, at least two of which are arranged to act on one side of the sheet to either side of a fold and a deflector arranged to act on the other side of the sheet and located between the other two deflectors in the direction of extent across the width of the sheet.

37. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 33 to 36 including a forming member having a folded profile over which, in use, the sheet is arranged to pass.

38. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 33 to 37 comprising two forming members extending at an angle to each other which are arranged, in use, to assist in forming the fold.

39. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 33 to 38 including two parallel members that the sheet is arranged, in use, to pass between to assist in making the fold.

40. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 33 to 39 including a pair of conveyors between which, in use, the sheet is arranged to pass, the conveyors being movable about rotating members at each end, the axis of the rotatable members at one end extending in a different plane to the axis of the rollers at the other end.

41. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 40 in which the rollers at one end are horizontal and the rotatable members at the other end are vertical.

42. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 33 to 41 including a first continuous web supply means to which, in use, the folded sheet is arranged to be connected.

43. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 42 including double sided tape supply means arranged, in use, to connect the first continuous web supply means and the folded sheet together.

44. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 42 or 43 including second continuous web supply means arranged in use to attach a second continuous web to the first continuous web.

45. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 42 to 44 in which one of the webs includes a detachable layer.

46. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 42 to 45 including weakening means arranged, in use, to weaken at least one of the webs in a direction extending parallel to the extent of that continuous web.

47. A leaflet manufacturing apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings.

48. A leaflet that has been formed by a method as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 33.

49. A leaflet that has been made by apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 33 to 47.

50. A leaflet substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings.

51. A leaflet including at least one fold with sides parallel to that fold.

52. A leaflet as claimed in Claim 51 including a first web adhered to a panel on one side of the folded leaflet.

53. A leaflet as claimed in Claim 52 including a second web adhered to the first web.

54. A leaflet as claimed in any of Claims 51 to 53 in which the or each fold of the leaflet extends to the opposed ends of the or each web.