KR102511892B1 - Improved self-destructive documentation for information security and privacy - Google Patents

Abstract

The inventor hereby discloses a destructive (self-destructing) document useful for the protection of confidential information. The present invention includes a document that can be easily and instantaneously destroyed into dozens of individual components, thereby removing any information contained therein. As the self-destruction of documents ensures the erasure of readable data without requiring any extra equipment for destruction, the present invention provides a significant improvement over the state of the art. A further improvement would allow simple mass production of the present invention using current manufacturing equipment and techniques. Numerous implementations of the present document are shown and described, tailored to different applications.

Description

Improved self-destructive documentation for information security and privacy

Fears of data privacy and identity theft are increasingly common, resulting in untold pain and loss each year for millions of people whose personal or corporate information is stolen or misused. However, while online hacking, phishing, and other computer-assisted theft of personal information is making headlines, much of that information is still printed on paper found inside trash cans, commonly known as dumpster diving. By extracting personally identifiable information (PII) from communications, the former is being stolen.

The numerous items delivered through the typical mailbox, some requested, others outside the individual's control, contain a great deal of information of a public nature, from names and addresses to other more private information not intended to be publicly disclosed. Additionally, the information contained in medical mail and prescription containers is highly confidential and can be abused. Currently such articles do not have a quick and simple way to ensure that such information is destroyed, and the use of information stolen from discarded mail and the like remains a major problem, and the present invention provides a solution to this.

Additionally, data theft and espionage in industry are becoming increasingly common. Even in offices with strict environmental controls, such as secure intranets, and no facility for file storage on sensitive equipment, the need for handwritten notes and memos remains a weak link in otherwise secure systems.

Numerous solutions exist to protect such personal information, but most of these often require separate equipment, such as paper shredding, or are generally simple paper shredding, the use of concealed stamps and markers, or in other cases. Likewise, it can lead to incomplete deletion of information. Additionally, the ability to manufacture and distribute a solution is critical to its usefulness in a competitive and cost-sensitive market. A further improvement to the present invention allows simple mass production using current manufacturing equipment and techniques. Lacking practicality in the real world, currently available solutions do not address urgent needs. The inventors herein disclose destructible (eg, self-destroying or self-shredding) documents and provide a series of solutions to the theft of personal, medical-related and industrial information resulting in affordable affordability. , manufacturability, and offers superior levels of privacy and protection.

The present invention provides a series of solutions to the theft of personal, medical and industrial information. In summary, the present invention includes a printable surface referred to as a coversheet. Using a pattern of cuts or perforations, the coversheet is subdivided into a series of detachable island cutouts and a residual framework, thereby maintaining the integrity of the page, but with the presence of cuts or perforations. As a result, each cutout can be separated from the page with minimal force. To separate the cutouts, two additional sheets, a separator and a topsheet, which together contain the separation unit, are placed above or below the cover sheet. The separator sheet has a series of small holes arranged to overlie the cutouts in the cover sheet, and the topsheet is attached to the cutouts in the cover sheet through the holes in the separators, and in some embodiments, these cutouts are in place. can help fix it. The separator and topsheet are attached to each other at their periphery and have tabs located at one or both ends, a removal tab on the separator and an initiation tab on the topsheet. The separator can also be attached to the cover sheet at its periphery to hold the separator unit in place. In order to destroy the document, the separation unit is first freed from the cover sheet using the release tabs, thereby causing the perforated cutouts to detach from the cover sheet due to their attachment to the top sheet. The topsheet is then separated from the separator using the start tabs. Since the attached cutout is larger than the hole in the separator, the shear force destroys the anchoring joint securing the topsheet to the cutout, and the individual cutout separates as a chad. Each chad contains a part of the original document information and guarantees complete erasure of the data of the original document. In some embodiments, the coversheet is fully perforated and the cutouts are held in place by being attached to the topsheet.

In some implementations, separation of the coversheet cutout will expose information contained in one or more of the other layers. In some embodiments, the coversheet is attached to an adhesive backing sheet with an optional release liner, allowing the coversheet to be adhered to the article as desired. In all embodiments, the present invention allows the printing surface to be destroyed and all readable characters to be removed. Additional details and implementations are described below.

The present invention includes the following elements:

one or more perforated coversheets;

one or more separator sheets

One or more topsheets.

The present invention also

may include one or more optional backing sheets, which may include an optional associated separator liner in the case of an adhesive;

Each of these is described in more detail below, and descriptions of certain preferred embodiments follow. For brevity, the singular is used in context to refer to any of the foregoing elements, but may include one or more of the recited elements where appropriate.

A first element of the present invention includes one or more coversheets. A coversheet is typically a piece of paper, plastic, polymer, fabric, metal, or other suitable material. One surface includes a writable or printable surface on which handwriting, printing, graphics, postal and other information may be input. In some cases, characters may be applied to the coversheet through one or more overlying layers using thermal printing. In some cases, both surfaces may be writable. The coversheet is cut into a series of island outlines or "cutouts" using methods well known in the art and commonly used in the production of stickers, adhesive labels, stamps, toilet paper, and the like, such as die or laser cutting. or perforated. The coversheet can be slightly perforated so that significant force is required to remove the cutout, or it can be freely arbitrarily changed to a fully perforated cutout and held in place by being attached to the topsheet. The cutouts can be of the same or different shapes and sizes, their patterning on the coversheet can be uniform or random, and can cover all or part of the coversheet. The dimensions, size and shape of the cutout will depend on the font type, font characteristics, and font size, document format, etc., and can be selected to maximize data masking. These parameters can be optimized using typical cryptographic methods to obscure the information, thereby ensuring that the information is indeterminate after destruction and cannot be forensically reassembled. After separation of the cutout, the portion of the coversheet that remains is known as the residual framework. In some embodiments, the cover sheet is attached to an underlying adhesive or non-adhesive backing sheet with an optional separator liner. In some embodiments, the backing sheet is transparent. When no backing sheet is present, cutting or perforation will be common, so that the cutouts are substantially separated from the coversheet, but the integrity of the page is maintained, and each cutout is made with minimal force due to the presence of perforations. can be separated from the page using only When a backing sheet is present to further support the cutouts, the cutouts/perforations may be made such that the cutouts are more easily separated from the backing and coversheet leaving a residual coversheet lattice attached to the underlying backing sheet. In some implementations where a backing sheet is used, the cover sheet can resemble a perforated sticker, and the lower surface of the cover sheet is the upper surface of the underlying backing sheet, formulated as a release layer, as further described below. and covered with an adhesive capable of forming a separable bond. In some implementations, the coversheet further comprises one or more tabs at one or each end, which tabs may serve to secure the coversheet ends, and a finger hold (to help separate the layers from one another). It can act as a finger hold, or can be gripped to easily pull the cover sheet. The tabs may be of any shape and configuration suitable for gripping, and may include flat, reinforced sections integrated into the coversheet. It may additionally include a mechanism for securing the free end.

A second element of the present invention includes one or more separator sheets, or separators, comprising a pattern of small holes overlapping each cutout on the cover sheet. These holes can be of any shape and size and can be placed over the cutouts so that the topsheet is spot adhered to the cutouts. The separator is usually, but not always, transparent, and after the topsheet and cutouts are separated from the coversheet, they act to sever the connection between the topsheet and cutouts, releasing them as chad. The separator may be the same size as or smaller than the topsheet, but in any case large enough to at least cover the attachment to the cutout. The separator may be permanently or temporarily attached in one or more places and on one or both sides, thereby forming an attachment with the topsheet and/or coversheet residual framework. In some implementations, the separators may not have peripheral attachments and may be held in place by bonding between the topsheet and coversheet cutouts. The separator generally has a release tab at one or more ends that can be gripped to aid in document destruction and separation from other elements of the invention. The tabs may be of any shape and configuration suitable for gripping, and may include flat, reinforced sections integral to the separator. In a preferred embodiment, the removal tabs may be disposed at opposite ends to the release tabs and offset relative to the topsheet or coversheet. It may additionally include a mechanism for securing the free end.

The third element comprises at least one topsheet, which topsheet completely covers at least each hole on the separator and is secured to the respective cut-out through the intervening hole in the separator. Such attachment may be through any suitable means and may include point attachment or other attachment, fusion or any chemical or mechanical joining method. Such attachments may be of any size, shape and number so that the cutouts are securely fastened to the topsheet through holes, without attachment to intervening separators. The topsheet will typically be a sheet of any suitable material, and will typically, but not always, be transparent. The topsheet further includes one or more release tabs at one or each end, similar to the tabs described above, which release tabs act as finger retainers to assist in detaching the topsheet from other layers. In a preferred embodiment, the release tab may be disposed at an end opposite to the removal tab and offset relative to the release or coversheet. Pulling the topsheet from the separator with the separator tab breaks the bond to the cutout and causes it to separate as a chad. In some embodiments, the topsheet is attached directly to the coversheet residual framework at the periphery, and the separator is held in place by fasteners between the topsheet and the cutout. In some embodiments, the coversheet is fully perforated and the cutouts are held in place by anchors to the topsheet layer.

A fourth optional element of the present invention includes a backing sheet and an optional separator liner. By including a backing sheet, the document of the present invention can be reinforced or, if desired, attached to an article. The backing sheet includes an upper surface to which a cover sheet can be attached. Characteristically, the upper surface has the properties of a separator liner, i.e., HDPE, LDPE and PP plastic resins, which can cover all or part of the backing sheet and allow it to be reliably but temporarily bonded to the lower surface of the cover sheet. polyolefins such as, silicon, polyvinyl alcohol or other suitable components. This aids adhesion to the coversheet, but allows subsequent perforated cutouts to separate from the top surface of the backing sheet. In some embodiments of the present invention, the backing sheet does not have adhesive applied to its lower surface and serves to reinforce the overlapping cover sheet by bonding thereto. In another embodiment, the lower surface of the backing sheet includes a second adhesive surface that can be adhered to mail or other surfaces and is generally protected by a separator liner. In some implementations, the lower surface may be coated with an adhesive, with or without an optional release liner, and adhered to mail or other surfaces by any of such techniques known in the art. For example, the lower surface may typically include a simple sticker, with a pressure sensitive adhesive covering the surface. The adhesive is protected by a release liner to protect the adhesive before the label is applied, as is common in the sticker industry. Characteristically, similar to the top surface of the backing sheet, the release liner is made of silicon, polyvinyl alcohol or other suitable ingredients to reduce the tackiness of the surface and enable it to be reliably but temporarily bonded to the surface of the second adhesive coating. It includes a top surface coated with. An attached release liner may be peeled off the backing sheet to expose the adhesive application lower surface, thereby assisting in adhesion to mail or other surfaces. Alternatively, the adhesive on the lower surface of the backing sheet may be uncovered and may require activation by water, light, temperature, or other means known in the art, in which case the optional separator liner is omitted. It can be.

The exact selection or combination of materials used in the construction of the present invention will depend on the particular application and implementation. Suitable materials are or will be known to those skilled in the art, and those excluded from the list are of no importance to the present invention. In any case, suitable materials and methods are well known in the art, and the following is intended to illustrate, without limitation, a selection of materials that may be used. Typically, the coversheet, backing sheet and separator liner are composed of paper or cardboard, eg pulp of any wood or other fibrous product known in the art. In some embodiments, these elements are composed of cloth or other woven materials. Alternatively, plastics and other organic polymers may be used. In certain applications, metal foils and alloys may also be advantageous. In certain applications, it is possible to print through an overlying layer using a thermally active material and thermal printing. Thermal printing creates a printed image by selectively heating a coated thermochromic or thermal paper and can be used to create the image on a sheet through an overlying or underlying layer. The coating changes color in the heated area, creating an image of one or more colors. Alternatively thermal transfer, laser, inkjet or any other form of printing may be used. Text and images may be applied before, during, or after roll-to-roll combination of layers, and may appear on either side of any layer, depending on the implementation. The topsheet may also be composed of the materials described above, and may be the same or a different material than the coversheet. Similarly, separators and tabs can be constructed from a variety of materials listed above. In many applications, one or more layers will consist of a transparent material. Preferred materials can be stored and used in roll form to aid in ease of manufacture.

The adhesive may be of any type commonly used in the production of stickers and labels. For example, adhesives can be permanent, peelable or very tacky. The adhesive selected for each surface will be best suited for the task at hand. For example, a relatively strong bond is required between the backing sheet and postal material to ensure fastening, while a relatively weak bond is required between the backing sheet and coversheet to facilitate easy separation of the cutouts upon pulling of the topsheet. can be used Any materials and methods known in the art that produce a secure bond of the lower surface to the mail and a releasable bond between the upper surface and the coversheet are contemplated within the scope of the present invention.

The exact selection or combination of perforation techniques used in the construction of the coversheet will depend on the implementation and can be applied before, during, or after the roll-to-roll combination of the layers. In some cases, the coversheet will be slightly perforated so that the cutouts are securely attached to the coversheet and shear forces are required between the separator and the coversheet to aid in removal. At the other end of the spectrum, the coversheet can be fully perforated so that the cutouts are for all purposes separated from the coversheet and held in place by their anchors to the topsheet. This can be achieved using laser cutting during the conversion stage of the roll-to-roll process after the assembly of the layers and point attachment of the cutouts to the topsheet.

The principal advantage of the present invention over the current technology is the combination of simplicity and security features provided. Because such advantages are incorporated into the present invention and do not require separate equipment, costs are minimally increased and there are no additional ongoing costs or requirements. As explained in most cases, the character break below is broken into physically distinct parts, in the residual framework, in each of the separate cutouts (chads). After document destruction, each separate part contains a component of the character that cannot be identified by itself and has double security due to the combination of features mentioned herein.

Importantly, the present invention provides a significant improvement over other solutions in the art for ease of manufacture using current technology. Typically, label manufacturers use roll-to-roll processing, also known as reel-to-reel processing or R2R, and produce a continuous sheet of flexible material (referred to as a web) that is rolled for more convenient handling and transportation. Use Accordingly, materials such as paper, fabric, plastic films and foils of various weights and lengths may be utilized in processing machines such as printing presses, laminating, coating and/or cutting/punching machines to create intermediate or final products. can In this case, each layer of label is included on a roll, and the layers are combined and manipulated in a process known as converting. Individual rolls of each layer are machined and bonded using chemical, mechanical, thermal, adhesive or other means as specified by the embodiment. The use of layers enables customization of the label implementation, such as pre-printing, use of thermally active materials for later information application, and selection of different materials and opacities for different layers. do. Upon completion, depending on the application, the combined layers can be re-reeled to create an output roll or further processed on the same or different machines. Common conversion techniques include die cutting, laser cutting or other suitable perforation/cutting techniques, and thermal or conventional printing. Common finishing techniques include techniques well known in the art, such as slitting, sheeting, fan-folding, scoring or other processes to provide custom finished labels. Compared to other solutions in the art, the present invention has the advantage that all elements can be incorporated on a roll and can be processed through currently used equipment and is economically competitive in the label manufacturing industry. The roll of each inventive element can be tailored with the final print and perforations already applied, so that the rolls can simply be assembled and then cut or processed for dispensing. Alternatively, the input may be blank or prepared for custom data input and/or perforations during or after the layer combination process. This gives flexibility for a variety of solutions. To use other materials such as tape or filament, solid tabs and cutting devices require special machinery and expertise that are not currently on the market.

The diagram on page 1 shows an implementation of the device, useful for protecting information on mail. Fig. 1(a) embodies the document component in an exploded view, including an inset (Fig. 1(e)) materializing a small hole in the separator layer. Figure 1(b) shows a document attached to a box. Figure 1(c) shows the cutout from the box, the separator and separation of the topsheet, while in Figure 1(d) the cutout is separated from the separator and topsheet by pulling the topsheet off.
The diagram on page 2 shows a further implementation of the device, useful for protecting information on mail. Fig. 2(a) embodies the document component in an exploded view, including an inset (Fig. 2(e)) materializing a small hole in the separator layer. Figure 2 (b) shows the document attached to the box. Figure 2(c) shows the separation of the cover sheet, cutout, separator and topsheet from the box, while the cutout in Figure 2(d) shows the coversheet and topsheet by pulling apart the separator and topsheet. separated from
The diagram on page 3 illustrates an implementation of the present invention useful for enterprise security. Fig. 3(a) shows the document component in detail in an exploded view, while Fig. 3(b) shows the filed document. Fig. 3(c) shows the separation of the cutout and destruction of the document.
The diagram on page 4 shows an implementation of a device used for protection of prescription and medical information. In Figure 4, the label of the present invention is attached to the prescription container.
The diagram of FIG. 5 on page 5 shows an implementation of the device, in which multiple labels are made as a single sheet.
The diagram of FIG. 6 on page 6 illustrates roll-to-roll mass production of the present invention using current commercial technology.

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

The drawing on the first page shows an implementation of a device useful in the protection of postal information. Fig. 1 (a) shows an exploded view of the postal label 1. An embodiment comprises a thermally activated perforated coversheet consisting of a residual framework 6 and cutouts 4, an optional separator liner 11, which can be attached to a package, container or postal item 12 as described above. It includes a backing sheet 10 having. An intervening separator sheet (7) is disposed between the cover sheet and the top sheet (5). A small hole 19 in the separator allows the topsheet 5 to be directly bonded to the coversheet cutout below, see inset (Fig. 1(e)). The separators may be interposed therebetween by topsheet-cutout bonding and held in place, or may be bonded to the periphery of the remaining framework 6 of the topsheet 5 and/or coversheet, and the various layers may be detached. may feature one or more release tabs 8 for enabling In FIG. 1( b ), mailing label 1 is shown attached to box 12 . In Fig. 1(c), the topsheet 5 and separator 7 have been removed from the box using the separator tabs 8. As the topsheets are point-attached to the cutouts (4), they separate from the perforated coversheets, leaving a residual framework (6) attached to the box. In Fig. 1(d), by detaching the top sheet 5 from the separating portion 7 using the separating tab 8 so that the cutout is separated as a chad 14, the document destruction is completed.

The diagram on page 2 shows a further embodiment of a device useful for protecting information in postal items. Fig. 2(a) shows an exploded view of the postal label 1. An embodiment comprises a thermally activated perforated coversheet consisting of a residual framework 6 and cutouts 4, an optional separator liner 11, which can be attached to a package, container or postal item 12 as described above. It includes a backing sheet 10 having. In this embodiment, an intervening separator sheet 7 is placed between the cover sheet and the top sheet 5 . Small holes 19 in the separators (see inset (Fig. 2(e))) allow the topsheet to be bonded directly to the fully perforated cutouts to hold them in place. The separator also features one or more tabs 8 that are temporarily bonded to the periphery of the residual framework 6 and/or topsheet 5 and allow the various layers to be detached or separated. In FIG. 2( b ), mailing label 1 is shown attached to box 12 . 2(c), the cover sheet 2, the separator 7 and the top sheet 5 having the cutout 4 and the remaining framework 6 are formed using the first separation tab 8. It has been removed from the box, and the backing sheet 10 is attached to the box. In Fig. 2(d), the topsheet 5 is separated from the separation 7 and the attached residual framework 6 using the second separation tab 8 so that the fully perforated cutout is separated as a chad 14. ), the destruction of the document is completed. Labels of the present invention include, but are not limited to, labels, including boxes, letters, parcels, packaging, mailing tubes, postings, deliveries, airmail, shipments, documents, notes, memos, flyers, newspapers, advertisements, and the like. Suitable for all types of shipping and communication needs.

The diagram on page 3 shows an implementation of a device used for protection of corporate information and notes. Fig. 3(a) shows an exploded view of the security document 1 comprising a cover sheet 2, a separator 7 and a top sheet 5, with one or more layers allowing the various layers to be detached or detached. It features a tab (8). In this embodiment, the cutouts 4 are drilled completely out of the coversheet 2 using laser cutting after combination of the layers and are held in place relative to the topsheet by fixtures. An intervening separator sheet (7) is placed between the cover sheet and the top sheet (5) and is permanently attached to the remaining framework (6). Fig. 3(b) shows the writing applied to the upper recordable surface of the secure document 1. In Fig. 3(c), the top sheet 5 is pulled away from the joined separator 7 and the cover sheet 2 using the tabs 8. Since the hole of the separator 7 is smaller than the cutout, the junction between the top sheet 5 and the cutout 4 is cut by the shear force generated, the cutout is separated as individual chads 14, and the document ( 1) The information on the image is destroyed. As the print is distributed over the entire surface of the document, by removing the cutout and the information printed thereon, the print remaining on the residual document framework becomes incomprehensible. The secure document of the present invention is suitable for all types of confidential information.

The diagram on page 4 shows an implementation of a device used for protection of prescription and medical information. The label of the present invention is attached to the prescription container 15. This embodiment includes a cover sheet (2) comprising a residual framework, perforations (3) and cutouts (4), as well as a top sheet (5) and a separator (7), and for separating and destroying labels. Contains the elements listed above, including one or more tabs (8). Such implementations are useful for all labeled medical products, including hospitals, laboratories, blood banks, inpatient prescriptions and outpatient prescriptions, law enforcement agencies, and all other instances where medical information may be at risk.

The diagram of FIG. 5 on page 5 illustrates the use of multiple label panels 17 integrated into a single sheet 16 . The elements of the present invention have been described above and include a perforated coversheet (2) and cutouts (4), separators (7), tabs (8) and a topsheet (5). As the backing sheet and separator liner 11 are perforated at the edge of each panel, in each case the label can be applied independently. In the figure, six panels each containing duplicate copies of labels are shown as one sheet. At the bottom right, a panel with a set 17 of duplicate labels is shown detached from a sheet 16 . Each panel may include one or multiple topsheets such that separation of the topsheet results in the destruction of information from only one portion of the panel, but leaves the information on the lower portion intact for later. Thus, each topsheet can be used independently to separate the cutouts from one or more portions of the coversheet, while leaving adjacent characters intact for later.

The diagram of FIG. 6 on page 6 illustrates mass production of the present invention using current commercial technology. When using roll-to-roll manufacturing, the backing sheet 10 with the top sheet 5, separator sheet 7, cover sheet 2, and separator liner 11 may be applied with a suitable adhesive or Using fusion techniques, they are combined together (20). After combination of the layers, other conversion techniques may be used including thermal or conventional printing and/or die or precision laser drilling (21). A final step includes finishing (22), where the roll may be split, cut, or otherwise processed to produce the final embodiment. Depending on the implementation, the coversheet 2 may be pre-printed with information or a thermally active surface may be used so that the information may be applied to the label during conversion 21 or later. In some implementations, backing sheet 10 and/or separator liner 11 are omitted.

Description of Embodiments

It is to be understood that the drawings, examples and implementations described herein are for illustrative purposes only, and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to those skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and scope of this application and the scope of the appended claims. The following examples are provided for illustrative purposes, but are not intended to limit the invention as claimed, and none of the limitations implied in the exemplary embodiments should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. All publications, patents, and patent applications cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

As the present invention includes certain optional elements, the present invention can be adapted to each desired use. The backing sheet and associated separator liner are optional elements of the present invention, and their inclusion or exclusion in each embodiment depends on the application selected. Additionally, the topsheet and separators may be placed under or over the coversheet, and numerous mechanisms for attachment of the topsheet, separators and/or tabs are contemplated.

Embodiment 1: This embodiment provides a solution to the theft of personal information from discarded mail and containers and uses a topsheet, with a separator sheet disposed between the coversheet and the topsheet. As shown in Fig. 1(a), the present invention provides a mailing label comprising a thermally active cover sheet and a backing sheet having a separating liner, which can be adhered to a package, container or mailing. A separator is placed on the cover sheet, the separator covers the recordable portion of the cover sheet and has small holes aligned over each of the cutouts, and is temporarily attached, at all or part of the periphery, to the cover sheet residual framework below. do. A removal tab located at one end of the separator allows the separator/topsheet sandwich to be released from the cover sheet, thereby allowing cutouts secured to the topsheet to be removed from the cover sheet. Positioned over the separator is a topsheet of at least the same size as the separator, offset therefrom to provide easy access to the protruding separator tabs. The topsheet is secured to cutouts in the coversheet through small aligned holes in the intervening separators and is temporarily glued to the separators below at all or part of the periphery. In this embodiment, using thermal printing, characters may be applied to the coversheet through the overlying separator and topsheet. Alternatively, where the backing sheet is not present, the characters can be applied to the lower surface of the cover sheet, and the present invention seen inserted into the clear mail pouch characters side. After removing the separator, topsheet and attached cutout from the coversheet using the removal tab, the label is broken by pulling the tab to separate the topsheet and separator. Shear forces are created and the cutout cannot pass through the small hole in the separator, thereby breaking the bond to the topsheet and causing the cutout to fall out as random chads. As the document information is now destroyed into the coversheet residual framework and numerous chads, the remaining print becomes incomprehensible.

Embodiment 2: This embodiment provides a solution to the theft of personal information from discarded mail and containers and uses a topsheet, with a separator disposed between the coversheet and the topsheet. As shown in Fig. 2(a), the present invention provides a mailing label comprising a thermally active cover sheet and a backing sheet having a separating liner, which can be adhered to a package, container or mailing. Tabs located at one end of the coversheet allow the coversheet, separator and topsheet sandwich to be separated from the adhesive backing sheet and packaging. Separators are positioned above the cover sheet, and such separators cover the recordable portion of the cover sheet and have small holes arranged over each of the cutouts. The cutout, after layer assembly, was fully perforated using laser cutting and held in place relative to the topsheet by point attachment. The separator may be temporarily bonded to the underlying coversheet residual framework at all or part of the perimeter. Above the divider is positioned a topsheet, which is secured to the cutout via aligned divider holes, and the topsheet may additionally be temporarily secured at all or part of its periphery to the divider below. The topsheet is at least the same size as the separator and is often offset relative to it to provide easy access to the protruding separator tabs. In this embodiment, using thermal printing, characters may be applied to the coversheet through the overlying separator and topsheet. Alternatively, where the backing sheet is not present, the characters can be applied to the lower surface of the cover sheet, and the present invention seen inserted into the clear mail pouch characters side. After removing the separator, topsheet and attached cutouts from the coversheet using the removal tab, the label is broken by pulling the tab to separate the topsheet from the other layers. A shear force is created and the cutouts cannot pass through the small holes in the separators, thus breaking the clamping joints to the cutouts and they fall out as random chads. As the document information is now destroyed into the coversheet residual framework and numerous chads, the remaining print becomes incomprehensible.

Embodiment 3: This embodiment provides a solution to the theft of corporate information, eg, communications generated within a controlled work environment. As shown in Fig. 3(a), the present invention includes a cover sheet having a suitable recordable surface, a separator and a top sheet, and one or more tabs. In some implementations, the cutouts are drilled completely out of the coversheet using laser cutting after combination of the layers and are held in place by being adhered to the topsheet. An intervening separator sheet is placed between the coversheet and the topsheet and is permanently attached to the remaining framework around the periphery. After addition of characters, the document can be destroyed by pulling the tab of the separator. As the separator is bonded to the cover sheet, and the cutout has already been laser cut from the cover sheet, the shear force created by pulling the tab causes the fixed joint between the topsheet and the cutout to be severed, the cutout as an individual chad. is separated and the information about the document (1) is destroyed. In an alternative embodiment, the separator is temporarily bonded to both the coversheet and the topsheet, and the cutouts are such that the separator and topsheet provide support to the perforated coversheet and the pages maintain integrity and usability prior to separation. only slightly perforated from In failure, pulling the separator and coversheet tabs pulls the separator/topsheet away from the coversheet and since the topsheet is secured to the cutout through holes in the separator, the shear force generated also results in the perforated coversheet. The cutout is detached from Next, pull these two layers away using the tabs on the topsheet and separator. Since the hole in the separator is smaller than the cutout, the junction between the topsheet and the cutout is cut and the cutout falls off as a separate chad. As the print is distributed over the entire surface of the document, by removing the cutout and the information printed thereon, the print remaining on the residual document framework becomes incomprehensible. In some embodiments, a label may comprise a single panel with one or more instances of the invention, or may have multiple panels each featuring zero or more instances of the invention. The panels may be joined or present as individual components. By providing a fast, simple and integrated system for removing all identifying information from confidential documents, the present invention provides businesses with a way to protect their or their customers' information from acquisition and misuse. Ease of use and compliance are maximized as destruction can be accomplished in situ without the need for any extra equipment. Labels of the present invention are readily manufactured using currently available technology and can be used on letters, documents, notes, memos, drawings, graphics, sketches, graffiti, scribbles, cards, sheets, rolls, reams, and images without limitation. It is suitable for all forms of confidential communication, including

Embodiment 4: This embodiment provides a series of solutions to the theft of personal, industrial and medical information. As described above, the present invention includes a cover sheet, a top sheet, a separator and an adhesive backing sheet, the backing sheet being affixed to any article containing personal medical information, such as packaging, containers, documents or postal items. can This implementation includes all of the elements of Example 2 and allows removal of the entire label from the medical container. In an alternative embodiment, the backing sheet and separator liner may be omitted, and the coversheet is attached directly to the container such that the coversheet residual framework remains attached to the container after document destruction. In some implementations, the release tabs can be reinforced extensions that are integrated into the topsheet and sit flush with the coversheet, thereby providing a uniform surface for printing after being attached to the container. In a preferred embodiment, the topsheet is offset relative to the coversheet, thereby allowing easy access to the tabs. In a further preferred embodiment, the label may comprise a single panel with one or more instances of the invention, or may have multiple panels each featuring zero or more instances of the invention. The panels may be contiguous or present as individual components. After advances in genetic science and the subsequent introduction of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, the need for better patient information security has never been greater. Such embodiments are particularly suited for use in the protection of prescription and patient information on medications, containers, labels, prescriptions and other items containing such sensitive medical information.

Example 5: This example provides an outline for manufacturing the present invention on a commercial scale using currently available technology. Roll-to-roll processing is commonly used in the manufacture of labels and is readily utilized for the present invention as shown in FIG. 6 . Individual rolls of each layer are machined and bonded using chemical, mechanical, thermal, adhesive or other means as specified by the embodiment. After bonding, depending on the application, the combined layers can be reeled to produce an output roll or further processed (converted) on the same or different machine. Common conversion techniques include die cutting, laser cutting or other suitable perforation/cutting techniques, and thermal or conventional printing. Common finishing techniques include techniques well known in the art, such as slitting, sheeting, fan-folding, scoring or other processes to provide custom finished labels. In some implementations, the coversheet is pre-printed, while in other implementations, a roll of thermally active material is used so that the information can be applied at a later time. In some implementations, the backing sheet with the separator liner is omitted. In some embodiments, the topsheet and separator may be supplied as transparent rolls. In some embodiments, after the cutouts are secured to the topsheet, the coversheet is fully perforated using a precision laser. Compared to other solutions in the art, the present invention has the advantage that all elements can be incorporated on a roll, can be processed through currently used equipment, and is economically competitive in the label manufacturing industry. Each roll of inventive element can be custom prepared for lamination of the final product, or it can be blank and prepared for custom data and perforations during or after the lamination process. This gives flexibility for a variety of solutions. In order to utilize other materials such as tape or filament, solid tabs and cutting devices require special machinery and expertise not currently on the market.

Claims (7)

A self-destructing document comprising a cover sheet, a top sheet, and a separator,
the cover sheet being cut or punched to form a series of island cutouts that can be written or printed on and can be separated by pulling on the topsheet;
the topsheet is placed above or below the cutout and secured to the cutout through the divider;
wherein the separator includes a sheet including a pattern of small holes overlapping each of the cutouts on the cover sheet. According to claim 1,
wherein at least one of the cover sheet or the separator or the top sheet has one or more tabs at one or both ends. delete According to claim 1,
A self-destructing document, wherein the cover sheet is made of a thermal printable material. According to claim 1,
A self-destructing document in which the top sheet, cover sheet, or separator is transparent. According to claim 1,
A self-destructing document, further comprising a backing sheet. According to claim 6,
The self-destructing document of claim 1, wherein the backing sheet further includes an adhesive surface capable of being adhered to mail or other surfaces.

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