Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps

Definitions

• This invention relates to personalised stamps and relates particular but not exclusively to stamps which can have a persons facial image provided thereon.
• stamps have contained a tab which can contain information of a particular nature.
• each stamp is divided into a primary area which has the official printed stamp image thereon, and a secondary area which can have personalised information thereon.
• the production of stamps of this nature requires a special run for printing at a printing establishment authorised by the postal authority. In such cases, the sheet of stamps is produced in its entirety at the official stamp printing establishment as a single printing even though the single printing may have separate printing steps for each colour of a multi coloured stamp. Because of the set-up costs associated with such printing, and the set-up costs associated with producing batches of stamps with tabs thereon in relatively low volumes, the above process has been expensive and has not been accepted generally.
• the present invention attempts to overcome one or more of the aforementioned problems.
• a method of production of a sheet of postage stamps said method having at least the following steps: 1. producing said sheet with a plurality of postage stamps thereon, each stamp being separable from said sheet for applying to a postal article, there being an official printed stamp image recognisable for postal validation on each stamp over a primary area of each stamp, each stamp also having an associated secondary area where an image not needed for postal validation can be reproduced,
• Most preferably all the secondary areas are located at the same relative positions relative to the associated primary areas, and said manipulating of the personalising image is such that it is replicated at each secondary area during the reproduction.
• the secondary area is on a tab to each stamp.
• each tab is separable from each primary area.
• each stamp is surrounded by perforations whereby it can be torn from said sheet along said perforations.
• steps 2, 3 ,4 and 5 are conducted by a postal authority or an establishment authorised by the postal authority whereby to provide monitoring of the personalising image to ensure it meets guide-lines.
• a postage stamp having a primary area containing a reproduced official printed stamp image recognisable for postal validation, said stamp also having an associated secondary area where a personalising image not needed for postal validation is reproduced, said personalising image not needed for postal validation having been reproduced by a subsequent printing step to the printing of the stamp image recognisable for postal validation and printed the same sheet to which the stamp is printed.
• a sheet of postage stamps with a plurality of postage stamps thereon each stamp being separable from said sheet for applying to a postal article, there being an official printed stamp image recognisable for postal validation on each stamp over a primary area of each stamp, the sheet also having a respective associated secondary area for association with each primary area where a personalising image not needed for postal validation can be applied.
• Figure 1 is a plan view of a sheet of stamps according to one example
• Figure 2 is a plan view of a sheet of stamps of a second example
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of a sheet of stamps of a third example
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of a sheet of stamps of a fourth example.
• stamps 3 there is provided a sheet 1 of postage stamps 3.
• the sheet may contain other numbers of stamps - twelve being merely a typically good number which is viewed as being consumer acceptable.
• Each of the stamps 3 is separable from the sheet 1 by tearing along lines of perforations 5 and mutually perpendicular lines of perforations 7.
• the stamp sheet 1 is produced from a paper that contains no phosphor and preferably no optical brighteners in the paper coating. The rear of the paper is gum coated so it can permit adhering to a postal article.
• Each of the stamps 3 contains a primary area 9 and a secondary area 11.
• the primary area 9 is then provided with an official printed stamp image which can be for a particular stamp issue. This official image is the image used for postal validation by the postal authority or postal carrier.
• each of the primary areas 9 will be printed with an official stamp image and preferably this stamp image will be identical on each of the areas 9.
• the secondary areas 11 will be left blank or alternatively may have a peripheral boarder.
• Figure 1 clearly shows further lines of perforation 13 which separate each primary area 9 from each secondary area 11. The purpose of this will be explained in due course.
• each of the official stamp images may be phosphor tagged according to the techniques disclosed in Australian patent number 664740 in the name Australian Postal Corporation and SNP Cambec Pty Ltd. Only the primary area 9 is phosphor tagged and the secondary area 11 is not phosphor tagged but this does not exclude the possibility of tagging the secondary area 11.
• the sheet 1 of stamps 3 is printed with the stamp images in the primary areas 9 and with blank areas in the secondary areas 11, and after printing the sheet 1 is then processed to provide the perforation lines 5, 7 and 13.
• the sheet 1 has a perimeter 15 which is generally blank without printing.
• the sheet 1 has a plurality of stamp images thereon in the primary areas 9, and a plurality of associated secondary areas 11 where an image not needed for postal validation can subsequently appear. All the secondary areas 11 are located at the same relative positions relative to the associated primary areas 3.
• the sheets 1, without any personalised image in the secondary areas 11 are held at a suitable retail outlet such as a postal authority or postal carrier or an establishment authorised thereby. Customers can then approach that authority carrier or establishment for stamps to be personalised.
• the personalising can be by way of bringing in photos or art work required to be placed in the secondary areas 11.
• the image to be provided in the secondary area 11 may be a photograph of the persons facial image or whole body or the like taken by the authority or establishment of that person. In another situation it may be a corporate logo.
• the personalising image is an image chosen by a person requiring to purchase the stamps.
• the authority, carrier or establishment then digitises that personalising image so that it can be applied as a stamp image to each secondary area 11.
• the personalising image can be manipulated to a size to fit on the secondary area 11.
• the manipulation may also arrange for replication of the image so that it will be reproduced at each of the secondary areas 11 on the stamps 3 on the sheet 1 during printing of the personalising image.
• computer aided software is utilised for the image capturing and manipulation.
• the computer output can be to any suitable digital image reproducing machine which may be monochrome or colour.
• a suitable digital image reproducing machine can comprise:
• a photocopier reproducing apparatus which can receive digital input signals and provide a required image output .
• the digitising of images supplied by customers such as from photos or the like can be achieved by the authority, carrier or the establishment by either a digital camera or a digital scanner.
• the personalising image may be provided to the authority, carrier or establishment in a digital file so that digitalising is then not necessary.
• the image reproducing machine will then print onto the pre-printed, pre- perforated stamp sheets 1 as base stock and will provide the personalising image onto the secondary areas 11.
• the personalising image be provided on the sheet 1 by a postal authority, carrier or authorised establishment rather than by an end user directly, as this will enable monitoring of the personalising image to ensure that it meets the necessary postal authority carrier or authorised establishment guidelines and public morality standards. Further, the customer could be required to execute Application Forms declaring ownership to copyright in any works which are to be reproduced. In this way, copyright infringement liability to the postal authority, carrier or authorised establishment can be waived.
• the personalised stamps 3 are produced and handed to a customer, the customer can then separate the individual stamps 3 from the sheet 1 by tearing along a line of separation defined by perforation lines 5 and 7 as needed. If required, the customer may elect to tear along a perforation line 13 whereby to provide just the stamp image in the primary area 9 without the secondary area 11.
• the customer requires the whole stamp 3 comprising the primary area 9 and the secondary area 11, it can be separated from the sheet 1 and applied to a postal article. It can then be detected by the postal authority or postal carrier stamp detection process by noting for the phosphor tagging. After use as a postal article, the stamp 3 can be retrieved from the postal article and if desired a philatelist may elect to either retain the stamp 3 in its entirety with the primary area 9 and the secondary area 11 or alternatively separate the primary area 9 from the secondary area 11 by tearing along the line of separation defined by the perforation line 13.
• the secondary area 11 can be likened to a tab attached to a stamp image produced on the primary area 9.
• sheet 1 of stamps 3 has been described in relation to a gum stamp paper the concept can be applied to other stamp types such as peel and stick stamps which are produced in sheets or in strips or in wallets and the term "sheet” is to be considered broadly to embrace this and other variations where the stamps are produced on a web.
• sheet whilst the preferred example shows the secondary stamp image 11 on a tab, it may be an integral part of the primary area 9. For example, an area may be provided within the official stamp image to enable personalising.
• FIG. 2 there is shown a second example of a sheet of stamps according to the present invention.
• the sheet of stamps 1 is similar to the sheet of stamps disclosed in international patent application PCT/CA95/00017 (International
• the personalising image can be a truly personalising image decided by the customer or user of the stamps.
• these personalising images are predetermined by the postal authority carrier or authorised establishment as recited earlier.
• the sheet 1 may be similar to that disclosed in relation to the first embodiment. However, it is particularly preferred that it form part of a peel and stick stamp sheet.
• a glacine backing sheet (not shown) and the sheet 1 is applied over the top of the backing sheet and adhered thereto by a pressure-sensitive adhesive material.
• the backing sheet is temporarily and releasably attached to the backing sheet.
• each of the stamps 3 is appropriately cut with a line of separation to define the perimeter of the stamps 3.
• the stamp 3 can be removed from the backing and applied to a postal article.
• the cutting of the stamp 3 in the sheet 1 is such that the cutting does not cut into the backing.
• a particular system for cutting is disclosed in our international patent application no. PCT91/00200 publication no. W091/18378. This patent application is directed to providing simulated perforations on peel and stick stamps.
• each stamp 3 has a primary area 9 in which an official printed stamp image is reproduced. It also shows that respective secondary areas 11 are printed separate from the official images of the stamps 3. It also shows that each stamp 3 has an area 17 which defines a position in which to apply a secondary area 11. In the examples shown, the area 17 is contained wholly within the primary area 9. In a variation, the area 17 may overlap with the primary area 9 or may be completely separate from the primary area 9.
• Each of the personalising images 11 is reproduced according to the techniques described in the first embodiment as a second printing process to the official printed stamp image recognisable for postal validation.
• a person wishing to personalise a stamp 3 for use with a postal article would separate the stamp 3 from the sheet 1, around the line of separation, and apply it to the postal article.
• the personalising image in the secondary areas 11 can then be separated from the sheet 1 around a separation line 19 to each of the secondary area 11.
• the secondary areas 11 then may be applied over the area 17 to personalise the stamps 3.
• a resulting stamp 3 therefore has a thickness equal to twice the thickness of the sheet material 1.
• each respective area 17 defining a position in which to apply a respective secondary area 11 includes at least a part of the primary area 9 in the examples shown, and that the respective secondary area 11 is wholly within the respective primary area 9.
• Each of the secondary areas 11 is at the same relative position on the sheet 1 to an associated primary area, and preferably there are the same number of secondary areas 11 as primary areas 9.
• FIG. 3 there is shown a third example of the present invention which is similar to the example shown in Figure 2 except that in this embodiment, the sheet of stamps 1 is in the form of a strip wound into a roll.
• the official stamp image in primary areas 9, and the personalising image in the secondary areas 11 are produced in the same manner as described previously.
• These stamps are preferably of the peel and stick type although producing a strip in a roll of stamps of the gum type is not excluded.
• Figure 4 there is shown a still further example of the present invention in the form of a wallet of stamps 3.
• the stamps 3 are produced in a manner similar to that disclosed in relation to Figure 2 except that the sheet 1 can be folded to form a wallet of stamps .
• the secondary areas 11 with personalising images thereon be removed from the sheet 1 and applied over the sheet material forming the stamp 3 to provide at least two thicknesses of sheet material 1 in the stamp 3. It is not outside the scope of the invention to provide the area 17 so it can be removed from the stamp 3 so that when the secondary areas 11 are applied to a postal article at the position defined by the removed area 17 the stamp 3 will have only a single thickness of sheet 1.
• the above processes lends themselves to many ways of marketing sheets 1. For example, there may be many postal authority, postal carrier or authorised establishments for customer contact for obtaining the stamp sheets 1. These could conveniently be existing stamp retailers. In another proposal the sheets may be marketed only from a postal depot. In each of the above cases the sheet 1 with the personalised images 11 can be produced locally at those establishments. In another scenario, the digitalised imaging can be processed at those establishments and forward by any suitable data transfer means to a remote site where the sheets 1 with the personalised image in the secondary area 11 are produced. The sheets 1 can then be returned to the establishment for subsequent passing on to the customer.
• the sheet 1 may be provided with a photo sensitive area for the secondary area 11 such that a conventional photographic image can be provided thereon and replicated at one or more of the secondary areas 11 on the sheet 1 and then photographically developed to produce the required images .
• the term "printing machine” is to be inclusive of embracing the necessary photographic image developing machinery.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
• Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
• Editing Of Facsimile Originals (AREA)
• Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
• Labeling Devices (AREA)

Priority Applications (8)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=25645783

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (10)

Cited By (7)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1999
  • 1999-05-07 WO PCT/AU1999/000346 patent/WO1999060551A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-05-07 GB GB0014041A patent/GB2347404B/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-05-07 NZ NZ507370A patent/NZ507370A/en unknown
  • 1999-05-07 CA CA002330112A patent/CA2330112A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-05-07 ID IDW20002602A patent/ID28719A/id unknown
  • 1999-05-07 CN CN99806149A patent/CN1301375A/zh active Pending
  • 1999-05-07 BR BR9910446-6A patent/BR9910446A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-05-07 EP EP99918969A patent/EP1068606A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-05-07 JP JP2000550088A patent/JP2002516227A/ja active Pending
  • 1999-05-07 KR KR1020007011631A patent/KR20010034793A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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