WO2010127384A1

WO2010127384A1 - Covers for coil bound books and ring binders

Info

Publication number: WO2010127384A1
Application number: PCT/AU2010/000332
Authority: WO
Inventors: Clifford Royle
Original assignee: Roylebind Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2009-05-08
Filing date: 2010-03-22
Publication date: 2010-11-11

Abstract

A ring or coil binder with the rings or spirals mounted between opposed cover panels each of which is formed from three or four folded and adhered layers of a blank of sheet material having an image printed on up to 100 percent of the surface area of a plastic coated surface thereof using dye sublimation printing. For the ring folder the opposed inner end surfaces of the cover panels abut each on the underneath or adjacent to the plurality of rings or coil and wherein the image is visible on up to 100 percent of the surface area of the inside and outside surfaces of the cover. For the coil bound book the opposed inner surface of the cover panels have opposed abutting articulated end flaps adjacent the spine with perforations therein to receive a coil, wherein on of the articulated end flaps is articulated above the spine by an articulated intermediate flap which extends from one of the opposed inner surfaces of the cover panels.

Description

COVERS FOR COIL BOUND BOOKS AND RING BINDERS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to covers for coil bound books and ring binders.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A need exists for a simple and inexpensive method of providing rigid, digitally printed protective covers for coil (or spiral) bound books and ring binders.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for forming a cover, the method including the steps of: coating a surface of a piece of sheet material with a plastics material; cutting and creasing the piece of sheet material to form a blank for a cover; printing an image on up to 100 percent of the surface area of the coated surface of the blank using dye sublimation printing; folding and gluing the blank to form a cover having inner and outer surfaces formed from the coated and printed surface so that the image is visible on up to 100 percent of the surface area of the cover.

The sheet material can be paper board.

The plastics material can be polyester.

The cover can be a coil bound book cover or a ring binder cover.

The present invention also provides a cover for a coil bound book, the cover including a spine between opposed cover panels each of which is formed from three or four folded and glued layers of a blank of sheet material having an image printed on up to 100 percent of the surface area of a plastic coated surface thereof using dye sublimation printing, wherein opposed inner surfaces of the cover panels have opposed, abutting articulated end flaps adjacent the spine with perforations therein to receive a coil, wherein one of the articulated end flaps is articulatable above the spine by an articulated intermediate flap which extends from one of the opposed inner surfaces of the cover panels, and wherein the image is visible on up to 100 percent of the surface area of inside and outside surfaces of the cover.

The present invention also provides a coil bound book including the above cover.

The coil bound book is, for example, a coil bound diary or a coil bound notebook.

The present invention further provides a ring binder cover including a plurality of rings mounted between opposed cover panels each of which is formed from three or four folded and adhered layers of a blank of sheet material having an image printed on up to 100 percent of the surface area of a plastic coated surface thereof using dye sublimation printing, wherein opposed inner surfaces of the cover panels abut each other underneath or adjacent to the plurality of rings, and wherein the image is visible on up to 100 percent of the surface area of inside and outside surfaces of the cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a folding and gluing sequence of a blank to form a coil bound book cover of an embodiment of the invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views of the cover before binding; Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of the cover being prepared for coil binding; Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of a coil bound book formed from the cover; and Figure 8 is a perspective view of a ring binder cover of an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of a method for forming a cover of the invention starts by coating a surface of a piece of sheet material with a plastics material. The sheet material is, for example, paper board. The plastics material is, for example, polyester. The polyester forms a protective gloss coating on the surface of the sheet material. Next, the polyester coated sheet material is cut and creased to form blanks for forming covers.

An image, for example a digital image, is then printed onto 100 percent of the surface area of the coated surface of the blank using dye sublimation printing as an indirect printing process. The image is, for example, printed onto dye sublimation paper, for example containing a transfer toner, using dye sublimation ink and a digital inkjet printer. The dye sublimation paper is then heated and pressed against the blank in a heat press so that the dye transfers and sublimates through the coating and into the sheet material to produce a coated and printed surface on the blank.

Next, the coated and printed blank is folded and glued to form a cover having inner and outer surfaces formed from the coated and printed surface of the blank so that the image is visible on up to 100 percent of the surface area of the cover. Figure 1 illustrates an example folding and gluing sequence of a blank 2 of sheet material to form a coil bound book cover 10 of an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the sequence of folding and gluing the blank 2 of Figure 1 results in a cover 10 which generally includes a spine 12 between opposed cover panels 14, 16 each of which is formed from four folded and adhered layers of a single piece of sheet material. The cover panels 14, 16 may alternately consist of three folded and adhered layers. Opposed inner surfaces of the cover panels 14, 16 have opposed, abutting articulated end flaps 18, 20 adjacent the spine 12 with perforations 22 therein to receive a coil 24 of a coil bound book 26, for example, a coil bound diary. One of the articulated end flaps 18 is articulatable above the spine 12 by an articulated intermediate flap 28 which extends from one of the opposed inner surfaces of the cover panels 14. A CD/DVD slot 30 is also provided between the adhered layers in one of the cover panels 14. Although not shown, a digital image is printed on up to 100 percent of the inner and outer surfaces of the cover 10 using the method described above. Optionally, the digital image is also printed articulated end flaps 18, 20 and the articulated intermediate flap 28.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the cover 10 is prepared for coil binding by bending cover panels 14, 16 back on themselves to overlap the articulated end flaps 18, 20. A coil, for example a metal coil or plastic coil (or comb), is held open using a coil binding machine, and the perforations 22 of articulated end flaps 18, 20 are received on the open coil. Book pages are then received on the open coil between the articulated end flaps 18, 20. The coil is then closed using a coil binding machine to form a coil bound book, for example, a coil bound diary or a coil bound notebook.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the arrangement of the articulated flaps 20, 22, 28 provides improved and stronger mounting for the coil 24 of the coil bound book 26. The arrangement also provides improved lay flat opening of the coil bound book 26.

Figure 8 illustrates an embodiment of a ring binder cover 10 of the invention. The ring binder cover 10 is formed using the coating, printing and folding steps described above. The exceptions are that the creases and cuts forming the spine 12 and articulated flaps 20, 22, 28 are omitted so that the opposed inner surfaces of the cover panels 14, 16 abut one another. A plurality of openable and closable rings 32, for example a pair of rings, is mounted above or adjacent where the cover panels 14, 16 abut one another. The ring binder cover 10 is then creased and folded so that the cover panels 14, 16 foldably overlie one another to form the finished product. Again, although not shown, a digital image is printed on up to 100 percent of the inner and outer surfaces of the cover 10 using the method described above.

The embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims which follow.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method for forming a cover, the method including the steps of: coating a surface of a piece of sheet material with a plastics material; cutting and creasing the piece of sheet material to form a blank for a cover; printing an image on up to 100 percent of the surface area of the coated surface of the blank using dye sublimation printing; folding and gluing the blank to form a cover having inner and outer surfaces formed from the coated and printed surface so that the image is visible on up to 100 percent of the surface area of the cover.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet material is paper board.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plastics material is polyester.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the cover is a coil bound book cover or a ring binder cover.

5. A cover for a coil bound book, the cover including a spine between opposed cover panels each of which is formed from three or four folded and glued layers of a blank of sheet material having an image printed on up to 100 percent of the surface area of a plastic coated surface thereof using dye sublimation printing, wherein opposed inner surfaces of the cover panels have opposed, abutting articulated end flaps adjacent the spine with perforations therein to receive a coil, wherein one of the articulated end flaps is articulatable above the spine by an articulated intermediate flap which extends from one of the opposed inner surfaces of the cover panels, and wherein the image is visible on up to 100 percent of the surface area of inside and outside surfaces of the cover.

6. A coil bound book including a cover according to claim 5.

7. A coil bound book according to claim 6, wherein the coil bound book is a coil bound diary or a coil bound notebook.

8. A ring binder cover including a plurality of rings mounted between opposed cover panels each of which is formed from three or four folded and adhered layers of a blank of sheet material having an image printed on up to 100 percent of the surface area of a plastic coated surface thereof using dye sublimation printing, wherein opposed inner surfaces of the cover panels abut each other underneath or adjacent to the plurality of rings, and wherein the image is visible on up to 100 percent of the surface area of inside and outside surfaces of the cover.