Calendar binding apparatus and related methods

An apparatus is provided for binding a single printed sheet with top and bottom binders to form a single sheet calendar. The apparatus includes a binder feeding mechanism for positioning the top and bottom binders relative to the single printed sheet. The apparatus includes first and second spaced, parallel binding units for respectively securing the top and bottom binders to the single sheet, with the first binding unit having an upper member and a lower member to define a sheet-receiving channel there between. At least one of the upper member or the lower member is heated, and at least one of the upper member or the lower member is controllably movable relative to the other of the upper member or the lower member, to secure one of the binders to the single sheet.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally related to apparatus and methods for making calendars and, more particularly, to apparatus and methods for making single-sheet calendars.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Single-sheet calendars are known and typically include a printed sheet of paper or laminate material and a pair of binders at opposed edges of the sheet. The calendar may include a hanger that permits hanging of the calendar from a support such as hook, nail, or equivalent. It would be desirable to provide apparatus and related methods that facilitate making of such single-sheet calendars. Further, known binding methods rely on locking pages of a calendar into a metal binder with a double fold, which in turn requires relatively complex and expensive apparatus using cams and other structures. In known binding methods for binding the top and bottom edges of single sheet calendars, for example, each of the edges is bound in a separate operation, with each operation requiring folding of the binder and/or paper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided for binding a single printed sheet with a top and in some instances a bottom binder to form a single sheet calendar. The apparatus includes a binder feeding mechanism for positioning the top and bottom binders relative to the single printed sheet. The apparatus includes first and second spaced, parallel binding units for respectively securing the top and bottom binders to the single sheet, with the first binding unit having an upper member and a lower member to define a sheet-receiving channel there between. At least one of the upper or the lower member is heated, and at least one of the upper or the lower member is controllably movable relative to the other of the upper or the lower member, to secure one of the binders to the single sheet. A sheet feeding mechanism of the apparatus feeds the single sheet toward the sheet-receiving channel of the first binding unit.

At least one of the binders may include a biodegradable bar having an adhesive thereon, with the lower member being heated sufficiently to melt the adhesive to the single sheet. The lower member may be substantially fixed and the upper member may be movable toward the lower member and cooperates with the lower member to apply sufficient pressure onto the single sheet and biodegradable bar to secure the single sheet and biodegradable bar relative to one another. At least one of the binding units may be movable relative to the other of the binding units to selectively adjust the space there between for accommodating single sheets of different lengths.

The binding units may be fixed relative to one another therein securing of the binders to the single sheet. The apparatus may include a control device that is operatively coupled to the first and second binding units, with the control device being configured to simultaneously secure the top and bottom binders to the single sheet. The channel of the first binding unit may extend in a longitudinal direction, with the sheet feeding mechanism being configured to move the single sheet in the longitudinal direction. The sheet feeding mechanism may be configured to move the single sheet along the sheet-receiving channel in the longitudinal direction.

The sheet feeding mechanism may be configured to move the single sheet calendar downstream of the binding units in the longitudinal direction. In one specific embodiment, the sheet feeding mechanism is configured to feed a new single sheet into that sheet-receiving channel while simultaneously moving that single sheet calendar downstream of the binding units. The first binding unit may be sized to accommodate a binder having a hanger extending transversely therefrom.

The apparatus may include a magazine for holding a plurality of stacked binders, with the binder feeding mechanism being operatively coupled to the magazine to feed binders from the magazine toward the binding units in a direction transverse to a direction of flow of the single sheet toward the channel. The apparatus may include a sheet supply for holding a plurality of single sheets, with the sheet feeding mechanism being operatively coupled to the sheet supply to feed single sheets from the sheet supply to the binding units.

The apparatus may include a roller for holding a roll of binders attached to a carrier web at spaced intervals. With the binder feeding mechanism being operatively coupled to the roller to remove binders from the carrier web, cut or part the binders from the roll and feed them from the roll toward the binding units. At least one of the binding units may include an applicator for applying adhesive onto a corresponding binder to secure the corresponding binder to the single sheet.

In another embodiment, an apparatus is provided for binding a single printed sheet with a top and in some instances a bottom binder to form a single sheet calendar. The apparatus includes a binder feeding mechanism for positioning the top and bottom binders relative to the single printed sheet. First and second spaced, parallel binding units are provided for respectively securing the top and bottom binders to the single sheet, with each of the binding units having a heated lower member and an upper member defining a sheet-receiving channel there between.

The lower member is heated and the upper member is controllably movable toward the lower member to respectively secure the top and bottom binders to the single sheet. At least one of the binding units is movable relative to the other of the binding units for accommodating single sheets of different lengths, with the binding units having fixed positions relative to one another during securing of the binders to the single sheet. A sheet feeding mechanism is provided for feeding the single sheet toward the sheet-receiving channels of the binding units.

In yet another embodiment, a method is provided for making a single sheet calendar. The method includes feeding a single printed sheet along opposed channels of a pair of spaced, parallel binding units. The method also includes feeding a pair of binders relative to the single sheet and controllably directing heat from the binding units to the binders. The channels are closed to secure the binders to the single sheet. The method may include simultaneously feeding a single sheet into the channels and moving the single sheet calendar downstream of the binding units.

The method may alternatively or additionally include feeding the single sheet into the channels in a direction generally parallel to a longitudinal direction of the channels. The method may include applying a coat of adhesive onto a biodegradable bar of at least one of the binders prior to feeding the at least one of the binders along a respective channel. The method may include simultaneously closing both of the channels to secure both binders to the single sheet. The spacing between the binding units may be adjusted to accommodate a length of the single sheet.

Notably, one or more of the embodiments described herein permit binding of a calendar with a single up and down motion in a single plane and rely on chemical or quasi-chemical rather than purely mechanical binding methods, which results in simpler, less expensive binding apparatus and processes. Likewise, one or more of the embodiments described herein permit simultaneous binding of the top and bottom edges of a single sheet calendar in a one-step operation, without requiring any folding of the binder or paper.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the figures and, more particularly toFIG. 1, an apparatus10is provided for making a single-sheet calendar12which may, for example and without limitation, be an environmentally friendly calendar generally as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/187,556, published as US 2006/0059733 and also PCT Application No. WO 2006/013448, each of which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and the disclosure of each is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. An exemplary single sheet calendar12in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure includes a single sheet14of printed material such as fabric, paper, paperboard, film, or a laminate having a combination of any of the above. The single sheet calendar12includes a top binder16secured along a top edge14aof the sheet14, and in some instances an optional bottom binder20secured along a bottom edge14bof the sheet14. A hanger24extends from the top main portion of the top binder16and is used to hang the calendar12from a hook, nail or equivalent structure protruding from a wall or the like. It is contemplated that a single sheet calendar may have any number of binders other than two, for example and without limitations, one.

The exemplary apparatus10includes several schematically-depicted components. A sheet feeding device or mechanism30feeds each of the single sheets14along a general direction of flow (arrows32) toward a pair of spaced and generally parallel binding units34,36that respectively engage the top and bottom edges14a,14bof the sheet14. Naturally, if only the top edge14aof the single sheet is to receive a top binder16, then the lower binding unit36is inactive and/or not present. A binder feeding mechanism or device50feeds each of the top and bottom binders16,20toward the binding units34,36such that the binding units34,36may respectively secure the binders16,20to the edges14a,14b, as explained in further detail below. The binder feeding mechanism may be a single mechanism or alternatively be in the form of two or more separate mechanisms. For purposes of illustration and ease of understanding, the present description refers to a “binder feeding mechanism” and assigns it the numeral50, though this is merely illustrative and therefore not intended to be limiting.

The sheet feeding mechanism30engages each of the sheets14, retrieving them, in one embodiment, from a supply54of sheets14that may, for example, accommodate stacks of such sheets14. The sheet feeding mechanism30feeds each of the sheets14in the direction of flow (arrows32), into and along longitudinal channels60,62of the binding units34,36, that extend generally parallel to the direction of flow.

With continued reference toFIG. 1, and with further reference toFIGS. 2A,2B, and3, each of the channels60,62is defined by corresponding pairs of opposed upper and lower members that secure the binders16,20to each of the sheets14. More specifically, the first channel60is defined by an upper member60uand a lower member60wand is configured to engage the top edge14a, while a second channel62is defined by an upper member62uand a lower member62wconfigured to engage the bottom edge14bof the sheet14.

Each of the lower members60w,62wis heated, for example by an electrical source of heat63coupled to the binding units34,36. In this exemplary embodiment, each of the lower members60w,62wis relatively fixed in position while each of the corresponding upper members60u,62wis movable towards a corresponding one of the lower members60w,62w(arrows65). The movement of each of the upper members60u,62ueffectively closes the channels60,62with sufficient pressure to secure the binders16,20to the sheet14. Further, in this exemplary embodiment, the binding units34,36are operatively coupled to a control68that simultaneously moves the upper members60u,62uto thereby secure the top and bottom binders16,20simultaneously to the sheet14.

Notably, one or both of the binding units34,36is configured to receive and secure, within the respective channels60,62, top binders16each having a hanger24extending transversely to a length dimension of the top binders16or other transversely extending features. For example, and without limitation, the processing of binders16with transversely extending features may be facilitated by a relatively large width (i.e., the transverse direction) of the upper and lower members60u,60w,62u,62w. Additionally or alternatively, such processing may be facilitated by complete separation of each upper member60u,62ufrom a corresponding lower member60w,62w, rather than, for example, pivotal movement of an upper member60u,62ufrom a corresponding lower member60w,62w.

While the exemplary binding units described above include upper and lower members as described, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that variations may be introduced and still fall within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, and without limitation, one or both of the binding units34,36may have both of the upper and lower members heated or may simply have the upper member heated rather than the lower member. Other contemplated variations include a binding unit where the lower member moves toward the upper member or where both of the upper and lower members move toward one another.

In one specific embodiment, and with particular reference toFIGS. 2A-2B, the apparatus10is configured to secure binders16,20to the sheet14, wherein one or both of the binders16,20include a securing structure that may be substantially hollow, substantially solid, or any combination of both of these types of structures. The securing structure may be in the form of a biodegradable rigid bar70made, for example, of wood, cardboard, fibrous plant material or a suitable biodegradable synthetic plastic material. The bar70may be attached to the sheet14by a coat of heat-activated adhesive76. More specifically, the adhesive coat76may, for example, be applied to each of the bars70prior to the sheet14(with the binders16,20pre-attached) being fed through the channels60,62. In this regard, the heat of the lower members60w,62wapplies heat through the sheet14to the adhesive76, which in turn responds by melting and further adhesively securing the biodegradable bar70to the sheet14. In another specific embodiment, one or both of the binding units34,36may have an applicator82that dispenses adhesive and applies it onto the biodegradable bar70and/or the sheet14in or adjacent the channels60,62.

As discussed above, the sheet feeding mechanism30feeds each of the sheets14in the general direction of flow (arrows32). Moreover, the sheet feeding mechanism30is configured to simultaneously feed a single sheet14through the channels60,62of the binding units34,36and remove a finished single sheet calendar12from the binding units34,36. In this exemplary embodiment, the sheet feeding mechanism30removes the finished single sheet calendar12also in the direction of flow (arrows32) and toward a packing region81. The sheet feeding mechanism30selectively stops movement of each sheet14relative to the binding units34,36when the leading edge14cof the sheet14reaches a desired location relative to the channels60,62. The top and bottom binders16,20are also moved relative to each of the sheets14and, more particularly in this embodiment, toward the binding units34,36.

In this exemplary embodiment, each of the top and bottom binders16,20is fed by the binder feeding mechanism50in a direction (arrows85) generally transverse to the direction of flow (arrows32) toward each of the binding units34,36. The binder feeding mechanism50feeds each of the binders16,20substantially in consistent orientation relative to the sheet14. Further, the binder feeding mechanism50is configured to feed binders16,20that are either loosely and randomly held in a binder station and/or may be configured to feed binders16,20that are supplied in stack form.

In this exemplary embodiment, for example, the binder feeding mechanism50is operatively coupled to magazines84holding respective stacks of each of the binders16,20and is thus configured to remove individual binders16,20from the stacks and feed them to other portions of the apparatus10. The stacks of binders16,20in the magazines84may, for example, include suitably positioned spots or lines86of adhesive between adjacent binders16,20to thereby keep the binders in stack form. With particular reference toFIG. 4, one or more separators87may be disposed between adjacent binders to permit their separation from one another. In this regard, for example, the binder feeding mechanism50may include a heating element89that heats the spots or lines of adhesive to thereby permit separation of the adjacent binders16,20in a stack.

Notably, the same spots or lines86of adhesive76that secure adjacent binders16,20in stack form may be used to temporarily secure each of the binders16,20to the sheet14prior to feeding the sheet14(with pre-attached binders16,20) toward the binding units34,36, as explained above. It is contemplated that the adhesive76holding adjacent binders16,20together in stack form may be either the same or different from the adhesive used to temporarily attached the binders16,20the sheet14. Or as discussed above, alternatively, the binding process securing the binders16,20to the sheet14may include no adhesive at all.

It is contemplated that, alternatively, the binder feeding mechanism50may instead or additionally be operatively coupled to one or more rollers88that support and permit unwinding of respective rolls90feeding each of the binders16,20. More specifically, each of the rolls90is made up of a carrier web92that supports individual binders16,20that are spaced at intervals. A non-limiting example of such roll is described in the above-referenced U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/187,556. Accordingly, the binder feeding mechanism50of such alternative embodiment may be configured to remove the binders16,20from the carrier web92and/or remove portions of the carrier web along with a binder16,20and feed the same to a corresponding binding unit34,36.

The binder feeding mechanism50feeds the top and bottom binders16,20until they are in respective registration with desired locations along the edges14a,14bof the sheet14. For example, and without limitation, a calendar may have a sheet14and binders16,20having substantially the same width, in which case the binder feeding mechanism50as well as the sheet feeding mechanism30will respectively feed the binders16,20and sheet14into the binding units34,36so that their respective leading edges are in registration with one another. It is contemplated, alternatively, that the binder feeding mechanism50may feed the binders16,20to the sheet14and allow the sheet feeding mechanism30to feed the sheet14and binders16,20, for example pre-attached through the adhesive coat76, into the binding units34,36.

The apparatus10is capable of making calendars12of different width. In this regard, the apparatus10is thus capable of handling single sheets14of such different lengths. More specifically, the binding units34,36are mounted or supported such that the spacing between them can be adjusted in the general direction of arrow102. To this end, one or both of the binding units34,36may be movable toward the other of the binding units34,36to permit such adjustment. This adjustment may be manual and/or automatic, for example, upon detection or reception of a signal corresponding to the width of a specific sheet14. Once the adjustment is completed, the binding units34,36remain fixed in position during the binding process i.e., during the securing of the binders16,20to the sheet14.

From the above disclosure of the general principles of the present invention and the preceding detailed description of at least one preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which this invention is susceptible. Therefore, I desire to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.