Time tags with data storage

A printed sheet product is formed by a core of printable sheet material having a pair of opposing major planar sides. At least one side bears printing. A plurality of magnetizable stripes are laid down over at least one major side of the core in spaced parallel lines extending across the one major side of the core. Scoring extending sufficiently through the sheet product including the core and each of the magnetizable stripes to define a plurality of tag elements removable from the sheet. The tag elements are of an identical shape. Each tag element bears at least part of at least one of the magnetizable stripes and part of the printing. The scoring further defines a hole extending transversely through each removable tag element of the sheet. The printing includes a unique code in characters, bar codes or both. Labels bearing the same codes can be simultaneously prepared by the printing and scoring of the core and providing a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on the sheet product behind each label. The removable tag elements are elongated but other than rectangular in shape. All depicted removable tag elements vary in width along their length. Where each magnetizable stripe is positioned to extend across the width of the element, at least one stripe overlies the widest longitudinal end of the element. Where the magnetizable stripes are positioned to extend along the length of each removable tag element, the hole through the element is located in the widest longitudinal end of the element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to printed sheet products and, in particular, to 
sets of uniquely encoded, printed tags. 
A substantial market has developed in recent years for individually 
manufactured, individually encoded transaction cards and tags. These are 
issued by stores and other businesses for such uses as membership 
verification, individual identification, etc. Transaction cards and/or 
tags typically bear a code in a printed bar format to permit automatic 
machine scanning. Sometimes labels are supplied with each card and/or tag 
and bear the same individual code number as the card/tag for attachment to 
application enrollment forms, membership lists, etc. Sometimes forms are 
supplied together with such tags. Their relatively low manufacturing cost 
in comparison to other forms of identification, e.g. embossed, magnetic 
stripe equipped credit and transaction cards and "smart" cards have led to 
their greater acceptance and more widespread use, especially where 
customer convenience is sought and the need for security with respect to 
the cards is relatively low. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In one aspect, the invention is a printed sheet product comprising a core 
of printable sheet material having a pair of opposing major planar sides, 
at least one major side bearing printing; a plurality of magnetizable 
stripes laid down over at least one major side of the core in spaced 
parallel lines extending across the one major side of the core; scoring 
extending sufficiently through the sheet product including the core and 
each of the magnetizable stripes to define a plurality of tag elements 
removable from the sheet product, each tag element bearing part of at 
least one of the magnetizable stripes and printing; a portion of the 
printing on each of the removable tag elements being identical to printing 
on each other tag element of the sheet and another portion of the printing 
of each tag element being different from the printing on at least one 
other tag element of the sheet. 
In another aspect, the invention is a printed sheet product comprising: a 
core of printable sheet material having a pair of opposing major planar 
sides, at least one side bearing printing; a plurality of magnetizable 
stripes laid down over at least one major side of the core in spaced 
parallel lines extending across the one major side of the core; scoring 
extending sufficiently through the sheet product including the core and 
each of the magnetizable stripes to define a plurality of tag elements 
removable from the sheet, the plurality of tag elements being of an at 
least similar shape, each tag element bearing at least part of at least 
one of the magnetizable stripes and part of the printing, and the scoring 
further defining an opening with a closed perimeter extending transversely 
through each removable tag element of the sheet. 
In yet another aspect, the invention is a printed sheet product comprising: 
a core of printable sheet material having a pair of opposing major planar 
sides, at least one major side bearing printing; a plurality of 
magnetizable stripes overlying at least one major side of the core in 
spaced parallel lines extending entirely across the one major side of the 
core; scoring extending sufficiently through the sheet product including 
the core and each of the magnetizable stripes to define a plurality of 
separate, individual tag elements removable from the sheet, the plurality 
of tag elements being of an at least similar shape other than rectangular, 
each tag element bearing at least part of at least one of the magnetizable 
stripes and part of the printing, the printing on each removable tag 
element including at least a machine readable code and the codes printed 
on the plurality of tag elements removable from the sheet product being 
different on at least two of the tag elements of the plurality. 
In yet another aspect of the invention is a printed sheet product 
comprising: a core of printable sheet material having a pair of opposing 
major planar sides, at least major side bearing printing in the form of a 
plurality of sets of printed fields; scoring extending through the sheet 
product sufficiently to define at least a plurality of elements removable 
from the sheet product, each removable element including a set of the 
printed fields; each removable element of the plurality being only 
generally quadrilateral in shape with a width and a length longer than the 
width, each removable element having a pair of opposing, spaced apart long 
sides and a pair of opposing, spaced apart short sides, each of the short 
sides being shorter in length than each of the long sides, spacing between 
the pair of long sides changing along the length of the element whereby 
each element has a narrower width portion and a wider width portion; and 
the scoring further defining a closed perimeter opening through each 
removable element, the closed perimeter opening in each removable element 
being located more than one-half inch from at least one of the sides of 
the element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Related U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/482,634 filed Jun. 7, 1995, is 
incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
In the drawings, like numerals are used to indicate like elements 
throughout. FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a printed sheet indicated generally at 
10. The product comprises a core 12 printable sheet material having a pair 
of opposing major sides 14 and 16. At least one major side bears printing. 
Major side 14 seen in FIG. 1 bears printing as will be subsequently 
described. If desired, either or both of the sides 14 and 16 of the core 
12 can be covered with a transparent film layer. A first transparent film 
layer 20 is shown covering the first side 14 of the core 12 in FIG. 2 
while a second transparent film layer 22 covers the second side 16 of the 
core 12. 
A plurality of magnetizable stripes 31-34 are laid down over at least one 
major side of the core 12 in spaced parallel lines extending preferably 
entirely across the one major side of the core 12. In the embodiment 10, 
four magnetizable stripes 31-34 are laid down over the first major side 14 
of the core 12 and over the first transparent film cover 20 immediately 
overlying the core 12. 
The sheet product 10 is scored at numerous locations to define various 
removable elements. Scoring indicated generally at 40 extends sufficiently 
through the sheet product 10 including the core 10, each transparent film 
layer 20, 22 if provided and magnetizable stripes 31-34 to define a 
plurality of tag elements indicated individually at 50A-50P. The tag 
elements 50A-50P are scored in such a way so as to be realizably retained 
and removable from the sheet product 10. Scoring 46 along each 
longitudinal side edge of the generally rectangular sheet product 10 
defines an equal plurality of label elements 60A-60P. Labels 60A-60P may 
be backed by layers 64 of pressure sensitive adhesive and strips 66 of 
release material. 
FIG. 3 depicts a modified sheet product 110 according to the present 
invention. Instead of plurality of tag elements 50A-50P and label elements 
60A-60P, only twenty-four tag element 50A-50X are provided on the sheet 
product 110 in order to maximize the number of tag elements which may be 
provided by a sheet product of a given size such as eight and one-half by 
eleven inches. Forty-eight tag elements could similarly be provided in an 
eleven by seventeen inch sheet. Also, tag elements with or without labels 
can be prepared on continuous (roll) core(s) with continuous magnetizable 
stripes and transparent film layer(s). 
FIG. 4 constitutes a greatly expanded detail front view of identical 
portions of either sheet product 10 or 110. With respect to this part of 
the description, the sheet products 10, 110 are equivalent. Three 
adjoining tag elements 50A-50C are shown in their entirety along with a 
portion of a fourth adjoining tag element 50D. 
According to one important aspect of the invention, each sheet product 10, 
110 is scored so that each removable tag element 50A-50P or 50A-50X bears 
part of at least one and, in the depicted embodiments 10 and 110, at least 
two of the magnetizable stripes 31-34 or 31-36. In particular, for 
example, tag element 50A bears parts 31A and 32A of magnetizable stripes 
31 and 32, respectively. Tag element 50B bears magnetizable stripe parts 
31B and 32B. Tag element 50C bears stripe parts 31C and 32C. In addition, 
each removable tag element 50A-50P or 50A-50X bears printing. If desired, 
at least part of the printing on each of the removable tag elements is 
identical to that on each other element of the sheet product 10, 110. 
Referring to FIG. 4, each of the three depicted elements 50A-50C has a set 
of four printed fields. First field 22A, 22B, 22C in each tag element 
50A-50C, respectively, is identical and may be, for example, a company 
logo. According to another aspect of the invention, a second, identical 
printed static graphic field 23A, 23B and 23C is provided on each of the 
tag elements 50A-50C, respectively. Each static graphic field 23A-23C 
constitutes a printed set of uniformly spaced timing marks 230, the use of 
which will be subsequently described. In addition, if desired, one or more 
variable data fields 24A-24C can also be printed on the sheet product 10 
so as to form part of each tag element 50A-50P or 50A-50X. 
In FIG. 4, each tag element preferably bears one of the printed variable 
data fields 24A-24C, each being formed by a set of printed characters 
which collectively define an alphanumeric code. The printed codes may be 
unique to each tag element of the sheet product (i.e. different in content 
from the corresponding printed variable data field of each other tag 
element of the sheet product) or common to two or more tag elements of the 
sheet product 10, or 110, depending upon how many tag elements are desired 
to be distributed to a single person or entity which receives the tag 
elements. 
In FIG. 4, each tag element 50A-50C further preferably bears a second 
printed variable data field 25A-25C, respectively. Each printed variable 
data field 25A-25C contains a code in a bar code format. For example, the 
code encoded in each bar code 25A-25C may be the same unique code printed 
in the alphanumeric data fields 24A-24C only in bar format or yet another, 
different code. The codes and thus the printing forming the variable data 
field 24A, 24B, 24C . . . and 25A, 25B, 25C . . . are typically different 
from those of all other tag elements of the sheet product 10 or 110 
although each printed code field may be different from all but one or two 
other code fields if two or three tag elements are to be issued to the 
same individual or entity. 
The individual tag elements of the invention are preferably configured so 
that they may be carried on a key chain or ring or tab or in a key case 
without remarkable or noticeable difference in size from keys which may be 
also carried. In order to enable the tag element to be so mounted, scoring 
indicated generally at 42 in FIGS. 1 and 3 and specifically at 42A, 42B 
and 42C in FIG. 4 extends sufficiently through the sheet product 10 or 110 
including the core 12, first and second transparent film layers 20, 22 and 
in some cases magnetizable stripes 31-34 or 31-36 to further define an 
opening 52A, 52B, 52C with a closed perimeter (i.e. hole) within each tag 
element 50A, 50B, 50C . . . and extending transversely through each 
removable tag element 50A, 50B, 50C . . . of the sheet product 10 or 110. 
At least one of the magnetizable stripe parts provided on each tag element 
is provided for the purpose of data storage. To that end, at least one 
magnetizable stripe parts adjoins and extends at least generally in a 
common direction with one outer edge of each tag element so that 
magnetizable stripe part can be swept through a conventional magnetic 
stripe swipe reader/writer. The magnetizable stripe part used for data 
storage suggestedly has a width of at least one-sixty-fourth of an inch in 
order to record data which can be read. Preferably, each magnetizable 
stripe 31-36 has sufficient width to record a plurality of separate data 
tracks, each of which is readable with a conventional magnetic stripe 
swipe reader/writer. According to existing, commonly used specifications, 
magnetic stripes bearing three data tracks are four-tenths of an inch in 
width, are nominally spaced within about two-tenths of an inch from an 
adjoining outer edge of the card which is the edge on which the card is 
supported as it is swiped through a reader. For example, referring to FIG. 
4, magnetizable stripe part 32B bears three track areas indicated in 
phantom at 320B, 321B and 322B. The lower edge of stripe part 32B is 
located within about two-tenths of an inch from the adjoining or proximal 
outer edge 501B of the tag element 50B. The first track 320B nominally 
begins more than one-fifth of an inch and less than one-quarter of an inch 
and ends no more than one-third of an inch from the proximal outer edge 
501B or, more accurately, a tangent 502 to that edge 501B, as the edge 
501B need not be straight. The second track 321B nominally begins at 
slightly more than one-third of an inch from the proximal edge 501B or its 
tangent 502 and ends less than one-half inch from that edge. The third 
track 322B nominally begins at about one-half inch and ends six-tenths of 
an inch from the proximal outer edge 501B or its tangent 502. Thus, all of 
the tracks 320B, 321B, 322B are located within two-thirds of an inch from 
the proximal outer edge 501B, two of the tracks 321B and 320B are located 
within one-half inch of the proximal outer edge 501B while the closest 
track 320B is located within one-third of an inch of that edge (or its 
tangent 520 if not straight). 
Data is normally recorded at a rate of 150 bits per inch per track. 
Twenty-five, six-bit characters can be recorded on each track along each 
one-inch length of the magnetizable stripe part. The longer of the two 
magnetizable stripe parts on each tag element 50A, 50B is more than an 
inch long in the depicted embodiments (in comparison to a slightly more 
than three-inch standard length specified for credit cards) and so can 
store only about one-third of the magnetic data which is storable on a 
conventional credit card. This provides the possibility of recording 
nearly thirty, six bit characters per track 320B-322B. 
While all of the printed and magnetizable stripe parts 31A, 32A, etc. are 
shown in the two depicted embodiments 10 and 110 as being provided on only 
one side of the sheet product and each tag element, any of the printed 
fields could be printed on either side or both sides of the sheet product. 
Similarly, magnetic stripes can be laid over either or both major sides of 
the sheet product. Thus, each tag element could be provided with two, 
inch-long, magnetizable stripe parts, one on either side of the tag 
element. 
The printed sets of identical, optical timing marks 23A, 23B, 23C . . . on 
each tag element 50A, 50B, 50C . . . are provided for use in conjunction 
with the magnetizable stripe part used for data storage. Each set 50A, 
50B, 50C . . . adjoins and extends at least generally in a common 
direction with the one proximal outer edge 501A, 501B, 501C and is 
preferably located adjoining at least one of the magnetizable stripe parts 
31A, 32B, 31C . . . of the tag elements 50A, 50B, 50C . . . being used for 
data storage between that one magnetizable stripe part and the adjoining 
one proximal outer edge 501A, 501B, 501C of the respective tag elements 
50A, 50B, 50C . . . . 
Each tag element 50A, 50B . . . is preferably generally elongated and no 
more than about three inches in length and one inch in width so as to 
reasonably interleave with conventionally sized keys on a key fob, a key 
chain, a ring or in a key case. The magnetizable stripes 31-34 and 31-36 
and the parts of each of those stripes on each tag element 50A-50P or -50X 
extend generally perpendicularly to the elongated direction of each tag 
element 50A, 50B . . . . 
FIG. 5 depicts a modified version 10' of the sheet product 10 of FIGS. 1 
and 2. The components are the same as the sheet product 10 in FIGS. 1 and 
2 but the individual scoring 40' defining the plurality of tag elements 
50A', 50B' . . . etc. are laterally spaced so that each tag element is 
only overlapped by one of the magnetizable stripes 31-34. 
While the tag elements 50A-50X are generally isosceles triangles, they 
could be of other shapes. For example, FIG. 6 depicts yet another sheet 
product 210 with generally "tear"-shaped removable tag elements 250A, 
250B, . . . and two of a plurality of magnetizable stripes 31, 32. 
Elements 250A, 250B . . . have been laterally displaced so that only 
magnetic stripe 31, 32 overlies each tag element. This is possible where 
label elements are being printed and the full area of the sheet between 
the longitudinal edges is not filled with tag elements. 
Rectangular tag elements with opposing parallel pairs of straight edges of 
equal lengths oriented at right angles to one another could be employed 
but only generally quadrilateral tag elements 350A, 350B . . . of sheet 
product 310 of FIG. 7 provide a more efficient use of sheet product 
including asymmetric lengths of parts of the magnetizable stripes 31, 32 . 
. . , including one longer usable stripe length, for greater data storage 
than could be achieved with a conventional rectangular shape. 
If greater data storage is desired, the magnetizable stripes 31, 32 can be 
run longitudinally and parallel with the elongated dimension of the 
removable tag elements. Referring to FIG. 8, sheet product 310' bears tag 
elements 350A', 350B' . . . having the same asymmetric nearly rectangular 
shape as tag element 350A, 350B of the sheet product 310 but with 
magnetizable stripes 31', 32' . . . running parallel to the elongated 
direction of each removable element 350A, 350B, etc. FIG. 9 depicts yet 
another sheet product 410 having generally right triangular shaped 
removable elements 450A, 450B . . . and magnetizable stripes 31, 32 . . . 
running parallel to one elongated side of each of the triangular tag 
elements. 
Referring particularly to the tags 350, 350' in FIGS. 7 and 8, each is only 
generally quadrilateral in shape with a width and a length longer than its 
width. Each removable element 350, 350' has a pair of opposing, spaced 
apart long sides and a pair of opposing, spaced apart short sides, each of 
the short sides being shorter in length than each of the long sides. The 
"width" spacing of the element, between the pair of long sides, changes 
along the length of each element 350, 350' whereby each element 350, 350' 
has a narrower width portion and a wider width portion. In FIG. 7, each 
closed perimeter opening 352 formed by scoring 342 in each element 350 is 
located in the narrower width portion of each removable element 350A, 
350B, etc. In FIG. 8, each closed perimeter opening 352' formed by scoring 
342' each removable tag element 350' is located in the wider width portion 
of the element. Each closed perimeter scored opening 352, 352' is spaced 
from each data carrying magnetic stripe portion and/or bar code data field 
printed on each element so as not to damage either or prevent or interfere 
with their automatic reading or, in the case of the magnetic stripe, 
writing. For example, where only a single longitudinal magnetic stripe is 
provided as in FIG. 8, the closed perimeter opening 352' will be located 
at least one-half inch or more away from the longitudinal edge of the long 
side 353' of the element 350' across from such magnetic stripe, and at 
least one inch or more from that edge where a printed bar code variable 
data field is provided, to enable the element 350' to be read on 
conventional magnetic stripe and/or bar code read/write heads. It will be 
appreciated that this spacing can be changed if custom heads are furnished 
for use with such elements. 
Each variation on the shape of the tag elements of this invention are meant 
to be illustrative and do not constitute a complete set of all possible 
shapes and sizes. However, the narrowest portion of each tag element 
should be sufficiently wide to enable any encoding thereon to be machine 
read, particularly through a swipe reader. That would require a thickness 
of at least about one inch for a one-dimensional printed bar code or 
one-half inch for a single track magnetic stripe written by conventional 
writer equipment. Other dimensions may be or may become possible for 
different swipe readers which may be developed. Where printed bar codes 
are employed, the scored, closed perimeter openings should be positioned 
at least one inch from the outer edge of the tag element proximal to the 
magnetic stripe part or printed bar code, which would be the outer edge of 
the tag element inserted through the swipe reader, to avoid passing the 
closed perimeter opening through the "read"/"write" area of the swipe 
reader/writer. Moreover, while both the printed bar codes and magnetic 
stripes are shown on the same side of each core, they can be provided on 
opposite sides of the core. While the triangular removable elements 50 do 
not lend to easy subdivision of the sheet products 10, 10' or 100, the 
more rectangularly arranged removable elements 350, 350' and 450 of sheet 
products 310, 310' and 410 in FIGS. 7-9, respectively do lend to 
subdivision of the sheet products into smaller sheet products including at 
least one of the pairs of the removable elements, which would be 
identically or essentially identically encoded for transfer to a single 
individual. Also the number of labels provided for each tag element or set 
of tag elements can be varied. For example, pairs of tag elements can be 
provided with none, one, two or even four (i.e., 2 labels from each of two 
rows) or more labels. 
The core 12 of each sheet product 10, 10', 110, etc. can be any thin sheet 
or web material having two major planar opposing sides, which can be 
printed upon. Preferably, the core is a flexible material which can be 
used with conventional, high speed offset printing machines. Acceptable 
materials include metal foils, cellulose based products, fabrics, cloths 
and preferably plastics including, for example, ABS, acetates, butyrate, 
phenolic, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, 
polystyrenes, polyurethanes and polyvinyl chlorides as monomers, 
copolymers and/or laminates. For example, the following specific 
trademarked products may be useful: Polyart I and II of Arjobex Synthetic 
Papers; various grades of GP700 from Bexford Limited (Engl.); Kapton, 
Tedlar and Telar of DuPont; Fascal, Fasprint and Crack n' Peel Plus of 
Fasson; Lasercal, Compucal II and Datacal Coating of Flexcon; Kimdura of 
Kimberly Clark; various grades of Pentaprint PR of Klockner Pentaplast; 
various grades of LLM-LV and Data Graphic II LLM of Lamart; Teslin of PPG 
Industries; the following products of Stanpat: APL-100, -110, -120, -150, 
-200, UM-546, UC-546, PPC-410, -450 and -460; and the following products 
of Transilwrap: Proprint, Transilprint, Transilmatte, T.X.P., Eve, 
Trans-Alley, Transglaze, Trans-AR, Trans V.L. and T Print; and others. 
These brand name products are treated or constructed in some fashion to 
make them particularly suited for use in one or more types of printing 
processes. Details regarding these products and companies and others are 
available to those of ordinary skill in the art through various sources 
including but not limited to published references such as AUTOMATED ID 
NEWS 1996-1997 REFERENCE GUIDE AND DIRECTORY, published and distributed by 
Advanstar Communications, Cleveland, Ohio. 
Each of the first and second transparent film layers 20 and 22 can be any 
material which is suitably and sufficiently transparent and which can be 
applied to the core material selected in any suitable fashion for the 
material(s) selected without adversely affecting the core or the printing 
thereon. The coverings might be, for example, sheets or webs of any of a 
variety of transparent Transcote FG and Copolymer plastic films of 
Transilwrap, Inc. of Chicago, Ill., which are transparent in at least the 
visible and infrared light spectrums or any of a variety of similarly 
transparent Durafilm plastic films of Graphic Laminating, Inc. of 
Cleveland, Ohio. The plastic films are preferably adhered to the core with 
an adhesive appropriate for use with the materials selected for the core 
and transparent covering. Typically, polymer based adhesives are used with 
the exemplary plastic films identified above. 
In addition, such laminate films can be obtained from various commercial 
sources incorporating one or more magnetizable (magnetic) stripes, of the 
type found on most common credit cards. For example, JCP Enterprise Inc. 
of Gardnerville, Nev. 89410 can supply a transparent polyester sheet 
bearing a heat-activated permanent adhesive on one side and one or more 
magnetic stripes mounted to the other side with a UV cured resin. The 
resin further forms a thin (about 40 to 70 microns), protective, 
transparent layer over the magnetic stripes, which does not interfere with 
reading or writing data on the stripes. Another source of magnetic stripe 
material is Transilwrap Company, Chicago, Ill. Alternatively, separate 
magnetic stripes can be applied to the transparent covering in a 
conventional manner for such materials, such as by hot stamping. 
For the particular removable tag elements being made in the embodiments 
disclosed in this application, the above-identified coverings are 
preferred, as they provide a layer of polyester having good strength, wear 
and soil resistant properties which can be used on the outer side of the 
sheet products 10, 10', 110, etc. The pressure sensitive adhesive used may 
be any conventional, commercially available, pressure sensitive contact 
adhesive suitable for use with the particular materials selected for the 
sheet product. For the embodiments being described, double coated, 
permanent adhesive transfer tapes, such as those available from Enterprise 
Tape Company of Dalton, Ill., for example, are suitable. 
The preferred methods of manufacturing the preferred sheet products 10, 
10', 100, etc. are quite similar and straightforward. Preferably, the 
static graphic fields are printed first on each selected side of the core 
material selected. Any known, conventional type of printer and printing 
process may be used including, for example, flexographic, offset 
lithographic, silkscreen, letter press, thermal transfer, thermal direct, 
ink jet, color laser, formed character impact, hot stamp, electrostatic, 
ion deposition, magneto graphic, dot matrix, cycolor, photographic silver 
halide, sublimation, diffusion, pad, gravure, spray painting, dyeing, 
electrolytic plating, electroless plating, sputter deposition, in-mold 
decorating, flocking, embossing, vacuum evaporation metallizing, 
engraving, hot transfer, electro-photographic printing or electro ink 
printing process. Preferably, a high speed printing process such as 
flexographic or offset lithography is used to print on continuous webs of 
thin flexible planar material for efficiency and cost. A printing method 
and machine capable of simultaneously printing the first and second sets 
of static graphic fields on the first and second sides of the web in one 
pass through the printer is preferred for efficiency, but single side 
printing in separate passes may be preferred for quality. 
Next, the core bearing the printed static graphic fields preferably is 
passed through a variable data field printer, preferably a programmable 
printer capable of printing variable data fields in at least bar and 
character format on at least one side of the core, which becomes the first 
side of the sheet products, in a single pass of the core through that 
printer. "Character" encompasses at least alphanumerics and conventional 
punctuation symbols. Commercially available printers having this 
capability include thermal transfer, thermal direct, ink jet, color laser, 
formed character impact, electrostatic, ion deposition, magnetographic, 
dot matrix, photographic and sublimation and are available from almost an 
innumerable list of suppliers. Again, printers printing on continuous webs 
are preferred for efficiency but printers printing on individual sheets 
(cut lengths of web) are preferred for quality. Currently, thermal 
transfer and laser printers are preferred in the industry for variable 
format printing, particularly of characters and bar codes. Generally 
speaking, existing thermal transfer printers provide high quality, sharp 
characters and bars while laser printers provide characters and bars which 
are not as sharp but more consistent in thickness. Improvements continue 
to be made to both ink jet and ion deposition printers as well. Ink jet 
and/or ion deposition printers may be preferred for speed. However, at 
least currently available machines, generally speaking, do not provide the 
quality provided by currently available thermal transfer and laser 
printers. Currently, laser printing is preferred for the particular 
embodiments 10 and 110 being described. For example, laser printers are 
made and/or distributed in the United States by such well-known 
corporations as Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Kodak, NCR, Panasonic, Pentax, 
Ricoh, Siemans, Toshiba and Xerox. In addition, literally dozens of other, 
smaller manufacturers offer programmed or programmable printers which can 
be used or can be configured to be used to perform the steps indicated 
above. Again, the material selected for the core 12 should be compatible 
with the preferred printing method and equipment or the printing methods 
and equipment selected to be compatible with a preferred material. For 
example, for laser printing, a micro voided polysilicate plastic sheet 
material, having, at least about sixty percent porosity like PPG 
Industries Teslin.TM. is preferred. 
The programmable code field printer selected preferably is configured to 
print each of the variable data fields. With respect to sheet products 10, 
110, the first plurality of variable data code fields including 23B and/or 
24B 20a-27a are printed in a landscape mode running vertically, parallel 
to the side edges of the sheet 10. This is accomplished in a 
straightforward fashion by simply programming the computer to identify the 
characters to be printed at predetermined locations on the web in defined 
angular orientations to the web. In this way, all of the code fields are 
printed on the web in a single pass of the web through the printer. 
Preferably, the first and second transparent layers 20 and 22 are then 
applied to the opposing sides 14 and 26 of the web in a conventional 
manner for the covering material selected. The magnetizable stripes may be 
applied with a pressure sensitive adhesive backing to a transparent layer 
after that layer has been applied to the core or the magnetic stripe can 
be provided laminated to a transparent film layer and that laminate 
attached to the core. The stripes of pressure sensitive adhesive 60 and 64 
are also applied, with or without release paper 62 and 66, respectively, 
for the embodiment 10, 100 or 110 selected. 
Separate printing of static graphic and variable data fields is presently 
preferred for speed, cost and quality. However, the capabilities of 
programmable printers continues to improve in all three categories. In 
some instances, it is already possible to simultaneously print certain 
types of static graphic and variable data fields at the same time using 
the same programmable printer in a single pass of the core through the 
printer. Duplex printers are now becoming available which permit the 
printing of static graphic and variable data fields on both sides of a 
core in a single pass through such printers, for example, printers from 
INDIGO of Maastricht, The Netherlands or its U.S. subsidiary, Indigo 
America in Woburn, Mass. Sheet products printed by such devices are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. The present invention 
is also intended to cover all instances where static graphic fields may be 
printed before, after or simultaneously with the variable data fields on 
one or both sides of a continuous or cut length core. 
Next, if the first embodiment sheet product 10 is produced, the printed, 
covered web is preferably fed through a cutter which scores the sheet 
product 10 through the core 12, layers 20 and 22, magnetizable stripes 
31-34 or 36 and stripes 60 and 64, where present, to define the sets of 
removable tag elements 50A-50P or -50X, respectively and cuts a continuous 
web into the individual sheet product lengths if a continuous web is used. 
One of ordinary skill will appreciate that the order in which certain steps 
are taken may be immaterial. For example, while printing a static graphic 
field initially on a continuous web is preferred for rapid, inexpensive 
printing, static fields can be printed directly on cut sheets. Typically, 
it will also be immaterial whether the code fields are printed before, 
after or during the printing of the static graphic fields. Further, the 
order in which coverings are applied is generally not critical, and 
coverings could be applied to one side of a core after printing upon that 
side is completed and before printing is performed on the other side of 
the core. 
Next, one of ordinary skill should be aware that it is now also possible to 
first laminate a tough, protective transparent film of vinyl or polyester 
to a relatively inexpensive core of PVC or other inexpensive backing or 
stock material and print variable data (and/or static graphic) fields 
directly onto the vinyl or polyester laminate layer. Smudge resistant, 
scratch resistant, high resin thermal transfer films now available from 
such manufacturers as Sony and Ricoh are or can be used without a 
protective film covering. The invention is intended to cover such sheet 
products as well. In such instances, the core will actually be a laminate. 
Applicant's prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,978,146 and 5,495,981 are incorporated 
by reference herein in their entirety for further details regarding such 
sheet products. 
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be 
made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad 
inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this 
invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it 
is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the 
present invention as defined by the appended claims.