Sets of sheets and method for forming business forms

Abstract: A method of printing and assembling carbonless, multi-sheet business forms from a plurality of cut sheets (50, 52, 54) is disclosed which includes the steps of, for each form: a) applying a heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive strip (62, 64) to a lower surface of a first sheet (50) and an upper surface of a second sheet (52), the adhesive strips on the first and second sheets being in substantial vertical alignment when the first and second sheets are in overlying relationship; b) providing at least one intermediate sheet (54), the intermediate sheet having a plurality of apertures (66) therein; c) passing the first, second and intermediate sheet through a non-impact printer (10); d) collating the first, second and intermediate sheet in overlying relationship so as to provide an individual collated form with the adhesive strips (62, 64) and plurality of apertures (66) in alignment; and e) passing the collated form through a heat and/or pressure sealing device (19) to thereby activate the heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive strips (62, 64) by mutual contact through the plurality of apertures (66). Multi-part carbonless business form sets (48) collated from cut sheets following the above described process are also provided in two, three, four and five part form assemblies.

Description: RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is related to applicant's co-pending US application Serial No. 07/779335 entitled "Carbonless Paper for Non-Impact Laser Printing" (corresponding to EP-A-0537979). BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has become increasingly popular to use high speed non-impact printers (for example, laser printers such as the Xerox 9790, Kodak 1392 or IBM 3827 in the production of carbonless business forms. In the production of business forms from single sheets or "cut sets" as opposed to continuous webs, manual pasting with edge padding adhesives is required. This, of course, is a potential bottleneck in the processing of such "cut sets" through high speed non-impact laser printers. In addition, manual pasting along with subsequent manual fanning and packing operations prior to shipping and/or use of the forms, results in the build-up of toxic solvent fumes which, of course, are not only undesirable but harmful to workers in the vicinity. It is thus a primary object of the present invention to provide for the effective manufacture of multi-part carbonless business forms utilizing non-impact printers, without having to manually apply adhesive to secure the various parts of the form. According to the present invention, it is possible to utilize high speed non-impact printers to form multiple part carbonless business forms cut sets while avoiding the problems associated with manual pasting. US-A-4002290 shows an envelope assembly in which an outer envelope is sealed along all four edges and contains an inner, unattached, return envelope, the edges of which abut against chip elements formed as extensions thereof and connected to the outer envelope edges. Corner chip elements may include holes through which spots of the adhesive securing the outer envelope extend. FR-A-2393734 describes an envelope assembly in which a front sheet and a back sheet are secured together along all four edges to provide an outer envelope. An inner sheet is secured to the back sheet along three edges to form a return envelope, when the front sheet is removed. The connections of the front sheet to the back sheet along the fourth side may be by adhesive on the front sheet, contacting remoistenable adhesive on the portion forming the return flap of the back sheet, through holes in a removable part of the intermediate return envelope forming sheet. The present invention provides a method of printing and assembling multi-sheet business forms from a plurality of cut sheets which are provided with carbonless copying coatings comprising the steps of, for each form: a) applying an adhesive strip along a marginal edge of each of a lower surface of a first sheet and an upper surface of a second sheet, the adhesive strips on the first and second sheets being in substantial vertical alignment when said first and second sheets are in overlying relationship; b) providing at least one intermediate sheet, c) passing said first, second and said at least one intermediate sheet through a non-impact printer; d) collating said first, second and at least one intermediate sheet in overlying relationship so as to provide an individual collated form with the adhesive strips in alignment; e) passing the collated form through a sealing device to thereby activate said adhesive strips to seal the sheets together characterised in that the at least one intermediate sheet bears no adhesive and is formed along one marginal edge with a line of apertures positioned such that when the sheets are collated the apertures are in register with the adhesive of the strips; and the sheets are secured together solely along said one marginal edge by mutual contact of the adhesive through the apertures. In another aspect the invention provides a set of sheets carrying carbonless copying coatings for forming a multi-part business form comprising a first upper sheet having a first heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive strip adjacent one marginal edge thereof; a second lower sheet having a second heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive strip adjacent a corresponding marginal edge thereof; and at least one intermediate sheet characterised in that the or each intermediate sheet carries no adhesive, each of the first upper and second lower sheets bears adhesive only along said one marginal edge, and the or each intermediate sheet has a first line of apertures extending along one marginal edge positioned to be vertically aligned with said first and second adhesive strips, when the sheets are overlaid in register with one another. In accordance with conventional carbonless practice, the upper form part is a CB sheet, the lower form part is a CF sheet, and the intermediate form parts are CFB sheets. The invention extends to a manifolding business form assembly formed from such a set of sheets adhered together along a single marginal edge. The single sheets of the form set as described above can be preprinted, punched, perforated, OCR encoded, etc. with additional value added features including color printing prior to assembly, without interference or difficulty by reason of the presence of the heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive strips. The heat and/or pressure seal adhesive strips applied to the first (or upper) and last (or lower) sheets are preferably arranged in linear fashion, although they may have other geometric configurations. Preferably, the adhesive is heat and/or pressure activated permanent adhesive such as that sold commercially by Moore Business Forms, Inc. of Lake Forest, Illinois, and acted upon by, for example, a commercial Moore pressure sealer known as the Model 4800B, or a Moore Edge Sealer of the type disclosed in EP-A-0426364. It is anticipated that the above described concept may also be utilized to accommodate non-impact printers using continuous web paper as opposed to individual sheets. The individual sheets, after printing in the non-impact printer, may be assembled into multi-part business forms in an accumulator where the individual sheets are collated and assembled into form sets, ready for heat and/or pressure sealing. In a related feature, a sensing mark on the first and last of form parts of a set may be utilized to trigger the passage of the collated form set through a conventional heat and/or pressure sealing device, before further succeeding sheets arrive in the accumulator to complete the next set. Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a schematic side view of exemplary equipment according to the invention, for practicing the method in accordance with the invention; FIGURE 2 is a partial top view of an upper or lower form part in accordance with the invention; FIGURE 3 is a partial schematic side view of a two-part form in accordance with the invention; FIGURE 4 is a partial schematic side view of a three-part form in accordance with the invention; FIGURE 5 is a partial top view of an intermediate form part in accordance with the invention; FIGURE 6 is a partial schematic side view of a four-part form in accordance with the invention; and FIGURE 7 is a partial schematic side view of a five-part form in accordance with the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 illustrates exemplary equipment which may be employed to produce multi-part carbonless business form sets in accordance with this invention. The equipment includes a high speed non-impact (for example, laser) printer 10, such as a Xerox 9790, Kodak 1392, or IBM 3827. The printer 10 has two or more in-feed lines (for example, feed trays 11, 12, 13 which feed sheets to which heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive strips have already been applied to the printer) and a printed sheet discharge 14. The printer discharge 14 is connected to an inlet conveyor 15 of a conventional accumulator 16, such as Model 418 manufactured by GBR of Massachusetts. The accumulator 16 collates and stacks the individual printed sheets from the printer 10 so that each form set is in precisely aligned relationship. The form sets are subsequently discharged from the discharge 17 of the accumulator 16, one at a time. The discharge 17 is connected to an inlet conveyor section 18 of a conventional pressure sealer 19, such as a Moore 4800B pressure sealer (or a Moore edge sealer for heat sensitive adhesive applications identified above). The pressure sealer 19 (or heat sealer) applies pressure with narrow rollers (located only above the glue strips or spots of pressure activated adhesive on the stacked sheets) to permanently seal the edges of the sheets together. The heat and/or pressure sealer is effective to seal any number of form parts, it being only necessary to align the sealing rollers precisely with the strips or spots of adhesive on the individual form sheets. Completed multi-part forms are discharged from the discharge conveyor section 20 of the pressure sealer 19 and fed to an inlet 21 of a collecting device 22 which may be a bin or tray or the like. As illustrated in FIGURE 1, all of the components 10, 16, 19 and 22 may be mounted on wheel supports so that the equipment can be moved into ready operative association with each other, to act on the individual sheets or form sets in the desired manner. Alternatively, one or more pieces of equipment, for example, the laser printer 10, may be stationary type while the remainder of the equipment may be mobile. In order to facilitate the collection and collating of individual sheets into assembled form sets, prior to introduction into the heat and/or pressure sealer, sensing marks 24 may be incorporated in inconspicuous locations on the front of the first form part and on the back of the last form part. For example, the marks may be applied in the top left hand margin of the first form part (see Fig. 2), and a corresponding corner of the last form part, where such marks may be readily scanned by conventional scanning equipment. These sensing marks may consist of conventional bar code symbology in accordance with, for example, the Uniform Symbology Specification (USS) 39. The accumulator 16, upon scanning first and second marks of a pair indicative of a complete set, will pass the collated set of sheets for that form assembly to the pressure sealer 19 before further succeeding sheets arrive to complete the next set. With specific reference to FIGURE 2, a single sheet 26 is illustrated which can be employed as either a top or bottom sheet of a form set in accordance with this invention. The sheet 26 (a CB sheet if used as a top sheet in accordance with carbonless practice) is provided along its longitudinal edge 28 with a plurality of punched marginal feed holes 30. A continuous glue strip 31 (shown in phantom) or a longitudinally aligned plurality of glue spots 32 is located interiorly of the feed holes 30 and extends parallel thereto along the length of the sheet. In a preferred arrangement, the glue spots 32 are spaced about 5/8 of an inch (15.87 mm) from the marginal edge 28 as indicated by the dimension D. It will be appreciated that in the event sheet 26 is to be utilized as the top sheet of a form set, the adhesive 32 will be applied to the underside of the sheet. On the other hand, if sheet 26 is to be utilized as the bottom sheet (a CF sheet in accordance with carbonless practice) of the form set, then the glue spots 32 will be applied to the upper side of the sheet. As will be described further below in conjunction with the five-part form illustrated in FIGURE 7, the middle or third sheet (a CFB sheet) of a five-part form set would be similar to sheet 26 but with a glue strip or spots 31, 32 applied to both the upper and lower sides of the sheet. Turning to FIGURE 3, a two-part form 34 is illustrated which includes a top (CB) sheet 36 and a bottom (CF) sheet 38. Marginal feed holes 40, 42 respectively, extend along the marginal edge of each sheet, in vertical alignment (when the sheets are collated and stacked). Longitudinally extending adhesive strips 44, 46 are applied to the lower and upper surfaces of sheets 36, 38, respectively, so that the adhesive strips 44, 46 face each other, also in vertical alignment. It will be appreciated, of course, that the overlying marginal edges of sheets 36, 38 will be directly sealed along their entire length by the pressure sealer 19 (or heat sealer, if appropriate). In FIGURE 4, there is illustrated a three-part form 48 which includes an upper (CB) sheet 50 and a lower (CF) sheet 52 along with an intermediate (CFB) sheet 54. The upper sheet 50, lower sheet 52 and intermediate sheet 54 are provided with lines of marginal feed holes 56, 58 and 60, respectively. In the stacked or collated position as shown in FIGURE 4, each plurality of feed holes 56, 58 and 60 is in vertical alignment. Sheet 50 is also provided on its underside with an adhesive strip 62 while the lower sheet 52 is provided on its upper surface with a similar adhesive strip 64 vertically aligned with the adhesive strip 62. The intermediate sheet 54 is provided with a plurality of punched apertures 66 which extend parallel to the marginal feed holes 60 and which are vertically aligned with the adhesive strips 62, 64. Upon stacking and collating a form set comprising the three sheets 50, 52 and 54, heat and/or pressure will be applied directly above and/or below adhesive strips 62, 64 to press the adhesive strips into heat and/or pressure sealing engagement, through the punched holes 66, thereby securing the three-part form together along one marginal edge. FIGURE 5 illustrates the positional relationship of the punched apertures 66 and the marginal feed holes 60 of the intermediate sheet 54. In a preferred format, the marginal feed holes 60 are spaced 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) from the marginal edge 68 of the sheet to the center line of the feed holes (dimension E). The initial feed hole is spaced 1/4 inch (6.35 mm) from the transverse edge 70 of the sheet to the center line of the feed hole (dimension F). The punched apertures 66, which are in vertical alignment with the adhesive strips 62, 64 are preferably located 5/8 inch (15.87 mm) from the edge of the sheet (dimension G). It will be understood that the above-described arrangement is exemplary only, and other arrangements of feed holes, punched holes and adhesive strips may be employed. In FIGURE 6, a four-part form constructed in accordance with the invention is illustrated. The form 72 includes an upper (CB) or top sheet 74, a lower (CF) or bottom sheet 76 and a pair of intermediate (CFB) sheets 78, 80. Upper sheet 74 is provided along one marginal edge with a plurality of longitudinally extending marginal feed holes 82 while the bottom or lower sheet 76 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending, spaced marginal feed holes 84 which are vertically aligned with the holes 82. Intermediate sheets 78, 80 are provided with respective pluralities of marginal feed holes 86, 88 which are also in vertical alignment with the feed holes 82, 84. The upper or top sheet 74 is provided on its underside with a longitudinally extending heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive strip 90 which extends parallel to the feed holes 82. Similarly, the lower or bottom sheet 76 is provided on its upper side with a longitudinally extending heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive strip 92 which is vertically aligned with the adhesive strip 90 of the upper form part 74. The intermediate sheets 78 and 80 each contain a plurality of punched apertures 94, 96 respectively, which are in vertical alignment with the adhesive strips 90, 92 so that upon the application of heat and/or pressure to the longitudinally extending adhesive strips, the four-part form will be secured together with the respective adhesive strips 90, 92 in heat and/or pressure sealed engagement through the apertures 94, 96 in the intermediate sheets 78, 80. In FIGURE 7, there is illustrated a five-part form constructed in accordance with this invention. The form 98 includes an upper (CB) form part 100, a lower (CF) form part 102 and three intermediate (CFB) sheets 104, 106 and 108. Each of the sheets 100, 102, 104, 106 and 108 are provided with respective pluralities of marginal feed holes 110, 112, 114, 116 and 118 in substantially vertical alignment. At the same time, the upper sheet 100 is provided on its underside with a longitudinally extending heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive strip 120, and lower sheet 102 is provided on its upper side with a longitudinally extending heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive strips 122. Middle sheet 106 is provided on both upper and lower surfaces with longitudinally extending heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive strips 124, 126 respectively. The second intermediate sheet 104 is provided with a plurality of punched apertures 128 while the fourth sheet 108 is provided with a similar plurality of punched apertures 130. Upon application of heat and/or pressure adhesive strips 120 and 124 will be in heat and/or pressure sealed engagement through the apertures 128, while adhesive strips 122 and 126 will be in pressure sealed engagement together through apertures 130, thus securing all of the form parts 100, 102, 104, 106 and 108.

Claims: A method of printing and assembling multi-sheet business forms from a plurality of cut sheets which are provided with carbonless copying coatings comprising the steps of, for each form: a) applying an adhesive strip (120, 122) along a marginal edge of each of a lower surface of a first sheet (100) and an upper surface of a second sheet (102), the adhesive strips on the first and second sheets being in substantial vertical alignment when said first and second sheets are in overlying relationship; b) providing at least one intermediate sheet (104, 108), c) passing said first, second and said at least one intermediate sheet through a non-impact printer; d) collating said first, second and at least one intermediate sheet in overlying relationship so as to provide an individual collated form with the adhesive strips in alignment; e) passing the collated form through a sealing device to thereby activate said adhesive strips to seal the sheets together characterised in that the at least one intermediate sheet bears no adhesive and is formed along one marginal edge with a line of apertures (128, 130) positioned such that when the sheets are collated the apertures are in register with the adhesive of the strips; and the sheets are secured together solely along said one marginal edge by mutual contact of the adhesive through the apertures. The method of Claim 1 characterised in that step e) is triggered by a sensing mark (for example a bar code) on the upper surface of said first sheet and/or the lower surface of said second sheet. The method of Claim 1 or 2 characterised in that said at least one intermediate sheet comprises from 1 to 2 intermediate sheets. The method of any of Claims 1 to 3 characterised in that said adhesive comprises a heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive. The method of any of Claims 1 to 4 characterised in that said first sheet is a CB sheet, said second sheet is a CF sheet and each of said at least one intermediate sheets is a CFB sheet. The method of any of Claims 1 to 5 characterised in that said adhesive is applied in the form of a series of aligned spots. The method of any of Claims 1 to 6 characterised in that two intermediate sheets are utilized, and including a further sheet (106) located between said two intermediate sheets and having adhesive on upper and lower surfaces thereof, in substantial alignment with said line of apertures provided in the intermediate sheets. A set of sheets carrying carbonless copying coatings for forming a multi-part business form (98) comprising a first upper sheet (100) having a first heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive strip (120) adjacent one marginal edge thereof; a second lower sheet (102) having a second heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive strip (122) adjacent a corresponding marginal edge thereof; and at least one intermediate sheet (104, 108) characterised in that the or each intermediate sheet carries no adhesive, each of the first upper and second lower sheets bears adhesive only along said one marginal edge, and the or each intermediate sheet has a first line of apertures (128, 130) extending along one marginal edge positioned to be vertically aligned with said first and second adhesive strips, when the sheets are overlaid in register with one another. A set of sheets according to Claim 8 characterised in that there are two intermediate sheets and including a further sheet (106) provided with third and fourth strips of heat and/or pressure sensitive adhesive (124, 126), overlying each other on opposite sides of the further sheet, and positioned to be in substantial alignment with said first and second adhesive strips and said first and second aligned plurality of apertures, when said sheets are overlaid and in register with one another. A set of sheets according to Claim 8 or Claim 9 wherein each of said sheets is provided with vertically aligned marginal feed holes (110, 112, 114, 116, 118) lying adjacent said first and second adhesive strips and said first line of apertures. A set of sheets according to any of Claims 8 to 10 characterised in that one or more of said sheets is provided with non-impact printing. A set of sheets according to any of Claims 8 to 11 characterised in that said first sheet is a CB sheet, said second sheet is a CF sheet and each of said at least one intermediate sheets and further sheet is a CFB sheet. A set of sheets according to any of Claims 8 to 12 characterised in that the apertures of said first line of apertures (128, 130) are axially spaced substantially 25.4mm (1.0 inch) apart. A manifolding business form (98) assembly formed from a set of sheets according to any of Claims 8 to 13 collated and secured together solely by activation of the adhesive in mutual contact through the first line of apertures.

Inventors: BAXTER GEORGE, BAXTER, GEORGE
Applicants: MOORE BUSINESS FORMS INC, MOORE BUSINESS FORMS, INC.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B41L1
IPC codes: B41L1, B41M5