Abstract:
A method and apparatus for tabbing a piece of folded material includes a fixture into which a folded material is manually inserted and retracted. A dispensing device automatically dispenses a length of adhesive tape that may be pinked on at least one edge, and a cutting device separates the length of pinked tape from its source. A lower platen slides below the inserted media and traps a piece of the adhesive tape between the lower platen and the media. An upper roller or sliding member moves over the opposite side of the media for folding the remaining portion of the adhesive tape over the opposite side of the media and causing good contact between the adhesive surfaces of both portions of the folded adhesive tape and the media, thereby completing the sealing action. The media then is retracted manually.

Description:
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is a US national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/US2008/00 4360 filed on Apr. 2, 2008. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Tabbers are devices that are used, typically, for sealing self-mailers. The term “self-mailer” is applied to one or more sheets of printed material folded at least once to make a convenient smaller piece for mailing without an envelope. Being folded, self-mailers are closed on one edge but must be sealed on the other edges in order to maintain a flat, closed state during mailing. A popular sealing device is the tabber, which applies a piece of adhesive tape in one or more places along the openable edges of the self-mailer. 
     There is a rich prior art and a variety of devices available on the market directed to sealing self-mailers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,819 discloses a tabber that uses a continuous tape. U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,034 discloses a tabber that employs singulated tabs mounted on a backing tape. These devices and the art available serve the high-volume portion of the self-mailer market. More specifically, that portion of the market in which a few thousand or more pieces are to be tabbed and sent through the mail. Because of the emphasis on processing high volumes, this equipment employs more or less automatic handling of the media as well as automatic placement of the tab on the media. As a consequence, some adjustment to the equipment is necessary prior to use in order to correctly handle the different sizes and thickness of media. Also, automatic media handling favors designs wherein the media moves in a continuous fashion through an apparatus having an inlet and a separate exit so that actual time within the apparatus is minimized. Further, this equipment is relatively expensive and can be justified only when the equipment costs can be amortized over the thousands of self-mailers that are tabbed. 
     A common problem encountered in the use of tape to seal self mailers is that once sealed, the mailer is often damaged when an attempt is made to unseal it. The unsealing is typically effected by tearing the tape at the point where it is folded by inserting a finger between the leaves of the sealed material and running the finger along the length of the sealed edge. Hopefully, only the tape is torn and the sealed material may then be opened. A knife may be used, or one may also attempt to peel the tape away from the surface of the media. In the case where a finger or similar dull instrument is used, it is well known that the sealed media may give way before the tape is broken. Sometimes, the tape is not broken at all, rather the media is torn in the course of attempting to open it. 
     One solution to the media tearing problem is through the use of tabs or tape that have a line of perforations along the crease of the tab or tape fold. The perforations serve the purpose of making the tab or tape weaker along the crease so that when the sealed material is forced open, the tab or tape tears instead of the media. This solution has disadvantages in that the tabbing apparatus must allow for either a) orienting of the pre-perforated tab pieces so that the tab perforation line ends up as the crease of the tab orb) some mechanism within the tabbing apparatus perforates the tab at the crease as a part of application of the tab. 
     No teaching or prior art is available for the user who wishes to send out a small quantity of self-mailers, say from one to a thousand pieces, where the set-up and capital investment required of the high-volume tabber are unattractive. Such a user is now forced to purchase sets of tabs and apply them by hand, or use a common adhesive tape and apply the tape by hand to the self-mailer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the need for a device that has no set-up adjustments, and is less expensive than other available devices, but which makes the task of adding tabs by hand very easy because human handling is limited to moving the media, and no work is expended in manually moving, folding, and pressing the tab onto the media. To be ergonomically pleasing and simple to use, the apparatus is configured so that media is inserted and retracted from a fixture, much like a common office-type automatic stapler. This avoids a through-system commonly used by high-volume machines that require, when media is moved manually by one person, extra manipulation to insert media into a fixture entrance and extract it from a fixture exit in some different location. It is an object of the present invention to provide a small, easily portable, tabbing apparatus that will tab media, the media being manipulated by simple hand motions. The invention does not require any set up adjustments, and because of its small size, is inexpensive to purchase compared to devices described in the prior art. It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus that can make use of a pressure sensitive adhesive tape without a separable backing, thus avoiding the use and expense of separate tabs mounted on a backing material that is discarded. The invention avoids the employment and expense of the special registration means required by equipment that applies such separate tabs mounted on a backing material. 
     The present invention comprises an apparatus that will automatically tab a self-mailer when the self-mailer, or media, is manually inserted and retracted. Manual activity is restricted to moving the media. The present invention requires no set-up adjustments, but, rather, is configured to accept virtually any self-mailer of any planar size and any thickness offered by one or several folded pages up to some limit depending on the exact design, but presumably on the order of ⅛ inch. The flexibility in servicing these different configurations with no set-up becomes especially important for large media, which according to U.S. Postal regulations, must be sealed in several places. The present invention can make use of virtually any tabbing medium, including continuous or discrete pieces of pressure sensitive adhesive tape without backing and having a sticky surface on one side and a non-sticky surface on the other side, so long as the tape is presented to the portion of the apparatus that performs the application of the tape to the media. The embodiment described here makes use of a continuous tape that is dispensed according to the teachings of the prior art, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,816. The embodiment described here also makes use of adhesive tape supplied in a separate purchasable cassette to facilitate loading new supplies of tape into the apparatus once the old supply of tape is exhausted. 
     Whereas the present invention is designed to use continuous or discrete pieces of pressure sensitive adhesive tape without backing and having the adhesive on one side, the tape to be dispensed from a cassette or roll, applicant has discovered an enhanced advantage when the tape has jagged or “pinked” edges. Preferably, a continuous tape with jagged or “pinked” edges is used. Applicant has discovered that such a tape, after application as a tab to media, may be torn easily and yet be strong enough for the purpose of maintaining the media sealed during mailing. Further testing has shown that the degree of tearability can be modified by changing the shape of the notches of the jagged or “pinked” edges. 
     The preferred method of applying the tape to the media comprises the sequential steps of 1) manually inserting the media into the fixture sufficiently to activate a limit switch or other sensor, 2) moving a platen to the underside of the media and in so doing trap substantially one half of a length of tape between the platen and the media, 3) cutting or separating the length of tape from its source, 4) moving an upper roller or sliding member, over the upper, or opposite, planar surface of the media, thus folding the other half of the length of tape over the opposite side of the media and sealing or pressing both sides of the now folded tape to both sides of the media, 5) retracting the upper roller or sliding member and lower platen so that the media may be manually removed, 6) manually removing the media so that the sensor mentioned above is de-activated, and 7) presenting another length of tape into proper position within the apparatus so that the apparatus is ready for insertion of a new set of media. An alternative sequence of steps comprises inserting step 7) between steps 1) and 2). Thus, the length of tape is dispensed into proper position after the media is inserted into the fixture. For a more complete understanding of the present embodiment reference is made to the following detailed description in conjunction with  FIGS. 1 through 9  below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the complete apparatus with media inserted for tabbing, but without any cowlings or other coverings that might be used to give the product a styled appearance; 
         FIG. 2  is the view of the opposite, or left side of the apparatus, with media removed and the tape supply cassette displaced from its nest; 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the apparatus with the right hand wall removed to show the internal mechanism; 
         FIGS. 4   a  through  4   c  show the three slides in the mechanism of  FIG. 3  that perform the work of cutting and folding the adhesive tape; 
         FIGS. 5   a  through  5   f  show the actions of the slides of  FIG. 4  and how these actions are effected; 
         FIG. 6  is a detailed view of the left side of the apparatus showing the adhesive tape drive means; 
         FIG. 7  shows details of the adhesive tape cassette and how it is linked to the apparatus; 
         FIG. 8  is a circuit showing how the drive motor is turned on and off; and 
         FIG. 9  is a length of the continuous tape showing “pinking” of the edges. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric representation of the apparatus generally denoted by  1  according to the present invention. As shown, the apparatus includes a base  2  onto which a tabbing mechanism housed between side walls  3  and  4  is mounted. A cassette generally denoted by  5  containing a roll of adhesive tape  10  is shown inserted between side walls  3  and  4 , and a self-mailer  6  (also herein referred to as media) is inserted into a throat  7 . 
       FIG. 2  is a view of the opposite, or left, side of apparatus  1  in which media  6  has been removed, and cassette  5  is displaced from its nest between walls  3  and  4 . A rotatable knob  8  is mounted on to a bracket  9  that in turn is fixed to wall  3 . Knob  8  will extend outside of any cowling that might be used for styling the apparatus; it is used by the operator to initially advance adhesive tape  10  after insertion of cassette  5 . To use the apparatus, an operator inserts the media into the throat and then removes it. Insertion and removal of the media takes place in essentially a single plane with a reciprocating rather than a through-type motion. This action requires only short, simple hand movements and is therefore ideally suited for manual handling of media. Whereas the present figures show the apparatus configured with base  2  in a horizontal plane and employing a removable tape cassette, it can be appreciated that the apparatus could also be adapted for use in other attitudes, with or without removable tape cassette, or added to other equipment that might be suited for this type of loading and unloading of media. 
       FIG. 3  is a view of the apparatus from the right hand side with side wall  4  and part of the cassette removed to show the internal mechanism. A motor  11  is mounted onto wall  3 ; the motor shaft speed is reduced through gears  12 ,  13 , (hidden by the wall—see  FIG. 6) and 14 , and  15 . Gear  15  is fixed to a camshaft  16 . Also fixed to camshaft  16  are cams  17  and  18  and a pawl  19  having a driving pin  20 . Motor  11  is wired so that the rotation of the camshaft and cams is clockwise in  FIG. 3 . Near the cams a shaft  25  is fixed to walls  3  and  4 . Arms  21  and  22  are rotatably mounted to shaft  25  and are fitted with cam followers  23 . Extension springs  24  extend between pins  38  (one on each arm) and a stud  39  fixed to wall  3 . Arms  21  and  22  thus oscillate to the right and left according to the rotation and profile of cams  17  and  18 . Further, arms  21  and  22  are linked to slides  26  and  27  by links  28  and  29  (for  29  see  FIG. 5 ). Slides  26  and  27  are mounted in grooves  48  provided in both side walls  3  and  4  (see also  FIG. 5 ) such that they freely slide to the left and right in  FIG. 3 . Thus, running of motor  11  will cause a reciprocating action of slides  26  and  27  according to the profile of cams  17  and  18 . 
       FIG. 3  also shows a slide  30  mounted onto side wall  4  (removed for viewing the mechanism) by way of shoulder screws  31 . The cylindrical shank of screws  31  fit through slots  33  in the slide. Slide  30 , being trapped by the heads of the shoulder screws on one side and washers  32  on the opposite side, maintains its attitude as it moves to the left and right within the limits offered by slots  33 . Slide  30  is urged to the right in  FIG. 3  by way of extension spring  34 , one end of which is attached to a hole  35  in the slide (see  FIG. 4   a ), and the other end of which is attached to a pin  36  mounted on wall  3 . The right end of slide  30  comprises a cam surface  37  that pin  20  engages during a part of the rotation of pawl  19 . Thus, running of motor  11  causes a momentary push to the left of slide  30  as the pawl rotates through a full 360 degrees, and spring  34  returns slide  30  to its original position once pin  20  on pawl  19  clears cam surface  37 . 
     Also shown in  FIG. 3  is the course of the adhesive tape through the apparatus. Cassette  5  containing a roll of adhesive tape  10  rests on pins  90  that are fixed to walls  3  and  4 . Coming off tape roll  10 , a tape band  40  is threaded over a roller  41 . Tape band  40  is the fed according to the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,816 by rollers  42  and  44 , both of which consist of a series of serrated discs, and straightening roller  43  into a more or less straight path into a cavity  45  in base  2 . The function of roller  41  is to ensure that a sufficient circumference of roller  42  is covered with tape  40  so that the tape advances without slipping on roller  42  when roller  42  is turned. As explained in the referenced patent, the serrated discs comprising rollers  42  and  44  are geared together (see  FIG. 6 ) in such a way that the surface speed of roller  44  is higher than that of  42  with less circumference in contact with the tape band. Thus the tape band will slip on roll  44  in spite of the adhesive side of the tape being in contact with it. Tape  40  fully separates from roller  44  and is guided into a more or less straight path with the help of roller  43 . For further details on the tape feeding action the reader is directed to the referenced patent. It is an object of this embodiment of the invention that the cassette be pre-assembled with tape  40  wound around rollers  41  and  42  and ending on the surface of roller  42 . Thus, an advantage of the use of cassette  5  is that the difficult portion of the threading of the tape is already performed for the operator upon purchase of the cassette. This is further described below under the detailed description for  FIG. 8 . 
     Also shown in  FIG. 3  is a media guide  46  that comprises a spring, approximately L-shaped, having two extensions  47 . The vertical portion of media guide  46  is fixed to side walls  3  and  4 . Media guide  46  is shaped and mounted so that extensions  47  apply a force onto base  2 . Media guide  46  serves to hold media in a more or less flat condition for tabbing. 
       FIGS. 4   a  through  4   c  are isometric representations of slides  26 ,  27 , and  30  referenced above. Slide  30  ( FIG. 4   a ) is fitted with a cutting blade  49  attached such that its leading edge  50  lies in a plane substantially parallel to base  2  of the apparatus when the slide is mounted as  6  described in  FIG. 3 . Leading edge  50  is also angled at approximately 30 degrees to the plane of the adhesive tape. Hence when slide  30  is advanced (to the left in  FIG. 3 ) the tape is cut. The cut progresses from one edge of tape band  40  to the other as slide  30  advances, thus minimizing cutting forces. 
     Slide  27 , shown in  FIG. 4   b , is fitted with a leaf spring  54  and roller  52 . Roller  52  is rotatably mounted in a carriage  53 . Carriage  53  is fixed to one end of leaf spring  54  and slide  27  is attached to the other end. Leaf spring  54  is shaped so that a constant downward force is exerted by roller  52  onto slide  26  below it. Slide  27  is configured with edges  51  that engage grooves  48  within both side walls  3  and  4 . Thus the slide maintains its attitude as it reciprocates from right to left in  FIG. 3 . One end of the aforementioned link  28  is rotatably fixed to hole  55 . The function of the roller, which could also be a sliding surface, is to press the top surface of a piece of adhesive tape downward onto the top of media  6  to be tabbed. 
     Slide  26 , shown in  FIG. 4   c , comprises a substantially planar surface  56 , a short, downward-curved leading edge  57 , a hole  58  for attachment to its aforementioned driving link  29 , and guiding edges  59 . Edges  59  engage two of grooves  48  within side walls  3  and  4 . Grooves  48  for this slide are located in side walls  3  and  4  such that planar surface  56  is maintained substantially coincident with the plane of base  2  of the apparatus as the slide reciprocates from right to left in  FIG. 3 . The function of slide  26  is to provide a means for folding substantially half of the dispensed tape band  40  onto the bottom surface of the media to be tabbed and also to provide a platen or bearing surface for the roller  52 . Together, the roller  52  and planar surface  56  act as a clamp to seal both halves of the adhesive tape to the media. The downward-curved leading edge  57  ensures that slide  26  does not jam on the media as it travels underneath it. 
       FIGS. 5   a  through  5   f  describe the cutting, folding, and sealing of tape band  40 . In each of these figures, slides  26 ,  27 , and  30  are shown along with the actuating members previously described, and adhesive tape band  40  as it is cut, folded and sealed onto the media. In  FIG. 5   a  tape band  40  has been dispensed into the position shown, the apparatus is at rest, and media  6  has just been entered into throat  7 . Media guide  46  has been removed for clarity. A sensor  60  ( FIG. 6 ), which could be a limit switch or other device, starts motor  11  when media  6  is in position to be tabbed (see also circuit,  FIG. 8 ). In  FIG. 5   b  the camshaft is shown rotated to a position wherein planar surface  56  of slide  26  is extended into hole area  45  of base  2 , directly under the media. In so doing it has folded the bottom half of dispensed band  40  onto the bottom surface of the media. Also in  FIG. 5   b  drive pin  20  on pawl  19  has just contacted cam surface  37  of slide  30 . In  FIG. 5   c , with rotation of shaft  16 , roller  52  is advanced to a position just on top of media  6  near the leading edge of the media. Additional tape has been dispensed as described below to accommodate this position of roller  52 . Cutting edge  50  of the blade is now just entering one edge of tape band  40 . In  FIG. 5   d  the cutting of the tape band is completed, and drive pin  20  on pawl  19  has just cleared cam surface  37  so that spring  34  may pull slide  30  back to its original position. During cutting, tape  40  is held in place by the pinching action of roller  52  against slide  26  on the one end and the pinching action of rollers  43  and  44  on the other end. In  FIG. 5   e  roller  52  has advanced to the end of its stroke and in so doing it seals tape  40  on both sides as it presses the tape and media together over planar surface  56  of slide  26 . In  FIG. 5   f  the slides have retracted. A second limit switch (described in  FIG. 6 ) stops the motor, and the cams stop turning until after the media is removed. After removal of media, the motor runs until the remaining portion of tape is dispensed, so that the process may repeat. 
       FIG. 6  shows the actuating mechanism for the dispensing of tape band  40 . Here, camshaft  16  is seen from the opposite end shown in  FIG. 3  as well as motor  11  and gears  12  and  13  that were hidden from view in  FIG. 3 . Cams  62  and  63  are fixed to camshaft  16  and rotate as a unit with the other cams described above. An arm  64  with cam follower  23  is mounted at pivot point  66  so that follower  23  may follow the profile of cam  63 . At the lower end of arm  64  a link  67  is attached. Link  67  extends to arm  68 , which in turn is mounted onto a hub  69  such that it can swivel freely. An extension spring  70  is attached at pin  71  on arm  68  on the one end and on stud  72 , which is fixed to wall  3 , on the other end and serves to hold the follower in contact with cam  63 . Thus, rotation of shaft  16  causes a reciprocating motion of swivel arm  68  according to the profile of cam  63 . At the top end of arm  68  a pawl  73  and pawl spring  74  are provided. The pawl engages the periphery of a gear  75 . Gear  75  engages gear  77  that in turn drives gears  76  and  78 . Gear  77  is mounted on bracket  9  and not on wall  3 , but is shown here in its correct position with bracket  9  removed for clarity. Gear  75  also acts as a ratchet and turns only counter-clockwise in this view according to the reciprocating motion of arm  68 . Gears  76  and  78  operate the tape dispensing rollers  42  and  44  shown in  FIG. 3 . The lengths of the various links, the gear ratios, and the profile of cam  63  are chosen so that the desired lengths of tape  40  are dispensed during a full cycle, or 360 degrees rotation of shaft  16 , as required to satisfy the folding, cutting and sealing sequence described above: Limit switch  61  is mounted on wall  3  so that it can be actuated by cam  62 . Cam  62  has its profile configured such that when the apparatus is in the state described in  FIG. 5   f  limit switch  61  is actuated causing motor  11  to stop. The motor starts again to complete the 360 degrees rotation of shaft  16  when the switch or sensor  60  detects that the media has been removed. The profile of cam  63  is chosen such that most of the dispensing of tape band  40  occurs after media  6  is removed; that is, between the stage described in  FIG. 5   f  when the media is to be removed and the stage described in  FIG. 5   a  when new media has just been inserted. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the sequence of steps  5   a - 5   f  is modified to dispense tape band  40  just after media  6  is inserted, but before planar surface  56  of slide  26  is extended. 
       FIG. 7  shows the details of tape storage cassette  5  and how it is linked to the rest of the apparatus. Cassette  5  is comprised of two side plates  79 , spacing studs  80 , a roll of adhesive tape  10 , two tape-roll hubs or plates  82 , rollers  41  and  42 , and a ratchet spring  83  mounted onto a boss  84 . The roll of adhesive tape  10  is trapped by its two hubs  82 , which in turn ride in holes  86  of side plates  79  by way of their rims  85 . Thus, when side plates  79  are attached to their spacer studs  80 , the roll of adhesive tape is constrained between side plates  79 , but can rotate freely. Tape band  40  is shown threaded over roller  41  and partially over roller  42 . Ratchet spring  83  contacts the surface of one of the serrated discs comprising roller  42  and serves to prevent an unwinding of tape  40  within the cassette. Roller  42  is fitted with a hexagonal hole in its center. 
     Knob  8  is mounted in bracket  9  so that it can turn freely and also so that it can travel axially. A leaf spring  87  is also attached to bracket  9  and fits on its free end to a grooved hub  88  of knob  8 . The action of the leaf spring is to urge the knob axially to the right in  FIG. 7 . Travel of the knob to the right is limited by the underside surface of the knob; travel in the opposite direction is limited by the flat surface of the leaf spring coming into contact with bracket  9 . Within this range of axial travel hexagonal shaft  89  is always engaged within the hexagonal hole of gear  77  ( FIG. 6 ). When assembled and when knob  8  is urged to the right, hexagonal shaft  89  of knob  8  also engages the hexagonal hole of roller  42 . Thus, it is possible for an operator to advance the tape manually by a turning of knob  8 . Removal of cassette  5  is effected by pulling knob  8  to the left and lifting the cassette out of the apparatus. When placing a new cassette into the apparatus, the operator lowers the cassette onto its nesting pins  90  ( FIG. 3 ) while holding the knob to the left. Releasing the knob then allows shaft  89  to re-engage driving roller  42 . 
       FIG. 8  shows an electric circuit. A power source  91 , which in some embodiments is a battery, is connected to a motor  11  by way of two switches  60  and  61  that are shown to be coupled in series. These switches correspond to the switches shown in  FIG. 6  above. The motor runs as long as both switches are in contact either at terminals  92  or  93 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a length of continuous adhesive tape  94  with “pinking” on both edges  95  and  96 , and adhesive disposed on one of its sides. Surprisingly, applicant has discovered that after application to media, the tab or length of adhesive tape  94  retains its strength through mailing and handling, but upon insertion of a finger in the media, the tab or adhesive tape tears more easily along the crease or fold of the tab or adhesive tape. Testing has shown that the degree of tearability can be modified by changing the shape of the notches forming the “pinking.” For example, angle A of the sides of the notches or the size of the radius B at the inside corner of the notches can be modified or selected to fit adhesive tapes of various strengths. 
     Although the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments and applications, persons skilled in the art can, in light of this teaching, generate additional embodiments without exceeding the scope or departing from the spirit of the claimed invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawing and description in this disclosure are proffered to facilitate comprehension of the invention, and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.