Patent Publication Number: US-2009230604-A1

Title: Removable portion format

Description:
PRIORITY 
     This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/352,525, filed on Feb. 13, 2006, which was a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/974,344, filed on Oct. 27, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,899, issued Mar. 28, 2006, which claimed the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/553,368, filed on Mar. 15, 2004, the disclosures of all of which applications are incorporated herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is generally directed to an in-line finishing system for manufacturing a heavier-stock, removable portion, to incorporate in a mass-distributable packet, in a single-pass manufacturing process, using no premanufactured portions. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Advertisers commonly use mass-distributable packets to promote their products. These packets are distributed by mail, by insert into newspapers or other periodicals, by hand delivery, or otherwise. 
     Advertisers often wish to include a removable portion in the advertising materials. A removable portion is generally a piece of smaller dimensions than the packet, and is usually printed on a heavier stock. A removable portion can take the form of, by way of example and not by way of limitation, a facsimile credit card in a credit card advertisement; a discount card, such as for a certain dollar amount or certain percentage off the price of merchandise or services; a gift card; a loyalty card; or a temporary membership card for an organization such as a health club. Either the packet or the removable portion can be personalized in a variety of ways as is known in the art. 
     Removable portions are often used for promotional purposes in advertising, but can be used for other purposes and the present invention as described herein is not limited to removable portions used in advertising. For example, an organization could use the present invention to prepare actual membership cards. 
     One variety of the current practice calls for printing mass-distributable packets on a web press. The packets are prepared by printing the information to appear on the packets in a plurality of longitudinal areas extending parallel to the web, cutting the web longitudinally between the print patterns to form ribbons, superimposing the cut ribbons in a vertical registry, and then cutting the ribbons transversely to form the sets of printed pieces. The ribbons can be folded and cut in a variety of ways to create many different forms. 
     Because the removable portion is usually of a heavier stock paper than the advertising materials, the removable portion cannot be easily printed on the same web press at the same time as the advertising materials. Therefore, removable portions are printed separately, by known methods, and added to the packet in a “tip on” process. Accordingly, a separate printing apparatus is needed, either a web press or other printing machine, or an outside vendor must print the removable portions separately. The removable portions sometimes can be printed on the same web press that prints the packets, but not at the same time, since the removable portion is of a heavier stock than the main packet. Some printing equipment cannot print paper of the thickness desired for a removable portion, to a separate press is required, cither in-house or at an outside vendor. 
     Problems arise in this current method of manufacture. Utilizing a second printing apparatus for the removable portion adds capital expense and labor costs. Using an outside vendor adds costs and creates quality control problems. Regardless of who prepares the removable portions or where the removable portions are printed, the tip-on process can cause alignment problems and increase make-ready time. Placing the preprinted removable portions in precise alignment on the advertising packets is difficult. The alignment problem is exacerbated if there is a need to turn the web to an upward angle in order to introduce a fold in the packet, after the removable portion has been married to the web. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a less expensive, easily set up, single-pass system that minimizes the alignment problems and make-ready time for adding a removable portion to a packet of printed materials. The present invention meets this need. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A general object of the present invention is to provide a continuous single-pass finishing system for production of mass-distributable packets of printed materials and removable portions. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a continuous single-pass finishing system for production of mass-distributable packets of printed materials and removable, multi-ply portions. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a continuous single-pass finishing system for production of mass-distributable packets of printed materials and removable portions, with information personalized to the advertiser or to the recipient printed on the removable portions. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a continuous single-pass finishing system for production of mass-distributable packets of printed materials and removable, multi-ply portions, with information personalized to the advertiser or to the recipient printed on the removable portions. 
     Briefly, and in accordance with the foregoing, the present invention discloses a system for slitting a web coming out of a printing press into at least a first ribbon and a second ribbon, whereby the first ribbon will become the packets of printed materials and the second ribbon will become the removable portions; applying an adhesive to one side of the second ribbon; folding the second ribbon upon itself at least once to form a multi-ply ribbon; die cutting the multi-ply ribbon to form inner portions and outer portions; applying spot glue; marrying the multi-ply ribbon to the first ribbon; and pulling off the outer portion, leaving the removable portion married to the first ribbon. 
     In another embodiment, the present invention discloses a system for slitting a web coming out of a printing press into at least a first ribbon, a second ribbon, and a third ribbon, whereby the first ribbon will become the packets of printed materials and the second ribbon and third ribbon will become the removable portions; applying an adhesive to one side of either the second ribbon or the third ribbon; marrying the second ribbon to the third ribbon to form a multi-ply ribbon; die cutting the multi-ply ribbon to form inner and outer portions; applying spot glue; marrying the multi-ply ribbon to the first ribbon; and pulling off the outer portion, leaving the removable portion married to the first ribbon. 
     In yet another embodiment, the present invention discloses a system for slitting a web coming out of a printing press into at least a first ribbon, a second ribbon, and a third ribbon, whereby the first ribbon will become the packets of printed materials and the second ribbon and third ribbon will become the removable portions; applying an adhesive to one side of the second ribbon; folding the second ribbon upon itself while sandwiching the third ribbon inside the fold of the second ribbon, to form a multi-ply ribbon; die cutting the multi-ply ribbon to form inner and outer portions; applying spot glue; marrying the multi-ply ribbon to the first ribbon; and pulling off the outer portion, leaving the removable portion married to the first ribbon 
     In yet another embodiment, at least one of the ribbons is coated with a UV underlayment to simulate the appearance of plastic. 
     In yet another embodiment, personalized information is printed on the removable portion or elsewhere. 
     In yet another embodiment, two parallel web presses are used to print two separate webs. The output of one web press is used to create a multi-ply ribbon, as described above. The output of the other web press is used to create the packets. The multi-ply ribbon is married to the second web, as described above, and the outer portion is removed, as described above. 
     In yet another embodiment, two separate webs are printed on the same web press at the same time. The first web is used to create a multi-ply ribbon, as described above. The second web is used to create the packets. The multi-ply ribbon is married to the second web, as described above, and the outer portion is removed, as described above. 
     In yet other embodiments, the present invention discloses a system whereby the multi-ply ribbon, as described above, is married to the second ribbon and then kiss cut into inner and outer portions. The outer portion is removed, as described above. 
     Mass-distributable packets of inserts with outer wraps can already be made in one continuous manufacturing process, using no premanufactured portions. The present invention can be used to incorporate a removable portion into such a mass-distributable advertising packet in a single-pass system, with greatly reduced alignment problems. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       The organization and manner of the structure and operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify like elements in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is an elevation view of a packet containing a removable portion as made in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a plan view of a packet containing a removable portion as made in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an elevation view of the finishing system that incorporates the features of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the second ribbon of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, after cutting but before removal of the outer portion. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the method of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the method of another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of the method of yet another embodiment of the invention 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT 
     While the invention may be susceptible to embodiments in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  show a sample packet  2  with a main portion  4  and a removable portion  6 , as printed by the method of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The removable portion  6  adheres to the main portion  4  by means of spot glue  8 . Please note that  FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate a simple embodiment of a sample packet  4 . The web  10  as hereinafter described can be folded in a myriad of ways before or after the removable portion  6  is added to the main portion  4  to produce a packet  2 , in ways well known in the art. Additionally,  FIG. 1A  illustrates a simple two-layer or two-ply removable portion, but a removable portion with three or more layers can also be made using the present invention. Thus, in the illustrated example, if main portion  4  is a brochure printed on seven-point paper (0.007 inch thick), the removable portion  6  will appear to the recipient to have been printed on 14-point paper (0.014 inch thick), even though both the brochure  4  and the removable portion  6  were printed on the same seven-point paper. 
     The information to be provided on the packet  2  is printed on a web of paper  10  in a standard web press  12 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . A slitter  14  cuts the printed web  10  into an upper ribbon  16  comprising what will become the removable portions  6  in the example method shown and a lower ribbon  18  comprising what will become the main portion  4  of the packet  2  in the example method shown. Please note that the web  10  can first be slit into numerous pairs of ribbons, each pair of which becomes upper ribbon  16  and lower ribbon  18  as described herein. Moreover, the following description is of a simple two-ribbon embodiment, but the principles of the invention are adaptable to multiple-ribbon applications. 
     Please note that the lower ribbon  18  can be slit, folded, glued, and cut in a variety of ways in processing stations  20 A before it is cut into packets  2 , to create any number of variations of packet  2 , depending on the number and type of packet  2  desired. 
     In the example method shown, the upper ribbon  16  has a printed side  22  and a non-printed side  24 . The upper ribbon  16  is rolled over an applicator  26  that applies adhesive  28  to the non-printed side  24  of the upper ribbon  16 . The upper ribbon  16  is then folded upon itself by a plow  30  to become a multi-ply ribbon. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper ribbon  16  is folded upon itself once, so that the upper ribbon  16  now has twice the thickness of the original paper. Additionally, the upper ribbon  16 , having been folded in half, with printed side  22  to the outside, now has printed information on both sides. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, the upper ribbon  16 , which will be cut into removable portion  6 , appears to be twice the thickness of the lower ribbon  18  and has information on both sides. More plows can be added in any combination to fold the upper ribbon  16  to create triple ply, quadruple ply, or higher order thicknesses. Because the upper ribbon  16  is folded to create multiple layers, the finished removable portions  6 , as will hereinafter be described, appear to be of heavier stock than the rest of the packets  2  to which the removable portions  6  are attached, even though the removable portion  6  and packet  2  were both originally printed from the same web  10 . 
     In another embodiment, other finishing operations are applied to upper ribbon  16 . For example, a coating, such as a UV underlayment, may be applied to the upper ribbon  16  at coating station  32 . A UV underlayment will provide a slick appearance to the removable portion  6  and simulate plastic. Thus, for example, a temporary membership card sent in an advertising packet for a health club will have the appearance of a permanent plastic membership card. Please note that coating station  32 , shown in the preferred embodiment located after slitter  14 , can alternatively be placed before slitter  14 , after plow  30 , or elsewhere. Other coatings can be used as is known in the art, and other finishing operations can be used as is known in the art. 
     Furthermore, the web  10  or either of the ribbons  16 ,  18  can be printed with personalized information, by printing the personalized information with the web press  12  or by using a separate, but in-line, inkjet printer  34 . (Alternatively, personalized information can be printed or otherwise placed on the packets  2 .) Preferably, the upper ribbon  16  is printed with personalized information after it has been folded into a multi-ply ribbon, but printer  34  can be placed to apply this information at a different point in the system. Thus, in the example given above, the recipient may receive a packet advertising a health club, with a temporary membership card already containing the recipient&#39;s name and/or membership number. Or, a national health club may send packets with the location and contact information of the local franchise printed either on the removable portion  6  or on the main portion of the brochure  4 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the upper ribbon  16  next enters a first rotary die cutter  36 , which cuts the removable portions  6  in the upper ribbon  16 .  FIG. 3  shows a portion of the upper ribbon  16  of the preferred embodiment, having been die cut into an outside portion or matrix  38  and an inside portion  40 , separated by die cuts  42 . In the illustrated embodiment, the first rotary die cutter  36  cuts the removable portions  6  in a rectangular shape, such as for use as a removable card. First rotary die cutter  36  can cut removable portions  6  in any shape desired by the used, however, as is well known in the art of rotary die cutters. The upper ribbon  16 , upon exiting first rotary die cutter  36 , enters a set of marrying rollers  44  and  46 . 
     The lower ribbon  18  proceeds to processing stations  20 A, which perform various finishing operations. The lower ribbon  18  can be folded and glued as needed for the final packet  2 , or other finishing operations can be used. The lower ribbon  18  can be cut and folded, for example, into a return envelope for the recipient to send back to order goods or services or otherwise reply to the information in the packet. Other finishing operations include but are not limited to aqueous coating, overall and spot UV coatings, film lamination, embossing, foil and hologram stamping, and post embossing. 
     The lower ribbon  18  is next brought over a reversing roller  48  and into the set of marrying rollers  44 ,  46 . Before entering the marrying rollers  44 ,  46 , a spot gluer  50  puts dabs of spot glue  8  on the lower ribbon  18 , at those locations where the removable portions  6  will be. (Alternatively, the spot gluer could place the dabs of spot glue  8  on the upper ribbon  16 .) The marrying rollers  44 ,  46  then marry the upper ribbon  16  to the lower ribbon  18 . The upper ribbon  16  adheres to the lower ribbon  18  by means of the spot glue  8 . The two ribbons  16 ,  18  then proceed together to a set of nip rollers  52 ,  54 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the position of marrying rollers  44  and  46  are situated so that the distance  58  from the knife point  56  of die cutter  36  to the rollers  44 ,  46  is less than the length of the inside portion  40 . As the upper ribbon  16  exits the rotary cutter  30 , the upper ribbon  16  proceeds into rollers  44 ,  46 , so that inside portion  40  is never loose. In the preferred embodiment, the leading edge of each inside portion  40  contacts and rests upon the lower ribbon  18  at marrying rollers  44 ,  46  before the trailing edge of the inside portion  40  exits the knife point  56  of the rotary cutter  36 . 
     After the now married upper ribbon  16  and lower ribbon  18  pass through the nip rollers  52 ,  54 , a pulling roller  60  pulls the matrix  38  off the lower ribbon  18 . An air jet  62  selectively shoots compressed air  64  at upper ribbon  16  but only at inside portion  40 . The matrix  38  then is pulled off lower ribbon  18 . Because of the spot glue  8  and the pressurized air  64  from air jet  62 , the pulling action of pulling roller  60  separates the matrix  38  from inside portion  40 . Inside portion  40 , which at this point has become removable portion  6 , stays married to the lower ribbon  18 , rather than following the matrix  38 , and the matrix or outer portion  38  is fed to a disposal system  66 , preferably a vacuum disposal system. 
     The lower ribbon  18 , now carrying the removable portions  6 , proceeds to finishing stations  20 B for further finishing by methods known in the art, including but not limited to further folding, aqueous coating, overall and spot UV coatings, film lamination, embossing, foil and hologram stamping, and post embossing, if desired. As illustrated, finishing stations  20 B are located after upper ribbon  16  has been married to lower ribbon  18 . In other embodiments, finishing stations  20 B can be located elsewhere and finishing operations as described above can be performed elsewhere. For example, finishing operations can be performed on the web  10  before it is printed or after it is printed but before it is slit. Finishing operations can be performed on the upper ribbon  16  at any point after the creation of upper ribbon  16  at slitter  14 . Finishing operations can be performed on the packets  2  after finishing rotary cutter  68  cuts them, as will be described. 
     In the preferred embodiment, lower ribbon  18 , after proceeding through one or more finishing operations as desired in finishing stations  20 B, then proceeds to finishing rotary cutter  68 , which transversely cuts lower ribbon  18  into main portions  4 . 
     Because the removable portions  6  are created from a ribbon running parallel to the ribbon from which the packets  2  are created, the alignment problems inherent in the “tip-on” process are greatly reduced. 
     In an alternative embodiment, upper ribbon  18  is printed on a first web  70  on web press  12  and lower ribbon  16  is simultaneously printed on second web  72  on the same web press  12 . The two ribbons  16 ,  18  are thereafter processed as described above. 
     In another alternative embodiment, upper ribbon  16  is printed on a first web press  74  and processed as described above. In this embodiment, however, lower ribbon  18  is simultaneously printed on a second web press  76  and processed as described above. The two ribbons  16 ,  18  are thereafter married and processed as described above. 
     In yet another embodiment, a kiss cut is used to create the removable portions  6 . (Kiss cutting is cutting through a first ribbon and not cutting through a second ribbon that has been married to the first ribbon.) In this embodiment, after the upper ribbon  16  has been folded and glued into a multi-ply ribbon, as described above, upper ribbon  16  is married to lower ribbon  18  by marrying rollers  44 ,  46 . First die cutter  36  performs a kiss-cut to create the removable portions  6  in the upper ribbon  16 , by cutting the upper ribbon  14  into an outside portion or matrix  38  and an inside portion  40 , separated by cuts  42 . Because a kiss cut is made, the cuts  42  do not extend into the lower ribbon  18 . Pulling roller  60  pulls the matrix  38  off upper ribbon  16  as described above and the lower ribbon  18 , now carrying the removable portions  6 , proceeds for further finishing as described above. 
     In yet another embodiment, separate ribbons are glued together to create a multi-ply ribbon. In this embodiment, slitter  14  creates two upper ribbons  16  and  16 ′. Glue is applied to at least one of the upper ribbons  16  and  16 ′ by applicator  26  and upper ribbons  16  and  16 ′ are married to create a multi-ply ribbon (in this case, a two-ply ribbon). That multi-ply ribbon is married to lower ribbon  18  as described above. 
     In yet another embodiment, a combination of folding and separate ribbons are used. To create, for example, a three-ply removable portion, slitter  14  creates two upper ribbons  16  and  16 ′, where upper ribbon  16  is approximately twice the width of upper ribbon  16 ′. Upper ribbon  16  is then glued at applicator  26  and folded at plow  30 . Upper ribbon  16 ′ is sandwiched into upper ribbon  16  during the folding operation, to create a three-ply ribbon. That three-ply ribbon proceeds to be married to lower ribbon  18  as described above. Thus, a packet  2  may have a main portion  4  that is a brochure printed on seven-point paper, with a removable portion  6  that appears to be 21-point paper, even though the removable portion  6  was printed on the same seven-point paper as the main portion  4 . 
     The method of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is diagramed in  FIG. 4  and consists of the following steps, which preferably are performed in this order:
         1. Printing a web  101 ;   2. Slitting the web into an upper and lower ribbon  103 ;   3. Coating the upper ribbon with UV coating  105 ;   4. Applying adhesive to upper ribbon  107 ;   5. Folding the upper ribbon onto itself  109 ;   6. Die cutting the upper ribbon  111 ;   7. Applying spots of glue, preferably to the lower ribbon  113 ;   8. Marrying the upper ribbon to the lower ribbon  115 ;   9. Pulling the matrix of the upper ribbon off the lower ribbon  117 ;   10. Disposing of the matrix  119 ;   11. Finishing the lower ribbon and removable portions  121 .       

     Please note that these steps may be performed in different order without departing from the present invention. For example, coating step  105  can be performed at various points in the process. Additionally, the step of printing personalized information on either the web, one of the ribbons, or the packets, may be inserted at various points of the process. 
     The method of the alternative embodiment in which two webs are printed on a single web press is:
         1. Printing a first web on a web press  201 ;   2. Printing a second web on the same web press  203 ;   3. Coating the first web with UV coating  205 ;   4. Applying adhesive to the first web  207 ;   5. Folding the first web onto itself  209 ;   6. Die cutting the folded first web  211 ;   7. Applying spots of glue, preferably to the second web  213 ;   8. Marrying the first web to the second web  215 ;   9. Pulling the matrix of the first web off the second web  217 ;   10. Disposing of the matrix  219 .   11. Finishing the second web and removable portions  221 .       

     Again, these steps may be performed in different order without departing from lire present invention. For example, coating step  205  can be performed at various points in the process. Additionally, the step of printing personalized information on either of the first or second webs, or on the packets, may be inserted at various points of the process. 
     The method of the alternative embodiment in which two webs are printed on a two separate, preferably parallel, web presses is:
         1. Printing a first web on a first web press  301 ;   2. Printing a second web on a second web press  303 ;   3. Coating the first web with UV coating  305 ;   4. Applying adhesive to the first web  307 ;   5. Folding the first web onto itself  309 ;   6. Die cutting the folded first web  311 ;   7. Applying spots of glue, preferably to the second web  313 ;   8. Marrying the first web to the second web  315 ;   9. Pulling the matrix of the first web off the second web  317 ;   10. Disposing of the outside portion  319 ;   11. Finishing the second web and removable portions  321 .       

     Please note that these steps may be performed in different order without departing from the present invention. For example, coating step  105  can be performed at various points in the process. Additionally, the step of printing personalized information on either the web, one of the ribbons, or the packets, may be inserted at various points of the process. 
     The method of yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention, in which a kiss cutter is used instead of a die cutter, consists of the following steps:
         1. Printing a web  401 ;   2. Slitting the web into an upper and lower ribbon  403 ;   3. Coating the upper ribbon with UV coating  405 ;   4. Applying adhesive to the upper ribbon  407 ;   5. Folding the upper ribbon onto itself  409 ;   6. Applying spots of glue, preferably to the lower ribbon  413 ;   7. Marrying the upper ribbon to the lower ribbon  415 ;   8. Kiss cutting the upper ribbon with a die cutter  417 ;   9. Pulling the matrix of the upper ribbon off the lower ribbon  419 ;   10. Disposing o f the outside portion  421 ;   11. Finishing the lower ribbon and removable portions  423 .       

     Please note that these steps may be performed in different order without departing from the present invention. For example, coaling step  405  can be performed at various points in the process. Additionally, the step of printing personalized information on either the web, one of the ribbons, or the packets, may be inserted at various points of the process. Moreover, the step of kiss cutting the portions out of the upper ribbon after the upper ribbon and lower ribbon have been married can be made regardless of whether the two ribbons were created from one web on one web press, two webs on one web press, or two webs on two web presses. Additionally, the step of kiss cutting the removable portions out of the upper ribbon after the upper ribbon has been married to the lower ribbon can be made regardless of whether the multi-ply ribbon was made by folding a ribbon upon itself, by gluing together two or more separate ribbons, or by a combination of folding one ribbon and gluing one or more ribbons. 
     Please note also the steps of pulling off the matrix  38  (steps  117 ,  217 ,  317 , and  419 ) and disposing of the matrix  38  (steps  119 ,  219 ,  319 , and  421 ) are optional. For some removable portion applications, the advertiser may choose to leave the matrix  38  attached to the lower ribbon  18 . The recipient can then peel the removable portion  6  off the lower ribbon  18 . 
     While preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications of the present invention.