Patent Abstract:
A form  10  has a portion  14  laminated on both sides with polyester film and defined by die cuts along lines  13.  The portion  14  is, therefore, removable, and has a magnetic recordal tape  25  incorporated therein.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to forms or documents preferably of paper on which is printed variable data such as personal details for example names, addresses and other individual information. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a form having front and reverse sides and incorporating a removable portion therein, the form incorporating a sheet of printable material, preferably paper and being adapted to have variable data printed on at least one side, the removable portion having a first sealing layer applied to its front side and a second sealing layer applied to its reverse side, and data means being provided on at least one side of the removable portion for recordably receiving machine readable data. 
     In some embodiments said data means comprises a strip of magnetic recording tape. In other embodiments said data means comprises a chip. 
     Conveniently said data means is applied externally of the sealing layer, but with some arrangements said data means is disposed between the sheet and one of the sealing layers. 
     Preferably the sealing layers comprise polyester films. 
     Sometimes, however, one sealing layer comprises a varnish coating applied to the outward facing surface of the sheet on the other side of the removable portion to the data means, the sealing layer on said one side comprising a polyester film. In some arrangements a base sheet is provided on said other side of the removable portion and extends beyond the removable portion. 
     Ideally, the removable portion is defined by a die cut which penetrates the form through to, but not including, the base sheet where such a base sheet is provided. It is a further preferred feature that one or both polyester films are printer compatible such that variable data can be printed thereon. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing a form having front and reverse sides, the method comprising the steps of applying sealing layer to the front and reverse sides of a predetermined area of a sheet of printable material, preferably paper, said predetermined area in use defining a removable portions applying data means on at least one side of said predetermined area, printing variable data on to one or both sides of the form and recording machine readable data on to the data means. 
     Preferably the sealing layers are polyester film but in some methods there is the step of applying a varnish layer to the outward facing surface of the sheet on the side of the predetermined area which does not have the data means. 
     In preferred methods there is the further step of having a base sheet on the side of the predetermined area which does not have the data means. 
     Ideally the removable portion is defined by die cutting around said predetermined area through to but not including the base sheet if provided. 
     With some preferred methods the variable data is printed before the application of the polyester films but in others, the polyester films may be printer compatible. 
     The printing of the variable data may be on both sides of the form and may include variable data on the removable and non-removable portions of the form. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of a paper form according to the present invention, 
     FIG. 2 is a reverse side of the FIG. 1 arrangement, 
     FIG. 3 is an exaggerated section on lines III—III of FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 4 shows a section similar to FIG. 3 of an alternative embodiment, and 
     FIG. 5 shows a section similar to FIG. 3 of a further alternative embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the figures there is shown a paper form  10  which may be an A4 sheet of paper but could be of any size or shape. The form  10  has a front side  11  and a reverse side  12 . In FIGS. 1 and 2 there is indicated by lines  13  an area which in the finished form will be a removable, credit card shaped portion  14  although it will be appreciated that the card portion  14  could be of any shape or size. 
     Starting with a plain sheet  10 , the sheet  10  may be printed on front and/or reverse sides  11 ,  12  with static information  15  which will not chance such as the letterhead, logo and graphics of the company sending the form. This static information  15  will not alter depending on the recipient of the form. The static information  15  could even include the contents of a standard letter. Static information is also likely to be printed within the lines  13 . 
     Variable information or data  16  can then be printed on to the front side  11  probably including the area within the lines  13  and possibly on to the reverse side  12  as well. This variable data  16  changes depending on the recipient of the form and can include names, addresses, policy or account numbers or other personalised information relevant to the intended recipient. 
     A patch  17  is then applied to the reverse side  12  of the form  10 , covering the area defined by the lines  13 . The patch  17  is of laminar construction and comprises a layer  18  of non-peelable adhesive, a polyester film layer  19 , an optional varnish coating  20 , a non-peelable adhesive layer  21  and a base sheet  22  which in use is the remotest layer from the paper form  10 . The base sheet  22  may be paper or a transparent or opaque sheet. 
     On the front of the form  10  a further polyester film layer  23  with a non-peelable adhesive layer  24  is secured over the area defined by the lines  13 . Data means in the form of a length of magnetic recordal tape  25  is then attached over at least part of the area defined by the lines  13  using a suitable non-peelable adhesive  26 . The polyester film layers may be transparent, semi-transparent or opaque. 
     The form  10  is then passed through a die-cut machine which produces cuts  27  through all layers except the base sheet  22 , following the path defined by the lines  13  so as to produce a removable card  14 , the non-peelable adhesive layer  21  allowing removal from the base sheet  22 . If this card  14  has variable data printed on the paper, the variable data is effectively being sealed in by the polyester film layers  19  and/or  23  so that the data cannot be tampered with. 
     It will be appreciated that in the drawings the thickness of the layers of the card  14  have been exaggerated so as to clarify the construction. In one envisaged use the card  14  may be used as a loyalty card for a shop, the tape  25  containing personal customer details, the card also showing corporate graphics relating to the shop (static information). 
     Other uses will also be apparent to the reader such as credit cards, travel cards, parking permits as well as many other applications. 
     The forms  10  may be produced as individual sheets or as part of a continuous system with a number of forms detachably connected in series. 
     Also the polyester film layers  19 ,  23  may be printing compatible so that the variable data can be applied after the components of the card have been attached to the paper form  10 . The actual printing of all variable data may be by any known printing means such as laser, ink jet, digital and the formation of the label could be by cutting methods other than die cutting. 
     In the specific arrangement described above the following materials have been found to be suitable for the layers but it will be appreciated that variations and modifications in composition and thickness will be possible. 
     Base sheet ( 22 )—45 micron paper sheet/film 
     Non-peelable adhesive ( 21 )—E326 adhesive produced by PCP (Precision Coated Products) 
     Polyester film ( 19 )—50 micron transparent polyester film 
     Non-peelable adhesive ( 18 )—E326 adhesive produced by PCP 
     Paper form ( 10 )—Printer paper 
     Non-peelable adhesive ( 24 )—E326 adhesive produced by PCP 
     Polyester film ( 23 )—50 micron transparent polyester film 
     Magnetic tape ( 25 )—10 micron to ISO7811 standard 
     A throw away liner would also be attached to the patch  17  prior to attachment to the form  10 . 
     In alternative arrangements the magnetic recordal tape  25  could be applied between the form  10  and the further polyester film layer  23  to give some protection to the tape  25 . This is shown in FIG.  4 . The tape  25  could also be formed as part of the polyester film layer  23 . 
     In the further alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the base sheet  22  and the non-peelable adhesive layer  21  are omitted. Also the die-cuts  27  are such that small unbreakable tabs retain the card shaped portion  14  attached to the remainder of the form until such time as it is needed. It can then be simply pressed out by hand breaking the retaining tabs. 
     Once the complete form has been assembled the personalised data can be recorded on to the tape  25  so as to relate to the intended recipient of the form  10 . The recipient, on receipt, can then peel off the card  14  or press it out in the case of the FIG. 5 embodiment and use it for its intended purpose. It will of course be understood that the tape  25  is located on the card  14  in a position that allows the tape  25  to be read in a conventional manner using a suitable machine. 
     The printing of the variable data and the recordal of the tape need to be synchronised so that the personal details in the variable data relates to the information put on the tape  25 . It is possible that a single machine could be used to print and record in one pass of the form  10 . 
     It is also envisaged that the magnetic recordal tape  25  which is “read only” could be replaced by another type of recording medium. One such example would be a chip of the type which is now becoming used on smart cards such as store loyalty cards etc. The chips are more expensive than tape but are “read and write” in nature so as to provide a two-way communication with a compatible machine such that the information contained on the chip is able to be changed as the card  14  is used. 
     In other alternative arrangements the removable portion is double sized and has adhesive on its rear side when removed from the form  10 . Once removed the double size removed portion is folded in half so that the rear sides are stuck together thereby forming a normal sized card. With such an arrangement variable data can be printed on to both sides of the card with only a single pass through a printer. 
     Further embodiments may involve the polyester film on the opposite side to the recordal tape being revealed and folded over by the intended recipient. Such an arrangement could enable a signature to be applied and then protected by the polyester film.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1