Abstract:
A substrate of label stock or the like has pressure sensitive adhesive on one side, covered by release material. The release material is folded back or removed along one edge of the substrate, exposing the pressure sensitive adhesive along that edge. A transparent laminate is secured to the substrate by the exposed pressure sensitive adhesive. A photograph of other document can be secured inside the device by lifting the unadhered portion of the laminate, placing the photograph between the laminate and the substrate, removing the release layer to expose the remainder of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer, and pressing the photograph and laminate against the lower substrate. The photograph is preferably smaller than the laminate product, so that the laminate is secured to the substrate around all edges of the photograph. One or more legs can be provided for positioning the device in an upright position.

Description:
[0001]    This is a Continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/457,310 filed on Jun. 9, 2003, which claims priority from Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/465,405, filed on Apr. 24, 2003. 
     
    
     
         [0002]    This invention relates to methods and apparatus for laminating documents, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for laminating photographs without lamination equipment.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Documents such as driver&#39;s licenses and security badges are routinely provided with a second substrate, preferably transparent laminate, to protect the documents from damaging environmental conditions such as moisture. The document is placed in a lamination machine that heats the second substrate surface as needed, applies the preferably transparent laminate material to the documents and trims the material. The process is effective, but the lamination machine is expensive and inconvenient. Thus, there is a need for lamination methods and apparatus that do not require such lamination equipment.  
           [0004]    Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide new and improved methods and apparatus for laminating documents.  
           [0005]    Another object is to provide new and improved methods and apparatus for laminating documents that do not require lamination equipment for applying the lamination to the document.  
           [0006]    Still another object is to provide new and improved methods and apparatus for conveniently and inexpensively laminating documents.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    In keeping with one aspect of the invention, a substrate of label stock or the like has pressure sensitive material on one side, covered by release material. A portion of the release material is folded back along one edge of the substrate, exposing the pressure sensitive adhesive along that edge and thus creating a pull tab. A transparent laminate is secured to the substrate along that edge by the exposed pressure sensitive adhesive. The transparent film and/or pressure sensitive material can be printed, if desired, particularly around the outside edges.  
           [0008]    A photograph or other document can be secured inside the device by lifting the unadhered portion of the laminate that covers the release material, placing the photograph between the film lamination and the pressure sensitive substrate above the tab, removing the release layer by pulling the tab outward to expose the remainder of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer, and pressing the photograph and laminate against the lower substrate. The photograph can be smaller than the laminate product, so that the lamination is secured to the base substrate around all of its outer edges.  
           [0009]    The lamination product is made by moving a web of pressure sensitive adhesive material, having release material on one side, along a path that may include one or more printing stations, if desired. The release material may be perforated, scored or optionally slit to allow the release layer to be folded back after a conventional plough station. The folded back portion of the release liner exposes the pressure sensitive adhesive along an edge of the web.  
           [0010]    A web of the second substrate, preferably transparent laminate material, which may also be printed on either or both sides, is married to the underlying web after the release layer is exposed, and secured to the web along the exposed edge of pressure-sensitive adhesive. The web is then die cut into individual pieces having a desired size.  
           [0011]    Another embodiment of the lamination product has a support structure including at least one leg defined by at least one perforated line that the leg can be separated and positioned to support the product upright on a table or the like.  
           [0012]    Yet another embodiment of the lamination product includes a support structure having a leg defined by at least one cut line such that the leg can be positioned to support the product upright on a table or the like. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    The above mentioned and other features of this invention and the manner of obtaining them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a cut-away side view of a lamination product made in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a cut-away side view of the product of FIG. 1, showing a photograph inserted in the assembly, but not secured;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is another cut-away side view of the product of FIG. 1, showing the release liner being removed from the product after the photo is inserted;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a cut-away side view of the product of FIG. 1, showing the lamination secured;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is front perspective view of the lamination device of FIG. 1, as manufactured;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of FIG. 5 showing a photograph inserted in the product;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the lamination product of FIG. 5, showing the release liner as it is removed;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the product of FIG. 5, with the photograph secured inside the product;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the manufacturing process used to make the product of FIG. 1;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the lamination device, as manufactured;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of the product of FIG. 10 showing a photograph inserted in the product and the release liner as it is removed;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 12 is a back perspective view of the product of FIG. 10 showing the perforation of the legs;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 13 is a front perspective view of the product of FIG. 10 showing the legs detached and supporting the device.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 14 is a front perspective view of another alternate embodiment of the lamination device, as manufactured;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 15 is a front perspective view of the product of FIG. 14 showing the release liner as it is removed;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 16 is a back perspective view of the product of FIG. 14 showing the die-cut of the leg; and  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 17 is a front perspective view of the product of FIG. 14 showing a photograph inserted and the leg detached and supporting the device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0031]    As seen in FIG. 1, a lamination product  10  includes a layer  12  of unsupported film that can be print receptive on both sides, and a layer  14  that includes a layer  16  of paper or film, releasably adhered to a layer of paper or film  18 , through a pressure sensitive adhesive  20 . The film can be clear or tinted film substrate, typically a laminate, and the release layer  18  is ordinary release liner used for pressure sensitive adhesive labels. Adhesive layer  20  can be any suitable pressure sensitive or other suitable adhesive, and the substrate  16  can be label stock or any other suitable material.  
         [0032]    As seen in FIG. 2, a portion  22  of the release layer  18  is folded over a larger portion  24 , which exposes a portion  26  of the adhesive on the base substrate  16 , so that an edge portion  28  of the laminate  12  is directly adhered to the portion  26  of the substrate  16 . In this manner, a hinge  36  is formed in the laminate  12 .  
         [0033]    A portion  30  of the laminate  12  is not adhered to a portion  32  of the substrate  16 , due to the intervening release layer  24 . In this manner, the portion  30  can be lifted from the portion  32  to insert a photograph  34  other document into the device  10  above the tab  22  created by the folded section of the release layer  18 .  
         [0034]    Preferably, the photograph  34  is smaller in size than the portion  32 , so that the outside edges of the adhesive in the portion  32  can contact the underside of the portion  30  when the release liner  24  is removed, although extra space is not necessary at the hinge  36 .  
         [0035]    After the photograph  34  is inserted into the device  10 , as shown in FIG. 2, the release liner  18  can be easily removed, as seen in FIG. 3. The tab  22  can be used to remove the release liner, or the release liner can be removed in any other desirable manner.  
         [0036]    The photograph  34  is shown fully laminated in the device  10  in FIG. 4. Because the adhesive  20  is pressure sensitive, the laminate  12  can be easily adhered to the substrate  16 . In other words, with the release liner  18  completely removed, the laminate can be sealed around the edges of the photograph  34 . In this manner, the photograph  34  itself is adhered to the base layer  12  by the adhesive  20 , and the photograph  34  is covered by the laminate  12 .  
         [0037]    The device  10  is also shown in FIGS. 5 through 8. The product  10  as obtained by a consumer is shown in FIG. 5, where it is apparent that the portion  30  of the laminate  12  can be lifted from the substrate  16  due to the intervening release liner  18 . The hinge  36  can also be seen in FIG. 5, as can the manner in which the portion  28  is adhered along an edge of the substrate  16 .  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 6 illustrates insertion of the photograph  34  into the device  10 . In this figure, it is apparent that the photograph  34  is inserted beneath the laminate  12 , over the entire release liner  16 , including the tab portion  22 . While FIG. 6 shows the photograph  34  abutting the hinge  36 , the photograph  34  could be spaced from the hinge  36 , if desired. In any event, the release layer  18  is removed in the manner shown in FIG. 7. It is most easily removed by pulling the tab portion  22 , but it could also removed from any other portion of the release liner.  
         [0039]    When the release liner  18  is removed, the laminate  12  can be easily adhered to the base layer  16 , as seen in FIG. 8. The photograph  34  is also adhered to the base layer  16 . It is apparent from FIG. 8 that the photograph  34  is smaller than the base layer  16 , though, so that the laminate  12  is adhered around all of the outside edges of the photograph  34 .  
         [0040]    The process for manufacturing the lamination products  10  is illustrated in FIG. 9. A reel  50  of clear synthetic material such as polypropylene, vinyl or any other suitable material, is unrolled along a path  52 , and a reel  54  of pressure sensitive material is unwound along a path  56 . The pressure sensitive material  54  has one surface coated with a removable layer of release liner that when removed, exposes a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive.  
         [0041]    The laminate  50  may be printed on one or both sides at one or more print stations  58 , and the pressure sensitive material can also be printed, on one or both sides, at print stations  60 .  
         [0042]    The pressure sensitive material  54  is perforated and/or partially slit at a station  62 , to allow the release liner to be folded back at a plow station  64 . While the release liner is preferably folded back, as shown in FIGS. 1-8, it is contemplated that the release liner could be slit and the unwanted portion of the release liner removed.  
         [0043]    The laminate  50  is adhered to the base substrate  54  at a station  66 , which could be nip rollers or the like. The laminate  50  is adhered to the substrate  54  along the exposed edge of the substrate  54 , and the remaining portion of the laminate rests un-adhered over the release liner. The married webs are die-cut at a station  68 , producing the lamination products  10 .  
         [0044]    Referring now to FIGS. 10-13, an alternate embodiment of the present lamination product is generally designated  110  and is generally similar to the first embodiment  10  except that in addition to the features of the first embodiment, the alternate embodiment includes a support structure  175 . Like components of lamination products  10  and  110  have been designated with the same last two digits in their reference numbers.  
         [0045]    In this embodiment, the lamination product  110  includes a laminate layer  112  of unsupported film, a lower layer  116  of paper or film, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer  120 , and a release layer  118 . Each layer  112 ,  116 ,  118  and  120  is perforated along a perforated line  178  on at least one, but preferably two opposing edges  180  of the lamination product  110  such that, when the layers are assembled to form the lamination product, the perforation of the layers are aligned. As shown in FIG. 12, the perforated line  178  extends a length less than the total length of the opposing edges  180  and is inwardly located a predetermined length from the opposing edge to define at least one leg  182 . Although the lamination product is shown with two perforated lines  178  that are parallel to the opposing edges  180 , other numbers and alignments of perforated lines are contemplated. It is also contemplated that the perforated line may be die-cut instead of perforated.  
         [0046]    After the photograph  34  is inserted into the lamination product  110 , the release liner  118  can be removed, as shown in FIG. 11. The tab  122  may be used to remove the entire release liner  118 . When the photograph  34  is adhered to the base layer  112  by the adhesive  120 , the laminate  112  covers the photograph  34  and can be adhered to the base layer. The photograph  34  is preferably smaller than the base area between the legs  182 , so that the laminate  112  is adhered around all of the outside edges of the photograph.  
         [0047]    Upon laminating the photograph  34 , the user may separate the perforations, such as by tearing or cutting along the perforated lines  178  on the now adhered layers  112 ,  116 , and  120 . The layers  112 ,  116 , and  120  may be folded away from the rear surface of the product  110  to form the support structure  175 , which includes the at least one leg  182  and a fold line  184 , such that the lamination product  110  may be supported on a table or the like in an upright position by the legs  182 .  
         [0048]    The process for manufacturing the lamination product  110  is similar to the manufacturing process of lamination product  10 , but also includes the step of perforating layers  112 ,  118 ,  120  and  116  along preferably two perforated lines. This step may occur either before or after the married webs are die-cut into individual lamination products  110 .  
         [0049]    Referring now to FIGS. 14-17, another alternate embodiment of the present lamination product is generally designated  210  and is generally similar to the first embodiment  10 , except that in addition to the features of the first embodiment, the third embodiment includes an alternate support structure  275 . Like components of lamination products  10 ,  110  and  210  have been designated with the same last two digits in their reference numbers.  
         [0050]    In this embodiment, the lamination product  210  includes a laminate layer  212 , a lower layer  216 , a pressure sensitive adhesive layer  220 , and a release layer  218 . Layers  216 ,  218  and  220  are die-cut along preferably two first cut lines  278  at generally the center of the lamination product  210  such that, when the layers are assembled into the lamination product, the die-cuts of each layer are aligned with the other die-cuts. Cut lines  278  are preferably not continuous, but have a tear portion  281  located near the bottom edge. The two cut lines  278  may be parallel or skewed with respect to opposed edges  280 .  
         [0051]    Release layer  218 , but not lower layer  216  or adhesive layer  220 , is also die cut to form a second cut line  279  at a location between the two cut lines  278  (best seen in FIGS. 15 and 16). The first cut lines  278  extend a length less than the total length of the opposing edges  280  and are inwardly located a length from the opposing edge. First cut lines  278  and second cut lines  279  intersect to define a leg  282 . Although the lamination product is shown with first and second cut lines  278 ,  279  generally perpendicular to each other, other numbers and alignments of the die-cuts are contemplated. It is also contemplated that the cut lines may be perforated instead of die-cut.  
         [0052]    In use, the release layer  218  can be removed by removing the tab  222 . As shown in FIG. 15, the release layer  218  is removed from the pressure sensitive layer  220  except for over the area defined by the leg  282 . Because only the release layer  218  is cut at cut line  279 , a portion  284  of the release layer remains adhered.  
         [0053]    When the photograph  34  is adhered to the base layer  212  by the exposed adhesive layer  220 , or the area of adhesive layer outside of the leg  282 , the laminate  212  covers the photograph  34  and can be adhered to the base layer. Upon laminating the photograph  34 , the user may separate the tear portion, such as by tearing or cutting. The layers  216 , and  218 , and  220  may be folded along the second cut line  279  such that the leg  282  supports the lamination product  210 .  
         [0054]    Manufacturing the lamination product  210  is similar to manufacturing the lamination product  10 , with the additional steps of die-cutting the release layer  218  along the second cut line  279 , and die-cutting the release layer, the adhesive layer  220 , and the lower layer  216  along the first cut line  278 . In the preferred method of manufacturing, the release layer  218  is die-cut along the second cut line  279  before being adhered to the lower layer  216  with the adhesive layer  220 . Similar to the first embodiment, when the reel of layers  218 ,  216 , and  220  is unrolled, the layers can be perforated and/or partially slit at station  62 . Additionally, layers  218 ,  216 , and  220  can be die-cut along the first cut line  278  at station  62 , although other processes are contemplated.  
         [0055]    While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with specific apparatus and applications, it is to be understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention.