Patent ID: 7354232

Claim:
A system for binding a stack of pages along an edge thereof to form a book, the system comprising an elongated conductive metal foil strip having opposed ends and opposed side edges extending between the ends, the strip having been altered from a first configuration to a second configuration so as to enhance a resistance of the strip between the ends from a first value to a second value substantially greater than the first value, the strip further having an adhesive with a predetermined melting temperature in contact with at least a portion of a first side thereof, a portion of the strip adjacent each of the side edges uncoated with adhesive, the side edge portions foldable upward to surround the adhesive, the strip first side positionable in contact with a binding edge of a stack of pages to be bound, the strip further having end portions adjacent the ends, the end portions adapted for introducing an electrical current thereto to pass along the strip between the ends, the current sufficient to heat the strip to a temperature at least as great as the melting temperature in order to melt the adhesive and thereby bind the stack of pages together along the binding edge.