Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a Divisional Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/319,502 filed Jan. 8, 2009 now U.S. Pat. No. 8,166,688 which is a Continuation in Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/820,419 filed Jun. 19, 2007 now abandoned. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a process for producing printed articles with sleeves en masse, and more specifically, a process that uses extant printing house technology for producing a printed article with a sleeve which can be removably affixed to a mounting surface and into which a means of identification such as a business card or distinctive logo can be inserted. The business card or the like is readily removable from the sleeve, but when placed therein, is visible through the sleeve for advertising or identification purposes. 
     Personal items such as mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, documents, brochures, and portfolios are often generic in appearance. Mistakes in the identity of the owner of such a device may occur and an unintended person may pick up the wrong device if the owner is not clearly identified. Such personal devices are frequently small and may be overlooked when the owner leaves a public area such as an airport check-in or a conference room. The generic appearance of personal devices may hinder the owner&#39;s ability to locate the device or a finder&#39;s efforts to locate the owner if the identity of the owner is not obvious. 
     Brochures, portfolios and similar articles are often used to deliver a message or to provide information from a person who desires to be readily identified by the recipient of the message. For at least the reason that staples, paper clips and tape result in a sloppy appearance and can damage the identifying article or mounting surface, it would be desirable to secure a business card or other form of identification to articles without defacing the same by providing an identifying device which can be readily removed and separately stored. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The process according to the present invention set forth in this disclosure employs existing extant printing house machinery and materials to produce multiples of an article intended to be used inter alia for messaging and identification purposes. The identification means produced in the process includes a device having an elongated sleeve with a front surface, a rear surface and a perimeter, and in which the front surface is joined to the rear surface by at least a portion of the perimeter forming a pocket therebetween with at least one opening between the front surface and the rear surface defining a passageway into the pocket. An adhesive coating on the back of the rear surface removably adheres the sleeved device to a mounting surface such as a laptop. The sleeved device provides at least (1) a means for removably securing identification means to a mounting surface of an article such as a personal device or brochure which will not damage the identification means or the mounting surface when the identification means is removed, and (2) a message or advertisement conveyed by image(s) applied during the production process. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention, reference is now made to the detailed description of the invention along with the accompanying figures in which corresponding numerals in the different figures refer to corresponding parts. 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view representative a step in a process for producing plural sleeved devices including a sheet of adhesive label stock with a laminated clear covering; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  3 ′- 3 ′ of the sheet depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of a single finished sleeved device having been die cut and separated from the sheet shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  4 ′- 4 ′ of the sleeved device depicted in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of single sleeved device in a typical use setting; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged perspective view of a single sleeved device; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view one embodiment according to the present invention comprising a roll of sleeved devices. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present invention. Those skilled in the relevant art will comprehend that the present invention may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible. Accordingly, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. Unless otherwise explained, any technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The term “die-cutting” refers to any process that employs a die to separate or demarcate a section of material from another. The term “kiss-cut” refers to a type or degree of die-cutting wherein a section of material is not cut all the way through. The terms “sleeve” or “pocket” can be used interchangeably depending on the open or closed state of the pocket at various times within the disclosed process. The term “image” refers to any kind of marking applied at any point in the disclosed production process to the sleeved device whether textual or decorative. The singular terms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Similarly, the word “or” is intended to include “and” unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term “comprises” means “includes.” Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of this disclosure, suitable methods and materials are described below. Publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein, if any, are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes. In case of conflict, the present specification, including explanations of terms, will control. 
     REFERENCE CHARACTER LISTING 
     
         
           90  device 
           100  substrate 
           102  top face 
           104  bottom face 
           106  adhesive 
           108  backing 
           110  adhesive pattern 
           112  plastic film 
           114  pocket 
           116  image 
           118  separation lines 
           120  kiss-cut 
           122  insertable identification 
           124  sleeve opening 
           126  mounting surface 
       
    
     Referring generally to  FIGS. 1-7 ; a sleeved device  90  with identification means is produced in multiples by obtaining adhesive label stock including a substrate  100  having a printable top face  102  and a back side; or bottom face  104  coated with a pressure sensitive removable adhesive  106  which is preferably an emulsion-type acrylic adhesive with minimal building of adhesion over time. While label stock such as 3M Polyester Label Material 5771 or 5771NF with 3M removable adhesive 550 offer a gloss white polyester face paired with a peel away backing such as kraft paper or a polyester backing with excellent water repellant characteristics, any coated label stock with a peel away backing  108  exposing a pressure sensitive adhesive that is non-marring and removable, may be used if susceptibility to moisture damage is not a major concern. 
     A predetermined pattern of applied adhesive  110  which is preferably a UV curing type, is either rolled or screen printed upon the face  102 , and a layer of translucent plastic film  112 , or polyester film is applied to face  102  where it selectively adheres to the predetermined pattern of applied adhesive  110  after exposing to UV light and forms a series of pockets  114  which are initially closed, with portions of the plastic film bonded to the adhesive pattern defining the bounds of the pockets. The laminate of plastic film  112  and substrate is then die cut by kiss-cutting to the backing  108  to delimit device size and open at least one end of each pocket  114  to produce a sleeve. Subsequent die cutting, perforating or slitting separates the multiple devices on the sheet or roll, into individual devices and creates a periphery of disposable material between the kiss-cut and the separation line  118  that when discarded exposes a periphery of peel away backing which is removed to expose the adhesive coating of the label stock prior to adhering the device to a mounting surface. 
     Application of Indicia 
     Normally, printing on the top face  102  of the label stock occurs prior to application of the predetermined pattern of applied adhesive  110  and the adhering of plastic film  112  to face  102 . The plastic film may be in sheet form, or roll form, and applied as a secondary web to the primary web of the substrate by a roll die cutter which is often paired with laminating functions.  FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional view taken along lines  3 ′- 3 ′ of  FIG. 1  that shows a sheet containing multiple devices with thickness of the materials exaggerated for clarity. Moving from the top of the figure to the bottom is the plastic overlay  112 , pockets  114  formed between a pattern of adhesive  110 , printable top face  102  of substrate  100 , rear adhesive layer  106  and peel away backing  108 .  FIG. 3  is a plan view of one of the devices after separation from the sheet. The image area  116  printed on the top face  102  of the substrate can extend beyond the pocket to a region outside of the pocket bounds to edge  120  produced by kiss-cutting.  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  4 ′- 4 ′ of the individual device depicted in  FIG. 3  showing plastic film overlay  112 , adhesive pattern  110 , pocket  114  which has been opened at an end  124 , printable top face  102  of substrate  100 , and bottom face  104  of substrate  100  in which the size of the elements has again been exaggerated for clarity.  FIG. 5  shows a single device  90  affixed to the lid of a lap top.  FIG. 6  shows a single device  90  showing an identification means; here a card  122 , being inserted into the mouth  124  of pocket  114 . Note that the plastic film is attached only to the border of adhesive which also defines the internal bounds of the pocket. 
     While offset printing is the preferred means of printing on top face  102 , other common processes such as xerography, thermal transfer, or laser printing can be used without diverging from the present invention. 
     Any multiple of the mounting devices may be produced quickly and efficiently using conventional print process machinery by the described process. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the order of operations as given below can be varied somewhat to derive the mounting devices. Accordingly, the specific examples discussed below are merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. 
     EXAMPLE ONE 
     In order to produce a series of sleeved devices, each providing an identification securing means according to the present invention in which a mounting means secures, for example, a business card for display, the following steps are followed:
     (1) a substrate  100  of suitable adhesive blank label stock is obtained,   (2) a printing press is used to print a plurality of images  116  in which each image is reversed relative of the other,   (3) a UV curable adhesive such as Lomaprint SPA 1000 from Lohmann GmbH &amp; Co KG of Neuwied Germany, is applied by screen printing or other printing means to top face  102  of the substrate in a predetermined pattern  110  defining borders around the image pairs,   (4) a layer of transparent material film such as cellophane or clear polyester film (PET) is applied over face  102  and laminated thereon.   (5) the printed and laminated sheet stock is conveyed to a UV light curing area which adheres the clear film to the adhesive pattern whereby initially closed pocket  114  is formed over the image pair and adhered about its periphery to face  102 ,   (6) a roll die cut machine is used to define the edges of each mounting device by kiss-cutting through the face to backing material  108 , thereby bisecting the pocket over the image pairs to open the pockets  114  creating multiple sleeve pairs, and, leaves a peel away border of excess face material about the periphery of each mounting device,   (7) individual mounting devices are separated from the sheet by shearing, cutting or slitting along dashed lines  119  along the defined borders  120  or a series of perforations may be applied in the areas between sheet carried mounting devices for later separation.   

     EXAMPLE TWO 
     
         
         (1) a substrate  100  of adhesive blank label stock in roll form is obtained, 
         (2) the label stock is printed on a flexographic press, with areas corresponding to the location of mounting devices being printed with images, 
         (3) a UV curable adhesive is applied to the roll in a pattern  110  which will define the inside boundaries of a pocket, 
         (4) a clear polyester film  112  is applied continuously to the roll, 
         (5) the printed and laminated stock is conveyed to a UV light curing area adhering the polyester film to the adhesive pattern on face  102  forming a sleeve  114  with an opening along one end over the printed image and adhered along the sleeve periphery to the face, 
         (6) a roll die cutting machine is used to define edges of each mounting device and creates a border of discardable material about the periphery of the mounting device, 
         (7) the mounting devices may be separated or otherwise demarcated from the sheet by shearing, cutting, slitting, or perforated along dashed lines  119  between the mounting devices. 
       
    
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  6 , once separated from the sheet or roll, the mounting devices include a top overlay  112  with portions attached to the adhesive border  110 , and positioned flatly to top face  102  with an opening  124  therebetween for the insertion of an identification device  122  such as a business card or other identification tag. 
     The mounting device produced by the disclosed method may have any number of sides comprising its perimeter defined by the kiss-cut border  120  which can be a variety of shapes. 
     The mounting device produced by the disclosed method may have any number of openings for insertion of an insertable identification  122  such as a business card or logo. 
     The front face of the mounting device produced by the disclosed method may possess an ornate design. 
     The front face of the mounting device produced by the disclosed method may be printed with words, letters, numbers. symbols or any combination of characters and/or designs. 
     Mounting devices produced by the disclosed method can be attached to surfaces such as a laptops computers, portfolios, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and documents or the like. 
     Mounting devices produced by the disclosed method can be supplied individually with a peel away backing material  108  that is removably adhered to the adhesive of the label stock. 
     Although this invention has been described above with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, it is intended that the invention be not limited to the particular embodiments described, but extend instead to all equivalents falling within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

Technology Category: 7