IE45376B1

IE45376B1 - Blocks of sheet material

Info

Publication number: IE45376B1
Application number: IE94/77A
Authority: IE
Original assignee: Irvin Brothers Ltd
Priority date: 1976-01-21
Filing date: 1977-01-18
Publication date: 1982-08-11
Also published as: DE2702476A1; FR2338806A1; AT356540B; DE2702476C2; IE45376L; NL182548B; ATA26177A; JPS52113825A; NL182548C; NL7700450A; ZA77314B; FR2338806B1; GB1559684A

Description

ΓΑΤΕΝΤ APPLICATION BY (71) ΐΐΚΤΧ BROTHERS (FLEET WORKS) LIMITED, A COMPANY REGISTERED UNDER THE LAWS OF ENGLAND, OF DENMARK STREET, WORKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND. ?fi{t I2ip 4S37 6 This Invention relates to block-» or pec? or stacks of sheets of a material such as naper is ’.-Meis the sheets are stuck together to provide a coherent unit, and from which successive sheets can be detached one at a time. For convenience, such a unit will bo referred to as a block of sheets of sheet material, or simply as a block. It is usual for tne jJahz co be stuck together on a fiat side surface cf the clock defined-by a straight edge of each sheet, this surface constituting a hinge or spine of ths b:s-„h. Πιο term “side surface” as used herein tsans ary extes-Ral surface of the block that is constituted by ?r. edge of ail of .the sheets in the black. The stasis may be stuck, together simply by a layer of an adhesive applied over all or mast cf the V- said side surface, or by a fjln. or strip of a suitable sheet material which is stuck or, tc that surf··It is sometimes desirable to proves visible matter on a least ons side surface of the black. Such visible «ratter may be decorative c, Roy hrv1 ί functional cf or utilitarianysarpose. For exarar-L·, ;t :soy be desirable to provide- a. block having so one or more cf i-.;s side . surfaces visible matter ic the form of advertising material cr the like. Ths visible matter car. bs aonlini to the.side surfccGS in -various says; ter irsisree by e screen printing 2E process as described in British Patent Specification Ko. 1320115.ar by a transfer process as described in our British Patent Specification Ho, 1495440. Hhatever mat-had of applying the visible matter is used, it is difficult to obtain the same visual effect on the side surface which constitutes the hinge or spine, where there is a coating of adhesive or an adherent strip, as on the other side surfaces which are constituted solely by the edges of the sheets. For instance, it may be necessary to-modify the printing technique or the colours used on the hinge 0“ spine surface if it is desired that this should look tne same as the other printed side surfaces. Another problem can be that the ink acceptance and/or drying characteristics on the adhesive covered side surface may adversely affect the rate of production of the printed blocks.

According to one aspect of the present invention a block of sheets of sheet material has a hole through the thickness of the blc . and a line or band of adhesive disposed on a portion at the wall of the hole to hold the sheets together.

According to another aspect of the present invention a block of sheets of sheet material bearing applied visible matter on at least one side surface has a hole through the thickness of the block, adhesive being disposed on the wall of the hole to hold the sheet? together.

More than one hole may be present. - 3 Thus the side surfaces of the block are all free of adhesive material so that visible matter can be applied to all the side surfaces by the same technique and using the same inks, resulting in the same visual effects on all these surfaces and avoidance of manufacturing bottlenecks due to the above mentioned ink characteristics.

However, the invention is not only useful in the case of blocks which are to have visible matter applied to their side surfaces. It is also particularly useful, for example, for blocks made of sheets such as circular discs which do not have a straight edge, which blocks do not have a flat side surface which could con-.v veniently constitute a hinge or spine. Such blocks may or may not have visible matter applied to their side surfaces. The hole may be punched or drilled through the thickness of the block at a position spaced from but adjacent a side surface of the block, and the adhesive applied to the wall of such hole throughout its depth. The adhesive may be a complete lining for the wall of the hole or may be a line or band of adhesive. Preferably such line or band is disposed on the portion of the wall furthest from the nearest side surface of the block. If the line or band of adhesive is disposed on the portion of the wall closest to the side surface 48376 of the block there may be tendency, when detaching a sheet, for the sheet to tear, leaving a small fragment of it still on the block between the hole and the adjacent side surface. By disposing the line or band of adhesive on the portion of the wall furthest from that side surface, it is usually found that the sheet can be detached cleanly, without tearing.

The adhesive, which may be a polyvinyl acetate (PVA) emulsion, a hot melt adhesive or a heat sensitive resin, may be applied to the wall of the hole in various ways. The following are two examples. 1. An applicator brinh bearing e.g. PVA adhesive is plunged into the hole and withdrawn again, .. leaving at least one line or sand of adhesive down the wall of the hole. 2. A tubular applicator having at least one lateral nozzle white squirts a fine jet of adhesive from the nozzle while the applicator is being plunged into and/or being withdrawn from the hole. By rotating the applicator through an appropriate angle at the end of its inward stroke, two lines or bands cf adhesive can be applied to the wall by a single nozzle. The applicator may be heated for use with hot melt adhesives or heat sensitive resins. High frequency curing of the adhesive may be used. - 5 The block may further be provided with a : close fitting plug, inserted in the hole. The adhesive may then be applied by insertion of the plug, e.g. a plastics cylindrical plug bearing a coating of adhesive, the plug remaining in the hole. In a block so formed, as the sheets of sheet material are used up the plug protrudes above the level of the top sheet. The plug may therefore be such as to permit easy removal of the protruding portion.

The holes may also serve another purpose, e.g. to facilitate filing of'the sheets after they have been detached from the block, or to hold a pencil or other writing implement in an upright position in the block.

Some embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:figure 1 shows a block embodying the invention; Figure 2 shows a further block embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a cubic block 10 of stacked square sheets of paper 12.

The block 10 is drilled or punched to provide a hole 14 extending through the thickness of the block 10. A hot melt adhesive has been applied to the inside wall of the hole 14, e.g., in the form of a line or band, thus - 5 «5376 adhering each sheet to its neighbours and holding the block together.

The block has visible matter exemplified by the word Message shown at 17 and the flashes 18 on its side surfaces 20 and 21, and also on the opposite side surfaces not visible in the drawing. The visible matter may be applied by any suitable method, e.g. by silk screen or transfer printing, and maybe multi-coloured.

Figure 2 shows a base block 25 of stacked sheets of paper 27 through which holes 30 are drilled or punched. Adhesive is applied to the inside walls of the holes 30, and the edges of the block 25 may bear visible matter.

The paper used for the blocks 10 and 25 may of course, be printed on its faces.

Claims

1. CLA ’ M £

1. A block of sheets of shee'· material having at least one hole of through the thickness of the block and wherein a line or band/adhesive is disposed on a portion of the wall of the hole to adhere the sheets together.

2. A block of sheets of sheet material bearing applied visible matter on at least one -side surface and having at least one hole through tne thickness of the block, wherein adhesive is disposed on the wall of the hole to adhere the sheets together.

3. A block as claimed in Cla-'ra 1 wherein the line or band of adhesive is disposed on the portion of the said wall furthest from the side surface of the block nearest the hole.

4. A block as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 3 which has visible matter applied to at least one side surface.

5. A block as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 4 having a plurality of side surfaces, wherein visible matter is applied to each side surface of the block.

6. A block as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the hole is spaced from but adjacent a side surface of the block. -

7. 7. A block as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the adhesive is a polyvinyl acetate emulsion, a hot melt adhesive or a heat sensitive resin.

8. A block as claimed in any preceding claim having a plug inserted 5 in the hole.

9. A block as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.