Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1334984
CONTINUOUS FORM WIT~ RELEASABLE LABEL
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF L~ INV~NTION
The present invention relates to continuous
business forms with releasable or peelable labels and
particularly to continuous business forms comprised
of a carrier sheet formed of a conventional paper
composition, i.e., paper suitable for processing
through business machines, and labels releasably
adhered to the carrier sheet by transfer or release
adhesive.
One type of a conventional business form
comprises a carrier sheet on which peelable or
releasable labels are adhered. The labels are
adhered by use of conventional pressure sensitive
adhesive. The labels may thus be peeled from the
carrier sheet and applied to another surface using
the adhesive. For example, address labels are
conventionally adhered to a carrier sheet by
conventional pressure sensitive adhesive. The
2 133498~
address labels and carrier sheet are often disposed
in a printer, i.e., a typewriter, so that printing
may be applied to the label. Thereafter, the label
may be peeled from the carrier sheet for application
to another surface, for example an envelope, using
the conventional pressure sensitive adhesive as the
adhering medium.
In business form applications of this type, the
carrier or backing sheet is conventionally formed by
applying a wax or silicone coating to the sheet.
This is necessary to enable the conventional acrylic
based pressure sensitive adhesive applied to the
label to release from the carrier sheet when the
label is peeled therefrom and applied to another
surface. Wax or silicon coated sheets, however, are
expensive to manufacture and are normally discarded
after the labels are removed. It is recognized that
release or transfer adhesive has been used previously
to adhere paper to other surfaces. For example,
stock business forms like memo pads, such as message
or telephone pads, conventionally use a release or
transfer adhesive applied along a marginal portion of
superposed paper sheets to adhere the paper sheets
one to the other and thereby form a pad. However, to
applicants knowledge, there has not been prior use of
release or transfer adhesive in continuous business
forms employing a carrier sheet formed of
conventional paper of the type suitable for
3 133498~
processing through business machines with a
multiplicity of labels releasably adhered to the
carrier sheet by the transfer adhesive.
In accordance with the present invention, there
is provided a continuous business form comprised of a
carrier sheet formed of a conventional paper
composition suitable for processing through business
machines on one or both of which surfaces is
adhesively secured by means of release or transfer
adhesive a plurality of peelable labels. The carrier
sheet is preferably provided with a series of spaced
holes along a side margin for use in conjunction with
conventional printing apparatus. Thus, the labels
are applied to conventional paper forming the carrier
sheet by release or transfer adhesive carried by the
labels. This enables the labels to be peeled from
the carrier sheet for application to another surface
and without affecting the characteristics of the
carrier sheet surface in contact with the adhesive
when the labels were adhered thereto. In this
manner, the labels can be peeled from the
conventional paper of the carrier sheet, applied to
another surface or repeatedly reapplied to additional
surfaces, while at the same time the conventional
carrier sheet may be used for other purposes, for
example, as draft paper.
It will be appreciated that the labels may be
4 133g984
provided in any shape or configuration on the carrier
sheet and that preferably the transfer or release
adhesive is applied to the entirety of the
undersurface of the labels applied to the carrier
sheet. Thus, the adhesively backed forms portion,
e.g., the labels, may be disposed on the forms
carrier sheet with releasable or transfer adhesive
and can be readily and easily separated from the
carrier sheet notwithstanding that the carrier sheet
is formed of a paper suitable for processing through
business machines. The additional expense of coating
carrier paper with silicone or wax is thereby
avoided. Paper wastage and attendant cost incident
to discarding coated carrier sheet paper is similarly
avoided.
Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment of the
present invention, there is provided a continuous
business form comprising a continuous form carrier
sheet formed of paper suitable for processing through
business machines, a plurality of forms disposed on
the carrier sheet and a transfer adhesive carried by
the forms and disposed between the carrier sheet and
the forms for release of the carrier sheet and the
forms one from the other to enable the forms to be
separated from the carrier sheet and adhered to
another surface using the same adhesive. Preferably,
the margin of the carrier sheet is punched to provide
a plurality of openings spaced therealong and from
13~4984
one another for compatibility with conventional drive
mechanisms for printers.
In another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a continuous form paper product
comprised of a continuous form carrier sheet formed
of paper suitable for processing through business
machines, a plurality of forms disposed on the
carrier sheet and means carried by the forms and
disposed between the carrier sheet and the forms for
releasably securing the carrier sheet and the forms
one to the other including a releasable, reusable
adhesive having a tack sufficiently high to maintain
the carrier sheet and forms secured one to the other
and sufficiently low to enable the forms and adhesive
carrier to be separated from the carrier sheet
without affecting the surface characteristics of the
carrier sheet in contact with the adhesive and
enabling the forms to be adhered to another surface
using the adhesive. This also enables use of the
carrier sheet similarly as paper suitable for
processing through business machines may be used, for
example, as draft paper.
In a still further aspect of the present
invention there is provided a method of forming a
continuous business form with peelable forms on a
carrier sheet comprising the steps of providing a
carrier sheet formed of conventional paper
1334984
composition in a continuous sheet form, providing a
plurality of forms in continuous sheet form, applying
a transfer adhesive to one side of the forms,
pressing the forms against the carrier sheet to
adhere the sheet and the forms one to the other and
cutting the sheet of forms on the carrier to provide
discrete forms thereon.
In a still further aspect of the present
invention there is provided a method of using a
continuous business form with peelable labels on a
carrier sheet including providing a carrier sheet
formed of a paper suitable for processing through
business machines and having a printable surface,
providing labels fixed to the carrier sheet by
transfer adhesive, peeling the labels from the
carrier sheet, applying the labels to another surface
by pressing the adhesive thereof against such other
surface and printing on the carrier sheet.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the
present invention to provide novel and improved
continuous business forms and methods of forming and
using such continuous business forms having a forms
portion, e.g., labels, releasably adhered to a
carrier sheet by transfer adhesive and transferable
therefrom for adherence to other surfaces, wherein
the carrier sheet may be inexpensively constructed of
a conventional paper composition for service as both
7 1334984
a carrier sheet and as a substrate on which
information may be printed. These and further
objects and advantages of the present invention will
become more apparent upon reference to the following
specification, appended claims and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OE 1~ DRAWING FIGURES
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a continuous
business form constructed in accordance with the
present invention with a part of the forms portion
peeled back from the carrier sheet and illustrating
the adhesive therebetween;
FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the continuous
business form illustrated in FIGURE l;
FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view
thereof taken generally about on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;
FIGURE 4 is a plan view of another embodiment of
a continuous business form constructed in accordance
with the present invention;
FIGURE 5 is a schematic illustration of a method
of forming the continuous business form hereof;
FIGURE 6 is a schematic illustration of a method
of using both parts of a continuous business form
8 133498~
constructed in accordance with this invention;
FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a continuous
business form constructed in accordance with another
embodiment of the present invention with parts of the
form portions peeled back from opposite sides of the
carrier sheet and illustrating the adhesive
therebetween; and
FIGURE 8 is a schematic illustration of a method
of forming the continuous business form hereof
illustrated in FIGURE 7.
DETAIr.r~ DESCRIPTION OF TUE DRAWINGS
Reference will now be made in detail to the
present preferred embodiment of the invention, an
example of which is illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated
a continuous business form constructed in accordance
with the present invention and generally designated
10. Particularly, continuous business form 10
includes a continuous business form carrier sheet 12
which has adhered thereto and along one side thereof
an adhesively backed forms portion 14. In this
particular embodiment, forms portion 14 comprises a
plu.rality of forms or labels L. The forms portion 14
9 133~984
or labels L are releasably adhered to the carrier
sheet 12 by an adhesive 16 applied to the backside of
the forms portion 14. As illustrated in FIGURE 2,
the continuous business form preferably has a
marginal portion 18 along an edge thereof and which
may be punched-at longitudinal spaced positions
therealong to facilitate use in printing processes.
In accordance with the present invention, the
business form carrier sheet 12 is formed of paper
having a conventional paper composition of such
weight and quality suitable for processing through
business machines. This excludes lightweight paper,
groundwood paper, heavyweight paper (card stock) and
the like. While this conventional paper is not
coated with a wax or silicone coating, a coating of
Quilon~ or Silwet~ is preferably applied to the paper
on the side thereof on which the forms are applied.
The release or transfer adhesive 16 may comprise a
conventional release or transfer adhesive, for
example, the transfer adhesive disclosed in U.S.
Patent No. 3,691,140, or U.S. Patent No. 3,857,731,
or U.S. Patent No. 4,166,512, or that used with
commercially available products sold by Moore
Business Forms, Inc. of Grand Island, New York, under
the registered trademark "NOTESTIX". These adhesive
compositions are releasable from the underlying
substrate and transferable with the overlying forms
portion such that, upon application to the backside
lo 1334984
of the forms portion 14, the forms portion 14 may be
releasable from the carrier sheet 12 and reusably
applied to other surfaces. The term "transfer
adhesive" or "release adhesive" as used in the
specification and claims means adhesives that have a
tack sufficiently high to maintain the carrier sheet
and forms portion secured one to the other and
sufficiently low to enable the forms portion together
with the adhesive per se to be separated from the
carrier sheet without affecting the surface character
of the carrier sheet in contact with the adhesive and
enabling the forms portion to be releasably and
reusably adhered to one or more other surfaces using
such adhesive.
Referring now to the embodiment hereof
illustrated in FIGURE 4, there is illustrated a
continuous business form generally designated lOa
having a carrier sheet 12a and a forms portion or
label 14a adhered to the carrier sheet 12a by
adhesive 16a applied to the underside of forms
portion 14a. The adhesive 16a, as in the previous
embodiment, is a release or transfer-type adhesive.
Importantly, the carrier sheet 12a is of similar
paper composition to the carrier sheet 12 of the
prior embodiment, i.e., carrier sheet 12a is formed
of a paper suitable for processing through business
machines without any coatings or other substances
applied to its surface to facilitate removal of the
-
11 1334984
forms portion and its adhesive backing. In this
embodiment, the continuous business form has margins
18a along its opposite sides and punched holes are
spaced therealong to facilitate machine use. Also,
in this form, the forms portion 14a has a length
dimension extending between the opposite sides of the
carrier sheet as well as a substantial width
dimension. This is in contrast to the relatively
long narrow labels provided in the embodiment
illustrated in FIGURES 1-3.
To manufacture the continuous business form
hereof, there is provided, as illustrated in FIGURE
5, a pair of rolls 20 and 22, respectively, carrying
the forms portion stock and paper carrier sheet stock
14 and 12, respectively. The forms portion stock 14
is fed past an adhesive application station 24 at
which release or transfer adhesive is applied to the
underside of forms portion 14. The stock from rolls
20 and 22 is then fed to a laminating station 26
where the a&esively backed forms portion 14 is
a&ered to the paper carrier sheet 12 by means of a
pair of rollers 28 and 30. The laminate is then fed
past a cutting station 30 for cutting forms portion
14 into the desired configuration without cutting
paper carrier sheet 12. This cutting operation is
conventional. The continuous finished product is
then fed through a creasing and folding station,
schematically illustrated at 32, whereby transverse
-~ 12 1334984
creases are formed in the laminated stock to enable
the stock to be folded in zigzag fashion for
disposition in a container 34. It will be
appreciated that the folding is correlated to the
cutting station 30 such that the crease lines are
formed between the form portions where the latter are
separated one from the other. It will also be
appreciated that the carrier sheet may be scored or
perforated at longitudinally spaced positions
therealong to afford discrete paper sheets releasably
secured one to the other. The juncture between
adjacent sheets may preferably lie coincident with
the crease lines or the discrete sheets may be scored
or perforated intermediate the crease lines as
desired.
As illustrated in part in FIGURES 1 and 4, the
forms portion 14 of the continuous business forms may
simply be peeled from carrier sheet 12 and applied,
using the adhesive 16 along its underside, to another
surface. After the forms portion 14 has been
removed, it will be appreciated that the paper
carrier sheet 12, to which the forms portion 14 was
previously applied, has the surface characteristics
of conventional paper. That is, the surface of the
paper carrier sheet is not affected by the
application of the adhesive or the removal of the
forms portion. Its surface is left clear for
conventional use. Because paper of any conventional
13 1334984
composition may be used (without release type
coatings such as wax or silicone), the surface of the
carrier sheet may be used as ordinary paper is used
for example for receiving printing, or as scratch
paper.
This characteristic of the present invention is
illustrated in FIGURE 6 wherein the use of the
continuous business form hereof is demonstrated. In
that drawing figure, forms portion 14 may be peeled
from the carrier sheet 12 as illustrated by the arrow
A. The resulting forms portion may be applied to
other surfaces as desired. Carrier sheet 12 may
likewise be used for example by disposing it in an
impact printer P whereby information may be printed
on the carrier sheet. Consequently, by forming the
carrier sheet of conventional paper composition and
using release or transfer adhesive, not only is the
greater expense of providing a coating, e.g., a
silicone or wax coating, eliminated, but the carrier
sheet may be used as conventional paper.
Referring now to the embodiment of the invention
hereof illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8, there is
illustrated a continuous business form, generally
designated lOb. In this embodiment, the continuous
business form carrier sheet 12b has adhered thereto
along each opposite side thereof an adhesively-backed
forms portion 14b. As in the previous embodiment,
14 1334984
the forms portion 14b comprises a plurality of forms
or labels Lb. The labels Lb are releasably adhered
to carrier sheet 12b by an adhesive 16b applied to
the backside of each forms portion 14b. The opposite
margins of the continuous business form lOb have
marginal tear strips 18b with suitable tractor
openings to facilitate use of the form in printing
machines.
As in the prior embodiments, the business form
carrier sheet 12b is formed of paper having a
conventional paper composition of such weight and
quality suitable for processing through business
machines and the release or transfer adhesive 16b may
be of the type noted above in connection with the
embodiment of FIGIJRE 1. Preferably, the carrier
sheet 12b is coated with Quilon~ or Silwet~ along its
opposite sides prior to applying the forms portions
l~b to the carrier sheet 12b. Thus, the business
form lOb illustrated in FIGURE 7 is similar to the
form illustrated in FIGURE 1 with marginal tear
strips applied and the forms portions applied to the
opposite sides of the carrier sheet.
FIGURE 8 schematically illustrates a method of
forming the business form lOb illustrated in FIGURE
7. In FIGURE 8, three rolls 40, 42 and 44 are
provided for carrying the forms portion stock and
paper carrier sheet stock. Particularly, rolls 40
133498~
and 44 carry the forms portion stock 14b, while roll
42 carries the paper carrier sheet stock 12b. The
Quilon~ or Silwet~ coating may be applied prior to
forming the carrier sheet stock 12b into roll 42 or
it may be applied as the carrier sheet stock 12b is
removed from roll 42 during the process for
manufacturing the present form. The forms portion
stock 14b are fed past adhesive application stations
46 and 48, at which release or transfer adhesive is
applied to the side of the forms portion 14b in
opposition to carrier sheet 12b. The stock from the
rolls 40, 42 and 44 is then fed to a laminating
station 48 where the adhesively-backed forms portions
14b are adhered to the paper carrier sheet 12b along
its opposite sides by means of a pair of rollers 50
and 52. The laminate is then fed past a cutting
station 54 for cutting the forms portions 14b on
opposite sides thereof into the desired configuration
without cutting the paper carrier sheet 12. The
finished product is then fed through a creasing and
folding station, schematically illustrated at 56,
where transverse creases are formed in the laminated
stock to enable the stock to be folded in zigzag
fashion for disposition in a container 58. Folding
is, of course, correlated to the cutting station 54
such that the crease lines are formed between the
forms portion with the latter separated one from the
other. It will be appreciated that once the finished
product is folded, the forms portion lie in
16 133498~
opposition one to the other within the container 58.
While the invention has been described in
connection with what is presently considered to be
the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to
be understood that the invention is not to be limited
to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is
intended to cover various modifications and
equivalent arrangements included within the spirit
and scope of the appended claims.
