Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BOOK OF DETACIIABLE REPOSl l lONABLE
Technical Field
The present invention relates to paper sheets of the type having pl essure-
sensitive adhesive on their rear sides by which the sheets can be adhered to a
substrate, to bound stacks of such sheets, and to methods for making and using
0 bound stacks of such sheets.
BacL~,owld Art
A well known note pad comprises a stack of paper sheets, each having a
narrow strip of low-peel pressure-sensitive adhesive adjacton~ one edge on its rear
side by which the sheets can be temporarily adhered to substrates such as
documents or other articles (often for message-bearing purposes), by which strip of
adhesive the sheets are adhered together in the pad. In one pad configuration, all of
the strips of adhesive are along one side of the note pad, whereas in another pad
configuration the adhesive strip on each successive sheet in the pad is along the
opposite side ofthe pad as is illustrated in U.S. Patent No. 4,416,392. Note pads in
both of these configurations are currently being marketed under the trademark
"Post-it" by Minnesota Mining and M~n~f~ctllring Company, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Some such note pads have printed indicia (e.g., a printed message and/or pictureand/or decoration) on each sheet.
U.S. Patent No. 5,382,055 describes a method, and a sheet assembly used in
that method, by which an individual or a small custom printing company can
economically prepare a small amount of notes or note pads having pressure-
sensitive adhesive on a rear surface and custom indicia (e.g., printed me~s~es
and/or decorations and/or pictures and/or indicia that make the notes usable as
flags, labels or forms) on the front surfaces of all or some of the sheets that is
applied by using conventional printing means including electrophotography through
laser printers, conventional office copiers, lithography, flexography, or the like.
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That method for making custom printed notes or note pads utilized one or
more novel sheet assemblies, each of which had first and second sheets and layers of
plessule-sensitive adhesive in a predetermined pattern on the rear major surface of
each of the sheets that contact and are releasably adhered to the rear surface of the
5 other sheet only in nt n~h~eive bearing areas. Indicia was printed on the front
major surfaces of the sheets using conventional printing means of the type described
above. The sheets could then either be separated along predetermined planes
normal to and eYt~n~1ing across the major surfaces of the sheets to form the custom
printed notes, or the sheets of a plurality of such printed sheet assemblies could be
o separated, stacked to adhere the layers of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the rear
surfaces of the sheets to the front surfaces of other sheets in the stack with the
layers of adhesive on the sheets in a predetermined orientation with respect to each
other; and the stacked sheets could be separated along predetermined planes normal
to and ext~n-iing across the major surfaces of the sheets to form the custom printed
15 note pads.
Disclosure of the Invention
The present invention is a book comprising a plurality of the sheet
acsçmhlies described above that each comprise first and second sheets, and layers of
20 pressure-sensitive adhesive in a predetermined pattern on the rear surfaces of each
of the sheets, which pattern of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the rear major surface
of each of the sheets contacts and is releasably adhered to the rear major surface of
the other sheet only in nonadhesive areas The sheet assemblies are disposed in astack, and means are provided for binding together corresponding ones of the
2s peripheral edges of the sheet assemblies.
The means for binding together the peripheral edges of the sheet assemblies
in the stack could be any of the known means for binding sheets into a stack, such
as staples, rivets, sti~ching, etc. Preferably, however, that means is a layer of
padding compound by which the sheet assemblies are releasably adhered together in
30 the stack. The use of padding compound for such binding allows the sheet
assemblies to be moved relative to each other in the manner of the pages in a book
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without d~m~n~ the sheet assemblies or St;~ d~ g them from the binding, while
allowing the sheet accçmhli~s to be easily separated from the binding for uses such
as those described above and in greater detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,382,055.
The book can advantageously be used a coloring book in which case
5 graphics adapted to be colored are printed on the front surfaces of at least some of
the sheets. A person using the coloring book can then color the graphics on one of
the sheets in one of the sheet assemblies in the book and then separate that colored
sheet from the binding material and from the other sheet of the sheet assembly and
adhere the se~ ed colored sheet to a subsl~le on which it is to be displayed.
10 Alternatively, that person can separate a sheet he or she wishes to color from one of
the sheet assemblies and the binding material and then adhere the separated sheet to
a substrate during the coloring process, after which it can be removed from thatsubstrate and adhered to a di~ele;n~ substrate on which the colored sheet is to be
displayed. (e.g., on a refrigerator).
Other uses of the book could include, among others, having the sheets of the
sheet assemblies printed (1) to provide a calendar, or (2) to provide signs (e.g., "For
Sale, " "Garage Sale," etc.) or labels, in which case the sheets may or may not be
adapted to have additional hlro,l"alion such as a phone number or address added to
them prior to use, or (3) to provide a pages ofthe type where some hlrol",alion is
20 printed on the pages and other information is to be filled in by the user of the book
(e.g., a workbook or form book), or (4) to provide business cards or coupons. The
book can also have blank sheets on which information can be m~ml~lly printed so
that the sheets can be removed and used in brainstorming or planning sessions or to
form storyboards or the like. Additionally, the books could contain sheets of
25 polymeric material that could be transparent so that they could be removed and
used as protective sheets over other surfaces or doc-lmçn~c, or that could be printed
and/or adapted to be written on in the manners and for similar purposes to thosedescribed above.
If desired, the sheets of at least some of the sheet assemblies in the book can
30 be attached together along adjac.?nt peripheral edges (e.g., top edges or side edges),
which ~ttachm~nt can be a fold that allows the sheets to provide portions of a larger
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sheet when they are sepal~led from the binding and each other and are unfolded.
~Itçrn~tively such ~tt~chf~d sheets can have a path of weakness (e.g., a deep crease
or p~;lro,~lions) along their joined peripheral edges along which the sheets can be
separated, as may be desirable if the sheets of a sheet assembly are to be printed
5 after the sheet assembly is removed from the binding.
Also, in each sheet assembly a portion of the first sheet ~ cent one of its
edges can extend past the ~dj~c~nt edge of said second sheet to f~ t~te manual
sep~ alion of the sheets in the sheet assembly.
The book can include covers disposed on opposite sides of the stack of
lo sheet assemblies and ~tt~ched thereto by the means for binding, at least one of
which covers can have a release coating on at least one of its surfaces to f~f.ilit~te
adhering one of the sheets thereto for display and/or storage purposes after that
sheet is removed from one of the sheet assemblies in the book. Alternatively, or in
addition, the book can include at least one support sheet that is ~tt~c.hecl to the
5 stack of sheet assemblies by the means for binding and is adapted to have one of the
sheets releasably adhered thereto for display and/or storage purposes after thatsheet is removed from one of the sheet assemblies.
The adhesive used in the layers of pressure-sensitive adhesive can be a low-
tack pressure-sensitive adhesive (e.g., comprising tacky, elastomeric copolymer
20 rnicrospheres) in which case the nonadhesive bearing areas on the rear surfaces of
the sheets to which the layers of adhesive are adhered in the sheet assemblies can be
free of release coating; or a conventional more aggressive pressure-sensitive
adhesive can be used in which case the sheet assembly can include a release coating
on those nonadhesive bearing areas to afford separation of the sheets of the sheet
25 assembly.
The sheets in the sheet assembly can be of any conventional material (e.g.,
conventional, bond, or clay-coated paper, opaque or translucent polymeric material,
or the carbonless paper sold under the trademark "Scotchmark" by Minnesota
Mining and M~mlf~ctnring Company, St. Paul, Minnesota which is paper cont~ining
30 structures such as micro-encapsulated chemicals that will form an image on the
paper when pressure is applied to the paper so that, for example, the capsules are
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broken by the pressure to release the image forming ~h~mic~l). Also, the sheets
may be ~ rted to be divided into smaller se~mlonts along paths of we~kne~c (e.g.,
scores or perforations) such that only a portion of one of the sheets can be removed
and adhered to another substrate.
Brief Description of Drawing
The present invention will be further described with Ic~rerence to the
acco~ ..yillg dlawlllg wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts in the
several views, and wl~e~eil~:
Figure 1 is a bottom end view of a book according to the present invention
in which portions are enlarged to show detail
Figure 2 is a vertical edge view of the book of Figure 1 in which portions
are enlarged to show detail and coatings of adhesive normally releasably adhered to
the ~ c~nt page are shown separated from that page;
1S Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximately along line 3-3 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a sectional view taken app~ ~xh~alely along line 4-4 of Figure 2;
and
Figure S is a srh.om~fic view of a method according to the present invention
for making and using a coloring book.
Detailed Description
Referring now to Figures 1 through 4 of the drawing, there is illustrated a
coloring book according to the present invention, generally decign~ecl by the
reference numeral 10.
2s Generally, the coloring book 10 comprises a plurality of sheet assemblies
1 la, 1 lb, and 1 lc having peripheral edges. Only the three sheet ~cs~mhlies 1 la,
1 lb, and 1 1 c are illustrated, and each has a slightly different structure. Typically
the book would contain many more than three sheet assemblies, and all of the sheet
assemblies in one book might have the same structure. Each of the sheet assemblies
1 la, 1 lb, or 1 lc comprises first and second sheets 12 and 13 each having major
front and rear surfaces 14 and 15, and spaced strips or layers 16 of pressure-
_5
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sensitive adhesive in a predetermined pattern on the rear surface 15 of each of the
sheets 12 and 13. The layers 16 of l,lt;s~u,e-sensitive adhesive in the prede~ "..led
pattern on the rear surface 15 of each of the sheets 12 or 13 contacts and releasably
adheres to the rear surface 15 of the other sheet 12 or 13 in each sheet assembly
S 1 la, 1 lb, or 1 lc only in nonadhesive bearing areas of that rear surface 15 (such
contact and adhesion is illustrated in Figure 1, but is not illustrated in Figure 2
where the layers 16 are shown separated from the sheet to which they are normally
releasably adhered to illustrate their location on each sheet 12 and 13). The sheet
assemblies 1 la, 1 lb, and 1 lc are disposed in a stack with their peripheral edges
lo generally in ~ nm~nt, and means in the form of a layer 18 of padding compound is
provided for binding together corresponding ones of the peripheral edges of the
sheet ~stomhlies 1 la, 1 lb, and 1 lc.
As illustrated, the book 10 includes the optional feature of front and rear
covers 20 and 21 having opposite major surfaces that may be slightly larger than,
1S but generally co" e~ond in size to the major surfaces of the sheet assemblies 1 la,
11b, and llc. Thecovers20and21 aredisposedonoppositesidesofthestackof
sheet assemblies 1 la, 1 lb, and 11 c and have peripheral edges ~tt~ched to the stack
of sheet assemblies by the layer 18 of padding compound. A release coating 22 may
be provided on some or all (as illustrated, one) of the surfaces of the covers 20 to
f~.ilit~te adhering one of the sheets 12 or 13 thereto after that sheet is removed
from one of the sheet assemblies 1 1 a, 1 1 b, or 1 1 c, as may be desirable for display
and/or storage ofthat sheet 12 or 13. A suitable release material for the coating 22
is a 20 percent solids solution of the release coating described in Example 1 ofEuropean Patent Application Publication number 0,618, SO9Al dated January ~,
2s 1994, modified so that the composition is KF2001/MA/MAA/MAA 25/50/20/~
dispersed in 2-but~none.
As an alternative to the rear cover 21 illustrated, a rear cover could be
provided that has a width at right angles to the layer 18 of padding compound that
is h,vice the width of the sheet assemblies 11 a, 1 lb and 1 1 c, and that is folded in half
along a line parallel to its edge adhered to the layer 18 of padding compound, with
its distal portion positioned ~djac~.nt the sheet assemblies 1 la, 1 lb, and 1 lc. That
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distal portion could then be positioned a(ljacent the inner surface of the front cover
20 so that it wraps around and pl~le.~ils the distal edges of the sheet assemblies 1 la,
1 lb and/or 1 1 c, or could be inserted between any of the sheet ~semh1ies 1 la, 1 lb
and/or 1 lc.
s The book 10 further inrludec the optional feature of support sheets 24 (two
are illustrated, however any number could be provided) having opposite major
surfaces generally corresponding in size to the major surfaces of the sheet
assel-~lies 1 la, 1 lb, and 1 lc. Each of the support sheets 24 has a peripheral edge
hed to the stack of sheet assemblies 1 1 a, 1 lb, and 1 1 c by the layer 18 of
0 p~1tlin~ compound, and has a coating such as the coating 22 described above, or is
otherwise adapted to have one ofthe sheets 12 or 13 releasably adhered thereto
after that sheet 12 or 13 is removed from one of said sheet assemblies 1 la, 1 lb, or
1 lc as may also be desirable for storage and or display of that sheet 12 or 13 in
addition to the display and/or storage afforded by the cover 20.
As is seen in Figure 4, the book 10 includes graphics 25 adapted to be
colored on the front surfaces 14 of the sheets 12 or 13 of the sheet assemblies 1 la,
1 lb, and 1 lc, which graphics would typically be dirrerenl on each sheet 12 or 13.
The sheets 12 and 13 are generally of flat, flexible material in~ ing, but not
limited to, plain or bond paper, clay coated paper, or layers of polymeric materials.
The major surfaces ofthe sheets 12 and 13 can be of any size, one desirable sizebeing about eight and one half inches by eleven inches.
Also, while the sheets 12 and 13 ofthe sheet assemblies can be entirely
separate and ~tt~c.hed together only by the layers of adhesive 16 as is illustrated by
the sheet assembly 1 la, optionally, as illustrated by the sheet assemblies 1 lb and
2s 1 1 c, the sheets 12 and 13 of each sheet assembly 1 1 b or 1 1 c can be attached
together along adjace~t peripheral edges 26 (See Figure 2) and 28 (see Figure 1)respectively. The sheets 12 and 13 can be folded along their joined peripheral edges
26 or 28 so that the sheets 12 and 13 in the sheet assembly 1 lb or 1 lc can be
separated and unfolded to provide a double width sheet compared to the individual
sheets 12 and 13. Alternatively, the sheets 12 and 13 of the sheet assemblies 1 lb
and 1 1 c can have paths of weakness along their joined peripheral edges 26 and 28
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along which paths of weakness the sheets 12 and 13 can easily be separated. By
"Path of weakness" we mean any we~k~ning of the sheet material along a line thatpermits the sheets to fold or tear apart along that line while providing s~lffi~i~nt
integrity so that the sheets do not separate along that line before they are
int~ntion~lly separated. A suitable path of we~knçe~ can be provided by ~lllfil~g
spaced perforations through the sheet, crushing the sheet, chemical treatm~nt toreduce the thickness and/or the strength of the sheet, grooves formed by control-
depth cuts, or the like.
Also, as illustrated in Figure 2, a portion 30 of each of the first sheets 12
0 ~ cçnt one edge of the first sheet 12 in each sheet assembly 1 la, 1 lb, or 1 lc
extends past the ~djac~nt edge of the second sheet 13 in that sheet assembly 1 la,
1 lb, or 11 c to provide means along one of its peripheral edges that f~.ilit~tes
manual separation of the sheets 12 and 13 in that sheet assembly 1 la, 1 lb, or 1 lc
by allowing a person to more easily engage and separate the edges of those sheets
with his fingers.
If desired or needed to f~ te release of the layers 16 of adhesive, the
sheet assemblies 1 la, 1 lb and 1 lc illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 could have release
coatings on the nonadhesive bearing areas of the rear surfaces 15 of the sheets 12
and 13, which release coatings could be in strips opposed to, parallel to, and slightly
wider than the strips or layers 16 of adhesive, so that with the rear surfaces 15 of
the sheets 12 and 13 face to face as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the layers 16 of
adhesive will contact and will be generally centered on the release coatings.
Referring now to Figure 5 there is schematically illustrated a method
according to the present invention for making and usin~ the coloring book 10
2s illustrated in Figures 1 through 4. That method comprises the steps of (1) providing
a plurality of the sheet assemblies 1 1 a, 1 1 b andlor 1 1 c illustrated in Figures 1
through 3 and described above, which can be done by conventional paper h~ntllingand adhesive coating methods, (2) printing graphics adapted to be colored on thefront surfaces 14 ofthe sheets 12 and 13 in the sheet assemblies 1 la, 1 lb and 1 lc,
which could be done by use of a conventional printing device 30 or, alternatively,
for the sheet assemblies 1 lb and 1 lc, by using an office copy machine for which
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there has been pl~a,ed an applopl;ale pattern sheet to be copied, (3) binding
together col,~olldillg ones ofthe peripheral edges ofthe sheet ~c.cemhlies, which
can be done using the "Padder" 32 and method described below, (4) coloring the
graphics on one ofthe sheets, which as illustrated is being done m~ml~lly by a
person 34 while the sheet 12 or 13 is in the book 10, (5) sep~Lillg the thus colored
sheet 12 or 13 from the binding material 18, and (6) adhering the separated colored
sheet 12 or 13 to a ~ul~ e 36 (e.g., the side of a refrigerator) to display it using
the layers 16 of adhesive on its rear surface.
Alternatively, though not illustrated, the sheet 12 or 13 taken from the book
lo 10 could be colored after, rather than before, it is separated from the book 10, in
which case that separated sheet 12 or 13 could be adhered to a surface (e.g., a tabie
top) while it was being colored, and then removed and adhered to the substrate 36.
The ~l e~el I ed method for binding the sheets assemblies 11 a, 11 b, and/or
l lc, and any covers 20 and 21 and support sheets 24 that may be in~l~lded into the
book 10 in~l~ldes using a hot melt padding compound such as that commercially
deei~n~ted "Glue Fast" hot melt pildtiing compound, part No. GF5023C,
commercially available from Glue Fast Equipment Co., Inc., Carlstadt, NJ. That
pad~ing compound can be applied to form the layer 18 by using the device
coll~n~lcially deci~n~ted the "Kansa Corporation Padder, Model # KP-2824"
commercially available from Kansa Corporation, Emporia, KS. The sheet
assemblies 1 la, 1 lb and/or 1 lb are compiled, along with any covers 20 and 21 and
support sheets 24 to be included in the book 10 and are then fed into that padder
which applies the layer 18 of padding compound along corresponding peripheral
edges ofthe sheet assemblies 1 la, 1 lb, and/or l lc, covers 20 and 21 and support
sheets 24 to bind them together. Alternatively, the padding compound
commercially decign~ted "3M Latex Padding Compound, 3M I.D. ~ 98-0439-6211-
1" commercially available from Minnesota Mining and M~nllf~ct~lring Company, St.Paul, MN, may be used to bind the sheet assemblies 1 la, 1 lb and or 1 lb and any
covers 20 and 21 and support sheets 24 into the book 10 by stacking them,
clamping them together with a C-clamp, and brushing multiple layers of the pa(ltling
compound onto their peripheral edges along one side of the stack using a regular
g
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paint brush, while allowing about 20 minute drying time between layers. The
number of such layers l-ec~s~, y to bind the book 10 will depend on the thickness of
the stack. Three to four layers of this compound has been found sufflcient for abook 10 having a thiçl-n~e.e of about one quarter inch.
The present invention has now been described with, er~, ~nce to one
embodiment that illustrates many possible variations. It will be a~pa, c:,.l to those
skilled in the art that many challges can be made in the embodiment described
without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, as
inrliç~ted above, the sheets could be printed with many dirrerelll things other than
lo graphics for a coloring book, or may have no printing at all, and the sheets could be
of many di~r~i.l materials. Thus the scope of the present invention should not be
limited to the methods and structures described in this application, but only by the
methods and structures described by the l~n~-~ge ofthe claims and the equivalents
of those methods and structures.
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