Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FOLDED SHEET
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to folded sheets,
particularly sheets for providing a compact means for
presenting printed matter such as advertising material,
maps and the like.
Background to the Invention
Folded sheets are known for providing relatively
compact maps and advertising material. For example,
maps are commonly available on printed folded paper.
Z-Card (trademark) folded sheets are commercially
available. They are disclosed in U.S. patent 5156898
which issued June 20, 1991 to E.W. McDonald. The Z-Card
has an even number of panels in the transverse direction
of the sheet and three panels in the longitudinal
direction. On the back of the sheet, at diagonally
opposing corners, there are cardstock or other stiff
sheet members attached to the sheet. The stiff sheet
members are marginally larger than a panel. In forming
the Z-Card sheet, the sheet is first folded along
longitudinal foldlines in a concertina fashion, i.e.
alternatively folding backwardly and forwardly. The thus
folded sheet is then folded along transverse fold lines
in a concertina fashion, so that the stiff members are
on the front and back of the completely folded sheet.
In order to make the Z-Card folded sheet, the card-like
members must be laminated, glued or otherwise be
attached to the sheet in a separate step to the folding
steps. The manufacture of such folded sheet systems
requires three stages, i.e. printing and folding of the
sheet, printing and die cutting of the card-like members
("end plates"), and aligning and gluing the end plates
to the sheet. Specialized machinery is required and the
product tends to be expensive.
A less expensive product has been sought, which the
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present invention provides. The present invention is
also directed to providing an easy way to unfold the
folded sheet.
Summary of the Invention
Accordingly, the present invention provides a sheet
with longitudinal and transverse directions, a left
working edge, a right working edge, an upper edge, a
lower edge, a front and a back;
said sheet being foldable in concertina fashion
about an even number of longitudinal fold lines between
the right and left working edges, to form longitudinal
strips, each strip having substantially the same
transverse width;
said sheet also being foldable in concertina
fashion about an even number of transverse fold lines
between the upper and lower edges, said transverse folds
being made before or after the longitudinal strips have
been folded in concertina fashion, such that when folded
the sheet comprises an odd number of folded panels;
said sheet having a tab for manually gripping an
edge of the sheet when folded, said tab being attached
to a corner panel, said corner panel being on the
outside of the sheet when folded about the longitudinal
and transverse fold lines.
In one embodiment, the tab is an integral extension
of the sheet.
In another embodiment, the sheet has an extension
attached to the sheet at least on one location selected
from i)the upper edge, ii) the lower edge; iii) the left
working edge and iv) the right working edge, with the
proviso that when attached to the right working edge,
the extension is separated from the tab.
In yet another embodiment, the extension is
attached to the sheet at an edge, wherein the edge is
perforated and forms a fold line.
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In a further embodiment, the extension is
perforated at the transverse fold lines.
In another embodiment, a corner panel adjacently
opposite the tab corner has an extension which can be
folded over the corner panel and glued thereto to form a
stiff cover for the folded sheet.
In a further embodiment, a corner panel which is
adjacent to the tab has an extension which can be folded
over the corner panel and glued thereto to form a stiff
cover for the folded sheet.
In yet another embodiment, the sheet and any
extensions are die cut, as a single piece, from a larger
sheet.
The invention also provides a process for making a
folded sheet comprising:
a) cutting a foldable sheet from a larger sheet,
said foldable sheet having, after die cutting,
longitudinal and transverse directions, a left working
edge, a right working edge, an upper edge, a lower edge,
a front and a back;
b) folding said foldable sheet in a manner selected
from the group consisting of i) first folding the sheet
in concertina fashion about an even number of
longitudinal fold lines between the right and left
working edges, to form longitudinal strips, each strip
having substantially the same transverse width, to form
a transversely folded sheet, and then folding the
transversely folded sheet in concertina fashion about an
even number of transverse fold lines between the upper
and lower edges, to form a folded sheet with an odd
number of panels; and ii) first folding the sheet in
concertina fashion about an even number of transverse
fold lines between the upper and lower edges, to form
transverse strips, each strip having substantially the
same longitudinal width, to form a longitudinally folded
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sheet, and then folding the longitudinally folded sheet
in concertina fashion about an even number of
longitudinal fold lines between the right and left
working edges, to form a folded sheet with an odd number
of panels;
said sheet having a tab for manually gripping an
edge of the sheet when folded, said tab being attached
to a corner panel, said corner panel being on the
outside of the sheet when folded about the longitudinal
and transverse fold lines.
In one embodiment, the tab is part of the foldable
sheet when cut from the larger sheet.
In another embodiment, the foldable sheet has an
extension attached to the sheet at least on one location
selected from i)the upper edge, ii) the lower edge; iii)
the left working edge and iv) the right working edge,
with the proviso that when attached to the right working
edge, the extension is separated from the tab, and such
extension is folded inwardly into the folded sheet.
In yet another embodiment, the extension is
attached to the sheet at an edge, wherein the edge is
perforated and forms a fold line, and the extension is
folded inwardly into the folded sheet, about the
perforated fold line.
In another embodiment, a corner panel adjacently
opposite the tab corner has an integral extension which
can be folded over the corner panel and glued thereto to
form a stiff cover for the folded sheet, said extension
being folded and glued prior to the foldable sheet being
folded in concertina fashion.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a representation of an unfolded sheet
of the present invention, showing fold lines.
Figure 2 shows the sheet of Figure 1 folded about
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longitudinal fold lines.
Figure 3 is a representation of another unfolded
sheet of the present fold lines.
Figure 4 is a representation of an unfolded sheet
of the present invention, with an extension which may be
folded and glued to a corner panel of the sheet.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
Figure 1 shows an unfolded sheet 10 with a right
working edge 11, a left working edge 12, an upper edge
13 and a lower edge 14. Sheet 10 has longitudinal fold
liens 15-20 equidistantly spaced between left working
edge 11 and right working edge 11. Longitudinal fold
lines 15-20 divide sheet 10 with an even number of
longitudinal strips 21-27. Sheet 10 also has transverse
fold lines 28 and 29 equidistantly spaced between upper
edge 13 and lower edge 14. Transverse fold lines 28 and
29 divide the sheet 10 into an odd number transverse
strips (not numbered). The fold lines cause the
formation of an odd number of panels, including
adjacently opposed corner panels 31 and 32.
The panels adjacent longitudinal fold lines 16, 18
and 20 fold towards one another so that the front faces
of the panels are together when folded. The panels
adjacent longitudinal fold lines 15, 17 and 19 fold
towards one another so that the back faces of the panels
are together. Thus the sheet is folded in concertina
fashion about the longitudinal folds, as seen in Figure
2.
After the sheet has been folded about the
longitudinal folds 15-20, the sheet can be folded about
transverse folds 28 and 29 (Figure 2), so that the front
faces of the panels adjacent fold line 28 (between left
working edge 12 and fold line 15) are together, and the
back faces of the panels adjacent fold lines 29 (between
right working edge 11 and fold line 20) are together.
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Thus, the back of panel 31, which has tab 30 attached
thereto is on the outside of the folded sheet, and the
front of panel 32 is also on the outside of the folded
sheet.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 there is
a printed "button" 33. The purpose of button 33 and tab
30 is to provide a visual cue for a person wishing to
open the folded sheet to grasp panel 32 at button 33 and
grasp tab 30 and pull the sheet apart diagonally. By so
pulling, the sheet is unfolded in an easy manner, so
that printed messages, graphics, catalogues and the like
can be read on the front and/or back of the sheet.
Instead of first folding sheet 10 about
longitudinal fold lines 15-20, and then folding the
sheet about transverse fold likes 28 and 29, the
transverse fold lines 28 and 29 may be folded first and
then the sheet may be further folded about the
longitudinal fold lines 15-20.
Although Figure 1 shows six longitudinal fold
lines, any number of longitudinal lines may be used
provided they are of even number. Also, any number of
transverse fold lines may be used provided they are of
even number.
Figure 3 shows a modified version of the sheet of
Figure 1. In essence the sheet has tear-off tickets at
the right and left working edges. Sheet 40 has a right
working edge 41, a left working edge 42, an upper edge
43 and a lower edge 44. Sheet 40 has longitudinal fold
lines 45-50 and transverse fold lines 51 and 52. Corner
panel 59 has tab 53 attached thereto. Attached to sheet
about a perforated fold line at left working edge 42
is extension 56. Fold lines 51 and 52, within extension
56, are also perforated. In this embodiment, extension
56 comprises three tear-off tickets. A similar tear-off
35 extension 54 is attached to sheet 40 about a perforated
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fold line at right working edge 41. Extension 54 is
separated from tab 53 at a cut 55. Extensions 54 and 56
may be folded about perforated edges 41 and 42
respectively so that when sheet 40 is folded, extensions
54 and 56 are tucked inside the folded sheet.
In Figure 3, there is an extension 57 attached to
upper edge 43. Extension 57 is foldable about fold line
58, which is part of upper edge 43, Extension 57 may be
a "pop-up" design, which pops up when the folded sheet
is unfolded.
Figure 4 shows a sheet 60 with left and right
working edges 61 and 62 respectively, tab 63 and corner
panel 64. Attached to corner panel 63 is an extension
65 which is foldable about fold line 68, which is part
of left working edge 61. Extension 65 has glue tabs 66
and 67. Glue tabs 66 and 67 may be folded so that when
extension 65 is folded about fold line 68 and glue is
applied to the glue tabs, panel 64 is essentially
doubled in thickness, thus providing extra stiffness to
panels 64. Folding and gluing extension 65 in such a
manner also provides a pocket on the front outside
panel.
The sheet of the present invention may be printed
using conventional offset or web printing technologies.
In short print runs, e.g. up to about 50 000 sheets, a
conventional offset press appears to be most economical.
For larger runs, it appears to be more economical to use
a continuous web press. After printing, a two-side
printed sheet is obtained.
After printing, the oversized sheets are die cut to
the finished size and shape, with the pull tab adjacent
a corner of the cut sheet. The paper grade, thickness
and size of the sheet is a function of the size and
compactness of the desired folded sheet.
If the sheet has extensions as an integral part of
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the sheet, the extensions are ~~hit" with a blunt crease
die to introduce fold lines, and the folding and gluing
process may be done manually or by specially designed
machinery. If there are no folded and glued extensions,
or if extension have been folded and glued, the die cut
sheet are folded automatically on a so-called buckle
folder, which has been modified to produce a consistent
Z-fold or concertina fold without introducing compound
creep or skewing.
After the product has been fully folded, it has a
front and back panel. One of these panels has the tab
attached thereto. If the tab is on the back panel, when
the tab is grasped in one hand and the front panel is
grasped with the other hand, the folded sheet can be
unfolded merely by pulling the hands apart in a
direction which is parallel to the free corners of the
front and back panels. In so doing, the unfolded sheet
reveals printed material on the front and back of the
unfolded sheet.
Typically, the panels are the size of a credit card
or similar, so that the folded sheet easily fits in a
wallet or purse. The panels may be larger, for example
if a large map is to be produced.
The present invention may be used whenever
information or instruction is required to be retained
ready for quick reference. The folded sheet provides
many time the surface area of the panels of the fully
folded sheet and can easily be store in a pocket or
purse. The free-form poster layout of the sheet is more
flexible for information assembly and graphical
reference than is a stapled booklet of equal size, where
the content is restricted by the individual page
formats.
It will be understood that the invention has many
uses. For example, the front and back panels of the
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folded sheet may be reserved for special advertising
material, e.g. a special offer, corporate identity
information. The sheet may provide a large amount of
information, e.g. benefits and side effects of
5 medications, operating instructions for pesticides,
electronic equipment, telephone and other listings.
As will be understood, modifications may be made
without departing from the spirit of the invention.
