Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
BUNDLED PRINTED SHEETS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Printed sheet articles and systems for producing large quantities of printed
sheet articles
are known. One example of a printed sheet article frequently created in large
quantities is a label
printed on a paper or plastic sheet or cut from a paper or plastic web
substrate. Such labels may
be subsequently applied to bottles and containers. In one specific example,
paper labels are
printed and applied to plastic beverage bottles. The labels are wrapped around
a portion of the
bottle and may be affixed by an adhesive at overlapping ends of the labels.
Such labels for beverage bottles may be printed and packaged at a first
location by a print
vendor and shipped to a beverage bottler for application inline with the
bottling process. The
labels are therefore assembled into batch quantities, secured, and packaged so
that the bottler
need only remove the label assemblies from the shipping packaging, removing
the securing
device(s), and loaded iiito an automated labeling machine. This process,
however, is
complicated by a variety of factors. First, coatings on the labels must be
suitably dry before
being assembled, packaged, and shipped so that adjacent labels do not become
adhered to one
another. Coatings can include inks, adhesives, varnishes, antistatic coatings,
and other suitable
coatings and combinations thereof. These labels can jam the automatic labeling
machine,
resulting in downtime and potential machine daniage. Second, residual moisture
in the labels
can result in curling or deformation of the labels, again creating problems
for loading and
operating an automatic labeling machine. The time required to adequately dry
the coatings on
the printed labels prior to post-process assembly, securing, and packaging to
prevent these and
2
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
other problems significantly uacreases the turn-around time of the print
vendor and reduces
responsiveness to customer needs and requests. Climate-controlled environments
with reduced
humidity are frequently also needed to prevent curling and warping of the
labels prior to
packaging and shipping.
Further, the assembly, securing, and packaging of the labels increases the
cost of the
labels, both for the materials needed by the print vendor to accomplish these
tasks but also for
the bottler, who must have an employee open the shipping carton, remove a
label assembly,
unpack the assembly, and finally load the unbound and unpackaged assembly into
the labeling
machine. These tasks must be carried out without bending or creasing the
labels or disturbing
the assemblies. The employee frequently must also separate the labels if
multiple labels have
become stuck together to prevent system downtime.
T'herefore, a need exists for improved bundled printed sheet articles and
methods of
manufacture to reduce production and supply times while improving quality and
end-user
efficiencies. There also exists a need for an effective apparatus for the
manufacture of bundled
printed sheet articles according to the aforementioned needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention substantially addresses the aforementioned needs by
providing
systems and methods for manufacturing bundled printed sheets. The bundled
printed sheets and
articles are preferably of a superior quality, including a high print quality,
uniform desired length
and width dimensional attributes, and high print-to-cut registration
attributes. The systems and
methods of the present invention allow bundled printed sheets to be printed,
converted, and
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CA 02572926 2007-01-05
packaged at reduced production and supply times without comprising quality of
the end product
and/or the end-user's efficiency in subsequent processes.
The system of the present invention generally comprises a substrate staging
area, a print
module, a cutter module, a collator module, conveyor module, and a packaging
module. The
system of the present invention can also comprise optional coating or
treatment niodules, web
inspection equipment, waste removal equipment and other such features. The
system can
comprise a web- or sheet-fed module.
The above summary of the invention is not intended to describe each
illustrated
embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. The figures and
the detailed
description that follow more particularly exemplify these embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a web-based apparatus for making bundled
printed sheet
articles in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a sheet-fed based apparatus for making
bundled printed
sheet articles in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a web-based process for preparing bundle printed
sheets in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4A is a perspective diagram of a portion of a web-based apparatus for
preparing
bundle printed sheets in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 4B is a section view of a cutter module in a web-based apparatus for
preparing
bundle printed sheets in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention.
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CA 02572926 2007-01-05
FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a sheet-fed based proccss for preparing bundled
printed
sheets in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6A is a perspective diagram of a collator module of an apparatus for
preparing
bundled printed sheets in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention.
F1G. 6.B is a perspective diagram of a conveyor module of an apparatus for
preparing
bundled printed sheets in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 7A is a perspective diagram of a conveyor module of an apparatus for
preparing
bundled printed sheets in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 7B is a perspective diagram of a conveyor module of an apparatus for
preparing
bundled printed sheets in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention.
FIGS. 8A-8E are diagrammatic examples of cut pattern.s for forming cut printed
sheets in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 9A-9D are diagrammatic examples of bundled printed sheets in accordance
with
one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention relates to bundled printed sheets, and apparatuses,
systems, and
methods for preparing bundled sheets. The invention can be more readily
understood by the
following description, with reference where applicable to FIGS. 1-9D. While
the invention is
not necessarily limited to the specifically depicted application(s) described
herein, the invention
will be better appreciated using a discussion of exemplary embodiments in
specific contexts.
In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to bundled printed sheets
and
bundled printed sheet articles. The bundled printed sheets and articles are
preferably of a
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CA 02572926 2007-01-05
superior quality, including a higtt print quality, uniform desired length and
width dimensional
attributes, and high print-to-cut registration attributes. The present
invention also comprises ati
apparattis for making bundled printed sheets and articles and methods for
making and using
bundled printed sheet articles.
The present invention provides a stack of printed sheets comprising a
plurality of printed
sheets in a unitary form, each printed sheet having a narrow cut-to-print
registration variance, for
example, of from less than or equal to about 0.03 inches, and each printed
sheet having the
substantially same length and width dimensions as the other printed sheets in
the stack to within
a narrow variance of less than or equal to about 0.005 inches. The stack of
printed sheets is
adapted to be situated, for example, in a label applicator machine. The
printed sheets of the stack
can be product labels having product collateral information, images, text, and
like markings, or
combinations thereof, printed thereon. The stack of printed sheets can be a
unitary form such as
a parallelepiped, having, for example, all square cottiiers of about ninety
degrees, such as a cube
or an elongated cube. A cube has substantially identical length, width, and
height dimensions.
An elongated cube may have one, two, or three of its length, wide, or height
dimensions being
different from one another.
The printed sheets can be used for, but are not limited to, for example,
labels, business
cards, greeting cards, trading cards, tickets, game cards, bank cards, phone
cards, identification
cards, note pad sheets, paper currency, negotiable instruments, interlaced
images, coupons, chits,
ballots, maps, forms, time sheets, and like applications, or conibinations
thereof. The printed
sheets can be used in, but are not liinited to, a variety of applications
including, for example,
individual product labels, such as used on beverage containers or canned
goods, signage, bumper
stickers, and like applications.
6
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
The present invention includes an article having a printed sheet attached
thereto prepared
by a method of affixing printed sheets to articles. The printed sheet being
attached to the article
can be obtained from tmpackaging a bundle of printed sheets of the invention,
the bundle
comprising a plurality of printed sheets in a stack, optionally having a band
around the stack, and
an overwrapper on the banded or unbanded stack, and affixing the printed sheet
to the article
with a label applicator machine, or other ineans of application or affixation.
Methods for
manufacturing labels, such as self-adhesive labels, for use in a label
applicator machines are
known, see for example, U.S. Patent No. 6,273,987. Label applicator machines
and methods for
applying labels to articles or containers are known; see for example, U.S.
Patent No. 4,793,891.
U.S. Patent No. 4,798,648 discloses an article-feeding device for use in a
label applicator
machine, and also discloses forming adhesive labels by die-cutting from a web,
intermediate
transfer of the cut labels, and application of the labels to articles. High
speed label applicator
machines for high volume solutions using hot melt adhesives, cold adhesives,
pressure sensitive
adhesives, or combinations thereof, and conveyor equipment are also
commercially available
from, for example. Abacus Label Applications, Maple Ridge, B.C. Canada
(www.abacuslabel.com).
According to one embodiment of the invention, a bundle comprises a stack of a
plurality
of printed sheets. A stack is generally a plurality of unsupported cut printed
sheets piled atop
one another and having substantially the same orientation and may also be a
loose but ordered
ream of cut printed sheets, and a bundle is generally a stack of cut printed
sheets having a
securing band, a protective overwrapper, a partial overwrapper, or
combinations thereof. The
bundles of printed sheets can comprise sheets having, for example, a regular
or an irregular
shape, such as irregular or non-uniform dimensions, but where all the sheets
in the bundle have
7
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
substantially the sasne shape and dimensions as all other sheets in the
bundle. Each sheet in the
bundle preferably has substantially the same orientation in an arbitrary
orthogonal x-y-z
coordinate system. Each sheet preferably occupies an x-y plane and the sheets
are stacked one
on top of another about the z-axis in the orthogonal x-y-z coordinate system
or Cartesian
coordinate system. Each sheet can have substantially the same x- and y-
dimensions as all other
sheets in the stack, for example, as measured in an x-y plane. In one
embodiment, the x- and y-
dimensions for each sheet can be the same (x = y), such as a square sheet. In
other embodiments,
the x- and y-dimensions for each sheet can be different (x # y), such as a
rectangular sheet. The
x-dimension for each sheet can also be substantially the same to provide a
stack with sheets all
having the same variation in the x-dimension, for example, a sheet having an
irregular x-
dimension. The y-dimension for each sheet can also be substantially the same
to provide a stack
with sheets all having about the same variation in the y-dimension, for
example, a sheet having
an irregular y-dimension. The x- and the y-dimension.s for each sheet can also
vary to provide a
stack or bundle having sheets which all have about the same variation in the x-
and y-
dimensions, for example, a sheet having irregular x- and y-dimensions.
The individual sheets can be of almost any shape and configuration to form
bundles of
varying shapes and configurations. Various embodiments of the present
invention thereby
provide bundles of printed sheets in which the individual sheets can have a
variety of shapes, for
example, square, diamond, heart, rectangular, circular, oval, triangular, and
like regular shapes or
irregular shapes. In one enibodiment, two opposite sides of the stack can be
parallel where, for
example, the bundle resembles a cube comprised of square sheets, or, for
example, where the
bundle resembles a parallelepiped or a rectangular block comprising of
rectangular sheets. In
another enibodiment, two opposite sides are not parallel, such as when the
bundle is other than a
8
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
cube or parallelepiped. The bundle can have a tmitary or tutiform shape but
for the irregular
shape of the constituent sheets. Thus, because of the high uniformity or
similarity of sheet-to-
sheet dimensions the resulting bundle fonned from irregularly shaped stacked
sheets can also
have high dimensional uniformity in the x-, y-, and z-directions. Bundles can
have at least one
set of non-parallel opposite sides, such as where sheets have an irregular
shape like a bow-tie-
shaped outline in an arbitrary x-y plane, a paisley shape, a tear-drop shape,
a lightening bolt
shape, and other irregular shapes. Other sheet shapes can include, for
example, circles, ovals,
squares, and rectangular sheets having square corners, rounded corners, or
angled corners. It will
be readily apparent that certain sheet shapes can have parallel edges yet
still appear irregular,
such as a sheet having a saw-tooth or diagonal cut-out pattern on one or more
edges. It is also
readily evident that sheet edges of the sheets when stacked become part of the
sides of the stack
or bundle. It will also be apparent that sheets can be made with cut-outs or
perforations, for
example, for preparing labeled articles with a detachable label portion.
The bundled priiited sheets of and created according to the present invention
are
preferably substantially identical to one another, wherein, for example, the
dimensions of each
sheet are substantially the same as every other sheet in a bundle, and wherein
the dimensions of
each bundle are substantially the same as every other bundle. The present
invention therefore
distinguishes from known document printing, reproduction, or reprographic
systems having, for
example, printing, collating, finishing, and like capabilities, but where the
rest-lting pritited
sheets are not precisely cut into two or more smaller identical printed sheets
from fed sheets or a
continuous web. The present invention may include aspects of known web-based
or sheet-fed
document printing, reproduction, or reprographic systems, however, without
departing from
inventive aspects.
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CA 02572926 2007-01-05
The bundled printed sheets can have sheet-to-sheet print or image content
which is
constant, variable, or both, and can provide substantially identically
dimensioned printed sheets
and substantially identically dimensioned bundled printed sheets. The bttndled
printed sheets
can then be assembled or fashioned into, for example, multi-page documents,
such as bound
booklets, manuals, brochures, coupons booklets, check bundles, or like printed
publications or
collateral materials. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 4,368,972. The bundled
printed sheets
can also be used to supplement or modify multiple page documents, such as with
correction
labels, advertising labels, bookmarks, promotional inserts, and like
applications. .
Systems, methods, and processes of the present invention provide overall
accelerated
production speed and increased volume throughput compared to known production
processes for
bundled printed sheets. For example, in current high-volume printed label
production systems,
considerable time passes, such as from about six to about forty-eight hours or
more, from the
time labels or other sheet products are printed until the time the labels are
packaged because of
the need for inks or coatings to properly dry or cure. Such time lapses
increase the likelihood
that moisture will evaporate from or penetrate into a printed sheet and
potentially cause print
quality or handling issues for individual sheets in use. In one preferred
embodiment of the
present invention, the total time required between, for example, printed sheet
formatioti and
application of packaging materials is greatly decreased to less than about one
to four minutes, as
shown in TABLE 1.
The bundled printed sheet products of the present invention provide a superior
product
for print-to-cut quality and stack uniformity properties, produced in less
time, and at a lower
relative cost, contpared to other available apparatus and methods. The bundled
printed sheet
products of the present disclosure, with or without additional packaging, are
also suitable for
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
immediate use by a customer or user, for example, a packaging or labeling
vendor-customer
engaged in a high speed label application operations. Such a product is more
responsive to
current and future customer needs, for example, for print-on-demand
availability or just-in-time
inventory and their concomitant advantages. The bundled printed sheet products
of the present
disclosure can provide a vendor-customer with bundled sheet products of high
quality and in
high volumes and having Less overall waste, including reduced packaging waste
packaging and
fewer waste or unusable printed sheets. Waste sheets historically had to be
manually detected
and discarded and often caused costly disruptions or unnecessary down-time in
customer
operations.
The bundled printed sheets of the present invention, including banded and
overwrapped
bundles of labels, further provide benefits to processes of applying,
attaching, or otherwise
affixing a printed label to an article, such as a consumer product container
or package. In
previous label manufacturing methods, the printed labels often needed to be
supported with
chipboard, or other similar cumbersome materials, and shrink-wrapped to unify
the stack. To
use those bundled labels in a labeling machine, the shrink-wrap had to be
manually cut off, the
chipboard support removed, and the label stack placed in a label applicator
machine to be fed
onto the receiver package. This method of placing labels in a label applicator
machine is prone
to misaligned labels, which can in turn cause label misfeeds or jams and can
result in inferior
label application, waste, or rework, and compromised label application
productivity.
The present invention provides solutions to these and other problems. In one
embodiment, stacks are bundled with a band, an overwrapper, or a combination
thereof for ease
of handling and use in post-production manufacturing. A band generally
surrounds at least a
portion of a registered stack. The ends of a band around the stack can
preferably overlap each
ll
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
other and the overlap portion can preferably include a point of attachment.
The point of
attachment cati be accomplished, for example, with an adhesive, a weld, a
crimp, Velcroand
other fastening or joining techniques or combinations t.hereof. The band can
be any suitable
binding material, such as plastic, paper, metal, rubber, elastomer, string,
and [ike materials or
combinations thereof. The bundle of printed sheets catt have, for example,
from one to five
bands or more. In embodiments in which the bundle of sheets is long and
rectangular, the bundle
can have two or more bands, such as two to three bands. In an embodiment in
which the bundle
and its stacked sheets are relatively stable against skewing without a band or
where cost or use
considerations suggest, a single band around the bundle can suffice to
maintain a useful and
unitary shape of the bundle.
The overwrapper can be, for example, any suitable wrapper material or shrink-
wrap
material, such as clear, translucent, or opaque materials including but not
limited to natural or
synthetics, such as plastic, paper, and other materials or combinations
thereof. The overwrapper
on the banded stack can include one or more pull-tabs or tear-strips to
facilitate removal of the
overwrapper from the bundle. In one embodiment, the overwrapper on the banded
stack
completely encloses the bundle. In other embodiments, the overwrapper on the
banded stack
incompletely encloses the bundle, having open-end regions or open-side
regions, or where the
overwrapper does not cover all or a substantial portion of the stack covered
by a band. Bundles
of printed sheets according to the present invention can also be prepared, if
desired, with a band
but without an overwrapper and still retain their unitary shape and cut-to-
print registration
variance, with individual sheets having the same length and width dimensional
variance as the
otlter printed sheets in the stack or bundle.
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CA 02572926 2007-01-05
Although not required as previously mentioned, the bundles can include, if
desired, a
chipboard, a stiffener panel, or combinations thereof. See, for example, U.S.
Patent No.
4,830,186, assigned to Xerox Corp., to provide a removal support structure to
stabilize the stack
or bundle from inadvertently skewing or toppling during handling or use. For
reasons mentioned
above, the bundled printed sheets of the present invention are preferably free
of a chipboard, a
stiffener panel, or like articles.
In one embodiment, the combination of banding and overwrapping the stacks
simplifies
loading printed sheet labels into a label applicator machine. In one
embodiment, a banded stack
comprises a band placed or applied around the stack and encompassing a portion
of two opposite
sides including the full height of the stack, and a portion of the outer
facing top and bottom
sheets of the stack including the full width of the stack. An eqtiipment
operator, robot, or
automated loading device can then simply unwrap the stack with a highly
visible tear-strip or
tear-tape similar to that used on clear compact disc and media packaging.
While the stack is still
supported by a band, the label bundle can optionally be fanned out to prevent
the labels from
cohering and then loaded in the label applicator machine. Then, the band can
be slit and
removed, for example by a band cutter, leaving the resulting label stack in
position atid
alignmetrt for feeding through the label machine.
In another embodiment of the present invention, an unbanded stack comprises an
overwrap. An equipment operator, robot, or automated loading device can then
simply unwrap
the stack, such as with a highly visible tear-strip or tear-tape similar to
that used on clear
compact disc and media packaging in one embodiment, and load the stack into
the label
applicator machine.
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The pritited ~,eets of th4 present isiventiori each ha~e high uniformity. such
ay lo=,A=
ti'tkriaYUe in cut-to-print registra'tien and sow variiurcc of the Lngt'7 and
wicith :limensiuns in
prererreci ernbodiments. c:'ut-to-pr-tt registration, cut-edbes to print
registratton, print
registratiun to cut edges, print-to-cut registration, und other like pharca g:-
nera!]y refer ro tL-e
pos+tion of a lirinte(l i:nage,, in pdrtiUler :an exact, ideal, or desired
cut=out pattern of tlie printed
imaze contpared to the actual or .-:thieved cut-out pattern of the printed
image in web-fed or
shcct-fed embodiments crf the present invcntiora. Print-to-print registration
generaliy refers to the
position of a printed image wit.h respect to adiacent printed images on a
moving web. In one
entbodirnenk the cut-to-print rWgrstration va.-iance can be frorit less than
or e4utrl o abuul ihinv
thousandihs cf an inch, for example less than or equal to about 1/32 or an
inch, aiid each printed
sheet can have the same length and width dimensions as the other printed
sheets in the stack tt)
within a~ariance of less than about five tfur,.tsacxiiiz5 of on iuh. In one
embodintent, the cut-to-
print registration va.riance car he front about 0.03 to about 0.015 inches, or
about thirty
thoucandths of an inch to abour fifteen 'hou5andth~s of an inc:h, for cxamPle
fmm ahout 1/32 of an
inch ti) about 1/64 of an inch. Each p:intul shect can fravc t.he ~arne
lengtlt and width dimensions
as the other printed slieets !n the stack to within a variance of. for
example, from ahout 0101 t.o
about (3.005 inches, or from abcut one thousartdth ctf an inclt to ahrtut
!'icr. th(-usandths of an inch
in one embodiment.
Corrseiiuentl-v, when t5e ~4ubstantia;.ly identical :,hects arc stacked. such
ziti prior nr
?O subscquent to bundlinl! by hatiding, overwrapping, or hoth, highly uniforni
stacks and ultirnately
uniform bundlcs of printed sheets rzsu't. ffig.hly unifoa.l stacks or btutdle5
of printed sheets cf
Lie present invention are provided by. for exam.p!e, the mcthod of mzking and
the apparatus for
mi-tkttg as disclosed heren.. h, one enth:idiiy:ent, high print-to-cut
aniPorn:ity tujd higii
14
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
dimensional uniformity of the printed sheets can be attributed at least in
part to precision printing
methods and precision cutting methods of the present invention. The high
uniformity of a stack,
that is a group or ream of stacked sheets, results at least in part from the
combination. of the
accurately dimensioned sheets (i.e., low sheet-to-sheet diniensional
variation) and the apparatus
and methods used for stacking the sheets and the apparatus and methods used to
package the
sheets into bundles. The abovementioned high uniformity of a stack provides a
highly uniform
bundle of printed sheets after the uniform stacks are packaged by banding,
overwrapping,
boxing, or combinations thereof.
The apparatus and methods of the present invention used to make and package
the sheets
and their resultant bundles, also provide an apparatus and method for making
large numbers of
bundled printed sheets with high bundle-to-bundle uniformity. Bundle-to-bundle
uniformity
generally refers to such aspects as appearance uniformity, dimensional
uniformity, performance
or use uniformity, and like uniformity aspects, between or among bundles
produced in the same
print job. Additionally or alternatively, high bundle-to-bundle uniformity
refers to low bundle-
to-bundle variability. Thus, as an example of high bundle-to-bundle
uniformity, the first bundles
manufactured in a print job, such as bundles one througli ten, are
substantially identical in all
aspects to bundles manufactured in the middle, such as bundles 18,490 to
18,500, or the end,
such as bundles 36,990 to 37,000, of a continuous twenty-four-hour print job.
[n one embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus and methods can
manufacture,
for example, from about one to about 150 stacks or bundles of printed sheets
per minute. The
actual number of bundles made, or the production rate, can depend upon many
different
variables, includ'u1g sheet feed or web speed, sheet size or web width,
printed piece cut
dimensions, the number of pieces cut per web width, conveyor number and speed,
banding and
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
wrapping efficiencies, and like considerations. The production rate in this or
similar linear
productions systems of the present invention is typically rate limited by the
slowest step or
operation. The present invention can be adapted to reduce the limitations of a
linear or assembly
line by splitting or dividing stack streams to permit parallel or concuirent
processing and
increased through-put productivity.
In one embodiment, individual bundles can contain any number of printed
sheets. It will
be evident to one of ordinary skill in the art that for practical reasons
bundles prepared during the
same job will preferably have approximately the same number of sheets in each
bundle, as is
common in the industry. In one embodiment, each stack or bundle of printed
sheets can contain,
for example, from about ten to about 10,000 printed sheets, preferably from
about ten to about
5,000 printed sheet.s, and more preferably from about fifty to about 1,500
printed sheets. Other
sheets-per-bundle counts can be readily prepared if desired, according to
economic, operational,
handling, custoiner requirements, and like considerations. It will be readily
appreciated that the
number of bundles of printed sheets produced per minute can be increased by
concurrently
operating additional production lines under approximately the same conditions
and parameters.
The dimensions of a stack and a resulting packaged bundle can depend upon, for
example, the thickness (height or z-dimension) of the web or sheet-fed stock
selected; the
thickness added to the web or sheet-fed stock as a result of printing,
coating, conditioning, or like
additions or treatments; the area size (x-y dimensions) of printed sheets cut
from the web stock
or sheet-fed stock; and the contribution of the packaging materials to the
overall bundle
dimensions. In one embodiment, the bundle of printed sheets can be of any
suitable or desired
dimensions to provide bundles that are particularly useful to a user,
consumer, or processor of
bundled printed sheets, such as a person, machine, or robot that handles the
bundles or the
16
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
constituent individual printed sheets within a bundle. One example of such a
machine or robot is
a label applicator which may or may not be ititegrated with other processing
or handling
equipment. For a label applicator machine having an operator, bundles
preferably have
dimensions which make handling of the bundles by the operator convenient, such
as readily held
in a typical human hand, and unwrapped, unbanded, or both, with the other
hand. Thus, in one
embodiment, a finished bundle of printed sheets can be, for example, about one
to about two
inches wide, about two to about four inches high, and about three to about ten
inches long. The
foregoing dimensions may be preferred in example embodiments by operators or
handlers and in
view of hiunan factor considerations. Other bundle dimensions can be readily
selected and
achieved in other embodiments of the invention. The high dimensional
uniformity of each sheet
in the bundle, the high dimensional uniformity of each bundle itself, and the
high bundle-to-
bundle dimensional uniformity provides bundles and printed sheets that are
readily loaded and
dispensed from a label applicator machine with high reliability and minimal or
no stack or label
jamming or stack or label rejection from the label machine.
The bundled printed sheet product or the printed sheets within the bundles of
the present
invention can have a number of other desirable aspects or advantages depending
upon the details
of their nianufacture and the details of their use or application as mentioned
below. In one
aspect, the printed sheets can have superior gloss properties when the printed
web or sheets are
coated with a gloss layer or varnish overcoat during manufacture. Generally,
the gloss coated or
vamish coated printed sheets can have a reduced glue use or reduced glue
requirement by a label
applicator machine in applying the printed sheets, such as a label, to an
article, such as a bottle,
can, and the like, where the ends of the coated printed sheet may be
overlapped and attached to
17
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
each other with an adhesive. Alternatively, an adhesive can be applied to all
or a portion of one
side of the printed sheet to contact and affix the printed sheet to an
article.
The printed sheets in the bundles can be used immediately or very soon after
their
manufacture, for example within seconds or minutes. Use after manufacture can
be accelerated
further if the web or sheets are printed and cured with ultra-violet (UV),
heat, or other curable
ink(s) and/or with a UV or other curable overcoating, such as an ultraviolet
curable varnish
formulation, and thereafter cured with a suitable UV or other source to
provide printed or coated
printed sheets. UV curable over-coatings, inline or web coating devices, and
UV light sources
for curing are commercially available. Thus, printed sheets and subsequently
formed bundles of
printed sheets of preferred embodiments of the present invention can be made
and used on-
demand and do not require extended or lengthy time delays associated with an
intermediate
drying step and which drying step may additionally require special
environmental conditions,
such as temperature or humidity control, or handling precaution, intermediate
storage or
warehousing, and like considerations. Uncoated printed sheets or sheets coated
with water or
aqueous based UV varnishes or coatings typically tend to be more porous
compared to organic
based UV vamishes or coatings and tend therefore more absorbent of glue
formulations, and
consequently may have a greater glue requirement and total glue cost, such as
by about two-fold,
to achieve satisfactory fixing of the printed sheets to articles.
In accordance with the aforementioned features and advantages of the present
invention,
the bundles, the printed sheets within bundles, or the pruited sheets when
used, have lower
rejection rates and higher acceptance rates among users, such as downstream
manufacturers,
customers, or consumers, compared to printed sheets made by known processes.
in still yet
another aspect, the printed sheets within the bundles and the bundles
themselves can be used
18
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
without or with minimal fanning by a user or operator prior to use. Fanning
refers to the practice
of, for example, quickly parsing the sheets in the stack to separate or aerate
adjacent sheets in a
stack, preventing cohesion of two or more adjacent sheets.
Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 depicts an apparatus 10 for making
bundled printed
sheet articles according to one embodiment of the invention. Apparatus, or
production system,
is preferably an automated continuous web-based system for high volume
production of
individual printed sheets from a web, free standing or supported stacks of the
printed sheets, and
packaged stacks of the printed sheets. "Continuous" in this context generally
refers to non-stop
operation during a job, or without interruption, for example, for a period of
from about ten
10 minutes to about 1,000 hours or more. The method and apparatus of the
invention are capable of
operating non-stop or without intemaption for extended periods of time, such
as all day and night
for up to a month and beyond, when, for example, web- or sheet-fed stock,
inks, coatings.
surface treatment material or agents, banding materials, wrapping materials,
and like
consumables can be replenished as needed to sustain the continuous operation
and production of
printed sheets and the resulting bundles.
In web-fed embodiments, the web can be printed or imaged to form a plurality
of
substantially identical printed regions on the web. The printed web can
subsequently be
precision cut into individual printed sheets. The individual printed sheets
can be stacked, the
stacks bundled, and the bundles boxed for shipping or storage. The foregoing
illustrative steps
can be accontplished continuously and without interruption. Other steps, such
as a finish
coating, anti-static treatment, laminating, and like steps, can optionally be
incorporated into
embodiments of the apparatus and process of the present invention. A
continuous web or sheet
stream is generally preferred for productivity and economy. Flowever,
occasionally the bundled
19
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
printed sheet production process of the disclosure may need to be briefly
suspended to make, for
example, change-overs, adjustments, repairs, and like maintenance or
production optimization.
The process and apparatus of the present disclosure can be adapted with, for
example, controls
and quality specifications to permit as-needed temporary suspension or
interruption of
production without jeopardizing an entire print job. In this sense a sheet
stream can have a semi-
continuous character when, for example, its flow is temporarily interrupted.
The apparatus and
process of the present invention thereby provide for continuous high volume
and high quality
manufacture of bundled printed sheets.
FIG. I shows various individually numbered modules only by way of example and
to
illustrate various preferred embodiments. The modules, or stations, are
generally components or
subassemblies of an apparatus or system that can accomplish a defined function
or operation,
such as a print module for printing, a coater module for coating, a cutter
module for cutting, a
collator module for collating, a conveyor module for conveying, and a
packaging module for
packaging. The modules described herein with reference, where applicable, to
the figures can be
adapted to be serially (i.e., modules linked in series) or multiply (e.g., one
or more coating
modules) integrated with other modules. The modules preferably can be readily
modified or
serviced in place, or, additionally or alternatively, preferably readily
replaced or interchanged
with a similar or different module (e.g., a web-based four-color print module
interchanged with a
sheet-fed xerographic color print module). Individual modules, stations, or
components are
described in more detail below.
Substrate Staging (Web- or Sheet-Fed)
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
A substrate is generally a web- or sheet-fed material from which cut printed
sheets are
prepared. The substrate can be comprised of, for example, paper, film,
synthetic materials, foils,
metalized version thereof, and like materials, or combinations thereof. A
preferred substrate
material for economy and versatility is, for example, rolled paper or rolled
plastic film. In one
embodiment of the present invention, the substrate is pre-coated with adhesive
on at least a
pottion of one face of the web or sheet. Suitable adhesives uiclude, but are
not limited to
R41309A available from Capital Adhesives, P0518-4-B available from H.B.
Fuller, and
ASI5440A available from ASI. In another embodiment of the present invention,
the substrate is
pre-laminated with an adhesive and a liner, such as a silicon liner, on at
least one face of the web
or sheet. In other embodiments, the substrate is uncoated or unlanzinated.
Substrate feed module
or station 11 preferably can be a web-stock loading area where, for example,
unprinted paper,
plastic film, or other suitable sheet stock is fed into the system using
supply rolls and unroll
festoons to control tension and other relevant parameters, and to permit
adding additional web
rolls so as to enable continuous operation over extended periods and without
interruption or shut-
down. Such web loading and change-over equipment is commercially available
from, for
example, Keene Technology, Inc., Beloit, Ill.; and Martin Automatic, Inc.,
Rockford, Ill. A
preferred component for this station is the model ZG 2650-10 shaftless butt
splicer from Keene
Technology, Inc.
Substrate Marking and Inspection
Printing module or station 12 can be, for example; a web offset print engine
or like
printing equipment that images or prints desired pattern.s or marks on one or
both sides of the
web. A print engine generally is any print system or marking technology that
is compatible with
21
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
image or print formation aspects of the present invention. A print engine
according to or
compatible with the present invention may be but is not limited to digital
print technologies, for
example.
In various embodiments, printing on the web or on fed sheets (refer also to
FIG. 2 and the
related discussion below) can comprise any suitable print method, including,
for example, offset,
lithography, flexography, gravure, non-impact printing methods,
electrophotography, and other
print methodologies or combinations thereof. Offset printing typically
includes an intermediate
image receiver, such as a printing plate. Lithography typically includes a
printing member
having iuk receptive regions and ink rejecting regions, which opposite regions
result in image
and non-image regions on the printing member. Gravure printing methods
typically include a
printing member having a metal cylinder etched with numerous tiny wells that
hold and release
ink. Non-impact printing methods can use, for example, lasers as in
laserography, ions as in
ionography, ink jet as in thermal ink jet or bubble ink jet, thermal transfer
imaging, and like
methods and devices to form or transfer images on or to a receiver, such as a
continuous web or a
single sheet receiver. Electrophotographic printing methods include, but are
not limited to, for
example, xerography (e.g., from Xerox Corp), liquid immersion development
(LID, e.g., from
Indigo), ionography (e.g., from Delphax), and other like methods. In various
embodiments of the
present invention, the printable web and the print module in combination
comprise a high speed
offset printing press. High speed refers to, for example, a linear speed of
from about 300 to
about 1,200 feet per minute or more.
Print module 12 can comprise a single print engine, or two or more print
engines,
wherein the plurality of print engines can have the same or different marking
technology or
capabilities. Thus, for example, a first print engine, such as an offset pruit
engine, can print
22
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
constant image infornnation, such as CMYK four-color image and text, and a
second print
engine, such as an ink jet or xerographic print engine, can print variable
image information, such
as custom color, specialty graphics, production information, customer
information. lot or serial
numbers, expiration dates, or like image or indicia information. It is
understood by those skilled
in the art that two or more different print engines can be configured to print
on the same side of
the substrate, opposites sides of the substrate, or both.
In high volume applications, such as high speed offset printing, the printable
substrate
can have a relatively wide width and a relatively high speed, such as a width
from about sixteen
to about forty inches and a linear speed of from about 300 to about 900 feet
per minute or more.
In other embodiments, for example in lower volume applications such as certain
flexography
applications, the printable substrate can have a relatively narrow width and
relatively slow speed,
such as a width of less than about eighteen inches and a speed of less than
400 feet per minute,.
In other embodiments, for example in mid-volume applications, the prinitable
web or sheet
feeding can have a relatively narrower width and faster speed, such as a width
of less than about
sixteen inches and a speed of from about 200 to less than about 500 feet per
minute. In still other
embodiments, for example, high-speed narrow-width offset applications, the
printable web can
have a relatively narrow width atld relatively fast speed, such as a width of
less than about
twenty inches, and a speed of from about 300 to about 1,200 feet per minute.
The printing and subsequent processing of the printed images, such as cutting
and
stacking, is preferably monitored and performed with at least one, and
preferably four or more,
different inspection systems, such as inspection station 25 intermediate feed
module I 1 and print
module 12. One system, a video print inspection system, can aid a system
operator or autoniated
controller in the inspection of print quality. Another system, a print
registration control, can
23
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
check and automatically correct the print register. Yet another system, a
closed-loop color
control, can analyze and adjust ink density according to the pre-defined
desired print
specifications. Still another system, for example a video die-cut inspection
system, can aid the
operator in the inspection of web- or fed-sheet cut-quality. The order of
inspection stations 25
within system 10 may be rearranged. The use of each of these specific
inspections is not
required, but the use of all of them can be preferred in various embodiments.
The apparatus and method of the present invention can further include
monitoring of the
registration of the printing to the cutting. Such monitoring of the
registration of the printing to
the cutting enables, for example, the elimination of a characteristic telltale
white strip or
unprinted area artifacts from the printed sheets.
An ability to accurately measure or monitor basic aspects, such as the above
mentioned
product, process, and operational aspects of the system 10 is frequently
facilitated by a pre-
defined product or process target specification for quality control or quality
assurance. Such
target specifications and achievement of the target specifications can provide
useful documented
"proofs" of the process leading to the product.
Measuring or monitoring aspects of the printing and packaging system, such as
mentioned above, can be accomplished, for example, on-line, off-luie, or by
combinations
thereof. The measurements are preferably accompiished on-line using process
automation tools,
for example positional sensors, video microscopy, or magnification in
conjunction with analytic
or diagnostic software, for observing and maintaining print, image, color
fidelity, cut-t.o-print
registration, print-to-print registration, reproducibility, and like quality
parameters. Monitoring
the registration of the print-to-cut can be accomplished in one embodiment by
continuously
detecting by inspection station 25 a reference mark on the web matrix region
prior to cutting and
24
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
continuously adjusting, as needed, the web relative to the cutter, the cutter
relative to the web or
both (e.g., using web guides, web compensator rollers, and like adjustable
components) to
achieve a predetermined alignment of the cutter relative to printed items on
the printed web. The
aforementioned adjustment of the cutter can include, for example, controllably
varying the speed
of the web, controllably varying the position of the web, continuously
adjusting the die-cutter
(e.g., circumferentially, laterally, or both) or combinations thereof. Here
"predetermined
alignment" generally refers to proper alignment needed to achieve target print-
to-print and cut-
to-print registration specifications. Continuous registration and like
adjustments can provide a
number of advantages including avoiding problems associated with cutters, such
as a guillotine
cutter, for example, unreliable or unpredictable dimensional consistency and
uniformity,
alignment, registration, and like issues. Thus, system 10 can cut each printed
sheet individually.
The present process and apparatus can also cut a plurality of sheets
individually and at the same
time.
The following documents disclose or illustrate suitable command and control
equipment,
] 5 monitoring or measurement equipment, or related components or features
which, in
embodiments, can be adapted for use in-part in the present invention without
departing from
inventive aspects of the present disclosure: U.S. Patent No. 5,460,359
discloses a binding
apparatus for binding sheets of cut paper printed by a printing machine
including a control
system; U.S. Patent No. 4,891,681 discloses a hard copy apparatus for
producing center fastened
sheet sets including trapezoidal stacks for folded binding, and a control
system; U.S. Patent No.
4,785,731 discloses a bundle count verifier (e.g., for newspaper bundles);
U.S. Patent No.
4,727,803 discloses a conveyor device with an article lifting unit; U.S.
Patent No. 4,566,244
discloses a paper sheet grip and transfer apparatus for a counting and half-
wrapping device, see
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
also disclosed therein Japanese Laid-Open Patent Specification No. 57-8616
(transport of paper
sheets) and Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Specification No. 50-98791
(transfer a pile of
paper sheets on a belt without holding the sheets on the belt); and U.S.
Patent No. 4,424,660
discloses an apparatl2s for binding paper sheets stacked within a hopper into
bundles each
consisting of a predetermined nuinber of paper sheets including a method of
sheet transport, for
exaniple, sheets sandwiched between belts.
Optional Substrate Coating, Conditioning, or Treatment Module(s)
The method of making can further comprise applying optional coatings,
conditioning,
and/or treatrnents. The optional steps can be accomplished inline system 10,
out of line system
10, or combinations thereof. If at least one optional step is inline, system
10 and a method of
making bundled printed sheets according to the present invention can comprise
optional coating,
conditioning, or treatment modules 13 and combinations thereof. Optional
modules 13 can be
located anywhere before or after printing module 12 in system 10. In one
embodiment, for
example, optional coating module 13a can be configured to apply one or more
coatings to either
or both sides of the substrate before or after print module 12. After print
module 12, the optional
coating module(s) 13a-c can be applied to the printed side of the web, the
unprinted side of the
web, or both the unprinted side of the web and the printed side of the web,
depending, for
example, on the properties desired for the printed sheets and the bundled
printed sheets. Coatings
which can be applied to the printed substrate, or prior to printing on the
substrate, can include,
for example, a varnish coating, a gloss coating, a protective coating, an anti-
static coating, an
opaque coating for example to conceal printed images beneath such as in some
scratch-off game
cards, a nitrogen-based UV final coating, an adhesive coating, and like
coatings, or combinations
26
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
thereof. High gloss UV vatnish application to a continuous web-based substrate
can provide
considerable savings, for example, in time, steps, set-up, handling, rework,
discards, and like
savings.
Optional coating, conditioning, or treatment modules or stations 13 can
include, for
example, optional inline coaters 13a-c, which can apply, for example, a
fimctional coating to one
or both sides of the web. The funetional coating can comprise a gloss coat or
varnish coat. After
leaving coater 13a, the web or sheets can be diverted by re-routing to extend
the web's path and
to permit satisfactory leveling or drying of the applied functional coating
before further
processing steps are accomplished. One or more additional inline coating units
13b-c can apply
a second or a third functional coating to one or both sides of the web, such
as an antistatic or
static-preventing coat, a silicone based antistatic coating, and like
coatings, or combinations
thereof, or other perfonnance or appearance enhancing chemical coats.
Antistatic compounds,
such as quaternary ammonium salts, and antistatic formulations are known and
are commercially
available. Coating the web, for example, with varnish or similar materials,
can be used to protect
or to enhance the appearance of the printed product, such as labels, in some
printuig
emboditnents. If foil or laminate pririt technologies are used, coating with
varnish may not be
necessary. Optional modules 13 may be integrated into print module 12, and
therefore may be
provided by a commercial manufacturer. Preferred equipment for use in modules
12 and 13 can
be, for example, the model QUANTUM 1250CM press comntercially available from
Sanden
Machine Ltd., of Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Equipment, processes, and control
systems for
coating web materials are generally disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No.
4.886,680. In
embodiments, optional interstation web chilling modules (not shown) can be
eniployed, for
example, after or between each print tower or prizit station to, for example,
remove excess heat,
27
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
facilitate cure or drying of the printed or coated web, promote proper
finishing or surface
textures, and like enhancements, such as in a multi-color (e.g., four to
fifteen print towers) web
offset press using UV curable inks.
In some embodiments, a liner-less adhesive coating is applied by inline coater
module
13a to at least a portion of one face of the web or sheet by die extru.sion,
spray coating, curtain
coatiiig, or other coatnig techniques and combinations thereof. The liner-less
adhesive coating
can be applied prior to or after print module 12 in embodiments. An adhesive
can be applied to
the entire surface of one face of the web or sheet, or the adhesive can be
applied to a portion of
the face to produce repositionable sticky labels, for example. Suitable
contact-free process
equipment, such as, for example, vacuum belts, vacuum rolls, and the like, can
be used to
accommodate for the adhesive-coated web or sheet within system 10. Such
equipment is
commercially available from Gamicott, Ltd. (Toronto, Canada), 3M, and other
suitable
manufacturers. As discussed below, laser die-cutting reduces dust and debris
created in
converting and therefore it the preferred method for converting adhesive-
coated webs or sheets.
In other embodiments, the web or sheet is latninated inline with a
conventional adhesive and
liner, for example, and other suitable laminates. The web or sheet can be
Iamanated prior to or
after print module 12.
A method of making bundled printed sheets according to the present invention
can
further include a web-chi.ller module 13d for chilling the printed web. Web
chiller module 13d
comprises a web chiller or chilling mechanism, such as one or more
refrigerated rollers, coolant
chilled rollers, cool conditioned air, or like chilling mechanism, which can
be non-contact with
the web or preferably in-contact with the web, can be employed to cool and
thereby stabilize the
post-print or post-coat web product and can provide improved registration
prior to cutting the
28
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
web into individual printed sheets. Web-chiller module 13d can be situated
anywhere along the
web's path within system 10, for example, between the print module and the
cutter module, and
preferably just after the inline coating station or web coating module. Web-
chiller module 13d
provides a convenient way to, for example, reinove excess latent heat from the
web arising from
one or more printing operations, UV light exposure or curing, frictiotial
contact with web
propulsion or guidance devices, and like sources of heating. Web chiller
module 13d can further
include a web nip situated between a nip roller and a backing roller, the web-
nip preferably being
situated just before the chiller in the chiller module 13d.
The apparatus and method can also further include a web guide system for web
substrate
regulation. An optional web guide system 13e can be employed in embodiments
for substrate
regulation and to provide improved registration of the printed web presented
to the cutting
module, such as a die-cutter.
Optional corona chargers or like charging devices, such as charger 23, or
discharging
devices, such as antistatic bar or static eliminator 26, can be used in system
10 to electrostatically
condition or treat the web before or after the print module. Charging the web
can, for example,
make the web, which may be a plastic film, composite, or laniinate-based web,
more receptive
than otherwise to inks, coatings, or like treatments. Discharging or removing
static from the web
or from the resulting cut printed sheets can, for example, facilitate sheet
transport and stacking
by reducing or eliminating sheet charging, like-charge repulsion, and like
problems.
Substrate Cutting
After the web has been printed and optionally conditioned or surface treated,
the web is
guided to a cutter module 14. Cutter module 14 can include, for example, a
laser die-cutter, a
29
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
rotary die-cutter, a flat-bed die-cutter, a slit-and-gap cutter, a slit-and-
butt cutter, a guillotine
cutter, and like ctitters, or combinatiotis thereof. "Slit-and-gap" cutting
generally refers to cutting
which is capable of slitting and cutting-out or creating a gap between
adjacent sheets or work
pieces in the process direction. In one embodiment of the invention, cutter
module 14 can
include, for example, an inline rotary die-cutting system, which die-cutter
can cut individual
printed sheets from the printed web to create a cotresponding continuous sheet
stream and a
continuous cut-out waste stream or waste matrix. In one preferred embodiment
of the invention,
cutter module 14 can comprise a laser die-cutter, which die-cutter can cut
individual printed
sheets from the printed web or sheet to create a coizesponding continuous
sheet stream with
more precise registration and less cut-out waste stream or waste matrix and
debris. A sheet
stream generally refers to a continuous or semi-continuous intermediate
transport or flow of cut
printed sheets from cutter module 14 to further processing. Therefore, a sheet
stream and a
waste stream, if applicable, originate upon cutting the web or sheet-fed
substrate and ceases
when the individual cut sheets of a stream are received by a collator and
collated into a stack,
where collating generally refers to collecting a portion of the cut printed
sheets from each sheet
stream to forni an individual stack of cut printed sheets having uniform
geometry or having
unitary three-dimensional ordering. Additionally, a sheet stream is formed
from successive
cutting events in a specific reference location on the web or the satne region
of suecessively fed-
sheets, which produce a series of cut printed sheets. Cutter module 14 can
provide from about
two to about eighty streams of printed sheets in oiie embodiment. Cutter
module 14 can further
include a web-nip between a nip roller and an anvil roller. This web-nip can
preferably be
situated just before the cutter in the cutter module as illustrated and
discussed in FIG. 4B.
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
In embodiments in which cutter module 14 comprises two or more die cutters, a
first die
cutter can be adapted to cut customized details or features from the incipient
(not-yet-cut) printed
sheets, such as notches, holes, hang tag apertures, concave curves, convex
curves, or both, and
like geometric or design details, and without severing or separating the
printed sheet from the
web or fed-sheet. A second die cutter can be adapted to further cut the,
printed sheets, or
completely cut-out individual printed sheets from the substrate. Cutter module
14 can optionally
be adapted so that a die cutter cuts the substrate to the desired and defined
dimensions for each
printed sheet except for a small fiber region or umbilical thread, for
example, of about ten to
about 1,000 microns, and preferably about 100 to about 200 microns, between
the substrate and
the sheet, preferably at the lead and trailing edges of the sheet and the
substrate. This fine region
or thread can momentarily retain the material connection and force continuity
between the nearly
completely cut printed sheet, inline nearest neighbor printed sheets, the
moving substrate, or
combinations thereof. An optional edger or slicer can subsequently "burst" or
break the
umbilical thread at a more favorable location downstream. An optional debris
collector, such as
a vacuum line or vacuum manifold, can be situated in close proximity, such as
from about one
centimeter to about 100 centimeters away, to remove potentially objectionable
dust and like
debris generated from the bursting operation.
Cutter module 14 can also include a static eliminator 26 in one embodiment.
Static
eliminator 26 can facilitate separation of cut sheets and waste matrix, and
prevent the cut sheets
froin following or adhering to the matrix, the cutter, other sheets, or to the
sheet transporter.
Methods of static charge or frictional charge suppression or elimination, for
use in place of or in
conjttnction with humidity control, can include, for example, a conductive or
non-conductive
disturber brush, an air ionizer such as a charge corotron, a de-ionizer, and
like articles or devices.
31
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
Other methods of static charge or frictional charge suppression or
elimination, for use in place of
or in conjunction with humidity control, can include, for example, applying an
anti-static coating
or like sttrface treatment, where for example one or both side of the web or
fed-sheets are treated
before or after printing.
Inline die-cutting of a printed web to produce individual cut printed sheets,
such as
printed labels, saves time and lowers cost compared to processing the cut
prin.ted sheets or labels
individually at various stages. lnline die-cutting can also produce an exact
or substantially exact
duplication of the cut features in each and every printed sheet produced. In
contrast, cutting
labels with, for example, a guillotine cutter, can often be prone to operator
error or mechanical
error (e.g., attributable to cumulative machine wear) which can lead to
greater variation and
lower quality in the finished product. An inline die-cutting system can
provide ideal duplication
of specified product dimensions as well as accurate print-to-cut registration.
If desired, a cutting
module 14 having a die-cutter can be preferably integrated into print module
12, similar to the
abovementioned integrated coating module 13. Laser die-cutting equipment for
precision die-
cutting is commercially available from, for example, Lasex of San Jose, Cal.,
and Rofm of
Detroit, Mich. Rotary die-cutting equipment, such as rotary dies and flexible
dies, print
cylinders, and other rotary tooling for precision die-cutting, is commercially
available from, for
example, Rotometrics of Eureka, Mo.; and Bemal Inc., of Rochester
Hills,lltich. Various other
wide format cutters and related inline finishing equipment are commercially
available from, for
example, Advance Graphic Equipment (www.advlncegraphicsequip.com).
hi preferred embodiments, cutting module 14 comprises at least one laser die-
cutter.
Laser die-cutters provide enhanced features from other inline die-cutters,
such as rotary die-
cutters. Laser die-cutters exhibit the speed advantages of other inline die-
cutters, with increased
32
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
efficiency. For example, laser die-cutters ate eonfigured to cut a specified
pattern or patterns by
a computer program whereas rotary die-cutters require a separate drum for each
individual
pattern used in the apparatus and method of the present invention. To change
from one pattem to
another using a rotary die-cutter, a manual drum or plate change is required,
causing machine
down-time and increased turn-over time. Laser-die cutters, on the other hand,
are run by a
eomputer which is programmed for each cut pattem. Start-up and change over
require only a
program change, rather than a drum or plate change, decreasing start-up time
and ttun-around
time and increasing efficiency.
The laser die-cutter programs allow a variety of depth of cut, patterns,
widths, shapes,
and the like. For example, in some embodiments, individual labels in a web or
sheets can be cut
in the same shape or a variety of shapes, before the labels are collated into
a number of stacks. In
another embodiment, the individual stacks are cut into a shape or variety of
shapes. In yet
another embodiment, a first laser cutter is used to cut the web into a variety
of labels of the same
or different shapes, and a second laser cutter is used to cut the collated
stacks into the same or
different shapes.
U--flike mechanical die-cutters, such as rotary die-cutters, laser die-cutters
do not suffer
the drawbacks of dulling, chipped rules, or warping. For example, a rotary die-
cutter is made up
of steel rules that dull over time, resulting in reduced registration
precision and ultimately
increased waste due to unacceptable end product. It is also necessary to
frequently repiace the
rules, the drum, or both of the die-cutters, which is costly. With proper
cleaning and
maintenance, a laser die-cutter will never dull and each cut will virtually be
exactly the sante
dimensions, reducing the cost of dies and processing and improving quality.
33
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
Laser die-cutters also reduce the waste compared to conventional die-cutters.
Because of
the precision and accuracy of laser die-eutters, labels can be butt cut,
reducing the gaps between
each label required for rotary die-cutters. A matrix is not required and the
percent waste is
decreased. Therefore, total production costs decrease because product output
increases and waste
decreases. Laser die-cutters also decrease the debris produced during
converting because any
debris created is very fme and is incinerated by the laser upon cutting.
Therefore, debris-sensitive
webs or sheets can be used in the apparatus and method, such as, for example,
a substrate with
pre-applied or iuiline-applied adhesive on at least one face of the web.
Laser die-cutters allow use of a number of substrates that may not be viable
when using
mechanical die-cutters, such as rotary die-cutters. For example, in some
embodiments of the
present invention, a pre-laminated web, including adhesive applied to at least
a portion of one
face of the web, is laser die-cut into repositionable sticky labels. The
adhesive can be applied
inline, before cutter module 14, or the web or sheet stock may comprise pre-
applied adhesive in a
separate process. The adhesive web or sheet.s can comprise a liner, such as a
silicon liner applied
over the adhesive, or can be liner-less. Because the depth of cut can be
varied by changes in the
computer program, a linered web or sheets can be laser cut so that the liner
is cut along with the
web, sheets or stacks, or the sheets or staeks ean be cut leaving the liner,
uncut.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention comprising, for example, a die-
cutter,
can provide cut printed sheets having a print-to-cut registration (print
registtation to cut edges
variance) from less than or equal to about plus or minus 0.0625 inches
(1/16th), more preferably
from less than or equal to about plus or minus 0.046875 inches (3/64th), even
more preferably
from less than or equal to about plus or minus 0.03125 inches (1/32nd), and
even still more
preferably less than or equal to about plus or minus 0.015625 inches (1/64th).
Embodiments
34
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
comprising a rotary die-cutter can routincly provide cut printed sheets having
a print registration
to cut edges variance of less than or equal to about plus or minus 0.03
inches, for example.
Embodiments comprising a laser die-cutter can routinely provide cut printed
sheets having a
print registration to cut edges variance relatively similar to the variances
provided by rotary die-
cutters as described herein above. The apparatus and method of the invention
which employ, for
example, a rotary die-cutter can provide cut pri.tited sheets such that each
sheet has substantially
the same length and width dimensions as substantially all the otlier cut
printed sheets produced in
the job, for example to within a variance of less than or equal to about 0.010
inches (1/100th),
more preferably less than or equal to about 0.0075 inches (1/133rd), even more
preferably less
than or equal to about 0.00666 inches ( l/ 150th), and even still more
preferably less than or equal
to about 0.005 inches (1/200th). Preferences for the above-mentioned narrower
print-to-cut
registration variances and uarrower length and width dimensional variances
will be readily
appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art and can include, for example,
higher quality
printed sheets, higher stack and bundle uniformity and quality, greater
latitude for print layout,
artwork, sheet design, and sheet geometry, greater intermediate-user and end-
user customer
acceptance, greater reliability in methods of application of the printed
sheets to articles, greater
ease-of-handling and ease-of-use, and like intrinsic and extrinsic benefits.
Various embodiments of the apparatus and method of the invention which
include, for
example, a rotary die-cutter can provide cut printed sheets and in
corresponding bundled printed
sheets where each cut printed sheet produced can have a cut-to-print
registration varianee of, for
example, from less than or equal to about 0.0625 utches, and the same length
and width
dimensions as the other printed sheets in the stack to within a variance of
less than or equal to
about 0.010 inches. The apparatus and method of the disclosure which employ,
for example, a
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
rotary die-cutter caa provide cut printed sheets and corresponding bundled
printed sheets where
each cut printed sheet produced can have both a cut-to-print registration
variance of, for
example, from less than or equal to about 0.046875 inches, and the same length
and width
dimensions as the other printed sheets in the stack to within a variance of
less than or equal to
about 0.0075 inches. The apparatus and method of the disclosure which employ,
for example, a
rotary die-cutter can provide cut printed sheets where each cut printed sheet
produced has both a
cut-to-print registration variance of, for example, from less than or equal to
about 0.03 inches,
and substantially the same length and width dimensions, for example, to within
a variance of less
than or equal to about 0.005 inches, as substantially all the other cut
printed sheets in a job, for
example, over a twenty-four to forty-eight hour period, or more, of continuous
production or
apparatus operation. Variances as described herein can be determined by any
suitable
measurement methods, including, for example, video microscopy, microscopy with
a calibrated
vernier or reference standard, a micrometer, and like measurement methods
known to those
skilled in the art.
Each cutting event of the printed web can be accomplished, for example,
widthwise
across the web process direction or in a variety of alternative schemes.
Altematively or
additionally, the cutting can be accomplished simultaneously or semi-
simultaneously with a die-
cutter. The die-cutter can cut printed sheets from the web in a variety of
ways, such as web
printed items which are, for example, aligned adjacent sheets, staggered
adjacent sheets, angle-
cut adjacent sheets, or combinations thereof. Angle-cut printed sheets are cut
from the web or
from fed-sheets at an angle other than square to the process direction, such
as where at least the
edges of the printed sheets approximately parallel to the process direction
are cut at a slight angle
to parallel. Alternatively, angle cutting of printed sheets from the web or
from fed-sheets can be
36
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
accomplished where at least the lead and trail edges of the printed sheet
normal (perpendicular)
to the process direction are cut at a slight angle to normal. In one
embodiment, the printed sheets
preferably are angle-cut on both parallel edges and the lead and trail edges.
Iu embodiments,
die-cutting of printed sheets can be accomplished simultaneously, having
stagger between or
among adjacent latent or incipient streams of printed sheets. In some
embodiments, die-cutting
can be accomplished with angle-cutting of one or more of the edges of the
printed sheets. Angle-
cutting the web- or fed-sheets produces sheets which can be, for example,
square-shaped or
rectangle-shaped and can optionally have square corners of about ninety
degrees. These sheets
are cut by a die that has a minor skew angle or orientational off-set of the
cut edges from parallel,
perpendicular, or both, relative to the process direction edges of the web, so
as to allow the rotary
die cutter to achieve cuts which provide more shear-type cut forces and
minimizes or eliminates
"bounce" or recoil associated with simultaneous cutting of like pieces from
the moving web at
high speeds. Thas, in angle-cut die-cutting, the die-cut blade is preferably
slightly skewed by,
for example, about one-half of a degree so that the lead edge of each die-
cutting blade provides
web cross-cut action from a point and proceeds in a l'uie rather than a
perpendicular "all-at-once"
cut normal to the edges of the web or the fed-sheet.
Die-cutting of the printed web can be configured to continuously produce a
stream of
printed sheets from a corresponding width of the printed web. Die-cutting is
preferably
aLvomplished in a continuous fashion, for example, without hesitation or
interruption in the
speed or movement of the printed web or printed fed-sheets. The preference for
continuously
die-cutting is evident from, for example, measured econonuc efficiencies,
product throughput,
and minimized or niinimal operator intervention. In one embodiment, each die-
cutting or die-cut
event can be accomplished in one of several alternative schemes or variations
on the schemes
37
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
and combinations thereof, for example, "simultaneous" die-cutting wherein the
lead edge of each
sheet of an array of pruited pieces on an advancing web or a fed-sheet
substrate is first cut by a
suitably adjusted and configured die-cutter. The die-cutting continues to cut
out the printed
pieces from the web or the fed-sheets arriving from an upstream process
direc.~tion to generate
individual printed sheets or an array of individual printed sheets across the
process direction. [n
embodiments of the presently disclosed methods of making bundled printed
sheets, each cutting
event can produce, for example, from one to about eighty iiidividually cut and
printed sheets
width-wise across the web process direction, depending on, for example, the
desired (x- and y-)
dimensions of the resulting cut printed sheets and bundles.
Cutter module 14 can be configured to have one or more cutters, such as two or
more
laser die-cutters in series, a laser die-cutter and a rotary die-cutter in
series, two or more rotary
die-cutters in series, and combinations thereof for cutting the printed web or
printed fed-sheets,
for example, where it is necessary or convenient to accomplish multiple cuts
or special-effect
cuts on or within a single sheet, such as "doughnut hole" or "window" cut-outs
within a sheet,
notches on the edge of a sheet, and like cuts, or combinations thereof.
Alternatively, a single
cutter, such as a laser-die having an appropriately configured program, or a
rotary die-cutter
having an appropriately configured die, can often accomplish many, if not
most, examples of
multiple cuts or special-effect cuts on each sheet with a single die-cut pass
or impression.
The system and apparatus of the present invention can further comprise a
debris collector
situated near, such as about 0.1 inch to about thirty-six inches from cutter
module 14. The debris
collector can be, for example, a vacuum take-off or manifold, a non-contact
tacky-surface roller,
a contact tacky-surface roller, a disturber brush member, or combinations
thereof. The debris
can be, for example, ambient dust or dust created from the cutting, web- or
sheet transport,
38
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
printing, coating, treating, jogging, and like manipulations of the substrate,
before or after
cutting, Thus, the method can further include removing debris, such as paper
or plastic dust or
cuttings already present on the web or fed-sheets or generated from cuttuig or
manipulatilig the
web- or fed-sheets into cut printed sheets. Automated label-side cleaning can
also be
incorporated to remove dust and debris before further processing.
Matrix Removal, Sheet Conveyance, and Sheet Collation
The abovementioned waste matrix or residual web skeleton can be optionally
continuously removed and discarded with a waste matrix management module 15,
which may
comprise a vacuum take-off or a windable take-up reel in one embodiment,
althougb other waste
collection or disbtusement methodologies may also be used. A vacuum take-off
is generally
preferred since it can provide higher capacity waste matrix removal,
continuous operation, and
enhanced safety and handling convenience by directing the waste to an area
away from
production. After the web is cut the transport integrity of the original web
no longer exists thus
] 5 the resulting cut printed sheets preferably need to be individually,
continuously, and orderly
transported to a sheet stacker in collator module 16 in one or more cut
printed sheet product
streams. Each cut sheet product stream can be transported to the sheet stacker
or "batch stacker"
with a sheec delivery system employing, for example, opposing belts, rollers,
vacuum
transporten, and like apparatus, or combinations thereof: Examples of
preferred suppliers of
commercially available equipment for waste matrix removal module 15 include
Quickdraft of
Canton, Ohio; and individual sheet delivery or transport systems and sheet
stackers inclttde,
Gannicott, Ltd. of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. See also U.S. Patent No.
4,102,253.
39
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
In one embodiment, collating can be accomplished with a sheet transport and
stacking
machuie which has been suitably modified to receive and collate multiple
individual cut printed
sheets of one or more sheet streams at the same time. Each stream of printed
sheets can be
transported from the cutter to the collator with a sheet transport system
comprised of at least one
transport belt and at least one backing roller opposing the transport belt.
Individual sheet
transport, alterrtatively or additionally, can be accomplished with a vacuum
assist transfer
machine as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No.
2003/0164587 to
Gronbjerg.
The sheet delivery system preferably is adapted to simultaneously transport a
plurality of
the cut sheets in adjacent parallel sheet streams. At the sheet stacker, the
individual sheet
delivery system feeds the respective sheet streams, containing the cut printed
sheets, into bins to
form respective stacks. The stacks can be collectively or individually
customized with respect
to, for example: stack dimensions and the number of stacks formed based, for
example, on
cutting criteria, and the number of printed sheets in each stack. Stack
dimensions can depend on,
for example, sheet thickness, sheet-count, stack-height, stack-weight, or like
criteria. In
embodiments, sheet-count is a preferred stack customization criterion, which
is typically driven
or determined, for example, by customer use requirements and ergonomic
handling factors.
Stack customization criteria can be readily translated and programmed into the
apparatus and
production process of the disclosure by appropriate manual or automated,
adjustment or
modification, of the process equipment, controls, or both, such as replacing
the die-cutter plate to
provide customized cut sheet dimensions, reprogramming the sheet counters or
stack height
sensors to customize the stack height, adjusting sheet alignment tolerance
within each stack, and
like changes. When stack customization criteria and related quality criteria,
such as print quality,
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
are fulfilled 'ui production, the resulting stack can be deemed to be
"registered" and those stacks
are acceptable for further processing within the apparatus. "Unregistered" or
out-of-register
stacks can optionally be identified, marked, rejected, such as removed from
the product stream,
or like remediation, at this or later points in the apparatus or production
process and analogously
to the abovementioned removal of individually rejected cut sheets from the
sheet stream
transport. The collator can provide from about two to about eighty registered
stacks
corresponding to the number of collated sheet streams in one embodiment.
In one embodiment, the cut printed sheet transport system can be adapted, in
conjunction
with known or the abovementioned command and control equipment, to reject cut
printed sheets
which do not have substantially the same cut-to-print registration, sheet
dimensions, or both
attributes, as all other sheets in the job. The cut-to-print registration,
sheet dimensions, or both
specifications can preferably be established manually or programmably during
job set-up or can
be called-up from a computer or controller's memory. Rejected or out-of-spec
cut printed sheets
can be readily diverted and removed from a sheet stream at a point between the
cutter and the
collator, for example, by a sheet grabber or a sheet diverter.
In embodiments of the present disclosure, the collator module for the cut
sheet stream can
atternatively be a rotary sorter as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No.
4,582,421 (copying
machine with rotary sorter and adhesive binding apparatus), appropriately
modified to receive
multiple sheet streams into multiple stacks. In various embodiments, such a
rotary sorter can be
further optionally adapted to receive and further transport the stacks to the
conveyor module,
with inversion of orientation or optional retention of stack orientation upon
delivery to the
conveyor module.
41
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
Stack Conveyance
A conveyor module 17 can be adapted to receive, for example in contuiuous
batches, one
or more registered stacks from the collator module and to convey each
registered stack, in
batches, into a stack stream. A stack stream is generally a continuous or semi-
continuous
transport or flow of registered stacks from the collator to further
processing. The conveyor
module can convey from two to about eighty registered stack streams into a
single stack stream
in one embodiment. Alternatively, the conveyor module can convey from two to
eighty
registered stack streams into two stack streams in another embodiment.
Conveyor module 17
conveys (e.g., in the web process-direction) the registered stacks away from
collator module 16
on a first conveyor for a distance to further processing, such as packaging.
Conveyor module 17
conveys the registered stacks away from the collator (e.g., in the web process-
direction) for a
distance on a first conveyor and thereafter the registered stacks can be
displaced laterally or
perpendicularly (i.e., with respect to web-process direction) onto a second
conveyor to form a
merged stack stream. A stack stream as used herein can arise from, for
example, a plurality of
registered stacks being merged into a single stream of stacks. In embodiments,
a stack stream can
also arise from, for example, bifurcating or splitting the abovementioned
merged single stceam of
stacks into two or more stack streams. A plurality of stack streams can also
arise from, for
example, bifurcating or splitting the registered stacks soon after being
formed, into a plurality of
stack streams.
A single conveyor, for example, oriented perpendicular to the sheet stream
flow and the
incipient batch stack formation, and situated in close proximity to each batch
stacker can be
adapted to directly receive the cut printed sheets and incipient stacks. Thus,
lhe conveyor
surface, when stationary, can serve as the base of the batch stacker where the
sheet streams are
42
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
compiled into stacks. Thereafter, the completed registered stacks are
intermittently conveyed
from the batch stacker to subsequent packaging modules in a single stack
stream. This single
conveyor configuration eliminates the need for two conveyors to get to the
first packaging
module, such as the first conveyor as depicted in FIG. 7 and described in more
detail below,
since a preferred stack stream merger uito a single stream can be accomplished
as the stacks are
formed and there is no need to extend or "turn-the-corner" with a hand-off to
a second conveyor.
Conveyor module 17 transports the stack stream or streams to and through the
remainder
of the apparatus and process modules of system 10. The stacks can be
transported unsupported
to subsequent stages of production without damaging or disturbing the
integrity of the
unsupported stacks. "Unsupported" means that accessory support or supplemental
structural
materials, such as sheets of cardboard, chipboard, stiffener sheets, or the
like, are not necessary
to maintain side-to-side registration or shape, such as "squareness" or
verticality of the stacks for
square, rectangular, or irregularly shaped sheets. Various conventional belt-
driven conveyor
systems are known, available commercially, and suitable for this purpose and
as illustrated
herein. Altematively or additionally, conveyor module 17 can have a belt or
equivalent
conveyor means equipped with stack or bundle supports which are extemal to the
bundle, for
example, one or more tractor blades, fins, cleats, ribs, sidewalls, "one-way
grass," mole skin, and
like rigid or resilient structures or textures, or combinations thereof, and
which supports can be
integral with (e.g., molded) or affixed to the conveyor, and optionally can
have a hinge.
Conveyors having extemal supports are widely commercially available.
Conveyor module 17 can comprise an endless belt, such as one or more belts, or
like
transport devices. In one embodiment, conveyor module 17 can comprise a first
conveyor having
two over-under parallel endless belts and an elevator, and a second conveyor,
wherein the two
43
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
over-under parallel endless belts each carry a stack stream from the collator
to the second
conveyor, the elevator being operable to alternate the position of the two
over-under parallel
endless belts relative to the collator and the second conveyor. Conveyor
module 17 can be
configured so that each stack stream on the first conveyor is merged or
combined into a single
stack stream on the second conveyor. Other suitable conveyor module
configurations are
available and can depend on, for example, convenience, throughput, cost of
operation, cost and
speed of packing equipment, and like considerations. Thus, in one
configuration, a second
conveyor can convey the stack stream uni-directionally to the packaging
module. In another
alternative configuration, the second conveyor can convey the stack stream bi-
directionally to
two separate packaging modules, that is, the merged stack stream on the second
conveyor
provides two stack streams alternately flowing in opposite directions from the
second conveyor
to two separate pack lines, as illustrated and discussed in FIG. 7.
Bundle Formation and Packaging
Packaging each registered stack in the stack stream to form a bundle of
printed sheets can
include optional banding, overwrapping, optionally shrink-wrapping the applied
overwrapper,
stretch-banding, or conibinations thereof. Packaging can include, in the order
recited or in other
sequences according to various embodiments of the invention, an optional first
banding station, a
second over-wrapping station, and an optional third shrink-wrapping station.
Alternatively,
packaging can include applying a band to each stack, placing one or more
banded stacks in a
container, and sealing the container. In one embodiment, packaging can include
over-wrapping
at least oue stack, placing one or more over-wrapped stacks ui a container,
and sealing the
44
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
container. If desired, the packaging can be accomplished by simply banding the
stacked printed
slieets.
A function of the band is to maintain the integrity and order of the stack to,
for exampie,
facilitate subsequent packaging steps if any, improve ease and quality of the
dispensed printed
sheets at the point of use, such as a label application operation or facility.
Surrounding a
registered stack with a band can be accomplished in many ways, for example,
wrapping an end
of a continuous band around the stack to size the band, cutting the sized
band, and fixing the
ends of the band to form a continuous or semi-continuous band, such as by
gluing, welding,
thermal fusing, dimpling, crimping, and like methods for forming a band or
flexible holder about
at least a portion of the stack. Alternative banding approaches can include,
for example,
insen.ing the registered stack into a pre-formed banding sleeve and optionally
shrinking the
sleeve, wrapping a pre-cut band around the stack and fixing the ends of the
band, and like
banding methods. Bands can be made of any suitable material, for example,
rubber, plastic,
paper, string, adhesive tape, non-adhesive tape, overwrap film, and like
materials, or
combinations thereof. If desired and for reasons disclosed herein, the
packaging can be
accomplished by placing two or more bands around a registered stack. The
packaging can also
be accomplished by placing one or a single band around a registered stack.
in some embodiments, conveyor module 17 transports and feeds unsupported
stacks
through an optional bander module 18, which applies at least one band around
each stack to form
a banded stack. Banding is often a requuement for proper and convenient
handling of stacks by
an end-user of the printed sheets, such as a label applicator concem. Banded
stacks may also be
conveyed in the packing portion of the apparatus at higher speeds than without
banding. A
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
commercial supplier of equipment for a bander module is, for example, Sollas
Holland BV of
Wormer, The IYetherlands. The Solias model AB50 banding machine is a preferred
example.
Banding is not, in general, a requirement of the process or apparatus of the
disclosure. ]n
some embodiments, banding is not required, allowing unsupported stacks to be
over-wrapped
individually or in groups, unsupported. Unbanded stacks can reduce turnover
time in the current
process by eliminating the banding station, for the end user of the bttndled
stacks, or both. Often
times, unbanding the bundles requires manual labor adding cost and time to the
labeling process.
Therefore, unbanded stacks are often prefen:ed.
Conveyor module 17 next optionally conveys the stacks, banded or unbanded,
through an
overwrapping module 19, which wraps each registered stack of printed sheets in
an easy-to-peel
overwrap film. The second step of packaging can be acoomplished by over-
wrapping each
registered stack, banded or un-banded, to form a wrapped stack or bundle of
printed sheets.
Over-wrapping of each registered stack can form a sealed enclosure about the
entire stack. Over-
wrapping can provide an important euvirortmental barrier which protect.s the
printed sheets from,
for example, moisture, spills, htunidity changes, dust, pollutants, and like
contaminants, which
can damage or detract from the aesthetics or performance properties of the
printed sheets in
downstream commerce applications, such as labeling operations, label
appearance, label
petformance, and consumer acceptance. Overwrapping can prevent problems
associated with
handling or manipulating exposed printed sheets in subsequent processing.
Overwrapping can
also protect the bundled printed sheet product from moisture and humidity,
especially after the
product leaves the label manufacturer. Although preferably produced in a
stable environment,
the bundled printed sheets, such as for label application, may be shipped into
substantially
different climates, for example, a dry canning factory in New Mexico where
ambient humidity at
46
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
the application site may less than about 10-30%, or a water bottling plant in
Oregon where
ambient humidity at the application site may exceed 60%. The overwrap
preferably is not
removed from the wrapped bundle until just prior to application, so that
exposure of the labels to
the ambient envirotunent is minimized to, for example, as little as fifteen
minutes or less.
Overwrapper module 19 can be adapted to overwrap two or more banded or
unbanded
stacks if desired. Over-wrapping can be accomplished with any suitable
wrapping material such
as plastic, synthetic or natural films, such as cellophane, acetate, polyvinyl
acetate, and like
materials. Suitable films include those supplied by RTG Films of Chalfont, Pa.
A commercial
supplier of preferred equipment for an overwrap module is, for example, Sollas
Holland BV.
The Sollas model 20 wrapping machine is a preferred example. Other commercial
suppliers of
overwrap equipment includes Marten Edwards and Petri, see Linfo Systems Ltd.,
mentioned
below, which machines can be adapted to overwrap from between 100 to 265
pieces (bundles)
per minutes.
The method can further include, for example, placing the resulting bundled
printed
sheets, banded or unbanded and overwrapped or unwrapped, in a suitable
container. In some
embodiments, conveyor module 17 can deliver the resulting stacks, overwrapped
or unwrapped,
to an optional containerizer module 20 where, for example. a programmable
industrial grade
robot, a manual operator, or like devices can be programmed to pick-and-place
the stacks or
bundles of printed sheet. product, banded or unbanded, overwrapped or
unwrapped, in a suitable
container, such as cardboard boxes or like suitable containers, and sealing
the box with tape.
The method can further include placing a number of the sealed containers on a
carrier,
such as a pallet or skid for convenient handling and shipping, and optionally
stretch-banding the
collected sealed containers into secure monolith for transport or storage. The
method can also
47
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
include, for example, further collating the bundled printed sheets into larger
or secondary
brntdles (bundles of bundles), having for example from about two to about
twenty primary
bundles, and which secondary bundles can also be optionally overwrapped,
shrink-wrapped,
stretch-banded (with e.g. polyethylene or like materials), and like packaging,
or combinations
thereof to complete the packaging or optionally further containerized.
Containers can be, for example, cartons, boxes, bags, cans, drums, supersacks,
cargo-
tainers, and like articles. The container can be made from, for example,
cardboard, wood,
plastic, metal, or like materiaLs of construction. The container can include,
if desired, a sealable
liner, such as a plastic bag or like menibrane, which protects the bundled
printed sheets packed in
the container. Thus, the banded or unbanded stacks without an overwrapper but
contained and
sealed in the container with a sealable liner can resist changes in humidity
and like potential
environmental or extemal effects.
Containerizer module 20, such as a boxing station, can be adapted to wrap a
container
material around a plurality of bundles (bundle of bundles), such as cardboard
stock or plastic, to
form the container inline. Inline container formation has a number of
advantages including just-
in-time container generation, automatic or robotic handling, reduced space
requirement for
containen prior to filing, and like advantages. An optional seal module 21 can
be used to, for
example, apply a tape seal to the containers containing the bundled printed
sheets. The sealed
boxes can then be optionally placed, manually or robotically onto, for
example, pallets or skids at
an optional carrier module 22 for staging, shipping, or delivery to a customer
or warehouse.
Commercially available equipment from manufacturers of various conveyer
systems, parcel
handling systems, or robotic systems can he readily adapted for the boxing,
sealing, skidding, or
like packing operations. For examples of commercial suppliers and details of
fully automatic
48
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
and customizable sheet feeders, overwrap equipment, shrink-wrap equipment,
shrink ttmnels,
bag sealers, and like secure packaging equipment, see Linfo Systems Limited,
of Toronto,
Ontario, Canada (www.linfo.ca).
The package can comprise a bundled printed sheets comprising: a plurality of
printed
sheets in a stack; an optional band around the stack; and an optional
overwrapper on the banded
stack, each printed sheet having a narrow cut-to-print registration variance,
for example, of from
less than or equal to about 0.03 inches, and each printed sheet having the
same length and width
dimensions as the other printed sheets in the stack to within a variance of
less than or equal to
about 0.005 inches; and a container for the bundled printed sheets. The
package can further
comprise a plurality of the containers on a pallet, the plurality of
containers optionally being
partially oveiwrapped with an overwrapper.
The system and apparatus can further comprise an ambient humidity control
system, for
example, having a localized spray or mist nozzle or having a large scale
humidity environmental
control systems capable of ambient humidity control over one or inore
production systems or
modules of the disclosure. Although not required the method of making bundled
printed sheets
is preferably accomplished in a controlled environment, such as where ambient
humidity and
temperature can be regulated, to safe-guard the quality of the processes and
the products.
Ambient humidity generally refers to the humidity of the immediate atmosphere,
which
surrounds the apparatus, particularly in the cutting and stacking operations
where static charge,
frictional charge, or streaming charge generation or accumulation may occur.
The methods of
inaking bundled printed sheets of the disclosure can be accomplished over a
range of relative
humidity conditions although very low humidity conditions, such as below about
twenty-five
percent are contraindicated, especially in the absence of altemative methods
of static charge
49
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
suppression or elimination in web-based production systems. The sensitivity of
the methods of
making to ambient humidity can depend upon many factors, such as temperature,
barometric
pressure, operating speed(s), web or sheet substrate type selected (e.g.,
paper, plastic, etc.), the
printing inks selected and the amounts applied, coating or other treatment
formulations selected
and the amounts applied, and like considerations. A suitable relative humidity
range for use in
the methods of making which employ a paper web or paper fed-sheets is, for
example, from
about fifty to about eighty percent, and a preferred relative humidity range
is from about sixty-
five to about seventy-five percent. Methods for controlling ambient humidity
are known, such as
HVAC cliniate-controlled facilities, local application of a humidifier,
intermittent water-mist
sprayers, and like humidification methods. It will be readily understood by
one of ordinary skill
in the art that the humidity requirements and humidity sensitivity of the
apparatus and process of
the disclosure can depend upon the print engine or print technologies selected
and can even
depend upon the different configurations of the same print engine. For
example, high-speed
offset methods generally tend to favor higher humidity conditions while
xerographic methods
1.5 generally tend to favor lower humidity conditions. The apparatus and
method of making of the
disclosure are preferably maintained at, or accomplished at, an ambient
temperature of froin
about fifty to about ninety degrees Celsius.
Advantages of the apparatus and process of making bundled printed sheets of
the
disclosure incltides overall accelerated production speed and increased volume
throughput
compared to known production processes for bundled printed sheets. The total
time required
between, for example, printed sheet formation (at module ll to module 14 in
FIG. 1) and
application of packaging materials (at module 18 to module 22 in FIG. 1) is
greatly decreased to
less than about one to about four minutes. For example, in current high volume
printed label
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
production systems, considerable time passes, such as from about six to about
forty-eight hours
or more, from the time the labels are printed and until the time the labels
are packaged, such as
boxed, because of the need for inks or coatings to properly dry or cure. Such
time lapses can
increase the likelihood that moisture will evaporate from, or penetrate into a
printed sheet and
potentially cause print quality or handling issues for individual sheets in
use.
FIG. 2 depicts an alternative sheet-fed based apparatus 200 for making the
bundled
printed sheet articles of the present disclosure. Apparatus or production
system 200 of FIG. 2 is
an automated sheet-fed based system for high volume production of individual
printed sheets cut
from the fed-sheet:s in accordance with the present disclosure. Sheet feeding
module 210 can be,
for example, a sheet-feeder capable of loading pre-cut sheets and which pre-
cut sheets are further
cut to size. Sheet-feeder devices are known and commercially available and can
be readily
adapted for use in the apparatus and process of the present disclosure.
The feed-sheets can be either unprinted or pre-printed. In either instance,
the feed-sheets
can be further processed including, for example, charging, printing, coating,
treating, drying,
chilling, and like processes, or combinations thereof, analogously to the web-
based system of
FIG. I described above, such as embodied by the aforementioned apparatus and
processing
associated with modules or components of 12 to 22, 23, 25, and 26. Thus, for
example, prior to
cutter modttle 240 there can be incorporated an optional print module (not
shown) having a print
engine suitable for printing on the fed-sheets, simplex or dtiplex, or like
printing equipment. in
one embodiment of the sheet-fed apparatus, the sheet-feeder and the print
module in combination
cati comprise, for example, a high-speed sheet-fed print engine. Similarly and
optionally
available for incorporation into the system of FIG. 2, but not shown, are
modules or stations
corresponding to those shown or mentioned for optional modules 13(a-e) in FIG.
1. Other
51
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
modules schematically shown in FIG. 2, include a matrix removal module 250, a
discharging
device 255, such as antistatic bar or static eliminator which can be use to
electrostatically
condition or treat the web before or after the print module, collating module
260, conveyor
module 270, banding module 280, overwrapping module 290, containerizing module
291,
labeling module 292, optional sealing module 293, and carrier module 294. It
will be readily
understood that conveyor modules 17 and 270 in FIGS. 1 and 2 and as described
herein, are not
limited to a single linear conveyor as schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1
and 2. A sheet-fed or
discontinuous printing and fmishing system employing, for example, a
xerographic imager and a
vertical collating bin array for sheet stacking or sorting, is disclosed for
example, in U.S. Patent
hlos. 4,444,491, and 4,368,972. Conunercial suppliers of automatic and
customizable sheet
feeders, and like paper handling equipment or accessories include, for
example, Xerox Corp.,
Hewlett-Packard Corp., and Canon, Inc.
FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram overview of a web-based process for preparing
bundle
printed sheets of the present disclosure, with for example the apparatus
illustrated and described
in FIG. 1. For example, printing 310 can be on, for example, a liner-less
printable web, followed
by optional application of a web coating 320, for example an adhesive or other
suitable coatiuig
material 322 to one side (e.g., back-side) of the web, and a varnish or
antistatic coating material
324 to the other side (e.g., front-side) of the web. The printed and
optionally coated web caii be
preferably die-cut 330 into one or more printed sheet streams with any
accompanying waste
matrix being discarded 335. The printed sheet streams are collated 340 into
registered stacks, the
stacks are conveyed 350 into one or more stack streams, and each stack is
packaged 360 with one
or more packing materials or steps into a bundle of printed sheets. The
packaged bundle of
printed sheets can optionally be further containerized 370 or packaged, for
example, with a
52
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
banding machine, an overwrapping machine, a heat-shrink machine, a
containerizer machine
(e.g., a box maker or box loader), a stretch banding machine, a palletizer,
and like operations and
devices, or combinations thereof.
FIG. 4A depicts a perspective of a portion of a web-based apparatus for
preparing bundle
printed sheets including, for example, a web-based substrate feeding 405, a
printing module 410
which can include, for example, one or more or a phirality of print engines or
print towers having
the same or different print technology (e.g., offset and inkjet), one or more
coating or treatment
stations such as UV light cure of printed inks or coatings, or combinations
thereof, a drum
mounted die-cutting module 430, waste matrix generation and removal 435,
resulting individual
cut printed sheets 432 the linear flow of which comprises a printed sheet
stream 440. Collation
(not shown) of a portion of the printed sheet stream provides a registered
stack 442. "W"
represents the width dimension of the web, "w"' represents the width dimension
of one or more
cut printed sheet, "1"' represents the length dimension of the cut printed
sheets, and "h" represents
the height dimension of a registered stack. It is readily apparent that W is
greater than w' even
when only a single w' sheet is cut from across the web using a die-cutter
which also generates a
waste matrix. It is also readily apparent that w' can be greater than, less
than or equal to 1'.
FIG. 4B illustrates in embodiments, a section view of a cutter module in a web-
based
apparatus for preparing bundle printed sheets of the present disclosure
including a web substrate
feed 410, a rotary die-cutter including a drum 430 having readily
interchangeable die-cutting
elements 431, juxtaposed die anvil 433, optional juxtaposed nip roller 450,
nip roller pair 455,
and optional non-contact separator device 460. In operation the cutter module
configuration of
FIG. 4B provides enhanced performauce and process reliability having, for
example, reduced
jams, complete separation of cut sheets 432 from the waste matrix 435, reduced
cut sheet "fly-
53
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
away," and like enhancements. Juxt.aposed nip roller 450 ensures reliable
substrate feed to the
cutter. Nip roller pair 455, having for example cutter synchronized and
regulated speed,
provides a controlled constant tension and pull force to facilitate removal of
the waste matrix
from the separation area and delivety to a matrix take-off (not shown).
Separator device 460 can
be, for example, a static charger, a static eliminator, an air knife, a fan,
and like devices, or
combinations thereof. A preferred combination for use in the separator device
460 is a static
charger and an air jet, which combination disperses electrostatic charge to
the separation region
between the cut sbeet and the matrix. Although not desired to be lintit.ed by
theory, the
combined actiou of the mechanical forces of the air jet, nip roller pair 455,
and the electrostatic
repulsion of like-charged surfaces or charge neutralized surfaces of the waste
matrix and the
incipient cut sheet appear to facilitate smooth and reliable separation
between the cut sheets and
the waste matrix. The cutter module of FIG. 4B can optionally include a bottom-
side vacuum
uausport belt 475 to transport or assist in the transport of cut printcd
ahaets to down-stream-
processing, such as stacking. The cutter module of FIG. 4B can also optionally
include a debris
disturber 465, such as an air knife or like non-contact device to assist in
the removal of debris
from the cut printed sheet products prior to stacking. The cutter module of
FIG. 4B can also
optionally include an abrader or sander article 470, such as a metal plate or
sheet coated with a
high durability abrasive material affixed to the surface of the article, for
example, carbide
particles, carborundum particles, diamond grit, sand, and like abrasive
materials, or combinations
thereof, to further assist in the removal of debris from the cut printed sheet
products, and
optionally buffing the printed sheet, prior to stacking. The cutter module of
FIG. 4B can include
one or more debris disturber 465, such as an air knife, one or more abrader or
sander article 470,
and one or more debris removal device, such as a vacuum collector manifold
480. In a preferred
54
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
embodiment, the cutter module of FIG. 4B can include a debris disturber 465,
such as an air
knife, an abrader or sander article 470 for each sheet stream, and at least
one debris removal
device, such as a vacuum collector manifold 480. The cutter module of FIG. 4B
can optionally
include the abovementioned components for accomplishing bursting, such as an
edger or slitter
(not shown) and debris removal device such as a vacuum collector manifold 480.
The foregoing
web-based embodiment of FIG. 4B can adapted for use in a sheet-fed based
apparatus and
process embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 depicts a block diagram overview of a sheet-fed based process for
preparing the
bundle printed sheets of the present disclosure, with for example the
apparatus illustrated and
described in FIG. 2. For example, feeding cut-sheets 505, followed by printing
510 can be on,
for example, a plain or bond cut sheet paper stock, followed by optional
coating 520 on either or
both sides of the printed cut sheets, for example, an adhesive, vamish,
antistatic, or like coating
materials, The printed and optionally coated sheets can be die-cut 530 into
one or more printed
sheet streams. The printed sheet streams are collated 540 into registered
stacks, the stacks are
conveyed 550 into one or more stack streams, and each stack is packaged 560
into a bundle of
printed sheets. The packaged bundle of printed sheets 560 can optionally be
further
containerized 570 or packaged, for example, with a banding machine, an
overwrapping machine,
a lieat-shrink machine, a containerizer machine (e.g., a box maker or box
loader), a stretch
banding machine, a palletizer, and like operations and devices, or
combinations thereof.
FIG. 6A depicts a perspective view of a portion of a collator module 16 in
communication with a portion of a conveyor module 17 of an apparatus for
preparing bundled
printed sheets. Sheet stream transport 610, such as belts, rollers, vacuum
transport belts, and like
devices, or combinations thereof, transport and deliver the cut sheet streams
to a batch stackers
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
620, preferably an optional second batch stacker 625, or optional additional
batch staekers (not
shown). to form, for example, a plurality of neatly stacked and registered
sheets in adjacent
stacks 630. Side walls 623, tab-stops 650, and like structures, can be
included in the stacker to
form a bin or chute for receiving the sheets and forming stacks. An optional
elevator 660 can be
employed when, for example, more than one batch stacker is stacking to shuttle
completed
batches of stacks 680 (e.g., 5 stacks across in each batch of stacks shown)
from their respective
stacker unit to a batch stack conveyor 670. The sheets received by the stacker
can optionally be
registered to achieve a unitary shape or uniform stack dimensions by, for
example, jogging.
Jogging can be accomplished by, for example, vibrating the side walls 623, tab-
stops 650, and
like structures, or combinations thereof, while the sheets are being collated
into stacks in the
stacker.
FIG. 6B depicts a related alternative to the conveyor module shown in FIG. 6A.
In FIG.
6B the collator module (16 in FIG. 6A), again collating individual sheets into
stacks within bins
or chutes with sidewalls 623, is in communication with a reconfigured conveyor
675 situated
next to the optional elevator 660 (hidden). This conveyor configuration is
adapted to directly
receive the stack batches from the elevator conveyor. Conveyor 675 is equipped
with multiple
rollers 685 (six shown) which facilitate a smooth transfer or "hand-off" of
the batch stacks from
the elevator conveyor in the multi-stack stream process direction to
perpendicularly (in a
horizontal plane) situated conveyor 675. It will be readily evident that
conveyor 675 can be
operated uni- or bi-directionally and as described for conveyor 690 in FIG. 7a
below. Once the
stacks reach a proper position on conveyor 675, a system controller, like
controls, or an operator
can cause a plurality of conveyor belts 677 to raise-up and above the level of
the rollers 685 and
cause the belts 677 to convey the stacks in a single stack stream to further
down stream
56
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
processing. Additional details of the conveyor configuration of F1G. 6B are
shown in FIG. 7B
and discussed below.
Collating the cut printed sheets can be accomplished, for example, with a
collator having
a receiver for receiving and registering each stream of printed sheets into an
incipient registered
stack. The receiver can be any suitable member for receiving the printed
sheets, such ati a bin, a
tray, a pocket, a chute, and like meinbers or structures. An example of a
suitable receiver
member or structure is associated with a commercially available Gannicott
machine, for
example, modified to simultaneously receive multiple cut printed sheets into
separated bins or
trays. Each bin or tray can have, in embodiments, two side-walls, a front
wall, and an optional
back wall. The tray or bindexer can have, in embodiments, sidewall fingers
which permit
mechanical "jogging" of the printed sheet.s as they are received from the die-
cutter or other
cutting device by the collator's respective stacker bins. Collating of a
niunber of streams of
printed sheets preferably produces a correspondingly equal number of
registered stacks,
Registered stacks or their resulting bundle of printed sheets can have, for
example, from about
ten to about 10,000 printed sheets, preferably from about ten to about 5,000
printed sheets, and
more preferably from about ten to about 1,500 printed sheets, where the
preference here reflects,
in various embodiments, a balance between minimized packaging (larger stacks
and economies
of scale) and adequate stack or bundle size for convenient manual handling
(smaller stacks and
human factors) in a particular industrial application, such as label
applicators. Other bundled
printed sheet sheet-counts may preferred in other applications.
The registered stacks can be, for example: vertical and unsupported, (i.e.
sheets laying
flat with one face oriented downward and the other face oriented upward,
wherein the sheets are
stacked upward atop one another); vertical and supported; or horizontal and
supported.
57
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
Preferably, each registered stack is formed in a vertical orientation, that
is, having sheets stacked
or layered on top of one another and which verticality can avoid the need for
additional structural
supports, that is, the stacks are preferably unsupported. Stack "support" in
this regard refers to,
for example, any suitable support structure or a mechanism suitable for
maintaining the stack in a
localized position while it is being formed, and to maintain the stack's
desired propel-ties, such as
shape, handling, and appearance, during and after the time the stack is
formed. A support
structure or a mechanism can be, for example, a portion of the collator, such
as a wall or stop.
"Jugging" the stack with respect to a eitechaaieal collator and collating the
printed sheets rrefers-to --- -- --
mild agitation or a shuffling disturbance which causes the cut sheets to align
into more uniform
or unitary stacks. "Jogging" of the stack with respect to an operator refers
to mild manual
agitation or shuffling disturbance, such as tapping the stack or bundle with a
wood block, which
also causes the cut sheets to align into more uniform or unitary stacks or
bundles. The stacks can
be supported for a time, for example, whiie being formed, that is, during the
stacking of sheets,
and unsupported for a time, for example, while being transported on a
conveyor.
The registered stacks can be, for example, edge-to-edge registered, side-to-
side
registered, height-registered, edge-registered, width-registered, weight
registered, or
combinations thereof. The stack height is predetermined, for example, by
customer preferences,
limits on the change range in the collator tooling, optimizing space
utilization in, for example,
containerizing or like packaging or storing considerations. Achieving the
predetermined stack
height can be accomplished by, for example, a sheet counter, or similar
mechanism associated
with the collator. A Gatmicott die-cutting machine having a stack height
counter is
commerc.-ially available. Preferably, each registered stack is at ]east height
registered and edge-
to-edge registered. More preferably, each registered stack is at least edge-to-
edge registered.
58
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
FIG. 7A depicts a perspective view of a portion of a conveyor module 17 of an
apparatus
for preparing bundled printed sheets of FIG. 6A including the above mentioned
first batch stack
conveyor 670 for conveying completed batches of stacks 680 to a second batch
stack conveyor
690. As shown, a stack stream comprised of successively produced batches of
stacks 680, for
example, having five stacks each, is conveyed on conveyor 670 and transferred
to conveyor 690
to form a merged single stack stream 710. Optionally, conveyor 690 can be
adapted to operate
bi-directionally or reciprocate to permit the merged stack stream to provide a
second stack
- SlreaIIl 720 wi1eA U1C GVUveyul 670 i) utlGiiU.cct- itf 111~-leVCIJC
iTiuc:(citnl IuciV,u
streams 710 or 720 convey the stacks in "single-file" fashion on conveyor 690
to subsequent
packaging stations. Conveyors 670 and 690 can be a single belt, a plurality of
belts, rollers, and
like conveyor devices, or combinations thereof.
FIG. 7B depicts a portion of the conveyor module shown in FIG. 6B and
discussed
above. A first conveyor 660, for example in embodiments, the elevator conveyor
of FIG. 6B
transfers batch stacks to a second conveyor 760. Optional support 750 having
an optional roller
can be included to further facilitated the transfer and avoid or minimize, for
exampie, stack
tipping or disruption of sheets within the uniform stacks. Second conveyor 760
can include
plural rollers 765 for receiving and positioning the batch stacks on conveyor
760. In one
example, plural belts 770 on conveyor 760 were situated perpendicular to
plural belts of first
conveyor 660. Stack batches advanced on conveyor 660 were transferred to
conveyor 760 on
rollers 765 and thereafter plural belts 770 were engaged to convey a single
stack stream to
further processing 780
In one embodiment, a first conveyor conveys one or more stacks, such as from
about one
to about eight stacks, niore preferably two to about forty stacks, and even
more preferably about
59
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
five to about twenty stacks, at the same time from the stacker to a second
conveyor. Here the
preference reflects a desire to optimize or match sheet handling and stack
handling hardware and
capacity with total throughput economics. The second conveyor's path or
process direction can
be situated perpendicular to the first conveyor. In embodiments, to provide
greater stack
handling and stack through-put, the first conveyor can include an elevator
which permits
switching stack staging and conveyance between an upper first conveyor and a
lower first
conveyor. For example, while the upper first conveyor conveys stacks to the
second conveyor
the lower first conveyor is held stationary to receive stacks. When the upper
first conveyor has
completed conveyance of its stacks to the second conveyor and the lower first
conveyor has
received its stacks the elevator changes the positions and the roles of the
upper and lower first
conveyors to stack staging and stack conveyor, respectively. Thus, in
embodiments, the collator
forms one or more stacks by continuously collating printed sheets. The
completed stacks are
placed onto one or more conveyors and conveyed to a second conveyor situated,
for example,
perpendicular to the first conveyor. The perpendicular orientation of the
second conveyor
relative to the first conveyor causes the stacks conveyed by the second
conveyor to be conveyed
in the same direction and in a single stream, "single-file." The second
conveyor can convey
alternating stack batches or loads received from the first conveyor in
different directions, such as
the opposite (180 degrees) direction, perpendicular (ninety degrees)
direction, and like acute or
obtuse intermediate angle directions, to provide two stack streams ("split-
stream") where each
stack stream is separately packaged in one or more packaging operations. In
various
embodiments in which, for example, the collator module has two batch stackers
operating in and
situated in an over-under relation, the conveyor module can include, for
example, a conveying
elevator, the elevator being operable to alternately receive a batch of stacks
from each batch
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
stackers, and to convey the received batch of stacks to a first conveyor for
further processing.
The first conveyor can convey the received batch of stacks as a stack stream
uni-directionally to
the packaging module. The first conveyor can also be configured to split the
merges single stack
stream into two or more stack streams, and to convey the received batch of
stacks as a stack
stream bi-directionally to two or more packaging modules.
In embodiments in which, for example, the collator module has two batch
stackers
operating in an over-under relation, the conveyor module can include, for
example, two
conveyors, with each batch stackers having one of the two conveyors dedicated
to receiving its
batched stacks, and each conveyor being adapted to convey the batched stacks
to further
packaging as batches of stacks (e.g., five stacks abreast) or as a single
stack stream (i.e., one
stack abreast or single-file). Thus, in various embodiments of the disclosure,
there are a number
of conveyor configurations, which can accomplish efficient conveyance of batch
stacks or stack
streams and without an elevator shuttling between batch stackers or otherwise.
FIG. 8A-8E depict, in various embodiments, examples of various cut patterns
for forming
cut printed sheets. F1G. 8A depicts an example of an aligned-cut pattern,
where a web 810
traveling in process direction 812 is cut with a cutter module, such as a die-
cutter, to produce a
cut sheet 815 which sheet is separated from the web to form a sheet stream and
its corresponding
cut-out void which is part of the waste matrix. Imaginary reference lines 820
show the relative
"aligned" orientation of the cut sheet 815 to the normal (perpendicular in-
plane) direction across
or traversing the web process direction.
FIG. 8B depicts an exaniple of a staggered-cut pattern, where a web 810
traveling in
process direction 812 is cut with a cutter module, sueh as a die-cutter, to
produce a cut sheet 815
which sheet is separated from the web to form a sheet stream and its
corresponding cut-out void
61
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
which is part of the waste matrix. Reference lines 820 show the relative
"stagger" orientation of
cut sheet 815 to adjacent stagger cut sheets 830 to the normal direction
across the web process
direction.
FIG. 8C depicts an exanipte of a skewed angle-cut pattem, where a web 810
traveling in
process direction 812 is cut with a cutter module, such as a die-cutter, to
produce a skewed-cut
sheet 840 having a very slight parallelogram shape which sheet is separated
from the web to
form a sheet stream and its corresponding cut-out void which is part of the
waste matrix.
iteference regions 845 show the relative "skew" or angle-cut orientation of
the cut lines in the
process direction of cut sheet W.
FIG. 8D illustrates an example of a square angle-cut pattern, where a web 810
traveling
in process direction 812 is cut with a cutter module, such as a die-cutter, to
produce a square-cut
sheet 850, that is having all square corners 855, and which sheet is separated
from the web to
form a sheet stream and its corresponding cut-out void which is part of the
waste matrix.
Reference regions 860 and 865 show the slight shift or skew angles of the cut
lines in the process
direction and the across the process direction, respectively.
FIG. 8E depicts an example of an aligned-cut pattern, where a web 810
traveling in
process direction 812 is cut with a cutter module, such as a laser die-cutter,
to produce a cut sheet
815 which sheet is separated from the web to form a sheet stream and its
corresponding cut-out
void. The waste matrix can be virtually eliminated with laser die-cutting
because cut sheets 815
are butted up next to each other. If desired, the edges of the web may be slit
off and collected as
waste. Imaginiary reference lines 820 show the relative "aligned" orientation
of the cut sheet 815
to the normal (perpendicular in-plane) direction across or traversing the web
process direction. In
other embodiments, laser die-cutting can also be used to cut and slit with a
matrix, similar to the
62
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
pattertt illustrated in FIGS. 8A-8D. A matrix may be desired if an uncommon
bleed is present,
for example.
It is understood that the abovementioned cut patterns and methods for web
cutting can be
readity adapted and are applicable to sheet-fed cutting embodirnents. It is
also understood that
the abovementioned cut patterns are illustrative and are not intended to
restrict the possible
shapes or dimensions of the cut sheets, stacks, or bundles of the disclosure.
FIG. 9A depicts an exemplary bundle of printed sheets 900 of the present
disclosure,
having a plurality of registered. neatly stacked, cut sheets 910, having
printing (e.g., images,
patterns, line art, and like marks), printed indicia (e.g., text, figures, and
like marks), or both 920,
on one or both sides, such as label or product information, a band 930
encompassing the stack of
printed sheets of the bundle, and a band overlap region 935 which can provide
a point of
attachn-ent or fastening of the band to itself.
FIG. 9B depicts the banded bundle of printed sheets 900 of FIG. 9A further
including a
clear or translucent protective overwrapper 950, and one or more optional tear-
tapes or pull-tabs
960 to facilitate unwrapping of the overwrapped bundle. The overwrapper 950
can be shrunk by,
for example, known shrink-wrapping methods, such as the application of heat or
radiation, to
form a tightly scaled bundle.
FiG. 9C and 9D depict other examples of bundle of printed sheets 900 of the
present
disclosure having alternative stack or bundle geometries while still having a
plurality of
registered, neatly stacked, cut sheets 915, images, printed indicia, or both
920, on one or both
sides, such as label or product information, a band 930 encompassing the stack
of printed sheets
to form a bundle, and an optional band overlap region 935 which can provide a
point of
attachment or fastening of the band to itself. FIG. 9C and 9D additionally
illustrate that, in
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CA 02572926 2007-01-05
embediments. the sheets and tlzeir resuiting siic:k and bundles of printed
AeeiS can have a
unita:Y shape other tltart a cube or a parGllele.piped. including for :xatnple
irregular aspec.ts,
curvcd aspecti, notched aspectw, peakeci aspects, ana like aspects, or
combinations thereof, which
aspects taken togethr.r tan be fuuctioiral, aestiietiC, ot batli, The bundle
of printt-cl sheets of FIG.
9C can he, for example, a food product label or a promotional item. FIG. 9D
can bc fo examplc
a sports prodt-ct label or insignia abc]
Other adv;arrtages of the itil.ine apparatus and production process fo:
rnalcing bundted
printed sheets of the present disclosure can include, for example,
particularly whcn a prccision
rolary die-c~utter is used- chipboard oi luce rigid stack supports are not
required to rnaintain stack
integrity during cr ati:er tnanufacture; the apparatus and productit}n are
less costly to operate
compated to alternative system,; and the apparatus and production process, in
emboc3iments,
provide improved product-to-product consistencv, such as sheet-to-sheet and
bundle-to-buridle
size anitormity, lot-to-lot uniformttv, that is where there is time gap
between tdent:cal print !ubs,
print registration, and pri:it registration to cut e.dges of the sheets and
their bundles. by
comparison ::rurent s-ate of the Grt guillotine cutting systenis provide cut
sheet variance of
greater thati abaat plushninus 3/64 inches. '1 he intproved print registration
to cut edges reduces
puper waste, inl: waste, reiect wa.,te, anu improves the appearance and
customer acceptar:ce of
the bundled printed sheets ani: the individuul printe.d r,heets, such as in
consuroer product lahel
Fiplications. FuI17trtlTl i1rC, !h+' aftpar;lt,ss and prnCe4w of the
rlisrlosure can reduce the total titrte
to m~~~_ttfacture a sttppl,= oi printed sheets, auch as labels. frorn twelvt,
to tvmNnty-four hours to,
for exatrtple., ;tbeat oue to abor.tt tottr minutes. Standing or storing of
cut printed sheets or
buniilCs (ii printed si:"Cs, ttir tlrylng, o: like pr0i;elst::i, is not
neceslatv in :rn130t:llIIieritti
of the disclosure. The. btux;4es of printed sheets and the cut prita.ted
;tteet:, therein, in
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CA 02572926 2007-01-05
einbodiments of the disclosure, can be ready, if desired, for immediate
customer use, for
example, in the application of labels to articles. In embodiments the high cut-
to-print registration
can provide prititing processes and products with design or artwork freedom
advantages, for
example, having artwork capabilities with uncommon bleeds, and avoiding the
requirement for
solid "banded" borders which are typically required, for example, in
conventionally prepared
guillotine cut-labels.
TARI .F. 1 rrnvides an exe.s?=.plarV oper'At?m--tllne slz2m-??~-7 of a'.VP.b
based production system for the ntanufacture, start-to-fuiish, of a single
bundle of printed sheets product of the
invention, as described herein above.
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
TABLE 1
Approximate operation-time summary for web-based manufacture of a single
bundle of
prizited sheets
OPERATION/MODULE TIME
web printing (8 color offset with concurrent about 1 to about 30 seconds
intermediate UV cure; web speed average = 300 feet
per min)
web coating (varnish - single side) less than about I second
web cryiiig (air) less than about 5 seconds
web chillin (chilled rollers) about 1 to about 5 seconds
--- -- - . ~.,;~ _ -_= ~_- ~LW -~- -- = _ _, _
sheet transfer (sheet stream) about l to about 2 seconds
collating (for stacks of 1,000 sheets each with 2 batch about 30 seconds to
about 120
stackers) seconds
conveying (one stack to banding; V and 2 about 5 to about 30 seconds
conve ors)
packaging (banding - 2 bands applied simultaneousl ) (about 5 to about 10
seconds)
(complete plastic overwra ) (about 90 to about 120 seconds)
(containerizin - corrugated box wrap) (less than about 5 seconds)
(box sealing - tape) (about 1 to about 10 seconds)
(carrier loading - each box stacked by an operator) about 5 to about 15
seconds)
TOTAL about 140 to about 350 sec~onds
(about 2.5 to about 6 minutes)
In some embodiments of the disclosure, in the manufacture of bundled printed
sheets
there can be incidental or intentional holdup, that is a slight delay or a
slow-step in one or more
manufacturing steps, for example, to accommodate limitations on equipment or
operators, sueh
as in manual packaging operations, shift changes, and like circumstances.
Holdup can be
minimized or eliminated, as desired, with different configucations, equipment,
belt speeds, and
like modifications, or combinations thereof.
In system 10 of the present invention, cutting module 14 is often the rate
liniiting step.
Printing presses can be run at maximum speeds of about 1000 feet per minute in
one
embodiment, while cutting modules may run at a maximum speed of only about 300
to about
400 feet per minute. Printing presses also tend to be more costly than
subsequent converting
lines. Therefore, it may be desirable to print and convert the web or sheets
in separate stages to
66
CA 02572926 2007-01-05
accommodate the varying equipment speeds while reducing capital costs, running
two, three, or
more eonverting lines for each printing press. In a two-stage web process
according to one
embodiment of the present invention, for example, the web is unwound before
printing module
12, marked with a registration mark, and rewound after printing module 12. The
roll is then
transferred to a converting line containing at least one cutter module 14. The
roll is re-registered
upon unwinding, die cut by cutter module 14, such as a rotary die-cutter,
laser die-cutter, and the
like or combinations thereof. The individual cut sheets are then collated,
stacked, and/or
packaged, as described above. This multiple stage process can therefore
improve overall
production speeds while reducing capital equipment costs.
All publications, patents, and patent documents are incorporated by reference
herein in
their entirety, as though individually incorporated by reference. The
disclosure has been
described with reference to various specific and preferred embodiments and
techniques.
However, it should be understood that many variations and modifications can be
made while
remaining within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
67
