Intermediate cover board with concealed security device for hard cover product

• US 20070052228A1
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smartguard LLC
• Original Assignee: Smartguard LLC
• Inventors: Nichols, Dale
• Granted Patent: US 7,605,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 283/109
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging

Abstract

An intermediate cover board for assembly of bard cover products, in which a primary sheet having a first thickness and opposing planar surfaces defines an opening in a selected portion of the sheet. The opening receives a security device. A pair of opposing secondary sheets each having a second thickness less than the first thickness laminate to the opposing planar surfaces of the primary sheet, so that the security device is enclosed between the laminated secondary sheets that do not display surface indications of the presence of the security device. A method of making the intermediate laminated cover board and a hard cover product made with the intermediate laminated cover board are disclosed.

Claims

1. An intermediate laminated cover board for hard cover products, comprising:

a primary sheet having a first thickness and opposing planar surfaces and defining a receiving cavity in a selected portion of the sheet;

a security device received in the receiving cavity;

a pair of opposing secondary sheets each having a second thickness less than the first thickness laminated to the opposing planar surfaces of the primary sheet,

whereby the security device is enclosed between the laminated secondary sheets of the second thickness sufficient that the assembled intermediate laminated cover board does not display surface indications of the presence of the security device therein.

2. The intermediate laminated cover board as recited in claim 1, wherein the security device has a thickness no greater than about a substantial majority of the thickness of the primary sheet.

3. The intermediate laminated cover board as recited in claim 1, wherein the security device is aligned in the receiving cavity such that opposing surfaces thereof are substantially co-planar with the planar surfaces of the primary sheet.

4. The intermediate laminated cover board as recited in claim 1, wherein the primary sheet and the secondary sheets are of a flexible material.

5. The intermediate laminated cover board as recited in claim 4, wherein flexible material is chip board.

6. The intermediate laminated cover board as recited in claim 4, wherein the flexible material is cardboard.

7. The intermediate laminated cover board as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiving cavity comprises a die-cut opening and the security device has a thickness no greater than about a substantial majority of the thickness of the primary sheet.

8. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 7, wherein the security device is aligned in the opening such that opposing outward surfaces thereof are substantially co-planar with the planar surfaces of the primary sheet.

9. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiving cavity comprises a debossed recess and the security device comprises a sheet member having a thickness no greater than about a substantial majority of the depth of the debossed recess relative to a majority planar portion of the primary sheet.

10. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 9, wherein the security device is aligned in the debossed recess such that an outward surface thereof is substantially co-planar with a planar surface of the primary sheet.

11. An intermediate laminated board for assembling hard cover products, comprising:

a central sheet having opposing planar surfaces with a length and width exceeding a first thickness, the central sheet defining an opening therethrough in a selected portion thererof;

a security device received in the opening, the security device having a thickness no greater than about a substantial majority of the thickness of the central sheet so that opposing sides thereof are substantially co-planar with respective ones of the opposing planar surfaces of the central sheet;

a pair of opposing exterior sheets, each having a respective second thickness less than the first thickness laminated to the opposing planar surfaces of the central sheet and thereby enclosing the security device therebetween, the second thickness sufficiently sized so that the laminated board does not display surface indications of the presence of the security device therein,

whereby the security device enclosed in the central sheet is concealed from casual indication of its presence.

12. The intermediate laminated cover board as recited in claim 11, wherein the central sheet and the exterior sheets are of a semi-rigid material.

13. The intermediate laminated cover board as recited in claim 12, wherein semi-rigid material is chip board.

14. The intermediate laminated cover board as recited in claim 12, wherein the semi-rigid material is cardboard.

15. A method of assembling an intermediate laminated board for subsequent use as a component of hard cover products, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a primary sheet having opposing planar surfaces with a length and width exceeding a first thickness, the primary sheet defining an opening therethrough in a selected portion thererof;

(b) laminating a first exterior sheet to a first of the opposing planar surfaces and closing the opening in the primary sheet;

(c) positioning a security device in the opening, the security device having a thickness no greater than about a substantial majority of the thickness of the central sheet so that opposing sides thereof are no more than substantially co-planar with respective ones of the opposing planar surfaces of the central sheet; and

(d) laminating a second exterior sheet to the second of the opposing planar surfaces to form an intermediate laminated board that does not display on the opposing surfaces defined by the exterior sheets indications of the presence of the security device therein.

16. A hard cover product having an outer cover sheet adhesively attached to a first planar surface of a pair of cover boards disposed in spaced-apart relation, a first one of the pair of cover boards comprising an intermediate laminated board made in accordance with the method of claim 15, and an inner liner sheet adhesively attached to respective opposing second planar surfaces of the cover boards to form a covered product.

17. The hard cover product as recited in claim 16, wherein the outer cover sheet carries an indicia disposed in alignment with the selected portion of the primary sheet, whereby a security canceling device is readily positioned in alignment with the concealed security device.

18. An intermediate board made in accordance with the method as recited in claim 15 for use a one of a pair of cover boards disposed in spaced-apart relation to form a hard cover product.

19-25. -25. (canceled)

26. An intermediate cover board for hard cover products, comprising:

a primary sheet having a first thickness and opposing planar surfaces and defining a receiving cavity in a selected portion of the sheet; and

a security device received in the receiving cavity,

whereby the security device is disposed within the cavity of the primary sheet for overlay by a cover liner during manufacture of a hard cover product.

27. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 26, further comprising at least one secondary sheet having a second thickness less than the first thickness laminated to one of the opposing planar surfaces of the primary sheet,

whereby the cover board, overlaid on one side by the laminated secondary sheet, does not display surface indications of the presence of the security device therein.

28. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 26, wherein the primary sheet and secondary sheet are made of a semi-rigid material.

29. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 28, wherein semi-rigid material is chip board.

30. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 28, wherein the semi-rigid material is cardboard.

31. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 26, wherein the receiving cavity comprises a die-cut opening and the security device has a thickness no greater than about a substantial majority of the thickness of the primary sheet.

32. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 31, wherein the security device is aligned in the opening such that opposing outward surfaces thereof are substantially co-planar with the planar surfaces of the primary sheet.

33. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 26, wherein the receiving cavity comprises a debossed recess and the security device comprises a sheet member having a thickness no greater than about a substantial majority of the depth of the debossed recess relative to a majority planar portion of the primary sheet.

34. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 33, wherein the security device is aligned in the debossed recess such that an outward surface thereof is substantially co-planar with a planar surface of the primary sheet.

35. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 33, further comprising at least one secondary sheet having a second thickness less than the first thickness laminated to one of the opposing planar surfaces of the primary sheet,

whereby the cover board, overlaid on one side by the laminated secondary sheet, does not display surface indications of the presence of the security device therein.

36. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 35, wherein the primary sheet and secondary sheet are made of a semi-rigid material.

37. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 36, wherein semi-rigid material is chip board.

38. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 36, wherein the semi-rigid material is cardboard.

39. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 26, wherein the primary sheet is made of a semi-rigid material.

40. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 39, wherein semi-rigid material is chip board.

41. The intermediate cover board as recited in claim 39, wherein the semi-rigid material is cardboard.