Printed sheet products

• US 6,039,356 A
• Filed: 06/22/1998
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vanguard Identification Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vanguard Identification Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Warther, Richard O., Steen, C. Raymond Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fridie, Jr., Willmon
• Application Number:
  US09/102,423
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 283/817, 283/82, 283/83, 283/61, 283/62, 283/116, 428/42.2, 428/42.3, 428/43
• US Class Current: 283/61
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/00 Printed matter of special format or style not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/0093 Sheet materials
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/16 Bars or lines
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/47 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 5/027 Sheets or cards attached to a carrier strip or web shipping forms B42D15/006
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00508 Printing or attaching on mailpieces printing mechanisms B41J; security printing B41M3/14; marking methods B41M5/00; inks C09D11/00; record carriers with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00588 Barcode
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0062 Label
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/149 Sectional layer removable

Abstract

A printed sheet product comprises a thin core having a pair of opposing major planar sides. A plurality of sets of variable data fields are printed on at least a first side of the core. One or more of the variable data fields of each set may be printed on the opposing second side of the core. Each set of printed variable data fields includes at least a first data field printed with a numeric code, the numeric code of each variable data field set being different from that of each other set printed on the first side of the core. Each set of variable data fields further includes a second data field printed with either a name and mailing address uniquely associated with a numeric code or with another representation of the numeric code. Where printed, the name and address of each variable data set differs from that of each other variable data set printed on the first side of the core. The sheet product is scored to at least define one removable element containing the first variable data field from each set printed on the sheet product. Where name and address data fields are printed, the sheet product may further be scored to separate the sheet product into individual sheet sections which can be inserted without folding into envelopes for direct mailing of the removable first element to an appropriate recipient.

Claims

1. A printed sheet product comprising:

a thin flexible core formed by a printable material having first and second opposing major planar sides;

a set of at least two separate code fields printed on a first major planar side of the core, each code field of the set being printed with a unique numeric code common to all code fields of the set, the unique numeric code being printed in at least a bar code format in at least a first printed code field of the set and being printed in at least a second printed code field of the set spaced apart from the first printed code field;

at least one printed field on the second major planar side of the core;

a first cover sheet permanently fixed to the first major planar side of the core overlying at least the first printed code field of the set, the first cover sheet being sufficiently transparent to permit the unique numeric code printed in bar code format in the underlying first code field to be machine read through the first cover sheet;

a pressure sensitive adhesive applied over the second side of the core directly opposite only the second of the first and second code fields; and

scoring extending sufficiently through the core and at least the first cover sheet where present to define at least two separate elements removable from a remainder of the printed sheet product, a first removable element bearing the first printed code field of the set and at least part of the first cover sheet to form a transaction element and a second removable element bearing the second printed code field of the set and at least part of the adhesive, the adhesive on the second removable element being exposable at least after the second removable element is removed from a remainder of the printed sheet product to form a self-adhering label bearing at least the second printed code field.

2. The printed sheet product of claim 1 further comprising a second cover sheet permanently fixed to the second major planar side of the core underlying at least the first printed code field, the scoring extending through the second cover sheet such that at least a portion of the second cover sheet is removable with the first removable element, the first and second cover sheets fully covering opposing major sides of the first removable element.

3. The printed sheet product of claim 2 wherein the second cover sheet extends entirely across the remaining major side of the core in only one of two mutually perpendicular directions and underlies only the first of the first and second printed code fields of the set.

4. The printed sheet product of claim 3 wherein the first cover sheet extends entirely across the first side of the core in only one of two mutually perpendicular directions and covers only the first of the first and second printed code fields of the set.

5. The printed sheet product of claim 2 wherein at least the one printed field on the second major planar side of the core underlies the second cover sheet and wherein the second cover sheet is sufficiently transparent for at least the one printed field underlying the second cover sheet to be viewed through the second cover sheet.

6. The printed sheet product of claim 1 wherein the scoring further defines a key ring hole through the first removable element.

7. The printed sheet product of claim 6 wherein the key ring hole is defined by a closed perimeter opening extending transversely through the first removable element and the sheet product.

8. The printed sheet product of claim 1 wherein each printed code field contains at least five printed digits.

9. The printed sheet product of claim 1 wherein the scoring further defines a third element removable from the sheet product and bearing a third printed code field of the set with the unique numeric code.

10. The printed sheet product of claim 1 wherein the first and second removable elements differ from one another in size.

11. A printed sheet product comprising:

a thin flexible core formed by a printable material having first and second opposing major planar sides;

a set of at least two separate code fields printed on a first major planar side of the core, each code field of the set being printed with a unique numeric code common to all code fields of the set, the unique numeric code being printed in at least a bar code format in at least a first printed code field of the set and being printed in at least a second printed code field of the set spaced apart from the first printed code field;

a first cover sheet permanently fixed to the first major planar side of the core overlying at least the first printed code field of the set, the first cover sheet being sufficiently transparent to permit the unique numeric code printed in bar code format in the underlying first code field to be machine read through the first cover sheet;

a second cover sheet permanently fixed to the second major planar side of the core underlying at least the first printed code field of the set;

a pressure sensitive adhesive applied over the second side of the core directly opposite at least the second of the first and second code fields; and

scoring extending sufficiently through the core and at least the first and second cover sheets where present to define at least two separate elements removable from the printed sheet product, a first removable element bearing at least part of the second cover sheet, the first printed code field and at least part of the first cover sheet to form a transaction element, and a second removable element bearing the second printed code field on the first major planar side of the core and bearing at least part of the adhesive, the adhesive on the second removable element being exposable at least after the second removable element is removed from a remainder of the printed sheet product to form a self-adhering label bearing at least the second printed code field.

12. The printed sheet product of claim 11 wherein the second cover sheet extends entirely across the core in only one of two mutually perpendicular directions and avoids the second removable element.

13. The printed sheet product of claim 12 wherein the first cover sheet extends entirely across the printed sheet product in only the one of the two mutually perpendicular directions and covers only the first of the first and second printed code fields of the set.

14. The printed sheet product of claim 11 wherein at least one printed field on the second major planar side of the core underlies the second cover sheet and wherein the second cover sheet is sufficiently transparent for the one printed field underlying the second cover sheet to be seen through the second cover sheet.

15. The printed sheet product of claim 11 wherein the scoring further defines a key ring hole extending through the first removable element.

16. The printed sheet product of claim 15 wherein the key ring hole is defined by a closed perimeter opening extending transversely through the sheet product.

17. The printed sheet product of claim 11 wherein the core is formed by a single layer of a single piece of the printable material.

18. The printed sheet product of claim 11 wherein each printed code field contains at least five printed digits.

19. The printed sheet product of claim 11 wherein the scoring further defines a third element removable from the sheet product and bearing a third printed code field of the set with the unique numeric code.

20. The printed sheet product of claim 11 wherein the first and second removable elements differ in size.

21. A printed sheet product comprising:

a thin flexible core formed by a single piece of printable material having first and second opposing major planar sides each bearing printing;

the printing on the first major planar side of the core including a set of at least two separate code fields, each code field being printed with a unique numeric code common to all code fields of the set printed on the core, the unique numeric code being printed in at least a bar code format in at least a first printed code field of the set and being printed in at least a second printed code field of the set spaced apart from the first printed code field;

a first cover sheet permanently fixed to the first major planar side of the core overlying at least the first printed code field of the set, the first cover sheet being sufficiently transparent to permit the unique numeric code printed in bar code format in the underlying first code field to be machine read through the first cover sheet;

a second cover sheet permanently fixed to the second major planar side of the core and underlying only the first of the first and second printed code fields, the second cover sheet extending entirely across the remaining major side of the core in only one of two mutually perpendicular directions;

a pressure sensitive adhesive applied over the second side of the core directly opposite only the second of the first and second code fields; and

scoring extending sufficiently through the core and at least the first and second cover sheets where present to define at least two separate elements removable from the printed sheet product, a first removable element bearing at least parts of the first and second cover sheets and all of the first printed code field and a second removable element bearing at least part of the adhesive and all of the second printed code field, the first and second cover sheets fully covering opposing major sides of the first removable element, and the adhesive on the second removable element being exposable at least after the second removable element is removed from a remainder of the printed sheet product to form a self-adhering label.

22. The printed sheet product of claim 21 being one of a collection of printed sheets, the printing of each printed sheet product to the collection being identical to each other printed sheet product of the collection except for the unique codes of the printed code field sets.

23. A printed sheet product comprising:

a thin core formed by a printable material having a pair of opposing major planar sides;

a plurality of sets of code fields printed on a first major planar side of the core, each set of code fields being printed with a numeric code unique to the set, the unique numeric code of each code field set being printed in at least a bar code format in at least a first printed code field of the set and being printed in at least a second code field of each set, the second code field of each set being spaced apart from each other printed code field of the set on the first side of the core;

at least one printed field on the second major planar side of the core;

a first cover sheet permanently fixed to the first major planar side of the core overlying at least the first printed code field of the sets, the first cover sheet being sufficiently transparent to permit the unique numeric code printed in bar code format in the underlying first code field to be machine read through the first cover sheet;

a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive applied to at least part of a second side of the sheet product directly opposite only the second of the first and second code fields of each set; and

scoring extending sufficiently through the core and at least the first cover sheet where present to define at least two separate elements removable from a remainder of the printed sheet product for each set of printed code fields, a first removable element of each set bearing the first printed code field of the set and at least part of the first cover sheet to form a transaction element and a second removable element of each set bearing the second printed code field of the set and at least part of the adhesive, the adhesive on the second removable element of each set being exposable after the second removable element is removed from a remainder of the printed sheet product to form a self-adhering label bearing at least the second printed code field.

24. The printed sheet product of claim 23 wherein the scoring defines a collection of individual sheet products, each individual sheet product of the collection bearing the printed code fields and first and second removable elements of a separate one of the code field sets.

25. The printed sheet product of claim 23 wherein the printing on each individual sheet product of the collection is identical to each other individual sheet product of the collection except for the unique codes of the printed code field sets.

26. The printed sheet product of claim 23 wherein the printing on the first major planar side of the core includes at least a third separate code field of each set with the unique numeric code of the set and wherein the scoring further defines at least a third separate element of each set removable from the printed sheet product and bearing only the third of the printed code fields of the set for each set of code fields printed on the sheet product.

27. The printed sheet product of claim 23 further comprising at least a separate printed static graphic field on the second major planar side of the core for each set of code fields printed on the first major planar side of the core.

28. The printed sheet product of claim 23 further comprising at least one printed field on the second major planar side of the core and wherein the printing on the first major planar side of the core includes a third separate code field for each set with the unique numeric code and wherein the scoring further defines at least a third separate element removable from the printed sheet product and bearing only the third code field of the three printed code fields of each set and wherein the scoring further defines a closed perimeter opening through major planar sides of the first removable element.