Printed sheet products

• US 6,769,718 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2000
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• 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:
  US09/532,113
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 283/79, 283/80, 283/81, 283/82, 283/85, 283/61, 283/62, 283/116, 283/117, 428/42.2, 428/42.3, 428/43, 402/99, 406/38
• 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 multilayer, integral, planar, individual printed sheet product comprising:

a flexible, printable planar core having first and second opposing major sides, the core being printed on at least one of the major sides, the printing on at least the one major side including at least a first variable data field with a unique printed code to uniquely identify the individual printed sheet product;

a first flexible cover strip integrally and permanently secured to at least the first side of the core;

a magnetic stripe data storage element permanently and integrally fixed together with the core and the first cover strip on the first side of the core; and

scoring extending at least sufficiently through the sheet product to define a first identification element removable from a remainder of the individual printed sheet product, the first removable identification element including at least the magnetic stripe data storage element and only part of the first flexible cover strip.

2. The individual printed sheet product of claim 1 wherein the scoring further defines a second identification element removable from a remaining portion of the individual printed sheet product, the second removable element bearing at least the first printed variable data field with the unique printed code.

3. The individual printed sheet product of claim 2 further comprising a layer of a pressure sensitive adhesive exposable on an outer surface of the individual printed sheet product on a remaining major side of the core at least directly opposite the first printed variable data field and the scoring through the printed sheet product further defining an adherable second identification element with the unique printed code of the first printed variable data field removable from a remaining portion of the individual printed sheet product.

4. The individual printed sheet product of claim 1 wherein a portion of the core forming part of the first removable identification element bears a second printed variable data field with the unique printed code.

5. The individual printed sheet product of claim 1 further comprising a second variable data field preprinted on the core, the second variable data field including at least the preprinted name of an individual assigned the unique printed code.

6. The individual printed sheet product of claim 1 further comprising an identification block printed in another print field on the remainder of the core, the identification block indicating where a name and address of an individual to be assigned the individual sheet product and the unique printed code is to be manually entered.

7. The individual printed sheet product of claim 1 wherein the first cover strip is transparent and further overlies at least the unique printed code of the first printed variable data field.

8. The individual printed sheet product of claim 1 wherein the core is formed by separate first and second printable, flexible, planar core strips fixedly secured together generally edge-to-edge, side-by-side, such that only a first of the first and second core strips defines one outer edge of the core and only a remaining one of the first and second planar core strips defines an opposing out edge of the core.

9. The individual printed sheet product of claim 8 further comprising a second flexible cover strip integrally and permanently secured to the second major side of the core, at least one of the first and second cover strips joining together the first and second core strips forming the core.

10. The individual printed sheet product of claim 8 wherein the first and second core strips are formed of different printable materials.

11. The individual printed sheet product of claim 8 wherein the first variable data field and the magnetic stripe data storage element are both located on the second core strip.

12. The individual printed sheet product of claim 1 further comprising a second flexible cover strip integrally and permanently secured to the second major side of the core spanning at least the scoring defining the first removable identification element, the scoring extending sufficiently through the second cover strip such that only a portion of the second cover strip is removable with the first identification element and fully covers one side of the first identification element.

13. The individual printed sheet product of claim 12 wherein at least one of the first and second flexible cover strips covers only part of one major side of the core.

14. The individual printed sheet product of claim 12 wherein at least one of the first and second cover strips is transparent and extends over the unique printed code of the first variable field printed on the core.

15. The individual printed sheet product of claim 1 wherein the unique printed code is printed at least in a bar format.

16. The individual printed sheet product of claim 1 wherein the unique printed code is printed at least in an alphanumeric character format.

17. The individual printed sheet product of claim 16 wherein the unique printed code is further printed at least in a bar format.

18. The individual printed sheet product of claim 1 being part of a collection of individual sheet products, each individual sheet product being visually identical to each other individual sheet product of the collection except for the unique printed codes, the printed codes being different between all individual sheet products of the collection.

19. The individual printed sheet product of claim 1 wherein a remaining one of the first and second major sides of the core opposite the one side bears at least one of a printed field and a second flexible cover strip integrally and permanently secured to the remaining major side of the core.

20. The individual printed sheet product of claim 19 wherein the remaining one of the major sides of the core opposite the one side bears at least one printed field and the second flexible cover strip integrally and permanently secured to the remaining major side of the core.

21. The individual printed sheet product of claim 20 wherein each of the first and second cover strips is transparent and each covers a separate side of at least the first removable identification element.

22. The individual sheet product of claim 1 wherein a remainder of the first flexible cover strip is secured to a remainder of the core bearing at least the first printed variable date field with unique printed code.

23. The individual sheet product of claim 22 wherein the first flexible cover strip is transparent and wherein the remainder of the first flexible cover strip covers at least the printed code of the first printed variable data field on the remainder of the core.

24. A multilayer, integral, individual printed sheet product with planar major opposing sides comprising:

a flexible, planar core having major opposing first and second sides on the major opposing sides of the sheet product;

a first flexible cover strip integrally and permanently secured to at least the first side of the core;

printing on at least one of the major sides of the sheet product, the printing including at least a first variable data field with a unique printed code to uniquely identify the individual printed sheet product;

a magnetic stripe data storage element permanently and integrally fixed together with the core and the first cover strip on the first side of the core; and

scoring extending at least sufficiently through the sheet product to define a first identification element removable from a remainder of the sheet product, the first removable identification element including at least part of the magnetic stripe data storage element on the sheet product and only part of the first flexible cover strip on the sheet product.

25. The printed sheet product of claim 24 wherein a remainder of the first flexible cover strip is left on a remainder of the core with at least the first printed variable date field having the unique printed code.

26. A multilayer, integral, printed sheet with two planar opposing major sides made during manufacture of individual sheet products, the sheet comprising:

a core formed of flexible planar material, the core having first and second opposing major sides on the opposing major sides of the sheet;

a first flexible cover strip integrally and permanently secured to at least the first major side of the core;

a plurality of sets of variable data fields printed on at least one major side of the core, each set of variable data fields including at least one field printed with a code unique to the set and different from the code of each other set of variable data fields printed on the sheet;

at least one magnetic data storage strip permanently and integrally fixed together with the core and the first cover strip on the first side of the core; and

scoring extending at least sufficiently through the sheet product, the first cover strip and any magnetic data storage strip, where present, to define at least a plurality of first identification elements equal in number to the plurality of sets and removable from a remainder of the printed sheet product and a plurality of second identification elements equal in number to the plurality of sets and separable from the first identification elements and any remainder of the printed sheet product, each of the plurality of first identification elements containing only a portion of one magnetic data storage element strip and each of the plurality of the second removable elements, one from each set, containing at least a variable data field printed with the unique code different from the printed unique code of each other second removable element and each other set of the plurality.

27. The sheet of claim 26 further comprising at least a first plurality of static graphic fields, identical to one another and at least equal in number to the number of sets of variable data fields printed on the sheet printed on one of the opposing major sides of the sheet.

28. The printed sheet of claim 27 further comprising a transparent, second flexible cover strip permanently secured to the second major side of the core, portions of the transparent second cover strip fully covering at least one side of each of the plurality of first identification elements.

29. The printed sheet of claim 28 wherein the first flexible cover strip is transparent and covers at least some printing on the first major side of the core including all printing on the first major side of each removable first identification element.

30. The printed sheet of claim 26 wherein the first flexible cover strip is transparent and covers at least some printing on the first major side of the core including all printing on the first major side of each removable first identification element.

31. The printed sheet of claim 26 wherein the scoring further defines a plurality of individual printed sheet products separated from one another and equal in number to the number of sets of variable data fields, each individual printed sheet product including a plurality of identification elements removable from the individual sheet product and separable from one another and at least including one of the first identification elements and one of the second identification elements.

32. The printed sheet of claim 31 further comprising a strip of an exposable pressure sensitive adhesive on one side of the sheet, the adhesive strip being cut by the scoring, wherein each of the plurality of individual printed sheet products includes a layer of the exposable pressure sensitive adhesive on an outer surface of each individual printed sheet product opposite the one major side of the core bearing the one printed variable data field so as to form an adherable identification element with the unique printed code of the first printed variable data field, the adherable identification element being removable from a remaining portion of the individual printed sheet product.