Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6186554
-
Patent Number
6,186,554
-
Date Filed
Monday, May 24, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, February 13, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Fridie, Jr.; Willmon
- Phan; Daniel
Agents
- Hovey, Williams, Timmons & Collins
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 283 79
- 283 80
- 283 81
- 283 101
- 283 105
- 283 106
- 462 26
- 462 27
- 428 418
- 428 422
- 428 423
- 428 43
- 229 74
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A business form is provided which is particularly useful in shipping products where certain preprinted information can be provided and then individualized information is printed before the form is applied to a substrate. The form includes a face ply which has a pattern of adhesive applied to at least a portion of the inner face, and a release liner which includes a pattern of adhesive which exposes a portion of the release liner to direct adhesive contact to the face ply without intervening release coating to permanently adhere a part of the release liner to the face ply. The release liner has a surrounding protective border provided with release coating on the release face thereof and which is removed prior to application to the substrate, and a slip which remains with the form as applied to the substrate. The face ply includes lines of perforation defining a central portion. At least a part of the central portion is directly adhered by the adhesive to the slip without intervening release coating between the adhesive and the slip or the central portion. Individualized indicia, such as an address, may be printed on a label area of the top face of the central portion, while other individualized indicia, such as the content of a package, may be printed on the back face of the slip. Masking indicia is preferably provided on one of the inner face of the top ply or the release face of the release liner to inhibit viewing of the content indicia until the slip is removed from the package.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention broadly concerns a business form adapted for receiving variable printing of information on both sides of the form an subsequent attachment to a substrate. In one particular usage, it is more particularly concerned with a business form which may be used as a combination address label and packing list for use in shipping articles to a customer, and may include a return label portion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of adhesive labels has become a growing segment of the business forms industry with the emergence of catalog sales and other home shopping vehicles. In addition to traditional wholesale shipments and delivery to commercial accounts, consumers increasingly elect to make purchases through telephone solicitations, through global computer networks, and catalogs. Shippers have thus looked for methods of increasing the efficiency of the shipping and handling process.
A variety of different labels have heretofore been developed for use in shipping products. These labels increasingly use ready to apply adhesives such as pressure sensitive adhesives, rather than adhesives which require wetting for activation, because of greater reliability of adhesion and ease of application. Such ready-to-use adhesives typically require the use of a coated liner to prevent premature adhesion, the liner being discarded as waste. However, with the increased need for security and efficiency in the shipping of packages, there has arisen a need for improved business forms which will minimize the number and size of the sheets in the form, while providing for selective adhesion to the underlying substrate and security in regard to the contents of the package, and also matches the shipping label and contents set forth on the packing list.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These needs have largely been met by the duplex carton label/packing list of the present invention. That is to say, the present invention provides a simple and economical business form which is easy to use, provides good adhesion to the underlying package or other substrate, limits waste, minimizes the number of sheets required in the form by performing multiple functions and provides good security by limiting the ability to view the packing list after application to the package. A portion of the liner sheet also functions as a packing list, thus limiting the number of plies necessary during manufacture and use. Moreover, the invention contemplates duplex printing of the liner in a single pass through a printer, so that both the addressee information and the packing list can be simultaneously printed on the form which is then ready to use. Lines of weakness and separation are provided in the face ply and release liner to permit access by the recipient to desired portions while the remainder stays affixed to the substrate. Adhesive is selectively applied in patterns between the face ply and the backing ply to provide good adhesion to the substrate without overextending into the areas serving as the packing list.
Broadly speaking, the present invention includes a face ply having a top face and an inner face and a release liner having a release face which is pattern coated with silicone release liner to provide both coated and uncoated regions, and a printable back face. Adhesive, such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive, is applied in a pattern between the plies. Preferably, the patterning of adhesive and silicone release coating provides areas between the face ply and release liner which are free of both silicone coating and adhesive, and some areas which have adhesive only to provide permanent adherence between the plies. Lines of perforation or separation are preferably provided in the face ply to define a central portion which may be further divided by perforation lines for use as an address label, return label, or pull tabs, and a surrounding border portion for adhering to the substrate, as well as a tear strip for facilitating access to the central portion. The release liner may be provided with lines of perforation or separation to permit removal of the release liner in a surrounding border for adherence to the substrate, and a remaining packing label or list portion.
In preferred embodiments, the placement of the adhesive and silicone release can be varied to provide alternate configurations for the label. For example, in a first embodiment, the central label portion can be of double thickness by providing adhesive but not silicone release between the face ply and the release liner in the central label area. This yields a document suitable for filing and a more durable label which has greater tear resistance. In a second embodiment, the label portion may be divided by lines of perforation or severance so that a double thickness end tabs are provided, but single thickness address labels and return address labels are provided separate from a printable area on the release liner. It is desirable that one of the inner face and release face be printed with ink so as to cover and visibly screen the printing appearing on the printable back face of the liner to prevent viewing after application to the package without removal from the package.
The duplex carton label/packing list is easy to use. After preprinting each of the face ply and release liner as desired, applying the silicone liner and adhesive in the desired patterns, and making the appropriate perforation lines and lines of separation through perforation wheels or die cutting, for example, the forms, which are preferably provided as continuous webs separated into individual forms by transverse perforations, are ready for local use. The user inserts the form into an ordinary printer where no stylus is required. Most preferably, duplex printers for simultaneously printing both the back face and top face are used, although the form permits sequential printing of top face and back face. Thus, computerized information can quickly be printed giving both the recipient's address on the top face and the packing list on the back face. Either continuous feed or cut sheet versions can be used. The perimeter portion of the release liner is removed and the remainder of the form is then applied to the package, with the address visible on the top face. When the package arrives at the recipient, access is gained to the packing list by placing a finger under one edge at a designated location between the tear strip perforations and pulling on the tear strip. The central portion is then pulled free through die cuts on the release liner and perforations or other lines of weakness in the face ply, exposing the rear of the central portion as a packing list while the remainder of the form is adhered to the package.
As a result, high volumes of labels and packing lists can be generated as a single form, as a single pass through a high-capacity duplex printer can generate and print the necessary information. As no carbon paper or other transfer media is employed to reprint the image on different plys, no stylus is necessary and ink-jet, laser or thermal-transfer printers may be used. The form can be preprinted with the exception of the individualized information to save time. Application of the address label and packing list to the package simply requires removal of the protective portion of the release liner, preferably located around the perimeter of the central area, and application to the package. This avoids the possibility that the packing list and address label will be separated and misapplied to different substrates. Upon receipt, the user grasps the tear strip which separates from the backing to allow the central area to be torn free and exposing the back face of the central area bearing the printing showing the contents or other information to be revealed to the recipient. The label is also tamper evident, such that the recipient can readily see tears to the form if others have sought access to the information on the back face.
The principal benefits and uses of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the following description and the drawings appended hereto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a front perspective view of the form of the present invention in a duplex computer printer;
FIG. 2
is rear perspective view of the form and printer shown in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a front elevational view showing a continuous form of the present invention;
FIG. 4
is a sectional view along line
4
—
4
of
FIG. 3
, with a central area enlarged for clarity;
FIG. 5
is a front elevational view of a form separated from adjacent forms after individualized printing, with the protective portion of the release liner being separated to ready the form for application to a package or other substrate;
FIG. 6
is a front elevational view of the form of
FIG. 5
as applied to a substrate;
FIG. 7
is a front elevational view of the form of
FIG. 5
showing removal of the tear strip along perforations in the face ply for removal of the central portion;
FIG. 8
is a perspective view of the form of
FIG. 5
after removal of the tear sheet and separation of the central packing list portion;
FIG. 9
is a rear elevational view of the central portion of the form of
FIG. 5
after removal from the package to show the individualized packing list information;
FIG. 10
is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of the present invention, showing additional perforation lines in the face ply to provide segregated areas for pull tabs and return address labels thereon;
FIG. 11
is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line
11
—
11
to show the pattern application of adhesive and release coating between the face ply and the release liner and reverse printing to aid in masking the information on the release liner;
FIG. 12
is a view of the inner face of the face ply to show the pattern of adhesive applied to the face ply;
FIG. 13
is a view of the release face of the release liner showing the pattern of application release coating; and
FIG. 14
is a view of the back face of the release coating to show the packing label information thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawing, a composite address label and packing list form
20
particularly suited for local duplex printing is shown in FIG.
3
and includes a face ply
22
and a release liner
24
. The face ply
22
has a top face
26
and an inner face
28
oriented toward the release liner
24
, and the release liner has a release face
30
oriented toward the face ply
22
and a back face
32
. Adhesive
34
and a silicone release coating
36
are applied in patterns between the face ply
22
and the release liner
24
to permit selected attachment of the face ply to the release liner in some areas and to facilitate separation in others. Printing as well as lines of perforations or full severance by cutting are provided in certain areas of the face ply
22
and release liner
24
to provide the form
20
hereof. Advantageously, some of the printing may be accomplished during manufacture, while other printing on the forms is individualized on a form-by-form basis.
It may be appreciated that the form
20
as shown in
FIG. 3
is illustrated as a continuous web
38
of a connected series of forms
20
separated by cross-perforation lines
40
through both the face ply
22
and the release liner
24
into the individual forms
20
. This construction permits fan-folding of multiple forms and continuous feed during printing. When provided as a continuous web
38
, the forms
20
may initially include a control margin
42
along one or both longitudinal sides with feed strips
44
and
46
defined by longitudinally extending lines of weakening
48
and
50
, the feed strips
44
and
46
being provided with tractor feed holes
52
. However, the form
20
may also be provided in individual cut sheets rather than as a continuous web of connected forms, dispensing with the need for the feed strips
44
.
In greater detail, form
20
includes a top margin
54
, a bottom margin
56
, and side margins
58
and
60
. The face ply
22
includes a central portion
62
for functioning as an address label
64
and a surrounding border portion
66
positioned outboard of said central portion for attachment to a substrate such as a package as shown in FIG.
8
. As used herein, “inboard” relates directionally to the inner or central part of the form inwardly of the margins, while “outboard” refers directionally toward the area more proximate the margins. The face ply
22
may include preprinted indicia
68
including, for example, instruction indicia
70
for using the form
20
and identifying indicia
72
for identifying the sender. Spaced apart first and second tear strip perforation lines
74
and
76
are provided in the face ply
22
and extend from the top margin
54
almost to the bottom margin
56
to provide therebetween a tear strip
78
. Central portion
62
is defined within the top ply by tear strip perforation line
76
and by spaced-apart first and second transverse perforation lines
80
and
82
generally parallel to the top and bottom margins and by label perforation line
84
generally parallel to side margins
58
and
60
. Border portion
66
generally lies between the side margin
58
and tear strip
78
, and between top margin
54
, bottom margin
56
, and side margin
60
and central portion
62
.
Adhesive
54
is strategically applied in a pattern between the face ply and the release liner. Preferably, the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive, and is applied in a border pattern
86
on the inner face
28
of the face ply
22
beneath the border portion
66
, but preferably recessed about 1 mm outwardly from the perforation lines
74
,
80
,
82
and
84
to resist adhesive migration and undesired attachment between the face ply
22
and the release liner
24
. The border adhesive pattern
86
is not continuous in that part of the border portion
66
on the inner face
28
which is between tear strip perforation lines
74
and
76
except for a patch
88
of adhesive shown in
FIG. 5
to facilitate access to the tear strip
78
by the user but inhibit premature separation of the face ply
22
from the release liner
24
. A second, label adhesive pattern
90
is applied to the inner face of face ply
22
spaced interiorly of the perforation lines
76
,
78
,
80
and
84
to provide an adhesive free ring
92
. A packing slip
94
is provided by a die-cut line of separation
96
in the release liner. The adhesive-free ring preferably extends from about 1 mm outwardly of perforation lines
78
,
80
and
84
to about 1 mm inside the line of separation
96
, thus not only avoiding adhesive build up on cutting members during manufacture but also aiding in separation of the label and packing slip from the remainder of the form
20
. The adhesive
34
may be applied within adhesive patterns
86
and
90
in a continuous coating or as an intermittent coating to vary the amount of adhesion desired.
Silicone release coating
36
is applied over the release face
30
of the release liner in a release pattern
98
. The release pattern
98
preferably overlies the protective border
100
of the release liner
24
and extends slightly inboard of the line of separation
96
. However, at least a part of the release face
30
interiorly within the line of separation
96
is not included in the release pattern
98
, whereby direct adhesive connection is provided between the face ply
22
and the release liner
24
without any release coating therebetween. Preferably, this release-liner free area
102
is recessed about 1 mm interiorly of the circumscribing line of separation so that release coating is provided on the protective border
100
and across the line of separation
96
. As a result, the central portion
62
providing an address label of the face ply
22
is securely and substantially permanently bonded to the packing slip
94
in a two ply construction, with the remainder of the face ply
22
and release liner
24
outboard therefrom separable because any adhesive
34
on the face ply
22
contacts the release coating
36
and does not directly contact the release liner
24
.
Preferably, the preprinted indicia
68
includes a printed masking area
104
printed on the inner face
28
, or alternatively on the release face
30
. The indicia printed on form
20
to provide the masking area
104
is most preferably provided by ink or other visible coating which minimizes the transparency and translucency of the area to which it is printed. The printed indicia in the masking area
104
may be either continuous printing, as shown, or masking indicia as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,048 (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) as masking printing
31
or masking indicia
48
, and preferably covers more than 50% of the surface area within the line of separation
96
. That is to say, the actual ink coating is applied in a pattern or continuous coverage in the masking area effectively prevents viewing through the face ply
22
to see any printing on the back face
32
of the release liner
24
.
In use, the form
20
is fed through a printer
106
as shown in
FIG. 1 and 2
whereby individualized indicia
108
is printed on each form
20
. While the top face
26
may be printed and the form
20
removed and reversed to present the base face
32
, the form
20
is most efficiently employed using a duplex printer
106
whereby in the same pass through the printer, individualized indicia in the form of address indicia
110
may be printed on the face ply
26
while at the same time content indicia
112
may be printed on the back face
32
. Because no transfer medium is employed, ink jet printers, laser printers, thermal printers or other non-stylus printers may be employed as well as typewriters, dot matrix, daisy wheel or other stylus-type printers.
After the individualized indicia
108
is printed, the protective border
100
is peeled away from the border portion
66
of the face ply
22
of form
20
as shown in FIG.
5
. This exposes the adhesive so that the form
20
may be securely adhered to a substrate, such as a package
114
as shown in FIG.
8
.
FIG. 6
shows the form
20
as applied to the package in
FIG. 8
, and as may be seen in
FIGS. 6 and 8
, the address label
64
presenting the address indicia
110
is clearly visible, while the content indicia
112
printed on the back face
32
is obscured from view. The construction and method of application substantially ensure a match between the intended recipient and list of contents, avoiding the possibility of mixing up an address label and a packing list because from the time of printing to application, the two are not separated or separable. This inhibits the likelihood of incurring the substantial costs and onerous tasks associated with mismatched labels and packages. Access to the back face
32
is only possible by tearing the tear strip
78
along tear strip perforation lines
74
and
76
, as shown in FIG.
7
. By tearing the tear strip
78
and then pulling up the central portion
62
along the perforation lines
80
and
82
as directed by the instruction indicia
70
, the recipient gains access to the address label
64
bonded to the packing slip
94
. The two plies of the bonded central portion
62
resist tearing and aid in maintaining the packing slip intact during tearing from the border portion. The recipient then need only tear along the label perforation line
84
to remove the packing slip
94
from the package
114
, and thereby review the information on the back face
32
as shown in FIG.
9
. Tampering is evidenced by tearing of the perforations
74
,
76
,
80
,
82
, or
84
, or around the border portion
66
.
A second embodiment is shown as form
120
and is in many respects similar in construction and use to form
20
. To the extent that elements referenced above with respect to form
20
are shown or described with respect to form
120
, the reference characters are the same. The form
120
shown in
FIG. 10
is illustrated as a cut-sheet form but could also be provided as a continuous web of forms separated by cross-perforation lines and having feed strips as discussed with reference to form
20
.
Form
120
has a face ply
122
and a release liner
124
, wherein the face ply
122
has a surrounding margin
125
recessed interiorly of the perimeter
126
of the release liner
124
as shown in FIG.
10
. The provision of a recessed area
128
provides ease of separation of the protective border
100
during use of the form
120
. Additionally, the central portion
130
includes not only the address label
64
but also pull tabs
132
and
134
and a return label
136
, defined by pull tab perforation lines
138
and
140
and another release label perforation line
142
which are parallel to label perforation line
84
and extend between transverse perforation lines
80
and
82
.
Adhesive
34
is applied to the inner face
28
in an adhesive pattern
144
as shown by the shaded area in FIG.
12
. The adhesive pattern extends into the central portion but does not extend to the address label
64
, that is, the area bounded by perforation lines
80
,
82
,
140
and
142
, and preferably about a 1 to 2 mm adhesive-free area is provided between any adhesive and the perforation lines
80
,
82
,
84
,
140
,
142
and tear strip perforation lines
74
and
76
. The masking area
104
is shown as reverse printing indicia
143
, i.e. the printing within the masking area creates indicia by the absence of ink, whereby both masking of the content indicia
112
and additional preprinted instruction indicia
70
a
may be provided on the face ply
122
. The masking area
104
is shown as only extending across inner face of the address label
64
, but it may be understood that the masking area could extend to the inner face of the return label
136
, the pull tabs
132
and
134
, or indeed the border portion
66
if desired.
FIG. 13
shows the release pattern
146
of release coating
36
applied to the release face
30
of the release liner
124
, with the dotted lines showing the margin and perforation lines of the face ply
122
for purposes of comparison and to show the registry between the face ply
122
and the release liner
124
. The diagonal lines show the coverage of the release pattern
146
, which may also extend about 1 mm across the die cut line of separation
96
if desired to assist in the separation of the packing slip
94
if the pattern of adhesive
144
is slightly misaligned, or outwardly to the perimeter of the release liner. As shown in
FIG. 14
, the back face
32
of the release liner
124
is provided with individualized indicia
108
, such as the content indicia
112
shown. Form
120
permits the preprinted indicia
68
to include return address identifying indicia
72
a
and the additional preprinted instruction indicia
70
a
, as well as instruction indicia
70
and identifying indicia
72
as shown with reference to form
20
.
Form
120
is made similarly to form
20
in that the face ply
122
and release liner
124
are initially printed with the preprinted indicia
68
, adhesive is applied in the desired pattern
144
to the inner face
28
and release coating
36
is applied in the desired release pattern
146
either to the release face
30
or to the inner face
28
after the adhesive pattern
144
has been applied, and the face ply
122
is mated in registry to the release liner
124
. The continuous web
38
of the mated face ply
122
and release liner
124
is then perforated through die cutting, perforation wheels or other conventional mechanisms, and the line of separation
96
is applied to the release liner
124
to provide the packing slip
94
. As noted above, the continuous web
38
may be cross perforated or individual forms
120
provided by cutting into separate cut sheets as shown in
FIGS. 10
,
12
,
13
and
14
.
FIG. 10
shows the use of a control number indicia
148
and a bar code indicia
150
to provide additional ease of internal accounting by the sender.
Form
120
is also used similarly to form
20
. Individualized indicia
108
including address indicia
110
and content indicia
112
are respectively printed on the top face
26
and the back face
32
are printed by printer
106
at the time of use, preferably by using computerized information regarding the recipient. The protective border
100
is then peeled away so that the form
120
may be adhesively secured to a substrate, such as package
114
, with the top face
26
bearing the address label
64
with instruction indicia
70
and identifying indicia
72
as well as address indicia
110
visible, but content indicia on back face
32
hidden and masked by masking area
104
.
The recipient may grasp and pull the tear strip along tear strip perforation lines
74
and
76
. Adhesive
34
directly contacts portions of the face ply
122
and release liner
124
within the pull tabs
132
and
133
without intervention of a release coating to provide two plys and reinforcement when the central portion
130
including the packing slip
94
are torn free from the border portion
66
. However, in form
120
, adhesive pattern
144
does not extend on the inner face
28
of the face ply
122
within the address label
64
, so that the address label
64
may be separated along perforation lines
140
and
142
from the pull tabs
132
and
134
and thus also from the packing slip
94
. This enables the instruction indicia
70
a
provided by the reverse printing within the masking area
104
to be visible to the recipient, thereby providing an additional printed surface as shown in
FIG. 12
while retaining the reinforcement provided by the two-ply pull tabs
132
and
134
and the masking function inhibiting viewing of the content indicia
112
until the packing slip
94
is torn free.
Applicant has shown the form
20
as a continuous form with tractor feed strips and form
120
as a cut-sheet form. The particular manner of production is intended to illustrate examples, rather than limitations as to the size or whether multiple forms or continuous forms are attached to one another. For example, form
20
is readily useful without the tractor feed strips shown, either as a continuous form which may be fan-folded or provided on rolls, or as a cut-sheet form. As a cut sheet form, for example, form elements
20
A and
20
B may be provided on a single standard-sized 8.5 inch by 11 inch sheet without the need for feed strips
44
and
46
and separated by a cross-perforation line
20
, although the size of the sheet is not intended to be limiting. Similarly, form
120
may be provided not as a single cut-sheet form, but also as a continuous form as shown with respect to form
20
, which may be fan-folded or provided on a roll, or multiple forms
120
may be provided on a single sheet as described above.
Although preferred forms of the invention have been described above, it is to be recognized that such disclosure is by way of illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the masking area
104
can be printed on either the inner face of the top ply or the release face of the release liner, and may extend beyond the central portion and across the border portion. The adhesive may be applied in a continuous coating or a pattern coating within the adhesive pattern depending on the degree of adhesion desired. It may also be appreciated that scoring or other weakening may be used in place of perforation lines to provide lines of weakening, and that such lines of weakening can be used in place of lines of separation. Additionally, the perforation lines need not be straight lines as shown, but can be arcuate or in other shapes as desired.
The inventor hereby states his intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of his invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set out in the following claims.
Claims
- 1. A business form for adhesive application to a substrate and for carrying publicly displayed indicia on one side and hidden indicia on a second, opposite side, said business form comprising:a face ply having a top face and an inner face, a surrounding margin including a top margin, a bottom margin and first and second side margins, a tear strip defined by first and second generally parallel transversely extending lines of perforation between said first and second side margins and generally parallel thereto, and a separable central portion located between one of said tear strip lines of perforation and a label perforation generally parallel to said tear strip lines of perforation, and a pair of spaced apart transverse lines of perforation angularly oriented relative to said tear strip lines of perforation, said central portion including preprinted indicia on said top face, and a border portion generally surrounding said central portion; indicia printed within said central portion of said top face; a release liner having a release face and a back face, said release liner including a line of separation therein defining a centrally located slip area generally positioned beneath said central portion of said face ply and a protective border positioned generally beneath said border portion; indicia printed within said slip area of said back face; a layer of adhesive applied in a pattern between said inner face of said face ply and said release face of said release liner, said adhesive pattern including adhesive between at least a portion of said border portion and said protective border and adhesive between a part of said central portion and said release liner; and a layer of release coating applied in a pattern between said inner face of said face ply and said release face of said release liner, said release pattern including release coating between at least a portion of said border portion and said protective border, and including a release coating-free area between at least a part of said central portion and said release liner.
- 2. A business form as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said pattern of release coating is applied intermediate a portion of said pattern of adhesive coating and said release liner.
- 3. A business form as set forth in claim 2, wherein a majority of said slip area of said release face of said release liner is not covered with release coating and contacts said adhesive of said adhesive pattern.
- 4. A business form as set forth in claim 2, wherein said tear strip of said face ply relatively inboard of said transverse lines of weakening is not covered on its inner face by adhesive from said pattern of adhesive.
- 5. A business form as set forth in claim 4, including a patch of adhesive applied between said inner face of said face ply relatively outboard one of said transverse lines of weakening and said release face of said release liner.
- 6. A business form as set forth in claim 2, wherein said adhesive pattern is spaced from said line of weakening to provide an adhesive-free zone outboard and inboard of said line of weakening.
- 7. A business form as set forth in claim 2, including a masking area printed on one of said inner face or release face intermediate said top face and said indicia printed within said slip area of said back face.
- 8. A business form as set forth in claim 7, wherein said masking area is reverse printed to provide a printed area within said masking area.
- 9. A business form as set forth in claim 2, wherein said pattern of adhesive and pattern of release coating are applied to provide first and second discrete and laterally spaced pull tabs where the face ply and release liner are directly adhesively connected without intervention of release coating therebetween.
- 10. A business form as set forth in claim 9, including two spaced, substantially parallel pull tab perforation lines in said central portion and a label area for receiving address indicia on said top face thereof and located between said pull tabs, said label area being separable from said slip area.
- 11. A business form as set forth in claim 10, including another perforation line substantially parallel to said pull tab perforation lines for defining a return label between said label area and one of said pull tabs, said pattern of adhesive including adhesive between at least a part of the inner face within said return label and said release liner, and said pattern of release coating including release coating intermediate the adhesive within said return label and said release face.
- 12. A business form as set forth in claim 1, wherein said form is provided as a continuous web.
- 13. A business form as set forth in claim 1, wherein said form is provided as an individual two-ply sheet.
- 14. A business form for adhesive application to a substrate and for carrying publicly displayed indicia on one side and hidden indicia on a second, opposite side, said business form comprising:a first ply having a top face and an inner face and a surrounding margin; a second ply having a liner face and a back face and a surrounding perimeter, said second ply being superposed below said first ply; adhesive applied between at least part of said first ply and said second ply for adhesively interconnecting said first ply and second ply; release coating located between at least a part of said adhesive and at least a part of said second ply; a line of separation in said second ply located inboard of said perimeter to define a packing slip within said second ply; a first line of weakness in said first ply defining a central portion inboard of said surrounding margin, said line of weakness defining said central portion being in substantial registry with said line of separation; a second line of weakness in said first ply extending from said margin substantially across said first ply and parallel to at least a part of said first line of weakness.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4928875 |
Hutchinson |
May 1990 |
|
5289972 |
Sauerwine et al. |
Mar 1994 |
|
5370420 |
Khatib et al. |
Dec 1994 |
|
5730469 |
Heimerdinger et al. |
Mar 1998 |
|