This application claims the priority of European Patent Application No. 03405637.4, filed on Sep. 3, 2003, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to a method for binding graphic products, wherein folded signatures are fixedly joined along a back with the aid of joining means.
Methods for binding graphic products such as books, brochures or magazines have long been known, wherein three methods in particular have proven themselves in practical operations. These methods include wire-stitching, thread-stitching and perfect binding.
With the wire-stitching method, folded signatures are stitched together along the back with a wire staple in a comparatively fast and cheap mechanical operation. The disadvantage of wire-stitching is that it carries a certain injury risk if the wire-staple legs are not bent correctly. For children's books in particular this must be taken into consideration because small children can injure themselves on protruding wire staple legs. A further disadvantage is the undesirable increase in thickness caused by the wire staples. Since the wire-stitched print products comprise paper as well as metal, they are heterogeneous with respect to recycling and thus are not ideal candidates for recycling. However, an optimum recycling is essential, particularly for brochures and magazines.
Comparatively high-quality print products can be produced with the thread-stitching method. However, thread-stitching is mechanically demanding since it requires the use of very thin needles and, additionally, is comparatively slow.
For the perfect binding method, the signature backs are milled off and glued together by applying adhesive. Since the backs are first milled off, as mentioned, the binding with the applied adhesive occurs only along the milled edges. The disadvantage of the perfect binding method is that the holding power is comparatively low, particularly if a flat opening of the print, for example a book, is desired,
It is an object of the present invention to make available a different binding method.
The above and other objects are achieved by the provision of a method for binding graphic products formed of folded signatures securely joined along a folded back end of the signatures, comprising: providing at least one flexible tab; providing each signature, respectively, with at least one slit in a region of a fold; and pulling the at least one tab into the at least one slit, respectively, for joining the signatures.
With the method according to the invention, the signatures are thus joined with the aid of flexible tabs, which are pulled through slits in the signature back and are then bent over. These tabs can be made of paper, textile materials or plastic, such that a product without metal parts is created, which also does not entail the risk of injury. Pulling a tab through a slit in a signature can be controlled easier mechanically than stitching together the signatures with thin needles. The durability and cohesion are considerably higher than with the perfect binding method since no milling of the signature backs is required. The product produced with the method according to the invention can be opened flat and can also be closed completely. In addition, there are no joining parts (e.g. staples) which cause a considerable increase in thickness.
According to one modification of the invention, the tab takes the form of a flap on one of the signatures, wherein the flap can be created by punching it out of the signature. However, it can also be a part of a paper signature that is not folded. At least two flaps, arranged at a distance to each other, are advantageously provided on a sheet and/or a signature. The length of the flap is measured such that it can be inserted through the slits in the signatures to be joined, can be bent over at one exposed end and affixed to the outer signature, in particular also glued on. However, these flaps can also project from the signature back and can be provided with holes for filing them in a ring binder. The signatures joined in this way can be bound inside a cover, for example with the aid of adhesive.
A particularly simple and durable binding is achieved if, according to another modification of the invention, the tab pulled into the slits in the signatures is bent over at one exposed end and is affixed to at least one signature, wherein the bent-over tab is preferably secured to the signature by gluing it on.
The invention furthermore relates to a graphic product produced with the method according to the invention. The product in particular is a book, a brochure, a magazine or the like.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in further detail in the following with the aid of the accompanying drawing.
a-4c show diagrammatic spatial views of the joining of the folded signatures by pulling the tabs through the slits.
a-5d show diagrammatic spatial views of the individual method steps according to the invention, wherein the tabs are pulled through slits in the back.
a,
8
b show a diagrammatic representation of joining folded signatures with the aid of separate tabs.
The method according to the invention is explained in further detail in the following with the aid of
Two or more folded signatures 17 are joined with the aid of the non-folded signature 12, shown in
a to 5d show the joining of two or more folded signatures 31 by means of the signature 8. The signatures 31 are provided respectively with two open slits 32 on the side, the length of which corresponds to the width of a flap 10. The signature 8 is inserted into the fitted-together signatures 31, as shown in
Following the binding into the cover 21, the open sides are trimmed. The cover 21 can preferably be joined to the product 16 on the inside, by means of the flaps 10 or by gluing the sides along the back. However, the flaps 10 can also be pulled through the cover and can then be free to meet an additional function, for example, or they can be imprinted and designated as coupon. In that case, the flap 10 is preferably perforated for a partial removal.
a and 8b show a method where separately produced, flexible, strip-like parts 22, 27 or 28 are used for joining the sections in place of the above-mentioned flaps 7, 10 and 14. In the same way as the flaps 7, 10 and 14, these parts 22, 27 and 28 comprises strip-shaped tabs and/or joining tabs.
To be able to join folded signatures 24 as shown in
The part 27 shown in
The slit into which the part 28 is pulled essentially has the same length as the width of web 45, formed as a result of the punched-out areas 44. The signatures 24 can also be combined with the aid of different parts 22, 27 and/or 28. For example, the signatures 24 can be held together by three parts 22 or 27 and two parts 28. In that case, the two parts 28 in particular form two eyelets for filing the product in a ring binder. The shapes of the flaps, tabs, etc can also vary within broad limits, e.g. they can be tapered in some regions to facilitate the pulling in.
The flaps can furthermore also form components (punched-out areas) of the outermost signature or the cover and can be pulled from the outside through the slits and then secured on the innermost signature.
The invention has been described in detail with respect to preferred embodiments, and it will now be apparent from the foregoing to those skilled in the art, that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and the invention, therefore, as defined in the appended claims, is intended to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
03405637.4 | Sep 2003 | EP | regional |