Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6739816
-
Patent Number
6,739,816
-
Date Filed
Friday, November 24, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, May 25, 200420 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 412 1
- 412 3
- 412 4
- 412 8
- 412 19
- 412 36
- 412 37
- 156 1
- 281 151
- 281 211
- 281 29
- 206 389
- 206 411
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
Systems and methods for attaching a cover to a text body to create bound documents with floating and attached spines are described. In some embodiments, a solid pressure sensitive adhesive film is applied between a cover and the side hinge areas of a text body, and a cover is bound to the side hinge areas of the text body with pressure. A solid pressure sensitive adhesive tape may be dispensed from an adhesive dispenser that includes a plug-in cartridge housing, a supply spool, and a take-up spool. In other embodiments, an adhesive sheet that includes a hot melt adhesive film and a backing is applied to the text body, with the hot melt adhesive film in contact with the side hinge areas and the spine of the text body. The hot melt adhesive is exposed in areas corresponding to the side hinge areas of the text body for attaching the cover to the text body. In one embodiment, an adhesive sheet includes a hot melt adhesive film and a backing layer that is attached to the hot melt adhesive film and has one or more slits extending in a substantially longitudinal direction. The slitted backing layer is configured to expose the hot melt adhesive upon stretching of the backing layer in a direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to systems and methods of attaching a cover to a text body.
BACKGROUND
Today, a variety of different bookbinding systems can deliver professionally bound documents, including books, manuals, publications, annual reports, newsletters, business plans, and brochures. A bookbinding system generally may be classified as a-commercial (or trade) bookbinding system that is designed for in-line manufacturing of high quality volume runs or an in-house (or office) bookbinding system designed for short “on-demand” runs. Commercial bookbinding systems generally provide a wide variety of binding capabilities, but require large production runs (e.g., on the order of thousands of bindings) to offset the set-up cost of each production run and to support the necessary investment in expensive in-line production equipment. Office bookbinding systems, on the other hand, generally involve manual intervention and provide relatively few binding capabilities, but are significantly less expensive to set up and operate than commercial bookbinding systems, even for short on-demand production runs of only a few books.
In general, a bookbinding system collects a plurality of sheets (or pages) into a text body (or book block) that includes a spine and two side hinge areas. The bookbinding system applies an adhesive to the text body spine to bind the sheets together. A cover may be attached to the bound text body by applying an adhesive to the side hinge areas or the spine of the text body, or both. The cover of a typical commercial soft cover book generally is attached to the text spine. The covers of hardcover books and some soft cover “lay flat” books, on the other hand, typically are not attached to the text body spines (i.e., the spines are “floating”).
Many different systems have been proposed for making books with attached spines. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,350 discloses an apparatus for binding sheets that includes a pair of clamping plates that hold the sheets during binding after an aligning plate has aligned the sheet edges. A heating platen heats and melts a backless solid hot melt adhesive that is placed along the sheet edges. The hot melt adhesive binds the sheets together at the spinal area. The hot melt adhesive also may be used to attach a preformed book cover to the text body spine.
Similarly, many different systems have been proposed for making books with floating spines.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,423 discloses a paperback bookbinding scheme in which the text body is bound by a hot melt adhesive that is attached to a coating (or laminating) film that prevents the text body from attaching to the cover in the spinal area of the cover. In this way, the book is free to open with a floating spine. In one embodiment, a molten synthetic resin of pressure-sensitive glue (or adhesive) is applied to the spine and side hinge areas of the text body. A non-adhering coating is applied to a region of the cover that extends over the spinal area between a pair of hinge score lines. The non-adhering coating is formed from a quick-drying liquid carrier and a powdered material. Glue strips are applied to the cover along lines just beyond the score lines. The text body is attached to the cover by the glue strips and is attached to the non-adhering coating by the pressure sensitive adhesive. When the book is opened, the non-adhering coating allows the text body to move independently of the spinal portion of the cover. In another embodiment, a clear plastic film is laminated to the side hinge areas of the cover, but is unattached to the cover in the spinal area where a non-adhering coating previously was applied. The text body is attached to the laminating film by hot melt glue strips. As a result, when the book is opened, the text body is free to move independently of the spinal area of the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,769 discloses a paperback bookbinding scheme in which the text body is bound by an adhesive. A crash layer (or crinkle paper layer) is attached by a glue adhesive to one or both side hinge areas of the cover, but not to the spinal area of the cover. The crash layer then is attached to the text body by a glue adhesive. Thus, the cover is not attached to the crash layer, allowing the book to open with a floating spine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,410 discloses a paperback bookbinding scheme in which the text body is bound by a flexible support layer (e.g., gauze, cloth, crepe strip or ribbon). The cover is attached to the text body by two adhesive glue strips that extend along the front and back hinge areas.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 8324153 discloses a bookbinding scheme in which a tape is laminated to the front and rear of a text body, but not to the spine area of the text body. The entire extent of the tape is bonded to the cover. When the book is opened, the text body is allowed to move independently of the tape in the area of the book spine.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 6048065 discloses a bookbinding scheme in which a hot melt adhesive is applied to the spine and side hinge areas of a text body. A “paste-dissolving liquid” is applied to the spinal area to prevent the text body from adhering to the cover. As a result, when the cover is pressed against the text body, the cover attaches only to the side hinge areas of the text body.
Still other bookbinding systems have been proposed.
SUMMARY
The invention features novel systems and methods for attaching a cover to a text body to create bound documents with floating and attached spines.
In one aspect, the invention features a bookbinding method in accordance with which two or more sheets are bound into a text body having an exposed spine bounded by two exposed side hinge areas. A solid pressure sensitive adhesive film is applied between a cover and the side hinge areas of the text body. The cover is bound to the side hinge areas of the text body by applying pressure to the cover.
Embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the following features.
The solid pressure sensitive adhesive film may be applied to the cover before contacting the side hinge areas of the text body. The solid pressure sensitive adhesive film may be applied to the cover as two strips that are spaced apart by a width dimension that is at least as wide as the exposed spine of the text body.
In some embodiments, the solid pressure sensitive adhesive film is applied between the cover and the exposed spine of the text body. The solid pressure sensitive adhesive film may be applied as a single continuous strip with a width dimension that is wider than the exposed spine of the text body. Alternatively, the solid pressure sensitive adhesive film may be applied in a series of multiple strips over an area corresponding to the side hinge areas and the exposed spine of the text body.
In one embodiment, the solid pressure sensitive adhesive film comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive composition laminated to a hot melt adhesive film. In this embodiment, two or more sheets are bound into the text body by applying the solid pressure sensitive adhesive film with the hot melt adhesive film in contact with the side hinge areas and the exposed spine of the text body. The hot melt adhesive film is melted to bind the two or more sheets to the text body. The cover is bound to the side hinge areas of the text body by disposing the cover over the text body and applying pressure to the cover to activate the pressure sensitive adhesive composition.
In another aspect, the invention features a bookbinding system that includes a sheet binder, an adhesive dispenser, and a cover binder. The sheet binder is configured to bind two or more sheets into a text body having an exposed spine that is bounded by two exposed side hinge areas. The adhesive dispenser is configured to apply a solid pressure sensitive adhesive film between a cover and the side hinge areas of the text body. The cover binder is configured to bind the cover to the side hinge areas of the text body by applying pressure to the cover.
Embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the following features.
The adhesive dispenser preferably is configured to apply a solid pressure sensitive adhesive film to the cover in a series of spaced-apart strips. The adhesive dispenser preferably comprises a plug-in cartridge housing. The adhesive dispenser preferably comprises a supply spool that is disposed within the plug-in cartridge housing and is configured to support a roll of pressure sensitive adhesive tape formed from a solid pressure sensitive adhesive film disposed on a carrier ribbon. The adhesive dispenser preferably also comprises a take-up spool that is disposed within the plug-in cartridge housing and is configured to reel-in spent carrier ribbon.
In another aspect, the invention features a bookbinding method in accordance with which two or more sheets are collected into a text body having an exposed spine bounded by two exposed side hinge areas. An adhesive sheet comprising a hot melt adhesive film and a backing is applied to the text body with the hot melt adhesive film in contact with the side hinge areas and the spine of the text body. The hot melt adhesive is exposed in areas corresponding to the side hinge areas of the text body. A cover is disposed over the text body. The hot melt adhesive is melted to bind the two or more sheets at the text body spine and to bind the cover to the side hinge areas of the text body.
Embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the following features.
The backing may include one or more slits, and the hot melt adhesive may be exposed by stretching the backing in the side hinge areas to expose the hot melt adhesive through the slits. In another embodiment, the hot melt adhesive may be exposed by removing the backing in areas corresponding to the side hinge areas of the text body. In another embodiment, the hot melt adhesive is exposed by folding edges of the adhesive sheet back over at least a portion of each of the side hinge areas.
In another aspect, the invention features an adhesive sheet comprising a hot melt adhesive film, and a backing layer attached to the hot melt adhesive film and having one or more slits extending in a substantially longitudinal direction and configured to expose the hot melt adhesive upon stretching of the backing layer in a direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.
In some embodiments, the backing comprises a staggered array of slits.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, including the drawings and the claims.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a diagrammatic side view of a bookbinding system.
FIG. 2
is a diagrammatic perspective view of a text body formed by collecting and aligning a plurality of sheets.
FIG. 3
is a diagrammatic end view of the text body of
FIG. 2
bound by a hot melt adhesive applied to the text body spine.
FIG. 4A
is a diagrammatic front view of a cover with two strips of pressure sensitive adhesive applied to areas corresponding to the side hinge areas of the bound text body of FIG.
3
.
FIG. 4B
is a diagrammatic end view of the cover of
FIG. 4A
being folded over the bound text body of FIG.
3
.
FIG. 4C
is a diagrammatic end view of an open bound book with a floating spine formed by attaching the cover of
FIG. 4A
to the bound text body of FIG.
3
.
FIG. 5
is a diagrammatic front view of a cover with a single strip of pressure sensitive adhesive applied to an area corresponding to the spine and side hinge areas of the bound text body of FIG.
3
.
FIG. 6
is a diagrammatic front view of a cover with multiple strips of pressure sensitive adhesive applied to an area corresponding to the spine and side hinge areas of the bound text body of FIG.
3
.
FIG. 7A
is a diagrammatic side view of a plug-in adhesive dispenser for applying solid pressure sensitive adhesive film to a book cover.
FIG. 7B
is a diagrammatic side view of an adhesive dispensing mechanism of the plug-in adhesive dispenser of
FIG. 7A
, including a supply spool supporting a roll of a sheet adhesive formed from a solid pressure sensitive adhesive film composition disposed on a carrier ribbon, and a take-up spool configured to reel-in spent carrier ribbon.
FIG. 8
is a diagrammatic end view of the text body of
FIG. 2
bound by a hot melt adhesive with a slitted backing layer.
FIG. 9A
is a diagrammatic top view of the slitted backing layer of
FIG. 8
in a relaxed state.
FIG. 9B
is a diagrammatic top view of the slitted backing layer of
FIG. 8
in a stretched state.
FIG. 10
is a diagrammatic end view of the text body of
FIG. 2
bound by a backed hot melt adhesive with the backing layer removed in areas corresponding to the side hinge areas of the text body.
FIG. 11
is a diagrammatic end view of the text body of
FIG. 2
bound by a backed hot melt adhesive with edges folded back over at least a portion of each of the side hinge areas of the text body.
FIG. 12A
is a diagrammatic perspective view of an adhesive sheet that includes a pressure sensitive adhesive composition that is laminated to a hot melt adhesive film.
FIG. 12B
is a diagrammatic partial end view of a cover attached to the text body of
FIG. 2
by the adhesive sheet of FIG.
12
A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following description, like reference numbers are used to identify like elements. Furthermore, the drawings are intended to illustrate major features of exemplary embodiments in a diagrammatic manner. The drawings are not intended to depict every feature of actual embodiments nor relative dimensions of the depicted elements, and are not drawn to scale.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, in one embodiment, a bookbinding system
10
includes a printer
12
and a finisher
14
. Bookbinding system
10
may be implemented as a desktop or office bookmaking system designed to satisfy on-demand bookbinding needs. Printer
12
may be a conventional printer (e.g., a LaserJet® printer available from Hewlett-Packard Company of Palo Alto, Calif., U.S.A.) that includes a supply tray
16
that is configured to hold a plurality of sheets (e.g., paper sheets), and a print engine
18
that is configured to apply markings onto the sheets received from supply tray
16
. Finisher
14
includes a sheet collector
20
and a bookbinder
22
. Bookbinder
22
includes a sheet binder that is configured to bind the text body sheets to one another, and a cover binder that is configured to attach a cover to the bound text body. In operation, sheets are fed from supply tray
16
to print engine
18
, which prints text, pictures, graphics, images and other patterns onto the sheets. The printed sheets are fed to sheet collector
20
, which collects and aligns the sheets into a text body
24
with an exposed spine bounded by two exposed side hinge areas. The text body
24
is conveyed to bookbinder
22
. The sheet binder binds the sheets of text body
24
, and the cover binder attaches a cover to the bound text body to produce a bound book
26
with a floating or attached spine.
As shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, text body
24
includes a plurality of sheets that are registered and aligned with respect to two datum edges. The sheets preferably are aligned with reference to a front end
28
and one of two sides
30
,
32
so that variations in sheet dimensions are accommodated in a spinal area (or spine)
34
, which is located opposite to front end
28
. Spine
34
is bounded by two side hinge areas
36
,
38
. Text body
24
may be characterized by a height dimension
40
, a width dimension
42
, and a thickness dimension
44
. In one embodiment, height dimension
40
and thickness dimension
44
are measured. A hot melt adhesive
46
is pre-formed, applied to the text body spine
34
, and heated to a temperature at or above the melting temperature of the adhesive. The melted adhesive conforms to the exposed surface features of spinal area
34
and flows into spaces between the edges of the sheets by capillary action. Upon cooling, hot melt adhesive
46
re-solidifies and binds the sheets into a bound text body. A variety of different hot melt adhesive compositions may be used to bind the text body sheets, including a conventional paper-backed hot melt sheet adhesive that may be dispensed from a roll.
Referring to
FIGS. 4A-4C
, in one embodiment, a solid pressure sensitive adhesive film is applied to a cover
48
as two strips
50
,
52
in cover areas
54
,
56
that correspond to side hinge areas
36
,
38
of text body
24
. Pressure sensitive adhesive strips
50
,
52
are spaced apart by a width dimension
58
that is at least as wide as the thickness dimension
44
of text body spine
34
. As shown in
FIG. 4B
, cover
48
is aligned with respect to the same datum edges used to align the sheets of text body
24
, cut to size, and folded over the bound text body
24
. Cover
48
preferably is scored along a pair of score lines
60
,
62
to allow cover
48
preferentially to fold over spinal area
34
of text body
24
. Pressure is applied to cover areas
54
,
56
to activate pressure sensitive adhesive strips
50
,
52
and, thereby, attach cover
48
to text body
24
. As shown in
FIG. 4C
, the resulting perfectly bound book
26
has a floating spine that enables the book
26
to lay flat when opened.
As shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, text body
24
may be bound to cover
48
with an attached spine construction by applying a solid pressure sensitive adhesive film to a cover area
64
that corresponds to text body spine
34
. The solid pressure sensitive adhesive film may be applied as a single continuous strip
66
over cover areas
54
,
56
, and
64
(FIG.
5
), or in a series of multiple strips
68
,
70
,
72
over cover areas
54
,
56
, and
64
(FIG.
6
).
As used herein, “pressure sensitive adhesives” refer to a class of adhesive compositions that are applied with pressure and generally do not undergo a liquid to solid transition in order to hold materials together. Pressure sensitive adhesives may be solvent-free natural or synthetic resins characterized by the rapid wetting of a surface to form an adhesive bond upon contact with the surface under pressure.
Referring to
FIGS. 7A and 7B
, in one embodiment, pressure sensitive adhesive strips may be applied to cover
48
by an adhesive dispenser
80
that includes a plug-in cartridge housing
82
and an adhesive dispensing mechanism
83
. Cartridge housing
82
may plug into a corresponding receptacle in bookbinder
22
of finisher
14
. The receptacle is located on a positioning mechanism that draws adhesive dispenser
80
across selected areas of cover
48
. Adhesive dispensing mechanism
83
includes a take-up spool
84
, a supply spool
86
, an application roller
88
, and a guide roller
90
. Supply spool
86
is disposed within plug-in cartridge housing
82
and is configured to support a roll of sheet adhesive (or adhesive tape)
94
that includes a pressure sensitive adhesive composition disposed on a carrier ribbon
92
. Take-up spool
84
is configured to reel-in spent carrier ribbon
92
. In operation, application roller
88
is placed against a surface of cover
48
. Take-up spool
84
and supply spool
86
are coupled by a gear coupling mechanism. The gear coupling mechanism is configured so that take-up spool
84
reels in spent carrier ribbon
92
at a speed that is greater than the feed speed of supply spool
86
, even when the winding diameter of carrier ribbon
92
on take-up spool
84
becomes greater than the winding diameter of adhesive tape roll
94
. Excessive tension between take-up spool
84
and supply spool
86
is relieved by a conventional clutch mechanism between the gears of take-up spool
84
and supply spool
86
. As adhesive dispenser
80
is drawn across the cover surface in a direction indicated by arrow
98
, the tack properties of the pressure sensitive adhesive between application roller
88
and the cover surface releases a film of pressure sensitive adhesive from carrier ribbon
94
onto the cover surface.
Multiple adhesive dispensers
80
may be stacked and loaded into bookbinder
22
. Cartridge housing
82
of each adhesive dispenser includes a window
100
through which an optical sensor may detect when the supply of adhesive tape
92
is exhausted. Bookbinder
22
may be configured to replace an exhausted adhesive dispenser automatically based upon a signal received from the optical sensor. After each of the loaded adhesive dispensers has been exhausted, bookbinder
22
may display a notice indicating that another adhesive dispenser stack should be loaded into the system.
Other embodiments are within the scope of the claims. For example, the same sheet adhesive may be used both to bind the text body sheets and to bind the cover to the text body to produce bound books with floating and attached spines.
Referring to
FIGS. 8
,
9
A and
9
B, in one embodiment, an adhesive sheet
110
that includes a hot melt adhesive film
112
and a slitted backing layer
114
may be used both to bind the text body sheets and to bind cover
48
to text body
24
. Backing layer
114
may be formed from paper with a non-stick, exposed surface
116
. In one embodiment, backing layer
114
includes a staggered array of slits
118
. In operation, adhesive
110
may be cut to size and placed over spine
34
and side hinge areas
36
,
38
of text body
24
. Hot melt adhesive film
112
then is heated to a temperature at or above the melting temperature of the adhesive. The melted adhesive conforms to the exposed surface features of spinal area
34
and flows into spaces between the edges of the sheets. Before hot melt adhesive
112
has re-solidified, the portion of backing layer
114
located above spinal area
34
may be clamped in position, while the portions of backing layer
114
disposed over side hinge areas
36
,
38
may be pulled downward in a direction away from spinal area
34
. As shown in
FIG. 9B
, the application of such a force
119
across the side hinge area portions of backing layer
114
opens each of the slits
118
to expose hot melt adhesive
112
. Cover
48
may then be folded over text body
24
and pressed into contact with the hot melt adhesive that is exposed through slits
118
. Upon cooling, hot melt adhesive film
112
re-solidifies to bind the text body sheets to one another and cover
48
to text body
24
. The resulting perfectly bound book
26
has a floating spine that enables the book to lay flat when opened.
Referring to
FIG. 10
, in another embodiment, an adhesive sheet
120
that includes a hot melt adhesive film
122
and a backing layer
124
may be used both to bind the text body sheets and to bind cover
48
to text body
24
. Backing layer
124
may be formed from paper with a non-stick, exposed surface
126
. In operation, adhesive sheet
120
may be cut to size and placed over spine
34
and side hinge areas
36
,
38
of text body
24
. The portion of backing layer
124
located above spinal area
34
may be clamped in position, while the portions of backing layer
124
disposed over side hinge areas
36
,
38
may be removed. Hot melt adhesive film
122
then is heated to a temperature at or above the melting temperature of the adhesive. The melted adhesive conforms to the exposed surface features of spinal area
34
and flows into spaces between the edges of the sheets. Before hot melt adhesive
122
has re-solidified, cover
48
may be folded over text body
24
. Upon cooling, hot melt adhesive film
122
re-solidifies to bind the sheets to one another and cover
48
to text body
24
. The resulting perfectly bound book
26
has a floating spine that enables the book to lay flat when opened.
Referring to
FIG. 11
, in another embodiment, an adhesive sheet
130
that includes a hot melt adhesive film
132
and a backing layer
134
may be used both to bind the text body sheets and to bind cover
48
to text body
24
. Backing layer
134
may be formed from paper with a non-stick, exposed surface
136
. In operation, adhesive sheet
130
may be cut to size and placed over spine
34
and side hinge areas
36
,
38
of text body
24
. The portion of backing layer
134
located above spinal area
34
may be clamped in position, while the portions of backing layer
134
disposed over side hinge areas
36
,
38
may be folded back over at least a portion of each of the side hinge areas
36
,
38
. Hot melt adhesive film
132
then is heated to a temperature at or above the melting temperature of the adhesive. The melted adhesive conforms to the exposed surface features of spinal area
34
and flows into spaces between the edges of the sheets. Before hot melt adhesive
132
has re-solidified, cover
48
may be folded over text body
24
. Upon cooling, hot melt adhesive film
132
re-solidifies to bind the sheets to one another and cover
48
to text body
24
. The resulting perfectly bound book
26
has a floating spine that enables the book to lay flat when opened.
Referring to
FIGS. 12A and 12B
, in another embodiment, a sheet adhesive
140
includes a pressure sensitive adhesive composition
142
that is laminated to a hot melt adhesive film
144
. Sheet adhesive
140
may be used both to bind the text body sheets and to bind cover
48
to text body
24
. In operation, adhesive sheet
140
may be cut to size and placed over spine
34
and side hinge areas
36
,
38
of text body
24
. Hot melt adhesive film
144
then is heated to a temperature at or above the melting temperature of the adhesive. The melted adhesive conforms to the exposed surface features of spinal area
34
and flows into spaces between the edges of the sheets and over side hinge areas
36
,
38
. Upon cooling, hot melt adhesive film
144
re-solidifies to bind the sheets into a bound text body. Cover
48
may be folded over text body
24
, and pressure may be applied to cover areas corresponding to the spine
34
and side hinge areas
36
,
38
to activate pressure sensitive adhesive
142
. The resulting bound book
26
has an attached spine.
In sum, the above-described embodiments incorporate novel systems and methods for attaching a cover to a text body to create bound documents with floating and attached spines in a manner that may improve the performance and cost-effectiveness of desktop and office on-demand bookbinding systems.
Still other embodiments are within the scope of the claims.
Claims
- 1. A bookbinding method, comprising:binding two or more sheets into a text body having an exposed spine bounded by two exposed side hinge areas; applying solid pressure sensitive adhesive film between a cover and the side hinge areas of the text body; and binding the cover to the side hinge areas of the text body by applying pressure to the cover.
- 2. The bookbinding method of claim 1, wherein the solid pressure sensitive adhesive film is applied to the cover before contacting the side hinge areas of the text body.
- 3. The bookbinding method of claim 2, wherein the solid pressure sensitive adhesive film is applied to the cover as two strips spaced apart by a width dimension that is at least as wide as the exposed spine of the text body.
- 4. The bookbinding method of claim 1, further comprising applying the solid pressure sensitive adhesive film between the cover and the exposed spine of the text body, and binding the cover to the spine of the text body by applying pressure to the cover.
- 5. The bookbinding method of claim 4, wherein the solid pressure sensitive adhesive film is applied as a single continuous strip with a width dimension that is wider than the exposed spine of the text body.
- 6. The book binding method of claim 4, wherein the solid pressure sensitive adhesive film is applied in a series of multiple strips over an area corresponding to the side hinge areas and the exposed spine of the text body.
- 7. The bookbinding method of claim 1, wherein the solid pressure sensitive adhesive film comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive composition laminated to a hot melt adhesive film.
- 8. The bookbinding method of claim 7, wherein:binding two or more sheets to the text body comprises: applying the solid pressure sensitive adhesive film with the hot melt adhesive film in contact with the side hinge areas and the exposed spine of the text body; and melting the hot melt adhesive film to bind the two or more sheets into the text body; and binding the cover to the side hinge areas of the text body comprises disposing the cover over the text body and applying pressure to the cover to activate the pressure sensitive adhesive composition.
- 9. The bookbinding method of claim 1, wherein binding the cover to the side hinge areas of the text body comprises contacting the side hinge areas to the applied solid pressure sensitive adhesive film.
- 10. The bookbinding method of claim 1, wherein applying the solid pressure sensitive adhesive film comprises dispensing the solid pressure sensitive adhesive from a roll of solid sheet adhesive.
- 11. The bookbinding method of claim 10, wherein the solid sheet adhesive comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive composition dispersed on a carrier ribbon.
- 12. The bookbinding method of claim 11, wherein applying the solid pressure sensitive adhesive film comprises releasing a film of pressure sensitive adhesive from the carrier ribbon and reeling-in spent carrier ribbon.
- 13. A bookbinding method, comprising:collecting two or more sheets into a text body having an exposed spine bounded by two exposed side hinge areas; applying to the text body an adhesive sheet comprising a hot melt adhesive film and a backing, with the hot melt adhesive film in contact with the side hinge areas and the spine of the text body; exposing the hot melt adhesive in areas corresponding to the side hinge areas of the text body while leaving portions of the adhesive sheet disposed over the text body spine substantially unchanged; disposing a cover over the text body; and after the cover is disposed over the text body, melting the hot melt adhesive to bind the two or more sheets at the text body spine and to bind the cover to the side hinge areas of the text body.
- 14. A bookbinding method, comprising:collecting two or more sheets into a text body having an exposed spine bounded by two exposed side hinge areas; applying to the text body an adhesive sheet comprising a hot melt adhesive film and a backing, with the hot melt adhesive film in contact with the side hinge areas and the spine of the text body, wherein the backing includes one or more slits; exposing the hot melt adhesive in areas corresponding to the side hinge areas of the text body by stretching the backing in the side hinge areas to expose the hot melt adhesive through the slits; disposing a cover over the text body; and melting the hot melt adhesive to bind the two or more sheets at the text body spine and to bind the cover to the side hinge areas of the text body.
- 15. The bookbinding method of claim 14, wherein the slits extend in a substantially longitudinal direction and are configured to expose the hot melt adhesive upon stretching of the backing in a direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.
- 16. The bookbinding method of claim 15, wherein the backing comprises a staggered array of slits.
- 17. A bookbinding method, comprising:collecting two or more sheets into a text body having an exposed spine bounded by two exposed side hinge areas; applying to the text body an adhesive sheet comprising a hot melt adhesive film and a backing, with the hot melt adhesive film in contact with the side hinge areas and the spine of the text body; exposing the hot melt adhesive in areas corresponding to the side hinge areas of the text body by removing the backing in areas corresponding to the side hinge areas of the text body; disposing a cover over the text body; and melting the hot melt adhesive to bind the two or more sheets at the text body spine and to bind the cover to the side hinge areas of the text body.
- 18. A bookbinding method, comprising:collecting two or more sheets into a text body having an exposed spine bounded by two exposed side hinge areas; applying to the text body an adhesive sheet comprising a hot melt adhesive film and a backing, with the hot melt adhesive film in contact with the side hinge areas and the spine of the text body; exposing the hot melt adhesive in areas corresponding to the side hinge areas of the text body, wherein exposing the hot melt adhesive comprises folding edges of the adhesive sheet back over the adhesive sheet applied adjacent to at least a portion of each of the side hinge areas; disposing a cover over the text body; and melting the hot melt adhesive to bind the two or more sheets at the text body spine and to bind the cover to the folded-over edges of the adhesive sheet adjacent to side hinge areas of the text body.
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