Systems and methods of attaching a cover to a text body

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6739816
  • Patent Number
    6,739,816
  • Date Filed
    Friday, November 24, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, May 25, 2004
    20 years ago
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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