Abstract: A method of providing a book binding assembly in the form of a stack of hardcovers for making hardcover books, with the hardcovers having pressure sensitive adhesives on both sides for securing a cover wrap onto the hardcovers. Liner sheets are disposed over the upper hardcover and intermediate the hardcovers of the stack to protect the various adhesive elements. The liner sheet is then used to accurately apply a cover wrap to the hardcover on which the liner sheet is disposed.

Abstract: An apparatus to facilitate the binding of sheets using heat activated adhesives, with the sheets having coatings that resist binding. A stack of sheets is abraded prior to binding, with the apparatus gripping the stack so that a stack end to be bound is exposed. An abrading head containing a plurality of reciprocating pins is positioned so that pins can be controlled to repeatedly strike the stack end along the length of the end. This action results in abrading the stack end thereby producing relatively long fibers from the coated sheets that absorb the binder strip adhesive thereby achieving a strong bind notwithstanding the adhesive-resistant coating.

Abstract: A stereoscopic viewing apparatus for use with a SmartPhone including a pair of lenses and a viewer body preferably fabricated at low cost from a single paper sheet. The sheet is provided with a pair of fold lines which define first and second sheet segments separated by a lens mounting segment. The lens mounting segment defines a pair of left and right lens openings for receiving the respective lenses, with the mounting segment further defining features that secure the lenses in place in the lens openings. When in an operating mode, the first and second sheet segments function to position the lenses appropriately for viewing stereoscopic images on a SmartPhone screen, with the viewer being capable of being folded into a compact state for shipping or storage.

Abstract: A book binding structure which includes at least one adhesive binder strip and a pair of supporting sheets for supporting the binder strip during a binder strip printing process. Opposite ends of the binder strip are supported on separate support sheets, which are coupled together only by way of the binder strip to allow independent movement of the ends of the binder strip. The sheets are arranged to support the binder strip as is passes along the paper path of a conventional printer.

Abstract: A press specially adapted to compress a stack which includes one or more pressure sensitive based fastening layers which are actuated by application of substantial pressure. A lower press plate includes a receiving surface upon which the stack is positioned and first and second guide members, with the receiving surface being tilted with respect to a level plane such that the stack tends to move on the receiving surface towards the two guide members. An upper press plate is provided which includes a compressing surface which is substantially parallel with respect to the receiving surface when the press is in a first operating mode. A drive mechanism is provided for driving the lower and upper press plates towards one another so as to applying a compressing force to the stack.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of increasing adhesion of thermal binder strips to coated papers by conditioning an edge of the sheet by splitting the edge which results in an expansion of the edge followed by compressing the edge so as to reduce or eliminate the expansion. In the case of a stack of sheets, the edge of the stack is conditioned by piercing the edge of the stack and in the case of an individual sheet, the conditioning is carried out by splitting at least a portion of the edge of the sheet.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for conditioning an edge of a sheet to be bound so that the edge is conducive to accepting heat activated adhesives used in conventional binding. The sheet is first bent in one direction to form a folding line, with the fold line being a short distance from the edge of the sheet to be conditioned and with that distance being determined primarily by the thickness of the sheet. The bend in the sheet is typically 90 degrees, with the radii of curvature of the opposite sheet surfaces at the fold line being unequal so that a shear force is applied near the sheet end thereby tending to tear or fracture in interior of the sheet near the end. Typically the sheet is then bent in an opposite direction along the folding line so as to produce an opposite shear force that reinforces the creation of tears and fractured in the sheet.

Abstract: A binder strip cassette including a binder strip roll disposed within a cassette housing, with the roll including a multiplicity of elongated binder strips, each of said binder strips including a flexible substrate and an adhesive disposed on the substrate. The cassette is further provided with a drive apparatus for unwinding the binder strip roll to provide an unwound portion of the binder strip roll together with a separating apparatus disposed within the cassette housing for separating the binder strips from the elongated carrier of the unwound portion of the binder strip roll to produce a separated binder strip. The unwinding by the drive apparatus causes the separated binder strip to be at least partially ejected through a binder strip eject opening in the cassette housing.

Abstract: Guide apparatus for forming and applying an over-wrap sheet to a book hardcover including a base unit having a width greater than the width of the hardcover and a length greater than the length of the hardcover, with the base unit including a hardcover receiving area and first and second orthogonal stops supported on the base unit for engaging first and second respective orthogonal edges of a cut over-wrap sheet. Third and fourth orthogonal stops are provided which are supported on the base unit for engaging first and second orthogonal edges of a hardcover placed on the hardcover receiving area.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a book from a stack of sheets and a hardcover assembly having first and second relatively rigid cover sections separated by a spine region. A layer of pressure sensitive adhesive is disposed over the inner surfaces of the cover sections, with there being a pair of release liners covering both the pressure sensitive adhesive layers. The first cover section is then secured to one side of the stack by sequentially removing the corresponding release liners so as to expose the underlying adhesive. The second cover section is then applied by folding the second cover section over the other side of the stack, removing the release liners and securing the cover section to the stack by way of the adhesive.

Abstract: Apparatus for conditioning an edge of a stack of sheets to be bound so that sheets having coated surfaces and the like can be reliably bound. The apparatus includes a stack clamping mechanism configured to secure the stack of sheets and a piercing member configured to produce a piercing action substantially in a piercing plane. Also provided is a positioning mechanism configured to control relative movement of the stack clamping mechanism and the piercing mechanism so that the sheets of the stack pass through the piercing plane, with the drive mechanism being configured to drive the piercing member into the edge of the stack at least once for each sheet of the stack passing through the piercing plane.

Abstract: A book binding apparatus for binding a stack of sheets, including a cover element having a first cover section that corresponds to the dimensions of the sheets and a first section of pressure sensitive adhesive and an associated release liner disposed along a first edge of the first cover section. A flap member is attached to the first cover section and is movable between a closed position disposed over the first pressure sensitive adhesive layer and an open position moved away from the layer. A second adhesive layer and associated release liner is disposed on an inner surface of the flap member. The binding apparatus may be used in combination with second cover section and associated binder spine element having heat activated adhesive to bind the stack of sheets. The spine element is folded around the edge of the stack to be bound and is secured in place by the first section of pressure sensitive adhesive.

Abstract: A binder strip cassette including a binder strip roll disposed within a cassette housing, with the roll including a multiplicity of elongated binder strips, each of said binder strips including a flexible substrate and an adhesive disposed on the substrate. The roll further includes a flexible elongated carrier supporting said binder strips, with said binder strips being disposed along a length of the elongated carrier in an end-to-end arrangement. The cassette is further provided with a drive apparatus for unwinding the rotatably mounted binder strip roll together with a separating apparatus disposed within the cassette housing for separating the binder strips from the elongated carrier of the unwound portion of the binder strip roll to produce a separated binder strip which is elected from the housing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for binding a stack of sheets which can be carried out using a conventional perfect binding machine. A stack to be bound is positioned between a pair of end leafs. Molten hot melt adhesive is then applied to the edge of the stack and to the first and second end leafs, preferably using the perfect binding machine. An elongated spine member is then applied to the edge of the stack and is secured by the hot melt adhesive. The elongated spine member is preferably part of a configuration having a form factor that generally matches that of the conventional cover so that configuration, including the spine member, can be applied using the traditional perfect binder machine. The respective edges of the spine member are secured to the outer sheets of the end leafs by way of pressure sensitive adhesives. In one embodiment, the pressure sensitive adhesive is disposed on the edges of the spine member and covered by release sheets.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming and applying a wrap sheet to a hardcover for a bound book, including a planar guide having a width and length selected such that the planar guide can be uses as a template for cutting the wrap sheet. A reticule is disposed on the planar guide, with the guide being preferably transparent in at least the region of the reticule, for aligning the guide over the uncut wrap sheet. Anti-skid members are disposed on one side of the planar guide so that the guide will not tend to move during the cutting. A lip member is disposed on a surface of the guide, opposite the anti-skid members, which is used to assist in aligning the guide over the hardcover so that the guide can also be used for positioning and securing the cut wrap sheet onto the hardcover.

Abstract: A guide apparatus for applying a cover to a bound stack of sheets, including a base unit which defines a book receiving surface and a first alignment member having a lower cover stop disposed along a reference line, and a first upper cover stop also disposed along the first reference line. A first book stop is included defining a stack engaging surface which is positioned intermediate the cover engaging surfaces of the first upper and lower cover stops and with said stack engaging surface extending a distance past said first reference line towards the book receiving surface. The first upper and lower cover stops are positioned to engage top and bottom cover sections of the cover, with the stack engaging surface being positioned to contact the edge of the stack so as to precisely align the stack with respect to the top and bottom cover sections in one direction.

Abstract: A method for binding together a plurality of paper sheets. The binding process comprises providing a book binding sheet coated on one side with hot-melt adhesive, orienting and securing sheets of paper that will comprise the book to be bound relative to the binding sheet, securing the leading edge of the binding sheet to the front of the book to be bound, severing the secured portion from the remaining binding sheet material, wrapping the binding severed strip around the spine and rear cover and heating the adhesive to produce a permanent bond with the edges of the spine and covers.

Abstract: A bookbinding structure for binding a stack of sheets including an elongated substrate having a first surface on which a first, heat activated, adhesive matrix is disposed and a second surface on which a second, pressure activated adhesive is disposed. The first adhesive matrix will be used to binding an edge of the stack so as to form a bound book with no cover. The second adhesive matrix includes first and second spaced-apart segments which extend along the length of the substrate. First and second release liners are disposed over the first and second adhesive segments, with the release liners remaining in place until the stack of sheets have been bound with the bookbinding structure. One of the release liners is manually removed from the bound stack and the stack is positioned in a cover assembly with the edge of the stack being positioned opposite a spine section of the cover assembly.

Abstract: A bookbinding structure and method. The bookbinding structure is used to bind pages together in existing, commercially available binding machines. The bookbinding structure has a heat activated adhesive matrix for binding the pages. To attach a wrap-around book cover once the pages have been bound with the bookbinding structure, an adhesive on the outer surface of the bookbinding structure may be exposed by removing a release liner covering the adhesive. The book cover may then be adhered to the exposed adhesive either by a heat method or by applying pressure over the adhesive, depending on the particular type of adhesive of the bookbinding structure. The book cover may be printed with information and/or graphics prior to being wrapped around the pages of the book.

Abstract: Apparatus for scoring a cover to be applied to a bound stack of sheets to form a book. A base unit is provided having a surface for receiving the cover, an lower die holder disposed below the surface and an upper die holder disposed above the surface. A lower die is supported on an upper surface of the lower die holder and an upper die is supported on the lower surface of the upper die holder. An actuating structure such as a handle, is used to move the upper and lower die between an open position and a closed where the upper and lower die score the cover. The upper die holder is fabrication using a transparent material so that a user can view the upper die and underlying cover to facilitate proper alignment.