Method for binding a bundle of leaves

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for binding a bundle of leaves, of which a strip of each of the leaves is folded separately beforehand along a first line to form a first fold line that extends parallel to and at a first distance from the edge, and subsequently is folded again along a second line to form a second fold line that extends parallel to and at a second distance from the edge whereby the first distance is different from the second distance.

Claims

1. A method for binding a bundle of leaves in a binding back, the method comprising: individually folding a strip of each leaf of the bundle of leaves in a first direction along a first line to form a first fold line that extends parallel to and at a first distance from an edge of the respective leaf, the first fold line being a first indentation from a first side of the strip into the strip; subsequently folding the strip again in a second direction different from the first direction along a second line to form a second fold line that extends parallel to and at a second distance from said edge, the first distance being different from the second distance, the second fold line being a second indentation from a second side of the strip opposite the first side into the strip; unfolding the strip such that the entire strip is coplanar, a planar portion of the strip being provided between the first indentation and the second indentation, the planar portion of the strip between the first and second indentations being coplanar with remaining portions of the strip; and placing the bundle with the edges of each of the leaves in the binding back and fastening the bundle in the binding back.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a distance at which the first fold line and the second fold line lie from each other is a fraction of a millimeter to a few millimeters.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the strip of each of the leaves of the bundle is individually double-folded along one of the fold lines.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or a plurality of fold lines of consecutive leaves in the bundle lie at a different distance from the edge depending on a position of the leaves in the bundle.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the strip of each of the leaves is folded back to the plane of the leaves.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the angle over which the strip is folded is at least 120.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the first fold line and the edge of the leaves is chosen such that, when opening the bound bundle, the opened leaves extend flat or practically flat.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the binding back is a V-shaped or U-shaped binding back, and the first distance essentially corresponds to the depth of the binding back.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first distance is greater than the depth of the binding back.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first distance is between 10 and 14 millimeters.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the binding back is a metal binding back that is provided with a hotmelt adhesive that melts during binding in order to fasten the leaves along the edges thereof after solidification.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the arms of the binding back are squeezed together after placing the bundle in order to clamp the bundle in the binding back.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the bundle is stapled beforehand.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the leaves have been or are provided with printing beforehand that continues up to one of said fold lines.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the printing on one side and the printing on the other side continue with an overlapping part over one of the fold lines.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein sides of adjacent leaves facing each other are provided beforehand with printing that runs seamlessly over the fold lines of both leaves from one of the sides to another of the other sides to which end the part of the printing on the one side is applied up to the fold lines of the respective leaf and the part of the printing of the other side is applied up to one of the fold lines of an adjacent leaf.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or two endpapers of a folder or book are affixed to the binding back.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the endpapers are folded completely outwards with respect to the arms of the binding back up to against or almost against the arms of the binding back.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, a preferred method for binding a bundle of leaves according to the invention is described hereinafter, by way of an example without any limiting nature, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

(2) FIGS. 1 to 5 schematically show the consecutive steps of a method according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 6 schematically shows the bundle while being leafed through; and

(4) FIGS. 7 to 9 schematically show the folded leaves, but in a loose separated position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(5) FIGS. 1 to 3 schematically show a method for the manufacture of a leaf 1.

(6) To this end a leaf 1 with an edge 2 is folded along a fold line 3, which runs parallel to the edge 2 and at a distance A from it, in one direction, to the top of the leaf, as shown in FIG. 1. In this way a strip 4 is formed that is delimited by a fold line 3.

(7) The strip 4 is then folded in the other direction, along the bottom of the leaf, according to the sharp fold line 3 as shown in FIG. 2.

(8) Thus, the strip 4 contains two fold lines 3, 3, each as a result of a prior folding in another direction, as shown in FIG. 3.

(9) The strip 4 is folded each time over an angle of at least 90, preferably 120, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(10) However, it is not excluded that the angle over which the leaf 1 is folded is greater than 120.

(11) Folding the leaf 1 over an angle greater than 90 and preferably at least 120 has the advantage that the leaf 1 will fold over the formed fold line 3, 3. When the angle is less than 90, the leaf 1 will bend around the fold line 3, 3.

(12) In this way a leaf 1 is folded in two directions each time along a different fold line. In this example the leaf 1 has two fold lines 3, 3 which lie at a close distance from each other, typically a fraction of a millimetre to a couple of millimetres. This difference in distance is barely noticeable.

(13) Preferably the strip 4 for forming the fold lines 3, 3 is folded completely flat. In this way the fold lines 3, 3 form as it were a flexible hinge along which the leaf 1 can be flexibly turned back and forth with respect to the strip 4.

(14) The distance A between the edge 2 and the fold line 3 closest to the edge 2 is practically equal to the width of the strip 4.

(15) FIGS. 4 to 6 schematically show a method for binding a bundle 5 of leaves 1. In reality the distance between the fold lines 3, 3 is smaller than shown in the figures.

(16) As shown in FIG. 4, the bundle 5 consists of a number of pre-folded however essentially reflattened out leaves 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, that are placed with their sides 6 against one another, whereby the edges 2 of the leaves 1 to be bound are aligned with respect to one another.

(17) In this case the binding back 7 consists of a U-shaped part 8, for example of metal, with a layer of hotmelt adhesive 10 on the base 9.

(18) The binding back 7 is further provided with two endpapers 11, for example of cardboard, that are provided with a covering 12 on either side.

(19) It is clear that the binding back 7 can also take on other forms.

(20) The bundle 5 is placed in the U-shaped part 8 of the binding back 7, whereby the edges 2 of the leaves 1 are placed up against the layer of hotmelt adhesive 10.

(21) Hereby the fold line 3 of the leaves 1 comes out somewhat above the U-shaped part.

(22) Subsequently the layer of hotmelt adhesive 10 is heated by means of a heat source 13. Consequently, the hotmelt adhesive 10 will melt and become liquid, such that the leaves 1 of the bundle 5 can be affixed therein.

(23) After solidification of the hotmelt adhesive 10, the bundle 5 is attached to the bundle 7 via the hotmelt adhesive 10.

(24) Subsequently, the arms 14 of the U-shaped part 8 of the binding back 7 are squeezed together. This will ensure an extra sturdy fixing of the bundle 5 in the binding back 7 and the fit of the bundle 5 against the free edges of the arms 14 without a split being visible between the two.

(25) The bound bundle 5 is now finished into a folder with bound leaves 1.

(26) As shown in FIG. 6, when opening the bundle 5, the leaves 1 folded beforehand will extend in one plane

(27) In reality the result is better than shown in the drawings, which give a somewhat distorted picture because a certain thickness has been given to the leaves for clarity.

(28) As presented in FIG. 7, the sides 6 of the leaves 1 are printed, for example with a part of an illustration 15 or photograph, whereby the illustration 15 continues practically seamlessly from one leaf 1 to the other leaf 1 to thus form one continuous illustration. This is useful, for example, when composing a photograph album whereby in this way large photographs can be provided that extend over two leaves 1 and this without an inconvenient split between the two.

(29) FIG. 8 shows two printed leaves 1, whereby after binding the printing 15 will form one single whole on both leaves 1 together.

(30) Hereby the printing 15 is printed up to the fold line 3 that lies closest to the edge 2, whereby the strip 4 remains unprinted.

(31) FIG. 9 shows a variant of this, whereby a part 16 of the strips 4 is also printed with an overlapping part of the printing 15.

(32) It is clear that the hotmelt adhesive 10 can be left out, and that the bundle 5 can be stapled before being placed in the binding back 7.

(33) It is also clear that the squeezing of the arms 14 of the U-shaped part 8 of the binding back 7 can be omitted.

(34) The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described as an example and shown in the drawings, but a method for binding a bundle of leaves according to the invention can be realised in all kinds of variants, without departing from the scope of the invention.