Book binding assembly

Abstract

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. In addition, the liner sheets possess attributes which enable an end user to accurately apply a cover wrap to the hardcover on which the liner sheet is disposed.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The book binding assembly of  claim 4  wherein each of the liner sheets includes a fold line displaced from an edge of the liner sheet and about which the liner sheets can be folded, with the fold line comprising one of the attributes of the liner sheets. 
     
     
         10 . The book binding assembly of  claim 9  wherein each of the liner sheets are folded about the fold line. 
     
     
         11 . The book binding assembly of  claim 9  wherein the first liner sheet is disposed on the outer wrap adhesive of the first hardcover at a predetermined position, with the predetermined position being one the liner sheet attributes. 
     
     
         12 . The book binding assembly of  claim 11  wherein the predetermined position results in an edge of the hardcover being aligned with the fold line. 
     
     
         13 . The book binding assembly of  claim 12  wherein an distance WF between an edge of the first liner sheet and the fold line is substantially equal to W + 2T + 2E. 
     
     
         14 . The book binding assembly of  claim 4  wherein the first liner sheet is disposed on the outer wrap adhesive of the first hardcover at a predetermine position such that a first edge of the liner sheet is aligned with a first edge of the hardcover and a second edge of the liner sheet, adjacent the first edge of the liner sheet, is aligned with a second edge of the hardcover and wherein a third edge of the liner sheet, opposite the second edge of the liner sheet, extends past a third edge of the hardcover a distance D1 and wherein a fourth edge of the liner sheet, opposite the first edge of the liner sheet, extends past a fourth edge of the hardcover a distance D2 and with the predetermined position being one of the liner sheet attributes. 
     
     
         15 . The book binding assembly of  claim 14  wherein distances D1 and D2 are both substantially equal to T + E. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The book binding assembly of  claim 17  wherein each of the liner sheets includes a fold line about which the liner sheets can be folded, with the fold line comprising one of the attributes of the liner sheets. 
     
     
         20 . The book binding assembly of  claim 19  wherein each of the liner sheets are folded about the fold line. 
     
     
         21 . The book binding assembly of  claim 17  wherein the plurality of liner sheets are each disposed on the outer wrap adhesive of one of the hardcovers at a predetermine position such that an first edge of the liner sheet is aligned with a first edge of the hardcover and a second edge of the liner sheet, adjacent the first edge of the liner sheet, is aligned with a second edge of the hardcover and wherein a third edge of the liner sheet, opposite the second edge of the liner sheet, extends past a third edge of the hardcover a distance D1 and wherein a fourth edge of the liner sheet, opposite the first edge of the liner sheet, extends past a fourth edge of the hardcover a distance D2, with distances D1 and D2 both being substantially equal to T + E. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method of applying cover wraps to hardcovers comprising the following:
 (a) providing a book binding assembly including
 (i) a plurality of substantially identical liner sheets, with the liner sheets possessing orthogonal edges; 
 (ii) a plurality of substantially identical hardcovers, with the hardcovers comprising a front cover piece, a back cover piece and a spine piece with the front cover, back cover and spine pieces interconnected together, with the hardcovers including a front layer of adhesive disposed on a front side of the hardcover and a rear adhesive disposed on a back side of the hardcover, opposite the front side, with a first one of the liner sheets disposed over a first one of the hardcovers and contacting the front layer of adhesive of the first hardcover and with a second one of the liner sheets disposed intermediate the first hardcover and a second one of the hardcovers and contacting the rear adhesive of the first hardcover and the front layer of adhesive of the second hardcover; 
 (b) centering a first cover wrap on the first hardcover by aligning the orthogonal edges of the first liner sheet with respective orthogonal edges of the first cover wrap: and 
 (c) securing the first cover wrap to the first hardcover. 
   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the securing includes:
 (a) partially separating the first liner sheet from the first hardcover so as to expose only a portion of the front layer of adhesive on the first hardcover; 
 (b) subsequent to the centering, partially securing the first cover wrap to the first hardcover only by way of the exposed portion of the front layer of adhesive on the first hardcover; 
 (c) completely separating the first liner sheet from a remainder of the front layer of adhesive on the first hardcover; and 
 (d) further securing the first cover wrap to the first hardcover by way of the remainder of the front layer of adhesive on the first hardcover; and 
 (e) completing the securing by wrapping portions of the first cover wrap around edges of the first hardcover so that the portions of the first cover wrap are secured by the rear adhesive on the first hardcover. 
 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the completely separating includes removing the entire first liner sheet from the first hardcover in a single piece. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the partially separating includes folding a portion of the first liner sheet away from the first hardcover to create a folded portion of the first liner sheet and wherein the partially securing includes positioning the first cover wrap over the folded portion of the first liner sheet and over the exposed portion of the front layer of adhesive. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein, subsequent to the completely separating, removing the first hardcover from the bookbinding assembly, leaving the second liner sheet on the bookbinding assembly. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23  wherein in the providing, the liner sheets of the bookbinding assembly are centered with respect to the hardcovers of the bookbinding assembly. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the hardcovers have a width W, a length L and a thickness T and the rear adhesive on the hardcovers extends a distance E from edges of the hardcover, wherein the liner sheets have a width W + T + E and a length L + T + E so that, in the providing, the liner sheets extend a distance T + E past edges of the hardcovers. 
     
     
         30 . A method of applying cover wraps to hardcovers comprising the following:
 (a) providing a book binding assembly including
 (i) a plurality of substantially identical liner sheets; 
 (ii) a plurality of substantially identical hardcovers, with the hardcovers comprising a front cover piece, a back cover piece and a spine piece with the front cover, back cover and spine pieces interconnected together, with the hardcovers including a front layer of adhesive disposed on a front side of the hardcover and a rear adhesive disposed on a back side of the hardcover, opposite the front side, with a first one of the liner sheets disposed over a first one of the hardcovers and contacting the front layer of adhesive of the first hardcover and with a second one of the liner sheets disposed intermediate the first hardcover and a second one of hardcovers and contacting the rear adhesive of the first hardcover and the front layer of adhesive of the second hardcover; 
   (b) centering a first cover wrap on the first hardcover utilizing the first liner sheet;   (c) securing the first cover wrap to the first hardcover;   (d) centering a second cover wrap on the second hardcover utilizing the second liner sheet; and   (e) securing the second cover wrap to the second hardcover.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the securing the first cover wrap includes:
 (a) partially separating the first liner sheet from the first hardcover so as to expose only a portion of the front layer of adhesive on the first hardcover; 
 (b) subsequent to the centering of the first cover wrap, partially securing the first cover wrap to the first hardcover only by way of the exposed portion of the front layer of adhesive on the first hardcover; 
 (c) completely separating the first liner sheet from a remainder of the front layer of adhesive on the first hardcover; and 
 (d) further securing the first cover wrap to the first hardcover by way of the remainder of the front layer of adhesive on the first hardcover; and 
 (e) completing the securing by wrapping portions of the first cover wrap around edges of the first hardcover so that the portions of the first cover wrap are secured by the rear adhesive on the first hardcover and 
 wherein the securing the second cover wrap includes:
 (a) partially separating the second liner sheet from the second hardcover so as to expose only a portion of the front layer of adhesive on the second hardcover; 
 (b) subsequent to the centering of the second cover wrap, partially securing the second cover wrap to the second hardcover only by way of the exposed portion of the front layer of adhesive on the second hardcover; 
 (c) completely separating the second liner sheet from a remainder of the front layer of adhesive on the second hardcover; and 
 (d) further securing the second cover wrap to the first hardcover by way of the remainder of the front layer of adhesive on the second hardcover; and 
 (e) completing the securing of the second cover wrap by wrapping portions of the second cover wrap around edges of the second hardcover so that the portions of the second cover wrap are secured by the rear adhesive on the second hardcover. 
 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30  where the centering of the first cover wrap and the centering of the second cover wrap are carried out with no apparatus other than the respective first and second liner sheets. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the completely separating the first liner sheet includes removal of the entire first liner sheet in a single piece and the completely separating the second liner sheet includes removal of the entire second liner sheet in a single piece. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the liner sheets and the cover wraps possess orthogonal edges and wherein the centering of the first cover wrap includes aligning the orthogonal edges of the first liner sheet with the orthogonal edges of the first cover wrap and wherein the centering of the second cover wrap includes aligning the orthogonal edges of the second liner sheet with the orthogonal edges of the second cover wrap. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the hardcovers have a width W, a length L and a thickness T and the rear adhesive on the hardcovers extend a distance E from edges of the hardcover, wherein the liner sheets have a width W + T + E and a length L + T + E so that, in the providing, the liner sheets extend a distance T + E past edges of the hardcovers. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34  wherein
 (a) the partially separating the first liner sheet includes folding a portion of the first liner sheet away from the first hardcover to create a folded portion of the first liner sheet and wherein the partially securing of the first cover wrap includes positioning the first cover wrap over the folded portion of the first liner sheet and over the exposed portion of the front layer of adhesive on the first hardcover; and 
 (b) the partially separating the second liner sheet includes folding a portion of the second liner sheet away from the second hardcover to create a folded portion of the second liner sheet and wherein the partially securing of the second cover wrap includes positioning the second cover wrap over the folded portion of the second liner sheet and over the exposed portion of the front layer of adhesive on the second hardcover.