High strength, flexible, foldable printable sheet technique

Abstract

A high strength, flexible, foldable and printable sheet, such as a label sheet or cardstock, is provided with a line of weakness. The sheet has maximum dimensions greater than that of a box into which the sheet is to be located, and is therefore folded flat to fit into the box. The sheet is later removed, and may be printed in a laser or ink jet printer or copier. The sheet is formed to have a tensile strength of at least 4.5 or 5.0 or more kilograms, across the line of weakness, so that it will reliably feed through an office type printer or copier.

1. A method comprising the steps of:
 preparing a discrete label sheet assembly having a width  size of approximately  one of 8½ inches, and a length of approximately  by 11 inches, said  and A 4 , the label sheet assembly including label face stock, pressure-sensitive adhesive and a release-coated backing sheet, said  the sheet being provided with  having a high-strength, high-flexibility fold line extending across the width of said  the sheet assembly; said  the fold line including perforations in said  the backing sheet having substantially equal length cuts and ties, and said  the face stock having a narrow strip encompassing said  the fold line removed from said  the assembly;  
 folding said  the label sheet assembly along said  the fold line;  
 placing said  the sheet assembly in a box having a maximum dimension less than 11 inches;  
 removing said  the folded label sheet assembly from said  the box; and  
 printing onto said  the label sheet assembly in an ink jet printer or a laser printer;  
   wherein the sheet assembly is prepared so as to have a tensile strength across the perforated fold line of at least  4 . 5  kilograms.    
 
     
     
       2. A method as defined in  claim 1  including the further step of applying printed labels to additional material provided in said  the box. 
     
     
       3. A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the sheet is prepared so as to have a tensile strength across the perforated fold line of at least 4.5 kilograms. 
     
     
       4. A method comprising the steps of:
 preparing a printable sheet having a width  size of approximately  one of 8½ inches, and a length of approximately 11 inches, said  by  11  inches,  8   1 / 2  inches by  14  inches, and A 4 , the sheet being provided with a weakened high-strength, high-flexibility fold line extending across the width of said  the sheet assembly ; said  the sheet having a tensile strength across said  the weakened fold line following folding and unfolding of at least 4.5 kilograms; said  the weakened fold line providing sufficient flexibility to permit folding said  the sheet flat along said  the fold line;  
 folding said  the sheet along said  the fold line;  
 placing said  the folded sheet in a box having a maximum dimension less than 11 inches;  
 removing said  the sheet from said  the box; and  
 printing onto said  the sheet in an ink jet printer or a laser printer;  
   wherein the printable sheet is prepared as a label sheet having face stock, a release coated backing sheet, and layer of pressure - sensitive adhesive between the face stock and the backing sheet; and    
   wherein the sheet is prepared by including the step of removing a strip of the face stock along the fold line.    
 
     
     
       5. A method as defined in  claim 4  wherein said printable sheet is prepared as a label sheet having face stock, a release coated backing sheet, and a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive between the face stock and the backing sheet. 
     
     
       6. A method as defined in  claim 5  wherein said sheet is prepared by including the step of removing a strip of said face stock along said fold line. 
     
     
       7. A method comprising the steps of:
 preparing a discrete label sheet assembly having a predetermined width and a predetermined length, said  the label sheet assembly including label face stock, pressure-sensitive adhesive and a release-coated backing sheet; said  the sheet being provided with  having a high-strength, high-flexibility fold line extending across the width of said  the sheet assembly; said  the fold line including perforations in said  the backing sheet having substantially equal length cuts and ties, and said  the face stock having a narrow strip encompassing said  the fold line removed from said  the assembly;  
 folding said  the label sheet assembly along said  the fold line;  
 placing said  the folded label sheet assembly in a box having a maximum dimension less than said  the predetermined length;  
 removing said  the label sheet assembly from said  the box; and  
 printing onto said  the sheet in an ink jet printer or a laser printer;  
   wherein the sheet is prepared so as to have a tensile strength across the perforated fold line of at least  4 . 5  kilograms; and    
   including the further step of applying printed labels to additional material provided in the box.    
 
     
     
       8. A method as defined in  claim 7  including the further step of applying printed labels to additional material provided in said box. 
     
     
       9. A method as defined in  claim 7  wherein the sheet is prepared so as to have a tensile strength across the perforated fold line of at least 4.5 kilograms. 
     
     
       10. A method comprising the steps of:
 preparing a printable sheet having a predetermined width and a predetermined length, said sheet being provided with a weakened high-strength, high-flexibility fold line extending across the width of said sheet assembly; said sheet having a tensile strength across said weakened fold line following folding substantially flat and unfolding, of at least 4.5 kilograms; said weakened fold line providing sufficient flexibility to permit folding said sheet flat along said fold line;    folding said sheet along said fold line;    placing said folded sheet in a box having a maximum dimension less than said predetermined length;    removing said sheet from said box; and    printing onto said sheet in an ink jet printer or a laser printer.    
     
     
       11. A method as defined in  claim 4  wherein said printable sheet is a label sheet having a face stock, a release coated backing sheet; and an intermediate layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive. 
     
     
       12. A method as defined in  claim 11  wherein said sheet is prepared by including the step of removing a strip of said face stock along said fold line. 
     
     
       13. A method as defined in  claim 11  wherein said method includes preparing the sheet approximately 11 inches in length. 
     
     
       14. A method comprising the steps of:
 preparing a printable sheet having a predetermined width and a predetermined length, said sheet being provided with a weakened high-strength, high-flexibility fold line extending across the width of said sheet assembly; said sheet having a tensile strength across said weakened fold line following folding and unfolding of at least 4.5 kilograms; said weakened fold line providing sufficient flexibility to permit folding said sheet flat along said fold line;    folding said sheet along said fold line;    placing said folded sheet in a box having a maximum dimension less than said predetermined length;    removing said sheet from said box; and    manipulating said sheet without separating the sheet along said lines of weakness.    
     
     
       15. A method as defined in  claim 14  wherein said printable sheet is prepared as a label sheet having face stock, pressure-sensitive adhesive and a release coated backing sheet. 
     
     
       16. A method as defined in  claim 15  wherein said sheet is prepared by including the step of removing a strip of said face stock along said fold line. 
     
     
       17. A method as defined in  claim 14  including the step of printing on said sheet following removal from the box and unfolding. 
     
     
       18. A method as defined in  claim 14  including the step of printing on said sheet before placing the sheet in said box. 
     
     
       19. A method as defined in  claim 14  wherein said preparing step includes forming said fold line to have a strength across said fold line of at least 5.0 kilograms. 
     
     
       20. A method comprising the steps of:
   preparing a discrete label sheet assembly having a size of one of  8   1 / 2 ″ by  11 ″,  8   1 / 2 ″ by  14 ″ and A 4 , the label sheet assembly including label face stock, pressure - sensitive adhesive and a release - coated backing sheet, the sheet having a high - strength, high - flexibility fold line extending across the width of the sheet assembly; the fold line including perforations in the backing sheet having substantially equal length cuts and ties, and the face stock having a narrow strip encompassing the fold line removed from the assembly;        folding the label sheet assembly along the fold line; and        placing the sheet assembly in a package having a maximum dimension less than  11  inches;        wherein the fold line has a strength of at least  4 . 5  kilograms.     
     
     
       21. A method as defined in  claim 20  further comprising the steps of removing the label sheet assembly from the package, unfolding the label sheet assembly and printing on the label sheet assembly. 
     
     
       22. A method as defined in  claim 20  wherein the package is a box. 
     
     
       23. A method comprising the steps of:
   preparing a discrete printable sheet having a size of one of  8   1 / 2 ″ by  11 ″,  8   1 / 2 ″ by  14 ″ and A 4 , the sheet being provided with a weakened high - strength, high - flexibility, perforated fold line extending across the width of the sheet;        the sheet having a tensile strength across the weakened fold line following folding and unfolding of at least  4 . 5  kilograms;        the weakened fold line providing sufficient flexibility to permit folding the sheet flat along the fold line;        inserting the sheet after folding into a separate package having a maximum dimension less than  11  inches;        wherein the printable sheet is prepared as a label sheet having face stock, a release coated backing sheet, and a layer of pressure - sensitive adhesive between the face stock and the back sheet; and        wherein the sheet is prepared by including the step of removing a strip of the face stock along the fold line.