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US5468085A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

User-customizable index divider sheet set and table of contents sheet assembly

Assignee: CCL Label Inc
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Filing: 1994-12-02
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Granted: 1995-11-21
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Expires: 2014-12-02
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Abstract

Abstract First and second index divider sheets, each having outward tabs vertically offset from one another, and a table of contents page are provided, with first and second labels releasably attached to the front of the table of contents page generally adjacent to but spaced from first and second descriptive field areas of that page. The page is passed through a printer or copier and custom indicia are printed in the same operation on the labels and in the field areas. The labels are then removed by the user and attached by their adhesive backings to the respective tabs on one or both sides thereof. The labels before printing are adhered directly to the table of contents page inward of the descriptive field areas, to a removable carrier strip which itself is adhered to the front of the page or to a tear-away strip at the bottom of the page.

Inventors

  • 👤 Brant D. Kline

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 04:07
CPC Classifications
B; B42; B42F; B42F21/00; B42F21/02; B42F21/025

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim 203 words
A user-customizable index divider sheet set and table of contents sheet assembly, comprising: first and second index divider sheets, each having along an outer edge thereof outwardly-extending respective first and second index tabs, said first and second tabs being at least partially vertically offset from one another, with said divider sheets aligned; a table of contents sheet having a front side, and generally on an outer portion of said front side, first and second at least substantially vertically-spaced and visually-different descriptive field areas, said field areas being positioned such that with said divider sheets and said table of contents sheet aligned, said first descriptive field area is horizontally aligned with said first tab and said second descriptive field area is horizontally aligned with said second tab; a first label attached to said front side of said table of contents sheet, releasable therefrom by a user after printing thereon or in said first descriptive field area and securable by the user to said first tab; and a second label attached to said front side of said table of contents sheet, releasable therefrom by a user after printing thereon or in said second descriptive field area and securable by the user to said second tab.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 203 words
A user-customizable index divider sheet set and table of contents sheet assembly, comprising: first and second index divider sheets, each having along an outer edge thereof outwardly-extending respective first and second index tabs, said first and second tabs being at least partially vertically offset from one another, with said divider sheets aligned; a table of contents sheet having a front side, and generally on an outer portion of said front side, first and second at least substantially vertically-spaced and visually-different descriptive field areas, said field areas being positioned such that with said divider sheets and said table of contents sheet aligned, said first descriptive field area is horizontally aligned with said first tab and said second descriptive field area is horizontally aligned with said second tab; a first label attached to said front side of said table of contents sheet, releasable therefrom by a user after printing thereon or in said first descriptive field area and securable by the user to said first tab; and a second label attached to said front side of said table of contents sheet, releasable therefrom by a user after printing thereon or in said second descriptive field area and securable by the user to said second tab.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 50 words
The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first label has a first visual appearance corresponding to that of said first descriptive field area, and said second label has a second visual appearance different from that of the first visual appearance and corresponding to that of said second descriptive field area.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first label is releasable from said table of contents sheet after printing thereon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first and second index divider sheets have reinforced spines and reinforced tab areas.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 15 words
The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first and second labels are clear or colorless.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 23 words
The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first and second labels are color coordinated with respective said first and second descriptive field areas.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 42 words
The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first tab has a first visual appearance corresponding to that of said first descriptive field area and said second tab has a different second visual appearance corresponding to that of said second descriptive field area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 32 words
The assembly of claim 1 wherein said table of contents sheet includes a region laterally adjacent to said descriptive field areas, and said first and second labels are mounted in said region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 33 words
The assembly of claim 1 wherein said table of contents sheet has a foot region below said descriptive field areas, and said first and second labels are removably mounted to said foot region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 28 words
The assembly of claim 9 wherein said table of contents sheet includes a perforation line separating said foot region from the rest of said table of contents sheet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 30 words
The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a carrier strip removably adhered to said front side, and said first and second labels are removably adhered directly to said carrier strip.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 13 words
The assembly of claim 11 wherein said removable adhering uses a repositionable adhesive.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 18 words
The assembly of claim 11 wherein said removable adhering uses a combination of pressure-sensitive adhesive and release-treated surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 36 words
The assembly of claim 11 wherein said descriptive field areas are positioned generally on an outboard portion of said front side and said carrier strip is positioned generally on an inboard portion of said front side.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 47 words
The assembly of claim 11 wherein said carrier strip with said first and second labels thereon is removable from said front side after custom indicia have been printed in a single operation on said first and second labels and in said first and second descriptive field areas.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 35 words
The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first label is securable by the user to both front and back sides of said first tab, wrapping around said first tab between the front and back sides.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 52 words
The assembly of claim 16 wherein printing on said first label is on both left and right halves of said first label such that printed indicia is provided on both front and back sides of said first tab after said first label has been wrapped around and secured to said first tab.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 252 words
A user-customizable index divider sheet set and table of contents sheet assembly, comprising: a first divider sheet having a first index tab; a second divider sheet having a second index tab offset from said first index tab; a table of contents sheet having a front side and vertically offset first and second descriptive field areas on said front side; wherein when said first and second divider sheets and said table of contents sheet are in an aligned position, said first descriptive field area is horizontally aligned with said first tab and said second descriptive field area is horizontally aligned with said second tab; first and second labels secured to said front side, wherein custom indicia can be printed on said labels and on said first and second descriptive field areas in a manner such that said first label visually corresponds to said first descriptive field area and said second label visually corresponds to said second descriptive field area; first adhesive means for adhering said first label with the custom indicia printed thereon to said front side and for allowing a user to remove said first label from said front side after the printing thereon and thereafter adhering said removed first label to said first tab; and second adhesive means for adhering said second label with the custom indicia printed thereon to said front side and for allowing a user to remove said second label from said front side after printing thereon and thereafter adhering said removed second label to said second tab.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 252 words
A user-customizable index divider sheet set and table of contents sheet assembly, comprising: a first divider sheet having a first index tab; a second divider sheet having a second index tab offset from said first index tab; a table of contents sheet having a front side and vertically offset first and second descriptive field areas on said front side; wherein when said first and second divider sheets and said table of contents sheet are in an aligned position, said first descriptive field area is horizontally aligned with said first tab and said second descriptive field area is horizontally aligned with said second tab; first and second labels secured to said front side, wherein custom indicia can be printed on said labels and on said first and second descriptive field areas in a manner such that said first label visually corresponds to said first descriptive field area and said second label visually corresponds to said second descriptive field area; first adhesive means for adhering said first label with the custom indicia printed thereon to said front side and for allowing a user to remove said first label from said front side after the printing thereon and thereafter adhering said removed first label to said first tab; and second adhesive means for adhering said second label with the custom indicia printed thereon to said front side and for allowing a user to remove said second label from said front side after printing thereon and thereafter adhering said removed second label to said second tab.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 30 words
The assembly of claim 18 wherein said first and second descriptive fields areas, aside from their different locations on said table of contents sheet, are visually different from one another.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 23 words
The assembly of claim 19 wherein said descriptive field areas are differently colored or shaded and said tabs are correspondingly colored or shaded.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 42 words
The assembly of claim 18 wherein said table of contents sheet includes as part of said front side a releasable adhesive carrier strip and said first and second adhesive means releasably adhere said first and second labels directly to said carrier strip.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 234 words
A user-customizable index divider sheet set and table of contents sheet assembly, comprising: first and second index divider sheets, each having along an outer edge thereof outwardly-extending respective first and second index tabs, said first and second tabs being at least partially vertically offset from one another, with said divider sheets aligned; a table of contents sheet having a front side, and generally on an outer portion of said front side, first and second at least substantially vertically-spaced descriptive field areas, said descriptive field areas being positioned such that with said divider sheets and said table of contents sheet aligned, said first descriptive field area is horizontally aligned with said first tab and said second descriptive field area is horizontally aligned with said second tab; a first label attached to said front side of said table of contents sheet, releasable therefrom by a user and then adhesively securable by the user to said first tab; a second label attached to said front side of said table of contents sheet, releasable therefrom by a user and then adhesively securable by the user to said second tab; and first, second, third and fourth indicia printed in a single pass through a printer of said table of contents sheet with said first and second labels attached thereto and on said first label, said second label, said first descriptive field area and said second descriptive field area, respectively.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 234 words
A user-customizable index divider sheet set and table of contents sheet assembly, comprising: first and second index divider sheets, each having along an outer edge thereof outwardly-extending respective first and second index tabs, said first and second tabs being at least partially vertically offset from one another, with said divider sheets aligned; a table of contents sheet having a front side, and generally on an outer portion of said front side, first and second at least substantially vertically-spaced descriptive field areas, said descriptive field areas being positioned such that with said divider sheets and said table of contents sheet aligned, said first descriptive field area is horizontally aligned with said first tab and said second descriptive field area is horizontally aligned with said second tab; a first label attached to said front side of said table of contents sheet, releasable therefrom by a user and then adhesively securable by the user to said first tab; a second label attached to said front side of said table of contents sheet, releasable therefrom by a user and then adhesively securable by the user to said second tab; and first, second, third and fourth indicia printed in a single pass through a printer of said table of contents sheet with said first and second labels attached thereto and on said first label, said second label, said first descriptive field area and said second descriptive field area, respectively.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 19 words
The assembly of claim 22 wherein said first and third indicia correspond and said second and fourth indicia correspond.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 111 words
The assembly of claim 22 wherein said first label is securable to a front side of said first tab and said second label is securable to a front side of said second tab, and further comprising (a) a third label attached to said front side of said table of contents sheet, releasable therefrom after the printer has printed fifth indicia thereon and then adhesively securable to a back side of said first tab, and (b) a fourth label attached to said front side of said table of contents sheet, releasable therefrom after the printer has printed sixth indicia thereon and then adhesively securable to a back side of said second tab.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 23 words
The assembly of claim 24 wherein said first and fifth indicia are the same, and said second and sixth indicia are the same.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 31 words
The assembly of claim 22 wherein said first and second descriptive field areas are differently colored or shaded, and said first and second tabs are respectively and correspondingly colored or shaded.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-11-20 1999-05-22 1999-11-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-11-20 2003-05-22 2003-11-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-11-20 2007-05-22 2007-11-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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