Europaisches Patentamt 1 1 European Patent Office Office europeen des brevets (1 1 ) EP B1 EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

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1 (19) J (12) Europaisches Patentamt 1 1 European Patent Office Office europeen des brevets (1 1 ) EP B1 EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION (45) Date of publication and mention of the grant of the patent: Bulletin 1996/42 (51) Intel6: B41L 1/22, B41L 1/36, B42D 15/00 (21) Application number: (22) Date of filing : (54) Business form Geschaftsformular Formulaire d'affaires (84) Designated Contracting States: DE FR GB NL (30) Priority: GB (43) Date of publication of application: Bulletin 1994/10 (73) Proprietor: MOORE BUSINESS FORMS, INC. Grand Island New York (US) (72) Inventor: Rothschild, Mark Houghton 2041 (ZA) (74) Representative: Spence, Anne et al FRY HEATH & SPENCE The Old College 53 High Street Horley Surrey RH6 7BN (GB) (56) References cited: EP-A GB-A o LO o Q_ LU Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). Printed by Rank Xerox (UK) Business Services /3.4

2 1 EP B1 2 Description This invention relates to a business form and more particularly to such a form designed to provide from a single sheet a combined delivery receipt form for a sup- s plier and sealed document for a customer, preferably the sealed document including details of items delivered and an invoice therefor. One object of the invention is to provide such business forms each formed from a single sheet of paper, w for use by a supplier delivering packages to a number of customers, so that on the form for each customer both the delivery receipt note and the sealed document will include details of the items delivered and both will eventually bear an acknowledgement of receipt. is A known design of business form, described in our GB Specification , is not particularly designed for or suitable for use for this purpose, is formed from coated paper and has a different sealing and opening construction from that of the present invention. 20 In one aspect this invention provides a business form designed to provide a combined delivery receipt note for a supplier and sealed document for a customer, comprising a sheet of partly uncoated material divided by first and second fold lines into a first panel, a second 25 panel and a third panel, at least one of the first and second panels carrying adhesive around its edges such that when the sheet is folded along the first fold line to bring the inner faces of the first and second panels together and the adhesive is actuated they form a 30 sealed document, the third panel being capable of forming a delivery receipt note and bearing no free adhesive, and the sheet being foldable along the second fold line to bring an inner face of the third panel to overlie an outer face of one of the first and second panels, the 35 inner face of the third panel being formed with a discrete area or patch of a transfer material covering less than 1 0% of the area of the panel and adapted to reproduce an impression made on the outer face of the third panel onto an underlying registering area on said outer face of 40 the first or second panel. In another aspect this invention provides a business form comprising a sheet of partly uncoated material divided by first and second fold lines into a first panel, a second panel and a third panel, at least one of the first 45 and second panels carrying adhesive along two of its opposite edges transverse to the fold lines, such that when the sheet is folded along the first fold line to bring the inner faces of the first and second panels together and the adhesive is actuated they form a partially so sealed document, the third panel being capable of forming a delivery receipt note, and the sheet being foldable along the second fold line to bring an inner face of the third panel to overlie an outer face of one of the first and second panels, the inner face of the third panel being 55 formed with an area or patch of a transfer material adapted to reproduce an impression made on the outer face of the third panel on to an underlying registering area on the outer face of the first or second panel, wherein the third panel bears no free adhesive, at least one of the first and second panels bears adhesive along an edge opposite the first fold line, such that when the adhesive is actuated the first and second panels together form a document sealed along all four edges, and the first and second panels being formed with lines of perforation along at least one edge inside said adhesive to provide a tear-off strip whereby the document after sealing can be opened so that information on the inner surfaces of the first and second panels is available for view. Preferably the third panel, or at least a part thereof including the area or patch, is easily detachable from the second panel, eg by perforations, such perforations normally extending along the second fold line. Preferably perforations are provided around the edges of the panels designed to form the sealed document, within the lines of adhesive, for easy opening of that document. Alternatively at least part of the adhesive may be of "peel apart" formation. With advantage the material adapted to reproduce an impression is a "carbon" patch adhered to the receipt form or "carbon" printed on the form, and covering no more than substantially 10% of the area of the third panel. A set of such business forms, normally produced in known manner from a continuous web of paper, will be printed with standard instructions for completion and use and with the name of the supplier. Each form will then be completed by the supplier with details of items being delivered and the customer's name and address, these details showing both on the delivery receipt note and the exterior of the sealed document and with an invoice for those items being printed on or enclosed within the interior of the sealed document. When the items are delivered the customer is asked to sign for receipt on the outside of the delivery note in the area corresponding with the "carbon" patch. By virtue of the "carbon" patch, this signature transfers through onto the sealed document; the delivery receipt note is then detached from the sealed document and the customer is asked to pass the sealed document to his accounts department while the supplier's representative keeps the delivery receipt note with the original signature (and stamp of the customer if appropriate). One embodiment of business form, in accordance with the invention, will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings of which:- Figure 1 shows the inner surface of a business form, Figure 2 shows the outer surface of the form of Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows the form folded and sealed to provide a combined delivery receipt form and sealed customer's document. 2

3 3 EP B1 4 A business form comprises a rectangular sheet of paper 12 having top and bottom edges 13, 14 and side edges 15, 16 and divided into three substantially equal panels 17, 18, 19 by first and second fold lines 21, 22 extending between the top and bottom edges. The fold 5 line 22 is formed with perforations to aid easy detachment of the left hand (third) panel 17 (forming a delivery receipt form/note) from the central second panel 18. The fold line 21 could also be formed with perforations to allow easy detachment of the right hand (first) outer w panel 19 from the central panel 18. The paper is plain in that it does not carry over its whole surface a CF/CB or other transfer coating. The panels 18, 19 are intended to form a sealed document and for this purpose they are provided 15 around their edges (except adjacent the fold line 21) with lines of pressure seal adhesive 23 so that when the right hand panel is folded over onto the central panel and the edges subjected to pressure they seal together. Other forms of adhesive could be used in which case 20 adhesive need not extend around the edges of both panels provided it extends around the free edges of the folded document. Lines of perforation 24 are formed inside the lines of adhesive for eventual opening of the sealed document. 25 The left hand outer panel 1 7 is designed to fold over to overlie the outer surface of the right hand outer panel 19. It could be folded the other way to overlie the outer surface of the central panel. The inner surface 25 of panel 1 7 bears an area or 30 patch 26 of self-copy/transfer material, eg a "carbon" patch adhered thereto by cold adhesive. Alternatively the patch of "carbon" may be printed on the surface directly or conventional CB/CF coatings formed on the coating surfaces. This patch covers no more than 10% 35 of the area of panel 1 7 and will register with an underlying area indicated at 27 on the outer surface 28 of the panel 19. The inner surfaces 29 of the panels 18 and 19 of a set of forms are preprinted with the name of the supplier 40 and his details and with headings, boxes and instructions for completion of personalised information, such as customer's name, a list of items being delivered and an invoice for those items. The outer surfaces 30, 28 of the panels 17 and 19 are preprinted with headings and 45 boxes for receiving personalised information such as details of the items being delivered. A box 31 is provided for receiving the customer's name and address details, and a box 32 is provided on surface 30 (coinciding with the area of the patch 26 on the other side of the panel) so for receiving the customer's signature, a date and a rubber stamp impression if appropriate. All this information, which is common to all forms, may be printed on each form at the same time as the personalised printing. In use, each form is completed with personalised ss details of the items being delivered, an invoice for those items and the customer' name and address details. This is normally done by a computer controlled printer printing on both sides of the form. The document is then folded and sealed by activating the adhesive. When the items are delivered the supplier's representative, making the delivery, gets the customer to sign to acknowledge receipt in the area 32 and the signature is automatically transferred onto the area 27 on the outside of the sealed document. The delivery receipt note is then detached along the perforations of the fold line 22 and retained by the supplier's representative while the customer is asked to deliver the sealed document to his accounts department for processing of the invoice. With such a business form the invoice does not need to be separately prepared and delivered and the invoice itself bears an acknowledgement of receipt by the customer. Any of the panels may be subdivided, for example by lines of perforations, to provide, for example a return stub to be included with payment of the invoice. A further, non adhesive bearing panel, could be connected by a (tearable) fold line to the delivery receipt panel so that, after printing with information of the items delivered (but not the price) it can be folded under the delivery note and could provide a further list e.g. the items for use by the customer's stock controller. Such an additional panel could either be provided with a cutout in the area corresponding to the patch or further transfer material. Claims 1. A business form, designed to provide a combined delivery receipt note for a supplier and sealed document for a customer, comprising a sheet of partly uncoated material (1 2) divided by first and second fold lines (22, 21) into a first panel (18), a second panel (19) and a third panel (17), at least one of the first and second panels carrying adhesive (23) around its edges (13, 14, 16, 21) such that when the sheet is folded along the first fold line (22) to bring the inner faces of the first and second panels together and the adhesive is actuated they form a sealed document, the third panel being capable of forming a delivery receipt note and bearing no free adhesive, and the sheet being foldable along the second fold line (21) to bring an inner face (25) of the third panel to overlie an outer face of one of the first and second panels, the inner face of the third panel being formed with a discrete area or patch (26) of a transfer material covering less than 1 0% of the area of the panel and adapted to reproduce an impression made on the outer face of the third panel onto an underlying registering area on said outer face of the first or second panel. 2. A business form comprising a sheet of partly uncoated material (1 2) divided by first and second fold lines (22, 21) into a first panel (18), a second panel (19) and a third panel (17), at least one of the first and second panels carrying adhesive (23) along two of its opposite edges (13, 14) transverse 3

4 5 EP B1 6 to the fold lines, such that when the sheet is folded along the first fold line (22) to bring the inner faces of the first and second panels together and the adhesive is actuated they form a partially sealed document, the third panel (17) being capable of 5 forming a delivery receipt note, and the sheet being foldable along the second fold line (21) to bring an inner face of the third panel (1 7) to overlie an outer face of one of the first and second panels, the inner face of the third panel being formed with an area or w patch (26) of a transfer material adapted to reproduce an impression made on the outer face of the third panel on to an underlying registering area (27) on the outer face of the first or second panel, wherein js the third panel bears no free adhesive, at least one of the first and second panels bears adhesive (23) along an edge (16, 21) opposite the first fold line, such that when the adhesive is actuated the first and second panels together form 20 a document sealed along all four edges, and the first and second panels being formed with lines of perforation along at least one edge inside said adhesive to provide a tear-off strip whereby the document after sealing can be opened 25 so that information on the inner surfaces of the first and second panels is available for view. 3. A form according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that the third panel (1 7), or at least a part thereof 30 including the area or patch (26), is easily detachable from the second panel. 4. A form according to claim 3 characterised in that the second fold line is formed with a series of perfo- 35 rations to aid easy detachment of the third panel from the second panel. 5. A form according to any of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the adhesive is a pressure seal adhe- 40 sive. 6. A form according to any of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that the transfer material is in the form of a "carbon" patch secured to the receipt form by adhe- 45 sive or printed thereon. 7. A form according to any of claims 1 to 6 characterised in that the inner surface of at least one of the first and second panels is printed with indicia completed or designed to be completed with details of items for delivery and an invoice therefor. 8. A form according to any of claims 1 to 7 characterised in that the outer surface of the third panel and 55 the outer surface of one of the panels designed to form the sealed document are printed with indicia completed or designed to be completed with details of items for delivery and customer details. so 9. A form according to any of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the outer surface of the third panel is printed with a defined area and instructions that a customer should acknowledge receipt of items to be delivered within that area, said area corresponding with the patch or area bearing transfer material on the other side of the panel A business form according to any of claims 1 to 9 completed with items to be delivered and an invoice therefor and having the first and second panels sealed together to form a sealed document with the third panel secured thereto only along the fold line. Patentanspruche 1. Geschaftsformular, das so ausgefiihrt ist, dab es eine Kombination aus einer Empfangsbestatigung fur einen Lieferanten und einem verschlossenen Dokument fur einen Kunden bereitstellt, mit einem Blatt aus teilweise unbeschichtetem Material (12), das durch eine erste und zweite Faltlinie (22, 21) in ein erstes Feld (18), ein zweites Feld (19) und ein drittes Feld (17) unterteilt ist, wobei das erste und/oder das zweite Feld urn seine Rander (13, 14, 16, 21) derart mit Klebstoff (23) versehen ist, dab beim Falten des Blattes entlang der ersten Faltlinie (22), urn die Innenflachen des ersten und zweiten Feldes zusammenzubringen, und bei Aktivierung des Klebstoffes diese ein verschlossenes Dokument bilden, wobei das dritte Feld eine Empfangsbestatigung bilden kann und keinen freien Klebstoff tragt und das Blatt entlang der zweiten Faltlinie (21) gefaltet werden kann, so dab eine Innenflache (25) des dritten Feldes uber einer AuBenflache des ersten oder zweiten Feldes zu liegen kommt, wobei die Innenflache des dritten Feldes mit einem einzelnen Bereich oder einer einzelnen Stelle (26) aus Ubertragungsmaterial ausgebildet ist, das weniger als 10% der Flache des Feldes bedeckt und dazu bestimmt ist, einen auf der AuBenflache des dritten Feldes hergestellten Abdruck auf einen darunterliegenden zur Deckung gebrachten Bereich auf der AuBenflache des ersten oder zweiten Feldes zu reproduzieren. 2. Geschaftsformular mit einem Blatt aus teilweise unbeschichtetem Material (12), das durch eine erste und zweite Faltlinie (22, 21) in ein erstes Feld (18), ein zweites Feld (19) und ein drittes Feld (17) unterteilt ist, wobei das erste und/oder zweite Feld entlang zwei seiner gegeniiberliegenden Rander (13, 14) quer zu den Faltlinien derart mit Klebstoff (23) versehen ist, dab beim Falten des Blattes entlang der ersten Faltlinie (22), urn die Innenflachen des ersten und zweiten Feldes zusammenzubringen, und bei Aktivierung des Klebstoffes diese ein teilweise verschlossenes Dokument bilden, wobei das dritte Feld (17) eine Empfangsbestatigung bil- 4

5 7 EP B1 8 den und das Blatt entlang der zweiten Faltlinie (21) gefaltet werden kann, so dab eine Innenflache des dritten Feldes (17) uber einer AuBenflache des ersten oder zweiten Feldes zu liegen kommt, wobei die Innenflache des dritten Feldes mit einem 5 Bereich oder einer Stelle (26) aus Ubertragungsmaterial ausgebildet ist, das dazu bestimmt ist, einen auf der AuBenflache des dritten Feldes hergestellten Abdruck auf einen darunterliegenden zur Deckung gebrachten Bereich (27) auf der AuBen- w flache des ersten oder zweiten Feldes zu reproduzieren, wobei das dritte Feld keinen freien Klebstoff tragt, das erste und/oder zweite Feld entlang einem Rand (16, 21) gegeniiberder ersten Faltlinie 75 derart Klebstoff (23) tragt, dab das erste und zweite Feld bei Aktivierung des Klebstoffes zusammen ein entlang alien vier Randern verschlossenes Dokument bilden, und das erste und zweite Feld entlang minde- 20 stens einem Rand innerhalb des Klebstoffes zur Bereitstellung eines AbreiBstreifens mit Perforationslinien ausgebildet sind, wodurch das Dokument nach dem VerschlieBen geoffnet werden kann, so dab auf den Innenflachen des ersten und zweiten 2s Feldes vorhandene Informationen sichtbar werden. 3. Formular nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dab das dritte Feld (17) oder mindestens ein Teil davon einschlieblich des Bereichs 30 oder der Stelle (26) leicht von dem zweiten Feld abgetrennt werden kann. 4. Formular nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dab die zweite Faltlinie mit einer Reihe von 35 Perforationen ausgebildet ist, damit ein leichtes Abtrennen des dritten Feldes von dem zweiten Feld unterstiitzt wird. 5. Formular nach einem der Anspriiche 1 bis 3, 40 dadurch gekennzeichnet, dab es sich bei dem Klebstoff urn einen druckempfindlichen Klebstoff handelt. 6. Formular nach einem der Anspriiche 1 bis 5, 45 dadurch gekennzeichnet, dab das Ubertragungsmaterial in Form einer Kohle-Stelle vorliegt, die an dem Empfangsformular durch Klebstoff befestigt oder darauf gedruckt ist Formular nach einem der Anspriiche 1 bis 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dab die Innenflache des ersten und/oder zweiten Feldes mit Anweisungen bedruckt ist, die mit Angaben uber Lieferposten und einer Rechnung dafiir ausgefiillt sind oder zum ss Ausfiillen damit bestimmt sind. 8. Formular nach einem der Anspriiche 1 bis 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dab die AuBenflache des dritten Feldes und die AuBenflache eines der Felder, die so ausgefiihrt sind, dab sie das verschlossene Dokument bilden, mit Anweisungen bedruckt sind, die mit Angaben uber Lieferposten und Kundenangaben ausgefiillt sind oder zum Ausfiillen damit ausgefiihrt sind. 9. Formular nach einem der Anspriiche 1 bis 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dab die AuBenflache des dritten Feldes mit einem definierten Bereich und Instruktionen, dab ein Kunde den Empfang von zu liefernden Posten in diesem Bereich bestatigen soil, bedruckt ist, wobei besagter Bereich der Stelle oder dem Bereich, die bzw. der das Ubertragungsmaterial auf der anderen Seite des Feldes tragt, entspricht. 10. Geschaftsformular nach einem der Anspriiche 1 bis 9, das mit zu liefernden Posten und einer Rechnung dafiir ausgefiillt ist und bei dem das erste und zweite Feld so zusammengefiigt sind, dab ein verschlossenes Dokument gebildet wird, wobei das dritte Feld nur entlang der Faltlinie daran befestigt ist. Revendications 1. Formulaire d'affaires, congu pour fournir a la fois un regu de livraison pour un fournisseur et un document scelle pour un client, comprenant une feuille de materiau (12) partiellement non enduit, divisee par des premiere et seconde lignes de pliure (22, 21) en un premier volet (18), un second volet (19) et un troisieme volet (1 7), au moins I'un des premier et second volets portant de I'adhesif (23) autour de ses bords (13, 14, 16, 21) de sorte que lorsque la feuille est pliee le long de la premiere ligne de pliure (22) pour amener les faces internes des premier et second volets I'une contre I'autre et que I'adhesif est active, elles torment un document scelle, le troisieme volet pouvant former un regu de livraison et ne portant pas d'adhesif libre, et la feuille pouvant etre pliee le long de la deuxieme ligne de pliure (21) pour amener une face interne (25) du troisieme volet a recouvrir une face externe de I'un des premier et second volets, la face interne du troisieme volet etant formee avec une zone discrete ou pastille (26) de materiau de transfert couvrant moins de 10% de la surface du volet et prevue pour reproduce une impression faite sur la face externe du troisieme volet sur une zone en coincidence sousjacente sur ladite face externe du premier ou second volet. 2. Formulaire d'affaires, comprenant une feuille de materiau (12) partiellement non enduit, divisee par des premiere et seconde lignes de pliure (22, 21) en un premier volet (18), un second volet (19) et un troisieme volet (17), au moins I'un des premier et 5

6 9 EP B1 10 second volets portant de I'adhesif (23) le long de deux de ses bords opposes (13, 14) transversalement aux lignes de pliure, de sorte que lorsque la feuille est pliee le long de la premiere ligne de pliure (22) pour amener les faces internes des premier et 5 second volets I'une contre I'autre et que I'adhesif est active, elles torment un document partiellement scelle, le troisieme volet (17) pouvant former un regu de livraison, et la feuille pouvant etre pliee le long de la deuxieme ligne de pliure (21) pour ame- w ner une face interne du troisieme volet (1 7) a recouvrir une face externe de I'un des premier et second volets, la face interne du troisieme volet etant formee avec une zone ou une pastille (26) d'un materiau de transfert prevue pour reproduire une 75 impression faite sur la face externe du troisieme volet sur une zone en coincidence sous-jacente (27) sur la face externe du premier ou second volet, dans lequel le troisieme volet ne porte aucun adhesif 20 libre, au moins I'un des premier et second volets porte de I'adhesif (23) le long d'un bord (16, 21) oppose a la premiere ligne de pliure, de sorte que lorsque I'adhesif est active, les premier et second 25 volets torment ensemble un document scelle le long des quatre cotes, et les premier et second volets etant formes avec des lignes de perforation le long d'au moins un bord en-dega dudit adhesif pour fournir une bande 30 de dechirure, grace a laquelle le document peut etre ouvert apres avoir ete scelle de sorte que les informations sur les surfaces internes des premier et second volets puissent etre visibles Formulaire selon la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, caracterise en ce que le troisieme volet (1 7), ou au moins une partie de celui-ci comportant la zone ou la pastille (26), est facilement detachable du second volet. 40 imprimee avec des marquages remplis ou destines a etre remplis avec des details des articles a livrer et une facture pour ces articles. 8. Formulaire selon I'une quelconque des revendications 1 a 7, caracterise en ce que la surface externe du troisieme volet et la surface externe de I'un des volets congus pour former le document scelle sont imprimees avec des marquages remplis ou destines a etre remplis avec des details des articles a livrer et des details relatifs au client. 9. Formulaire selon I'une quelconque des revendications 1 a 8, caracterise en ce que la surface externe du troisieme volet est imprimee avec une zone def i- nie et des instructions dans cette zone d'accuse de reception par un client des articles a livrer, ladite zone correspondant a la pastille ou zone portant le materiau de transfert sur I'autre cote du volet. 10. Formulaire d'affaires selon I'une quelconque des revendications 1 a 9, rempli avec des articles a livrer et une facture pour ces articles, et dont les premier et second volets sont scelles ensemble pour former un document scelle, le troisieme volet etant fixe a celui-ci uniquement le long de la ligne de pliure. 4. Formulaire selon la revendication 3, caracterise en ce que la deuxieme ligne de pliure est formee avec une serie de perforations pour faciliter un detachement aise du troisieme volet du second volet Formulaire selon I'une quelconque des revendications 1 a 3, caracterise en ce que I'adhesif est un adhesif a scellage par pression. 6. Formulaire selon I'une quelconque des revendications 1 a 5, caracterise en ce que le materiau de transfert se presente sous la forme d'une pastille de "carbone" fixee au regu par de I'adhesif, ou imprimee sur celui-ci. 50 ss 7. Formulaire selon I'une quelconque des revendications 1 a 6, caracterise en ce que la surface interne d'au moins I'un des premier et second volets est 6

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