# US 2009/0269166 A1 · Method and system for mechanically binding a book spine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0269166 A1 - Document ID: US20090269166A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/108,880 - Filed: 2008-04-24 - Published: 2009-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-24 - Assignees: Xerox Corporation - Inventors: Paul N. Richards - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090269166A1 ## CPC - B42B 5/103: {Devices for assembling the elements with the stack of sheets} - B42B 5/10: the elements being of castellated or comb-like form - B42B: PERMANENTLY ATTACHING TOGETHER SHEETS, QUIRES OR SIGNATURES OR PERMANENTLY ATTACHING OBJECTS THERETO (nailing or stapling in general B25C, B27F; machines for both collating or gathering and permanently attaching together sheets or signatures B42C1/12; temporarily attaching sheets together B42F) ## Abstract Method and system for permanently fastening an in-line plastic book spine utilizing bind spine tabs. Paper sheets can be formed into an aligned book block. A set of rectangular holes can be configured on binding edges of the paper sheets and book covers. Each bind spine tab can be inserted into the rectangular holes and connected with a binding strip utilizing a mechanical material fastening process, an ultrasonic sealing/welding process and/or a mechanical tab fastening process. The mechanical material fastening process can fasten the book spine together by a stitch or piercing a mechanical material therein. The ultrasonic sealing/welding process can apply ultrasonic waves on the spine tab and the strip to bond together. The mechanical tab fastening process can insert a pre-cut series of mechanical tabs into die-cut slots on a mating side of the book spine. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for fastening an in-line plastic book spine, comprising: forming a plurality of rectangular holes on at least one binding edge of a plurality of paper sheets and a plurality of book covers, said plurality of paper sheets aligned into an aligned book block; angularly inserting a plurality of bind spine tabs into said plurality of rectangular holes on said plurality of paper sheets and said plurality of book covers, wherein said plurality of bind spine tabs is associated with said plurality of paper sheets and said plurality of book covers; and bonding said plurality of bind spine tabs with at least one binding strip in order to form a book bound by an in-line plastic book spine thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising bonding said plurality of bind spine taps with at least one binding strip by a mechanical material fastening process. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising bonding said plurality of bind spine taps with at least one binding strip by an ultrasonic sealing process. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising bonding said plurality of bind spine taps with at least one binding strip by a welding process. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising bonding said plurality of bind spine taps with at least one binding strip by a mechanical tab fastening process. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said mechanical material fastening process further comprises: introducing at least one mechanical material on one or more interconnecting junctions formed between said plurality of bind spine tabs and said at least one binding strip. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein said ultrasonic sealing process further comprises: applying ultrasonic waves with high thermal forces on said one or more interconnecting junctions in order to bind on said plurality of bind spine tabs and said binding strip. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein said mechanical tab fastening process further comprises: forming a plurality of die-cut slots on said one or more interconnecting junctions; and inserting a pre-cut series of mechanical tabs into said plurality of die-cut slots on a mating side of an in-line plastic book spine. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of rectangular holes is spaced apart from each other at a regular distance. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said mechanical material fastening process comprises a sheet metal stitch process. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said mechanical material fastening process comprises a piercing process. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein each book cover among said plurality of book covers comprises a front cover and a back cover. ### Claim 13 A system for fastening an in-line plastic book spine, comprising: a plurality of rectangular holes formed on at least one binding edge of a plurality of paper sheets and a plurality of book covers, said plurality of paper sheets aligned into an aligned book block; a plurality of bind spine tabs angularly inserted into said plurality of rectangular holes on said plurality of paper sheets and said plurality of book covers, wherein said plurality of bind spine tabs is associated with said plurality of paper sheets and said plurality of book covers; and at least one binding strip for bonding said plurality of bind spine tabs in order to form a book bound by an in-line plastic book spine thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of bind spine taps is bonded with at least one binding strip by a mechanical material fastener. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 further comprising wherein said plurality of bind spine tap is bonded with at least one binding strip by an ultrasonic seal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 further comprising bonding said plurality of bind spine taps with at least one binding strip by a weld. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 further comprising bonding said plurality of bind spine taps with at least one binding strip by a mechanical tab fastener. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of rectangular holes is spaced apart from each other at a regular distance and wherein each book cover among said plurality of book covers comprises a front cover and a back cover. ### Claim 19 A system for fastening an in-line plastic book spine, comprising: a plurality of rectangular holes formed on at least one binding edge of a plurality of paper sheets and a plurality of book covers, said plurality of paper sheets aligned into an aligned book block; a plurality of bind spine tabs angularly inserted into said plurality of rectangular holes on said plurality of paper sheets and said plurality of book covers, wherein said plurality of bind spine tabs is associated with said plurality of paper sheets and said plurality of book covers; and at least one binding strip for bonding said plurality of bind spine tabs in order to form a book bound by an in-line plastic book spine thereof, wherein said plurality of rectangular holes is spaced apart from each other at a regular distance and wherein each book cover among said plurality of book covers comprises a front cover and a back cover. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19 wherein said plurality of bind spine tabs is bonded with at least one binding strip by a mechanical material fastener, an ultrasonic seal, a weld, or a mechanical tab fastener.