Method and apparatus for sealing materials without glue

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a system comprises at least two material pieces, at least one being a sheet of paper having a coating thereon, and an object such as a disc positioned between the material pieces. The coating includes at least one polymer capable of being heated to its softening point using radio frequency energy. Additionally, the system includes a die press to create a heat-seal fusing the material pieces, forming a pocket therebetween containing the disc. The die press may be heated, thereby causing the coating to melt and create a seal between the material pieces. The disc is substantially surrounded by the heat-seal. Further, the system may include access means formed in at least one of the material pieces to allow for access to and retrieval of the disc.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a first sheet of paper material having a coating on at least a portion of a first side of the first sheet, wherein the coating includes at least one polymer having a softening point and capable of being heated to the softening point using radio frequency energy;   a second piece of material;   a disc placed between the first sheet and the second piece of material;   a die-formed heat-seal fusing the first sheet and the second piece of material and forming a pocket containing the disc between the first sheet and the second piece of material, the disc being substantially surrounded by the heat-seal, wherein the heat-seal includes the coating of the first sheet melted and sealed to the second piece of material; and   access means formed in the first sheet and positioned over the pocket to access the disc.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the access means includes at least one tear strip in communication with the pocket. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second piece of material is a second sheet of paper material having a coating on at least a portion of a first side of the second sheet, wherein the coating on the second sheet includes at least one polymer capable of being heated using radio frequency energy. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , comprising a book having a cover with an outside surface and an inside surface, and further comprising a die-formed heat-seal fusing one of the first and second sheets of paper material and the book cover. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the die-formed heat-seal fuses the second sheet of paper material to the outside surface of the book cover. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the book is selected from the group consisting of a mechanical bound book, a soft cover book, and a saddle-stitch book. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the cover includes a hole extending therethrough, wherein the die-formed heat-seal fuses the first sheet to the inside surface of the cover, the hole at least partially overlapping the access means. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , comprising access means formed in the second sheet and positioned over the pocket to access the disc. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a sound clip member to store digital information associated with the disc. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second piece of material is a book cover. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second piece of material is a backing portion of a disc holder, the disc holder having side flaps adjacent the backing portion configured to fold over the first sheet. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polymer is an acrylic copolymer. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the softening point is in the range of 150 degrees Fahrenheit to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is water-based. 
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 first and second material pieces, wherein the first material piece is paper material having a coating on at least a portion of a first side of the first material piece, wherein the coating includes at least one polymer having a softening point and capable of being heated to the softening point using radio frequency energy;   a disc positionable between the first and second material pieces; and   a die press including top and bottom press components operable to create a heat-seal between the first and second material pieces to fuse the first and second material pieces together around the disc, the disc being substantially surrounded by the heat-seal, wherein at least one of the die process components is operable to melt a portion of the coating of the first material piece to the second material piece using radio frequency energy to create the heat-seal.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , comprising a book having a cover with an outside surface, an inside surface and a hole extending therethrough, wherein the die press is operable to create a heat-seal fusing the first material piece to the inside surface of the cover, wherein the heated die press component is operable to melt a portion of the coating of the first material piece to the inside surface of the cover, wherein the first material piece includes an access mechanism to access the disc, the hole at least partially overlapping the access mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second material piece includes an access mechanism to access the disc. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the access mechanisms in the first and second material pieces are tear strips. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the second material piece is paper material having a coating on at least a portion of a first side of the second material piece, wherein the coating includes at least one polymer capable of being heated using radio frequency energy. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , comprising a book having a cover with an outside surface and an inside surface, wherein the die press is operable to create a heat-seal fusing the first material piece to the outside surface of the cover, wherein the at least one heated die press component is operable to melt a portion of the coating of the first material piece to the outside surface of the cover, wherein the second material piece includes an access mechanism to access the disc. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the second material piece is a backing portion of a disc holder, the disc holder having side flaps adjacent the backing portion configured to fold over the first material piece. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the second material piece is a book cover. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one polymer is an acrylic copolymer. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the softening point in the range of 150 degrees Fahrenheit to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the coating is water-based. 
     
     
         26 . A method, comprising:
 providing first and second material pieces to be heat sealed, wherein the first material piece is paper material having a coating on at least a portion of a first side of the first material piece, wherein the coating includes at least one polymer having a softening point and capable of being heated to the softening point using radio frequency energy;   providing a disc and positioning the disc between the first and second pieces; and   forming a first heat-seal with a die press fusing the first and second pieces together, thereby melting part of the coating of the first piece to the second piece and forming a space between the first and second pieces where the disc resides, the disc being substantially surrounded by the first heat-seal, wherein the die press includes top and bottom press components, wherein the forming includes causing the die press components to be pressed together and heating at least one of the die press components via radio frequency energy to create the first heat-seal, wherein at least one the first and second material pieces includes access means therein positioned over the space to access the disc.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising:
 providing the die press having top and bottom press components, wherein the components each include a press pattern thereon;   heating at least one of the die press components via radio frequency energy; and   pressing the die press components together upon the first and second material pieces.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising applying the coating to the first material piece. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising providing a sound clip member on one of the first and second material pieces to digitally store sound information associated with the disc. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising:
 providing a book having a cover with an outside surface, an inside surface and a hole extending therethrough; and   forming a second heat-seal with the die press fusing the first material piece to the inside surface of the cover, wherein the access means is formed in the first material piece and the hole at least partially overlaps the access means, wherein the forming the first heat-seal and the forming the second heat-seal occur substantially simultaneously.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the second material piece is paper material having a coating, wherein the coating includes at least one polymer having a softening point and capable of being heated to the softening point using radio frequency energy. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the second material piece includes access means therein positioned over the space to access the disc. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the second material piece is a disc holder, the disc holder having side flaps configured to fold over the first material piece. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising:
 providing a book having a cover with an outside surface and an inside; and   forming a second heat-seal with the die press fusing the first material piece to the outside surface of the cover, wherein the forming the first heat-seal and the forming the second heat-seal occur substantially simultaneously, wherein the access means is created in at least the second material piece.