AU608879B2 - Eccentric z-fold mailer with nesting capabilities - Google Patents

Description

THlE COMMISSION ER Orl PATENTS.

Edw~d, Waters Sons.

COMMONWEALTH OAUTA 6 0 3 7 9 1 PATENTS ACT 1952.69 COMPLETE SPEC IFCATION (OR IGINAL, Class 6nt. Class Application Number: Lodged: 44 44 44 4 4 4 44(1 44 Complete Specifi!cation Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art

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444 4 44 4 4 4 4 44 4 40 4 4 1 4 44 4 44 44 4 4 44 Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant; Actual Inventor; Address for Servicet MOORE BUSINESS3 FORMS, INC.

300 Lancy Boulevard, Grand Isl and, New York 140/2, UlLed S ates of Aori~ca WILBUR P. HIUTCINSON EDWD. WATERS SON8, 50 QUEEN STREETV, MELBURU~NE, AUSTRALIA, 3000.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: ILCCE NTRIC Z-F0LD MAI LER WITH NESTING GAJ 2 ABI TI[TI E~S The following statument Is a full description of this invention, Inclu0,uigl the best meitiod of performing It kitown to u DECLARED at Grand s..nd. S thi p il Signature. (T rowe, Assistant ertr To: THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS.

WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 2 Discussion of Prior Art Others have earlier thought to Provide mailers by folding over sheets of paper in various ways, see U.S.

Patents to Kirchof 3,352,481; to Draemel 894,124; to Zabtok 1,794,223; to Krohn 2,773,638 and to Kirchof 3,352,481.

However, none of these approach the eccentric Z-fold configuration of the present invention. U.S. Patents to 13ardie 1,,03,704 and to flanson, 3,152,800 do involve Z-fold configurations, but lack important features of the present invention. Hlardie has a full length third flap, and 0*00 requires side flaps for securing the mailer together.

Hlanson not only has a full length third flap, but two additional longitudinal flaps as well.

0 a09 0 will next be provided, with referencQ to accompanyinq o 0 drawings.

Descriptic~n of Drawings Figui.e 1 is a view c.df the front side of a sheet froi which the mailer is c (structed, Figure 2 is a ew of the rear surface of the sheet tnf Figure 1, turned ver from left to right.

Figure 3 hows the mailer which results from the Zfolding of ie sheet of Figures 1 and 2.

FiguYe4 is an Isometric view of the sheet of Fiqures t arid 2 the folding process, and with a nested insert in At a1

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2a The present invention provides a mailer comprising a sheet having front and rear surfaces and having top, bottom and side edges, the top and bottom edges parallel to one another and the side edges parallel to one another, first and second fold lines located between and parallel to the top and bottom edges, an address area between the top edge and the first fold line, a text area between the first fold line and the bottom edge, the distance between the top edge and the first fold line being substantially less than the distance between the first and second fold lines, a first strip of adhesive on the front surface adjacent one 3ide edge between the bottom edge and the second fold line, a second strip of adhesive on thq front surface adjacent the other side edge between the bottom edge and the second fold ,15 line, a third strip of adhesive on the front surface on the sheet adjacent the bottom edge, respective strips of oo adhesive on the rear surface adjacent to each side edge "oQo between the top edge and the first fold line, the oa arrangement being such that the sheet ;,Iay be Z-folded to place the text area on the inside and the address area on the outside of the mailer.

An illustrative embodiment of the present invention iio will next be provided, with reference to accompanying drawings.

oo 25 Description of Drawings G 64 Figure 1 is a view of the front side of a sheet from which the mailer is constructed.

Figure 2 is a view of the rear surface of the sheet of Figure 1, turned over from left to right.

"a 1 30 Figure 3 shows the mailer which results from the Z-.

So folding of the sheet of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is an isometric view of the sheet of Figures 1 and 2 in the folding process, and with a nested insert in place.

3 Detailed Description of Illustrative Embodiment Referring to the drawings, tile mailer 10 is made ap ok a sheet of paper 12 having a top edge 14, a bottom edqe 16, a side edge 18 and a side edge 20. Detachable margins 2Z with tractor holes 24 therein may be used for handlino in automated processing equipment.

As the mailer is formed the first step will be printinq 4 on the front surface (Fig. Address information will be printed on a top area 26, while text information will he printed on a mid-area 28 and -on a bottom area 30. Th i.printing may be done by the computerized variable print1ing process if desired.

44. The next step in forming the mailer will be to place 0 strips of heat seal adhesive on the paper 12. Strips 12, 34 00 and 36 are placed along the boarders of the front Surface of thle bottom area 30, as shown in Figure 1. Strips 38 and I are placed at thle sides of thle rear surface of top area 26, as shown in Figure 2. Also, a strip of adhesive 41 may be p laced (b t, no( reqJuired) oil the rear surface alonwg tho1 Lop edge.

It will be understood that thle strips of adhesive adjacent the respective side edges may be placed anywhere along thle edges so long as there will be adequate adhesive to properly seal the mailer when completed to satisfy users and postal authiorities. In other woeds, the adhesive moy be intermittent, Such as dots. When "strip" of adhesive is used in the appended claims such intermittent coverage is included.

To facilitate opening of thle mailer, as described hereinafter, lines of weakening (perforation lines) 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 are provided.

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-4- Figure 3 shows the mailer folded and ready for mailing. The manner of folding is shown in Figure 4.

There are two folds, one along line 52, and the other along line 54. The directions of folding are shown the arrows in Figure 4.

The top area 26 of the mailer is substantially ol less height than the areas 28 and 30 (which are of equ1iil height). The height of the top area need only be eno igh for receiving address information and meet postal specifications.

If the lines of weakness 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50) awv.

created in the sheet 12, the envelope may be opened b1% the user tearing off the marginal regions. The usual legend, "To Open Tear Along Dotted Line" may be print tl along the vertical margins of the completed mailer, a lbelt in that case some printing would be necessary on the rear surface of the sheet 12.

It will be noted that the maler 10 is construcLt*d from a rectangular (or square) sheet of paper, with in, need for special cutting to provide side flaps. All Io the adhesive strips lie along the edges of the sheets, rather than being on side flaps or the like.

Upon reading the foregoing disclosure various otlhr embodiments of the invention will occur to others.

Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be determined from the appended claims.

Claims (4)

1. A mailer comprising a sheet having front and rear surfaces and having top, bottom and side edges, the top and bottom edges parallel to one another and the side edges parallel to one another, first and second fold lines located between and parallel to the top and bottom edges, an adcd'ess area between the top edge and the first fold line, a text S 0 area between the first fold line and the bottom edge, the on 09 o distance between the top edge and the first fold line being oS, substantially less than the distance between the first and o"o second fold lines, a first strip of adhesive on the front o surface adjacent one side edge between the bottom edge and Sthe second fold line, a second strip of adhesive on the front surface adjacent the other side edge between the bottom edge and the second fold line, a third strip of a 0 o°ro a i.esive on the front surface on the sheet adjacent the 0 bottom edge, respective strips of adhesive on the rear 0 Ssurface adjacent to each side edge between the top edge and the first fold line, the arrangement being such that the 0 sheet may be Z-folded to place the text area on the nside 6 0 and the address area on the outside of the mailer, and when activated the strips of adhesive are adapted to seal the mailer along the edges.

2. A mailer as in claim 1 further including a strip of adhesive on the rear surface of the sheet adjacent to the i top edge. A -6-

3. A mailer as in claim 1 wherein one or more inserts are nested within the mailer between the bottom edge and the fold lines. C, C) r, n 1 0 0 0

4. A mailer as claimed in claim 1, substanl:.ially as herein described with reference to the accomnpanying drawings. DATED this 14th day of January, 1991. MOORE BUSINESS FORMS, INC. WATERMARK PATENT TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS 'TH-E ATRIUM', 2ND FLOOR 290 BURWOOD ROAD) HAWTHORN VIC. 3122. AUSTRALIA C) C) C) C) C) C) C) C)C~ C) C) C) C) C) C)C) I C) 4 C) IC) 114 I I 4 II 14 C) 414 C) 0 C) C) C) 1~ 4 C) S 4 I 1i~7~ ~C:C