CA1168671A - Mailing article and blank therefor - Google Patents
Mailing article and blank thereforInfo
- Publication number
- CA1168671A CA1168671A CA000428175A CA428175A CA1168671A CA 1168671 A CA1168671 A CA 1168671A CA 000428175 A CA000428175 A CA 000428175A CA 428175 A CA428175 A CA 428175A CA 1168671 A CA1168671 A CA 1168671A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- panel
- blank
- folded
- panels
- mailing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
- B42D—BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
- B42D5/00—Sheets united without binding to form pads or blocks
- B42D5/02—Form sets
- B42D5/023—Continuous form sets
- B42D5/025—Mailer assemblies
- B42D5/026—Mailer assemblies with return letter or return card
Abstract
A B S T R A C T
A one piece form is provided which is foldable sequentially longitudinally by panels which provide the front and back of a mailing article, its contents and often a return envelope. All printing individual or peculiar to the original recipient appears on one side of the form which side is the outside of each sequential fold. In most applications the form will be printed by a word processor, computer printer or auto-matic typewriter.
A one piece form is provided which is foldable sequentially longitudinally by panels which provide the front and back of a mailing article, its contents and often a return envelope. All printing individual or peculiar to the original recipient appears on one side of the form which side is the outside of each sequential fold. In most applications the form will be printed by a word processor, computer printer or auto-matic typewriter.
Description
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This invention relates to a business ~orm for large volume mailings.
In its broadest aspect the invention provides a longitudinally e~tending single paper blank which is a series of serially connected panels defines a pair of outer panels and one or more contents panels to be folded therebetween. The printing, which will include the outgoing address on one of the outer panels and information (such as an invoice) on one of the contents panels is solely on one side o~ the paper The blank is designed to be quickly and efficiently completed in one pass by any type of computer printer, word processor, automatic typewriter or the like. The printing is arranged so that the blank may be folded into a mailing article by sequential folding starting with the panel remote from the outer panels. In each case the fold is performed in a direction to leave the printed side outermost and all folds are performed starting from the end remote from the o~ter panels. The result is a folded mailing article where the two outer panels contain all other panels and all tha printing has been performed in a single pass of the word processor. No collation, stuffing or insertion is requixed. The recipient of the folded form receives no detached portions which may be separated or lost. Where the folded article is maintained folded for mail-ing by adhesive, the desi~n of the blank and ~orm is such that all the adhesive areas may be provided on the opposite side of the form from the printing allowing the application of the adhesive in a single pass.
~ y "word processor" I include not only word processors per se but also computer controlled printers of any kind and automatic or programmed typewriter. -~e-i~e~i~n~}~-not~ imite~-~
D
busin ~ may be printed by a manual typewriter or any other printing method. Ho ~ jority of uses of the invention will be with word processors and ~ to the use of the invention with word processors that many o~ 'h s of the in~ention-aeo~u~ ~
By the "printing" herein is meant the output of the word processor, typewriter or other printing means, of matter characteristic of or peculiar to the individual recipient ~of the original mailing) including his address and in the contents portion the text of the communication to him, and in a preferred form, the original recipient's return address on a return envelope provided as part of the form. It is such "printing" individual or peculiar to the original recipient that i9 all on one side of the form. Other printed material, such as advertising and other material common to all recipients may be provided on the form but is not included within the term "printing" or "printed side" as used herein.
The most common, although not the only, application of the invention is in the mailing out of utility bills. When these are mai]ed out the original sender sends and the original recipient receives an outer envelope containing a bill and a return envelope.
The original recipient is expected to take at least part of the bill, and place it with his payment in the return envelope tomail back to the original sender. Prior kits ~or performing the above operation require a separate return envelope having the return 7~
address. Thus the origina-ting mailing operation requires the insertion of the correct bill in the correct envelope and the insertion of a return envelope. Secondly, although the return envelope will customarily provide a place for insertion o~ the original recipient's return address, many such recipients do not fill this in, leading to problems if the material sent back by the original recipient is incomplete or a error.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages listed above and provides a more economic and efficient system. A
longitudinally extending single blank is provided which may be folded as a series of serially longitudinally connected panels including : a pair of outer panels; the contents, which includes a portion to be returned; and a return envelope. The portion to be returned is defined by weakened lines in dimensions to be received within the return envelope. By the term "weakened lines" herein we include scored or perforated lines or lines otherwise weakened so that they may be torn off by the recipient of the materiala The fact that the elements listed in the preceeding paragraph are on serially connected panels allows a printing ~0 operation which is all performed (preferably by a word processor~
on one side of the connected panels and as one continuous printing pass. Such printing preferably includes :
(a) The original recipient's address (and the original senders return address if not already on the form) on a side of that panel which is to be the front of the outgoing mailing form.
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(b) The contents including that part of -the contents which is to be returned (e.g. an invoice and the portion thereof or ad~unct thereto which is to be returned with the bill.) (c) The sender's address (if not already on the form) and the return address of the original recipient on the same side of the panel which is to be the front of the return envelope.
(In many cases the name and address of the original sender, wherever it appears~will be printed separately from and other than by the word processor) as a part of producing the forms in bulk.
The blank thus printed is complete for all purposes except that before the original mailing the back of the return envelope (if such is included) is folded parallel to the front and sealed by adhesive thereto along the sides thereof. The flap of the return envelope is provided with adheslve ready for use by the original recipient. The blank, is then folded sequentially longit-udinally from the end corresponding to the return envelope toward ~0 the end corresponding to the back and front of the outgoing form.
All ~olds are away from the printed side on the opposite side o~
the fold line. All adhesive is on the side remote fxom the printin~
There is thus formed in a single printing run by a word processor a blank which may be turned into an outgoing piece of mail by gumming and sealing upon the outer edges of the blank.
Such piece of mailing contains the contents and, in many appli-cations, the return envelope and the material to be returned. No collating has been required. The original recipient's return address is included in the correct position on the return anvelope.
.~ .
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When folded and sealed on its edges this piece of mailing material may be mailed. The blank is preferably provided with edge strips on each side joined to the central portion of the blank by weakened lines. To seal the edges o~ the outgoing envelope (this normally involves attachment at the edges of all the panels) adhesive is provided on the edge strips of all the panels. As a result when the envelope is received by the original recipient he removes the edge strips along the weakened lines. (In the U.S. although not in Canada an outer flap which would be held closed by the adhesively 1~ joined edge strips need not be ~lued for first class mailings).
With the envelope attached on its edges as before described, the recipient in the U.S. need only remove the edge strips and the envelope contents and return envelope open up before him. In Canada with first class mailings this will occur after the additional step of severing the cover flap. The recipient then may detach the return envelope, which will be joined to the remainder of the blank ~y weakened lines, detach the return portion of the contents, likewise weakened, add any other matter (e.g. a cheque), insert return portion and cheque in the return envelope, seal it, stamp it and return it.
It is noted that the invention provides business form printed on one side which is sequentially folded in panels from one end toward the other with the printed side always outward resulting in a folded form having a front and back panel exposed for mailing.
The front panel will have printing indicating the original re-cipient's address. It is to be noted that the preferred from of the invention will leave the back panel free of all printing (in its sense as used herein meaning printing which is individual to the ~6~36~7~
recipient). of course advertising or a general communication to all recipients may appear on the back panel.
In drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention :
Figure l shows the printed side of the blank, Figure 2 shows the non-printed side of the blank, Figure 3 shows the folding of the outgoing article, Figure 4 shows the folded mailing article as received by the original recipient; and Figure 5 shows the return envelope ready for sealing and mailing.
In the drawings the printed side of the blank 10 is shown with the printing completed and schematically represented by blocks. It will be noted that edge strips 12 run longitudinally along each edge of the longitudinally serially arranged panels.
During printing there are provided additional edge strips 15 out-side of each of strips 12 and shown in Figure 1 with regularly spaced apertures 17 to receive the drive sprockets which transport the blank for the printing operation. Such additional strips 15 ~0 will have been cut off or otherwise removed after the printing operation is completed and the non-printed side of the blank without strips 15 is shown in Figure 2.
The blank comprises a number of panels integrally connected to each other and serially arranged longitudinally of the blank. '!
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Horizontal chain dotted lines 19 notionally separate the panels in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The term 'notionally' is used because modern folding machinery can be programmed to fold along fold lines at precise predetermined locations along the blank without pre-scoring or weakening along the blank. Thus the lines 19 on Figures 1 and 2 do not represent any physical conditions but do represent the lines where folding will be performed by automatic folding apparatus. It should also be noted that line l9A is an intended fold line which corresponds to a line of perforation as hereina~ter described. The panels beginning from the lower end and notionally separated by lines 19 comprise : return envelope back panel 14, return envelope front panel 16, a panel 18 which includes both the return envelope flap 21 and the returnable portion 42 of the contents (separated by weakened line 28), a panel 20 portion of the contents to be retained by the recipient, a panel 22 being the back panel of the outgoing envelope, a panel 24 being the front panel of the outgoing envelope, and a panel 26 being the front flap of the outgoing envelope~
All panels are the width of the blank ~excluding strips 15). Panels 22 and 24 are dimensioned longitudinally to form an envelope when sealed by the adhesion of their overlapping portions of edge strip 12. Panels 14, 16, 18 and 20 are dimensioned longitudinally ~o that they may be folded about their defining fold lines each upon the ne~t away from the printed side beginning at panel 14 and folding the panels serially longitudinally tsee Figure 3) until a mailing article is provided enclosed by panels 22 and 24 and flap 26. All folds are performed with the printed side outward.
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Returning to Figure 1, the edge strips 12 are provided with adhesive on their non-printed sides either in advance or at the time of folding in the areas indicated by stippling in Figure 2. Such adhesive coated areas included the entire non printed side of edge strips 12, the return envelope flap 21 on the non printed side, and again on the non printed sides, relative-ly narrow strips 23 on each side of return panels 14 and 16 adjacent strips 12. For Canadian 1st class mailing~ as herein-after e~plained adhesive will also be placed on the central portion of the non printed side of flap 26. It will be noted that since all areas to be coated with adhesive are on the same (non printed) side of the blank; and, subject to the type or types of adhesive used, may be provided during a single pass. At the present time it is preferred to use moisture activated adhesive so that the above listed areas may all be coated in one pass. The areas on edge strips 12, strips 23 and flap 26 are moisture activated during the foldin~ operation to provide the folded mailing article of Figure 4 including the strips 23 which provide the side closures of the return envelope when the strips 12 are removed. The adhesive 20 on return flap 21 is of course not activated until the original recipient is mailing bac]~ the return envelope. Other types of adhesive (e.g. pressure or heat activated) may be used on areas other than return flap 21. However, the return flap 21 adhesive must be of a type convenient for the ori~inal recipient to activate in his home when mailing back the return envelope.
Weakened lines preferably perforated are provided at 32 to define edge strips 12, at 28 to allow detachment of the return envelope and at line 36, (as well as lines 28, l9A and left hand 6'7~l line 32) to define the return portion 42 of the contentsO
Return portion 42 thus defined is dimensioned to be easily received in the return envelope. This is demonstrated by the dimension lines running longitudinally and transversely from the numeral 42 from which it will be seen that the width of returnable portion is less than the transverse length between glued strips 23 and the longitudinal dimension of portion 42 is less than the longitudinal dimension of either panel 1~ or 16.
The blank of Figures l and 2 will be customarily printed (~ the printing individual or peculiar to the recipient addressed) and provided with adhesive in selected areas as a part of an longitudinally extending, end-to-end connected series of such blanks printed in hundreds or thousands consecutively under control of a word processor~ Such information peculiar or individual to the recipient will include, in the form chosen as an example in Figure l; the "OUT ADDRESS" (i.e. the original recipient's address) of panel 24; the "VOUCHER" and "AMOUNT"
information of panel 20, the " IN~OICE" and "AMOUNT" informatlon of panel 18 and the " OUT ADDRESS" of panel 16. It should be noted that panel 2~ is blank on the Figure 1 side at least so far as printing individual or peculiar to the recipient is concerned.
This is important since the blank is folded printed side ou-tward and panel 22 will be exposed in the outgoing mailed article.
The blank of Figures 1 and 2 has been provided with adhesive on the selected areas before during or a~ter the printing operation and any such alternative is within the scope o~ the invention. However, usually the adhesive is applied to the selected and already enumerated _g_ 7~
areas during the same pass as the printing but to the part of a longitudinally extending series of forms which has heen already printed.
The blank of Figures 1 and 2 with edge strips 15 removed will first be folded to provide the return envelope pouch. This is customarily performed in a 'plow fold' which is performed in accord with well known techniques. In such plow fold the blank, in the attitutde shown in Figure 2 is moved perpendicular to its longitudinal direction with folding surfaces are designed to fold panel 14 toward panel 16 in the sense so that the printed surfaces are outward and the adhesive surfaces are inward. At the time of folding)the adhesive ~ strips 23 and on that part only of strips 12 which is opposite panels 14 and 16 i activated so that the folding results in the forming of the pouch of the return envelope~ (Such return envelope, in use by the recipient is shown in Figure 5).
The remaining folding is performed, by conventional machinery in a longitudinal direction. As previously explained such machinery is designed to fold along predetermined fold lines which will in this case correspond to the lines 19, 19A. Thus, ~0 folding)after panel 14 has been folded onto panel 16~will begin by folding panels 14 and 16 together on to panel 18. This ~old will be in the same sense as the previous fold and is toward the adhesive face of panel 18 and away from its printed face. The folding progresses longi~udinally serially, panel by panel~ in the same sense, it being noted that the sense of folding is such that the printed side of the form is always outward. For such folding the area of stripsl~ beside panels 18, 20, 220 24 and ~16~ 71 flap 26 has its adhesive actuated so that the folded form re-mains folded. The central portion of 1ap 21 does not have its adhesive actuated. This will be done by the original recipient before mailing back the return envelope. The partially folded product is shown in Figure 3 (where panels 1~, 16, 18 are being folded to~ard the unprinted side of panel 20) and the mailing article (after receipt by the recipient) is shown in Figure 4. When folded and with the adhesive activated in the areas specified, a closed mailing article is provided ready for stamping and mailing, displaying the outgoing address and sender's return address on one outside panel 24 and with the flap 26 partially overlying the other outside panel 22. The activated adhesive on strip 12 maintains the mailing article closed, without requiring adhesive on the central portion of flap 26. Thus the folded article, held by the adhesive of strips 12 only, mantains flap 26 closed without attachment of the central part of the flap 26. This is satisfactory under first class mailing regulations in the U.S~
where adhesive on the central portion of flap 26 would not be required. For first class mailing, in canada, the outer flap 26 must also be attached by adhesive. When the mailed article is received by a first class recipient he must merely (in the U.S.) detach the edge strips 12 along perforation lines 32 and the whole remaining blank may be opened beginning with the then unattached flap 26. Such a mailed article~ with the first strip 12 partially detached by the recipient is illustrated in Figure 4. There it will be noted that the central portion of flap 26 will be free for unfolding after the detachment o~ both strips 12. In Canada, before opening, the recipient must also slit the attachment of flap ~6~ 7~
26 to panel 24 or merely lift ~lap 26.
When the original recipient has detached the strips 12 there is no adhesive holding the form in folded attitude (except on strips 23 for the retuxn envelope) and the recipient may unroll the form whereby the printed sides of panels 24, 22, 20 and 18 will be displayed to him and the return envelope, shown in Figure 5, ready for use.
tIn order that the sequentially folded panels will not bulge the outer panels due to the thickness of the paper stock, it is preferable to make each penel of the series 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, slightly longer in the longitudinal direction of the blank than the last - although it is not possible to clearly show this in the drawings. With the usual paper stocks from which the blanks would be made, therefore, in a dire~tion perpendicular to the fold lines, panel 16 would be about 1/8" longer than panel 14, panel 18 would be about 1/8" longer than panel 16, and 50 on in the series).
With the form open the recipient may detach the return envelope at perforated llne 28, detach the return portion 42 at ~0 lines 28, 36, l9A and left hand 32. The recipient then inserts portion 42 in tha return envelope along with his cheque, seals it, stamps it and mails it.
The process has required no collating or envelope stuffing at the originating end, all material to be mailed is out of one blank. The information peculiar or individual to the recipient : the "out address" on panels 24 and 16 and the "voucher-~L~6~
amount" (panel 20~ and ~'invoice-amount~ (Panel 18) may all be printed in a single pass (with the same printing orientation~
by a word processor. There is of course no limit to the in-formation which is peculiar ~o an individual recipient or which is common which may be printed by the word processor instead of an invoice. Since the printing is on one side of the blank in the same orientation, hundreds or thousands of such blanks, attached end to end may be printed sequentially in accord with the pro-gram of the word processor. When these hundreds or thousands of forms have been typed they may be separated into the b~nks o~
Figure 1 and 2 and processed as described herein. ~o collating, stuffing, handling or sorting is required.
The recipient receives the mailing article in an attached unit. There is no part which can easily be separated or lost. His return envelope is attached and contains his individual address (the 'out address' of panel 16). The return portion ~2 i9 available.
Since the "return address" of panels 24 and 16 will be common to all of the blanks in most operations this "return address" will usually be printed on the blank other than by the automatic printer and customarily wlll be a coloured and stylized representation of the organizationls name~
It is of some importance to reiterate that a preferred feature of the invention is the fact that no printing of relevance to the recipient appears on the side of panel 2~ corresponding to ~ 6~t71 the 'printed' side of the other panels. This allows the inventive blank to be folded printed side outwardly with no pxivate in-formation on the exposed back of the mailed article.
Although the commonest application of the invention will include the return portion 42 and a return envelope, the invention, with fewer but some advantages~ is considered to extend to a blank, printed on one side consisting only of panels 2~, 22, 24 and flap 26, but otherwise manufactured and assembled as described herein.
It will be obvious that advertising or other material may appear on the blank such as on the unprinted side shown in Figure 2. This does not alter the fact that all of the word processor printing (or alternative printing characteristic of the individual account) which is essential to the invention appears on one side, the side displaying in Figure 1.
All of the printing, perforating, adhesive and adhesion actuating and folding operations referred to herein are well known and readily available to those skilled in the art.
~0 ,
This invention relates to a business ~orm for large volume mailings.
In its broadest aspect the invention provides a longitudinally e~tending single paper blank which is a series of serially connected panels defines a pair of outer panels and one or more contents panels to be folded therebetween. The printing, which will include the outgoing address on one of the outer panels and information (such as an invoice) on one of the contents panels is solely on one side o~ the paper The blank is designed to be quickly and efficiently completed in one pass by any type of computer printer, word processor, automatic typewriter or the like. The printing is arranged so that the blank may be folded into a mailing article by sequential folding starting with the panel remote from the outer panels. In each case the fold is performed in a direction to leave the printed side outermost and all folds are performed starting from the end remote from the o~ter panels. The result is a folded mailing article where the two outer panels contain all other panels and all tha printing has been performed in a single pass of the word processor. No collation, stuffing or insertion is requixed. The recipient of the folded form receives no detached portions which may be separated or lost. Where the folded article is maintained folded for mail-ing by adhesive, the desi~n of the blank and ~orm is such that all the adhesive areas may be provided on the opposite side of the form from the printing allowing the application of the adhesive in a single pass.
~ y "word processor" I include not only word processors per se but also computer controlled printers of any kind and automatic or programmed typewriter. -~e-i~e~i~n~}~-not~ imite~-~
D
busin ~ may be printed by a manual typewriter or any other printing method. Ho ~ jority of uses of the invention will be with word processors and ~ to the use of the invention with word processors that many o~ 'h s of the in~ention-aeo~u~ ~
By the "printing" herein is meant the output of the word processor, typewriter or other printing means, of matter characteristic of or peculiar to the individual recipient ~of the original mailing) including his address and in the contents portion the text of the communication to him, and in a preferred form, the original recipient's return address on a return envelope provided as part of the form. It is such "printing" individual or peculiar to the original recipient that i9 all on one side of the form. Other printed material, such as advertising and other material common to all recipients may be provided on the form but is not included within the term "printing" or "printed side" as used herein.
The most common, although not the only, application of the invention is in the mailing out of utility bills. When these are mai]ed out the original sender sends and the original recipient receives an outer envelope containing a bill and a return envelope.
The original recipient is expected to take at least part of the bill, and place it with his payment in the return envelope tomail back to the original sender. Prior kits ~or performing the above operation require a separate return envelope having the return 7~
address. Thus the origina-ting mailing operation requires the insertion of the correct bill in the correct envelope and the insertion of a return envelope. Secondly, although the return envelope will customarily provide a place for insertion o~ the original recipient's return address, many such recipients do not fill this in, leading to problems if the material sent back by the original recipient is incomplete or a error.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages listed above and provides a more economic and efficient system. A
longitudinally extending single blank is provided which may be folded as a series of serially longitudinally connected panels including : a pair of outer panels; the contents, which includes a portion to be returned; and a return envelope. The portion to be returned is defined by weakened lines in dimensions to be received within the return envelope. By the term "weakened lines" herein we include scored or perforated lines or lines otherwise weakened so that they may be torn off by the recipient of the materiala The fact that the elements listed in the preceeding paragraph are on serially connected panels allows a printing ~0 operation which is all performed (preferably by a word processor~
on one side of the connected panels and as one continuous printing pass. Such printing preferably includes :
(a) The original recipient's address (and the original senders return address if not already on the form) on a side of that panel which is to be the front of the outgoing mailing form.
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(b) The contents including that part of -the contents which is to be returned (e.g. an invoice and the portion thereof or ad~unct thereto which is to be returned with the bill.) (c) The sender's address (if not already on the form) and the return address of the original recipient on the same side of the panel which is to be the front of the return envelope.
(In many cases the name and address of the original sender, wherever it appears~will be printed separately from and other than by the word processor) as a part of producing the forms in bulk.
The blank thus printed is complete for all purposes except that before the original mailing the back of the return envelope (if such is included) is folded parallel to the front and sealed by adhesive thereto along the sides thereof. The flap of the return envelope is provided with adheslve ready for use by the original recipient. The blank, is then folded sequentially longit-udinally from the end corresponding to the return envelope toward ~0 the end corresponding to the back and front of the outgoing form.
All ~olds are away from the printed side on the opposite side o~
the fold line. All adhesive is on the side remote fxom the printin~
There is thus formed in a single printing run by a word processor a blank which may be turned into an outgoing piece of mail by gumming and sealing upon the outer edges of the blank.
Such piece of mailing contains the contents and, in many appli-cations, the return envelope and the material to be returned. No collating has been required. The original recipient's return address is included in the correct position on the return anvelope.
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When folded and sealed on its edges this piece of mailing material may be mailed. The blank is preferably provided with edge strips on each side joined to the central portion of the blank by weakened lines. To seal the edges o~ the outgoing envelope (this normally involves attachment at the edges of all the panels) adhesive is provided on the edge strips of all the panels. As a result when the envelope is received by the original recipient he removes the edge strips along the weakened lines. (In the U.S. although not in Canada an outer flap which would be held closed by the adhesively 1~ joined edge strips need not be ~lued for first class mailings).
With the envelope attached on its edges as before described, the recipient in the U.S. need only remove the edge strips and the envelope contents and return envelope open up before him. In Canada with first class mailings this will occur after the additional step of severing the cover flap. The recipient then may detach the return envelope, which will be joined to the remainder of the blank ~y weakened lines, detach the return portion of the contents, likewise weakened, add any other matter (e.g. a cheque), insert return portion and cheque in the return envelope, seal it, stamp it and return it.
It is noted that the invention provides business form printed on one side which is sequentially folded in panels from one end toward the other with the printed side always outward resulting in a folded form having a front and back panel exposed for mailing.
The front panel will have printing indicating the original re-cipient's address. It is to be noted that the preferred from of the invention will leave the back panel free of all printing (in its sense as used herein meaning printing which is individual to the ~6~36~7~
recipient). of course advertising or a general communication to all recipients may appear on the back panel.
In drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention :
Figure l shows the printed side of the blank, Figure 2 shows the non-printed side of the blank, Figure 3 shows the folding of the outgoing article, Figure 4 shows the folded mailing article as received by the original recipient; and Figure 5 shows the return envelope ready for sealing and mailing.
In the drawings the printed side of the blank 10 is shown with the printing completed and schematically represented by blocks. It will be noted that edge strips 12 run longitudinally along each edge of the longitudinally serially arranged panels.
During printing there are provided additional edge strips 15 out-side of each of strips 12 and shown in Figure 1 with regularly spaced apertures 17 to receive the drive sprockets which transport the blank for the printing operation. Such additional strips 15 ~0 will have been cut off or otherwise removed after the printing operation is completed and the non-printed side of the blank without strips 15 is shown in Figure 2.
The blank comprises a number of panels integrally connected to each other and serially arranged longitudinally of the blank. '!
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Horizontal chain dotted lines 19 notionally separate the panels in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The term 'notionally' is used because modern folding machinery can be programmed to fold along fold lines at precise predetermined locations along the blank without pre-scoring or weakening along the blank. Thus the lines 19 on Figures 1 and 2 do not represent any physical conditions but do represent the lines where folding will be performed by automatic folding apparatus. It should also be noted that line l9A is an intended fold line which corresponds to a line of perforation as hereina~ter described. The panels beginning from the lower end and notionally separated by lines 19 comprise : return envelope back panel 14, return envelope front panel 16, a panel 18 which includes both the return envelope flap 21 and the returnable portion 42 of the contents (separated by weakened line 28), a panel 20 portion of the contents to be retained by the recipient, a panel 22 being the back panel of the outgoing envelope, a panel 24 being the front panel of the outgoing envelope, and a panel 26 being the front flap of the outgoing envelope~
All panels are the width of the blank ~excluding strips 15). Panels 22 and 24 are dimensioned longitudinally to form an envelope when sealed by the adhesion of their overlapping portions of edge strip 12. Panels 14, 16, 18 and 20 are dimensioned longitudinally ~o that they may be folded about their defining fold lines each upon the ne~t away from the printed side beginning at panel 14 and folding the panels serially longitudinally tsee Figure 3) until a mailing article is provided enclosed by panels 22 and 24 and flap 26. All folds are performed with the printed side outward.
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Returning to Figure 1, the edge strips 12 are provided with adhesive on their non-printed sides either in advance or at the time of folding in the areas indicated by stippling in Figure 2. Such adhesive coated areas included the entire non printed side of edge strips 12, the return envelope flap 21 on the non printed side, and again on the non printed sides, relative-ly narrow strips 23 on each side of return panels 14 and 16 adjacent strips 12. For Canadian 1st class mailing~ as herein-after e~plained adhesive will also be placed on the central portion of the non printed side of flap 26. It will be noted that since all areas to be coated with adhesive are on the same (non printed) side of the blank; and, subject to the type or types of adhesive used, may be provided during a single pass. At the present time it is preferred to use moisture activated adhesive so that the above listed areas may all be coated in one pass. The areas on edge strips 12, strips 23 and flap 26 are moisture activated during the foldin~ operation to provide the folded mailing article of Figure 4 including the strips 23 which provide the side closures of the return envelope when the strips 12 are removed. The adhesive 20 on return flap 21 is of course not activated until the original recipient is mailing bac]~ the return envelope. Other types of adhesive (e.g. pressure or heat activated) may be used on areas other than return flap 21. However, the return flap 21 adhesive must be of a type convenient for the ori~inal recipient to activate in his home when mailing back the return envelope.
Weakened lines preferably perforated are provided at 32 to define edge strips 12, at 28 to allow detachment of the return envelope and at line 36, (as well as lines 28, l9A and left hand 6'7~l line 32) to define the return portion 42 of the contentsO
Return portion 42 thus defined is dimensioned to be easily received in the return envelope. This is demonstrated by the dimension lines running longitudinally and transversely from the numeral 42 from which it will be seen that the width of returnable portion is less than the transverse length between glued strips 23 and the longitudinal dimension of portion 42 is less than the longitudinal dimension of either panel 1~ or 16.
The blank of Figures l and 2 will be customarily printed (~ the printing individual or peculiar to the recipient addressed) and provided with adhesive in selected areas as a part of an longitudinally extending, end-to-end connected series of such blanks printed in hundreds or thousands consecutively under control of a word processor~ Such information peculiar or individual to the recipient will include, in the form chosen as an example in Figure l; the "OUT ADDRESS" (i.e. the original recipient's address) of panel 24; the "VOUCHER" and "AMOUNT"
information of panel 20, the " IN~OICE" and "AMOUNT" informatlon of panel 18 and the " OUT ADDRESS" of panel 16. It should be noted that panel 2~ is blank on the Figure 1 side at least so far as printing individual or peculiar to the recipient is concerned.
This is important since the blank is folded printed side ou-tward and panel 22 will be exposed in the outgoing mailed article.
The blank of Figures 1 and 2 has been provided with adhesive on the selected areas before during or a~ter the printing operation and any such alternative is within the scope o~ the invention. However, usually the adhesive is applied to the selected and already enumerated _g_ 7~
areas during the same pass as the printing but to the part of a longitudinally extending series of forms which has heen already printed.
The blank of Figures 1 and 2 with edge strips 15 removed will first be folded to provide the return envelope pouch. This is customarily performed in a 'plow fold' which is performed in accord with well known techniques. In such plow fold the blank, in the attitutde shown in Figure 2 is moved perpendicular to its longitudinal direction with folding surfaces are designed to fold panel 14 toward panel 16 in the sense so that the printed surfaces are outward and the adhesive surfaces are inward. At the time of folding)the adhesive ~ strips 23 and on that part only of strips 12 which is opposite panels 14 and 16 i activated so that the folding results in the forming of the pouch of the return envelope~ (Such return envelope, in use by the recipient is shown in Figure 5).
The remaining folding is performed, by conventional machinery in a longitudinal direction. As previously explained such machinery is designed to fold along predetermined fold lines which will in this case correspond to the lines 19, 19A. Thus, ~0 folding)after panel 14 has been folded onto panel 16~will begin by folding panels 14 and 16 together on to panel 18. This ~old will be in the same sense as the previous fold and is toward the adhesive face of panel 18 and away from its printed face. The folding progresses longi~udinally serially, panel by panel~ in the same sense, it being noted that the sense of folding is such that the printed side of the form is always outward. For such folding the area of stripsl~ beside panels 18, 20, 220 24 and ~16~ 71 flap 26 has its adhesive actuated so that the folded form re-mains folded. The central portion of 1ap 21 does not have its adhesive actuated. This will be done by the original recipient before mailing back the return envelope. The partially folded product is shown in Figure 3 (where panels 1~, 16, 18 are being folded to~ard the unprinted side of panel 20) and the mailing article (after receipt by the recipient) is shown in Figure 4. When folded and with the adhesive activated in the areas specified, a closed mailing article is provided ready for stamping and mailing, displaying the outgoing address and sender's return address on one outside panel 24 and with the flap 26 partially overlying the other outside panel 22. The activated adhesive on strip 12 maintains the mailing article closed, without requiring adhesive on the central portion of flap 26. Thus the folded article, held by the adhesive of strips 12 only, mantains flap 26 closed without attachment of the central part of the flap 26. This is satisfactory under first class mailing regulations in the U.S~
where adhesive on the central portion of flap 26 would not be required. For first class mailing, in canada, the outer flap 26 must also be attached by adhesive. When the mailed article is received by a first class recipient he must merely (in the U.S.) detach the edge strips 12 along perforation lines 32 and the whole remaining blank may be opened beginning with the then unattached flap 26. Such a mailed article~ with the first strip 12 partially detached by the recipient is illustrated in Figure 4. There it will be noted that the central portion of flap 26 will be free for unfolding after the detachment o~ both strips 12. In Canada, before opening, the recipient must also slit the attachment of flap ~6~ 7~
26 to panel 24 or merely lift ~lap 26.
When the original recipient has detached the strips 12 there is no adhesive holding the form in folded attitude (except on strips 23 for the retuxn envelope) and the recipient may unroll the form whereby the printed sides of panels 24, 22, 20 and 18 will be displayed to him and the return envelope, shown in Figure 5, ready for use.
tIn order that the sequentially folded panels will not bulge the outer panels due to the thickness of the paper stock, it is preferable to make each penel of the series 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, slightly longer in the longitudinal direction of the blank than the last - although it is not possible to clearly show this in the drawings. With the usual paper stocks from which the blanks would be made, therefore, in a dire~tion perpendicular to the fold lines, panel 16 would be about 1/8" longer than panel 14, panel 18 would be about 1/8" longer than panel 16, and 50 on in the series).
With the form open the recipient may detach the return envelope at perforated llne 28, detach the return portion 42 at ~0 lines 28, 36, l9A and left hand 32. The recipient then inserts portion 42 in tha return envelope along with his cheque, seals it, stamps it and mails it.
The process has required no collating or envelope stuffing at the originating end, all material to be mailed is out of one blank. The information peculiar or individual to the recipient : the "out address" on panels 24 and 16 and the "voucher-~L~6~
amount" (panel 20~ and ~'invoice-amount~ (Panel 18) may all be printed in a single pass (with the same printing orientation~
by a word processor. There is of course no limit to the in-formation which is peculiar ~o an individual recipient or which is common which may be printed by the word processor instead of an invoice. Since the printing is on one side of the blank in the same orientation, hundreds or thousands of such blanks, attached end to end may be printed sequentially in accord with the pro-gram of the word processor. When these hundreds or thousands of forms have been typed they may be separated into the b~nks o~
Figure 1 and 2 and processed as described herein. ~o collating, stuffing, handling or sorting is required.
The recipient receives the mailing article in an attached unit. There is no part which can easily be separated or lost. His return envelope is attached and contains his individual address (the 'out address' of panel 16). The return portion ~2 i9 available.
Since the "return address" of panels 24 and 16 will be common to all of the blanks in most operations this "return address" will usually be printed on the blank other than by the automatic printer and customarily wlll be a coloured and stylized representation of the organizationls name~
It is of some importance to reiterate that a preferred feature of the invention is the fact that no printing of relevance to the recipient appears on the side of panel 2~ corresponding to ~ 6~t71 the 'printed' side of the other panels. This allows the inventive blank to be folded printed side outwardly with no pxivate in-formation on the exposed back of the mailed article.
Although the commonest application of the invention will include the return portion 42 and a return envelope, the invention, with fewer but some advantages~ is considered to extend to a blank, printed on one side consisting only of panels 2~, 22, 24 and flap 26, but otherwise manufactured and assembled as described herein.
It will be obvious that advertising or other material may appear on the blank such as on the unprinted side shown in Figure 2. This does not alter the fact that all of the word processor printing (or alternative printing characteristic of the individual account) which is essential to the invention appears on one side, the side displaying in Figure 1.
All of the printing, perforating, adhesive and adhesion actuating and folding operations referred to herein are well known and readily available to those skilled in the art.
~0 ,
Claims (20)
1. Mailing form comprising :
longitudinally extending parallel sided blank, weakened lines adjacent but spaced from each side of said blank and defining edge strips running the length of said blank, said blank including said edge strips being defineable by fold lines perpendicular to said parallel sides into panels serially arranged comprising, an outer front panel, an outer back panel, at least one content panel, * printing on one side of said blank including:
address information on said outer element front panel, information on said at least one content panel, said printing being so arranged that said blank may be folded on itself, panel by panel starting from the end remote from the outer front panel in a sense that the printed side forms the outside after each fold and so that the folded cumulatively folded blanks covered on one side by the outer front panel and on the other side by the outer rear panel, means for retaining closed said cumulatively folded blanks.
longitudinally extending parallel sided blank, weakened lines adjacent but spaced from each side of said blank and defining edge strips running the length of said blank, said blank including said edge strips being defineable by fold lines perpendicular to said parallel sides into panels serially arranged comprising, an outer front panel, an outer back panel, at least one content panel, * printing on one side of said blank including:
address information on said outer element front panel, information on said at least one content panel, said printing being so arranged that said blank may be folded on itself, panel by panel starting from the end remote from the outer front panel in a sense that the printed side forms the outside after each fold and so that the folded cumulatively folded blanks covered on one side by the outer front panel and on the other side by the outer rear panel, means for retaining closed said cumulatively folded blanks.
2. Means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for retaining closed said cumulatively folded blank comprises adhesive on said edge strip on the side opposite said printed side.
* word processor
* word processor
3. Folded mailing article comprising :
at least three panels serially arranged from one end of a longitudinally extending blank, said panels being folded by initially folding an end panel on to the next panel about a line transverse to said longitudinal direction, then folding the two end panels on to the next panel in the same direction and about a line parallel to said first fold and so on, so that the same side of the blank is on the outside of every fold, printing on the side of the blank corresponding to the outside of every fold, including printing providing a mailing address on the outside of said folded article, and means for retaining the completely folded blank in folded condition.
at least three panels serially arranged from one end of a longitudinally extending blank, said panels being folded by initially folding an end panel on to the next panel about a line transverse to said longitudinal direction, then folding the two end panels on to the next panel in the same direction and about a line parallel to said first fold and so on, so that the same side of the blank is on the outside of every fold, printing on the side of the blank corresponding to the outside of every fold, including printing providing a mailing address on the outside of said folded article, and means for retaining the completely folded blank in folded condition.
4. Folded mailing article as claimed in claim 3 wherein edge strips are provided on each side of said blank and running the length thereof and defined from the central portion of said blank by weakened lines, and said means for retaining the completely folded blank in folded condition comprises adhesive applied to said edge strips on the opposite side from said printing and acting to connect adjacent edge strips.
5. Mailing form as claimed in claim 1 comprising an outer flap of shorter longitudinal dimension than that of either said outer front or outer rear panel attached to said outer front panel on the side remote from said outer rear panel.
6. Mailing form as claimed in claim 2 comprising an outer flap of shorter longitudinal dimension than that of either said outer front or outer rear panel attached to said outer front panel on the side remote from said outer rear panel.
7. Folded mailing article as claimed in claim 3 wherein said article includes an outer front panel and an outer rear panel and a flap forming the end of the blank, extending from the outer front panel partially over the outer rear panel and wherein said mailing address is located on said outer front panel.
8. Folded mailing article as claimed in claim 4 wherein said article includes an outer front panel and an outer rear panel and a flap forming the end of the blank, extending from the outer front panel partially over the outer rear panel and wherein said mailing address is located on said outer front panel.
9. Mailing form as claimed in claim 5 wherein adhesive is provided on the side of said flap opposite to the side of said blank containing said printing.
10. Mailing form as claimed in claim 6 wherein adhesive is provided on the side of said flap opposite to the side of said blank containing said printing.
11. Folded mailing article as claimed in claim 7 wherein said flap is adhesively attached to said outer rear panel.
12. Folded mailing article as claimed in claim 8 wherein said flap is adhesively attached to said outer rear panel.
13. Mailing form as claimed in claim 1 including a definable first return panel attached to the edge of the contents panel remote from said outer panels and a definable second return panel attached to the edge of the first return panel remote from said outer panels, printing on said one side of said blank on one of said first and second return panels, said first and second return panels being of substantially the same longitudinal dimension, and a relatively narrow adhesive strip adjacent but inward of each edge strip, said adhesive strip being on the opposite side of said blank from said printing.
14. Mailing form as claimed in claim 2 including a definable first return panel attached to the edge of the contents panel remote from said outer panels and a definable second return panel attached to the edge of the first return panel remote from said outer panels, printing on said one side of said blank on one of said first and second return panels, said first and second panels being of substantially the same longitudinal dimension, and a relatively narrow adhesive strip adjacent but inward of each edge strip, said adhesive strip being on the opposite side of said blank from said printing.
15. Folded mailing article as claimed in claim 4 wherein the two innermost panels are of substantially the same longitudinal dimension and are attached to each other by a relatively thin strip of adhesive running adjacent but inward of each of said edge strips, said adhesive being on the opposite side of said blank from said printing.
16. Mailing form as claimed in claim 13 wherein at least one contents panel contains an area, defined by weakened lines, of dimensions less in one direction than the distance between said adhesive strips on said first and second return panels and less in the perpendicular direction than the longitudinal dimension of either said first or said second return panel.
17. Mailing form as claimed in claim 14 wherein at least one contents panel contains an area, defined by weakened lines, of dimension less in one direction than the distance between said adhesive strips on said first and second return panels and less in the perpendicular direction than the longitudinal dimension of either said first or second return panel.
18. Folded mailing article as claimed in claim 15 wherein a contents panel contains an area, defined by weakened lines, of dimensions less in one direction than the distance between said adhesive strips on said two innermost panels and less in the other direction than the longitudinal dimension of either of the two innermost panels.
19. Folded mailing article as claimed in claim 1 wherein no such printing appears on said outer front panel.
20. Folded mailing article as claimed in claim 2 wherein no such printing appears on said outer front panel.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000428175A CA1168671A (en) | 1983-05-13 | 1983-05-13 | Mailing article and blank therefor |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000428175A CA1168671A (en) | 1983-05-13 | 1983-05-13 | Mailing article and blank therefor |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1168671A true CA1168671A (en) | 1984-06-05 |
Family
ID=4125245
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000428175A Expired CA1168671A (en) | 1983-05-13 | 1983-05-13 | Mailing article and blank therefor |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1168671A (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2625463A1 (en) * | 1987-12-31 | 1989-07-07 | Daneform | Set of sheets for delivering a banking document in an envelope |
| EP0354711A2 (en) * | 1988-08-09 | 1990-02-14 | Moore Business Forms, Inc. | Mailer with return envelope |
| EP0568266A1 (en) * | 1992-04-29 | 1993-11-03 | Uarco Incorporated | Single sheet business form construction |
-
1983
- 1983-05-13 CA CA000428175A patent/CA1168671A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2625463A1 (en) * | 1987-12-31 | 1989-07-07 | Daneform | Set of sheets for delivering a banking document in an envelope |
| EP0354711A2 (en) * | 1988-08-09 | 1990-02-14 | Moore Business Forms, Inc. | Mailer with return envelope |
| EP0354711A3 (en) * | 1988-08-09 | 1990-09-26 | Moore Business Forms, Inc. | Mailer with return envelope |
| EP0568266A1 (en) * | 1992-04-29 | 1993-11-03 | Uarco Incorporated | Single sheet business form construction |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |