CA1284136C - Easily feedable envelope construction - Google Patents

Easily feedable envelope construction

Info

Publication number
CA1284136C
CA1284136C CA000534537A CA534537A CA1284136C CA 1284136 C CA1284136 C CA 1284136C CA 000534537 A CA000534537 A CA 000534537A CA 534537 A CA534537 A CA 534537A CA 1284136 C CA1284136 C CA 1284136C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
envelope
edge
line
extension
edges
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 - Lifetime
Application number
CA000534537A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
David H. Schnitzer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Standard Register Co
Original Assignee
Uarco Inc
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Uarco Inc filed Critical Uarco Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1284136C publication Critical patent/CA1284136C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Abstract

ABSTRACT

An envelope construction including a pair of superimposed sheets 10, 12 having aligned opposed side edges 14, 16, a third edge 18 of one of the sheets 10 extending between the side edges 14, 16 being enlarged in comparison to the third edge 20 of the other sheet 12 and carrying an adhesive 24 to define a sealable flap 22 for the envelope.
A U-shaped glue pattern 28 secures the sheets 10 and 12 together and the bight 32 of the U-shaped pattern is spaced from the third edges 18 and 20 as well as from a fourth edge 34 to define an envelope pocket as well a an envelope extension 36 between the bight 32 and the fourth edge 34.
The extension 36 aids in the prevention of hang-up when the envelope is being fed, bottom first, into a stack of envelopes.

Description

3~

EASILY FEEDABLE ENVELOPE CONSTRUCTION

Field o~ the Invention This invention relates to envelope constructions, and more particularly, to envelope constructions that are designed for feeding into tacks without hanging up on a subjacent envelope in the stack.

Backqround of the Invention Increased efficiency of mailing opexations of all sorts has necessitated reliance upon a variety of machines which conduct various parts o~ the mailing operation. Such machines have ~een developed for stuffing materials into envelopes. Machines have been developed for addressing envelopes. Machines have been developed for closing and sealing envelopes, and the list goes on.
As a consequence, fully automated mailing systems can be made and the ~ame work extremely well. However, there occasionally occurs a hang-up in the system as, when one piece of mail catches on another piece of mail or on a part of the machinery employed in the system.
By way of example, many systems in use today employ a ~odel 9700 printer manufactured by the Xerox Corporation.
The printer may be utilized in the addressing of envelopas.
In outfeeding printed envelopes, they are fed to a stack and the arr~ngement is such that if conventional business size envelope5 were utilized, there is a possibility that an envelope being fed to the stack will hang up on the subjacent envelope in the stacX. Fre~uently, the hang-up may be caused by the bottom edge of the conventionally sized business envelope being caught on the top edge or the edge of the opening to the envelope pocket of the ~ubjacent envelope in the stack.

3Çi When such occurs, manual intervention to straighten the stack is re~uired: and ~uch defeats the purpose of automation.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more or the above problems.

Summarv of the Invention It is the principal object of the invention to provide a new and improved envelope construction. More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide such an envelope construction that can be fed into a stack without hanging up on the subjacent envelope or envelopes in the stack.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention achieves the foregoing object in a structure including means defining the front and back of an envelope having first and second aligned, opposed side edges. A foldable flap is disposed at a third edge of the front of the envelope and is mova~le to a position overlying the third edge of the ~ack. Adhesive is provided for sealing the flap to the back.
Means including a glue line intermediate the third edges and a fourth edge secure the front and back together to thereby form a sealable pocket opening to the third edges as well as an envelope extension between the glue line and the fourth edge. A line of perforation is disposed in the front and the back between the fourth edge and the glue line. The line of perforation is adjacent the glue line and is generally parallel thereto.
~ he extra length from top to bottom of the env~lope permits the same to be fed bottom first to a stack without hanging up. Yet, when the pr~cessing of the envelope is virtually complete, the extension can be remoYed along ~he ~'~84~3~

line of perforation to provide an envelope construction having ~e appearance ~f a conventional business envelop~.
In one embodiment, the fourth edge i5 defined by a fold in a piece o~ paper which in turn constitutes a ~ront and back defining means.
In another embodim~nt, the front and back defining means are defined by two separate, superimposed sheets of paper.
The invention contemplates that the glue line be the bight of a generally U-shaped glue pattern. The legs o~ the pattern secure the ~ront and back together along respective ones of the first and second edges and terminate adjacent the third edge.
Other objects and advankages will become apparent from lS thP following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Descri~tion of the Drawinqs Fig. 1 is an elevation of an envelope mada according to the invention with part of one side brokPn away for clarity;
Fig. 2 is a somewhat schematic, sectional view taken approximately al~ng the line 2-2 in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but of a modified embodiment of the invention;
Fi~. 4 schematically illustrates the typical problem with prior art envelopes hanging up during feeding into a stack; and Fig. 5 schematically illustrates the results o~ ~eeding an envelope made according to the invention.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments Exemplary embodiments of an envelope construction made according to the invention are illustrated in Fi~s. 1-3 and 3~;

with reference to Fi~ 1 are ~een to include an envelope front 10 and an envelope back 12. Typically, both the front 10 and the back 12 will be formed of paper or the like. The two have aligned first edges 14 (only the edge 14 of the front 10 is shown) and opposed, aligned second side edges 16. Intsrconnecting the side edges 14 and 16 are third edges 18 and 20 on the front and back 10 and 12 respectiYely. The third edge 18 on the front 10 is non-linear and may be generally in the form of a truncated triangle to define an envelope flap 22~ Alternatively the third edge 18 may be straight (not shown) to define a rectangular flap (also not shown) if desired~ The backside of the front 10 carries moistenable adhesive 24 whereby the flap 22 may be folded on a fold line 26 to overlie the third edge 20 of the back 12 of the envelope.
The edge 20 may also be non-linear. As shown in Fig.
1, the same is somewhat concave to facilitate entry into the interior of the envelope.
The front and back 10 and 12 are secured to each other by a U-shaped glue pattern 28. Legs 30 of the glue pattern 28 are closely adjacent respective side edges 14 and 16 and terminate adjacent the third edges 18 and 20~ The legs 30 are interconnected by a bight 32 which is located intermediate the edges 18 and 20 on the one hand and an opposite fourth edge 34 on the other. The bight 32 along with the legs 30 thus define an envelope pocket between the front 10 and back 12 which opens to the edges 18 and 20.
Preferably, the legs 30 will be sufficiently spaced from each other and the bight 32 sufficiently ~paced from the fold line 26 ~hat such pocket will have the size and ~hape of a conventional business size envel~pe.
As mentioned above, the bight 32 i~ intermediate the edges 18 and ~0 on the one hand and the edge 34 on the other. This leaves the bottom of the envelope with an extension 36 defined by that portion of the front and back 10 and 12 between the bight 32 and the edge 34. This extension 36 aids in feeding as will be seen.
After the envelope has been processed, it is desirable to remove the extension 36 o that the remainder of the envelope appears as a conv~ntional business envelope. To ~his end, both the front 10 and back 12 are provided with aligned lines of perforation 38 and 40 respectively. The lines of perforation 38 and 40 are closely adjacent the bight 32 and generally parallel thereto. As a consequence, the extension 36 may be separated from the remainder of the envelope by bursting it free along the lines o~ perforation 38 and 40.
As seen in Fig. 2, the envelope may be made up of two superimposed sheets of paper to define the front 10 and back 12 of the envelope. In khis case, both the front 10 and the b~ck 12 will have separate, but generally aligned fourth iedges 34, which are interconnected by a glue line 41 closely zO adjacent the edges 34. The glue line 41 prevents the front 10 and back 12 from separating in the area of the edges 34, which in turn, could cause feeding difficulties.
Alternatively, and as illustrated in Fig. 3, the front and back of the envelope can be defined by a single sheet folded upon itself. Thus, the fourth edge 34 is defined by a fold 42 and the glue line 41 is omitted.
Fig. 4 illustrate~ in ~omewhat schematic form the problems ~ncountered in the fe~ding of conventional envelopes, that is, envelopes without the extension 3~. A
stack 50 of envelopes is shown in a hopper 52. Individual envelopes 54 are being f~d by a feeder, ~chematically illustrated at 56 onto the stack 50. As can be ~een, the bottom edgè 58 of one en~elope 54 is hanging up in the ~2~34~

pocket opening 6~ of the ~ubjacent envelope 54 in the stack 50. In other instances, where the envelopes are fed with the front up, the ~ame ~ort o~ hang up may occur when the bottom of an envelope ~ncounters the flap of the subjacent 5 envelope in the stack.
The problem is avoided in the use of envelopes made according to the invention. As seen in Fig. 5, the presence of the extensions 36 in a stack 62 of envelopes in a hopper 64 moves the poc~et opening 60 a sufficient distance away 10 from the hopper 64 such that the bottom edge 58 of the envelc,pe 62 being fed encounters a planar part of the back 12 and thu~ will slide relatively fr~ely until stopped by the hopper 64.
The extension 36 may be made of sufficient size to 15 suit any particular piece of processing equipment. At the same time, the ease of removal of the extension 36 provides for a conventionally appearing business envel~pe when finally in the hands of the ultimate recipient.

Claims (9)

1. An envelope construction designed for feeding into stacks without hanging up on a subjacent envelope in the stack comprising:
a pair of superimposed sheets of paper or the like and having aligned opposite side edges;
a third edge of one of said sheets extending between said side edges being enlarged in comparison to the third edge of the other sheet and carrying an adhesive to define a sealable flap for the envelope;
a U-shaped pattern of adhesive securing said sheets together, the legs of said U-shaped pattern being closely adjacent respective ones of said side edges and terminating near said third edge, the bight of said U-shaped pattern being spaced from said third edge and from a fourth edge of said sheets so as to defins an envelope pocket opening at said third edges, and an envelope extension extending approximately from said bight to said fourth edge;
and a line of perforation in said extension closely adjacent and generally parallel to said bight whereby said extension may be removed from the envelope after feeding and before mailing, the distance between said line of perforation and fourth edge being at least one inch.
2. The envelope of claim 1 wherein said superimposed sheets are separate sheets and have their fourth edges in alignment with each other.
3. The envelope of claim 1 wherein said superimposed sheets are formed from a single ply and said fourth edge is defined by a fold in said ply.
4. The envelope of claim 1 wherein the distance between said bight and said fourth edge is at least two inches.
5. An envelope construction adapted for feeding into stacks without hanging up on the subjacent envelope in the stack comprising:
means defining the front and back of an envelope having aligned, opposed first and second side edges;
a foldable flap at a third edge of the front and movable to a position overlying the third edge of the back;
adhesive for sealing said flap to said back;
means including a glue line intermediate said third edges and a fourth edge securing said front and back together to thereby form a sealable pocket opening to said third edges and an envelope extension between said glue line and said fourth edge; and a line for parforation in said front and said back between said fourth edge and said glue line, said line of perforation being adjacent said glue line and generally parallel thereto, the distance between said line of perforation and said fourth edge being at least one inch.
6. The envelope of claim 5 wherein said fourth edge is defined by a fold in a piece of paper which in turn constituted said defining means.
7. The envelope of claim 6 wherein said glue line is the bight of a generally U-shaped glue pattern, the legs of said pattern securing the front and back together along respective ones of said first and second edges.
8. An envelope construction designed for feeding into stacks without hanging up on a subjacent envelope in the stack comprising:
a pair of superimposed sheets of paper or the like and having aligned opposed side edges;
a third edge of one of said sheets extending between said side edges being enlarged in comparison to the third edge of the other sheet and carrying an adhesive to define a sealable flap for the envelope;
a U-shaped pattern of adhesive securing said sheets together, the legs of said U-shaped pattern being closely adjacent respective ones of said side edges and terminating near said third edge, the bight if said U-shaped pattern being spaced from said third edge and form a fourth edge of said sheets so as to define an envelope pocket opening at said third edges, and a envelope extension extending approximately from said bight to said fourth edge;
and a line of perforation in said extension closely adjacent and generally parallel to said bight whereby said extension may be removed from the envelope after feeding and before mailing, said envelope extension being imperforate between said line of perforation in said extension and said fourth edge.
9. An envelope construction adapted for feeding into stacks without hanging up on the subjacent envelope in the stack comprising:
means defining the front and back of an envelope having aligned, opposed first and second side edges;
a foldable flap at a third edge of the front and movable to a position overlying the third edge of the back;
adhesive for sealing said flap to said back;
means including a glue line intermediate said third edges and a fourth edge securing said front and back together to thereby form a sealable pocket opening to said third edges and an envelope extension between said glue line and said fourth edge; and a line of peroration in said front and said back between said fourth edge and said glue line, said line of perforation being adjacent said glue line and generally parallel thereto, said envelope extension being imperforate between said line of perforation and said fourth edge.
CA000534537A 1986-06-26 1987-04-13 Easily feedable envelope construction Expired - Lifetime CA1284136C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US87858386A 1986-06-26 1986-06-26
US878,583 1986-06-26

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1284136C true CA1284136C (en) 1991-05-14

Family

ID=25372328

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000534537A Expired - Lifetime CA1284136C (en) 1986-06-26 1987-04-13 Easily feedable envelope construction

Country Status (2)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1284136C (en)
MX (1) MX170866B (en)

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
MX170866B (en) 1993-09-21

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