CA1305454C - Return envelope sealing flap construction - Google Patents

Return envelope sealing flap construction

Info

Publication number
CA1305454C
CA1305454C CA000551232A CA551232A CA1305454C CA 1305454 C CA1305454 C CA 1305454C CA 000551232 A CA000551232 A CA 000551232A CA 551232 A CA551232 A CA 551232A CA 1305454 C CA1305454 C CA 1305454C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
envelope
sheet
return
return envelope
insert sheet
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 - Fee Related
Application number
CA000551232A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
William D. Swiercz
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.)
Moore Business Forms Inc
Original Assignee
Moore Business Forms 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 Moore Business Forms Inc filed Critical Moore Business Forms Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1305454C publication Critical patent/CA1305454C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D27/00Envelopes or like essentially-rectangular containers for postal or other purposes having no structural provision for thickness of contents
    • B65D27/06Envelopes or like essentially-rectangular containers for postal or other purposes having no structural provision for thickness of contents with provisions for repeated re-use

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
  • Bag Frames (AREA)
  • Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)
  • Cartons (AREA)
  • Photoreceptors In Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Polysaccharides And Polysaccharide Derivatives (AREA)
  • Detergent Compositions (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An envelope construction includes an outer envelope and a return envelope contained therein.
The return envelope has a front sheet and a back sheet, both sheets being provided with marginal edges bonded together except along one edge. The front sheet extends beyond the back sheet at this one edge and has a closure flap provided with an adhesive strip for sealing the return envelope.
First and second insert sheets, in the nature of a bill and a copy thereof, are arranged inside the outer envelope and are juxtaposed over the back sheet of the return envelope. One insert sheet includes an end strip provided with a release agent on its back side which overlies and protects the adhesive strip provided on the closure flap for the front sheet of the return envelope.

Description

:~3~)S~S~

RETURN ENVELOPE SEALING FLAP CONSTRUCTION
.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an envelope construction including an outer envelope and a return envelope, the latter of which has a unique sealing flap arrangement.
2. Description of the Related Ar~
Many businesses routinely use envelope constructions incorporating return envelopes for recipients to mail back bills with checks for payment.
These envelope constructions are prepared continuously in bulk on high-speed collating machines. Speeds at which collators run are dependent upon the form of the envelope construction being assembled. Typically, a complicated form could run at only 20 feet per minute while a simple form might run as high as 350 feet per minute.
i Such envelope constructions usually use a so-called transfer tape having a release overlay to protect the pressure sensitive adhesive prior to sealing. Remoistenable or self-sealing adhesives are alsopresently applied to the back of flaps for sealing closed the return envelope before it is mailed back to the sender.
The application of the transfer tape during the collating process is limited to in-line manu-facture only and cannot be done across-the-web.
Because of this limi~ation, all unitary envelope constructions incorporating re~urn envelopes utilize side flap openings for insertion of the bills and payment checks into the return envelopes.

~ 3 ~3~

With the present envelope constructions, there is also a problem with down time for the high-speed collator whenever the reels of transfer tape being fed during the manufacturing process run out and need to be replaced with full reels of transfer tape.
Adhesive applied to the closure flap for the return envelope must have quick drying times and this requirement necessarily limits the type of usable adhesives to hot melt water remoistenables or fast drying solvent types. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could impose limits upon or ban the use of these types of adhesives because of the chemicals used during the manufacturing process of the adhesives, in particular the solvent types, in the future.
A related prior art construction is shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,990,627 to Olson who discloses an adhesive closure for a plastic bag used for protecting a sandwich or another food product. A
part of the bag has a strip of release tape which overlies and protects the adhesive until the bag is ready to be used to store food therein. In order to open the bag, a user pulls the release tape away from the pressure-sensitive adhesive which is then pressed to cLose the bag.
However, such a release strip to protect an adhesive strip in the plastic bag of Olson could not be used in the same manner on a return envelope in order to solve the problems existing in the paper manifolding art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An envelope construction includes an outer envelope, at least one insert sheet which may be in the nature of a bill or a copy thereof, and a return envelope for the convenient use of a recipient. The ~L3~S~

return envelope has a closure flap provided with an adhesive strip for sealing the return envelope. The insert sheet includes a de~achable end strip provided on its back side with a prote~tive release agent which overlies the adhesive strip provided on the closure flap of the underlying return envelope.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a simplified envelope construction which can be prepared continuously in bulk at a very high speed on a conventional collating machine.
Another object of the present invention is to eliminate the need for a protective transfer tape affixed to the adhesive on the closure flap of the return envelope. Thus, an inventory of transfer tapes need not be maintained and down time required for changing reels of transfer tapes is saved.
A further ob~ect of the present invention is to provide a protective element, i.e. a release agent, which can be applied either in-line or across-the-web so that unitary envelope constructions incorporating return envelopes can use either side or top flap openings for the return envelopes.
One advantage of the present invention is that only two chemical mixtures or solutions are required, viz. an adhe~ive mixture which is extruded onto the closure flap of the return envelope and a release agent which is extruded onto the back side of the end strip of the insert sheet that is superimposed over the back side of the return envelope. The adhesive mixture and the release agent can be applied as the web of papers making up the envelope construction is runnin~ in the longitudinal direction, i.e. in a running extruded stream as the web runs in-line. Also, the adhesive ~3~

mixture and release agent can be applied in an acro~s-the-web pattern which must be placed in certain positions when return envelopes having top flap openings are used.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparen~ from a careful review oE the drawings described i~mediately hereinbelow and from a study of the description of the preferred embodiment given thereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the envelope construction with the left margin being torn off by a recipient.
FIG. 2 shows the contents being partially removed from the outer envelope by the recipient.
FIG. 3 shows the contents completely removed from the outer envelope with thumb notches detached from the outer envelope which is about to be discarded.
FIG. 4 shows that the contents inside the outer envelope constitute inserted sheets in the nature of a bill and a copy thereof. The contents aso include a return envelope.
YIG. 5 shows the bill folded and being inserted into the back side of the return envelope with a check for payment. A copy of the bill being retained by the recipient is shown with an end strip having a release agent partially removed therefrom.
FIG. 6 shows the front side of the return envelope with the closure flap sealed s'nut on the back side thereof.

~5~

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF T~E PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In Fig. l, a recipient of a piece of mail is holding an envelope con~truction 10 and tearing off a left margin 12 thereof.
In Fi~. 2, the recipient is holding the envelope construction 10 at one end while the contents are partially removed from an outer envelope 14 at the other end.
In Fig. 3, the contents are completely removed from the outer envelope 14 which has its margins sealed at the ~ar end, the top edge, and the bottom edge. Thumb notches 16, which have been detached from the other end of the outer envelope 16, are about to be discarded.
In Fig. 4, the contents removed from the outer envelope 14 are shown to include, in this particular embodiment, inserted sheets in the nature of a bill or statement 18, a copy 20 of the bill 18, and a return envelope 22~ The copy 20 has an end strip 24 detachable along a perforated line 26. A
release agent 28 is applied to the back side of the end strip 24. The return envelope 2~ includes a clo~ure flap 30 foldable along a fold line 32. The closure flap 30 is provided with an adhesive 34 which seal~ the return envelope 22 when the closure flap 30 is folded along the fold line 32. During mailing and before sealing, the adhesive 34 on the closure flap 34 is protected by the overlaying release agent 28 on the end strip 24 of the copy 20 which is superimposed over the return envelope 22.
As shown in Fig. S, when the recipient desires to pay the bill 18, he or she folds the bill 18 and enc}oses a check 36 or similar negotiable instrument into the one end of the return envelope ~3~

22. The copy 20 of the bill 18 is retained by the recipient. If desired, the person may detach the end strip 24 containing the protective release agent 2R by tearinq along the per~orated line 26 o the copy 20 and then may discard the end strip 24. Once the folded bill 18 and the check 36 are completely inserted into the baGk side of the return envelope ~2, the closure flap 30 carrying the adhesive strip 34 may be folded along the fold line 32 so that the closure ~lap 30 seals the onP end of the return envelope 22.
In ~igO 6, the ~etusn en~lope 22 is turned over and the front side is shown. The closu~e ~lap 30~ folded along fold line 32, is shown in phantom lines. The adhesive strip 34 (not shown in Fig. 6) on flap 30 seals the return envelope 22 shut with the folded bill 18 and the check 36 talso not shown in Fig. 6) contained inside.
As far as the materials involved are concerned, they are all commercially available.
Examples of suitable pressure sensitive chemicals which may be used for ~he adhesive strip 34 are S3R, SIS (styrene isoprene styrene), acrylates, etc~
Mixtures whi~h may be selected for use as the release agent 28 on the bac~ side of the end strip 24 are wax, silicone, polyethylene, etc.
~ he foregoing pr2ferred embodiment is considered illustrative only. Numerous othe~
modifications and ch2nses will readily occur to those~persons skilled in the paDer m2nifolding art. Consequently, the disclosed invention is not limited ~o the e~act construction and method of US2 shown and described hereinabove.

Claims (6)

1. An envelope construction, comprising:
a. an outer envelope;
b. a return envelope contained within the outer envelope, said return envelope having a front sheet and a back sheet both provided with marginal edges bonded together except along one edge, said front sheet extending beyond the back sheet at said one edge and having a closure flap provided with an adhesive strip means for sealing the return envelope; and c. one insert sheet arranged inside the outer envelope and juxtaposed over the back sheet of the return envelope, said one insert sheet including an end strip provided with a release agent on its back side, said end strip overlying the adhesive strip means provided on the closure flap for the front sheet of the return envelope.
2. The envelope construction, according to claim 1, wherein:
said end strip provided with a release agent is supportable by a perforated line from the one insert sheet.
3. The envelope construction, according to claim 1, further comprising:
at least an additional insert sheet arranged inside the outer envelope and juxtaposed over said one insert sheet.
4. The envelope construction, according to claim 2, further comprising:
at least an additional insert sheet arranged inside the outer envelope and juxtaposed over said one insert sheet.
5. The envelope construction, according to claim 3, wherein:
said additional insert sheet is a bill and said one insert sheet is a copy of the bill.
6. The envelope construction, according to claim 4, wherein:
said additional insert sheet is a bill and said one insert sheet is a copy of the bill.
CA000551232A 1986-11-17 1987-11-06 Return envelope sealing flap construction Expired - Fee Related CA1305454C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US93105986A 1986-11-17 1986-11-17
US931,059 1992-08-17

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1305454C true CA1305454C (en) 1992-07-21

Family

ID=25460163

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000551232A Expired - Fee Related CA1305454C (en) 1986-11-17 1987-11-06 Return envelope sealing flap construction

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0268410B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE57664T1 (en)
BR (1) BR8706158A (en)
CA (1) CA1305454C (en)
DE (1) DE3765752D1 (en)
ES (1) ES2018272B3 (en)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4895297A (en) * 1988-07-07 1990-01-23 Moore Business Forms, Inc. Business form set with closable envelope
JP3026549B2 (en) 1996-05-02 2000-03-27 ダイナボット株式会社 Manufacturing method of chromatography immunoanalyzer
US7201305B1 (en) * 1999-02-16 2007-04-10 Correa Manuel A Postal outgoing and reply envelope form system

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3942714A (en) * 1974-11-15 1976-03-09 Federal Business Products, Inc. Two-way mailer
US4384670A (en) * 1981-02-17 1983-05-24 Transkrit Corporation Peel back mailer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ATE57664T1 (en) 1990-11-15
ES2018272B3 (en) 1991-04-01
EP0268410A3 (en) 1989-05-31
EP0268410B1 (en) 1990-10-24
BR8706158A (en) 1988-06-21
EP0268410A2 (en) 1988-05-25
DE3765752D1 (en) 1990-11-29

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Legal Events

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