EP0442867B1

EP0442867B1 - A postal stationery article

Info

Publication number: EP0442867B1
Application number: EP88909597A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lionel Smus
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-05-07
Filing date: 1988-11-08
Publication date: 1996-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 2008-11-08
Also published as: EP0442867A1; GB8810372D0; DE3854898D1; DE3854898T2; GB8710798D0; GB2204275B; WO1990005046A1; GB2204275A

Abstract

A postal stationery article comprises an opaque sheet of paper (10) adapted to bear a recipient's details (name and address for example) and a message or greeting, pre-printed or otherwise, and a decorative article (12) detachably attached to the opaque sheet of paper and comprising suspension means (17) and/or stand means whereby the decorative article can be removed from the postal stationery article by the recipient and be used separately per se. The suspension means may be in the form of a cord or plastics strip attached to an end of the decorative article, or an integral formation of the decorative article, or adhesion or suction means applied to one face of the decorative article. The stand means may comprise flap means integral with or secured to one end of the decorative article.

Description

The invention relates to a postal stationery article.
The postal stationery article may be formed from paper, cardboard, plastics material, fabric, foil, film, or combinations thereof (hereinafter and in the claims for convenience simply called "paper").
The postal stationery article is for use in not only transmitting greetings, messages or other communications (hereinafter and in the claims for convenience simply called "greetings"), but also for providing for the recipient a decorative souvenir, gift or promotional article (hereinafter and in the claims for convenience simply called "decorative").
French Patent Specification No. 74117 discloses such a postal stationery article comprising first and second sheets of paper connected together about a fold line with one of the sheets incorporating a window and the sheets being securable together in folded overlying relationship by adhesive flaps with a separate souvenir article sandwiched therebetween. The souvenir article is reliably held on one of the sheets by three flaps adapted to be folded to be on top of the souvenir article. The latter may be a small flag with suspension cards.
With such a postal stationery article there is a risk of the souvenir article being omitted or lost due to its separate nature.
GB-A-1 447 336 discloses a greetings card comprising a backing member and a flexible piece of material carrying an artistic design attached to the backing member. The backing member has a line of weakness therethrough to facilitate the separation of the piece of material and part of the backing member from the remainder thereof. The separated part of the backing member (i.e. that still attached to the flexible piece of material) may be used to suspend the piece of material, e.g. as a pennant.
According to the present invention there is provided a postal stationery article comprising first and second sheets of paper connected together about a fold line with one of the paper sheets incorporating a window and a decorative article having a suspension means at one end and being releasably retainable relative to one of the paper sheets and the decorative article being adapted to be sandwiched between the paper sheets when the latter are disposed in overlying relationship and means for securing the paper sheets together in overlying relationship, the postal stationery article being characterised in that one end region of the decorative article is sandwiched between a first panel connected to one paper sheet by a tear connection and a second panel which is connected to a side of the first panel remote from the tear connection, whereby the decorative article is detachably secured between its ends to said one paper sheet by the tear connection 14.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a first postal stationery article according to the invention in open condition;
Fig. 2 is a front view of a second postal stationery article according to the invention in open condition;
Fig. 3 is a front view of the second postal stationery article in partially closed condition;
Fig. 4 and 4A are fragmentary detail views showing a modified suspension means;
Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views showing alternative stand means for the decorative article;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another form of postal stationery article; and
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of yet another form of postal stationery article.

Referring to Fig. 1 the postal stationery article comprises a first opaque sheet of paper 10 on which is printed, or can be written or otherwise applied, a greeting on the front side 11 (the side facing the viewer) while the recipient's name and address can be written on the back side of sheet 10.
A pennant 12 is supported by and overlies the sheet 10, being spaced inwardly from an edge area 13 which will be referred to later.
The paper sheet 10 is detachably secured to the pennant 12 by a tear-off strip 14 or other convenient means.
The pennant 12 has an end flap 15, 15A foldable along a fold line 16, an endless suspension cord 17 being engaged between the flap sections 15, 15A.
The area of the pennant 12 is the same or substantially the same as that defined by fold line 16 and the inner edge of area 13.
A second sheet 18 of paper is secured to paper sheet 10 along a fold line 19 and is formed with a transparent area 20 defining a window. This paper sheet 18 has an edge area 21 corresponding to edge area 13 and provided with adhesive 22 for sealing purposes. Adhesive may also be provided along edge area 13.
The paper sheet 18 which is opaque other than for the windows area 20 has a flap 23 foldable about a fold line 24 and provided with adhesive 25 along its edge remote from the fold line 24.
A double-sided adhesive sticker or tab 26 is provided on the flap 23.
For display and sales purposes the stationery article may be presented with the paper sheets 10, 18 folded about fold line 19 (sheet 10 overlying sheet 18 or vice versa) so that the pennant 12 is presented to the viewing of potential customers, or in open condition as shown. The stationery article is preferably packed, as is usual, in a clear transparent wrapper.
The greeting message may either be printed or written or both on face 11 of the paper sheet 10 under the pennant 12.
To close the stationery article for posting, the message being written if necessary and with the securing cord 17 located between flap sections 15, 15A, the user folds the paper sheet 18 about fold line 19 to overlie paper sheet 10, the two sheets 10, 18 being edge sealed by the adhesive 22 along areas 13 and 21. The flap 23 is then folded about fold line 24 to overlie the back face of the paper sheet 10 and is adhesively secured thereto by the adhesive 25.
The recipient's name and address is written on the back face of paper sheet 10 and the stationery article is ready for posting after application thereto of a postage stamp.
The pennant 12 thus conceals the greeting message and presents through the window area an attractive picture or other data.
On receipt, the recipient after loosening the flap 23 and opening the stationery article along the areas 13, 21, can remove the pennant 12 by pulling the tear-off strip 14 to disengage the sheet 10,18 therefrom and the pennant 12 can then be secured to a wall or other surface using the suspension cord 17 and, if necessary or desirable, the double-sided adhesive sticker 26.
In Figs. 2 and 3 parts similar to those in Fig. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals with the addition of the suffix "A".
In this embodiment, the paper sheet 10A supports three pennants 12A.
The paper sheet 18A has two lateral flaps 27 coated with adhesive 28.
The pennants 12A extend beyond the upper edge of the paper sheet 10A and each, like pennant 12, has a flap 29, 29A foldable about a fold line 30. The flap sections 29, 29A grip between them a suspension cord or strip 31 having at each end an eyelet, hook or other fastening device 32.
The stationery article is shown partially closed in Fig. 3. To seal same, lateral flaps 26 are folded to the dotted position 27A to overlie and be secured to the back face of paper sheet 10A, and the flap 23A is folded about the fold line 24A to permit it to be adhesively secured to the back face of paper sheet 10A.
Here again, after opening of the stationery article, the pennants 12A can be used for decorative purposes using the suspension cord or strip 31 and double-sided stickers 33.
With the embodiments of Fig. 1 and Figs. 2 and 3 two suspension cords 17 and 32 may be omitted , suspension being achieved by the double-sided adhesive stickers 26 and 33 which, in this instance, are applied not to flaps 23, 23A but to the rear face of the pennant 12, 12A. The adhesive stickers may be replaced by suction devices.
In a modification of the stationery article of Fig. 1, the bottom edges of paper sheets 10 and 17 are straight, a fold-in flap is provided on the bottom of paper sheet 10 to overlie the bottom edge of the pennant 12 when closing the stationery article, and adhesive 21 is provided along a foldable flap secured to the long side of the paper sheet 17, the flap being adhered to the back side of paper sheet 10.
In this modification the paper sheet 17 may have adhesive areas for securement to the fold-in flap.
The pennant or pennants and associated foldable flaps may be integral with the paper sheet 10, being separable by a tear-off strip formed by parallel lines of weakening.
It is envisaged that paper sheet 18 (18A) can be omitted the paper sheet 10 (10A) supporting the pennant(s) 12 (12A) with their suspension cords or strips being insertible in appropriate window envelopes for posting.
The postal stationery article may be edge reinforced in any convenient manner to provide support for the pennant if of a large size.
The pennant may be replaced by an convenient form of gift or souvenir, for example tie or scarf, and, of course, in such cases a suspension means such, for example as the cord and double-sided stickers would not be necessary.
The second paper sheet 18, 18A may be wholly transparent.
It may also be omitted, the decorative article(s), i.e. the pennant(s) 12, 12A, in this instance, being releasably edge closed with the first paper sheet 10, 10A.
The suspension means may, instead of being a separate attached cord 17, 31 be an integral formation of the pennant 40 (see Fig. 4). In this embodiment a suspension formation 41 is die cut in an end of the pennant 40 per se and is folded behind the securing flap 42 of the first paper sheet 43. The suspension formation 41, in this instance, will be concealed during postal transmission by a releasable flap on the second paper sheet.
Alternatively the suspension means forms part of the flap 42 which is attached to the rear of the pennant 40, lines of weakening 44 (cut line and/or tear lines) permitting detachment of the pennant 40, the suspension formation 41 and part of the flap 42 to permit separate use of the pennant.
The pennant 50 may alternatively or additionally be provided with stand means at one end.
The stand means may, inter alia, comprise end flaps 51, 52 joined to the pennant 50 and one another by fold lines 53, 54 or side flaps 55 joined to the pennant 50 by fold lines 56, or by combinations of such flaps 51, 52, 55.
These flaps normally lie flat against the rear of the pennant 50 but are unfolded or erected to the positions shown, i.e. inclined to the pennant, to form supports whereby the pennant 50 can be disposed upright on a flat surface.
The pennants shown so far have been shown as being connected in the postal stationery article by a tear line or strip 14 (Fig. 1), 14A (Figs. 2 and 3). They may alternatively be of a nature where they are pressed out of the postal stationery article, i.e. they are surrounded by a line of weakening so that when manual pressure is applied by the recipient they "pop out" or are released from the postal stationery article.
Referring now to Fig. 7 of the drawings, the postal stationery article 60 is in the form of a book with front and back paper sheets 61, 62 joined by a spine 63. The decorative article, in this instance, is in the form of an openable container 64 joined to the front and back sheets 61, 62 by surrounding lines of weakening 65.
The front of the container 64 has a picture or other adornment thereon or a greeting generally indicated at 66. The rear of the container with the back sheet 62 will present an area to receive the recipient's details for postal purposes and possibly an area for a written message as is present in conventional postcards.
A foam infill 67 or similar is provided which has an aperture 68 to receive the container 64, the front and back sheets 61, 62 and the foam infill 67 being secured together, possibly but not necessarily releasably, by adhesive, heat sealing or in any other convenient way.
The container 64 may be provided with a suspension and/or stand means, for example a suspension cord secured thereto, a support flap or flaps to pemit it to rest on a flat surface or it may be shaped, i.e. flat bottomed, to provide an in-built stand means.
Referring now to Fig. 8, the postal stationery article comprises front and back sheets 70, 71 joined along fold line 72 with the decorative article 73 comprising front and back sheets 73A, 73B forming part of sheets 70, 71 and surrounded by lines of weakening 74. Sheets 73A has a decorative picture, other adornment or a greeting generally indicated at 75 thereon while sheet 73B with back sheet 72 provides an area for the recipient's details and possibly an area for a message.
The decorative article 73 also comprises a flat balloon 76 between the sheets 73A, 73B and connected to both.
When the decorative article 73 is separated from the postal stationery article, the balloon 76 can be inflated with, the sheet 73A, decorative in nature attached to one side, and the sheet 73B, containing a personal message for example, attached to the opposite side.
The balloon 76 may have a greeting, picture or any other data printed thereon.
In the abovedescribed postal stationery article (Fig. 2) the balloon may be replaced with a compressible (plastics foam) article such as a toy animal, doll or other which upon release of the decorative article recovers its shape to serve as a plaything.

Claims

A postal stationery article comprising first and second sheets of paper (10, 10A and 18, 18A) connected together about a fold line (19, 19A) with one of the paper sheets incorporating a window (20, 20A) and a decorative article (12, 12A) having a suspension means (17, 31) at one end and being releasably retainable (14, 14A) relative to one of the paper sheets and the decorative article being adapted to be sandwiched between the paper sheets when the latter are disposed in overlying relationship and means (22, 23, 25; 23A, 25, 27, 28) for securing the paper sheets together in overlying relationship, the postal stationery article being characterised in that one end region of the decorative article (12, 12A) is sandwiched between a first panel (15A; 29A) connected to one paper sheet (10, 10A) by a tear connection (14) and a second panel (15; 29) which is connected to a side of the first panel (15A; 29A) remote from the tear connection (14), whereby the decorative article is detachably secured between its ends to said one paper sheet (10, 10A) by the tear connection 14.
A postal stationery article as claimed in claim 1 in which the suspension means is a cord (17, 31) secured to the decorative article (12, 12A) between the first panel (15A; 29A) and second panel (15; 29).
A postal stationery article as claimed in claim 2 in which the decorative article (12, 12A) is secured to said paper sheet (10, 10A) by a tear-off strip (14, 14A) with the first panel (15A; 29A) extending beyond an edge of said paper sheet (10, 10A).
A postal stationery article as claimed in claim 1 in which the decorative article (12, 12A) is secured to said paper sheet (10, 10A) by a tear-off strip (14, 14A), the decorative article (12, 12A) having a flap extending beyond an edge of the paper sheet (10, 10A), which flap mounts suspension means in the form of an integral suspension, or adhesive means or suction means.
A postal stationery article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the paper sheets (10, 18; 10A, 18A) are securable together by an adhesive end flap (23, 25) on one paper sheet (18, 18A) which is adapted to overlie and be secured to the other paper sheet (10, 10A).
A postal stationery article as claimed in claim 5 in which lateral adhesive flaps (27, 27A) are also provided on said one paper sheet (18, 18A) for securement to the other paper sheet (10, 10A).
A postal stationery article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the decorative article (12, 12A) is at least one pennant.