EP0611056B1 - Pli postal avec enveloppe de renvoi - Google Patents

Pli postal avec enveloppe de renvoi Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0611056B1
EP0611056B1 EP19940300478 EP94300478A EP0611056B1 EP 0611056 B1 EP0611056 B1 EP 0611056B1 EP 19940300478 EP19940300478 EP 19940300478 EP 94300478 A EP94300478 A EP 94300478A EP 0611056 B1 EP0611056 B1 EP 0611056B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sheet
mailer
reply
adhesive
panel
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
EP19940300478
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0611056A1 (fr
Inventor
Mark D. Loch
Dean N. Sauerwine
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
Publication of EP0611056A1 publication Critical patent/EP0611056A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0611056B1 publication Critical patent/EP0611056B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS 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
    • B65D27/00—Envelopes or like essentially-rectangular containers for postal or other purposes having no structural provision for thickness of contents
    • B65D27/06—Envelopes or like essentially-rectangular containers for postal or other purposes having no structural provision for thickness of contents with provisions for repeated re-use

Definitions

  • Mailers are a popular type of business form. It is often desirable for a mailer to be able to convey a great deal of confidential information, while providing a reply envelope to allow the recipient of the mailer to mail order forms, questionnaires, or like documents back to the original sender of the mailer.
  • US-A-4,706,877 shows a particular type of mailer that is constructed with a built in return envelope that is very easy to use.
  • the built in return envelope includes a repositional label which covers a reply address on the reply envelope part of the mailer.
  • the repositional label has the outgoing addressee information printed thereon and is visible through a window in a covering ply. Once the mailer is opened by the recipient, the repositional label can be removed from its position covering the reply address and placed on the return address portion of the reply envelope.
  • the mailer of US-A-4,706,877 is advantageous, it has a few drawbacks thereto, and is constructed in a manner that is not as simple as desired.
  • the mailer of US-A-4,706,877 uses sheets that are run from the same size press so that two continuous webs are glued together to form a return envelope, which must be of a predetermined size.
  • the return envelope can be of various sizes, and is made of a second sheet of paper having dimensions much less than one of the panels of a first sheet of paper, so as to minimize paper waste.
  • the mailer produced according to the invention also is easier to open because there is only a small portion where there are three plies, rather than three plies all around all three openable sides as in the US-A-4,706,877 construction. Also, the mailer according to the present invention allows more room for internal indicia, and may be produced merely using a press, "85" machine, and LabelaireTM machine, that is not requiring a collator such as is typically utilized in the construction of a mailer such as in US-A-4,706,877.
  • the invention comprises an intermediate for forming a mailer, a mailer so formed, and a method of manufacture of a mailer.
  • the mailer that is produced according to the present invention has a large amount of interior space for printing of confidential information, is easy to open, and provides an easy to use return envelope.
  • an intermediate for a mailer type business form comprises the following elements: A first generally quadrate sheet of paper having parallel first and second edges, and parallel third and fourth edges perpendicular to the first and second edges. A fold line substantially bisecting the third and fourth edges and parallel to the first and second edges, defining first and second panels. Means providing a cut out window in the second panel. A reply envelope forming quadrate second sheet having dimensions substantially less than the dimensions of the first sheet. A first adhesive pattern connecting the second sheet to the first sheet first panel to form a reply envelope. Reply address indicia printed on the second sheet at a portion thereof in alignment with the cut out window when the first sheet is V-folded about the fold line.
  • the reply address is preferably in a readable line, which is parallel to the fold line.
  • the return envelope has a flap with rewettable adhesive, and is connected at a top portion thereof by a line of weakness formed in both the first and second panels, when the mailer is opened along the line of weakness an adhesive strip holding the panels together at that point being removed so that an open top of the reply envelope is provided.
  • the second sheet has only about two-thirds the dimensions of the first sheet, and a bottom stub is typically provided at the bottom of the return envelope between it and the fold line.
  • U-shaped glue/adhesive patterns are provided for forming the reply envelope, and also for sealing the edges of the first and second panels together to form a mailer constructed from the intermediate.
  • the invention also comprises a mailer constructed from the intermediate described above.
  • the mailer is constructed merely by V-folding about the fold line and sealing adhesive patterns, the respositional label with the outgoing address being visible through the window cutout in the second panel.
  • the mailer When the mailer is received by the outgoing addressee, he or she opens it, detaches the reply envelope from the first panel, repositions the repositional adhesive label so that it is in the return address portion of the reply envelope rather than in the addressee portion (thereby covering the printed reply address), and mails it back to the original sender.
  • the original sender may then use the repositional label as a shipping label for a product to be sent to the original outgoing addressee.
  • a method of constructing a mailer type business form comprises the following steps: (a) Forming a fold line in the first sheet to define first and second panels, and forming a die cut window in the second panel. (b) Applying an adhesive pattern to the first panel of the first sheet for forming a reply envelope. (c) Printing a reply address on a second sheet. (d) Applying the second sheet to the first sheet in registry with the reply envelope adhesive to form a reply envelope in the first panel, having dimensions substantially less than the first panel. (e) Forming perforations in the first and second panels. (f) Applying adhesive for connection of the first and second panels together adjacent the edges thereof.
  • FIGURES 1 and 2 An exemplary intermediate mailer type business form according to the present invention is seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, made from a first sheet of paper 10 having a first face 11 which will become the inside face of the mailer, and a second face 12 (FIG. 2).
  • the single sheet of paper 10 is quadrate in configuration having first and second parallel edges 13, 14 and third and fourth parallel edges 15, 16, the edges 15, 16 being perpendicular to the edges 13, 14.
  • a fold line 17 e.g., a score, perforation or the like
  • the fold line 17 forms the sheet 10 into a first panel 18 and a second panel 19.
  • a great deal of information is printed, typically confidential information.
  • an order form 22 could be printed in one part, and other instructional or like informational indicia 23 printed on other parts.
  • the inside of the mailer to be constructed from the intermediate 10 has a great deal of area that can be printed.
  • a reply envelope formed from a quadrate second paper sheet 25 (see FIG. 1) which has dimensions substantially less than the dimensions of the first panel 18, so as to allow for printing of a great deal of additional indicia, such as the order form indicia 22, on the first panel 18.
  • Printed on the second face 12 of the first sheet 10 is the outgoing return address 29, and postage indicia 30.
  • Printed on the second sheet 25 is reply address indicia 31 (see FIG. 6), printed the same distance from the fold line 17 as the cutout 20 and in alignment therewith so that when the intermediate is folded about the fold line 17 the area of the reply address 31 is visible through the cutout 20.
  • the reply address 31 itself is not visible when the mailer is initially formed because a repositional adhesive label 32 (see FIGS. 1, 3 and 4) having outgoing address information 33 printed thereon, covers the reply address area 31 so that it is visible through the window 20.
  • the repositional adhesive for the label 32 may be of any conventional type, such as sold by Moore Business Forms, of Lake Forest, Illinois, under the trademark CLEANTAC.
  • the second sheet 25 also may have reply address indicia printed thereon in the form of a bar code as indicated at 34 in FIGURE 1.
  • the second sheet 25 has dimensions of about two-thirds those of the first panel 18.
  • a line of weakness such as a perforation 36 is provided at the bottom of the sheet 25 between it and the fold line 17.
  • the dimension of the stub 37 formed between the lines 36, 17 determines the height of the reply envelope 38 (see FIGS. 4-6) formed from the second sheet 25 and the underlying portion of the first panel 18 to which it is adhesively secured by the adhesive pattern 27.
  • the sheet 10 also comprises a second adhesive pattern, such as shown by the U-shaped pattern 40 in FIG. 1, which may be heat sealable glue, for sealing the panels 18, 19 together adjacent their edges. While the pattern 40 may be applied on one or both of the panels 18, 19, the preferred construction illustrated in FIGURE 1 illustrates portions of the pattern 40 being provided adjacent both the third and fourth edges 15, 16 and the second edge 14 (remote from the fold line 17).
  • lines of weakness such as the perforation lines 41, 42, 43 and 44 -- may be provided adjacent each of the edges 13 through 16. Note that the perforation line 41 has an extension 45 into the second sheet 25.
  • the mailer 49 illustrated in FIGURE 3 is constructed from the intermediate of FIGURES 1 and 2 simply by V-folding about the fold line 17 so that the portions of face 11 are in engagement with each other, with the adhesive pattern 40 sealed. As can be seen in FIGURE 3, the outgoing address 33 (and the repositional adhesive label 32) is visible through the cutout 20.
  • the sheet 10 also preferably has the perforation lines 51, 52 (see FIG. 2) formed therein to facilitate detachment of the return envelope 38 once the mailer 49 has been opened up, including removal of the stubs 53 and 37.
  • the reply envelope 38 can be stuffed as with the order form 22 portion of the first panel 18, a check, or the like, the reply envelope 38 being shown as a top opening envelope.
  • this top opening envelope 38 has a fold line 54 (see FIGS. 1 and 4) forming the flap 55 therefor, which has rewettable adhesive 56 (see FIG. 5) or the like formed thereon so that the flap 55 can be folded over and then sealed in place to form a sealed reply envelope 38 as illustrated in FIGURE 6.
  • the addressee takes off the repositional label 32 and places it to the return address portion of the reply envelope 38 (see FIG.
  • the reply address 31 then being uncovered and visible on the front face (25) of the return envelope 38.
  • the original addressee receives the reply envelope 38, he or she can remove the repositional adhesive label 32 again and place that on a package to be sent to the original outgoing addressee.
  • FIGURE 7 schematically illustrates a method of producing a mailer 49 according to the invention.
  • a first sheet 10 of the mailer is formed from a web of paper that is preferably run on a 30.5 cms (12") press.
  • the perfs 51, 52, and the like can be formed on the press, as by using a CHEMEX plate.
  • the web then proceeds to stage 61 where it is processed through a tight web machine where the heat seal pattern (40) is applied.
  • the sheet 10, in web form passes to a stage 62 where the die cut window 20 is constructed, and then it passes to a stage 63 where pasted pocket adhesive 27, 46 for the reply envelope 38 is applied.
  • the second sheet 25 is mounted on a patch unwind spindle and every 14 cms (five and one-half inches) or so a sheet is cut from a web, as indicated in stage 64.
  • Stage 66 indicates where the sheets 10, 25 are registered to form the return envelope 38, using form-a-liner punching, which is then slit off.
  • This combined web (67) is then fed to a perfing station 68 where marginal perfs 41 through 45 are applied, and then it passes to a stage 69 where a glue patch is supplied around the cutout 20 on face 11 and the transparent window 21 is put in place.
  • stage 70 the web is folded into pad form, and then is passed to stage 71 where the repositional adhesive label 32 is blown on utilizing a LabelaireTM machine.
  • the pad form of mailers is fed to stage 72 where sheet 10 is V-folded about fold line 17 and the adhesives heat sealed to form the mailer 49.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)

Claims (13)

  1. Produit intermédiaire pour un formulaire commercial du type pli postal, comprenant :
    une première feuille de papier (10) généralement carrée ayant des premier et deuxième bords parallèles (13, 14), et des troisième et quatrième bords parallèles (15, 16) perpendiculaires aux premier et deuxième bords;
    une ligne de pliure (17) intersectant substantiellement lesdits troisième et quatrième bords et parallèle auxdits premier et deuxième bords, définissant des premier et deuxième volets (18, 19);
    une fenêtre découpée (20) prévue dans ledit deuxième volet;
    une enveloppe de renvoi formant une deuxième feuille carrée (25) ayant des dimensions substantiellement inférieures aux dimensions de ladite première feuille;
    un premier motif d'adhésif (27) reliant ladite deuxième feuille au premier volet (18) de ladite première feuille pour former une enveloppe de renvoi (38);
    des inscriptions d'adresse de renvoi (31) imprimées sur ladite deuxième feuille au niveau d'une portion de celle-ci alignée avec ladite fenêtre découpée lorsque ladite première feuille est pliée suivant ladite ligne de pliure;
    une étiquette adhésive repositionnable (32) appliquée sur ladite deuxième feuille couvrant ladite adresse de renvoi (31), et ayant une adresse d'envoi (33) sur celle-ci;
    un deuxième motif d'adhésif (40) pour relier ledit premier volet audit deuxième volet le long de leurs bords lorqu'ils sont pliés suivant ladite ligne de pliure (17); et
    des lignes de faiblesse (41 - 45) formées dans lesdits premier et deuxième volets à proximité desdits bords de ladite première feuille pour permettre une ouverture facile d'un pli postal formé en pliant suivant ladite ligne de pliure et par fixation adhésive par ledit deuxième adhésif.
  2. Formulaire commercial du type pli postal comprenant un produit intermédiaire selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la première feuille est pliée en V suivant la ligne de pliure pour produire un pli postal.
  3. Produit intermédiaire ou pli postal selon la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que lesdites inscriptions d'adresse de renvoi (31) sont lisibles en une ligne, ladite ligne lisible étant parallèle à ladite ligne de pliure (17).
  4. Produit intermédiaire ou pli postal selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, caractérisé par un troisième motif d'adhésif (46) reliant ladite deuxième feuille à ladite première feuille le long dudit premier bord (13) de ladite première feuille, et détachable de ladite enveloppe de renvoi lorsque lesdits premier et deuxième volets (18, 19) sont détachés au niveau desdites lignes de faiblesse (41 -45).
  5. Produit intermédiaire ou pli postal selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisé en ce que ladite enveloppe de renvoi comporte un rabat (55), et comprenant en outre un quatrième motif d'adhésif (56) formé sur ledit rabat.
  6. Produit intermédiaire ou pli postal selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 5, caractérisé en ce que ledit premier motif d'adhésif (27) est orienté suivant une configuration en U par rapport auxdites inscriptions d'adresse de renvoi (31), de manière à fournir une partie de dessus ouverte de ladite enveloppe de renvoi.
  7. Produit intermédiaire ou pli postal selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 6, caractérisé en ce que ledit deuxième motif d'adhésif (40) comprend une configuration en U prévue à proximité desdits troisième et quatrième bords dans au moins l'un desdits volets, et à proximité de l'un ou l'autre desdits deuxième et premier bords.
  8. Produit intermédiaire ou pli postal selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 7, caractérisé en ce que ledit deuxième motif d'adhésif comprend de l'adhésif thermoscellable disposé à proximité dudit deuxième bord, et à proximité desdits troisième et quatrième bords sur ledit deuxième volet.
  9. Produit intermédiaire ou pli postal selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 8, caractérisé en ce que ladite deuxième feuille (25) a une surface mesurant approximativement deux-tiers de la surface dudit premier volet (18).
  10. Produit intermédiaire ou pli postal selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 9, caractérisé par des perforations (36) disposées à proximité de ladite ligne de pliure (17) dans ledit premier volet (18), entre ladite deuxième feuille/enveloppe de renvoi (25) et ladite ligne de pliure (17).
  11. Procédé de formation d'un formulaire commercial du type pli postal avec une enveloppe de renvoi intégrée, utilisant une première feuille de papier ayant des premières dimensions carrées de premier et deuxième volets de celle-ci, et une deuxième feuille de papier ayant des deuxièmes dimensions carrées nettement inférieures aux premières dimensions, comprenant les étapes consistant à :
    (a) former une ligne de pliure dans la première feuille pour définir des premier et deuxième volets, et former une fenêtre découpée à l'emporte-pièce dans le deuxième volet;
    (b) appliquer un motif d'adhésif sur le premier volet de la première feuille pour former une enveloppe de renvoi;
    (c) imprimer une adresse de renvoi sur une deuxième feuille;
    (d) appliquer la deuxième feuille sur la première feuille en coïncidence avec l'adhésif de l'enveloppe de renvoi pour former une enveloppe de renvoi dans le premier volet, ayant des dimensions substantiellement inférieures à celles du premier volet;
    (e) former des perforations dans les premier et deuxième volets;
    (f) appliquer de l'adhésif pour relier les premier et deuxième volets ensemble à proximité de leurs bords;
    (g) appliquer par soufflage une étiquette adhésive repositionnable pour couvrir l'adresse de renvoi imprimée sur la deuxième feuille; et
    (h) plier la première feuille suivant la ligne de pliure de manière à ce que la fenêtre découpée soit pardessus l'étiquette adhésive repositionnable, et de sorte que l'adhésif reliant les volets ensemble soit activé pour former un pli postal final.
  12. Procédé selon la revendication 11, comprenant l'étape supplémentaire consistant à ouvrir le pli postal en déchirant le long des perforations; à enlever l'enveloppe de renvoi du premier volet; à enlever l'étiquette repositionnable de sa position couvrant l'adresse de renvoi, et à la placer sur une portion d'adresse de renvoi de l'enveloppe de renvoi; à remplir l'enveloppe de renvoi; à sceller l'enveloppe de renvoi; et à renvoyer l'enveloppe de renvoi au destinataire de renvoi.
  13. Procédé selon la revendication 12, comprenant l'étape supplémentaire consistant à retirer l'étiquette repositionnable de l'enveloppe de renvoi à la réception de celle-ci, et à appliquer l'étiquette repositionnable sur un paquet et à envoyer le paquet au destinataire d'envoi d'origine du pli postal.
EP19940300478 1993-02-09 1994-01-21 Pli postal avec enveloppe de renvoi Expired - Lifetime EP0611056B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US1615693A 1993-02-09 1993-02-09
US16156 1998-01-30

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0611056A1 EP0611056A1 (fr) 1994-08-17
EP0611056B1 true EP0611056B1 (fr) 1997-09-10

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19940300478 Expired - Lifetime EP0611056B1 (fr) 1993-02-09 1994-01-21 Pli postal avec enveloppe de renvoi

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EP (1) EP0611056B1 (fr)
AU (1) AU5497094A (fr)
CA (1) CA2115011A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69405422T2 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7726548B2 (en) 2004-02-25 2010-06-01 Ecoenvelopes, Llc Reusable envelope structures and methods
US7815099B2 (en) 2005-04-05 2010-10-19 Ecoenvelopes, Llc Reusable envelope structures and methods
US8191763B2 (en) 2006-08-18 2012-06-05 Delavergne Carol A Reusable envelopes

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8763891B1 (en) 2004-02-25 2014-07-01 Carol A. DeLaVergne Reusable envelope structures and methods
US8875985B1 (en) 2009-02-19 2014-11-04 eco Envelopes, LLC. Conversion envelopes
US9878825B1 (en) 2015-06-02 2018-01-30 Ecoenvelopes, Llc Reusable top flap envelope with dual opposing seal flaps

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4148430A (en) * 1977-05-25 1979-04-10 Innovative Business Forms, Inc. Business form
US4706877A (en) * 1987-01-09 1987-11-17 Moore Business Forms, Inc. Windowed mailer with return envelope for remittance document, having return mail-to address exposed by removal of original mail-to label
US5125563A (en) * 1991-07-29 1992-06-30 Moore Business Forms, Inc. Flip window for multiple return address

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7726548B2 (en) 2004-02-25 2010-06-01 Ecoenvelopes, Llc Reusable envelope structures and methods
US7815099B2 (en) 2005-04-05 2010-10-19 Ecoenvelopes, Llc Reusable envelope structures and methods
US8191763B2 (en) 2006-08-18 2012-06-05 Delavergne Carol A Reusable envelopes

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69405422T2 (de) 1998-01-22
CA2115011A1 (fr) 1993-08-05
DE69405422D1 (de) 1997-10-16
AU5497094A (en) 1994-08-11
EP0611056A1 (fr) 1994-08-17

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