GB1565277A

GB1565277A - Seal construction

Info

Publication number: GB1565277A
Application number: GB839877A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Campbell Van Dorp W C
Current assignee: Campbell Van Dorp W C
Priority date: 1978-02-24
Filing date: 1978-02-24
Publication date: 1980-04-16

Description

(54) SEAL CONSTRUCTION (71) I, WILHELMINA CORNELIA CAMPBELL-VAN DORP, a Dutch citizen, of Noordereind.l90, 's-Graveland, Holland, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a construction of seal between a pair of members of an article, which members are movable into and out of face-to-face contact with each other. This invention has particular, but not sole, application to envelopes, lettercards and combined letter-and-envelopes.

My British patent specification No.

1 439 104 describes a construction of seal between a pair of members of an article, the pair of members being movable into and out of face-to-face contact with each other, comprising a first single-sided self-adhesive tape having its adhesive face adhered to one of the members and a second, double-sided self-adhesive tape having one of its two adhesive faces adhered to the non-adhesive face of the first tape: when the members are moved into face contact with each other, the second adhesive face of the doublesided tape contacts and adheres to the other member to seal the pair of members together: the strength of the bond between each tape and the member to which it is now adhered is greater than the bond between the two tapes.Accordingly, when the two members are subsequently drawn apart, the tapes remain adhered to their respective members and the bond between the two tapes is broken to allow the members to be parted, but they may be subsequently resealed together repeatedly. In practice, the article is manufactured with a backing paper applied to the otherwise exposed adhesive face of the second tape: this backing paper is peeled off before the two members are sealed together for the first time.

The seal of my British patent No.

1 439 104 is applicable to, for example, containers for foodstuff, thus providing a simple and effective seal for a container which is to be unsealed and resealed repeatedly. Such invention is also applicable to envelopes and lettercards, but does not ensure that the contents will remain in confidence; because an unauthorised person can unseal the envelope or lettercard, read or copy the contents and finally reseal the envelope or lettercard without leaving any evidence, detectable by the intended recipient of the envelope, that it has been intercepted.

My present invention provides an article comprising a pair of members movable into and out of face-to-face contact with each other, a double-sided self-adhesive tape adhered over one of its faces to one of said members and positioned so as to adhere over its other face to the other member when the pair of members are moved into face-to-face contact with each other, and a line of perforations formed in one (or other) of said members adjacent the tape (or adjacent the position of the tape when the pair of members are closed together), the perforations being disposed so that, once the pair of members have been adhered together by said double-sided self adhesive tape the pair of members may be parted after tearing the one (or other) member along the line of perforations.

Where the article is an envelope, lettercard or combined letter-and-envelope, it is easy for the sender to seal and it is clean since no licking is needed. For the recipient, the envelope or lettercard is opened by tearing along the line of perforations, which is easier and quicker than opening the traditional envelopes. At the same time, confidentiality for the contents of the correspondence is retained.

The article may also include a second seal, on the same pair of co-operating members, which seal is as described above in accordance with my British patent No.

1 439 104. In such case, the article may be unsealed and resealed repeatedly after initially breaking the confidential seal.

Two embodiments of this invention will now be described, by way of example, only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I is a perspective rear view of an envelope, shown in the open position prior to initial closure; and Figure 2 is -a front view of a combined letter-and-envelope, prior to folding and closing.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown an envelope having a closure flap 1 extending from a front panel 2 of the envelope. A back panel 3 of the envelope is joined to the front panel by side flaps 4 extending from the front panel and the envelope is formed of one piece of paper. A tape 5, having both faces self-adhesive, is adhered to the closure flap 1 adjacent the free edge thereof, and a line of perforations 6 is formed in the closure flap adjacent the tape 5 but between the latter tape and the front panel 2.

In use. the envelope is closed by simply folding the closure flap so as to move it into face-to-face contact with the back panel 3: the tape 5 adheres to the back panel 3 to seal the envelope. The envelope is opened by tearing the closure flap along the line of perforations, leaving the adhesive tape 5 and attached margin of the closure flap adhered to the back panel 3 of the envelope.

In a modification, the tape 5 may be applied initially to the back panel 3 in an appropriate position to adhere to the margin of the closure flap, beyond the perforations, upon closure of the envelope.

Attempts to separate the adhesive tape 5 from the closure flap or from the back panel 3 will not succeed, because instead the paper will tear, or alternatively the adhesive may be such that it will not re-adhere. In this way, confidentiality is maintained.

Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings, a combined letter-and-envelope comprises a single sheet of paper intended to be folded along two horizontal lines 11 and 12 and along a vertical line 13, in a manner to be described. A closure and sealing flap 14 extends from the main rectangular portion of the sheet and has a width corresponding to the width of an uppermost one of three horizontal zones, into which the sheet is divided by the lines 11 and 12. A tape 15, having both faces selfadhesive, is adhered to the rear face of the sheet, to register with a position 14a on the front face of flap 14 adjacent the free edge thereof and beyond a line of perforations 15a.A tape 16 having one face selfadhesive, is adhered by its adhesive face to the rear face of the sheet, to register with a position 16a on the front face of flap 14 between the perforations 15a and the main rectangular portion of the sheet of paper. A further tape, having both faces selfadhesive, is adhered by one of its selfadhesive faces to the non-adhesive face of tape 16.

In use, correspondence is written on the lower two thirds of the front face of the paper, leaving the top third blank. Then the lowermost of the three zones is folded onto the middle zone, about line 11, then these two zones are together folded onto the uppermost zone about line 12, the left-hand half is then folded onto the right-hand nalf about line 13, and the closure flap is folded over to bring the two double-sided selfadhesive tapes into sealing contact with the flap 14. Tape 15 forms a confidential seal in the same manner as tape 5 of the Figure 1 envelope, whilst the other double-sided selfadhesive tape is transferred from tape 16 to adhere to the flap 14 of the sheet at position 16a: tapes 16 and 16a then form a re-usable seal, after the seal of tape 15 is broken. in the same manner as the seal of my British patent No. 1 439 104.

When the letter-and-envelope of Figure 2 is sealed, matter written on the lower twothirds of the front face of the sheet cannot be seen without breaking the seals. The upper third may be left plain, may carry graphic decoration or could be used by Post Offices for the lengthy information which accompanies a telegram message. The letter-and-envelope of Figure 2 may be used as an airmail letter or as a telegram form, for example.

In a modification of the embodiment of Figure 2, the tapes 15 and 16 (with tape 16a applied to tape 16) may be adhered to the flap 14 instead of to the rear face of the sheet initially.

In all embodiments, a backing paper is applied to the otherwise exposed selfadhesive face of the or each tape and this backing paper is peeled off before the respective seals can be used.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. An article comprising a pair of members movable into and out of face-toface contact with each other, a double-sided self-adhesive tape adhered over one of its faces to one of said members and positioned so as to adhere over its other face to the other member when the pair of members are moved into face-to-face contact with each other, and a line of perforations formed in one (or other) of said members adjacent the tape (or adjacent the position of the tape when the pair of members are closed together), the perforations being disposed so that, once the pair of members have been adhered together by said doublesided self-adhesive tape the pair of members may be parted after tearing the one (or other) member along the line of perforations.

2. An article as claimed in claim 1, in

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I is a perspective rear view of an envelope, shown in the open position prior to initial closure; and Figure 2 is -a front view of a combined letter-and-envelope, prior to folding and closing. Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown an envelope having a closure flap 1 extending from a front panel 2 of the envelope. A back panel 3 of the envelope is joined to the front panel by side flaps 4 extending from the front panel and the envelope is formed of one piece of paper. A tape 5, having both faces self-adhesive, is adhered to the closure flap 1 adjacent the free edge thereof, and a line of perforations 6 is formed in the closure flap adjacent the tape 5 but between the latter tape and the front panel 2. In use. the envelope is closed by simply folding the closure flap so as to move it into face-to-face contact with the back panel 3: the tape 5 adheres to the back panel 3 to seal the envelope. The envelope is opened by tearing the closure flap along the line of perforations, leaving the adhesive tape 5 and attached margin of the closure flap adhered to the back panel 3 of the envelope. In a modification, the tape 5 may be applied initially to the back panel 3 in an appropriate position to adhere to the margin of the closure flap, beyond the perforations, upon closure of the envelope. Attempts to separate the adhesive tape 5 from the closure flap or from the back panel 3 will not succeed, because instead the paper will tear, or alternatively the adhesive may be such that it will not re-adhere. In this way, confidentiality is maintained. Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings, a combined letter-and-envelope comprises a single sheet of paper intended to be folded along two horizontal lines 11 and 12 and along a vertical line 13, in a manner to be described. A closure and sealing flap 14 extends from the main rectangular portion of the sheet and has a width corresponding to the width of an uppermost one of three horizontal zones, into which the sheet is divided by the lines 11 and 12. A tape 15, having both faces selfadhesive, is adhered to the rear face of the sheet, to register with a position 14a on the front face of flap 14 adjacent the free edge thereof and beyond a line of perforations 15a.A tape 16 having one face selfadhesive, is adhered by its adhesive face to the rear face of the sheet, to register with a position 16a on the front face of flap 14 between the perforations 15a and the main rectangular portion of the sheet of paper. A further tape, having both faces selfadhesive, is adhered by one of its selfadhesive faces to the non-adhesive face of tape 16. In use, correspondence is written on the lower two thirds of the front face of the paper, leaving the top third blank. Then the lowermost of the three zones is folded onto the middle zone, about line 11, then these two zones are together folded onto the uppermost zone about line 12, the left-hand half is then folded onto the right-hand nalf about line 13, and the closure flap is folded over to bring the two double-sided selfadhesive tapes into sealing contact with the flap 14. Tape 15 forms a confidential seal in the same manner as tape 5 of the Figure 1 envelope, whilst the other double-sided selfadhesive tape is transferred from tape 16 to adhere to the flap 14 of the sheet at position 16a: tapes 16 and 16a then form a re-usable seal, after the seal of tape 15 is broken. in the same manner as the seal of my British patent No. 1 439 104. When the letter-and-envelope of Figure 2 is sealed, matter written on the lower twothirds of the front face of the sheet cannot be seen without breaking the seals. The upper third may be left plain, may carry graphic decoration or could be used by Post Offices for the lengthy information which accompanies a telegram message. The letter-and-envelope of Figure 2 may be used as an airmail letter or as a telegram form, for example. In a modification of the embodiment of Figure 2, the tapes 15 and 16 (with tape 16a applied to tape 16) may be adhered to the flap 14 instead of to the rear face of the sheet initially. In all embodiments, a backing paper is applied to the otherwise exposed selfadhesive face of the or each tape and this backing paper is peeled off before the respective seals can be used. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. An article comprising a pair of members movable into and out of face-toface contact with each other, a double-sided self-adhesive tape adhered over one of its faces to one of said members and positioned so as to adhere over its other face to the other member when the pair of members are moved into face-to-face contact with each other, and a line of perforations formed in one (or other) of said members adjacent the tape (or adjacent the position of the tape when the pair of members are closed together), the perforations being disposed so that, once the pair of members have been adhered together by said doublesided self-adhesive tape the pair of members may be parted after tearing the one (or other) member along the line of perforations.

2. An article as claimed in claim 1, in

which said other face of said tape, when adhered to said other member, cannot be separated from said other member.

3. An article as claimed in claim 1, in which said other face of said tape, when adhered to said other member, can be separated from said other member but will thereafter not re-adhere to said other member.

4. An article as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a re-usable seal for sealing said members together after they have been parted by tearing along the line of perforations.

5. An article as claimed in claim 4, in which said reusable seal comprises a first tape having only one face self-adhesive, and adhered by that one face to one (or other) of said members, and a second tape having both faces self-adhesive and adhered by one of those faces to the other (or one) of said members so that the first and second tapes will meet and adhere face-to-face upon bringing the two members together.

6. An article as claimed in any preceding claim. in the form of an envelope, said members comprising a flap and a back panel of the envelope and the perforations being formed in the flap.

7. An article as claimed in any one of claims I to 5, in the form of a combined letter-and-envelope, said members comprising a flap and a panel of the letterand-envelope and the perforations being formed in the flap.

8. An envelope substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A combined letter-and-envelope substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.