GB2140743A - Re-usable mailing envelope - Google Patents

Re-usable mailing envelope Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2140743A
GB2140743A GB08315166A GB8315166A GB2140743A GB 2140743 A GB2140743 A GB 2140743A GB 08315166 A GB08315166 A GB 08315166A GB 8315166 A GB8315166 A GB 8315166A GB 2140743 A GB2140743 A GB 2140743A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
envelope
flap
strip
label
slit
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.)
Granted
Application number
GB08315166A
Other versions
GB2140743B (en
GB8315166D0 (en
Inventor
James Richard Read
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.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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 Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB8315166A priority Critical patent/GB2140743B/en
Publication of GB8315166D0 publication Critical patent/GB8315166D0/en
Publication of GB2140743A publication Critical patent/GB2140743A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2140743B publication Critical patent/GB2140743B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

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
    • B65D27/12—Closures
    • B65D27/28—Applications of separate closing elements
    • 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
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02W—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT
    • Y02W30/00—Technologies for solid waste management
    • Y02W30/50—Reuse, recycling or recovery technologies
    • Y02W30/80—Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Bag Frames (AREA)

Abstract

The envelope is formed of a rectangular thermoplastics sheet welded to form a flap which can overlie a slit-like opening. An adhesive address label seals the flap to the envelope but does not extend to the ends of the flap so that the label can be readily torn open, and the envelope then re-used with another like label.

Description

SPECIFICATION Re-usable mailing envelope This invention relates to re-usable mailing envelopes.
This invention aims to provide a convenient and cheaply-manufacturable re-usable envelope which can avoid the wastage of materials involved in using envelopes oniy once.
According to the invention there is provided a mailing envelope-of sheet plastics material having an opening in the form of a slit, and an adhesive address label which can be applied to the envelope to seal the envelope.
A preferred way of packaging the envelope and address label of the invention is in a pack containing at least one envelope and a number of labels sufficient for the or each envelope to be used many, for example 20i 50, 100 or more, times.
The envelope preferably has a closure flap which folds over the slit to close the envelope and which can be secured by attachment of the address label in the form of an adhesive strip to the flap and in adjacent surface of the envelope.
A particularly advantageous envelope has a closure flap which has a rectilinear free edge which is somewhat longer than the address label. When the flap is secured by the label, corners of the flap are left free and can be gripped between thumb and forefinger in order to open the envelope by tearing the label along the line of the free edge of the flap.
The adhesive of the address label is conveniently protected by a peel-off sheet which is removed before use of the label. One surface of the label is preferably suitable for writing on, either in manuscript or by typewriter.
Alternatively, the label can be pre-printed with a desired address.
The envelope is conveniently made for folding and heat-sealing a sheet of plastics material such as 500 gauge polyethylene.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawing, of which the sole figure is a plan view of a re-usable mailing envelope.
The envelope 10 shown in the drawing measures about 9cm by about 23cm but may of course be any desired size. It is formed by folding a rectangular sheet of 500 gauge polyethylene transversely along folds 11, 1 2 to form a front surface 13, a rear surface 14 and a closure flap 1 5. The longitudinal edges of the sheet are then heat sealed at 1 6 and 1 7.
To seal the envelope 10, a strip 18 of adhesive-backed paper is applied to the outer surface of the flap 15 and the front surface 1 3. Prior to use, the adhesive of the strip 18 is protected by a peel-off sheet. The length of the strip 1 8 is somewhat less than that of the flap 1 5 so that corners 19, 20 of the flap 1 5 remain free after application of the strip 1 8 to the envelope 10.
For mailing, an address and stamp are applied to the strip 18, before or after its application to the envelope 1 0.
At its destination, the envelope 10 is opened by tearing the strip 18, for example by gripping the corners 19, 20 of the flap 1 5 and tearing the strip 1 8 along the edge of the flap 15.
For further use, a fresh strip 1 8 is applied to the envelope 1 0. A single envelope can thus be used many times over and the wastage of materials associated with single-use envelopes avoided.
1. A mailing envelope of plastics material having an opening in the form of a slit, and an adhesive address label which can be applied to the envelope to seal the envelope.
2. An envelope as claimed in claim 1 having a flap which can be folded over the slit to close the envelope, the label comprising a strip which can be applied to the flap and an adjacent surface of the envelope.
3. An envelope comprising sheet material configured to define an interior accessible through a slit in combination with a closure strip of tearable material adhering to the sheet material to seal the slit, the sheet material being of sufficient strength to be manipulated to tear the closure strip to allow access to the envelope interior without damage to the envelope.
4. An envelope as claimed in claim 3 wherein the closure strip can be removed from the envelope without damage to the envelope.
5. An envelope as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein the closure strip is capable of bearing print or writing on the exposed side thereof so as to function as an address label.
6. An envelope as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5 wherein the envelope comprises rectangular sheet material having parallel folds of which one defines the interior and the slit and the other defines a flap overlying the slit.
7. An envelope as claimed in claim 6 wherein the sheet material is weldable plastics material and the interior is defined by edge welds at right angles to the folds.
8. An envelope as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein the sheet material is of polyethylene.
9. An envelope as claimed in claim 2, 6, 7, or 8 wherein at least one end portion of the flap remains free when the strip is applied thereto to facilitate opening of the envelope by tearing the strip.
10. A re-usable mailing envelope substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Re-usable mailing envelope This invention relates to re-usable mailing envelopes. This invention aims to provide a convenient and cheaply-manufacturable re-usable envelope which can avoid the wastage of materials involved in using envelopes oniy once. According to the invention there is provided a mailing envelope-of sheet plastics material having an opening in the form of a slit, and an adhesive address label which can be applied to the envelope to seal the envelope. A preferred way of packaging the envelope and address label of the invention is in a pack containing at least one envelope and a number of labels sufficient for the or each envelope to be used many, for example 20i 50, 100 or more, times. The envelope preferably has a closure flap which folds over the slit to close the envelope and which can be secured by attachment of the address label in the form of an adhesive strip to the flap and in adjacent surface of the envelope. A particularly advantageous envelope has a closure flap which has a rectilinear free edge which is somewhat longer than the address label. When the flap is secured by the label, corners of the flap are left free and can be gripped between thumb and forefinger in order to open the envelope by tearing the label along the line of the free edge of the flap. The adhesive of the address label is conveniently protected by a peel-off sheet which is removed before use of the label. One surface of the label is preferably suitable for writing on, either in manuscript or by typewriter. Alternatively, the label can be pre-printed with a desired address. The envelope is conveniently made for folding and heat-sealing a sheet of plastics material such as 500 gauge polyethylene. An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawing, of which the sole figure is a plan view of a re-usable mailing envelope. The envelope 10 shown in the drawing measures about 9cm by about 23cm but may of course be any desired size. It is formed by folding a rectangular sheet of 500 gauge polyethylene transversely along folds 11, 1 2 to form a front surface 13, a rear surface 14 and a closure flap 1 5. The longitudinal edges of the sheet are then heat sealed at 1 6 and 1 7. To seal the envelope 10, a strip 18 of adhesive-backed paper is applied to the outer surface of the flap 15 and the front surface 1 3. Prior to use, the adhesive of the strip 18 is protected by a peel-off sheet. The length of the strip 1 8 is somewhat less than that of the flap 1 5 so that corners 19, 20 of the flap 1 5 remain free after application of the strip 1 8 to the envelope 10. For mailing, an address and stamp are applied to the strip 18, before or after its application to the envelope 1 0. At its destination, the envelope 10 is opened by tearing the strip 18, for example by gripping the corners 19, 20 of the flap 1 5 and tearing the strip 1 8 along the edge of the flap 15. For further use, a fresh strip 1 8 is applied to the envelope 1 0. A single envelope can thus be used many times over and the wastage of materials associated with single-use envelopes avoided. CLAIMS
1. A mailing envelope of plastics material having an opening in the form of a slit, and an adhesive address label which can be applied to the envelope to seal the envelope.
2. An envelope as claimed in claim 1 having a flap which can be folded over the slit to close the envelope, the label comprising a strip which can be applied to the flap and an adjacent surface of the envelope.
3. An envelope comprising sheet material configured to define an interior accessible through a slit in combination with a closure strip of tearable material adhering to the sheet material to seal the slit, the sheet material being of sufficient strength to be manipulated to tear the closure strip to allow access to the envelope interior without damage to the envelope.
4. An envelope as claimed in claim 3 wherein the closure strip can be removed from the envelope without damage to the envelope.
5. An envelope as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein the closure strip is capable of bearing print or writing on the exposed side thereof so as to function as an address label.
6. An envelope as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5 wherein the envelope comprises rectangular sheet material having parallel folds of which one defines the interior and the slit and the other defines a flap overlying the slit.
7. An envelope as claimed in claim 6 wherein the sheet material is weldable plastics material and the interior is defined by edge welds at right angles to the folds.
8. An envelope as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein the sheet material is of polyethylene.
9. An envelope as claimed in claim 2, 6, 7, or 8 wherein at least one end portion of the flap remains free when the strip is applied thereto to facilitate opening of the envelope by tearing the strip.
10. A re-usable mailing envelope substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
GB8315166A 1983-06-02 1983-06-02 Re-usable mailing envelope Expired GB2140743B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8315166A GB2140743B (en) 1983-06-02 1983-06-02 Re-usable mailing envelope

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8315166A GB2140743B (en) 1983-06-02 1983-06-02 Re-usable mailing envelope

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8315166D0 GB8315166D0 (en) 1983-07-06
GB2140743A true GB2140743A (en) 1984-12-05
GB2140743B GB2140743B (en) 1986-12-31

Family

ID=10543702

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8315166A Expired GB2140743B (en) 1983-06-02 1983-06-02 Re-usable mailing envelope

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2140743B (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2641759A1 (en) * 1989-01-17 1990-07-20 Bezolles Jean Louis Indefinitely reusable envelope
FR2722762A1 (en) * 1994-07-25 1996-01-26 Sartori Bernard Elie Manuel Re-usable postal envelope design
US5487566A (en) * 1989-07-06 1996-01-30 Hedge, Jr.; J. Richard Promotional advertising brochure including reusable envelope device

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB200846A (en) * 1922-01-17 1923-07-17 Charles Frederick Beswick A new or improved envelope
GB541654A (en) * 1940-05-25 1941-12-05 Richard Fitz Power Improvements in or relating to re-sealing devices for envelopes
GB547395A (en) * 1942-04-08 1942-08-25 Thomas James Box Improvements in or relating to envelopes
GB1294652A (en) * 1968-07-30 1972-11-01 Johnson & Johnson Bag
GB1536784A (en) * 1977-05-04 1978-12-20 Jennings Ab Security bags

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB200846A (en) * 1922-01-17 1923-07-17 Charles Frederick Beswick A new or improved envelope
GB541654A (en) * 1940-05-25 1941-12-05 Richard Fitz Power Improvements in or relating to re-sealing devices for envelopes
GB547395A (en) * 1942-04-08 1942-08-25 Thomas James Box Improvements in or relating to envelopes
GB1294652A (en) * 1968-07-30 1972-11-01 Johnson & Johnson Bag
GB1536784A (en) * 1977-05-04 1978-12-20 Jennings Ab Security bags

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2641759A1 (en) * 1989-01-17 1990-07-20 Bezolles Jean Louis Indefinitely reusable envelope
US5487566A (en) * 1989-07-06 1996-01-30 Hedge, Jr.; J. Richard Promotional advertising brochure including reusable envelope device
FR2722762A1 (en) * 1994-07-25 1996-01-26 Sartori Bernard Elie Manuel Re-usable postal envelope design

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2140743B (en) 1986-12-31
GB8315166D0 (en) 1983-07-06

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PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee