GB2260531A

GB2260531A - Envelope with flap for attachment to magazine

Info

Publication number: GB2260531A
Application number: GB9208300A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeffrey John Fothergill
Original assignee: MR FOTHERGILL S SEEDS Ltd
Current assignee: MR FOTHERGILL S SEEDS Ltd
Priority date: 1991-10-17
Filing date: 1992-04-15
Publication date: 1993-04-21
Anticipated expiration: 2012-04-15
Also published as: GB2260531B; GB9122030D0; GB9208300D0

Abstract

A packet comprises a sealable envelope having an integrally formed flap 5 which can carry information and/or can enable the packet to be attached to a magazine. The packet is formed from a blank comprising first and second main portions 3, 4 connected by a fold line 15 and having adhesive-coated edge regions 7, 8 along two sides of portion 4. When folded about line 15, regions 7, 8 adhere to surfaces 14, 13 of portion 3 and the envelope thus formed may be closed by means of an adhesive-coated flap 6. The integral flap 5 can be fixed into the spine of a magazine in like manner to its pages, eg. by a staple engaging the fold line between the envelope and the flap 5. The packet may contain seeds or other products such as herbs, shampoo, cooking sauces or a computer disc. and may have a see-through window. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Improvements in or relating to Packets Field of the Invention This invention concerns packets, and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to a sample-containing packet for attachment to magazines and periodicals, to magazines carrying said sample-containing packets, to a blank from which the packet can be produced, and to a method of attaching a sample product to a magazine.

Background of the Invention It is common to package items in packets. For example, it is well known to enclose seeds within a packet, typically within an envelope type packet made of paper or card.

Seeds are generally small and the packet size is generally a compromise between being sufficiently large to be convenient to handle while not wasting packet material. A disadvantage of such packets is that there is often not space on such a packet to carry an adequate amount of information e.g. regarding culture of the seeds and plants generated therefrom. This is sometimes remedied by provision of a separate leaflet inserted into the packet.

It is known to attach free gifts to magazines in small packets by enclosing the free gift in a packet and attaching the packet to the magazine. The method of attachment is commonly by way of gluing, taping or stapling the packet to the cover of the magazine. It is also known to glue a sample-containing envelope to a sheet or card which is fixed into the spine of the magazine.

A disadvantage of existing methods of attachment are that they are labour intensive. Another disadvantage is that if the packet is glued to the outside of the cover then not only is part of the cover of the magazine obscured from view but the sample may sometimes become detached or even stolen.

Another disadvantage with some known methods of attaching sample packets attached to magazines is that removal of the packet can spoil the cover of the magazine.

Summary of the Invention According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a packet comprising a sealable envelope having an integrally formed flap.

In a further aspect the invention provides a sealed product-containing envelope having an integrally formed flap.

The flap can carry, on one or both sides, information e.g.

concerning the packet contents, and can eliminate the need for a separate leaflet as described above. The flap can also enable the packet to be self-standing.

Additionally or alternatively, the flap can be used to attach a sample-containing packet to a magazine in a novel manner.

Thus, in a further aspect of the invention there is provided a sealed sample-containing packet for attachment to a magazine, in which the packet comprises a sealed envelope having an integrally formed flap which can be fixed to the spine of the magazine in association with the magazine papers.

This has the advantage of facilitiating attachment of the packet to a magazine.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a magazine having fixed into its spine a flap integrally formed with a sample packet in the form of a sealed envelope containing the sample.

In an embodiment of the invention the envelope is readily separable from the flap by providing a tear line or line of weakening between the envelope and the flap. Thus there is the advantage that the packet can be removed from the flap which is attached to the magazine.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of attaching a packet to a magazine in which a packet comprising an integral flap is fixed onto a magazine , as by gluing or stapling or stitching, by fixing the flap onto the spine of the magazine in association with the magazine pages.

Alternatively the packet is formed as a sealed sample containing envelope carrying an integral flap.

The envelope can be made of paper, light card, paper laminated with polythene or other laminated materials, preferably sealed with a flap additional to the flap by which the envelope can be fixed into the spine of the magazine. The latter flap may be integral with an edge of the envelope at right angles to the edge carrying the flap by which the envelope is sealed.

The packet may be adapted to contain granular material such as seeds, pot pourri, herbs, or spices. However, any reasonably flat product with no sharp or irregular edges such as a computer disc, may be contained in the packet.

In an embodiment the packet is made of plastics material and is adapted for containing liquids. With such a packet shampoo, liquid soap, or cooking sauces can be attached to magazines.

For easy identification of the contents of the packet a see-through window may be incorporated in either or both sides of the packet, such as a cellulose or glassine window.

According to a still further aspect of the invention, there is provided a blank for use in forming a packet as aforesaid, said blank comprising sheet material having first and second main portions connected by a fold line, said main portions having an adhesive coated edged region along two sides whereby when folded on top of one another said main portions form an envelope open on a third side; whereat one of said main portions is provided with an adhesive coated flap for sealing the envelope and one said main portion also having an integral flap.

Alternatively, the packet has a product sample enclosed therein. Preferably, the integral flap enables the packet to be fixed into the spine of a magazine.

Brief description of the drawings There now follows a description of one exemplary embodiment of the invention referring to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a blank for a seed packet, Figure 2 shows the reverse side of the blank for the seed packet shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is an isometric schematic view of a magazine having a seed packet attached.

In Figures 1 and 2 is shown a seed packet blank, generally referenced 1, comprising envelope front and back portions 3 and 4 the latter having an integral flap 5. The front portion 3 has an adhesive coated flap 6 for sealing the envelope. As shown in Figure 2, the reverse side of the back portion 4 of the envelope has adhesive edge portions 7 and 8 for attachment to respective surfaces 14 and 13 on front portion 3 of the envelope when the front portion is folded over on to the back portion. Dotted lines on Figures 1 and 2 indicate where the blank is folded to create the envelope. The seed packet blank 1 has an excess portion 17 along the bottom of the front portion 3, the back portion 4 and the intergral flap 5. The excess portion 17 is trimmed during assembly of the packet with the magazine.

To create a seed packet the blank is folded about fold 15 so as to bring adhesive 7 and adhesive 8 into contact with surfaces 14 and 13 to create a envelope open on the side of the flap 6 to enable insertion of the seeds. After the seeds have been added to the envelope the flap 6 is folded about fold 16 to seal the packet. Following this the packet can be attached to a magazine by fixing the flap 5 of the packet into the spine in like manner to the pages of the magazine. In final assembly of the magazine with the packet attached, the magazine is trimmed so that all its pages are flush with each other. During this trimming the excess portion 17 of the packet is removed so that, in this case, the bottom of the packet is flush with the bottom of the magazine.

As an alternative to the flap 6 being initially coated with adhesive, the flap 6 can be initially uncoated and have adhesive applied thereto after filling of the packet but prior to sealing of the filled packet.

In Figure 3 is shown a magazine 10 in which pages have been bound together by staples 11 in the spine of the magazine 10. The seed packet 12 is attached to the magazine 10 by one of the staples 11, which fixes the flap 5 of the seed packet 1 into the spine. The flap may conveniently be fixed into the spine at the folding line between the sealed packet and the flap.

The above described seed packet is adapted for attachment to a magazine in a way which saves time and expense compared to known methods of attaching sample packets to magazines.

In a variant of the invention, one or both sides of flap 5 of the sealed seed-containing packet 12 described above carry printed information, e.g. relating to culture of the contents. This can eliminate the need to insert a separate information-carrying leaflet into the pack, and/or enable the overall size of the packet to be reduced.

Claims

1. A packet comprising a sealable envelope having an integrally formed flap.

2. A packet as according to claim 1, in which the packet is a sealed product-containing envelope.

3. A packet as according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the flap is adapted for attachment to a magazine.

4. A packet as according to claim 3, in which the flap is adapted to be fixed to the spine of the magazine.

5. A packet as according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the packet further comprises a tear line between the envelope and the flap.

6. A packet as according to any of claims 1 to 5, adapted to contain granular material.

7. A packet according to claim 6, comprising a sealed envelope containing seeds.

8. A packet as according to any one of claims 1 to 5, adapted for containing liquids.

9. A packet as according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a see-through window in either or both sides of the packet.

10. A magazine having fixed into its spine a flap integrally formed with a sample packet as according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A blank in use for forming a packet as according to any of claims 1 to 9, the blank comprising sheet material having first and second main portions connected by a fold line, the main portions having an adhesive coated edged region along two sides where'oy when folded on top of one another the main portions form an envelope open on a third side, where at one of the main portions is provided with an adhesive coated flap for sealing the envelope and one of the main portions also has an integral flap.

12. A packet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to,and as shown in,the accompanying drawings.

13. A blank substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.