GB2408731A

GB2408731A - A windowed envelope with adhesive on an internal portion for positioning an insert

Info

Publication number: GB2408731A
Application number: GB0328312A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel Joseph Bates
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-12-04
Filing date: 2003-12-04
Publication date: 2005-06-08
Anticipated expiration: 2023-12-04
Also published as: GB0328312D0; GB2408731B

Abstract

The present invention relates to a windowed envelope 11 for an insert 22 and comprises a low tack adhesive portion 14 provided on an internal surface for adhesively bonding the insert to the internal surface. The insert is thus secured and ensures that the address is always visible in the window 12 as the adhesive portion prevents movement during posting. The adhesive portion may be elongate and positioned on the closure of the flap or adjacent to the window. The adhesive portion may be covered by a peelable film where the film is part of a transparent film for covering the window and may have a line of weakness to aid removal and may have instructions printed on the peelable film. In a further embodiment the adhesive portion may be in the form of an adhesive tape where both sides of the tape are adhesive.

Description

Windowed Envelope The present invention relates to an envelope and in

particular to a windowed envelope.

It is known to provide a conventional windowed envelope for an insert. Such an envelope is intended for an insert such as a letter with an address written thereon so that the address is visible through the window when the envelope is posted.

It is further known to provide a means to orient an insert within a windowed envelope lO so that an address written on the insert is visible through the window. Such a prior means for orienting an insert typically requires a corner of the insert to be removed and a corresponding corner of the envelope to be glued together. The insert can only be located in the envelope in one orientation relative to the envelope and is close fitting so that the address remains visible through the window of the envelope. A means to orient an insert of this kind reduce problems at Post Of flee sorting centres such as the delay created when an insert has been incorrectly inserted within an envelope and the address is not visible through the window.

It is also known to provide a windowed envelope for an insert that is a lot smaller than the envelope. Such an envelope typically has an adhesive portion within the envelope to permanently adhesively bond the internal surface of one side of the envelope to the internal surface of the other side of the envelope. The adhesive portion creates a pocket within which the insert can be located, wherein the pocket is close fitting around the insert so that the insert has a limited degree of movement within the envelope. An address written on the insert is thereby visible through the window of the envelope.

Numerous problems are associated with the prior envelopes so described. A conventional envelope may permit an insert to slip inside the envelope so that the address is only partially visible. The know means to orient an insert require the insert to be shaped, or mutilated by removing a corner of the insert which may be undesirable.

The pocket created by permanently adhesively bonding one side of the envelope to the other side is disadvantageous for larger items that may be required to be placed in the envelope. Furthermore the permanent adhesive is required to be accurately located within the envelope to provide a close fit for the insert. Such accurate placement may be awkward to achieve for a person using the envelope, the permanent adhesive may also waste available space within the envelope. s

In the prior art envelopes the insert may still slip in the envelope during posting of the envelope so that the address is outwith the window. A larger window could be used so that the address is more likely to be visible through the window if the insert should slip, but this is disadvantageous from a confidentiality perspective. If a larger window is used the writing on the insert may be visible through the window of the envelope which is undesirable.

What is required is an improved windowed envelope that provides for maintaining of an address written on an insert relative to the window without limiting the space within the envelope, or requiring shaping or mutilation of the insert.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a windowed envelope for an insert, the envelope having an adhesive portion provided on an internal surface of the envelope for adhesively bonding an insert, in use, to said internal surface, wherein the adhesive is a low tack adhesive.

An envelope so arranged inhibits movement of the insert relative to the window during posting of the envelope and assists the Post Office and local mail sorting rooms in sorting because the full name and address is more likely to be visible through the window. A normal sized window in the envelope can be used thereby maintaining confidentiality ofthe writing on the insert.

In this specification by low tack adhesive is meant an adhesive of the kind which provides sufficient adhesion to hold the insert in place during transit of the envelope and permits the insert to be disbanded and repositioned within the envelope without any significant loss of sticking ability of the adhesive. Such a low tack adhesive causes no damage to the insert or the envelope on removal of the insert from the envelope and leaves no residue when the insert is disbanded from the envelope. Such an adhesive may be found on POST IT_ Notes manufactured by 3M. The adhesive portion is of a suitable size to prevent movement of the insert during posting of the envelope containing the insert. The skilled person will know the required size of such an adhesive portion. A plurality of adhesive portions may be provided as required.

In a preferred embodiment the adhesive portion is provided on an internal surface with the window of the envelope. This provides the advantage that when a plurality of inserts are placed in the envelope, the address on the insert is still maintained within the 1 0 window.

In a preferred embodiment the adhesive portion is elongate. In one embodiment the adhesive portion is adjacent the window. In another embodiment the adhesive portion may be provided near the edge of the envelope The elongate adhesive portion may be oriented to be substantially perpendicular or substantially parallel relative to the window. The elongate adhesive portion may be substantially as long as the width of the envelope.

The adhesive portion may be covered by a peelable film. This provides the sender of the envelope the option not to use the adhesive portion if so desired. The peelable film may be of any suitable material such as a glossy paper to permit easy removal of the film from the adhesive portion. Such a film may provide a convenient means to enable placing of the insert within the envelope prior to removal of the film and sticking of the adhesive portion to the insert. The peelable film may have printed instructions thereon to provide a user with directions for using the adhesive portion.

The window of the envelope may have a transparent film. The transparent film may be applied to the inner surface of the envelope such that the peelable film is a part of the transparent film. The part of the transparent film may be provided with a line of weakness such as perforations to facilitate removal of said part.

In an alternative embodiment the adhesive portion is provided on a closure flap of the envelope whereby the flap is provided to close the envelope, in use. This arrangement provides the advantage that the flap can be folded out of the way when locating the insert within the envelope to enable positioning of the insert in the envelope without interference from the adhesive portion. When the flap is folded to close the envelope the adhesive portion on the flap bonds the flap to the insert thereby maintaining the insert in position relative to the window.

According to an alternative characterization of the first aspect of the invention there is provided an envelope blank adapted to be manufactured into a windowed envelope, the blank having an adhesive portion for bonding an insert to an internal surface of the envelope, in use, wherein the adhesive is a low tack adhesive.

The alternative characterization may be combined with any of the above features of the first aspect of the invention as required.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an adhesive tape for a windowed envelope, both sides of the adhesive tape being provide with adhesive wherein at least one side has a low tack adhesive adapted to be bonded to an insert of the envelope, in use, the other side of tape being bonded to the envelope for positioning the insert within the envelope relative to the window, in use.

An adhesive tape so described may be used by a manufacturer to manufacture the windowed envelope previously described having an adhesive portion on an internal surface of the envelope. Such a tape may also be used by a user of a conventional windowed envelope to orient the insert relative to the window of the conventional envelope to inhibit movement of the insert within the envelope during transit of the envelope.

The other side of the adhesive tape may be provided with a permanent adhesive adapted to be bonded to an inner surface of the envelope, in use. Such a permanent adhesive ensures that the adhesive tape remains bonded to the envelope and not the s insert on removal of the insert from the envelope. This is an advantageous feature if the insert is photocopied since such an adhesive tape may be undesirable if left on the insert after use.

The adhesive tape may be provided on a roll of tape or in the form of a stack of pieces of adhesive tape.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment shown by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a blank adapted for manufacture into an envelope according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the blank of Figure 1 folded into an l 5 envelope.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the envelope of Figure 1 from the front and in a closed condition with an insert within the envelope.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic representation of an envelope shown from the rear according to the invention with the adhesive portion in an alternative orientation.

In Figure 1 there is shown a diagrammatic representation of a blank adapted for manufacture into an envelope according to the present invention, generally designated 10. The blank 10 is a single piece of paper having a window 12 and an adhesive portion 14 in a position substantially parallel to the window 12. The blank 10 is further provided with an adhesive strip 16 on a closure flap 18 of the blank 10 and an adhesive strip 20 on a rear surface of the blank 10 as shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 2 there is shown a diagrammatic representation of the blank 10 of Figure I folded into an envelope 11. The envelope 11 is shown from the rear in Figure 2. Like features with Figure I are shown with like reference numerals. The envelope I I has two flat sides which for the front 13 and the rear 15 sides thereof. The envelope 11 illustrated in Figure 2 is ready for use whereby the flap 18 is open. The blank is folded in a such a manner that the adhesive portion 14 is on the inside of the envelope I I and on the internal surface of the envelope I I having the window 12. The two adhesive strips 16, 20 provide the means by which to secure the flap 18 to close the envelope I 1.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the envelope 11 of Figure I from the front and in a closed condition with an insert 22 within the envelope 11. The adhesive portion 14 is shown bonding the insert 22 to the envelope 11 so that an address written on the insert 22 is maintained within the window 12 during transit of the envelope 11.

The adhesive portion 14 is a peelable adhesive of the kind which provides sufficient adhesion to hold the insert 22 in place but is not so sticky that the insert 22 or the envelope 11 are damaged when the insert 22 is removed or repositioned within the envelope 11. The adhesive portion 14 can be repositioned without any significant loss of tack and leaves no residue when the insert 22 is disbanded from the envelope 11.

Such an adhesive is a temporary adhesive and can be used more than one time and may be found on POST IT_ Notes manufactured by 3M. Such an adhesive has a low tack and a low peel strength, but has a relatively high shear strength that is sufficient to maintain the insert 22 in position within the envelope l I during posting of the envelope 11. Such an adhesive may also be described as a pressure sensitive adhesive. In this specification such an adhesive shall hereafter be described as a low tack adhesive.

Now turning to Figure 4 there is shown a diagrammatic representation of an envelope l l shown from the rear according to the invention with the adhesive portion 14 in an alternative orientation. In Figure 4 the adhesive portion 14 is shown in a position substantially perpendicular to the window 12.

In an alternative embodiment the adhesive portion 14 is provided in the form of a double sided adhesive tape (not shown) which can be used with a conventional envelope. The tape can be provided on a roll of tape or in the form of a stack of pieces of tape. In use the user takes a piece of tape and places it on an internal surface of the envelope 11 or on the insert 22 such that an address written on the insert 22 is maintained within the window 12 of the envelope I 1. At least one surface of the double sided adhesive tape is provided with a low tack adhesive for bonding to the envelope 11. The other surface of the tape may be provided with a permanent adhesive or a low tack adhesive. If a permanent adhesive is used the permanent adhesive ensures that the adhesive tape remains bonded to the envelope 11 and not to the insert 22 on removal of the insert 22 from the envelope I 1 by a receiver of the envelope 11.

Use of the adhesive portion 14 or tape as described means that a smaller window 12 can be used which consequently improves the confidentiality of the written matter on the insert. The smaller window means that less covering material is required for the l O window of the envelope.

An envelope 11 constructed and arranged in Figures 1 - 4 is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and may be readily incorporated into existing envelope manufacturing systems and machinery. The envelope 11 may be easily manufactured by simple modification to envelope manufacturing machinery.

It will also be appreciated that the invention could be worked with any size envelope having a window with the proviso that the adhesive portion is on an internal surface of the envelope to maintain the insert in a position relative to the envelope.

Claims

Claims 1. A windowed envelope for an insert, the envelope having an

adhesive portion provided on an internal surface of the envelope for adhesively bonding an insert, in use, to said internal surface, wherein the adhesive is a low tack adhesive.
2. An envelope according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive portion is provided on the internal surface having the window of the envelope.
3. An envelope according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the adhesive portion is elongate.
4. An envelope according to claim 1, 2 or claim 3, wherein the adhesive portion is provided on a closure flap of the envelope.
5. An envelope according to claim 1, 2 or claim 3, wherein the adhesive portion is adjacent the window.
6. An envelope according to any preceding claim, wherein the adhesive portion is covered by a peelable film.
7. An envelope according to claim 6, wherein the peelable film is a part of a transparent film for covering the window.
8. An envelope according to claim 7, wherein the part of the transparent film has a line of weakness to facilitate removal of said part.
9. An envelope according to any of claims 6 - 8, wherein the peelable film has instructions for use of the envelope printed thereon.
10. An envelope according to any preceding claim, wherein the adhesive portion is an adhesive tape, both sides of the adhesive tape being provide with adhesive wherein at least one side of the tape has a low tack adhesive adapted to be bonded to the insert, in use, the other side being bonded to the envelope.
11. An envelope according to claim 10, wherein the other side of the adhesive tape is provided with a permanent adhesive.
12. An envelope according to any preceding claim, wherein a plurality of adhesive portions are provided.
13. An envelope according to any preceding claim as substantially described herein with reference to Figures 1 - 3 or Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
14. An adhesive tape for a windowed envelope, both sides of the adhesive tape being provide with adhesive wherein at least one side has a low tack adhesive adapted to be bonded to an insert of the envelope, in use, the other side of tape being bonded to the envelope for positioning the insert within the envelope relative to the window, in use.
15. An adhesive tape according to claim 14, wherein the other side of the adhesive tape is provided with a permanent adhesive.
16. An adhesive tape according to claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the adhesive tape is provided in the form of a roll of tape.
17. An adhesive tape according to claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the adhesive tape is provided in the form of a stack of pieces of adhesive tape.
18. An adhesive tape for a windowed envelope according to any of claims 14 - 17 as substantially described herein.