IES81033B2 - An envelope - Google Patents

Abstract

A blank for making a re-usable envelope comprises first and second rectangular panels (10, 12) for folding one upon the other to form front and rear panels respectively of the envelope, and a third panel (16) joined to one edge (18) of the rear panel (12) for folding between the front and rear panels to divide the interior of the envelope into front and rear pockets. The front panel (10) has a window (22) for exposing a pre-printed return address borne by the third panel (16). Three flaps (24, 26, 28) are provided on the other three edges (30, 32, 34) of the front panel (10) for sealing the envelope for a first use, the flap (28) having a tear-off strip (36) dividing it into a first strip (42) joined to the edge (34) of the front panel (10) and a second strip (44) on the opposite side of the tear-off strip to the edge (34). The envelope may be closed for a first use by folding over the flaps (24, 26, 28) and securing them to the rear panel (12), with only the second strip (44) of the flap (28) being secured to the rear panel so that the envelope may be opened by detaching the tear-off strip (36). The envelope may then be closed for a second use by securing the first strip (42) of the flap (28) to the rear panel (12).

Description

AN ENVELOPE This invention relates to a blank for making a re-usable envelope, and an envelope made from such blank.

According to the present invention there is provided a blank for making a re-usable envelope, the blank comprising first and second substantially rectangular panels for folding over one upon the other substantially in register to form front and rear panels of the envelope respectively, and a third panel joined to one edge of one of the front and rear panels for folding between the front and rear panels for dividing the interior of the envelope into front and rear pockets, the front panel having a window for exposing a portion of the third panel, the blank further including a fold-over flap joined to one edge of one of the first and second panels, not being the edge to which the third panel is joined, for securing to the other of the first and second panels, the flap having a tear-off strip dividing the flap into a first strip joined to the said one edge of the first or second panel and a second strip on the opposite side of the tear-off strip to the said one edge, whereby the envelope may be closed for a first use by, inter alia, folding over the flap and securing substantially only the second strip thereof to the said other panel, the envelope may be opened by detaching the tear-off strip from the foldover flap to separate the first and second strips pi28858.spc thereof, and the envelope may be closed for a second use by securing the first strip of the flap to the said other panel.

The invention also provides a re-usable envelope made from a blank as specified above.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an obverse view of an unfolded blank for making a re-usable envelope; Fig. 2 is a reverse view of the unfolded blank of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front view of the partially formed envelope; and Fig. 4 is a rear view of the envelope ready for a first use.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, an envelope blank comprises first and second substantially rectangular panels 10, 12 respectively which are joined to one another along a common edge defined by a fold line 14. The blank may be folded along the fold line 14 so that the panels 10 and 12 come to lie one upon the other substantially in register. A third substantially rectangular panel 16, having dimensions smaller than the panels 10 and 12, is joined to the opposite edge 18 of the panel 12 for folding along a fold line 20 coincident with the edge 18. The panel 10 has a window 22 which may be covered on the obverse surface of the blank with a transparent pi28858.spc sheet (not shown). The obverse surface of the panel 16 bears a pre-printed return address 62.

The blank further includes first, second and third fold-over flaps 24, 26 and 28 respectively, each joined to a respective one of the three remaining edges 30, 32 and 34 of the panel 10, these edges also being defined by fold lines. The flaps 24 and 26 are of simple, uninterrupted construction, but the flap 28 has a tear-off strip 36, defined by lines of perforations 38, 40 parallel to the edge 34, which divide the flap into a first strip 42 joined to the edge 34 of the panel 10 and a second strip 44 on the opposite side of the tear-off strip 36 to the edge 34.

On its obverse surface (Fig. 1) the blank has two strips of contact adhesive 46 and 48, each alongside a respective one of the edges 50 and 52 of the panel 12. On its reverse surface (Fig. 2) the blank has two strips of contact adhesive 54 and 56 along the free outer edges of the flaps 24 and 28 respectively. It is to be noted that the contact adhesive 56 is confined to the strip 44 and does not extend onto the tear-off strip 36. Finally, on its reverse surface the blank has two strips of moistureactivated adhesive 58 and 60, the former being applied along the free outer edge of the flap 26 and the latter along the strip 42 of the flap 28.

To form the envelope from the blank, the blank is first folded along the fold line 20 to bring the reverse surface of the panel 16 in register against the pi28858.spc reverse surface of the panel 12. Then the blank is folded along the fold line 14 to bring the reverse surface of the panel 12 against the reverse surface of the panel 10 so that the panel 16 becomes sandwiched between the two panels 10 and 12 and the pre-printed return address 62 on the obverse surface of the panel 16 is visible through the window 22. The envelope at this stage of folding is shown in Fig. 3.

Next the flaps 24 and 28 are folded along the fold lines 30 and 34 so that the reverse surfaces of these flaps are brought against the obverse surface of the panel 12, as seen in Fig. 4. The positions of the contact adhesive strips 46 and 54 on the blank is such that by folding the flap 24 as above the adhesive strip 54 is brought into registering contact with the adhesive strip 46, so that by pressing them together the envelope is sealed along the edge 30. Likewise, the positions of the contact adhesive strips 48 and 56 is such that by folding the flap 28 as above the adhesive strip 56 is brought into registering contact with the adhesive strip 48, so that by pressing them together the envelope is sealed along the edge 34. It should be noted that only the strip 44 of the flap 28 is stuck to the panel 12.

The envelope is now at the stage shown in Fig. 4, ready for a first use. The panel 10 with the window 22 (not seen in Fig. 4) forms the front panel of the envelope and the panel 12 forms the rear panel of the envelope. The panel 16 (also not seen in Fig. 4) which pi28858.spc is folded in between the panels 10 and 12 divides the interior of the envelope into front and rear pockets, the front pocket being between the panels 10 and 16 and the rear pocket being between the panels 16 and 12.

The return address is visible through the window 22.

The envelope is closed along three edges, i.e. along the edges 30 and 34 by the flaps 24 and 28 and along the edge 14 by the fold there. The fourth edge 32 remains open.

In use, the first user inserts an item through the open edge 32 of the envelope into the front pocket. The item bears the name and address of an addressee which is visible though the window 22, the item obscuring the pre-printed return address 62. The adhesive 58 is then moistened and the flap 26 folded down onto the obverse surface of the panel 12 to seal the envelope.

Upon receipt by the addressee, the envelope is opened by detaching the tear-off strip 36 by grasping the latter at its lower end (as seen in Fig. 4) and pulling upwards to tear along the lines of perforations 38, 40. This leaves the strip 44 stuck to the envelope, while the strip 42 can be folded back along the edge 34 to allow removal of the item from the envelope. It is to be noted that although the upper end of the tear-off strip 36 extends slightly under the flap 26 when the latter is folded down to seal the envelope, the adhesive 58 does not extend laterally as pi28858.spc far as the tear-off strip, so detachment of the tearoff strip is not significantly hindered.

For a second use of the envelope, the user inserts an item through the now open edge 34 into the rear pocket of the envelope, so that the pre-printed return address 62 is now visible through the window 22. The envelope is then sealed for a second time by moistening the adhesive 60 and folding the strip 42 onto the obverse surface of the panel 12.

Variations of the above construction are possible. For example, any or all of the flaps 24, 26 or 28 could be provided on the rear panel 12 instead of the front, window-bearing, panel 10 and, if so, the panel 16 could be joined to the front panel 10 instead of the rear panel 12. Also, the flaps 24 and 26 could be omitted, and the corresponding edges of the envelope sealed directly together by providing strips of contact adhesive on the inside surfaces of the envelope along those edges.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein which may be modified or varied without departing from the scope of the invention. pi28858.spc

Claims (5)

1. A blank for making a re-usable envelope, the blank comprising first and second substantially rectangular panels for folding over one upon the other substantially in register to form front and rear panels of the envelope respectively, and a third panel joined to one edge of one of the front and rear panels for folding between the front and rear panels for dividing the interior of the envelope into front and rear pockets, the front panel having a window for exposing a portion of the third panel, the blank further including a fold-over flap joined to one edge of one of the front and rear panels, not being the edge to which the third panel is joined, for securing to the other of the front and rear panels, the flap having a tear-off strip diving the flap into a first strip joined to the said one edge of the front or rear panel and a second strip on the opposite side of the tear-off strip to the said one edge, whereby the envelope may be closed for a first use by, inter alia, folding over the flap and securing substantially only the second strip thereof to the said other panel, the envelope may be opened by detaching the tear-off strip from the fold-over flap to separate the first and second strips thereof, and the envelope may be closed for a second use by securing the first strip of the flap to the said other panel. pi28858.spc

2. A blank as claimed in claim 1, wherein an address is provided on the third panel, the address being visible through the window in the front panel when the third panel is folded between the front and 5 rear panels and the front pocket is empty.

3. A blank as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein second and third fold-over flaps are provided, each at a respective edge of the front or rear panel, for closing the two edges of the envelope not closed by the 10 fold between the front and rear panels and the first fold-over flap.

4. A blank as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first, second and third fold-over flaps are provided at respective edges of the front panel. 15

5. A re-usable envelope made from a blank as claimed in any preceding claim