LV13005B

LV13005B - Envelope

Info

Publication number: LV13005B
Application number: LVP-02-188A
Authority: LV
Inventors: Reijo Kemppainen; Kalevi Minetti
Original assignee: Bong Suomi Oy
Priority date: 2001-10-30
Filing date: 2002-10-30
Publication date: 2003-08-20
Also published as: FIU20010406U0; FI5685U1; LT5048B; EE00348U1; LT2002108A

Abstract

The invention relates to an envelope comprising sides (1), edges connecting the sides to each other, and a closing flap (3). Further, the envelope comprises and adhesive strip (5), the first surface of which is attached to the closing flap (3), and the second surface of which adhesive strip (5) can be glued to the side (1) of the envelope.

Description

1 LV 13005

Envelope

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to an envelope comprising a front side, a back side, edges connecting said sides to each other, a closing flap and, further, an adhesive surface by means of which the closing flap can be glued to the back side.

[0002] Envelopes are usua!ly manufactured by folding and gluing paper. Finished envelopes are closed by gluing the closing flap against the back of the envelope. Typically, an adhesive surface is formed in the closing flap for closing. ConventionalIy, a moistenable adhesive surface has been used, but because closing such an envelope is slow and difficult, envelopes have been provided which have an adhesive covered with a protecting film. Such envelopes can be closed handily without moistening by removing a protecting film from the adhesive and by pressing the closing flap against the side surface of the envelope. Hovvever, the dravvback of both closing mechanisms is that the envelope cannot be closed in such a way that privacy of correspondence could always be guaranteed. Moistenable adhesive surfaces can be opened by steaming, for instance, and closed vvithout the original recipient noticing it. In envelopes with an adhesive, in tum, manufacture-related technical reasons require the use of such adhesives that do not provide sufficient adhesive strength, it becoming thus possible to draw the adhesive seam carefully open without leaving permanent traces of the opening. Ali in ali, neither of the above-described envelopes is unreservedly suitable for sending post containing delicate matters, such as banking detaiis, pay slips, bank cards, PIN codes and so on.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and an improved envelope.

[0004] The envelope according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises an adhesive strip, that the adhesive strip has a base layer comprising a first surface and a second surface, that the first surface of the adhesive strip is attached to the closing flap and that the adhesive surface is formed on the second surface of the adhesive strip.

[0005] The essential idea of the invention is that the closing flap of the envelope is provided with an adhesive strip manufactured separately 2 relative to the rest of the envelope structure. Such an adhesive strip comprises a base layer having a first surface and, on the opposite side, a second surface. The first surface of the adhesive strip is preferably attached to the closing flap vvith an adhesive. The second surface, in turn, is glued to the back surface of the envelope vvith its adhesive surface when the envelope is closed.

[0006] An advantage of the envelope according to the invention is that it is easy and quick to manufacture. It is simple to attach an adhesive laminate manufactured in advance to the closing flap. Further, it is an advantage that different adhesives can be used rather freely on the adhesive surface of the adhesive strip according to the invention, depending on the material and object of use of the envelope, for instance. Such an adhesive can be selected for the adhesive surface of the adhesive strip the strength of vvhich is essentially better than in previous envelopes. With the envelope according to the invention, privacy of correspondence can be realized better, because an envelope closed vvith an adhesive surface having a great adhesive strength cannot be opened vvithout leaving permanent traces of the opening. Opening the closing flap causes either the closing flap or the back of the envelope to be torn or split.

[0007] The essential idea of an embodiment of the invention is that a protecting film is arranged against the adhesive surface of the adhesive strip, the film being naturally removed before the closing flap is glued. Further, at least at one edge area of the adhesive strip, there is a cut vvhich divides the base !ayer of the adhesive strip into two portions, i.e. into a portion attached to the closing flap and a removable portion at the edge of the adhesive strip. The removable portion is not attached to the closing flap but it is arranged to be removed together vvith the protecting film. The removable portion essentially facilitates the removal of the thin protecting film from the adhesive surface of the adhesive strip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURĒS

[0008] The invention vvill now be described in more detail vvith reference to the attached dravvings, of vvhich [0009] Figurē 1 shovvs a schematic back vievv of an envelope according to the invention; [0010] Figurē 2 shovvs a schematic side vievv of an adhesive strip according to the invention; 3 LV 13005 [0011] Figurē 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view A-A of the adhesive strip shovvn in Figurē 2; [0012] Figurē 4 shows a schematic back view of a second envelope according to the invention; [0013] Figurē 5 shovvs a schematic cross-sectional view of a second adhesive strip according to the invention; and [0014] Figurē 6 shovvs a schematic view of the adhesive strip according to Figurēs 4 and 5, seen from direction B.

[0015] For the sake of clarity, the invention is shovvn in a simplified manner in the figurēs. Similar paris are denoted with the saTne reference nomētais.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The envelope shovvn in Figurē 1 comprises a front side not shovvn, vvhere the stamp and the sending details are entered. Further, the envelope comprises a back side 1, vvhich is glued to portions 2a and 2b extending from the front side. The folds betvveen the front and back sides form the edges of the envelope, except the opening side. Further, the envelope comprises, as usual, a closing flap 3, vvhich is in connection vvith the front side and can be bent at the point of scoring 4 against the back side 1.

[0017] Figurē 2 shovvs an adhesive strip 5, vvhich is an elongated pāri separate from the rest of the envelope structure. Preferably, the length of the adhesive strip 5 is equal to the vvidth C of the closing flap 3, but in some cases several shorter adhesive strips can be used for closing the closing flap 3. The adhesive strip 5 is preferably rectangular, but it can be shaped in other ways as vvell, if required.

[0018] Figurē 3 shovvs the adhesive strip 5 according to Figurē 2, cross-sectioned at point A-A. For the sake of clarity, the dimension of the adhesive strip 5 is exaggerated in Figurē 3. The adhesive strip 5 comprises a base layer 6, vvhich can be made, for example, of paper, plastic or a corresponding material. If required, the base layer 6 can be formed of several layers attached to each other, vvhich together form the base layer 6. The base layer 6 comprises a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is attached in connection vvith the manufacture of the envelope to the closing flap 3 by means of a separate adhesive. The second surface, in turn, is provided vvith an adhesive surface 7, by means of vvhich the second surface is attached 4 to the back side 1 when the envelope is closed. Since the adhesive strip 5 is manufactured in a manufacturing process separate from the manufacture of the actual envelope, also such adhesives can be used for the adhesive surface 7 of the adhesive strip 5 that cannot be supplied directly to the closing flap 3 in 5 connection with the manufacture of the envelope, because it is not technically possible or economically reasonable. Thus, in the invention, the adhesive surface 7 can be arranged so strongly adhesive that opening would unavoidab!y cause permanent traces in the envelope. To facilitate the handling of the envelope, the adhesive surface 7 is usually covered with a protecting 10 film 8.

[0019] The adhesive strip 5 of the envelope shovvn in Figurē 4 is provided with a removable portion 9a, 9b, vvhich facilitates the removal of the thin protecting film 8 from the adhesive surface 7 of the adhesive strip 5, and thus makes closing of the envelope more rapid. Figurē 4 shows two alternative 15 ways to arrange the removable portion 9a, 9b in the edge area of the adhesive strip 5. The broken lines indicate cuts 10a, 10b, vvhich separate the portion attached to the closing flap 3 from the portion 9a, 9b that is removed together with the protecting film 8. Not glued to the closing flap 3, the removable portion 9a, 9b can be easily gripped, and the protecting film 8 can be easily dravvn off 20 with it.

[0020] It can be seen from Figurē 5 that the cut 10b extends through the base layer 6 but not through the protecting film 8. Thus, the removable portion 9b and the protecting film 8 can be removed as a vvhole. The adhesive strip 5 can comprise a second adhesive surface 11 on its first 25 surface. Hereby, the adhesive strip 5 is attached to the closing flap 3 by means of said second adhesive surface 11, there being no need for a separate adhesive substance.

[0021] Figurē 6 shows the adhesive· strip 5 from direction B, i.e, seen from the side of its first surface. In this case, cuts 10a, 10b are formed at 30 the edges of both the short side and the long side of the adhesive strip 5 to form removable portions 9a, 9b. The position and number of removable portions 9a, 9b is selected case-specifically. In this application, a cut refers not only to continuous cuts but also to perforations or other vveakening point suitable for the purpose. 35 [0022] Further, gripping the protecting film 8 can be made easier by dimensioning the protecting film 8 at least in the area of one edge to be larger 5 LV 13005 than the rest of the structure of the adhesive strip 5, whereby the protecting film 8 can be gripped handily.

[0023] The dravvings and the related specification are only intended to illustrate the idea of the invention. The details of the invention can vary 5 vvithin the scope of the claims. Thus, the envelope can also be formed in ways other than those shown in the figurēs in an exemplary manner.

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an envelope comprising sides (1), edges connecting the sides to each other, and a closing flap (3). Further, the envelope comprises an adhesive strip (5), the first surface of which is attached to the closing flap 5 (3), and the second surface of which adhesive strip (5) can be glued to the side (1) of the envelope. (Figurē 4) 6 LV 13005

CLAIMS 1. An envelope comprising a front side, a back side (1), edges connecting said sides to each other, a closing flap (3) and, further, an adhesive surface (7) by means of which the closing flap (3) can be glued to the back 5 side (1), characterized in that the envelope comprises an adhesive strip (5), that the adhesive strip (5) has a base layer (6) comprising a first surface and a second surface, that the first surface of the adhesive strip (5) is attached to the closing flap (3) and that the adhesive surface (7) is formed on the second surface of the adhesive strip (5). 10 2. An envelope according to claim 1,characterized in that a protecting film (8) is arranged to cover the adhesive surface (7) on the second surface of the adhesive strip (5). 3. An envelope according to claim 1or 2, characterized in that the first surface of the adhesive strip (5) is attached to the closing flap (3) 15 by means of an adhesive separate from the adhesive strip (5). 4. An envelope according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that there is a second adhesive surface (11) on the first surface of the adhesive strip (5), and that the first surface of the adhesive strip (5) is attached to the closing flap (3) by means of said second adhesive surface (11). 20 5. An envelope according to claim 2, characterized in that there is a cut (10a, 10b) at least at one edge area of the adhesive strip (5), that said cut (10a, 10b) is arranged to extend through the base layer (6), whereby it is arranged to separate a removable portion (9a, 9b) of a predetermined size from the base layer (6), that said removable portion (9a, 9b) is attached to the 25 protecting film (8) but is off the closing flap (3), and that said removable portion (9a, 9b) is arranged to be removed together with the protecting film (8).

Claims

EN 13005 DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 1. An envelope comprising a front, a back (1), an edge connecting said sides with each other, a closing flap (3), and an additional adhesive surface (7) by means of which the closing flap (3) may be provided adhered to the back (1), characterized in that the envelope contains a sticky strip (5) that the adhesive strip (5) has a base layer (6) comprising a first surface and a second surface that the first surface of the adhesive strip (5) is attached the closing flap (3) and the adhesive surface (7) is formed on the second surface of the sticky strip (5).

An envelope according to claim 1, characterized in that a protective film (8) is provided on the second surface of the sticky strip (5) to cover the adhesive surface (7).

An envelope according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first surface of the adhesive strip (5) is attached to the closing flange (3) by means of 20 adhesive material which is separated from the adhesive strip (5).

The envelope according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first surface of the adhesive strip (5) has a second adhesive surface (11) and that the first surface of the adhesive strip (5) is attached to the closing flange (3). 25 of said second adhesive surface (11).

5. An envelope according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one edge of the adhesive strip (5) has a notch (10a, 10b) in the region of said cut (10a, 10b) arranged to pass through the base layer (6). ) by which it is arranged to remove from the base layer (6) a predetermined size of the removable part (9a, 9b) that said removable part (9a, 9b) is attached to the protective film (8) but is away from the closing tab (3), and said removable part (9a, 9b) is arranged to be removed with the protective film (8).