NZ502903A - A blank and/or an envelope - Google Patents

Abstract

A blank (1) for an envelope including a sheet of material having two spaced apart substantially parallel fold strips (3,4) dividing the sheet into a back panel (6), a front panel (5) and a sealing flap (7). The sealing flap has a pair of spaced apart adhesive strips (15,16) thereacross, one adhesive strip being positioned adjacent the fold strip between the front panel and the sealing flap while the other adhesive strip being adjacent the distal edge of the sealing panel. There is also a tear strip (32) such that, in use, the sealing flap can be folded onto the back panel to close the envelope and the distal adhesive strip adhered to the back panel to close the envelope, the tear strip being removed to open the envelope, the adhesive strip adjacent the fold strip to the front panel then being adhered to the back panel to reclose the envelope to enable re-use of the envelope.

Description

ft! This invention relates to a blank for an envelope and/or an envelope and the lnvemio^ias been « devised particularly though not necessanly solely for providing a square edged gummed ■xi; envelope. •vi; ss Businesses often like to use return envelopes for documents that must be returned, such as 3 5 invoices. The provision of return envelopes has been found to increase the speed with which an | invoice is met, but the provision of return envelopes means that extra items must be stuffed into | the original envelope and also the return envelope is necessarily of a smaller size then the first g envelope which affects the size of the invoice or other material which must be returned or leads J to awkwardness m placing the return document into the return envelope.

The predominant, but not exclusive market for return envelopes is for sending out invoices and If' in such uses the content of the envelope, including the invoice, is often inserted mechanically.

::: W o % Thus there is a continuing need for envelopes that are able to be re-used in particular for a single iE ts re-use. !s.x sSN This is disadvantageous. isv s\i 15 It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a blank and/or an envelope which will obviate or minimise the foregoing disadvantages and go at least some way towards meeting the foregoing needs in a simple yet effective manner or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Accordingly in one aspect the invention consists in a blank for an envelope including a sheet of 20 material having two spaced apart substantially parallel fold strips dividing the sheet into a back panel, a front panel and a sealing flap, the sealing flap having a pair of spaced apart adhesive strips thereacross, one adhesive strip being positioned adjacent the fold strip between the front panel and the sealing flap, and the other adhesive strip being adjacent the distal edge of the sealing panel, a tear strip between the adhesive strips so that, in use, the sealing flap can be 25 folded onto the back panel and the distal adhesive strip adhered to the back panel to close the envelope, the tear strip being removed to open the envelope, and the adhesive strip adjacent the fold strip to the front panel then being adhered to the back panel to reclose the envelope to enable re-use of the envelope.

Preferably the tear strip comprises a pair of substantially parallel strips of slits, cuts or 30 perforations between the strips of adhesive.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFRCE OF IVI.Z 16 SEP 2002 RECEIVED Preferably a pair of side panels are provided on the front panel or the back panel so that the ends of the envelope may be closed in use.

Preferably the blank is in the form of a blank to provide a square edged envelope.

Preferably the distance apart of the strips of slits, cuts or perforations is between substantially 10mm and substantially 20mm.

In a further aspect the invention may broadly be said to consist in an open envelope formed from a blank according to any one of the preceding paragraphs.

In a still further aspect the invention may broadly be said to consist m a closed or reclosed envelope formed from a blank according to any one of the preceding paragraphs.

To those skilled m the art to which the invention relates, many changes m construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be m any sense limiting.

One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank according to one preferred form of the invention, Figure 2 is a rear view of the blank of Figure 1 folded to the initial folding position, Figure 3 is a view of the blank of Figure 1 just prior to being placed into the second closed position, Figure 4 is a diagrammatic side view showing the placement of adhesive strips on the envelope.

Referring to the drawings, a blank 1 is provided which has a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel fold stnps 3 and 4. The blank preferably provides a square edged envelope.

The fold strips are positioned so that an envelope structure is formed having a front panel 5, a back panel 6 and a sealing flap 7. 00G256qcap_sp 501/CW/jq f-! In the preferred form of the invention an address window 8 is provided somewhere on the front panel but this is not an essential feature.

The distance from the strip 4 to the edge 10 is a little less than the distance between the strips 3 and 4.

The blank of Figure 1 is shown from what will become the mside of the envelope once assembled. The flap 7 has thereon two spaced apart substantially parallel strips of adhesive 15 and 16 (shown hatched). One of these stnps 15 is closer to the fold strip 3 and the other strip 16 is adjacent the edge 17 of the blank. The adhesive stnps 15 and 16 may be formed of any suitable adhesive, such as that normally used with envelopes which can be pressure 10 sensitive or more desirably is a moistenable gum. Between the strips 15 and 16 is a tear stnp. This may be formed by a pair of substantially parallel spaced apart stnps of slits, cuts or perforations 20 and 21.

Desirably the stnps 20 and 21 are each closely adjacent to the adjacent edge of the nearest strip of adhesive 15 or 16 respectively. A distance between the strip and adhesive of about 15 1mm or less is satisfactory.

At each edge of the panel 5 or the panel 6 are provided side flaps 30 and 31 which are used in substantially the known manner so that an enclosed envelope is provided once the blank is erected.

The strip 32 between the stnps 20 and 21 may be provided with a slightly protruding nose 33 20 as can be seen m Figure 2.

As an option onto the outer face of the back 6 m the position which will be covered in particular by the material 32 between the stnps 20 and 21 may be printed an address 35 and pre-paid postage 36 if desired. Thus the stnp 32 should have sufficient width to allow the required addressing. A strip 32 of about 20mm width should be sufficient. Normally the 25 strip would be between 10mm and 20mm wide. In an alternative the address can be upside down as at 37 with the postage at 38.

Refemng to Figure 4, the envelopes can be at least partly formed by folding into a substantially "U" shape so that the adhesive stnps 15 and 16 can be formed by a single pass of the adhesive applicator. Thus the stnp 16 on a first envelope is formed at the same time as 30 the stnp 15 on a second envelope and so on. 00G256qcap_sp 501/CW/jq S.fi Ni In use the formed envelope is stuffed with, for example, substantially known stuffing or inserting machinery. It is believed that the envelope described will be readily useable on such known machinery.

Once the envelope is stuffed the adhesive strip 16 is adhered to the back face 6 by moistening 5 and folding or otherwise according to the type of adhesive used. The envelope is thus closed for the first time.

An address may then be placed on the front of the envelope 5 or the inserted material may have an address which shows through the address aperture 8.

On receipt, and when the receiver desires to open the envelope, the tab 33 is grasped by the 10 receiver of the envelope and pulled, tearing the material 32 from the envelope thus opening the envelope substantially to the form shown in Figure 3 when the contents can be removed. Because of the relatively short distance between the adhesive strips 15 and 16 and the stnps 20 and 21, it is believed that a clean removal of the strip 32 will be achieved.

This could be further ensured by providing small slits where the stnp of slits, cuts or 15 perforations enters the envelope matenal.

The part of the flap 7 between the stnp 21 and the edge 17 of the envelope will remain in place and the now remaining small flap of material between the fold stnp 3 and the strip 20 can now be re-folded over and adhered to the back face 6 to reclose the envelopes. The sizing is such that the address 35 and mailing receipt 36 (if provided) remains readily visible.

The envelope can then be re-mailed.

Thus it can be seen that at least in a preferred form of the invention a blank and/or an envelope are provided which have the advantage that a square edged two use envelope is provided m a simple yet effective manner. It is believed that the cost of the envelopes will be little, if any greater, than the cost of producing a single tnp envelope. This also is 25 advantageous. The amount of paper used is substantially the same as commonly used single tnp envelopes but the envelope of the present invention has the advantage that it can be used twice. That is to say, a re-usuable envelope is provided for about the cost of a conventional single use envelope. 00G256qcap_sp 501/CW/jq

Claims (9)

WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A blank for an envelope including a sheet of material having two spaced apart substantially parallel fold strips dividing the sheet into a back panel, a front panel and a sealing flap, the sealing flap having a pair of spaced apart adhesive strips thereacross, one adhesive strip being positioned adjacent the fold strip between the front panel and the sealing flap, and the other adhesive strip being adjacent the distal edge of the sealing panel, a tear strip between the adhesive strips so that, in use, the sealing flap can be folded onto the back panel to close the envelope, and the distal adhesive strip adhered to the back panel to close the envelope, the tear strip being removed to open the envelope, and the adhesive stnp adjacent the fold strip to the front panel then being adhered to the back panel to reclose the envelope to enable re-use of the envelope.

2. A blank as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tear strip comprises a pair of substantially parallel strips of slits, cuts or perforations between the strips of adhesive.

3. A blank as claimed in claim 2, wherein the distance apart of the strips of slits, cuts or perforations is between substantially 10mm to substantially 20mm.

4. A blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein pair of side panels are provided on the front panel so that the ends of the envelope may be closed m use.

5. A blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the blank, when erected, forms a square edged envelope.

6. A blank substantially as herein descnbed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. An open envelope formed from a blank according to any one of the preceding claims.

8. A closed or reclosed envelope formed from a blank according to any one of claims 1 to 6

9. An envelope substantially as herein descnbed with reference to the accompanying drawings. PIPERS KNOWLES Attorneys for: Stephen Francis SMYTHE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFRCF OF H2 1 6 SEP 2002 RECEIVED