US20120061455A1 - Envelopes/boxes with multiple sealing & reopening functions - Google Patents

Envelopes/boxes with multiple sealing & reopening functions Download PDF

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Publication number
US20120061455A1
US20120061455A1 US13/151,529 US201113151529A US2012061455A1 US 20120061455 A1 US20120061455 A1 US 20120061455A1 US 201113151529 A US201113151529 A US 201113151529A US 2012061455 A1 US2012061455 A1 US 2012061455A1
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United States
Prior art keywords
envelope
flap
adhesive
adhesive strip
strips
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US13/151,529
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Richard C. DiDato
Matt Dancsecs
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Individual
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Individual
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Priority to US13/151,529 priority Critical patent/US20120061455A1/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D27/00—Envelopes or like essentially-rectangular flexible containers for postal or other purposes having no structural provision for thickness of contents
    • B65D27/06—Envelopes or like essentially-rectangular flexible containers for postal or other purposes having no structural provision for thickness of contents with provisions for repeated re-use
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D27/00—Envelopes or like essentially-rectangular flexible containers for postal or other purposes having no structural provision for thickness of contents
    • B65D27/12—Closures
    • B65D27/14—Closures using adhesive applied to integral parts, e.g. flaps
    • B65D27/16—Closures using adhesive applied to integral parts, e.g. flaps using pressure-sensitive adhesive
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D27/00—Envelopes or like essentially-rectangular flexible containers for postal or other purposes having no structural provision for thickness of contents
    • B65D27/32—Opening devices incorporated during envelope manufacture
    • B65D27/34—Lines of weakness

Definitions

  • This invention pertains to several configurations and means for permanently sealing and reopening envelopes and boxes which enable a single envelope or box to be reused several times before discarding.
  • the components and structure of the invention also enhance the security and record keeping aspects of the envelope/box which is especially significant when one needs to account for sensitive materials.
  • interoffice envelopes that include an enclosure formed between two paper surfaces joined along three sides and a flap attached for selectively closing the envelope.
  • the closing means could include an adhesive surface that can attached to a tacky area and can be opened and closed several times.
  • Another example is a flap with a string. To close the envelope, the flap is folded over and the string is wound around a button.
  • these devices are clumsy to use and not very efficient.
  • an enclosure such as an envelope, a box, etc.
  • a main body forming a cavity or opening for receiving documents and/or other objects
  • a flap formed of a plurality of strips having an adhesive side so that they can be selectively attached to the main body and thereby close the cavity.
  • the strips are covered with a release sheet.
  • the strips are attached sequentially to a receiving area of the main body.
  • the receiving area is delineated by perforations or a frangible zone so that it can selectively removed from the enclosure.
  • the arrangement for these components includes wax paper (or other release sheet) that is attached to the adhesive substance found on the paper or cardboard strips which are separated from each other by perforated lines for easy tearing.
  • This configuration allows the adhesive strips to be individually and sequentially attached to the envelope thereby facilitating multiple uses from the same envelope or package.
  • a release sheet may not even be necessary.
  • the adhesive section of the paper strip is pressed onto the envelope to form a secure seal.
  • the user can break the said sealed envelope by tearing the perforated paper line that runs parallel to the adhesive strip.
  • using a tear string to open the envelope/package instead of perforated lines would be preferable.
  • the entire section, containing all of the signed adhesive strips can be detached from the body of the envelope and placed in another envelope to continue the record keeping.
  • the adhesive strips can be arranged in a specialized manner to achieve their result.
  • FIG. 1 shows a back view of a closed envelope constructed in accordance with this invention
  • FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the flap
  • FIG. 3 shows a front view of the closed envelope
  • FIG. 4 shows the back of the opened envelope
  • FIG. 5 shows a signature zone of an envelope being placed in a new envelope
  • FIG. 6 shows a side view of the envelope of FIGS. 1-4 ;
  • FIG. 7 shows a side view of a box similar to the envelope of FIGS. 1-4 , 6 ;
  • FIGS. 8A-8B shows a flow chart of how the envelope is used
  • FIGS. 9-11 show details of an envelope suited for shipping and returning DVDs
  • FIGS. 12A-12B show a flow chart for sending DVDs in the envelope of FIGS. 9-11 ;
  • FIGS. 13-15 show details of a two-way mailing envelope
  • FIG. 16 shows a first flow chart for using the envelope of FIGS. 13-15 ;
  • FIGS. 17-19 show details of a shipping box constructed in accordance with this invention.
  • FIG. 20 shows a flow chart for using the box of FIGS. 17-19 ;
  • FIG. 21 shows a back view of another type of envelope constructed in accordance with this invention.
  • FIGS. 1-4 shows an interoffice envelope 2 constructed in accordance with this invention.
  • the envelope includes having a back (not shown in this figure), a front 2 A and a composite flap 14 .
  • Flap 14 is attached to the front 2 A along a fold line 6 B and includes multiple adhesive strips 4 A-I, separated by perforated lines 6 A. Each of the adhesive strips are covered on the rear by a respective release strip 9 made of wax paper or similar material.
  • the invention allows the envelope 2 , which is used intra-office or through the mail, to be opened and permanently or “securely” resealed multiple times. In this manner, sensitive materials contained within the envelope 2 and can be responsibly accounted for when necessary.
  • the benefits of the invention are applicable to shipping boxes, as discussed below.
  • the invention provides intra-office envelope 2 users with the option of signing each perforated adhesive strip 4 A-I to keep a record of who has had access to the documents or material in the envelope 2 in chronological order.
  • a first user inserts a document or other material into envelope 2 . Then he signs the first adhesive strip 4 A, removes the release sheet 9 from its backside, and presses or seals the strip 4 A to the back face 2 B of the envelope 2 .
  • the next person to use the envelope 2 separates the perforated line 6 A holding the former adhesive strip 4 A in place to open the top portion of the flap 14 of the envelope 2 . The process is repeated until all of the adhesive strips 4 A-I have been permanently attached to the body of the envelope 2 and removed from the flap 14 , and more particularly into a signature section 16 on the front 2 A.
  • the entire signature section 16 can be removed, by using a scissor, or by providing the front face 2 A with a plurality of perforated lines 6 C forming a rectangular zone including the area 16 . Once separated, area 16 can placed into another next intra-office envelope 2 X for record keeping. Also, as an extra safe guard, a small thin piece of paper can run from one side of the intra-office envelope 2 to the other side at the mid point of detachable adhesive strips 4 A-I. This extra piece of material acts like a belt loop holding the top portion of the flap 15 close to the body of the envelope 2 so people can not remove the contents of the envelope 2 from the space which is created when the first couple of adhesive strips 4 A & B are being utilized.
  • An embodiment for medical practitioners retains the aforementioned improvements, i.e. securely sealing an envelope/bag multiple times with augmented record keeping capability, while using a special bag (made of plastic or similar material) more suitable to handling medical items.
  • Another embodiment of the invention allows a company to mail a bill without having to place a return envelope, for the customer's payment/check, inside the original mailing envelope 36 & 48 .
  • This is accomplished by having one adhesive strip 40 A on the envelope flap 43 and one adhesive strip 41 on the envelope body 36 which enables the customer to return payment in the original envelope 36 .
  • both of the adhesive strips 46 A & B are placed on the body of the envelope 48 to mitigate the possibility of the adhesive strips 46 A & B getting damaged before they're purposefully used for their intended function. This is in contrast to placing the adhesive strip 40 A on the flap 43 of the envelope which leaves them more vulnerable to external damage.
  • Our intra-off ice embodiment 2 of the invention facilitates a viable option for office employees to securely seal the contents of an intra-office envelope 2 and then have it safely sent to the next appropriate office employee without worry of unintended malevolent interception by utilizing multiple adhesive signature lines 4 A-I which permanently bind to a detachable section 16 of the envelope 2 .
  • a standard intra-office envelope forces the record of signatures to be discarded with the envelope.
  • our invention 2 facilitates a solution for this inadequacy by making the entire signature area 16 of an intra-office envelope 2 detachable via a perforated line 6 B which follows the circumference of the entire signature area 16 .
  • Another embodiment of the invention allows a company like NetflixTM or GameflyTM to reuse their DVD carrying envelope multiple times before it's necessary to throw it into the garbage. This is accomplished via the novel placement of adhesive strips 20 A-D and line perforations ( 22 A & B) ( 23 A & B).
  • the NetflixTM type of envelope 32 is sent through the mail for the first time none of the four adhesive strips 20 A-D is sealed to the body of the envelope 32 . Instead, once the customer receives the envelope 32 , the detachable portion 18 is separated from the envelope flap 19 on the left side and the body of the envelope 32 on the right side via two perforated lines 22 A & B.
  • the movie company can simply place it back in the envelope 32 , remove the wax paper sheet 9 from the first adhesive strip 20 A, seal it to the body of the envelope 32 , and place it back into the mail for delivery.
  • the movie company receives the envelope 32 with the DVD inside, proceeds to separate the perforated line 22 A to the left of the first adhesive strip 20 A, which is permanently fixed to the body of the envelope 32 , and retrieve the DVD inside.
  • the movie company can reuse the envelope by placing another DVD inside, attaching a separate specialized sheet 18 to the body of the envelope 32 with the customer's mailing address 24 , and placing it in the mail for delivery.
  • the aforementioned process can be repeated until all of the adhesive strips 20 A-D are utilized on the flap 19 of the envelope 32 . This dramatically extends the longevity of every NetflixTM envelope 32 while significantly reducing the amount of landfill garbage which results from the single use envelope model.
  • Our embodiment of the NetflixTM or similar type of envelopes 32 stands in contrast to the conventional envelope currently being used by NetflixTM which allows our design to be sent through the mail a minimum of four times before it must be discarded. This adds measurable revenue to the company's bottom line in material cost savings while simultaneously remaining echo friendly.
  • a conventional NetflixTM or similar type of envelope has a single adhesive strip which limits the envelope to one return trip to the original sender.
  • Our second embodiment ( FIG. 15 ) of the two-way envelope 48 provides a more secure area where the adhesive strips 46 A & B are placed on the body of the envelope 48 as opposed to the flap 45 of the envelope. Whereby reducing the probability of damage to the adhesive strips 46 A & B before their intended use.
  • the added protection comes not only from being located on the body of the envelope 48 , where they don't stick out, but also from being covered by the flap 45 of the envelope 48 before they are purposefully used.
  • Another embodiment of the invention allows products, purchased over the internet or through mail order, to be returned in the same box 49 & 58 they were received in while providing a sealed package that's just as secure the second time it's mailed as it is the first.
  • This is accomplished via two different methods; the first is a shipping box 49 , which can come in different shapes and sizes, with four traditional cardboard flaps 50 A-D which are used to close the top of the box 49 .
  • one flap 50 A has two adhesive strips attached to the distal end of it. Once the three other flaps 50 B, C, & D are folded over the contents of the box 49 the most distal adhesive strip 56 D is secured to the box 49 by removing the wax paper 9 and pressing the strip 56 D onto the box 49 .
  • the second method places a single adhesive strip 62 A on one flap 60 A and another adhesive strip 62 B on an opposing flap 60 C which also allows a single box 58 to be sent through the mail twice.
  • the first flap 60 A with an adhesive strip 62 A is slightly longer then the opposing flap 60 C with an adhesive strip 62 B; this allows the sealing function of both adhesive strips 62 A & B to perform their intended purpose without interfering with each other, i.e. sealing to the box 58 and not together.
  • Another embodiment of the invention augments the value and function of a typical FedExTM envelope by not only enabling a single envelope 66 to be reused multiple times but also by providing a detachable record keeping section 70 of signatures, dates, and times 72 A-D.
  • the envelope 66 is ready to be disposed of the signature section 70 can be separated from the body of the envelope 66 , via a perforated line, and filed.
  • the backside of the signature area has lines where more information can be written regarding the contents of the envelope 66 or to reference what the signatures 72 A-D were for once the entire signature section 70 has been removed from the body of the envelope 66 (*note, a drawing of this section isn't shown in the provisional patent).
  • Our embodiment of a FedExTM envelope 66 is superior to the standard FedExTM offering in various ways which include the utilization and strategic placement of several adhesive strips 72 A, B, C, & D on the flap 75 of the envelope 66 .
  • the topside of these adhesive strips 72 A, B, C, & D provide an area for the recipient's signature, date, and time.
  • the placement of these adhesive strips 72 A, B, C, & D not only allows the user to send and receive a single envelope 66 through the mail up to four times but they also allow all of the signatures to be detached, via a perforated section 70 , from the body of the envelope 66 for record keeping once all of the adhesive strips 72 A, B, C, & D have been permanently fixed to the specialized section 70 of the envelope 66 .
  • the prior art mainly facilitates various options for the user to seal or open different envelopes or boxes a single time whether it's a stronger glue vs a weaker glue or a pull string opening method vs a perforated line opening method whereas, our invention focuses on reusing the same envelope or box multiple times before there is a need to discard it.
  • FIG. 1 is a front view of an intra-office envelope 2 showing multiple permanent adhesive strips 4 A-I separated by perforated lines 6 A.
  • Each end of the perforated lines 6 A employ a half circle cutout 10 which allows the tip of the user's finger to easily break the perforated line 6 A and separated one adhesive strip 4 A from the next 4 B.
  • FIG. 2 is a front view of the signature section which is completely filled out and permanently adhered to the detachable portion 16 of the intra-office envelope 2 .
  • FIG. 3 is a front view of an intra-office envelope 2 with its completed signature section 16 detached from the body of the envelope 2 via a perforated line 6 B which follows the circumference of the entire signature area 16 .
  • This view reveals the empty space 14 which is left after the signature area 16 is removed from the body of the envelope 2 .
  • FIG. 4 is a front view of an intra-office envelope 2 with its flap 14 in an open position revealing the bottom side of the adhesive strips 4 A-I, which are covered by wax paper strips 9 , on the flap's 14 underside.
  • FIG. 5 is a front view of an intra-office envelope 2 X receiving a detached completed signature section 16 from the previous envelope 2 which allows the contents of the envelope to be transitioned to the new envelope 2 along with the records 16 of who has had access to the material inside the envelope 2 from its origin.
  • FIG. 6 is a side or profile view of the intra-office envelope 2 which reveals some dimensionality of the invention. This embodiment is well suited for holding documents.
  • FIG. 7 is a side or profile view of the intra-office box 3 which reveals some dimensionality of the invention. This embodiment of the invention is better suited to securely hold bulkier materials because it has a more substantial depth.
  • FIGS. 8A-8B show a flowchart showing a side view of the intra-office envelope 2 .
  • the envelope on the right has two of the adhesive strips 4 A and 4 B are sealed to the face of the envelope 2 .
  • the envelope on the left has all of the adhesive strips 4 A-I sealed to the detachable section 16 of the envelope 2 .
  • FIG. 8B a completed signature section 16 is being detached from the body of the envelope 2 and placed into a new intra-office envelope 2 X for the purpose of continued recording keeping of who has had access to the relative materials found in the envelope 2 .
  • Envelope 2 X can have the same structure as envelope 2 but can have a different structure as well.
  • FIG. 9 is a back view of a NetflixTM or similar type of envelope 32 for shipping DVDs or other digital media showing multiple adhesive strips 20 A-D configured in such a way as to allow a single envelope 32 to be sent and returned through the mail a minimum of four times.
  • the said adhesive strips 20 A-D comprise the flap 19 of the envelope 32 and are separated by perforated lines 22 A.
  • the section 18 with the customer's mailing address 24 is still attached to the main NetflixTM styled envelope 32 .
  • This detachable component 18 of the envelope 32 is separated for the first time via perforated lines found on the left 22 A and right 22 B sides.
  • FIG. 10 is a side view of the detachable portion 18 of the NetflixTM styled envelope 32 which contains the customer's mailing address 24 .
  • the detachable section 18 with the customer's mailing address 24 , is separated from the main envelope 32 the second through the fourth time it's mailed via perforated lines 23 A & B found on the left 23 A and right 23 B sides of the detachable portion 18 of the envelope 32 .
  • FIG. 11 is a back view of a NetflixTM type of envelope 32 with the detachable section 18 removed and the company's return address 34 revealed underneath.
  • the first 20 A of four adhesive strips 20 A-D used by removing the wax paper release sheet 4 C and sealing 30 A the strip to the envelope 32 ) for the envelope's return trip to the original sender.
  • FIG. 12A is the first part of a flowchart showing a NetflixTM or similar type of envelope 32 being sent to the customer 24 and then returned to the original company 34 a total of two times. This is accomplished via the specialized arrangement of adhesive strips 20 A-D, line perforations ( 22 A & B and 23 A & B), and detachable sections 18 containing the customer's mailing address 24 .
  • the process functions slightly different the remaining three times as a result of the left adhesive strip 28 A, on the detachable section 18 , being sealed to the “top” of the second adhesive strip 20 B on the envelope flap 19 and the right adhesive strip 28 B, on the detachable section 18 , being sealed to the body of the envelope 32 .
  • FIG. 12B is the second part of the flowchart found in FIG. 12A .
  • the aforementioned steps from FIG. 12A are repeated to send the same envelope 32 to the customer 24 and then return it to the company 34 of origin two more times which equates to a total of four round trips for a single envelope 32 before it must be discarded.
  • FIG. 13 is a back view of a two way mailing envelope 36 showing the flap 43 in the down position.
  • the flap 43 has an adhesive strip 40 A and a strip of plain paper 42 A which are separated by a perforated line 38 A.
  • FIG. 14 is a back view of a two way mailing envelope 36 showing the flap 43 in the up position which reveals the bottom side of the adhesive strip 40 B and the bottom side of the strip of plain paper 42 B which are separated by a perforated line 38 A. Also visible is a second adhesive strip 41 located on the body of the envelope 36 .
  • FIG. 15 is a back view of a second embodiment for a two way mailing envelope 48 which has the flap 45 in an upright position.
  • the flap 45 consists of two strips of plain paper 44 A & B (no adhesive) which are separated by a perforated line 38 B while the body of the envelope 48 presents two adhesive strips 46 A & B.
  • This formula allows the plain paper strips 44 A & B found in the flap 45 to be individually attached to the body of the envelope 48 via the aforementioned adhesive strips 46 A & B.
  • FIG. 16 is a flowchart for the first embodiment of the two way mailing envelope 36 with one adhesive strip 40 A & B found on the flap 43 and the other adhesive strip 41 found on the body of the envelope 36 .
  • the same envelope 36 can be sent through the mail twice by first sealing the envelope 36 with the adhesive strip 40 A & B found in the flap 43 and then sealing the envelope 36 a second time with the adhesive strip 41 found on the body of the envelope 36 by attaching it to the plain paper strip 42 A & B found on the flap 43 .
  • FIG. 17 is a top view of a shipping box 49 with all of the four flaps 50 A-D in a closed position.
  • FIG. 18 is a top view of a shipping box 49 which is opened or has all four of its flaps 50 A-D extending outward. In this position, one can see a bottom view of the first flap 50 A revealing two adhesive strips 50 D & C located at its distal end separated by the perforated pull-string 54 .
  • FIG. 19 is a top view of a second embodiment for a shipping box 58 which allows the said box 58 to be sent through the mail twice.
  • the box 58 is opened with the four flaps 60 A-D extended outward exhibiting a bottom view of the said flaps 60 A-D with one adhesive strip 62 A located on the top flap 60 A and the other adhesive strip 62 B located on the bottom flap 60 C.
  • the length of the top flap 60 A is proportionally longer to the length of the bottom flap 60 C by at least the length of the adhesive strip 62 A to ensure they do not over lap when the box 58 is sealed.
  • Once the box 58 is sealed it can be reopened at the top 60 A and bottom flaps 60 C via respective perforated pull-strings 64 A & B.
  • FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating how the first embodiment of the shipping box 49 moves from an open to a sealed position by covering the contents of the box 49 with the three flaps ( 50 B, C, & D), which do not contain any adhesive strips, and then sealing it with the most distal adhesive strip 56 B/D found on the last flap 50 A to be moved into its final position.
  • FIG. 21 is a back view of a FedExTM type of envelope 66 which allows the user to mail the same envelope 66 several times before it must be discarded. This is accomplished via the use of multiple adhesive strips 72 A-D found in the flap 75 of the envelope 66 . Each adhesive strip 72 A-D has an area for record keeping of the envelope's 66 recipients and perforated lines 74 separating one adhesive strip 72 A from the next 72 B. Once all of the adhesive strips 72 A-D have been permanently fixed to the body of the envelope 66 the entire signature section 75 can be detached from the body of the envelope 66 , via a perforated line 70 which follows the circumference of the signature section 75 , for continued record keeping if necessary.
  • the components of my invention are:

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Abstract

An enclosure, such as, an envelope or a box is formed with a main body having an opening receiving objects, documents, etc., and a flap arranged to close and seal said opening. Advantageously, the flap includes a plurality of rectangular strips having an adhesive on the side. The flap can be sequentially opened and closed by attaching each of the strips permanently to a receiving area on the main body and then separating the flap from the secured strip. A release sheet may be used to cover the adhesive side.

Description

    RELATED APPLICATIONS
  • This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/350,880 filed Jun. 2, 2010 and incorporated herein in its entirety.
    • BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • A. Field of Invention
  • This invention pertains to several configurations and means for permanently sealing and reopening envelopes and boxes which enable a single envelope or box to be reused several times before discarding. The components and structure of the invention also enhance the security and record keeping aspects of the envelope/box which is especially significant when one needs to account for sensitive materials.
  • B. Description of the Prior Art
  • By far, most envelopes and other similar packages presently available are single use devices, meaning that they are used once and are then discarded. Of course, this process is very wasteful and unacceptable to many environmentally conscious users.
  • There have been a few exceptions to single use devices. Multiple interoffice envelopes are available that include an enclosure formed between two paper surfaces joined along three sides and a flap attached for selectively closing the envelope. The closing means could include an adhesive surface that can attached to a tacky area and can be opened and closed several times. Another example is a flap with a string. To close the envelope, the flap is folded over and the string is wound around a button. However, these devices are clumsy to use and not very efficient.
  • Envelopes and boxes continue to evolve from simple “lick & seal” items to more sophisticated shipping options one finds today. Regular intra-office envelopes, which aren't intended to be sent through the mail, have a designated area for employee signatures. After placing important documents inside the envelope an employee must use a string, which runs from the flap to the body of the envelope, to fasten or close the intra-office envelope by simply winding it over a secondary object. When all of the signature lines have been filled out the standard intra-office envelope is discarded, along with all of the employee signatures, for a new one. The problems with using a standard intra-office envelope for document security and record keeping include the following:
      • The aforementioned approach doesn't prevent prying eyes from accessing the contents of the intra-office envelope when they shouldn't; one can simply unwind the string and access the contents of the envelope at will. This is a problem as it is often necessary to have important private documents viewed by a specific person in the office and then sent to another individual for their eyes only.
      • Current intra-office envelopes do not allow the user to detach the signature area of the envelope when it has reached its signature capacity and place it in the next envelope for record keeping. This is detrimental to managing the long-term record keeping of which employees have had access to specific documents and materials.
  • Current Netflix™ envelopes only support two-way mailing which allows the company to send an envelope, containing a DVD, to a specific customer and then receive the said envelope with the original contents one time before the envelope is rendered useless and placed in the trash. The problems with using a common Netflix™ or similar type of envelope for sending and receiving media discs through the mail include:
      • Inefficient design resulting in the contents of the envelope (a media disc in this case) being sent and returned only once, at which point the envelope is disposed of in the garbage.
      • The single send and receive limitation of the current Netflix™ envelope lends itself to significant costs in material usage due to the extremely high volume of envelopes Netflix™ ships daily.
      • The current one time send and receive design of the Netflix™ envelope coupled with the extraordinary high volume of DVD's shipped daily equates to massive amounts of material going into the already stressed landfills. A multi-use “send/receive design would use less raw material and be substantial more environmentally conscious.
  • Most common two-way mailing envelopes have both of their adhesive strips located in the flap. Problems with placing the adhesive strips exclusively on the flap of the envelope include:
      • Vulnerability to damage as a result of extending past the body of the envelope.
      • The inadvertent removal of the wax paper strips covering the adhesive before their intended to be used.
  • Most shipping boxes, which are available in various sizes and shapes, come with four flaps designed to cover the contents of the box. Once a box is filled with the desired items a separate roll of tape is used to seal the flaps of the box securely for shipping. Problems with the aforementioned approach include:
      • The need to use separate adhesive material, like packaging tape, to seal the shipping box. This creates a multi-step process for the user to properly seal their box prior to placing it in the mail.
      • Timely shipping of a package maybe delayed if a consumer finds one's self out of packaging tape or in possession of the wrong type of tape which is inadequate for shipping boxes.
      • Most shipping boxes are designed to be sent through the mail once which dramatically reduces their value and reusability.
  • Current FedEx™ envelopes allow a user to send the said envelope through the mail once or twice depending on the customers needs. Problems with limiting a single FedEx™ envelope to be sent through the mail a maximum of two times include:
      • Customers of FedEx™ typically use their service when there is a need to send important documents or items through the mail; as a result, the said correspondence may need to transpire several times between multiple parties before the business between all of the said parties is complete. Unfortunately, the aforementioned single or two time mailing envelope facilitated by FedEx™ does not permit such correspondences.
      • A standard FedEx™ envelope does not provide an area on the body of the envelope for multiple signatures and an easy method of detaching the said signatures from the body of the envelope for record keeping.
    SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • There is a need to depart from envelopes and boxes having a simple “lick & seal” type-structure to more sophisticated shipping options one finds today.
  • Briefly, an enclosure, such as an envelope, a box, etc., includes a main body forming a cavity or opening for receiving documents and/or other objects) and a flap formed of a plurality of strips having an adhesive side so that they can be selectively attached to the main body and thereby close the cavity. Optionally, the strips are covered with a release sheet. The strips are attached sequentially to a receiving area of the main body. Optionally, the receiving area is delineated by perforations or a frangible zone so that it can selectively removed from the enclosure.
  • As mentioned above, the arrangement for these components includes wax paper (or other release sheet) that is attached to the adhesive substance found on the paper or cardboard strips which are separated from each other by perforated lines for easy tearing. This configuration allows the adhesive strips to be individually and sequentially attached to the envelope thereby facilitating multiple uses from the same envelope or package. Of course, in some instances, a release sheet may not even be necessary.
  • Once the wax paper has been removed, from the furthest adhesive strip on the envelope or package flap, the adhesive section of the paper strip is pressed onto the envelope to form a secure seal. At this point the user can break the said sealed envelope by tearing the perforated paper line that runs parallel to the adhesive strip. In some cases, using a tear string to open the envelope/package instead of perforated lines would be preferable.
  • After an envelope or package has been opened it can be resealed by removing the wax paper from the second adhesive strip and securing it to the envelope once more. Then the process can be repeated by having multiple perforated adhesive strips depending on how many times a specific product needs to be opened and permanently resealed.
  • Once all of the adhesive strips, which have a designated area for signatures, have been used the entire section, containing all of the signed adhesive strips, can be detached from the body of the envelope and placed in another envelope to continue the record keeping.
  • Depending on the embodiment of the envelope the adhesive strips can be arranged in a specialized manner to achieve their result.
    • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • FIG. 1 shows a back view of a closed envelope constructed in accordance with this invention;
  • FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the flap;
  • FIG. 3 shows a front view of the closed envelope;
  • FIG. 4 shows the back of the opened envelope;
  • FIG. 5 shows a signature zone of an envelope being placed in a new envelope;
  • FIG. 6 shows a side view of the envelope of FIGS. 1-4;
  • FIG. 7 shows a side view of a box similar to the envelope of FIGS. 1-4, 6;
  • FIGS. 8A-8B shows a flow chart of how the envelope is used;
  • FIGS. 9-11 show details of an envelope suited for shipping and returning DVDs;
  • FIGS. 12A-12B show a flow chart for sending DVDs in the envelope of FIGS. 9-11;
  • FIGS. 13-15 show details of a two-way mailing envelope;
  • FIG. 16 shows a first flow chart for using the envelope of FIGS. 13-15;
  • FIGS. 17-19 show details of a shipping box constructed in accordance with this invention;
  • FIG. 20 shows a flow chart for using the box of FIGS. 17-19;
  • FIG. 21 shows a back view of another type of envelope constructed in accordance with this invention.
    •  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
  • Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-4 shows an interoffice envelope 2 constructed in accordance with this invention. The envelope includes having a back (not shown in this figure), a front 2A and a composite flap 14. Flap 14 is attached to the front 2A along a fold line 6B and includes multiple adhesive strips 4A-I, separated by perforated lines 6A. Each of the adhesive strips are covered on the rear by a respective release strip 9 made of wax paper or similar material.
  • The invention allows the envelope 2, which is used intra-office or through the mail, to be opened and permanently or “securely” resealed multiple times. In this manner, sensitive materials contained within the envelope 2 and can be responsibly accounted for when necessary. The benefits of the invention are applicable to shipping boxes, as discussed below. The invention provides intra-office envelope 2 users with the option of signing each perforated adhesive strip 4A-I to keep a record of who has had access to the documents or material in the envelope 2 in chronological order.
  • In one embodiment, a first user inserts a document or other material into envelope 2. Then he signs the first adhesive strip 4A, removes the release sheet 9 from its backside, and presses or seals the strip 4A to the back face 2B of the envelope 2. When the contents of the envelope 2 need to be accessed, the next person to use the envelope 2 separates the perforated line 6A holding the former adhesive strip 4A in place to open the top portion of the flap 14 of the envelope 2. The process is repeated until all of the adhesive strips 4A-I have been permanently attached to the body of the envelope 2 and removed from the flap 14, and more particularly into a signature section 16 on the front 2A. Once all of the adhesive strips 4A-I on the intra-office envelope 2 have been signed the entire signature section 16 can be removed, by using a scissor, or by providing the front face 2A with a plurality of perforated lines 6C forming a rectangular zone including the area 16. Once separated, area 16 can placed into another next intra-office envelope 2X for record keeping. Also, as an extra safe guard, a small thin piece of paper can run from one side of the intra-office envelope 2 to the other side at the mid point of detachable adhesive strips 4A-I. This extra piece of material acts like a belt loop holding the top portion of the flap 15 close to the body of the envelope 2 so people can not remove the contents of the envelope 2 from the space which is created when the first couple of adhesive strips 4A & B are being utilized.
  • An embodiment for medical practitioners retains the aforementioned improvements, i.e. securely sealing an envelope/bag multiple times with augmented record keeping capability, while using a special bag (made of plastic or similar material) more suitable to handling medical items.
  • Another embodiment of the invention allows a company to mail a bill without having to place a return envelope, for the customer's payment/check, inside the original mailing envelope 36 & 48. This is accomplished by having one adhesive strip 40A on the envelope flap 43 and one adhesive strip 41 on the envelope body 36 which enables the customer to return payment in the original envelope 36. In a second version of this embodiment both of the adhesive strips 46A & B are placed on the body of the envelope 48 to mitigate the possibility of the adhesive strips 46A & B getting damaged before they're purposefully used for their intended function. This is in contrast to placing the adhesive strip 40A on the flap 43 of the envelope which leaves them more vulnerable to external damage.
  • Our intra-off ice embodiment 2 of the invention facilitates a viable option for office employees to securely seal the contents of an intra-office envelope 2 and then have it safely sent to the next appropriate office employee without worry of unintended malevolent interception by utilizing multiple adhesive signature lines 4A-I which permanently bind to a detachable section 16 of the envelope 2. A standard intra-office envelope forces the record of signatures to be discarded with the envelope. By contrast, our invention 2 facilitates a solution for this inadequacy by making the entire signature area 16 of an intra-office envelope 2 detachable via a perforated line 6B which follows the circumference of the entire signature area 16.
  • Another embodiment of the invention allows a company like Netflix™ or Gamefly™ to reuse their DVD carrying envelope multiple times before it's necessary to throw it into the garbage. This is accomplished via the novel placement of adhesive strips 20A-D and line perforations (22A & B) (23A & B). When the Netflix™ type of envelope 32 is sent through the mail for the first time none of the four adhesive strips 20A-D is sealed to the body of the envelope 32. Instead, once the customer receives the envelope 32, the detachable portion 18 is separated from the envelope flap 19 on the left side and the body of the envelope 32 on the right side via two perforated lines 22A & B. Once the customer views the DVD they can simply place it back in the envelope 32, remove the wax paper sheet 9 from the first adhesive strip 20A, seal it to the body of the envelope 32, and place it back into the mail for delivery. At this point, the movie company receives the envelope 32 with the DVD inside, proceeds to separate the perforated line 22A to the left of the first adhesive strip 20A, which is permanently fixed to the body of the envelope 32, and retrieve the DVD inside. Now the movie company can reuse the envelope by placing another DVD inside, attaching a separate specialized sheet 18 to the body of the envelope 32 with the customer's mailing address 24, and placing it in the mail for delivery. Once the customer receives the envelope 32 containing the DVD, the aforementioned process can be repeated until all of the adhesive strips 20A-D are utilized on the flap 19 of the envelope 32. This dramatically extends the longevity of every Netflix™ envelope 32 while significantly reducing the amount of landfill garbage which results from the single use envelope model.
  • Our embodiment of the Netflix™ or similar type of envelopes 32 stands in contrast to the conventional envelope currently being used by Netflix™ which allows our design to be sent through the mail a minimum of four times before it must be discarded. This adds measurable revenue to the company's bottom line in material cost savings while simultaneously remaining echo friendly. A conventional Netflix™ or similar type of envelope has a single adhesive strip which limits the envelope to one return trip to the original sender.
  • Our second embodiment (FIG. 15) of the two-way envelope 48 provides a more secure area where the adhesive strips 46A & B are placed on the body of the envelope 48 as opposed to the flap 45 of the envelope. Whereby reducing the probability of damage to the adhesive strips 46A & B before their intended use. The added protection comes not only from being located on the body of the envelope 48, where they don't stick out, but also from being covered by the flap 45 of the envelope 48 before they are purposefully used.
  • Our embodiments of shipping boxes 49 & 58 do not require the user to seal the said boxes with packaging tape, which is sold separately. In contrast, adhesive strips (56D & C) (62A & B), which are attached to the flaps (50A, 60A & C) on the boxes 49 & 58, are used to securely seal the boxes 49 & 58 for shipping. By attaching two adhesive strips 56D & C to one flap 50A or attaching one adhesive strip 62A & B to two separate flaps 60A & C a single box 58 can be sent through the mail twice thereby adding significant value to a business or customer's shipping needs.
  • Another embodiment of the invention allows products, purchased over the internet or through mail order, to be returned in the same box 49 & 58 they were received in while providing a sealed package that's just as secure the second time it's mailed as it is the first. This is accomplished via two different methods; the first is a shipping box 49, which can come in different shapes and sizes, with four traditional cardboard flaps 50A-D which are used to close the top of the box 49. However, one flap 50A has two adhesive strips attached to the distal end of it. Once the three other flaps 50B, C, & D are folded over the contents of the box 49 the most distal adhesive strip 56D is secured to the box 49 by removing the wax paper 9 and pressing the strip 56D onto the box 49. If the consumer needs to send the item back in the same box 49 they can follow the aforementioned steps and seal the box 49 with the second adhesive strip 56C which is more proximal to the flap 50A then the first adhesive strip 56D. The second method places a single adhesive strip 62A on one flap 60A and another adhesive strip 62B on an opposing flap 60C which also allows a single box 58 to be sent through the mail twice. The first flap 60A with an adhesive strip 62A is slightly longer then the opposing flap 60C with an adhesive strip 62B; this allows the sealing function of both adhesive strips 62A & B to perform their intended purpose without interfering with each other, i.e. sealing to the box 58 and not together.
  • Another embodiment of the invention augments the value and function of a typical FedEx™ envelope by not only enabling a single envelope 66 to be reused multiple times but also by providing a detachable record keeping section 70 of signatures, dates, and times 72A-D. When the envelope 66 is ready to be disposed of the signature section 70 can be separated from the body of the envelope 66, via a perforated line, and filed. The backside of the signature area has lines where more information can be written regarding the contents of the envelope 66 or to reference what the signatures 72A-D were for once the entire signature section 70 has been removed from the body of the envelope 66 (*note, a drawing of this section isn't shown in the provisional patent).
  • All of the embodiments of the invention are very environmentally friendly as they reduce the amount of paper garbage going into landfills.
  • Our embodiment of a FedEx™ envelope 66 is superior to the standard FedEx™ offering in various ways which include the utilization and strategic placement of several adhesive strips 72A, B, C, & D on the flap 75 of the envelope 66. The topside of these adhesive strips 72A, B, C, & D provide an area for the recipient's signature, date, and time. The placement of these adhesive strips 72A, B, C, & D not only allows the user to send and receive a single envelope 66 through the mail up to four times but they also allow all of the signatures to be detached, via a perforated section 70, from the body of the envelope 66 for record keeping once all of the adhesive strips 72A, B, C, & D have been permanently fixed to the specialized section 70 of the envelope 66.
  • The prior art mainly facilitates various options for the user to seal or open different envelopes or boxes a single time whether it's a stronger glue vs a weaker glue or a pull string opening method vs a perforated line opening method whereas, our invention focuses on reusing the same envelope or box multiple times before there is a need to discard it.
  • FIG. 1 is a front view of an intra-office envelope 2 showing multiple permanent adhesive strips 4A-I separated by perforated lines 6A. Each end of the perforated lines 6A employ a half circle cutout 10 which allows the tip of the user's finger to easily break the perforated line 6A and separated one adhesive strip 4A from the next 4B.
  • FIG. 2 is a front view of the signature section which is completely filled out and permanently adhered to the detachable portion 16 of the intra-office envelope 2. Here you find the detachable 16 completed signature section removed from the body of the intra-office envelop 2 which makes it ready to be filed for record keeping.
  • FIG. 3 is a front view of an intra-office envelope 2 with its completed signature section 16 detached from the body of the envelope 2 via a perforated line 6B which follows the circumference of the entire signature area 16. This view reveals the empty space 14 which is left after the signature area 16 is removed from the body of the envelope 2.
  • FIG. 4 is a front view of an intra-office envelope 2 with its flap 14 in an open position revealing the bottom side of the adhesive strips 4A-I, which are covered by wax paper strips 9, on the flap's 14 underside. Here you can see one adhesive strip 4A with its wax paper release sheet 9 partially removed revealing an adhesive substance 5 underneath.
  • FIG. 5 is a front view of an intra-office envelope 2X receiving a detached completed signature section 16 from the previous envelope 2 which allows the contents of the envelope to be transitioned to the new envelope 2 along with the records 16 of who has had access to the material inside the envelope 2 from its origin.
  • FIG. 6 is a side or profile view of the intra-office envelope 2 which reveals some dimensionality of the invention. This embodiment is well suited for holding documents.
  • FIG. 7 is a side or profile view of the intra-office box 3 which reveals some dimensionality of the invention. This embodiment of the invention is better suited to securely hold bulkier materials because it has a more substantial depth.
  • FIGS. 8A-8B show a flowchart showing a side view of the intra-office envelope 2. In FIG. 8A, the envelope on the right has two of the adhesive strips 4A and 4B are sealed to the face of the envelope 2. The envelope on the left has all of the adhesive strips 4A-I sealed to the detachable section 16 of the envelope 2.
  • In FIG. 8B a completed signature section 16 is being detached from the body of the envelope 2 and placed into a new intra-office envelope 2X for the purpose of continued recording keeping of who has had access to the relative materials found in the envelope 2. Envelope 2X can have the same structure as envelope 2 but can have a different structure as well.
  • FIG. 9 is a back view of a Netflix™ or similar type of envelope 32 for shipping DVDs or other digital media showing multiple adhesive strips 20A-D configured in such a way as to allow a single envelope 32 to be sent and returned through the mail a minimum of four times. The said adhesive strips 20A-D comprise the flap 19 of the envelope 32 and are separated by perforated lines 22A. In the envelope's 32 original state the section 18 with the customer's mailing address 24 is still attached to the main Netflix™ styled envelope 32. This detachable component 18 of the envelope 32 is separated for the first time via perforated lines found on the left 22A and right 22B sides.
  • FIG. 10 is a side view of the detachable portion 18 of the Netflix™ styled envelope 32 which contains the customer's mailing address 24. The detachable section 18, with the customer's mailing address 24, is separated from the main envelope 32 the second through the fourth time it's mailed via perforated lines 23A & B found on the left 23A and right 23B sides of the detachable portion 18 of the envelope 32.
  • FIG. 11 is a back view of a Netflix™ type of envelope 32 with the detachable section 18 removed and the company's return address 34 revealed underneath. Here you see the first 20A of four adhesive strips 20A-D used (by removing the wax paper release sheet 4C and sealing 30A the strip to the envelope 32) for the envelope's return trip to the original sender.
  • FIG. 12A is the first part of a flowchart showing a Netflix™ or similar type of envelope 32 being sent to the customer 24 and then returned to the original company 34 a total of two times. This is accomplished via the specialized arrangement of adhesive strips 20A-D, line perforations (22A & B and 23A & B), and detachable sections 18 containing the customer's mailing address 24. After the envelope 32 has been sent, to the customer 24, and then returned to the original sender 34 through the mail the initial time the process functions slightly different the remaining three times as a result of the left adhesive strip 28A, on the detachable section 18, being sealed to the “top” of the second adhesive strip 20B on the envelope flap 19 and the right adhesive strip 28B, on the detachable section 18, being sealed to the body of the envelope 32. Whereby, once the envelope is received by the customer 24 for the second time they can simply break the perforated lines 23A & B on the left 23A and right 23B sides of the detachable section 18 and then return the DVD to the company 34 of origin by sealing 30B the second adhesive strip 20B, on the flap 19, to the body of the envelope 32.
  • FIG. 12B is the second part of the flowchart found in FIG. 12A. Here the aforementioned steps from FIG. 12A are repeated to send the same envelope 32 to the customer 24 and then return it to the company 34 of origin two more times which equates to a total of four round trips for a single envelope 32 before it must be discarded.
  • FIG. 13 is a back view of a two way mailing envelope 36 showing the flap 43 in the down position. The flap 43 has an adhesive strip 40A and a strip of plain paper 42A which are separated by a perforated line 38A.
  • FIG. 14 is a back view of a two way mailing envelope 36 showing the flap 43 in the up position which reveals the bottom side of the adhesive strip 40B and the bottom side of the strip of plain paper 42B which are separated by a perforated line 38A. Also visible is a second adhesive strip 41 located on the body of the envelope 36.
  • FIG. 15 is a back view of a second embodiment for a two way mailing envelope 48 which has the flap 45 in an upright position. The flap 45 consists of two strips of plain paper 44A & B (no adhesive) which are separated by a perforated line 38B while the body of the envelope 48 presents two adhesive strips 46A & B. This formula allows the plain paper strips 44A & B found in the flap 45 to be individually attached to the body of the envelope 48 via the aforementioned adhesive strips 46A & B.
  • FIG. 16 is a flowchart for the first embodiment of the two way mailing envelope 36 with one adhesive strip 40A & B found on the flap 43 and the other adhesive strip 41 found on the body of the envelope 36. Here one can see how the same envelope 36 can be sent through the mail twice by first sealing the envelope 36 with the adhesive strip 40A & B found in the flap 43 and then sealing the envelope 36 a second time with the adhesive strip 41 found on the body of the envelope 36 by attaching it to the plain paper strip 42A & B found on the flap 43.
  • FIG. 17 is a top view of a shipping box 49 with all of the four flaps 50A-D in a closed position. Here you can see a top view of two adhesive strips 56A & B which are separated by perforated lines 54; each line perforation 54 has a small pull-tab 52 at the end which allows the user to separate the lines 54 easily.
  • FIG. 18 is a top view of a shipping box 49 which is opened or has all four of its flaps 50A-D extending outward. In this position, one can see a bottom view of the first flap 50A revealing two adhesive strips 50D & C located at its distal end separated by the perforated pull-string 54.
  • FIG. 19 is a top view of a second embodiment for a shipping box 58 which allows the said box 58 to be sent through the mail twice. The box 58 is opened with the four flaps 60A-D extended outward exhibiting a bottom view of the said flaps 60A-D with one adhesive strip 62A located on the top flap 60A and the other adhesive strip 62B located on the bottom flap 60C. The length of the top flap 60A is proportionally longer to the length of the bottom flap 60C by at least the length of the adhesive strip 62A to ensure they do not over lap when the box 58 is sealed. Once the box 58 is sealed it can be reopened at the top 60A and bottom flaps 60C via respective perforated pull-strings 64A & B.
  • FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating how the first embodiment of the shipping box 49 moves from an open to a sealed position by covering the contents of the box 49 with the three flaps (50B, C, & D), which do not contain any adhesive strips, and then sealing it with the most distal adhesive strip 56B/D found on the last flap 50A to be moved into its final position.
  • FIG. 21 is a back view of a FedEx™ type of envelope 66 which allows the user to mail the same envelope 66 several times before it must be discarded. This is accomplished via the use of multiple adhesive strips 72A-D found in the flap 75 of the envelope 66. Each adhesive strip 72A-D has an area for record keeping of the envelope's 66 recipients and perforated lines 74 separating one adhesive strip 72A from the next 72B. Once all of the adhesive strips 72A-D have been permanently fixed to the body of the envelope 66 the entire signature section 75 can be detached from the body of the envelope 66, via a perforated line 70 which follows the circumference of the signature section 75, for continued record keeping if necessary.
  • The components of my invention are:
      • 2 is the body of an intra-office envelope.
      • 3 is the body of an intra-office box, which maybe desirable in place of an envelope with regard to handling certain materials.
      • 4A-I are the front side of individual detachable adhesive strips, for an intra-office envelope, with an area for signature, date, and time.
      • 5 is adhesive material found underneath the wax paper 9 which permanently binds the strip 4A to the envelope 2.
      • 6A is a perforated line which attaches each adhesive strip 4A-I to the next one above and below it.
      • 6B is fold line separating the top flap from the rest of the envelope;
      • 6C shows a perforated line which runs around the perimeter of all of the adhesive strips 4A-I which allows the entire section 16 to be removed for record keeping.
      • 7 is the backside of a detachable adhesive strip.
      • 8 shows an area where one of the perforated lines 6A has been broken between two adhesive strips 4A & 4B.
      • 9 is a wax paper release sheet which is removed to bind the adhesive 5 found underneath onto the detachable portion 16 of the envelope. Also, the same wax paper release sheet 9 can be used for the other embodiments of the invention found in the provisional patent.
      • 10 is an area with a small section of paper removed to enable the tip of the user's finger to break the perforated line 6A more easily.
      • 12A is an area for a person's signature on the face of the adhesive strip 41.
      • 12B is an area for the date to be written on the face of the adhesive strip 41.
      • 12C is an area for the time of day to be written on the face of the adhesive strip 41.
      • 14 is the flap of the intra-office envelope 2 which consists of the adhesive strips 4A-I.
      • 16 is a detachable portion of the envelope which contains all of individually adhered strips 4A-I with the signatures 12A, dates 12B, and times 12C on them. When all of the adhesive strips 4A-I are used this section can be detached, via line perforation 6B around its entire perimeter, for record keeping.
      • 18 is the body of the detachable portion of the envelope which contains the customer's mailing address 24. This embodiment improves a Netflix™ type of envelope or something similar.
      • 19 is the flap of a Netflix™ type of envelope which contains four adhesive strips 20A-D.
      • 20A, B, C, & D are the topsides of adhesive strips found on a Netflix™ or similar types of envelopes 32.
      • 22A is a perforated line which separates each adhesive strip 20A, B, C, & D individually on the Netflix™ type of envelope 32.
      • 22B is a perforated line found on the opposing side of the envelope flap, which contains the four adhesive strips 20A-D, and is part of the envelope when it's mailed for the first time only. This relates to the Netflix™ type of envelope embodiment 32.
      • 23A is a perforated line adjacent to the inside boarder of the left adhesive strip 28A found on the detachable portion 18 of the Netflix™ mailer 32.
      • 23B is a perforated line adjacent to the inside boarder of the right adhesive strip 28B found on the detachable portion 18 of the Netflix™ mailer 32.
      • 24 is an area for the customer's mailing address, which is found on the detachable portion 18 of the envelope 32. This relates to the Netflix™ type of envelope embodiment.
      • 26 is a postage area.
      • 28A & B are the right & left adhesive strips found on the detachable portion 18 of the envelope 32 which contains the customer's mailing information 24. This relates to the Netflix™ type of envelope embodiment.
      • 30A, B, C, & D show a dark area on the adhesive strip which indicates the wax paper 9 (not visible here) has been removed and the strip has been attached to the body of the envelope 32.
      • 32 is the body of a Netflix™ or similar type of envelope.
      • 34 is an area for the return address, in this case it's a movie company but it can be any type of business.
      • 36 is the body of an envelope designed for two way mailing.
      • 38A is a line perforation between a paper strip 40A (top view) with adhesive 5 and a paper strip 42A (top view) without adhesive 5.
      • 38B is a line perforation between two paper strips 44A & B without adhesive material 5 on either of them.
      • 40A is an adhesive strip (top view) with a wax paper release sheet 9 (not visible from this viewpoint) which prevents the strip from binding to the body of the envelope 36 until it's desirable.
      • 40B is an adhesive strip (bottom view) with a wax paper release sheet 9 which prevents the strip from binding to the body of the envelope 36 until it's desirable.
      • 41 is an adhesive strip located on the body of the envelope 36 with a wax paper release sheet 9 covering it.
      • 42A is a strip of paper (top view) without adhesive material 5 or wax paper 9.
      • 42B is a strip of paper (bottom view) without adhesive material 5 or wax paper 9.
      • 43 is the flap of a two way mailing envelope 36 with one adhesive strip 40A on the flap 43 and the other adhesive strip 41 on the body of the envelope 36.
      • 44A & B are two paper strips without adhesive 5 or wax paper 9.
      • 45 is the flap of a two way mailing envelope 48 with both adhesive strips 46A & B located on the body of the envelope 48.
      • 46A & B are two adhesive strips found on the body of the envelope 48 instead of being located on the flap 45 of the envelope 48.
      • 48 is the body of a two way mailing envelope which has both adhesive strips 46A & B located on the body of the envelope 48 instead of the flap of the envelope 45.
      • 49 is the body of a shipping box with two adhesive strips 56A & B (top view) attached to the distal end of a single cardboard flap 50A.
      • 50A is a cardboard flap found on a shipping box 49 which has two adhesive strips 56A & B (top view), separated by a pull-strings 54.
      • 50B, C, & D are cardboard flaps attached to box 49 (these flaps do not have any adhesive strips attached to them).
      • 52 is tab attached to a pull-string 54.
      • 54 is a pull-string which is used to detach one adhesive strip 56A from the other 56B once it's been used.
      • 56A is the topside of an adhesive strip which is proximal to the cardboard flap 50A.
      • 56B is the topside of an adhesive strip which is distal to the cardboard flap 50B.
      • 56C is the bottom side of an adhesive strip, with a wax paper release sheet 9 covering it, which is proximal to the cardboard flap 50A.
      • 56D is the bottom side of an adhesive strip, with a wax paper release sheet 9 covering it, which is distal to the cardboard flap 50A.
      • 58 is the body of a shipping box with two separate adhesive strips 62A & B attached, individually, to two separate cardboard flaps 60A & C.
      • 60A is a cardboard flap found on a shipping box 58 which also has a single adhesive strip 62A attached to the distal end of the flap; the flap 60A is also slightly longer then the opposing flap 600. The adhesive strip 62A and the cardboard flap 60A are separated by a perforated line 64A.
      • 60B is a cardboard flap attached to box 58.
      • 60C is a cardboard flap found on a shipping box 58 which also has a single adhesive strip 62B attached to the distal end of the flap; the flap 60C is slightly shorter then the opposing flap 60A. The adhesive strip 62B and the cardboard flap 60C are separated by a perforated line 64B.
      • 60D is a cardboard flap attached to box 58.
      • 62A is the bottom side of an adhesive strip, with a wax paper release sheet 9 covering it, which is attached to a cardboard flap 60A.
      • 62B is the bottom side of an adhesive strip, with a wax paper release sheet 9 covering it, which is attached to a cardboard flap 60C.
      • 64A is a pull-string which is used to detach a single adhesive strip 62A from a cardboard flap 60A.
      • 64B is a pull-string which is used to detach a single adhesive strip 62B from a cardboard flap 60C.
      • 66 is the body of a multi use FedEx™ or similar type of envelope.
      • 68 represents the four corners of a clear plastic area which accommodates a mailing address for a FedEx™ or a similar type of envelope.
      • 70 is a perforated section in the body of the FedEx™ or similar type of envelope which extends both horizontally and vertically around the perimeter of the signature area.
      • 72A is a top view of the most distal adhesive strip from the envelope which is utilized for individual signature and record keeping.
      • 72B is an adhesive strip which is next inline to be used after the most distal adhesive strip 72A.
      • 72C is an adhesive strip which is used after the one in front of it 72B.
      • 72D is an adhesive strip which is proximal to the body of the envelope and is utilized last for signing and record keeping.
      • 74 is a perforated line and pull string which has been used to separate one adhesive strip 72A from the next 72B.
      • 75 is the flap of the FedEx™ or a similar type envelope which contains all of the adhesive strips 72A, B, C, & D.
      • 76 is a pull tab which detaches one adhesive strip from the next via line perforation.
  • Numerous modifications may be made without departing from its scope as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (5)

We claim:
1. An enclosure holding objects comprising:
a main body defining an opening for the respective objects and including a receiving area; and
a flap arranged and constructed to selectively close said opening, said flap including a plurality of parallel strips separated by a perforated or frangible line, said strips having an adhesive on one side and being positioned and arranged to be sequentially attached by said one side to said receiving area.
2. The enclosure of claim 1 further comprising release sheets attached to said adhesive side and selectively removable therefrom.
3. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said main body is sized and shaped like an envelope.
4. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said main body is sized and shaped as a rectangular box for shipping said objects.
5. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said receiving area is defined by perforated or frangible lines allowing said receiving area to be removed from said main body.
US13/151,529 2010-06-02 2011-06-02 Envelopes/boxes with multiple sealing & reopening functions Abandoned US20120061455A1 (en)

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Cited By (2)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20130193195A1 (en) * 2011-11-15 2013-08-01 Esselte Corporation Envelope seal strip
USD780843S1 (en) * 2015-05-13 2017-03-07 Chief Of Internet Sweden Ab Envelope for transport cover

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US9428305B2 (en) * 2011-11-15 2016-08-30 R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company Envelope seal strip
USD780843S1 (en) * 2015-05-13 2017-03-07 Chief Of Internet Sweden Ab Envelope for transport cover

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