US20140008422A1 - Envelopes and Mailers - Google Patents
Envelopes and Mailers Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20140008422A1 US20140008422A1 US13/878,772 US201113878772A US2014008422A1 US 20140008422 A1 US20140008422 A1 US 20140008422A1 US 201113878772 A US201113878772 A US 201113878772A US 2014008422 A1 US2014008422 A1 US 2014008422A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- film
- line
- main body
- weakness
- mailing device
- Prior art date
- 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
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Classifications
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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 containers for postal or other purposes having no structural provision for thickness of contents
- B65D27/04—Envelopes or like essentially-rectangular containers for postal or other purposes having no structural provision for thickness of contents with apertures or windows for viewing contents
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
- B42D—BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
- B42D15/00—Printed matter of special format or style not otherwise provided for
- B42D15/02—Postcards; Greeting, menu, business or like cards; Letter cards or letter-sheets
- B42D15/04—Foldable or multi-part cards or sheets
- B42D15/08—Letter-cards or letter-sheets, i.e. cards or sheets each of which is to be folded with the message inside and to serve as its own envelope for mailing
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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 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
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
- B42P—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO BOOKS, FILING APPLIANCES OR THE LIKE
- B42P2241/00—Parts, details or accessories for books or filing appliances
- B42P2241/26—Environmental aspects
- B42P2241/30—Easily demountable for recycling
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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
- B65D2565/00—Wrappers or flexible covers; Packaging materials of special type or form
- B65D2565/38—Packaging materials of special type or form
- B65D2565/381—Details of packaging materials of special type or form
- B65D2565/385—Details of packaging materials of special type or form especially suited for or with means facilitating recycling
Definitions
- the present invention relates to mailing devices such as envelopes and mailers and in particular to mailing devices having a window through which an address or other information can be seen.
- a mailing device in the form of an envelope which is preformed into a pouch into which enclosures, such as letters, can be inserted before the pouch is sealed. It is also known to provide a mailing device in the form of a mailer, which is a business form on which information can be printed and which is subsequently folded and sealed about its edges to form a closed pouch suitable for mailing.
- Known envelopes and mailers are often provided with a see-through window through which information, such as a recipient's address, can be viewed from the outside of the sealed envelope or mailer.
- the main body of the mailing device will be formed from a first material, such as paper or the like, which can be recycled.
- a window aperture is provided in the main body which is covered by a transparent film adhered to the inside face of the first material around the periphery window aperture.
- the transparent film is made of a second material, such as a polymer or the like, which is not easily recycled together with the first material. Accordingly, it is advisable to remove the transparent window film before the main body is recycled.
- window envelopes and mailers are often disposed for recycling with the transparent film still attached. This can result in recycling facilities for the first material becoming contaminated and/or large volumes of otherwise recyclable material being rendered unusable. Alternatively, people may choose not to dispose of window envelopes and mailers for recycling so that significant volumes of recyclable material are unnecessarily sent to land fill sites.
- a mailing device comprising a main body formed of a first material and having a window aperture, a film of a second, transparent material bonded to the main body as to cover the aperture, in which at least one line of weakness is provided in the main body, the at least one line of weakness at least partially encircling the film.
- the at least one line of weakness may define a lifting tab portion in the main body.
- the at least one line of weakness may completely encircle the film and generally follow the outer peripheral edge of the film over the majority of its length to define an area within which the film is located, in which case, the tab portion may be defined by means of a small section of the line of weakness which extends outwardly from its general path to partially encircle a portion of the first material radially outside said area.
- the at least one line of weakness may define first and second line portions extending generally parallel to one another on opposite sides of the film, the first and second line portions extending beyond a first end edge of the film to an edge of the mailing device, the line of weakness also defining a third line portion interconnecting the first and second line portions about a second end edge of the film opposite from the first.
- the main body may be formed from a single piece of material folded to form panel portions, the window aperture being located in one of the panel portions, in which case the first and second line portions may extend beyond the first end edge of the film to an edge of said one of the panel portions.
- the at least one line of weakness may define a fourth line portion interconnecting the first end second line portions about the first end edge of the film.
- the first and second line portions of the at least one line of weakness may be defined by means of perforations in the material of the main body portion, and the third line portion may be defined means of elongate slits in the material of the main body.
- the at least one line of weakness may have rounded corners at the intersections between the third line portion and the first and second line portions respectively.
- a mailing device comprising a main body formed of a first material in which a window aperture is provided, and a film of a second, transparent material attached to the main body to cover the window aperture, in which the film comprises a main section covering the window aperture and having a peripheral edge region which is bonded to the main body about the aperture, the film also having a lifting tab projecting beyond the outer peripheral edge of the main section.
- At least part of the tab may be bonded to the main body. In one embodiment, only an outer peripheral edge region of the lifting tab is bonded to the main body, a central region of the tab being un-bonded.
- a line of weakness may be provided in the main body at least partially encircling at least the main section of the film.
- a line of weakness may be provided in the film, the line of weakness extending about the main section inwardly of its outer peripheral edge.
- the film may be bonded to an outer surface of the main body by means of an adhesive that may be peelable or non-peelable.
- a mailing device comprising a main body formed of a first material wherein a window aperture is provided, and a film of a second, transparent material attached to the main body to cover the window aperture, wherein the film is attached to an outer surface of the main body using a peelable adhesive.
- the film may be made of a material which is suitable for use with a laser printer.
- the material may be Polyester or Polythene.
- the mailing device in accordance with any of the first to third aspects of the invention may be an envelope or a mailer.
- FIG. 2 is a plan view of part of a front face of a mailing device in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 4 is a plan view of a front face of a mailing device in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention.
- the mailing device 10 may be an envelope and the window 12 may be arranged so that a recipient's address printed on a letter can be seen through the window when the letter is correctly folded and positioned in the envelope in a known manner.
- the mailing device 10 may be a mailer and the window 12 arranged so that a recipient's address printed on another part of the form can be seen when the form is folded and sealed to form a closed pouch suitable for mailing.
- the invention is not limited to mailing devices where the window is provided to view a recipient's address but can be applied regardless of the location or function of the window in the main body 15 .
- the invention can also be applied to mailing devices having more than one window.
- the mailing device 10 has a main body 15 formed from a first, recyclable material such as paper.
- An aperture 16 is provided in the main body to form the viewing window 12 .
- the widow is provided in a front wall 14 of the main body 15 when formed into a pouch.
- an adhesive being peelable should be understood to cover any adhesive in which the bond strength is less that the strength of the materials joined together so that the materials can be peeled apart without tearing or other significant damage.
- a permanent or non-peelable adhesive is one in which the bond strength is higher than the strength of at least one of the materials joined together so that attempts to peel the materials apart where they are bonded results in tearing or other damage to at least one of the materials.
- the film 18 has a lifting tab 24 which projects beyond the outer peripheral edge 22 of the main section 20 .
- An outer peripheral edge of the lifting tab 24 is bonded to the first material using a suitable adhesive, which may be a peelable or a non-peelable adhesive.
- a central region 26 of the lifting tab is not bonded to the first material so that the tab 24 can be lifted away from the first material.
- the whole of the tab 24 can be bonded to the first material or an un-bonded region may be located towards an edge of the tab provided that the tab can be peeled away from or pressed out of the first material.
- the lifting tab 24 may integral with the main section 20 of the film or it may be a separate part which is bonded to the main section 20 of the film.
- a lifting tab 24 on the window film 18 enables easy removal of the film from the main body 15 of the mailing device to allow the main body 15 to be safely recycled.
- the user first releases the lifting tab 24 from main body.
- the tab 24 will be peeled away from the main body but it could be pressed out together part of the first material of the main body.
- the user can then grasp the lifting tab 24 and use it to peel the window film away from the main body.
- the film 18 is bonded using a peelable adhesive
- the film should be capable of being peeled away easily with little or no damage to the main body 15 of the mailing device.
- removing the film may result in some tearing of the first material about the film 18 but this should be limited so that only a small amount of the first material remains attached to the film 18 .
- the film 18 may be attached to the inside face of the front wall 14 of the main body 15 of the mailing device in a conventional manner. However, in a particularly advantageous embodiment, the film 18 is attached to the outer face of the front wall 14 where it is easily accessible to a user. This arrangement is particularly advantageous where the mailing device 10 is an envelope, as a user will not have ready access to the inner face of the front wall 14 of an envelope without tearing the envelope apart.
- a line of weakness 28 can be provided in the first material of the main body 15 surrounding at least the main section 20 of the film to limit tearing of the first material when the film is removed.
- the line of weakness is preferably spaced just outwardly from but close to the outer peripheral edge 22 of the main section of the film so that only a limited amount of the first material remains attached to the film 18 .
- the line of weakness 28 can positioned as close or as far away from the outer peripheral edge 22 of the main section 20 as desired but advantageously is positioned as close as practically possible.
- the line of weakness 28 may be positioned between 0.1 and 5 mm from the outer peripheral edge 22 of the main section 20 of the film.
- the line of weakness 28 may be formed by means of perforations or score lines in the first material. This optional arrangement may be particularly advantageous where the film 18 is bonded to the main body 15 using a permanent, non-peelable adhesive but can also be used where the adhesive is a peelable adhesive.
- a line of weakness 30 can be provided in the main section 20 of the film 18 .
- the line of weakness 30 extends about the main section just inwardly of its outer peripheral edge 22 from one edge of the lifting tab 24 to the other so that it does not extend across the base of the lifting tab.
- tearing of the film 18 along the line of weakness 30 is initiated so that the majority of the film is removed without tearing the first material.
- the line of weakness 30 is located so as to leave a minimum amount of the film 18 adhered to the main body 15 .
- the line of weakness may be positioned between 0.2 and 2 mm, or between 0.5 and 1.5 mm, or between 0.8 and 1.2 mm inwardly from the outer peripheral edge 22 .
- This arrangement may be particularly advantageous where the film 18 is bonded to the main body 15 using a permanent, non-peelable adhesive but can also be used where the adhesive is a peelable adhesive.
- the line of weakness 30 may be formed by any suitable means such as perforations or score lines in the film. Whilst some of the film 18 remains attached to the main body, the amounts are small and should not significantly affect recycling of the main body in the majority of recycling facilities.
- the window aperture 16 and the main section 20 of the film 18 can be of any suitable shape. As illustrated in the non-limiting embodiments, the window aperture 16 may be generally rectangular in shape and the main section 20 of the film 18 may be correspondingly shaped, though this is not essential. Where main section 20 of the film is generally rectilinear in shape, the lifting tab 24 can conveniently be located at a corner of the main section 20 of the film.
- FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a mailing device 110 having a removable window section.
- the features of the further embodiment that are the same as or functionally similar to those of the previous embodiments will be given the same reference numerals but increased by 100.
- the mailing device 110 in this embodiment is constructed in a generally similar manner to the previous embodiments as described above, to which the reader should refer, and so only the main differences will be described.
- the film 118 is not provided with a lifting tab but rather a line of weakness 128 is formed in the main body 115 of the mailing device encircling the outer peripheral edge 122 of the film.
- the line of weakness 128 is advantageously spaced just outwardly of but close to the outer peripheral edge 122 of the film so that only a limited amount of the first material remains attached to the film 118 .
- the line of weakness 128 can positioned as close to or as far away from the outer peripheral edge 122 of the main section 120 as desired but advantageously is positioned as close as practically possible.
- the line of weakness 128 may be positioned between 0.1 and 5 mm from the outer peripheral edge 122 of the film 118 .
- the line of weakness 128 may be formed by means of perforations or score lines in the first material. This arrangement may be particularly advantageous where the film 118 is bonded to the main body 115 using a permanent, non-peelable adhesive but can also be used where the adhesive is a peelable adhesive.
- FIG. 4 illustrates a still further embodiment of a mailing device 210 having a removable window section.
- the features of the further embodiment that are the same as or functionally similar to those of the previous embodiment will be given the same reference numerals but increased by 100.
- the mailing device 210 in FIG. 4 is constructed in a generally similar manner to the previous embodiments as described above, to which the reader should refer, and so only the main differences will be described.
- the mailing device 210 has a front wall 214 with a window aperture 216 covered by means of a transparent film 218 having an overlapping region 221 bonded to the inside of the front wall panel of the main body 215 in a conventional manner.
- a line of weakness 228 is formed in the main body 215 of the mailing device encircling the outer peripheral edge of the film.
- first and second (upper and lower) line portions 228 a, 228 b of the line of weakness that run generally parallel to one another on opposite sides of the of the film extend beyond a first, innermost end edge 232 of the window film 218 across the front wall to a first edge 234 of the wall and the device.
- the line of weakness 228 thus defines a tearable strip 236 in the front wall that includes the window aperture 216 and film 218 .
- the majority of the line of weakness 228 is formed by means of relatively short perforations in the material of the main body.
- a third line portion 228 c that extends between the first and second line portions 228 a, 228 b about a second, outermost end edge 238 of the film located proximal to a second edge 240 of the envelope is formed by means of elongate cut slits 242 having a length greater than the length of the perforations.
- the cut slits 242 allow a user to flick up a part of the strip to initiate tearing of the strip which is opened by tearing from left to right as shown.
- the line of weakness 228 has rounded corners where the third line portion 228 c merges with the first and second line portions 228 a, 228 b so that the tear can propagate smoothly from the third line portion 228 c to and along the first and second line portions 228 a, 228 b.
- One or more ties may be incorporated into the cut slits, particularly at the corners, to hold the material of the strip 236 in place and prevent snagging.
- the cut slits 242 could be shaped to define a tab pull.
- a fourth line portion 228 d of the line of weakness 128 extends between the first and second line portions 228 a, 228 b about the first, innermost end edge 232 of the film 218 . This allows the window aperture and the film to be easily detached from the remainder of the strip 236 for ease of recycling.
- the fourth line portion 228 d is connected at approximately 90 degrees with the first and second line portions 228 a , 228 b, so that when the strip 236 is opened, the tear will tend to propagate along the first and second line portions 228 a, 228 b to the first edge 234 of the device rather than along the fourth line portion 228 d.
- the strip 236 not only allows the window film 218 to be removed easily for recycling but can be used to provide easy access to the envelope.
- the user initiates tearing along the line of weakness 228 at the left hand (as shown) end of the strip 236 using the cut slits 242 .
- the tear propagates along both the first and second line portions 228 a, 228 b to the far (first) edge 234 of the envelope.
- the strip 236 remains attached along this edge 234 as there is no line of weakness but can be folded outwardly to leave a large opening in the front of the envelope through which the contents can be removed.
- the window aperture and the film 218 are removed from remainder of the strip by tearing along the fourth line portion 228 b of the line of weakness.
- the fourth line portion 228 b of the line of weakness can be omitted.
- the window film 218 is removed by simply tearing across the strip.
- the line of weakness 228 in such an embodiment will only partially encircle the window aperture and film 218 .
- the mailing device 210 may be an envelope or a mailer.
- the film 18 , 118 , 218 can be made of any suitable transparent material such as acetate or glassine.
- the film 18 , 118 , 218 is made of a material which is compatible for use with a laser printer and so will not melt or otherwise be damaged when subjected to the relatively high temperatures typically generated in a laser printer. Suitable materials include Polyester and Polythene.
- the various embodiments of the invention provide mailing devices in which the window film 18 , 118 , 218 can be easily removed by a user to make recycling easier and more effective.
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Abstract
A mailing device (210) has a body (215) with a window aperture (216). The aperture is covered by a film of transparent material bonded to the body. At least one line of weakness (128) is formed in the body at least partially encircling the film to enable the film to be separated from the body for recycling. The line of weakness (128) may be configured to define a strip (236) that extends across a front wall of the device. The strip (236) can be opened by tearing along the line of weakness to gain access to the interior of the device and to allow easy removal of the film. Alternatively, the line of weakness (128, FIG. 3) may completely encircle the film and define a tab portion (124, FIG. 3). In further alternative embodiments, the film (18, FIG. 1) has a tab portion (24, FIG. I) that is pulled to separate the film from the body. The film may be bonded using a peelable adhesive and may be bonded to an outside surface of the body.
Description
- The present invention relates to mailing devices such as envelopes and mailers and in particular to mailing devices having a window through which an address or other information can be seen.
- It is known to provide a mailing device in the form of an envelope which is preformed into a pouch into which enclosures, such as letters, can be inserted before the pouch is sealed. It is also known to provide a mailing device in the form of a mailer, which is a business form on which information can be printed and which is subsequently folded and sealed about its edges to form a closed pouch suitable for mailing. Known envelopes and mailers are often provided with a see-through window through which information, such as a recipient's address, can be viewed from the outside of the sealed envelope or mailer.
- Typically, the main body of the mailing device will be formed from a first material, such as paper or the like, which can be recycled. A window aperture is provided in the main body which is covered by a transparent film adhered to the inside face of the first material around the periphery window aperture. Often, the transparent film is made of a second material, such as a polymer or the like, which is not easily recycled together with the first material. Accordingly, it is advisable to remove the transparent window film before the main body is recycled.
- Many people are not aware of the need to remove the transparent film before disposing of such mailing devices for recycling or find removal of the window film too difficult. Consequently, window envelopes and mailers are often disposed for recycling with the transparent film still attached. This can result in recycling facilities for the first material becoming contaminated and/or large volumes of otherwise recyclable material being rendered unusable. Alternatively, people may choose not to dispose of window envelopes and mailers for recycling so that significant volumes of recyclable material are unnecessarily sent to land fill sites.
- There is a need then for an improved mailing device that overcomes or at least mitigates the drawbacks of the known window envelopes and mailers.
- According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a mailing device comprising a main body formed of a first material and having a window aperture, a film of a second, transparent material bonded to the main body as to cover the aperture, in which at least one line of weakness is provided in the main body, the at least one line of weakness at least partially encircling the film.
- The at least one line of weakness may define a lifting tab portion in the main body. The at least one line of weakness may completely encircle the film and generally follow the outer peripheral edge of the film over the majority of its length to define an area within which the film is located, in which case, the tab portion may be defined by means of a small section of the line of weakness which extends outwardly from its general path to partially encircle a portion of the first material radially outside said area.
- The at least one line of weakness may define first and second line portions extending generally parallel to one another on opposite sides of the film, the first and second line portions extending beyond a first end edge of the film to an edge of the mailing device, the line of weakness also defining a third line portion interconnecting the first and second line portions about a second end edge of the film opposite from the first.
- The main body may be formed from a single piece of material folded to form panel portions, the window aperture being located in one of the panel portions, in which case the first and second line portions may extend beyond the first end edge of the film to an edge of said one of the panel portions.
- The at least one line of weakness may define a fourth line portion interconnecting the first end second line portions about the first end edge of the film.
- The first and second line portions of the at least one line of weakness may be defined by means of perforations in the material of the main body portion, and the third line portion may be defined means of elongate slits in the material of the main body.
- The at least one line of weakness may have rounded corners at the intersections between the third line portion and the first and second line portions respectively.
- In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a mailing device comprising a main body formed of a first material in which a window aperture is provided, and a film of a second, transparent material attached to the main body to cover the window aperture, in which the film comprises a main section covering the window aperture and having a peripheral edge region which is bonded to the main body about the aperture, the film also having a lifting tab projecting beyond the outer peripheral edge of the main section.
- At least part of the tab may be bonded to the main body. In one embodiment, only an outer peripheral edge region of the lifting tab is bonded to the main body, a central region of the tab being un-bonded.
- A line of weakness may be provided in the main body at least partially encircling at least the main section of the film.
- A line of weakness may be provided in the film, the line of weakness extending about the main section inwardly of its outer peripheral edge.
- The film may be bonded to an outer surface of the main body by means of an adhesive that may be peelable or non-peelable.
- In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a mailing device comprising a main body formed of a first material wherein a window aperture is provided, and a film of a second, transparent material attached to the main body to cover the window aperture, wherein the film is attached to an outer surface of the main body using a peelable adhesive.
- In a mailing device in accordance with any of the first to third aspects of the invention, the film may be made of a material which is suitable for use with a laser printer. The material may be Polyester or Polythene.
- The mailing device in accordance with any of the first to third aspects of the invention may be an envelope or a mailer.
- In order that the invention may be more clearly understood embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
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FIG. 1 is a plan view of part of a front face of a mailing device in accordance with first and second embodiments of the invention; -
FIG. 2 is a plan view of part of a front face of a mailing device in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention; -
FIG. 3 is a plan view of part of a front face of a mailing device in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention; and -
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a front face of a mailing device in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention. - With reference in initially to
FIG. 1 , there is illustrated part of amailing device 10 having awindow 12 in afront wall 14. Themailing device 10 may be an envelope and thewindow 12 may be arranged so that a recipient's address printed on a letter can be seen through the window when the letter is correctly folded and positioned in the envelope in a known manner. Alternatively themailing device 10 may be a mailer and thewindow 12 arranged so that a recipient's address printed on another part of the form can be seen when the form is folded and sealed to form a closed pouch suitable for mailing. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to mailing devices where the window is provided to view a recipient's address but can be applied regardless of the location or function of the window in themain body 15. The invention can also be applied to mailing devices having more than one window. - The
mailing device 10 has amain body 15 formed from a first, recyclable material such as paper. Anaperture 16 is provided in the main body to form theviewing window 12. In the present embodiment, the widow is provided in afront wall 14 of themain body 15 when formed into a pouch. - The
window aperture 16 in the first material is closed by means of afilm 18 of a second, transparent material which is adhered to the first material so as to extend fully over thewindow aperture 16 co-planar to the front wall. Thefilm 18 has amain section 20 which is larger than theaperture 16 so that anoverlapping region 21 is defined between the perimeter of thewindow aperture 16 and an outerperipheral edge 22 of the main section of thefilm 18. Themain section 20 of thefilm 18 is bonded to the first material within theoverlapping region 21. Thefilm 18 may be bonded to the first material using any suitable adhesive which may be a peelable adhesive such as a peelable cold seal adhesive or it may be or a permanent or non-peelable adhesive. - In the present context, reference to an adhesive being peelable should be understood to cover any adhesive in which the bond strength is less that the strength of the materials joined together so that the materials can be peeled apart without tearing or other significant damage. In contrast, a permanent or non-peelable adhesive is one in which the bond strength is higher than the strength of at least one of the materials joined together so that attempts to peel the materials apart where they are bonded results in tearing or other damage to at least one of the materials.
- The
film 18 has alifting tab 24 which projects beyond the outerperipheral edge 22 of themain section 20. An outer peripheral edge of thelifting tab 24 is bonded to the first material using a suitable adhesive, which may be a peelable or a non-peelable adhesive. However, acentral region 26 of the lifting tab is not bonded to the first material so that thetab 24 can be lifted away from the first material. In other arrangements, the whole of thetab 24 can be bonded to the first material or an un-bonded region may be located towards an edge of the tab provided that the tab can be peeled away from or pressed out of the first material. Thelifting tab 24 may integral with themain section 20 of the film or it may be a separate part which is bonded to themain section 20 of the film. - The provision of a
lifting tab 24 on thewindow film 18 enables easy removal of the film from themain body 15 of the mailing device to allow themain body 15 to be safely recycled. To remove thewindow film 18, the user first releases thelifting tab 24 from main body. Typically thetab 24 will be peeled away from the main body but it could be pressed out together part of the first material of the main body. The user can then grasp thelifting tab 24 and use it to peel the window film away from the main body. Where thefilm 18 is bonded using a peelable adhesive, the film should be capable of being peeled away easily with little or no damage to themain body 15 of the mailing device. Where a non-peelable adhesive is used, removing the film may result in some tearing of the first material about thefilm 18 but this should be limited so that only a small amount of the first material remains attached to thefilm 18. - The
film 18 may be attached to the inside face of thefront wall 14 of themain body 15 of the mailing device in a conventional manner. However, in a particularly advantageous embodiment, thefilm 18 is attached to the outer face of thefront wall 14 where it is easily accessible to a user. This arrangement is particularly advantageous where themailing device 10 is an envelope, as a user will not have ready access to the inner face of thefront wall 14 of an envelope without tearing the envelope apart. - Where the
film 18 is bonded on the outside of themain body 15, it is advantageous that the outermost peripheral edges of themain section 20 and thelifting tab 24 are bonded to the first material so that there are no loose edges which might get snagged or caught in a printer or other equipment or during delivery of the mailing device in the post. - In an optional modification, a line of
weakness 28 can be provided in the first material of themain body 15 surrounding at least themain section 20 of the film to limit tearing of the first material when the film is removed. The line of weakness is preferably spaced just outwardly from but close to the outerperipheral edge 22 of the main section of the film so that only a limited amount of the first material remains attached to thefilm 18. The line ofweakness 28 can positioned as close or as far away from the outerperipheral edge 22 of themain section 20 as desired but advantageously is positioned as close as practically possible. For example, the line ofweakness 28 may be positioned between 0.1 and 5 mm from the outerperipheral edge 22 of themain section 20 of the film. The line ofweakness 28 may be formed by means of perforations or score lines in the first material. This optional arrangement may be particularly advantageous where thefilm 18 is bonded to themain body 15 using a permanent, non-peelable adhesive but can also be used where the adhesive is a peelable adhesive. - In a further alternative arrangement as shown in
FIG. 2 , a line ofweakness 30 can be provided in themain section 20 of thefilm 18. As shown, the line ofweakness 30 extends about the main section just inwardly of its outerperipheral edge 22 from one edge of thelifting tab 24 to the other so that it does not extend across the base of the lifting tab. When thelifting tab 24 is pulled to remove thewindow film 18, tearing of thefilm 18 along the line ofweakness 30 is initiated so that the majority of the film is removed without tearing the first material. The line ofweakness 30 is located so as to leave a minimum amount of thefilm 18 adhered to themain body 15. For example, the line of weakness may be positioned between 0.2 and 2 mm, or between 0.5 and 1.5 mm, or between 0.8 and 1.2 mm inwardly from the outerperipheral edge 22. This arrangement may be particularly advantageous where thefilm 18 is bonded to themain body 15 using a permanent, non-peelable adhesive but can also be used where the adhesive is a peelable adhesive. The line ofweakness 30 may be formed by any suitable means such as perforations or score lines in the film. Whilst some of thefilm 18 remains attached to the main body, the amounts are small and should not significantly affect recycling of the main body in the majority of recycling facilities. - The
window aperture 16 and themain section 20 of thefilm 18 can be of any suitable shape. As illustrated in the non-limiting embodiments, thewindow aperture 16 may be generally rectangular in shape and themain section 20 of thefilm 18 may be correspondingly shaped, though this is not essential. Wheremain section 20 of the film is generally rectilinear in shape, thelifting tab 24 can conveniently be located at a corner of themain section 20 of the film. -
FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of amailing device 110 having a removable window section. In the following description, the features of the further embodiment that are the same as or functionally similar to those of the previous embodiments will be given the same reference numerals but increased by 100. - The
mailing device 110 in this embodiment is constructed in a generally similar manner to the previous embodiments as described above, to which the reader should refer, and so only the main differences will be described. In this embodiment, thefilm 118 is not provided with a lifting tab but rather a line ofweakness 128 is formed in themain body 115 of the mailing device encircling the outerperipheral edge 122 of the film. - The line of
weakness 128 also defines alifting tab portion 124 in the first material. As shown in the drawing, the line of weakness generally follows the outerperipheral edge 122 of the film over the majority of its length to define an area within which the film is located. Thelifting tab portion 124 is defined by means of asmall section 128 a of the line of weakness which extends outwardly from its general path to partially encircle a portion of the first material radially outside said area. - In order to remove the
window film 118 from themain body 115, the user first presses or tears thelifting tab 124 out from the remainder first material. The user can then grasp thelifting tab 124 and pull the tab to initiate tearing along the remainder of the line ofweakness 128 so that a portion of the first material surrounding thewindow aperture 116 is removed together with thefilm 118. - Whilst in this embodiment a portion of the first material is removed together with the
window film 118, the amount of the first material removed is relatively small so that the majority of themain body 115 can be recycled with none of thefilm 118 attached. The line ofweakness 128 is advantageously spaced just outwardly of but close to the outerperipheral edge 122 of the film so that only a limited amount of the first material remains attached to thefilm 118. The line ofweakness 128 can positioned as close to or as far away from the outerperipheral edge 122 of the main section 120 as desired but advantageously is positioned as close as practically possible. For example, the line ofweakness 128 may be positioned between 0.1 and 5 mm from the outerperipheral edge 122 of thefilm 118. The line ofweakness 128 may be formed by means of perforations or score lines in the first material. This arrangement may be particularly advantageous where thefilm 118 is bonded to themain body 115 using a permanent, non-peelable adhesive but can also be used where the adhesive is a peelable adhesive. -
FIG. 4 illustrates a still further embodiment of amailing device 210 having a removable window section. In the following description, the features of the further embodiment that are the same as or functionally similar to those of the previous embodiment will be given the same reference numerals but increased by 100. - The
mailing device 210 inFIG. 4 is constructed in a generally similar manner to the previous embodiments as described above, to which the reader should refer, and so only the main differences will be described. Themailing device 210 has afront wall 214 with awindow aperture 216 covered by means of atransparent film 218 having anoverlapping region 221 bonded to the inside of the front wall panel of themain body 215 in a conventional manner. As with the previous embodiment, a line ofweakness 228 is formed in themain body 215 of the mailing device encircling the outer peripheral edge of the film. In this embodiment however, first and second (upper and lower)line portions innermost end edge 232 of thewindow film 218 across the front wall to afirst edge 234 of the wall and the device. The line ofweakness 228 thus defines atearable strip 236 in the front wall that includes thewindow aperture 216 andfilm 218. - The majority of the line of
weakness 228 is formed by means of relatively short perforations in the material of the main body. However, athird line portion 228 c that extends between the first andsecond line portions outermost end edge 238 of the film located proximal to asecond edge 240 of the envelope, is formed by means ofelongate cut slits 242 having a length greater than the length of the perforations. The cut slits 242 allow a user to flick up a part of the strip to initiate tearing of the strip which is opened by tearing from left to right as shown. The line ofweakness 228 has rounded corners where thethird line portion 228 c merges with the first andsecond line portions third line portion 228 c to and along the first andsecond line portions strip 236 in place and prevent snagging. The cut slits 242 could be shaped to define a tab pull. - A
fourth line portion 228 d of the line ofweakness 128 extends between the first andsecond line portions innermost end edge 232 of thefilm 218. This allows the window aperture and the film to be easily detached from the remainder of thestrip 236 for ease of recycling. Thefourth line portion 228 d is connected at approximately 90 degrees with the first andsecond line portions strip 236 is opened, the tear will tend to propagate along the first andsecond line portions first edge 234 of the device rather than along thefourth line portion 228 d. - The
strip 236 not only allows thewindow film 218 to be removed easily for recycling but can be used to provide easy access to the envelope. The user initiates tearing along the line ofweakness 228 at the left hand (as shown) end of thestrip 236 using the cut slits 242. As thestrip 236 is pulled outwardly, the tear propagates along both the first andsecond line portions edge 234 of the envelope. Thestrip 236 remains attached along thisedge 234 as there is no line of weakness but can be folded outwardly to leave a large opening in the front of the envelope through which the contents can be removed. For recycling, the window aperture and thefilm 218 are removed from remainder of the strip by tearing along thefourth line portion 228 b of the line of weakness. In some embodiments, thefourth line portion 228 b of the line of weakness can be omitted. In this case, thewindow film 218 is removed by simply tearing across the strip. As the film is stronger than the material of the main body, it should be relatively easy to tear across the strip along the edge of the film. The line ofweakness 228 in such an embodiment will only partially encircle the window aperture andfilm 218. - The
mailing device 210 may be an envelope or a mailer. - In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
film film - The various embodiments of the invention provide mailing devices in which the
window film - The above embodiments are described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims (21)
1. A mailing device comprising a main body formed of a first material and having a window aperture, a film of a second, transparent material bonded to the main body as to cover the aperture, in which at least one line of weakness is provided in the main body, the at least one line of weakness at least partially encircling the film.
2. A mailing device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the at least one line of weakness defines a lifting tab portion in the main body.
3. A mailing device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein at least one line of weakness completely encircles the film and generally follows the outer peripheral edge of the film over the majority of its length to define an area within which the film is located, the tab portion being defined by means of a small section of the line of weakness which extends outwardly from its general path to partially encircle a portion of the first material radially outside said area.
4. A mailing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one line of weakness defines first and second line portions extending generally parallel to one another on opposite sides of the film, the first and second line portions extending beyond a first end edge of the film to an edge of the mailing device, the line of weakness also defining a third line portion interconnecting the first and second line portions about a second end edge of the film opposite from the first.
5. A mailing device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the main body is formed from a single piece of material folded to form panel portions, the window aperture being located in one of the panel portions, the first and second line portions extending beyond the first end edge of the film to an edge of said one of the panel portions.
6. A mailing device as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 , wherein the at least one line of weakness also includes a fourth line portion interconnecting the first end second line portions about the first end edge of the film.
7. A mailing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the first and second line portions of the at least one line of weakness are defined by means of perforations in the material of the main body portion, the third line portion being defined means of elongate slits in the material of the main body.
8. A mailing device as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7 , wherein the at least one line of weakness has rounded corners at the intersections between the third line portion and the first and second line portions respectively.
9. A mailing device comprising a main body formed of a first material in which a window aperture is provided, and a film of a second, transparent material attached to the main body to cover the window aperture, in which the film comprises a main section covering the window aperture and having a peripheral edge region which is bonded to the main body about the aperture, the film also having a lifting tab projecting beyond the outer peripheral edge of the main section.
10. A mailing device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein at least part of the tab is bonded to the main body.
11. A mailing device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein only an outer peripheral edge region of the lifting tab is bonded to the main body, a central region of the tab being un-bonded.
12. A mailing device as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11 , wherein a line of weakness is provided in the main body at least partially encircling at least the main section of the film.
13. A mailing device as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12 , wherein a line of weakness is provided in the film, the line of weakness extending about the main section inwardly of its outer peripheral edge.
14. A mailing device as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 13 , wherein the film is bonded to an outer surface of the main body.
15. A mailing device as claimed in any one of the claims 9 to 14 , wherein the film is bonded to the main body by means of a peelable adhesive.
16. A mailing device as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 14 , wherein the film is bonded to the main body by means of a non-peelable adhesive.
17. A mailing device comprising a main body formed of a first material wherein a window aperture is provided, and a film of a second, transparent material attached to the main body to cover the window aperture, wherein the film is attached to an outer surface of the main body using a peelable adhesive.
18. A mailing device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the film is made of a material which is suitable for use with a laser printer.
19. A mailing device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mailing device is an envelope.
20. A mailing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18 ee, wherein the mailing device is a mailer.
21. A mailing device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to an as illustrated in FIG. 1 , or FIG. 2 , or FIG. 3 , or FIG. 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GBGB1017099.1A GB201017099D0 (en) | 2010-10-11 | 2010-10-11 | Envelopes and mailers |
GB1017099.1 | 2010-10-11 | ||
PCT/GB2011/051937 WO2012049479A1 (en) | 2010-10-11 | 2011-10-10 | Envelopes and mailers with removable window film |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20140008422A1 true US20140008422A1 (en) | 2014-01-09 |
Family
ID=43304360
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US13/878,772 Abandoned US20140008422A1 (en) | 2010-10-11 | 2011-10-10 | Envelopes and Mailers |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20140008422A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB201017099D0 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2012049479A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20160225925A1 (en) * | 2015-02-04 | 2016-08-04 | E I Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Conductive paste composition and semiconductor devices made therewith |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN108792234B (en) * | 2018-07-12 | 2019-11-01 | 李新洋 | A kind of express envelope and application method |
Family Cites Families (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2334413A (en) * | 1942-02-19 | 1943-11-16 | Kerr Albert | Envelope |
US4204600A (en) * | 1978-03-03 | 1980-05-27 | Champion International Corporation | Dual pocket envelope |
DE4321353C1 (en) * | 1993-06-26 | 1994-10-20 | Wegener August Awa Couvert | Recyclable envelope |
WO2006027984A1 (en) * | 2004-09-09 | 2006-03-16 | Sakura Color Products Corporation | Envelope with window |
FR2948639A1 (en) * | 2009-07-31 | 2011-02-04 | Manuparis | Recyclable rectangular window envelope for containing e.g. mails with bellow, has sheet glued along its periphery at opaque portion of detachable element, and body formed at outer side of precut blank forming tab extending away from window |
-
2010
- 2010-10-11 GB GBGB1017099.1A patent/GB201017099D0/en not_active Ceased
-
2011
- 2011-10-10 US US13/878,772 patent/US20140008422A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2011-10-10 WO PCT/GB2011/051937 patent/WO2012049479A1/en active Application Filing
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20160225925A1 (en) * | 2015-02-04 | 2016-08-04 | E I Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Conductive paste composition and semiconductor devices made therewith |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB201017099D0 (en) | 2010-11-24 |
WO2012049479A1 (en) | 2012-04-19 |
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Legal Events
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