US3580490A

US3580490A - Easy opening flat object mailer

Info

Publication number: US3580490A
Application number: US13149A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert B Shaad
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-02-20
Filing date: 1970-02-20
Publication date: 1971-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 1988-05-25

Abstract

A mailer for small flat objects, adapted for insertion in an envelope, comprises a rectangular cardboard blank having a scored median foldline dividing the blank into a pair of rectangular panels. One side of the blank is coated with an adhesive having the property of bonding the panels together when the blank is folded, the panels being readily pulled apart again. One corner of the blank is cut away along a convexly curved line leaving the corner of one of the folded panels projecting so that it may be pushed back exposing a small area of the under surface of the deformed corner for grasping the deformed corner for easy opening.

Description

United States Patent Robert B. Shaad Birch Lane, Watertown, NY. 13601 013,149

Feb. 20, 1970 May 25, 1971 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 804,817, Mar. 6, 1969, now abandoned.

lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented EASY OPENING FLAT OBJECT MAILER Primary Examiner-David M. Bockener An0rney--Bruns and Jenny ABSTRACT: A mailer for small flat objects, adapted for insertion in an envelope, comprises a rectangular cardboard blank having a scored median foldline dividing the blank into a pair of rectangular panels. One side of the blank is coated with an adhesive having the property of bonding the panels together when the blank is folded, the panels being readily pulled apart again. One comer of the blank is cut away along a convexly curved line leaving the comer of one of the folded panels projecting so that it may be pushed back exposing a small area of the under surface of the deformed comer for grasping the deformed comer for easy opening.

PATENTED was 1911 3 580 .490

INVENTOR. ROBERT B. SHAAD 6 4%: BY mania.

EASY OPENING FLAT OBJECT MAILER CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 804,817, filed Mar. 6, 1969, by the same applicant, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a novel flat object mailer adapted to fit in a mailing envelope and, more particularly, it relates to a quickly used and easy opening mailer for merchandisers who, in the ordinary course of business, mail out a number of small flat objects such as keys, coins, credit cards, and stamps.

Prior mailers either use thick board to provide a pocket or have perforations or tabs for reopening the mailer. These are expensive to manufacture, time consuming to use, or are difficult to reopen and are usually limited in use to one particular type and size of flat object.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The mailer of the present invention utilizes a commercially available board called Cohesive Board" which is made by the Sherman Division of St. Regis Paper Company at Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts. This board is cut into a rectangular blank with a scored foldline dividing the blank into substantially rectangular halves. One side of the board is precoated with a latex-type adhesive which is tacky to the touch but which not adhere to any surface except a likecoated surface. When the two halves of the blank are folded together along the foldline with a flat object therebetween and the adhesive-coated surfaces are pressed together, the surfaces adhere holding the object in place.

The other side of the board is calendered and-smooth so that the outer surfaces of the folded together halves can be printed with such advertising or other matter as is desired. The board is sufficiently heavy to prevent the ready detection of the presence of the object between the two halves by casual visual or manual inspection but is not excessively thick like the usual coin card with a cutout pocket therein.

One of the characteristics of the adhesive with which the board is coated is that the two halves can be parted again after they have been stuck together. It is this characteristic, common to other rubber cement or pressure-sensitive adhesives, that is utilized in the novel easy opening feature of the mailer.

A small corner tip of the blank is cut away along a convexly curved line when forming the blank so that, when the blank is folded and its two halves sealed together, the corner alongside the deformed corner projects beyond the deformed corner and can be pushed back to expose a small area of the inner surface of the deformed comer so that it can be grasped for pulling the two halves apart and withdrawing the enclosed object.

It has been theretofore known to mitre the comer of one of two layers of paper which are glued together, but this leaves only a straight edge of the deformed comer exposed when the corner next to the deformed comer is pushed back. By cutting the deformed comer along a convexly curved line a small area of the undersurface of the deformed comer is exposed when the comet next to the deformed corner is pushed back. This exposed area may then be grasped to pull the halves apart.

When the tip of a comer is folded over it adheres to the remainder of the panel and leaves an uncoated portion which can be grasped in pulling the halves apart. BRIEF BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective view of the folded mailer with enclosed coin according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the unfolded blank; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged end edge view of the folded mailer of FIG. I.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The mailer blank 10 is shown unfolded in FIG. 2 with a median scored foldline I1 dividing the blank into panels or halves l2 and 13. The inner surfaces of the panels are completely coated with an adhesive as indicated at 14. The outer surfaces 15 of each panel are calendered and smooth so as to be easily printed upon.

When the

panels

12 and 13 are folded together along the line II, with a flat object such as a coin therebetween as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3, and the panels pressed together, the inner coated surfaces adhere where they meet around the coin or other object and hold it in position. It will be apparent that other flat objects such as keys, credit cards, or folded sheets of stamps may be equally well secured between the panels.

One corner 16 of panel 12 of blank 10 is cutaway along a curved or arcuate line so that, when the adjacent corner 17 of panel 13 is folded alongside, it projects outward of the cutaway corner 16 as plainly seen in FIG. 1.

To reopen the mailer, the projecting portion of corner 17 is pushed away from the cutaway corner 16 exposing a small area of the under or inner surface of the panel adjacent the deformed corner 16 at the center of the curve. The portion of the curved comer whose coated under side is first exposed lies at the apex of the convex curve and the exposed coated under surface enlarges on either side along the curve as the projecting comer tip 17 is further pressed down. The deformed comer 16 with its exposed under surface can then be easily grasped for pulling the panels apart. Were the cutaway corner to be cut along a straight line the exposed corner tip would bend along this straight line without exposing the under surface of the cutaway comer. Directions calling attention to the easy opening comer may be printed on the uncoated outer surface of the blank adjacent comer 16 as indicated at 18 in FIG. 1.

Blank 10 is approximately 6% 5% inches, so that, when folded, the mailer measures 5%X3 5/16 inches. The folded mailer, therefore, is adapted to be mailed in a 65 3fi inch, or smaller, envelope.

Iclaim:

l. A mailer for flat objects for insertion in an envelope, comprising: a cardboardblank having a scored median foldline dividing the blank into two similar panel portions substantially rectangular in outline, one side of the blank being coated with an adhesive having the property of bonding the panel portions together when the blank is folded along the foldline and the panel portions are pressed together with a flat object therebetween thus holding the object in place, the adhesive also having the property of separating again when the panel portions are pulled apart, the other side of the blank being calendered and smooth for receiving printing, the tip of one comer of the blank being deformed by being out along a curved line leaving a convex edge, whereby, when the blank is folded and the panel portions bonded together, the corner alongside the deformed comer projects therefrom and, when pressed down, exposes a small area of the inside surface of the deformed corner under which a fingernail may be inserted to expose a larger area which may be grasped to separate the panel portions.

Claims

1. A mailer for flat objects for insertion in an envelope, comprising: a cardboard blank having a scored median foldline dividing the blank into two similar panel portions substantially rectangular in outline, one side of the blank being coated with an adhesive having the property of bonding the panel portions together when the blank is folded along the foldline and the panel portions are pressed together with a flat object therebetween thus holding the object in place, the adhesive also having the property of separating again when the panel portions are pulled apart, the other side of the blank being calendered and smooth for receiving printing, the tip of one corner of the blank being deformed by being cut along a curved line leaving a convex edge, whereby, when the blank is folded and the panel portions bonded together, the corner alongside the deformed corner projects therefrom and, when pressed down, exposes a small area of the inside surface of the deformed corner under which a fingernAil may be inserted to expose a larger area which may be grasped to separate the panel portions.