WO2007088316A1

WO2007088316A1 - Improved packaging

Info

Publication number: WO2007088316A1
Application number: PCT/GB2006/000378
Authority: WO
Inventors: Graham Illing
Original assignee: Royal Mail Group Limited
Priority date: 2004-07-30
Filing date: 2006-02-03
Publication date: 2007-08-09
Also published as: GB2416752A; GB0515698D0; GB0417110D0; GB2416752B

Abstract

A mailer for DVDs and the like fragile objects comprises a sheet folded to form a rear panel (14) and a front panel (18) joined along a fold line. The mailer (10) includes a stiffener (20) of rigid or semi-rigid material secured between the front and rear panels (14, 18). The stiffener (20), together with portions of the front and rear panels (14, 18) forming a pocket (22) for receiving a DVD or the like. The stiffener may be formed as a single sheet of rigid or semi rigid material provided with a cut-out (22) which forms the pocket or, alternatively, may be formed by one or more tabs (42) folded in along the edges of either or both of the front and rear panels (14, 18) and, preferably, doubled over to increase their thickness and rigidity.

Description

IMPROVED PACKAGING

The present invention relates to an improved mailer or packaging for DVDs and other similar items which are fragile and might be damaged by mail processing machines.

Recently, there has been an increasing demand for cost-effective packaging solutions for sending DVDs through the mail, in particular, in connection with DVD rental businesses where packaging must provide for both outbound and return posting. There are a number of packaging solutions available but these suffer disadvantages as follows:

• a general risk of damage to the packaging and, hence, to the enclosed DVD

• in the case of plastic carrier cases, high cost

Apart from these general disadvantages, a number of problems arise due to incompatibility with mail processing equipment, in particular

^β postage discounts may not be available where the packaging cannot be processed effectively by standard mail processing machines, increasing cost to the user

• square packaging may not be correctly aligned by processing equipment to enable the address to be read automatically

• glued paper edges on rectangular packaging may be insufficiently rigid to avoid crushing on entry into, or feed smoothly through, processing machinery

• rectangular packaging with the DVD enclosed at one end tends to stand on a short edge of the packaging due to the resulting uneven weight distribution so that the package is incorrectly aligned for OCR or address reading • plastic DVD boxes may be too thick to pass through mail processing machinery

• thin plastic DVD boxes may shatter on passing through mail processing machinery causing damage to the enclosed DVD

• Plastic DVD boxes may be too stiff to pass through the mail processing machinery causing damage to DVD or machinery a the DVD may rotate within a plastic box, causing scratching of the surface of the DVD - this has been avoided in some known packaging solutions by adding a soft iiner so that scratching is avoided but this increases the weight of the packaging and, as a result, the postage costs

a paper mailers provide no protection to the rim or edge of the DVD which may, as a result, be damaged by impact with rollers within the processing machinery

We have appreciated that there is a need for a relatively light, inexpensive but effective mailer for DVDs and the like articles. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a mailer for DVDs and the like, the mailer comprising a sheet folded to form a rear panel and a front panel joined along a fold line; the mailer being characterised in that it comprises a stiffener of rigid or semi-rigid material secured between the front and rear panels, the stiffener together with portions of the front and rear panels forming a pocket for receiving a DVD or the like.

Preferably, the stiffener extends from the pocket to an edge region of the mailer which, in use, forms a leading edge for insertion into mail processing means.

The mailer of the invention is compatible with mail processing machinery and reduces the risk of damage to an enclosed DVD. It can be constructed so that, together with the enclosed DVD and its sleeve, it weighs less than 6O g. It can also be compared favourably with other solutions available as regards cost of manufacture.

In a preferred embodiment, the mailer of the invention comprises an outbound address panel joined to the rear panel along a fold line and overlying, in use, the front panel. If desired, the front or return address panel may be pre-printed with the sender's address so that the recipient can easily and conveniently return a DVD or other item once it has been finished with.

This embodiment allows for the provision of a single piece mailer with integral means for reseaiing and provision for a return address. Embodiments of a mailer in accordance with the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:

Figures 1 (a) and (b) show an exploded view of a first mailer in accordance with the invention and a detailed view of a forme included in the construction of Figure 1 (a) respectively; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second mailer in accordance with the invention.

As shown in Figure 1 (a), the outer sleeve 12 of the package or mailer 10 for a DVD shown in the drawing is formed as a single folded sheet of paper or other suitable material, which may be opaque or, alternatively, transparent, either as a whole or in part. The sheet forming the sleeve 12 is folded approximately into thirds so that the middle portion of the sleeve forms a rear panel 14, over which both an outbound address panel 16 and a front or return address panel 18 are folded.

The mailer 10 also includes a rigid or semi rigid forme 20 shown most clearly in Figure 1 (b) which is made of board or other suitable material. In the case of a mailer 10 intended for use with DVDs, the forme 20 is typically about 1.5 mm in thickness, that is, of similar thickness to the DVD itself, and is provided with an open-sided, generally square cut-out 22 approximately mid-way along its length of a size just large enough to allow a DVD to be placed in it

In the assembled mailer, the forme 20 is placed between the return address panel 18 and the rear panel 14 with the open side of cut-out 22 lined up with the free edge of the front or return address panel 18. The forme 20, the rear pane! 14 and the return address panel 18 are then glued together so that the three together define a pocket which can receive a DVD. The pocket is of depth determined by the thickness of the forme 20 and its dimensions are determined by those of the cut-out 22 in the forme 20. The glued areas extend over a sufficient area to prevent the DVD sliding between the forme 20 and either of the panels 14 and 18. Because the forme 20 is of similar thickness to the DVD and is of relatively rigid material, the edges of the DVD are protected when the package is in transit or is being processed. The forme 20 and glued panels 14 and 18 together provide a relatively rigid leading edge, which helps to minimise the risk of crushing of the mailer on entry into mail processing machinery and helps to feed the mailer 10 smoothly through such machinery. As shown in the drawing the mailer 10 is preferably rectangular so as to reduce the chance of misalignment with mail imprint scanning equipment or with apparatus provided for OCR or automated address reading.

As shown in the drawing, the mailer 10 provides for both outward and return journeys. The third panel 16 formed by folding the sleeve 12 serves as an outbound address panel and is printed on the reverse as shown in the drawing with the outbound address 30. The outbound address panel 16 is provided at its free edge with adhesive means 32, for example, a 'peel-and-seaP strip of the kind which is widely used on envelopes and is provided at its other longitudinal edge with perforations 34. The perforations 34 are preferably offset from the fold line 36 between the rear panel 14 and the outbound address panel 16 so as to minimise the risk of the mailer 10 bursting along the fold line 36 when in transit.

In use, the DVD or other relatively flat item is placed in the pocket, either directly or in a sleeve (not shown) and the outbound address panel 16 folded over the return address panel 18. The mailer 10 is sealed using the adhesive means 32 and can be mailed to the outbound address 30 shown on the outbound address panel 16.

The mailer 10 can be opened by the recipient either by breaking open the line of perforations 34 between the rear panel 14 and the outbound address panel 16 or at a second line of perforations 34 provided adjacent the peel-and-seal strip 32, or by unsticking the edge of the outbound address panel 16. The DVD can then easily be removed from the pocket defined by the cut-out 22 in the forme 20.

When the DVD is to be returned, the outbound address panel 16 is removed completely, the DVD returned to the pocket of the mailer 10 and the mailer 10 re- sealed by means of a relatively narrow flap 24 formed by folding out the free edge of return address panel 18. The flap 24 is provided with second adhesive means, for example, a second peel-and-seal strip 26, which can be folded over the open edge of the mailer to close it The return address 28 is conveniently preprinted on the face of the return address panel 18 so that the recipient can easily ^' return the DVD to the sender.

The mailer 40 shown in Figure 2 of the drawings has many features in common with that of Figure 1 and these have been identified in the drawings by use of the same reference numerals.

However, where the mailer 10 of Figure 1 includes a separate forme or stiffener 20, the stiffening in the mailer 40 of Figure 2 is formed integrally with the front and rear panels 14 and 18 of the mailer by cutting and folding the sheet of paper or other suitable material used to form the sleeve 12 of the mailer 40.

In particular, as can be seen from Figure 2, the short edges of the front and rear panels 14 and 18 (the edges which will ultimately be the leading and trailing edges of the mailer 40 when it is processed by mail handling machinery) are extended to form wings or tabs 42 which are joined to the edges of the front and rear panels 14 and 18 by fold lines 44. Each tab 42 is also formed with a fold line 46 extending parallel to the edge of the front or rear panels 14 or 18 from which it extends.

As the mailer 40 is assembled, the edge portions of the tabs 42 are folded along fold lines 46 towards the panels 14 and 18 respectively and then the tabs 42 themselves are folded inwards along fold lines 44.so that they overlie the edges of the panels 14 and 18. The folded in tabs 42 are secured to the panels 14 and 18 and to each other by glue applied in lines parallel to the fold lines 44.

As a result of this folding operation, in the region of the tabs, there are six layers of paper or the like material glued together to form a relatively thick, relatively rigid area which acts to protect the DVD or other similar fragile item contained within the mailer 40 in the same way as the separate forme' 20 shown in Figure 1. The embodiment of Figure 2 has the advantage, however, that it is truly a one piece construction. Thus, the invention may provide an inexpensive, robust mailer for DVDs and other similar items such as CDs in which the disadvantages of other known packaging solutions are largely avoided.

The embodiments described both incorporate a panel 16 which carries the outbound address and which can subsequently be removed when the mailer 10 is to be returned. However, it will be understood that the invention might equally be applied to a mailer of a more conventional two-panel kind, without the removable outbound address panel.

Claims

1. A mailer for DVDs and the like, the mailer (10) comprising a sheet folded to form a rear panel (14) and a front panel (18) joined along a fold line; the mailer (10) being characterised in that it comprises a stiffener (20) of rigid or semi-rigid material secured between the front and rear panels (14, 18), the stiffener (20) together with portions of the front and rear panels (14, 18) forming a pocket (22) for receiving a DVD or the like.

2. A mailer according to claim 1 wherein the stiffener (20) extends from the pocket (22) to an edge region of the mailer which, in use, forms a leading edge for insertion into mail processing means.

3. A mailer according to claim 1 or 2 in which the stiffener (20) is affixed to the front and rear panels (14, 18) around the periphery of the pocket (22) so as to prevent a DVD or like item becoming lodged, in use, between the stiffener (20) and the panels (14,18).

4. A mailer according to any preceding claim in which the stiffener (20) is chosen to be of substantially the same thickness as the DVD or like item to be received in the pocket of the mailer (10).

5. A mailer according to any preceding claim in which the pocket (22) is of a size to closely conform the maximum dimensions of a DVD or like item inserted into the pocket, in use.

6. A maiier according to any preceding claim wherein the stiffener is a single sheet (20) of rigid or semi-rigid material provided with a cut-out (22) which, together with portions of the front and rear panels (14, 18) forms the pocket (22) for receiving a DVD or the like.

7. A mailer according to any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the stiffener is formed by at least one tab (42) folded in from an edge of the front or the rear panel or both (14, 18), so that the tab (42) overlies a region of the panel (14, 18) onto which it has been folded, the tab (42) being fixed to the said region of the panel and to the other one of the front and rear panels, either directly or by means of a folded-in tab on that •panel.

8. A mailer according to claim 7 wherein the or each tab (42) is folded along at least one line (46) parallel to the fold-line (44) along which the tab (42) is folded in to overlie a region of the panel onto which it has been folded, so as to at least double the thickness of the tab.

9. A mailer according to any preceding claim comprising an outbound address panel (18) joined to the rear panel (14) along a fold line (36) and overlying, in use, the front panel (16).

10. A mailer according to claim 6 in which the outbound address panel (16) is secured to the mailer by means of perforations (34).

11. A mailer according to claim 7 wherein the perforations (34) are offset from the fold line (36).

12. A mailer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the Figure 1 (a) and (b) or Figure 2 of the drawings.