WO2007129046A1

WO2007129046A1 - Dual compartment envelope

Info

Publication number: WO2007129046A1
Application number: PCT/GB2007/001609
Authority: WO
Inventors: Serge Patrick Le Moeligou
Original assignee: Jersey Post Limited
Priority date: 2006-05-09
Filing date: 2007-05-03
Publication date: 2007-11-15

Abstract

An envelope (100) comprising two separately sealable compartments (1C5 2C) formed by a first panel (1) and a second panel (2) having a third panel (3) sandwiched therebetween. Each compartment has an open edge (6 A, 12A) which is arranged relative to the other open edge on an opposite edge of the envelope (100), for insertion of documents or the like. The opening of each compartment (1C, 2C) is sealable independently of the other compartment by means of a corresponding one of two closure flaps (10, 20). Both closure flaps extend from one of the first or second panel and from the edges that coincide with the compartment openings. A blank or blanks (Bl; Bl, B2; Bl, B2, B3) for making an envelope (100). The blank(s) comprises three panels (1), (2), (3) which are either integral with or separate from each other and being arrangeable such that the third panel (3) is sandwiched between the other two panels (1, 2) to define two separate compartments (1C, 2C).

Description

DUAL COMPARTMENT ENVELOPE

The present invention relates to envelopes, in particular a dual compartment envelope suitable for separating contents within it.

Dual pocket envelopes are known, for example, German Patent No DE4114373 relates to an envelope having two different sized letter compartments. Each of the compartments is closed/sealed independent of the other. One compartment is defined as an address compartment, which contains the address information of a recipient and does not require opening on receipt. The other compartment, which is located at the back of the envelope, separate from the address compartment contains private correspondence, such that the content of the correspondence is not accessible until that section of the envelope is opened. To gain access to the rear compartment a tear off strip, which opens only the rear section, is provided.

United States Patent No 1,420,470 relates to an envelope having two separately sealable compartments, which are substantially the same size and are arranged to contain separate contents.

The envelopes of German Patent No DE4114373 and United States Patent No 1, 20,470 are suitable only for manual insertion of contents into each compartment. It is likely that due to the envelope construction that filling the envelopes using automatic insertion machinery would be unsuccessful. Accordingly, the present invention provides a dual compartment envelope that is particularly suited for use with automatic insertion machines; wherein both compartments can be filled by an automated process. It will be appreciated that the use of the envelope is not limited to implementation in an automatic insertion machine, but that the envelope may be suitable for filling and sealing one or both compartments manually.

One aspect of the present invention provides an envelope comprising a first panel and a second panel having a third panel sandwiched therebetween, thereby providing two separately sealable compartments, wherein each compartment has an opening, each opening being arranged relative to the other opening on an opposite edge of the envelope and each opening being independently closeable by a corresponding one of two closure flaps, both of which extend from the edges that are coincident with the openings and both closure flaps extend from the same one of the first or second panel such that closure of the compartments is by folding and sealing the closure flaps against the face of the other of the first or second panels.

The arrangement of the openings on opposite edges and the arrangement of the closure flaps on opposite edges of the same panel is particularly advantageous when using an automatic insertion machine to fill one or both of the compartments.

Preferably, the third panel is fixed to the first and second panels with fixings being at least at the edges that coincide with the opening edges, of the coincident edges, one edge is fixed to one of the first and second panels and the other edge is fixed to the other of the first and second panels thereby providing two separate compartments. The third panel preferably extends between the opening edges , but the width dimension may be of any size less than or equal to the width of the first or second panels, for example, the width of the third panel is between a thin strip which is fixable as described above or substantially the same width as the first and second panels.

Preferably, the two compartments, when closed, are accessible simultaneously such that the contents of both compartments are accessible simultaneously. Access to the compartments may be gained by removal of a weakened portion provided proximate one edge. The edge may coincide with one of the edge providing the opening for insertion of material. When the weakened portion is proximate one of the opening edges, access to both compartments may be achieved by tearing the weakened portion which causes breakage of the fixing between the third panel and the panel (first or second) that carries the weakened portion. Alternatively, the weakened portion may be provided by a removable margin on both the first and second panels such that the removal of the margin allows access to the contents in both compartments.

A perforated section may provide the weakened portion or the removable margin. In the case of a removable margin, it is preferred that the perforations are common to the first and second panels to provide a removable margin on one edge of the envelope. Both compartments are suitably accessed simultaneously by tearing off the margin at the perforations.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a blank for forming an envelope the blank comprising a first panel which forms one face of the formed envelope, a second panel that forms the opposite face of the formed envelope, and a dividing panel that is foldable relative to the first

' and second panels to be sandwiched therebetween in the formed envelope, wherein the second panel has two closure flaps one each extending from opposite parallel edges, the second panel being joined to the first panel along one edge that is perpendicular to the edges having closure flaps extending therefrom, the dividing panel extending from an edge of one of the first panel and second panel, which edge is parallel to said one edge; and a sealing flap on an edge of the other of the first and second panels, which edge is parallel to said one edge and wherein the dividing panel is sized to correspond with the dimension on the formed envelope that is defined by the distance between the edge on the second panel that has a closure flap attached thereto and the edge of the first panel that is opposite and corresponds with the opposite edge of the second panel carrying the other closure flap.

A third aspect of the invention provides a set of blanks for forming an envelope, the set of blanks comprising: a first blank having a first panel and an integral second panel joined along one edge, the second panel having closure flaps along opposite parallel edges that are perpendicular to said one edge and a sealing flap along an edge of one of the first and second panels that is parallel to and opposite said one edge, the first and second panels being foldable relative to each other to form front and back faces of the formed envelope and a second blank, which is insertable between the first and second panels to form two separate compartments, wherein the second blank provides a dividing panel that is sized to correspond with the dimension on the formed envelope that is defined by the distance between the edge on the second panel that has a closure flap attached thereto and the edge of the first panel that is opposite and corresponds with the opposite edge of the second panel carrying the other closure flap.

A fourth aspect of the invention provides a set of blanks for forming an envelope, the set of blanks comprising a first blank, a second blank and a third blank, wherein two closure flaps extend one each from opposite parallel edges of one of the first or second blanks and two sealing flaps extend one each from an edge of one or both of the first or second blanks, which edge is perpendicular to the edges having closure flaps and the third blank is insertable between the first and second blank to form two separate compartments, the third blank providing a dividing panel that is sized to correspond with the dimension on the formed envelope that is defined by the distance between the edge on the second panel that has a closure flap attached thereto and the edge of the first panel that is opposite and corresponds with the opposite edge of the second panel carrying the other closure flap. The invention also provides method of making an envelope using the blank(s), comprising the steps of: applying adhesive to the dividing panel on opposite faces and proximate two opposite edges that coincide with the opening edges of the formed envelope; folding or placing the dividing panel against one of the first or second panels such that the dividing panel sticks at one edge to that panel; folding the first and second panels relative to each other about the edge that joins the first and second panels together such that the dividing panel is sandwiched therebetween and sticks to the inside face- of the other of the first or second panels; folding the sealing flap that extends from the edge opposite the edge that joins the first and second panels together into contact with the other of the first or second panels; and fixing the flap against the outer face of the other panel such that all but two parallel edges are closed.

A further aspect of the invention provides apparatus for inserting contents into an envelope, comprising an insertion machine, wherein the open edge of a first of the compartments forms a leading edge for insertion in the insertion machine; reorientation apparatus, which orientates the envelope such that the open edge of the other compartment defines the leading edge for insertion in the insertion machine; and transportation apparatus which transports the reoriented envelope for insertion in the insertion machine.

A yet further aspect provides apparatus for inserting contents into an envelope, comprising a first and a second insertion machine arranged in series with reorientation apparatus and transportation apparatus being arranged to reorientate and transport the envelope from exiting the first insertion machine to entering the second insertion machine, the apparatus being arranged such that, in use, one compartment of the envelope is first filled by the first insertion machine, the envelope is reoriented by the reorientation apparatus such that open edge of the other compartment forms a leading edge and is transported by the transportation apparatus to the second insertion machine to enable the other compartment to be filled. Another aspect provides a method of inserting content into an envelope, which method comprises the steps of: inserting content into one compartment, sealing that compartment, and leaving the other compartment empty and unsealed.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure Ia shows a blank for a dual compartment envelope;

Figure Ib illustrates part assembly of the dual compartment envelope showing a divider section in place relative to the outer panel of a dual compartment envelope;

Figure Ic illustrates an assembled dual compartment envelope; Figure Id illustrates the dual compartment envelope of figure Ic partially exploded to show how the divider section is attached thereto;

Figures 2a to 2ά illustrate alternative blank arrangements to that of figure Ia to form the dual envelope of figure Ic;

Figures 3 a to 3 c illustrate the process of automated insertion of components into the dual compartments; and

Figure 3d illustrates a flow diagram for automated insertion of components in one compartment only.

Referring to figures Ic and Id an envelope 100 has two compartments 1C, 2C arranged back to back. A dividing panel 3 separates the compartments. Each compartment 1C, 2C is open at one end and has a flap 10, 20 corresponding to an opening, which can be sealed by means of the closure flaps 10, 20 once contents are inserted.

The envelope 100 illustrated in figures Ic and Id is rectangular and has the open edges on the longer edges 6 and 12. This arrangement is particularly suited to automatic insertion of documents into the envelope 100 by means of a suitable inserting machine.

Referring to figure Ia, the envelope 100 of figure Ic may be formed from two blanks Bl and B2. Blank Bl comprises a first panel 1 and a second panel 2, both of which are adjoined along an edge 4. In the example shown, the second panel 2 has closure flaps 10, 20 one each extending from the edges 6, 12 of the second panel 2; edges 6 and 12 are perpendicular to the edge 4 that joins the first panel 1 to the second panel 2. The closure flaps 10, 20 are both provided as an extension of the same panel, for example the second panel 2, such that closure of the formed envelope 100 is by folding the closure flaps 10, 20 about fold lines 6, 12 to seal against the other panel 1 as illustrated in figure Ic.

A further extension flap 16 is provided on the free edge 14 of the second panel 2. The purpose of this flap 16 is that in assembling or forming the envelope, the flap

16 is folded about the edge 14 and is fixed to the outer face of the first panel 1 such that all but two edges of the envelope 100 are closed. The two open edges are provided on opposite and parallel edges of the finished envelope 100.

The first panel 1 comprises two recessed portions Rl, R2, both of which are coincident with the open edges of the formed envelope 100. The recessed portions Rl, R2 make filling of the compartments easier if using an automatic insertion machine, because the form of the recessed portions provide a lead-in to the compartments 1C, 2C. The depth of each recess may be 20mm. The depth may have any other suitable value, for example in the range 10mm to 20mm, or greater than 20mm, e.g.25-30mm. The third panel 3 which is sandwiched between the first and second panels 1, 2 as illustrated in figures Ia, Ib, 2c and 2d is made of plastic film, which is of the type commonly used as the window material in envelopes for revealing the addressee's details. The plastic film provides a very effective divider between the first and second panels 1,2 whilst affecting the thickness of the formed envelope by a negligible amount. Other materials such as paper may be used as the divider 3. In particular, where a single blank, which may be of paper or other suitable material, is used to form the finished envelope 100, an integral third panel 3 would be made of the same material as the rest of the blank (see figures 2a and 2b).

In the embodiments shown, the third panel 3 is fixed to the inside surface of the first and second panels 1, 2 respectively at two edges 12A and 6 A (see figure Id), which edges correspond with the open edges of the formed envelope 100. A suitable adhesive, such as glue, is applied to opposite edges 6A, 12A of opposite faces 3 A, 3B of the third panel 3. At one edge 6 A , the third panel 3 is fixed to the second panel 2 close to the edge 6, which adjoins the closure flap 10 to the second panel 2. At the other edge 12 A, the third panel 3 is fixed to the face of the first panel 1 close to the edge of the recessed portion R2.

The flap 16 may be on the edge of the first panel 1 parallel to edge 4. For automating the formation of the envelope 100 the preferred blank arrangement is that of figure Ia. However, it is possible that the envelope could be formed from a single blank as illustrated in figures 2a and 2b. In figure 2a, the dividing panel 3 extends from edge 22 of the first panel 1. To form the envelope 100, the third panel 3 is folded about fold line 22 to abut the inside face of the first panel 1. The first panel 1 is then folded about the edge 4 such that the third panel is sandwiched between the first and second panels 1, 2. Adhesive is applied to the edges of the third panel such that, when sandwiched between the first and second panels 1, 2 two compartments 1C, 2C are provided. The adhesive is applied to opposite edges 6 A, 12A of the third panel 3 and on opposite faces 3 A, 3B such that one edge is fixed to the first panel 1 and the other edge is fixed to the second panel 2. Finally, to form an envelope 100 with two separately sealable compartments, the flap 16 is folded about edge 14 and is fixed to the outside face of the first panel 1 to produce the envelope 100 as illustrated in figure Ic. Figure 2b illustrates an alternative construction, wherein the third panel 3 extends from the edge 14 of the second panel 2 and the sealing flap 16 extends from edge 22 of the first panel 1. Folding the third panel 3 about fold line 14 to abut face- to-face with the second panel 2 forms the envelope 100. Subsequently the first panel is folded about edge 4 so that the first panel 1 is in face-to-face contact with the third panel 3, which is sandwiched between the first and second panels 1, 2. Finally to produce the envelope as illustrated in figure Ic₅ the sealing flap 16 is folded about edge 22 such that it seals against the outer face of the second panel 2. To create two separate compartments the edges of the third panel 3, which are coincident with the open edges of the finished envelope, have adhesive applied on opposite edges 6A₅ 12A of opposite faces 3 A, 3B such that one edge is fixed to the inner face of the first panel 1 and the other edge is fixed to the inner face of the second panel 2.

Figure 2c and figure 2d illustrate variations of blanks, where three blanks Bl, B2, B3 are used to form the envelope 100. Common to both examples, one of the first and/or second panels 1, 2 has sealing flaps 16, 16' extending from the edges that are ^' closed on the formed envelope 100. The third panel 3 is placed on top of the second panel 2 and the first panel 1 is placed on top of the third panel 3 to sandwich it between the first and second panels 1, 2. The sealing flaps 16, 16' are both folded about their respective edges 4 and 14 or 4 and 22 into contact with the opposite panel and are fixed to the outer face of the envelope 100 to form closed edges. The sealing flaps 16, 16' may be arranged so one is on panel 2 and the other on panel 1.

In the embodiments shown the third panel 3, is fixed to the inside surface of the first and second, panels 1, 2 respectively at two edges 12A and 6A (see figure Id), which edges correspond with the open edges of the formed envelope 100. A suitable adhesive, such as glue, is applied to opposite edges 6A, 12A of opposite faces 3 A, 3B of the third panel 3. At one edge 6 A of the third panel 3 it is fixed to the second panel 2 close to the edge 6, which adjoins the closure flap 10 to the second panel 2. At the other edge 12A the third panel 3 is fixed to the face of the first panel 1 close to the edge of the recessed portion R2.

The dual compartments 1C and 2C of the envelope 100 are independently sealable via closure flaps 10, 20. To gain access to the contents of the envelope a weakened portion 30, such as a perforated section 30 may be provided close to the edge of one of the recessed portions Rl, R2 (see figures Ia and Ic). The weakened section 30 coincides with the fixing region 12A of the third panel 3 such that on opening the envelope 100 about the weakened section that the fixing between the first and third panels is broken and the contents of both compartments is accessed simultaneously. Alternatively, the access to both compartments is provided by a perforated strip along one or both of the closed edges of the envelope 100. Perforations would be provided close to corresponding edges of the first and second panels 1, 2 such that they are in overlapping relation when the envelope is assembled. Tearing off the strip about the perforations provides access to both compartments simultaneously. The perforations may be located along the edge of the panels that is perpendicular to the open/closeable edges 6 A, 12 A. The perforations may be located on any edge of the envelope, but to ensure correct opening of the envelope 100, perforations are required at coincident sections on the panels, for example the third panel 3 and or the sealing flap 16 or the closure flaps 10, 20 such that the perforated strip is removed with little effort and the contents in both compartments are accessed simultaneously.

The envelope 100 described above may be a window envelope, wherein a window section is included on the first and/or second panels 1, 2. The envelope 100 described above may be of any suitable material; for example, paper, non-woven fabric, Tyvek® or plastic sheet including transparent or translucent plastic sheet.

For machine insertion, the shape and size of the envelope 100 is preferred to be a standard size, corresponding to standard sized papers; national or international standards being applicable. An example (see figures Ia to Id and figures 2a to 2d) is substantially that of a C5 envelope, which is suited to holding A5 'sized documents or single folded A4 documents.

The envelope described may be folded from a single unitary blank, or from two or more blanks (figures 2a to 2d).

Automated filling/insertion involves feeding the envelope in the preferred orientation such that each compartment, can be filled independently of the other.

Referring to figures 3 a to 3 c, for a fully automated process of filling a dual compartment envelope 100 it may be suitable to use either a single insertion apparatus/machine m/cl (see figure 3b) or two filling/insertion machines m/cl and m/c2 (see figure 3 c).

Referring to figure 3 a, the following steps describe the operation of fiUing/inserting documents/components into each compartment of the envelope.

During a first stage filling operation, the envelope 100 is introduced/fed into the machine m/cl with the leading edge being one of the open edges. Next, the closure flap, when provided, is displaced from the open edge to allow the compartment to be primed with a spurt of air to open the compartment for insertion of the components.

Next, the documents/component are inserted into the first compartment by an automated step before moving onto the final stage of the first stage filling operation, wherein the first compartment is sealed.

Sealing of the compartment, which comprises a closure flap, may be by wetting or priming the closure flap with a suitable adhesive or water, where a dry adhesive strip is applied, and applying pressure to bring the closure flap into contact with the corresponding outer face of the envelope. A second stage filling operation relates to filling the second compartment.

Following the first stage filling operation the envelope 100 is rotated through 180° such that the second open edge becomes the leading edge for filling the second compartment 2C.

A suitable apparatus connected to the insertion/filliiig apparatus may provide adjustment, by rotation, of the envelopes orientation for the second stage filling operation. After reorientation, the leading edge is the open edge of the second compartment, and the second stage filling operation is identical to that of the first stage filling operation as described above. After sealing the documents/components within the second compartment, the envelope may be automatically expelled from the machine m/cl or m/c2. The automated process may be conducted on a single insertion/filling machine m/cl by feeding the envelope 100 through the machine m/cl and providing a suitable rotation and return apparatus to feed the envelope through filling machine m/cl for second stage filling.

Alternatively, two separate filling machines m/cl and m/c2 may be arranged in series with a suitable rotation apparatus being provided after completion of the sealing step of the first stage fining operation. As described above, the rotation phase of the filling operation is such that the envelope is rotated to ensure that the second open edge enters the second filling/insertion machine m/c2 for the second stage filling operation, wherein the second compartment is primed with a spurt of air, filled, sealed and expelled from the filung/insertion machine m/c2.

Referring to figure 3d, a combined automated and manual filling/insertion operation may be used, wherein one compartment is filled and sealed according to the description above and the second compartment is left open for manual insertion/filling and sealing. It will be appreciated that in a combined automated and manual filhng/insertion operation there is no requirement for a rotation apparatus.

Claims

1. An envelope comprising a first panel and a second panel having a third panel sandwiched therebetween such that two separately sealable compartments are provided, wherein each compartment has an opening, each opening being arranged relative to the other opening on an opposite edge of the envelope and each opening being independently closeable by means of a corresponding one of two closure flaps, both of which extend from opposite edges of the same one of the first or second panels and are foldable and sealable against a face of the other one of the first or second panels.

2. An envelope according to claim 1 , wherein the third panel is adhered along two opposite edges to the first and second panels respectively, each of the two opposite edges of the third panel are coincident with the openings.

3. An envelope according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a weakened portion proximate one edge, such that when the envelope is closed on all edges opening of the envelope about the weakened portion provides access to both compartments simultaneously.

4. An envelope according to claim 3, wherein the weakened portion is one or more lines of perforations.

5. An envelope according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the weakened portion is provided on the first or second panel without a closure flap and in a region proximate the open edge, that region coincides with the region of contact of the closure flap on the first or second panel without a closure flap when the envelope is closed.

6. An envelope according to claim 3, wherein the weakened portion is a removable margin provided on one edge.

7. An envelope according to claim 5, wherein the removable margin comprises corresponding weakened portions on each of the panels and flaps that are in overlapping relation at the edge.

8. An envelope according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the edge of the first or second panel, against which the closure flap is sealable, comprises a recessed portion substantially along the length of the edge.

9. An envelope according to claim 8, wherein the recessed portion comprises two inclined portions arranged one at each end of a section parallel to and offset from the opening edge.

10. An envelope according to claim 8, wherein the recessed portion is arcuate extending between the edges that are perpendicular to the opening edge.

11. An envelope according to claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the depth of the recessed portion is in the range of 10mm to 30mm from the opening edge, preferably 20mm.

12. An envelope according to any one of the preceding claims formed from a unitary blank.

13. An envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 11 formed from two or more blanks.

14. An envelope according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the two or more blanks is made of different material from the other blank(s).

15. An envelope according to claims 13, or 14, wherein one or more of the blanks are of paper, non-woven fabric, Tyvek®, plastic sheet, transparent plastic sheet or translucent plastic sheet.

16. An envelope according to claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein the third panel is of plastic sheet.

17. A blank for forming an envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 16, the blank comprising a first panel which forms one face of the formed envelope, a second panel that forms the opposite face of the formed envelope, and a dividing panel that is foldable relative to the first and second panels to be sandwiched therebetween in the formed envelope, wherein the second panel has two closure flaps one each extending from opposite parallel edges, the second panel being joined to the first panel along one edge that is perpendicular to the edges having closure flaps extending therefrom, the dividing panel extending from an edge of one of the first panel and second panel, which edge is parallel to said one edge; and a sealing flap on an edge of the other of the first and second panels, which edge is parallel to said one edge and wherein the dividing panel is sized to correspond with the dimension on the formed envelope that is defined by the distance between the edge on the second panel that has a closure flap attached thereto and the edge of the first panel that is opposite and corresponds with the opposite edge of the second panel carrying the other closure flap.

18. A set of blanks for forming an envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 16, the set of blanks comprising: a first blank having a first panel and an integral second panel joined along one edge, the second panel having closure flaps along opposite parallel edges that are perpendicular to said one edge and a sealing flap along an edge of one of the first and second panels that is parallel to and opposite said one edge, the first and second panels being foldable relative to each other to form front and back faces of the formed envelope and a second blank, which is insertable between the first and second panels to form two separate compartments, wherein the second blank provides a dividing panel that is sized to correspond with the dimension on the formed envelope that is defined by the distance between the edge on the second panel that has a closure flap attached thereto and the edge of the first panel that is opposite and corresponds with the opposite edge of the second panel carrying the other closure flap.

19. A set of blanks for forming an envelope according to claims 1 to 16, the set of blanks comprising a first blank, a second blank and a third blank, wherein two closure flaps extend one each from opposite parallel edges of one of the first or second blanks and two sealing flaps extend one each from an edge of one or both of the first or second blanks, which edge is perpendicular to the edges having closure flaps and the third blank is insertable between the first and second blank to form two separate compartments, the third blank providing a dividing panel that is sized to correspond with the dimension on the formed envelope that is defined by the distance between the edge on the second panel that has a closure flap attached thereto and the edge of the first panel that is opposite and corresponds with the opposite edge of the second panel carrying the other closure flap.

20. A blank according to claims 17 to 19, wherein the first panel has a recessed portion proximate to each of the two opposite parallel edges that coincide with the edges having closure flaps in the formed envelope.

21. A blank according to claim 20, wherein each recessed portion comprises two inclined sections arranged one at each end of a parallel section that is offset from the edge that is perpendicular to the edge that joins the first and second panels together.

22. A blank according to claim 20, wherein one or both of the recessed portions is arcuate.

23. A blank according claim 20, 21 or 22, wherein the depth of the recessed portion is in the range of 10mm to 30mm, preferably 20mm, from the edge that is perpendicular to the edge that joins the first and second panels together.

24. A blank according to any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein one of the recessed portions further comprises a weakened section proximate its edge.

25. A blank according to any one of claims 20 to 24, wherein the dividing panel is sized to correspond with the dimension on the formed envelope mat is defined by the distance between the edge carrying the closure flap and the edge of the recessed portion that corresponds with the opposite edge carrying the other closure flap.

26. A method of making an envelope using the blank(s) of claims 17 to 25 comprising the steps of:

applying adhesive to the dividing panel on opposite faces and proximate two opposite edges that coincide with the opening edges of the formed envelope;

folding or placing the dividing panel against one of the first or second panels such that the dividing panel sticks at one edge to that panel;

folding the first and second panels relative to each other about the edge that joins the first and second panels together such that the dividing panel is sandwiched therebetween and sticks to the inside face of the other of the first or second panels;

folding the sealing flap that extends from the edge opposite the edge that joins the first and second panels together into contact with the other of the first or second panels; and

fixing the flap against the outer face of the other panel such that all but two parallel edges are closed.

27. An envelope as substantially described herein and with reference to Figures Ic and Id of the accompanying drawings.

28. A blank as substantially described herein and with reference to Figures Ia, Ib and figures 2a to 2d of the accompanying drawings.

29. A method of making an envelope as substantially described herein and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

30. Apparatus for inserting contents into an envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 16, comprising an insertion machine, wherein the open edge of a first of the compartments forms a leading edge for insertion in the insertion machine; reorientation apparatus, which orientates the envelope such that the open edge of the other compartment defines the leading edge for insertion in the insertion machine; and transportation apparatus which transports the reoriented envelope for insertion in the insertion machine.

31. Apparatus for inserting contents into an envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 16, comprising a first and a second insertion machine arranged in series with reorientation apparatus and transportation apparatus being arranged to reorientate and transport the envelope from exiting the first insertion machine to entering the second insertion machine, the apparatus being arranged such that, in use, one compartment of the envelope is first filled by the first insertion machine, the envelope is reoriented by the reorientation apparatus such that open edge of the other compartment forms a leading edge and is transported by the transportation apparatus to the second insertion machine to enable the other compartment to be filled.

32. A method of inserting content into an envelope in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 16, which method comprises the steps of: inserting content into one compartment, sealing that compartment, and leaving the other compartment empty and unsealed.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein an inserting machine is used to insert content into the said one compartment.

34. A method of inserting content into an envelope in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 16, which method comprises the steps of: inserting content into one compartment, sealing that compartment, inserting content into the other compartment, and sealing that compartment

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein: an inserting machine is used to insert content into the said one compartment and the same machine is used to insert content into the other compartment.

36. A method according to claim 34, wherein: a first inserting machine is used to insert content into the said one compartment, and a second inserting machine is used to insert content into the other compartment.

37. Apparatus for inserting contents into an envelope according to claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 3 a and 3b or 3 c and 3d.