Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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RETURN ENVELOPE SEALING FLAP CONSTRUCTION
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an envelope
construction including an outer envelope and a return
envelope, the latter of which has a unique sealing
flap arrangement.
2. Description of the Related Ar~
Many businesses routinely use envelope
constructions incorporating return envelopes for
recipients to mail back bills with checks for payment.
These envelope constructions are prepared continuously
in bulk on high-speed collating machines. Speeds at
which collators run are dependent upon the form of
the envelope construction being assembled. Typically,
a complicated form could run at only 20 feet per
minute while a simple form might run as high as 350
feet per minute.
i Such envelope constructions usually use a
so-called transfer tape having a release overlay to
protect the pressure sensitive adhesive prior to
sealing. Remoistenable or self-sealing adhesives are
alsopresently applied to the back of flaps for sealing
closed the return envelope before it is mailed back
to the sender.
The application of the transfer tape during
the collating process is limited to in-line manu-
facture only and cannot be done across-the-web.
Because of this limi~ation, all unitary envelope
constructions incorporating re~urn envelopes utilize
side flap openings for insertion of the bills and
payment checks into the return envelopes.
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With the present envelope constructions,
there is also a problem with down time for the high-
speed collator whenever the reels of transfer tape
being fed during the manufacturing process run out and
need to be replaced with full reels of transfer tape.
Adhesive applied to the closure flap for the
return envelope must have quick drying times and this
requirement necessarily limits the type of usable
adhesives to hot melt water remoistenables or fast
drying solvent types. However, the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) could impose limits upon or
ban the use of these types of adhesives because of
the chemicals used during the manufacturing process
of the adhesives, in particular the solvent types,
in the future.
A related prior art construction is shown
in U.S. Patent No. 3,990,627 to Olson who discloses
an adhesive closure for a plastic bag used for
protecting a sandwich or another food product. A
part of the bag has a strip of release tape which
overlies and protects the adhesive until the bag is
ready to be used to store food therein. In order to
open the bag, a user pulls the release tape away
from the pressure-sensitive adhesive which is then
pressed to cLose the bag.
However, such a release strip to protect an
adhesive strip in the plastic bag of Olson could not
be used in the same manner on a return envelope in
order to solve the problems existing in the paper
manifolding art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An envelope construction includes an outer
envelope, at least one insert sheet which may be in
the nature of a bill or a copy thereof, and a return
envelope for the convenient use of a recipient. The
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return envelope has a closure flap provided with an
adhesive strip for sealing the return envelope. The
insert sheet includes a de~achable end strip
provided on its back side with a prote~tive release
agent which overlies the adhesive strip provided on
the closure flap of the underlying return envelope.
A primary object of the present invention
is to provide a simplified envelope construction
which can be prepared continuously in bulk at a very
high speed on a conventional collating machine.
Another object of the present invention is
to eliminate the need for a protective transfer tape
affixed to the adhesive on the closure flap of the
return envelope. Thus, an inventory of transfer
tapes need not be maintained and down time required
for changing reels of transfer tapes is saved.
A further ob~ect of the present invention
is to provide a protective element, i.e. a release
agent, which can be applied either in-line or
across-the-web so that unitary envelope
constructions incorporating return envelopes can use
either side or top flap openings for the return
envelopes.
One advantage of the present invention is
that only two chemical mixtures or solutions are
required, viz. an adhe~ive mixture which is extruded
onto the closure flap of the return envelope and a
release agent which is extruded onto the back side
of the end strip of the insert sheet that is
superimposed over the back side of the return
envelope. The adhesive mixture and the release
agent can be applied as the web of papers making up
the envelope construction is runnin~ in the
longitudinal direction, i.e. in a running extruded
stream as the web runs in-line. Also, the adhesive
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mixture and release agent can be applied in an
acro~s-the-web pattern which must be placed in
certain positions when return envelopes having top
flap openings are used.
Other objects and advantages of the present
invention will become more readily apparen~ from a
careful review oE the drawings described i~mediately
hereinbelow and from a study of the description of
the preferred embodiment given thereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows the envelope construction with
the left margin being torn off by a recipient.
FIG. 2 shows the contents being partially
removed from the outer envelope by the recipient.
FIG. 3 shows the contents completely
removed from the outer envelope with thumb notches
detached from the outer envelope which is about to
be discarded.
FIG. 4 shows that the contents inside the
outer envelope constitute inserted sheets in the
nature of a bill and a copy thereof. The contents
aso include a return envelope.
YIG. 5 shows the bill folded and being
inserted into the back side of the return envelope
with a check for payment. A copy of the bill being
retained by the recipient is shown with an end strip
having a release agent partially removed therefrom.
FIG. 6 shows the front side of the return
envelope with the closure flap sealed s'nut on the
back side thereof.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF T~E PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In Fig. l, a recipient of a piece of mail
is holding an envelope con~truction 10 and tearing
off a left margin 12 thereof.
In Fi~. 2, the recipient is holding the
envelope construction 10 at one end while the
contents are partially removed from an outer
envelope 14 at the other end.
In Fig. 3, the contents are completely
removed from the outer envelope 14 which has its
margins sealed at the ~ar end, the top edge, and the
bottom edge. Thumb notches 16, which have been
detached from the other end of the outer envelope
16, are about to be discarded.
In Fig. 4, the contents removed from the
outer envelope 14 are shown to include, in this
particular embodiment, inserted sheets in the nature
of a bill or statement 18, a copy 20 of the bill 18,
and a return envelope 22~ The copy 20 has an end
strip 24 detachable along a perforated line 26. A
release agent 28 is applied to the back side of the
end strip 24. The return envelope 2~ includes a
clo~ure flap 30 foldable along a fold line 32. The
closure flap 30 is provided with an adhesive 34
which seal~ the return envelope 22 when the closure
flap 30 is folded along the fold line 32. During
mailing and before sealing, the adhesive 34 on the
closure flap 34 is protected by the overlaying
release agent 28 on the end strip 24 of the copy 20
which is superimposed over the return envelope 22.
As shown in Fig. S, when the recipient
desires to pay the bill 18, he or she folds the bill
18 and enc}oses a check 36 or similar negotiable
instrument into the one end of the return envelope
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22. The copy 20 of the bill 18 is retained by the
recipient. If desired, the person may detach the
end strip 24 containing the protective release agent
2R by tearinq along the per~orated line 26 o the
copy 20 and then may discard the end strip 24. Once
the folded bill 18 and the check 36 are completely
inserted into the baGk side of the return envelope
~2, the closure flap 30 carrying the adhesive strip
34 may be folded along the fold line 32 so that the
closure ~lap 30 seals the onP end of the return
envelope 22.
In ~igO 6, the ~etusn en~lope 22 is turned
over and the front side is shown. The closu~e ~lap
30~ folded along fold line 32, is shown in phantom
lines. The adhesive strip 34 (not shown in Fig. 6)
on flap 30 seals the return envelope 22 shut with
the folded bill 18 and the check 36 talso not shown
in Fig. 6) contained inside.
As far as the materials involved are
concerned, they are all commercially available.
Examples of suitable pressure sensitive chemicals
which may be used for ~he adhesive strip 34 are S3R,
SIS (styrene isoprene styrene), acrylates, etc~
Mixtures whi~h may be selected for use as the
release agent 28 on the bac~ side of the end strip
24 are wax, silicone, polyethylene, etc.
~ he foregoing pr2ferred embodiment is
considered illustrative only. Numerous othe~
modifications and ch2nses will readily occur to
those~persons skilled in the paDer m2nifolding
art. Consequently, the disclosed invention is not
limited ~o the e~act construction and method of US2
shown and described hereinabove.
