Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ONE-PIECE MAILER AND APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SAME
This invention relates to a one piece mailer
and to an apparatus for folding a one-piece mailer.
More particularly, this invention relates to a one-piece
mailer, an assembly of one-piece mailers and an
apparatus for folding and sealing a one-piece mailer.
Heretofore, various types of one-piece
constructions have been known for the fabrication of a
mailer. For example, U.S. Patent 4,055,294 describes a
continuous web from which a series of connected one-
piece assemblies are constructed. In this case, various
lines of perforations are provided in the web so that
the web may be folded about a lon~1tudinal score line so
that one portion overlies another portion of the web in
order to define return envelope pockets therebetween.
Other lines of per:forations are also provided to permit
the remaining web portion to be folded over the
previously folded portions to form a series of three-ply
mailers. In this construction, use is made of a
previously applied hot-melt adhesive in order to secure
the folded over portions together.
Other types of assemblies have also been
known wherein various plies of a mailer are folded over
on each other and secured in place by an adhesive.
However/ these adhesives tend to be hot melt adhesives
or other heat activated adhesives.
In tne case where users process streams of
mailers, for example of the interconnected type, through
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laser printers, a difficulty arises in the su~sequent
folding and sealing of the mailers into a condition
suitable for mailing. Specificallyp the folding
equipment requires some form of heater in order to
activate ~he hot melt glues so as to form a sealed
envelope. Such constructions tend to be relatively
costly.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention
to provide a one-piece mailer of simple construction
which can be readily folded and sealed in a simple,
economical manner.
It is another object of the invention to
provide a simple and economic apparatus for the folding
and sealing of one-piece mailers.
Briefly, the invention provides a one piece
mailer blank having contiguous sections disposed for
folding over on each other and wherein each section has
a pair of remoistenable glue strips along the respective
longitudinal edges for bonding the facing sections
together when folded. The mailer may be constructed
with two or three foldable sections. In addition, the
mailer blank may be provided with one or two transverse
fold lines to permit subsequent folding of a blank into
a two-ply mailer or three-ply mailer.
The one-piece mailer may also have
remoistenable glue disposed near a transverse edge for
bonding to the other sections. Whether the mailer is a
two-ply or three-ply mailer, this glue serves to seal
the mailer transversely across the mailer without
leaving a gap which might be inadvertently opened.
The invention also provides a mailer assembly
having a plurality of interconnected one~piece mailer
blanks which are separated from each other by transverse
burstable lines of weakening. In this respect, the
mailer assembly is of one~ply construction and is
provided with removable strips of control holes along.
the longitudinal edges to facilitate feeding through
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various types of automatic machinery, for example, a
laser printer.
After the mailer assembly has been processed,
for example, through a laser printer which provides the
mailer with information, such as an address of a
recipient, address of a sender and other information,
each mailer blank is separated from the assembly, if
continuous, by bursting along a transverse line of
weakening. Thereafter, water is applied to the edges of
each mailer to activate the glue strips and the blank is
folded with the folded over sections being pressed
together in order to effect a bonding of the sections
together via the water-activated glue strips.
When the blanks also have glue along a
transverse edge, this glue is also activated by the
application of water along the transverse edge prior to
folding of the blank. When the blank is folded, the
remoistened glue effects a bonding of the transverse
edge to a facing mailer section.
The invention also provides an apparatus for
folding and sealing the mailer blanks into mailers.
This apparatus includes a feed means for receiving and
conveying a one-piece mailer blank with remoistenable
glue strips thereon, means for applyin~ water to at
least one side of the conveyed mailer blank along each
longitudinal edge in order to activate th~ glue means
for folding the sections of the mailer blank into
overlying relation while pressing the opposed
longitudinal edges together in order to permit the
activated glue strips to bond the edges together and
form a sealed unit.
The folding apparatus may be of generally
conventional structure modified to have a means for
applying water to the edge areas of the conveyed mailer
blanks. In this regard, the means for applying the
water may include a water reservoir disposed below the
conveyed mailer blanks and an applicator, such as a
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rotatably mounted wheel or capillary brush, for
transferring water from the reservoir to the underside
of a conveyed blank. Alternatively, the means for
applying the water may include a water reservoir and a
nozzle which communicates with the reservoir and is
directed towards a conveyed blank for transferring water
to the conveyed blank by pressure or by gravity.
Where the blanks are provided with glue along
a transverse edge, the folding apparatus also includes a
similar means for applying water to the conveyed blanks
along the transverse edge.
These and other objects and advantages of the
invention will become more apparent from the following
detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompany drawings wherein:
Fig. 1 illustrates a plan view of a one-piece
mailer blank constructed in accordance with the
invention;
Fig. 2 illustrates the position of the blank
of Fig. 1 as conveyed within a folding machine in
accordance with the invention;
Fig. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the
manner in which the blank of Fiy. 1 is folded in the
folding machine in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a
one piece mailer in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 5 illustrates a view of a continuous
mailer assembly in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 6 illustrates a folding machine
incorporating a plurality of water applicators in
accordance with the invention;
Fig. 7 illustrates a modified means for
applying water to the underside of a one-piece mailer
blank in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 8 illustrates a further modified means
for applyiny water to a conveyed mailer blank;
Fig. 9 illustrates a modified means for
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applying water to a mailer which operates under gravity;
FIG. 10 illustrates a modified folding machine for
activating glue on a transverse edge of a blank;
FIG. 11 illustrates a view of a mailer blank having
remoistenable glue spots at a transverse edge; and
FIG. 12 illustrates a view of a mailer blank having a
shaped flap with remoistenable glue.
Referring to FIG. 1, the one-piece mailer is formed
from a flat blank 10 of rectangular shape which is divided into
thrée longitudinally disposed contiguous sections 11, 12, 13 by
transverse fold lines 14, 15, a pair of longitudinal perforations
16, or other like lines of weakening extended along the blank 10
approximately one-half (1/2) inch from the respective
longitudinal edges. Each section 11, 12, 13 is also provided
with a pair of remoistenable glue strips 17 along and between
each respective longitudinal edge and a perforation 16. For
example, each glue strip is 1/2 inch wide for a blank having a
width of 8 1/2 inches. The remoistenable glue is made of any
suitable gluP which can be reactivatedl with water such as a vinyl
copolymer dispersion adhesive, such glue having heat resistant
qualities (in excess of 400 F.) and providing lay-flat
characteristics to the mailer blank to which it is applied.
Referring to FIG. 5, the mailer assembly 18 is formed
of a plurality of interconnected one-piece mailer blanks 10 which
are separated by transverse burstable lines of weakening 19. In
addition, the assembly 18 includes longitudinal strips 20 which
are provided with control holes 21, for example for feeding
through a laser printer for the application of information to the
various mailer blanks 10.
As indicated in FIG. 1, each mailer blank 10 can be
imprinted with information such that the upper two sections 11,
12, as viewed, form a voucher including the address of a
recipient while the lower section 13 is printed as a check. In
this case, the lower fold line
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15 is made as a line of weakening, e.g., a pe~foration,
to permit the section 13 to be subsequently separated
from the section 12. In addition, the backside of the
mailer blank 10 may be provided with information, such
as the return address of a sender, for example in one
corner of the middle section 12. In addition, the
middle section 12 may be provided with a cut-out 22 and
an overlying plastic film 23 to permit viewing of a
printed address of the recipient on one section 13.
After feeding the mailer assembly 18 through the
printer, the longitudinal strips 20 may be removed and,
thereafter, the individual mailer blanks 10 can be
separated from the assembly 18 by bursting across the
lines of weakening 19.
After being burst from the mailer assembly
18, each mailer blank 10 can be delivered to a folding
and sealing machine or apparatus 24. In this regard, as
indicated in Fig. 6, the machine 24 includes a tray 25
for receiving a stack of mailer blanks 10, means 26 for
applying water to at least one side of the blank 10
along each longitudinal edge in orcler to activate the
glue and means (not shown) for folcling the sections 11,
12, 13 into overlying relation while pressing the
opposed or facing longitudinal edges together to permit
the activated glue strips 17 to bond the edges together.
The machine 24 is of conventional structure
and need not be further described. For example, in the
case of a machine sold by A. B. ~ick as a Desk Top
Folding Machine, Model 52, a feed means 27 in the form
of a friction feed roller (Fig. 2) is provided to
individually convey the blanks 10 from the tray 25.
The means 26 for applying water includes a
pair of water reservoirs 28 each of which is mounted on
the machine 24, a plastic tube 29 for delivering water
from the reservoir 28 and an applicator 30 for
transferring water from the respective reservoir 28 via
the tube 29 to the edge of the conveyed blank 10. In
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this regard, as indicated in Fig. 2, each blank lO is
conveyed with the glue side facing the respective
applicator 30.
Referring to Fig. 2, each water applicator 30
is in the form of a rotatably mounted wheel 31 which is
capable of picking up water from a reservoir 32 for
application to the underside of the blank lO.
Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 7, the
applicator may be a brush 33 which extends upwardly from
the reservoir 32 for wetting the conveyed blank 9 by
capillary action.
As indicated in Fig. 8, the water applicator
may be in the form of a nozzle 34 which communicates
with the reservoir 32 so as to spray water onto the
blank lO. Still further, as indicated in Fig. 9, the
reservoir 32 may be disposed above the plane of the
blank lO so that water is fed by gravity through the
nozzle 34.
Referring to Fig. 3, the means for folding
the sections ll, 12, 13 of the blank lO is of
conventional structure which employs folding plates
which function to fold the blanks lO on each other to
form a three-ply mailer`35, for example, as shown in
~ig. 4. The mailer 35 can then be mailed in a
conventional manner.
As indicated in Fig~ 3, once the glue strips
17 have been activated by the application of water, the
: check forming section 13 is folded up against the middle
section 12 with the respective glue strips in facing
relation to each other. Thereafter, the remaining
section 11 can be folded up so that the glue strips 17
thereon face an unglued surface of the section 13.
During pressing of the sections together along the
edges, the glue serves to bond the sections together
: 35 into a sealed unit at the ends of the mailer 34.
Of note, depending on the folding machine,..
the water applicators may be positioned to apply water
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to the downside of a blank as in Fig. 2 or the upside of
a blank. In either case, the glue strips would be in
facing relation to the applicators.
Referring to Fig. 4, when a recipient
receives the mailer 35, both edges may be torn off along
the overlying perforations 16 so as to permit the
remainder to be opened flat. The lower section 13 can
then be removed along the perforations 15 where made as
a check.
Referring to Fig. 11, wherein like reference
characters indicate like parts as above, the mailer
blank 10 may also be provided with remoistenable glue in
the form of a cross-web array of glue dots 17' disposed
near a transverse edge, i.e. the top edge as viewed, of
the upper section 11. These glue dots 17' are made of
!,~1i~l, the same glue as the glue strips 17. Alternatively, the
dots 17' may be replaced by blocks or a line of glues.
Referring to Fig. 10, the machines 24 may
also include means 26' for applying water to the blank
10 along a transverse top edge, as viewed, in order to
activate the glue dots 17' which may be present as shown
; ~ in Fig. 11. In this case, the water applying means 26'
;, includes a reservoir 28' which is mounted at the upper
end of a tray 35 for the folding means (not shown).
As above, a plastic tube 29' extends from the
reservoir 28' to an applicator (not shown~ positioned
under and in line with holes 36 in the tray 35 in order
- to transfer water to the leading transverse edge of a
conveyed blank 10 on which the glue dots 17' are
disposed. As indic~ted, suitable stops 37 are provided
to stop movement of the blanks from the tray 35.
After a blank 10 has been moistened along two
longitudinal edges and the one transverse edge, the
sections 11, 12, 13 are folded and pressed, as above,
with the remoistenable glue dots 17' of the top sectlon
11 facing and bonding to the unglued surface of the
check forming section 13. A completely sealed unit is
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g
then obtained, i.e. a unit which is sealed at-the sides
as well as across the top (or bottom as the case may
be).
Referring to Fig, 12, the one-piece mailer 38
may be provided with lines 39 of remoistenable glue
rather than stripes of glue as illustrated in Fig. 1.
Further, a transverse line 40 of glue may also be
provided at the upper edge.
As indicated in Fig. 12, the mailer blank 38
may also be shaped in a manner so that the lower two
sections 41, 42 form the front and back of a return
mailer while the uppermost section 43 forms a flap for
closing the return mailer. In this case, the lower
sections 41, 42 are separated by a transverse fold line
44 while the flap 43 is separated from the section 42 by
a similar transverse fold line 45.
The flap 43 may be shaped as illustrated so
as to have two shouldered portions 46 above the fold
line 45 and a contoured closing portion 47 containing
the transverse line 40 of glue.
The mailer 38 may be folded in a similar
manner to the mailers described above with respect to
Fig. 10. In this case, each mailer 38 is moistened
along the longitudinal edges as we:Ll as along the upper
edge to activate the remoistenable lines 39, 40 of glue.
During folding, the lower two sections 41, 42 are folded
together about the fold line 44 while the flap section
43 is folded down over the back of the lower section 41
to form a closed mailer which can then be mailed in the
usual manner. One advantage of this construction is
that the resulting mailer has the appearances of a
conventional envelope.
As an alternative, the individual mailers may
be "chopped" from a continuous web of paper so that the
contour of the upper edge forming the flap section 43 is
cut at the same time as the lower edge is being cut. .In
this wayr not only is the flap section formed with a
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contour shape, but also the lower edge is formed with a
recessed portion of mating shape. Thus, when the mailer
is subsequently opened by means of the flap being peeled
back or otherwise removed, the recess provides access
into the pocket formed by the remaining two sections of
the mailer.
The invention thus provides a relatively~.
simple apparatus for the folding and sealing of one
piece blanks into a mailer construction~ Further, since
the apparatus requires a rather inexpensive water
applicator, the overall costs of making and using such
an apparatus are at a relative minimum, for example as
compared with folding equipment which require heaters in
order to activate a hot melt glue on a mailer blank.
Still further, since a remoistenable glue can be used,
the costs of fabricating the one-piece mailer can be
held to a minimum.
