Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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COMPUTER PRINTABLE DUAL NO. 10 ENVELOPE ASSEMBLY
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to laser printable envelopes.
Background of the Invention
In this age of computer printers, such as laser jet
printers and ink jet printers, the addressing of envelopes
remains a problem. In some offices, secretaries keep a
typewriter on hand just for addressing envelopes, for
example. Computer printers usually work best with 8i by
11 inch or longer sheets, although some feed trays are
equipped with moveable guides for handling reduced width
stock such as envelopes. However, for the printing of
substantial numbers of envelopes, it would be desirable to
use 82 x il inch or longer sheets.
One widely used envelope is the so-called No. 10
envelope which is 4 1/8 inches wide and 9i inches long.
It would be desirable to provide computer printable No. 10
envelopes.
One prior art patent, W.L. Rutkowski, U.S. Patent No.
4,807,805, granted February 28, 1989 and entitled "Dual
Envelope Sheet-Fed Assembly," shows two envelopes formed
on a double thickness sheet, with the envelopes extending
across in the narrower direction of the sheet. As
mentioned above, many computer printers will not accept
paper significantly wider than 82 inches, and thus would
not accommodate sheets as disclosed in this patent if the
envelopes were intended to be No. 10 envelopes, which
would have a length for the envelopes of 9z inches,
defining the minimum size of the shorter dimension of the
sheet.
Summary of the Invention
Accordingly, an important object of the invention is
to provide a computer or copier compatible multiple
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envelope sheet for forming No. 10 or similar size envelopes.
In accordance with one broad aspect of the invention, there is provided a
computer
printer or copier compatible dual envelope sheet assembly for use in a copier
or printer to
produce two addressed No. 10 envelopes. The dual envelope sheet assembly
comprises
upper sheet material forming the front of the two envelopes, and lower sheet
material
secured to said upper sheet material and forming the back of two envelopes.
The dual
envelope sheet assembly is approximately 8 1/2 inches wide and at least 9 1l2
inches long,
constituting two No. 10 envelopes extending longitudinally along said dual
envelope sheet,
and with the two envelopes being secured together for printing but readily
separable for
separate loading and mailing. The envelopes are side loaded and secured to a
under sheet
by temporary adhesive whereby the two No. 10 envelopes may be printed in a
computer
printer with a substantially 8 1l2 inch wide capacity feed nay.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the envelopes may be open at
one
end, with longitudinally extending flaps having an adhesive coating for
sealing the
envelopes.
In accordance with another aspect relating to certain embodiments of the
invention,
the two envelopes may be secured together by microperforations and
accompanying ties
extending longitudinally down the center of the dual envelope sheet assembly.
A feature of at least one embodiment of the invention is the initial formation
of the
envelopes by adhesively bonding along the longer edges thereof with adhesive.
One embodiment of the invention involves the use of a single sheet folded to
form
one end closure of each envelope and to form both the upper and lower sheet
material.
An advantage of several embodiments of the invention is that the two envelopes
may be addressed concurrently in a compute printer with the address printing
being
oriented in the same direction for both letters.
Also, in one embodiment of the invention, the flap of one of the envelopes may
be
tacked to the lower edge of the other envelope by a temporary or fugitive
adhesive, so that
the two envelopes form the dual envelope sheet assembly.
1n accordance with another broad aspect of the invention, there is provided a
computer printer or copier compatible dual envelope assembly for use in a
copier or printer
to produce two addressed No. 10 envelopes. The dual envelope sheet assembly
comprises:
a first No. 10 envelope, a second No. 10 envelope, and a carrier sheet secured
by fugitive
or temporary adhesive to the first and second No. 10 envelopes, whereby the
first and
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second No. 10 envelopes are secured together for printing but readily
separable for
separate loading and mailing. The dual envelope sheet assembly is
approximately 8 1/2
inches wide and at least 9 1/2 inches long, and includes the first and second
No. 10
envelopes both extending longitudinally along the dual envelope assembly. The7
two No.
10 envelopes may be printed in a computer printer with a substantially 81/2
inch wide
capacity feed tray.
In accordance with one feature, fugitive adhesive may be employed to either
secure
the envelopes directly together or to a carrier sheet.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the envelopes may be
provided
1o with water activated adhesive for sealing the envelopes, using a high
temperature stable
adhesive for avoiding contamination of the printer. Alternatively, the
adhesive for sealing
the envelope flaps may be heat resistant through the use of co-adhesive
materials, or
through the use of pressure sensitive adhesive material having a liner
covering the
adhesive.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent
from
a consideration of the following detailed description and from the
accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawing
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a dual envelope assembly illustrating the principles
of the
2o present invention;
Fig. 2 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of Fig. 1;
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Fig. 4 shows the dual envelope assembly of Fig. 1
onto which addresses have been applied;
Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the
invention;
Figs. 6 and 7 show a further alternative embodiment
of the invention;
Fig. 8 shows an additional embodiment of the
invention in which two envelopes are directly secured
together;
Figs . 9-11 show a further embodiment of the invention
in which a carrier sheet is employed; and
Fig. 12 shows a carrier sheet embodiment, in which
the carrier sheet extends over both ends of the envelopes.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the
Invention
Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a first
embodiment of a dual No. to envelope assembly in
accordance with the present invention. More specifically,
the assembly 12 includes an upper envelope 14 and a lower
envelope 16 secured together along the center line by
microperforations 18. The envelopes are sealed at their
upper edges, at their lower edges and on either side of
the microperforations 18 by permanent adhesive 20, as best
shown in Fig. 3. Similarly, the rear edges of the
envelopes 14 and 16 are sealed by a thin adhesive stripe
20, as shown in Fig. 2. The envelopes 14 and 16 are open
at one end for loading, and are provided with flaps 22, 24
for sealing the envelopes. The flaps 22, 24 are provided
with adhesive 26, 28, which is heat resistant, but which
may be moisture activated.
As noted above, the adhesive material 26, 28 is a
stable, water activated or moisture activated adhesive
which is not significantly affected by either heat or
exposure to high humidity. In this regard, it is noted
that so-called "natural" gum adhesives are not suitable
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for this purpose, as the relatively high heat of a few
hundred degrees to which the paper is subject in a laser
printer or by the hot rollers of a xerographic copying
machine, will produce contamination to the printer or the
copier from adhesives such as natural gum. There are
known adhesives which are moisture activated and are
relatively stable in that they are not activated by
temperatures of a few hundred degrees, or relatively high
humidity conditions. One such adhesive is available from
Adhesives Consultants Corporation, 25817 Clawiter Road,
Hayward, California 94545, under the tradename "Adcon
FS-6." This adhesive is a polyvinyl emulsion. As noted
above, other stable, moisture activated adhesives are
known and such other adhesive may be employed. In
addition, if desired, the envelopes 14, 16, of Fig. 1 may
be sealed by co-adhesive materials coated on both the
envelope and also on the flap, so that they are only
activated when the two types of materials are pressed
together. Alternatively, the flaps 22 and 24 may be
provided with pressure sensitive adhesive, spaced back
from the edges of the flap, and covered with a light
weight "liner" material for use while the envelope
assembly is passing through a laser printer. Later when
the envelopes are loaded and are ready to be sealed, the
liner is pulled off and the flaps 22, 24, with the exposed
pressure sensitive material is folded into engagement with
the backs of the envelopes which are facing up in the
showing of Fig. 1.
It may be noted that the assembly of Figs. 1-4 is
actually formed of two sheets of paper, each of which is
- approximately 8i" x 11" in size, with the upper sheet
being designated by the reference numeral 32 and the lower
sheet designated by the reference numeral 34 as shown in
Figs. 2 and 3. These two sheets 32 and 34 are held
together by permanent high temperature resistant adhesive
20, as discussed hereinabove, and this permanent adhesive
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is of the type which will not ooze or otherwise be
affected by the temperatures of a few hundred degrees
often encountered in laser printers or xerographic
copiers.
Incidentally, the line of perforations 18 is
preferably of the very fine type of perforations known as
"microperforations" in which the cuts and intervening ties
are spaced very close together in the order of more than
30 cuts and ties per inch, and preferably more than 50
cuts and ties per inch, so that the resulting surface is
very smooth and does not feel rough as might be the case
with ordinary perforations.
Fig. 4 shows the front of envelope 16, 14, as
compared with Fig. 1 which showed the rear surface of the
envelopes to which the flaps 22, 24 would be secured. In
Fig. 4, the flaps seal the envelopes by being folded
backward into the paper as shown in Fig. 4 to eventually
seal the envelopes. As shown in Fig. 4, the addresses on
the faces of the envelopes may be printed in the laser
printer or ink jet printer, or on the xerox machine with
the printing oriented in the same direction for both
envelopes. Subsequently to printing the envelopes, they
may be separated along the microperforations 18 to form
two distinct envelopes each of which may then be loaded,
and sealed.
Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the
invention in which a single longer sheet is folded to make
two No. 10 envelopes, each of which measures approximately
4 1/8" x 9?". In Fig. 5, a central line of
microperforations 42 extends for the full length of the
sheet. A high temperature stable, heat resistant -
permanent adhesive is located in the areas 44, 46, and 48,
to form the dual envelope assembly. A single sheet is
folded about the line 50 so as to form the closed end of
the envelope. The flaps 52 and 54 are left open, while
the envelopes are being addressed, and then, following
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loading of the envelopes, they are sealed. The adhesive
56, 58 is a high temperature stable heat resistant
adhesive which is preferably water moistenable, as
discussed hereinabove. Alternatively, the co-adhesive or
the use of pressure sensitive adhesive with a liner, may
be employed.
In practice, the dual envelope assembly of Fig. 5 is
prepared for printing by folding the portion of the sheet
to the left of the fold line 50 in Fig. 5 over to the
right, and the two flaps 46 and 48 are then sealed over
the inwardly folded back sheet, to form two envelopes,
with the microperforations 42 between these two envelopes.
Then, following printing, the envelopes are separated and
loaded, after which the tabs or flaps 52 and 54 are sealed
shut.
Concerning the embodiment of Fig. 5, instead of
permanently sealing the flaps 46, 48 and loading the
envelope at the end flaps 52, 54, the functions of these
two sets of flaps may be reversed. Specifically, the end
flaps 52, 54 may be permanently sealed closed, as the left
hand sheet as shown in Fig. 5 is folded inward and sealed
by adhesive stripe 44. The adhesive for sealing flaps 52,
54 closed may be of any permanent type. Following
formation of the envelopes as noted above, the envelopes
may be computer printed, preferably with the flaps 46, 48
folded into the envelopes during the printing process.
The flaps 46 and 48 would be provided with adhesive
coatings which are of a high temperature stable type such
as the water activated or other types of adhesive
discussed hereinabove, for final envelope sealing flaps.
- Fig. 6 shows another alternative embodiment of the
invention in which an upper sheet 62, and lower sheets 64
~ and 66 are employed. Extending down through the center of
the upper sheet 62 are the microperforations 68. The
upper and lower sheets are held together by the adhesive
coating 70. For convenience in illustration, the adhesive
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material 70 is shown on the upper surface of the upper
sheet 62, but it is actually on the lower surface of sheet
62, as better shown in Fig. 7. The ends of the envelopes
shown at the upper right in Fig. 6 are permanently sealed _
together, while the ends at the lower left are open for
loading.
Concerning the open end of each of the envelopes, the
upper surfaces of the lower sheets 64 and 66 may be
provided with areas of silicone release material 72 to
ensure that there is no adherence to the adhesive on the
lower surface of the upper sheet 62. The ends of the
lower sheets 64 and 66 are then removed by separation
along the microperforation lines 74 and 76. The lower
left hand ends of the sheet 62 are formed into two sealing
flaps by removing the areas 78 and 80 along the
microperforation lines 82 and 84. Following loading of
the envelopes, after separation along the microperforation
line 68, the envelopes may be sealed by moistening the
adhesive areas 86 and 88. With the flaps carrying the
adhesive material 86 and 88 being moistened and folded
down over the lower portion of each of the sheets 64, 66,
the envelopes may then be mailed. Incidentally, of
course, the upper surface of the sheet 62, constituting
the front of each envelope, will have been previously
addressed in a printer.
Fig. 8 represents yet another embodiment of the
invention in which two ordinary No. 10 envelopes 92 and 94
may be secured together by dots of fugitive adhesive 96
which are located on the flap of the lower envelope 94,
holding this flap to the rear side of the envelope 92.
"Fugitive" adhesive is a well known type of adhesive which -
is employed for the temporary bonding of paper, and,
following one use, virtually disappears when the two .
sheets of paper are pulled apart. Two sources of fugitive
adhesives are Pafra fugitive adhesive type BR4297, with
Pafra, Inc. being located at 260 Route 46 East, Fairfield,
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New Jersey 0'70b4; and Swift Type 98341 fugitive adhesive
with Swift Adhesives being a division of Reichold
Chemicals Inc. located at 3100 Wood Creek Drive, P.O. Box
1456, Downers Grove, Illinois. As in prior cases, the
flaps on the envelopes 92 and 94 would be provided with
a
high temperature stable adhesive of any of the types
mentioned hereinabove. Incidentally, the two envelopes as
shown in Fig. 8, each of which has a height of about 4 1/8
inches, may be held together by the fugitive adhesive 96
l0 so that the assembly is 82 inches by 92 inches in overall
measurements.
The embodiment of Figs. 9-11 uses two standard No. 10
envelopes 102 and 104, mounted on a carrier sheet 106.
Each of the two No. 10 envelopes 102 and 104 measures 4
1/8" x 92", and the sheet 106 may have an overall size of
8Z" x 13", as shown in Fig. 9, prior to folding. As shown
in Figs. 10 and 11, the envelopes 102 and 104 may be
secured to the carrier sheet 106 by dots of fugitive
adhesive 108 which are located at the left hand end of the
2o dual envelope assembly. In addition, the right hand end
of the carrier sheet 106 may be folded over as indicated
at 110 to form a folded sheet which is 82" x 11" in size.
Accordingly, the overlapping area 110 which is folded back
over the ends of envelopes 102, 104, may be 2" in length.
Additional dots 112 of fugitive adhesive may be provided
to secure the envelopes to the carrier sheet. In use, the
folded over end of the assembly of Fig. 10 would be fed
through the printer first.
Fig. 12 shows an alternative embodiment of the
invention using a carrier sheet 122, with its two ends
- 124, 126 folded back over the ends of the two No. 10
envelopes 128, 130. The two No. 10 envelopes 128, 130 may
be separate and held in place by the dots of fugitive
adhesive 132. Alternatively, the two No. 10 envelopes
128, 130 may be secured together by microperforations
along their common central line 134.
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In the foregoing detailed description and in the
accompanying drawings, certain preferred embodiments of
the invention have been shown and described, for
facilitating the printing of a pair of No. l0 envelopes in
printers, such as laser or ink jet printers, or in
xerographic copying machines. However, it is to be
understood that various modifications and alterations may
be accomplished by those skilled in the art without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention. Specifically, the concept involves the
printing of two No. 10 envelopes which are normally 4 1/8"
by 92" mounted together in an assembly, so that they may
be readily printed in a laser printer, an ink jet printer
or other computer printer or xerographic copier. In
particular, various arrangements using fugitive adhesive,
microperforations, and similar constructional features as
described herein, along with heat resistant adhesives~are
contemplated. Accordingly, the present invention is not
limited to the precise embodiments described hereinabove
and shown in the drawings.
