Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02275375 1999-06-18
MULTIPLE-POCKET ENVELOPE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to multiple-pocket
envelopes, and more particularly to envelopes having multiple
pockets for use in mailing documents.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
When mailing two or more groups of documents, it is
often desirable to separate the documents into separate
compartments within the envelope. Such a situation arises,
for example when a bank mails bank statements and cancelled
cheques to its customers in one envelope.
Compartmented envelopes are well known. One such
envelope is a paper envelope having gussets on the side to
accommodate bulky material. The envelope is provided with a
smaller pocket affixed to an inside surface of the envelope.
A single flap extending from the front of the envelope folds
over the top of the envelope to close the openings for both
the main envelope as well as the smaller pocket. When closed,
the flap is affixed to the back of the envelope. Such an
envelope is expensive to produce since the addition of
gusseting, which is necessary so that the envelope can
accommodate bulkier items, is expensive.
Use of a flexible plastic envelope to avoid the
necessity for gusseting is also known. However, known plastic
envelopes have separate closures for each of the compartments,
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which again adds to the cost of the envelope.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a broad aspect, the present invention
provides a rectangular envelope made of flexible plastic, the
envelope comprising a front panel affixed to a rear panel to
define a first pocket having a first opening, a subsidiary
panel affixed to an outside surface of the front panel, the
subsidiary panel and the front panel defining a second pocket
having a second opening, the second opening substantially
overlying the first opening, a portion of the rear panel
extending above the first opening defining a flap for folding
over both the first opening and the second opening thus
closing both openings, and closure means for affixing the flap
to an outside surface of the subsidiary panel.
Advantageously, the envelope according to the
present invention may be more inexpensively produced than
present known compartmented envelopes. The flexible plastic
used to manufacture the envelope allows large volumes of
materials to be placed within the envelope without the need
for gusseting or other means to accommodate the additional
volume while at the same time, the use of one flap to close
both pockets negates the need for multiple closures to seal
each of the compartments.
Other objects, features and advantages will be
apparent from the following detailed description taken in
connection with the accompanying sheets of drawings.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will
now be described with reference to the attached drawings in
which:
Figure 1 is a front view of an envelope according to
a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the envelope
of figure 1 taken along 2-2, with the thickness of the
envelope greatly exaggerated for clarity.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A multiple-pocket envelope 10 according to an
embodiment of the present invention is shown in figures 1 and
2. The envelope 10 consists generally of a front panel 12 and
rear panel 14 which together define a first pocket 16, and a
subsidiary panel 18 affixed to the front panel 12 to define a
second pocket 20. An extension of the rear panel above a top
edge of the front panel forms a flap 22 which provides a
closure for the two pockets 16 and 20. The envelope is
rectangular, the top edge of the envelope being shorter than
its side edges.
The front panel 12 is co-extensive with the rear
panel 14, except for the flap 22 portion of the rear panel
which extends above the top edge of the front panel as
described above. The front panel is affixed to the rear panel
14 along left, right and bottom edges of the front panel by
gluing, melt-sealing, or other suitable means. The front and
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rear panels 12 and 14 are of sufficient size to create a first
pocket 16 capable of accommodating the size and volume of
documents to be placed therein. In this embodiment, the front
and rear panels 12 and 14 are of sufficient size to create a
first pocket large enough to accommodate a document which is
7" x 9~". The front and rear panels 12 and 14 are opaque, and
are constructed of a flexible plastic strong enough to
accommodate the documents to be placed in the first pocket 16
without tearing, puncture or excessive deformation.
The subsidiary panel 18 is affixed to an outside
surface of the front panel 12 along the subsidiary panel's
left, right and bottom edges by gluing, melt-sealing, or other
suitable means. The subsidiary panel 18 may be of any size
equal to, or smaller than the front panel 12, but the top of
the second pocket 20 must substantially overlie the top of the
first pocket 16, though a top edge of the subsidiary panel 18
may be slightly below the top of the first pocket 16 to allow
greater ease in opening the second pocket 20. In the
preferred embodiment, the subsidiary panel 18 is of sufficient
size to create a second pocket 20 large enough to accommodate
a document 7" in width and 3 7/8" in height. The subsidiary
panel 18 is constructed of a flexible plastic strong enough to
accommodate the documents to be placed in the second pocket 20
without tearing, puncture or excessive deformation. In the
preferred embodiment, the subsidiary panel 18 is constructed
of a lighter weight plastic than that used for the front 12
and rear 14 panels since the second pocket 20 is only intended
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to hold a few sheets of paper. In the preferred embodiment,
the subsidiary panel 18 is also initially transparent, and is
overprinted throughout most of its outside surface with opaque
material 24, leaving two transparent windows 26, as well as a
1" transparent strip 28 along its top. The use of a
selectively overprinted transparent material to form a panel
with a transparent window, is less expensive than the usual
method for producing a panel with a window which consists of
gluing transparent plastic over a hole defined in an opaque
panel. The transparent windows 26 allow selected information
on a document placed in the second pocket 20 to be seen from
the outside of the envelope 10, while the transparent strip 28
allows improved adhesion of an adhesive strip 30 on the flap
22 when the flap is folded downward. The overprinting may
also include indicia such as branding, a return address or
opening instructions.
The flap 22 is of sufficient height to allow it to
be folded downward and to extend over the front of the
subsidiary panel 18 to seal both the first 16 and second 20
pockets. In the preferred embodiment, the flap 22 is 1~~ in
height. The flap 22 is provided with closure means to
permanently affix the flap to the front of the subsidiary
panel 18. In the preferred embodiment, a thin strip of
adhesive 30 is provided across the width of the flap 22, with
a removable protective strip (not shown) provided on top of
the adhesive strip to protect the adhesive strip prior to use.
The flap 22 is preferably opaque such that when the flap is
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extended over the front of the subsidiary panel 18, it covers
confidential material at the top of documents placed within
the second pocket 20, which might otherwise be seen through
the lighter plastic used for the subsidiary panel 18. The
interface between the flap 22 and rear panel 14 may be
provided with a perforation for ease of opening, if security
of the documents to be placed in the envelope 10 is not
important.
In use, documents are placed in each of the first 16
and second 20 pockets. The front of the document in the
second pocket 20 bears address information for the sender and
recipient at locations coinciding with the locations of the
windows 26 on the subsidiary panel 18, such that these
addresses may be seen from the outside of the envelope 10.
The removable protective strip is then removed from the
adhesive strip 30, the flap 22 is folded over the top of the
first and second pockets 16 and 20, and affixed to the front
of the subsidiary panel 18. To gain access to the documents
in the envelope, the junction between the flap 22 and the
remainder of the rear panel 14 is cut open.
Although the front 12 and rear 14 panels, as well as
the subsidiary panel 18 are described as being substantially
opaque, it is to be understood that one or more of these
panels may be translucent or transparent to allow the contents
of the first 16 and/or second 20 pocket to be seen from the
outside of the envelope 10.
Although the flap 22 is also described as being
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opaque, it is to be understood that the flap may be
transparent to allow the contents of the second pocket 20 be
more easily viewed from the outside of the envelope 10.
Although the second pocket 20 is described and
illustrated as being significantly smaller than the first
pocket 16, it is to be understood that the second pocket may
be only slightly smaller, the same size as, or bigger than the
first pocket.
Although the flexible plastic used for the
l0 subsidiary panel 18 is described as being lighter than that
used for the front panel 12, it is to be understood that the
plastic used for the subsidiary panel may be the same weight,
or heavier than that used for the front panel, to accommodate
heavier or bulkier items. Similarly, the plastic used for the
rear panel 14 may be lighter than, the same weight as, or
heavier than that used for the front panel.
Although the flap 22 is described as having an
adhesive strip 30 provided thereon to affix the flap to the
front of the subsidiary panel 18, it is to be understood that
20 the adhesive strip may be provided on the front of the
subsidiary panel 18 instead.
Although the subsidiary panel 18 is described as
having two windows 26, it is to be understood that the
subsidiary panel may have no windows, one window, or many
windows. Similarly, the rear panel 14 may have no windows,
one window, or many windows.
Although the envelope 10 is described as having a
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top edge shorter than side edges, it is to be understood that
the top edge may be the same length as, or longer than the
side edges.
Numerous modifications and variations of the present
invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is
therefore to be understood that within the scope of the
appended claims, the invention may be practised otherwise than
as specifically described herein.
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