U.S. patent application number 10/773175 was filed with the patent office on 2005-08-11 for reusable protective envelope.
This patent application is currently assigned to Cantar/Polyair Inc.. Invention is credited to Bartlett, Chris C., Livey, Gordon C..
Application Number | 20050173506 10/773175 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34826724 |
Filed Date | 2005-08-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050173506 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bartlett, Chris C. ; et
al. |
August 11, 2005 |
Reusable protective envelope
Abstract
An envelope is disclosed which includes a front panel and a rear
panel. Each of the front and rear panels are made from an outer
layer and an inner cushioning layer formed from a plastic
air-cellular material. The front panel is connected to the rear
panel along a bottom edge and a pair of side edges. A folding flap
is connected to a top edge of the rear panel. The flap includes a
number of separable portions. Each of the separable portions has an
adhesive layer on an adjacent surface thereof. The flap is movable
between a closed position where a selected separable portion is
adhered to the front panel, and an open position where the flap is
separated from the selected separable portion. The flap may be
repeatedly closed and opened by sequentially adhering and
separating the separable portions in a proximal direction.
Inventors: |
Bartlett, Chris C.;
(Mississauga, CA) ; Livey, Gordon C.; (Toronto,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BERESKIN AND PARR
40 KING STREET WEST
BOX 401
TORONTO
ON
M5H 3Y2
CA
|
Assignee: |
Cantar/Polyair Inc.
Toronto
CA
|
Family ID: |
34826724 |
Appl. No.: |
10/773175 |
Filed: |
February 9, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/301 ;
229/307; 229/80 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 27/06 20130101;
Y02W 30/80 20150501; B65D 27/14 20130101; Y02W 30/807 20150501 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/301 ;
229/307; 229/080 |
International
Class: |
B65D 027/06 |
Claims
1. An envelope comprising: a) a front panel and a rear panel, each
of the front and rear panels comprising an outer layer and an inner
cushioning layer, the inner cushioning layer comprising a plastic
air-cellular material; b) a bottom edge; c) a pair of opposing side
edges, wherein the front panel is connected to the rear panel along
the bottom edge and the side edges; and d) a flap foldably
connected to a top edge of the rear panel, the flap comprising a
plurality of separable portions, each of the separable portions
comprising an adhesive layer on an adjacent surface thereof,
wherein the flap is movable between a closed position where a
selected separable portion is adhered to the front panel, and an
open position where the flap is separated from the selected
separable portion, wherein the flap is adapted to be repeatedly
closed and opened by sequentially adhering and separating the
separable portions in a proximal direction.
2. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the inner cushioning layer
comprises: a) a first layer of plastic film defining a plurality of
spaced-apart concave cavities and a plurality of land areas between
the concave cavities; and b) a second layer of plastic film bonded
to the first layer along the land areas; wherein the first layer is
bonded to the outer layer along a distal portion of the concave
cavities.
3. The envelope of claim 2, wherein the front and rear panels are
integrally constructed and the bottom edge comprises a fold.
4. The envelope of claim 3, wherein each of the side edges
comprises a heat seal strip.
5. The envelope of claim 4, wherein the flap further comprises at
least one tear strip, the tear strip being located between adjacent
ones of the plurality of separable portions.
6. The envelope of claim 5, wherein the flap further comprises a
keeper strip substantially covering the adhesive layer of each
separable portion, thereby preventing the separable portions from
adhering to the front panel until selected.
7. The envelope of claim 6, wherein the flap is integrally
constructed with the outer layer of the rear panel, wherein the top
edge comprises a fold.
8. The envelope of claim 7, wherein the flap comprises two
separable portions, wherein the tear strip is located between the
two separable portions.
9. The envelope of claim 2, wherein the first and second layer are
formed from low density polyethylene.
10. The envelope of claim 9, wherein the outer layer is corona
treated.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to envelopes, and in particular to
protective reusable envelopes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Reusable envelopes are well known in the art. One such
envelope is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,916 to Santangelo.
Santangelo discloses a flap hinged to the envelope. The flap
includes a number of panels separated by tear strips. Each of the
panels has a layer of adhesive on its underside. The first time the
envelope is used the lowermost panel is adhered to the envelope for
closure thereof. The envelope is opened by tearing along the
adjacent tear strip. The recipient can reuse the envelope by
adhering the adjacent panel.
[0003] The envelope disclosed in Santangelo has a disadvantage. It
is made of a single sheet of paper. Consequently, the envelope is
not capable of providing protection to delicate or fragile objects
which may be placed in the envelope.
[0004] Accordingly, there is a need for a reusable envelope which
provides protection for delicate or fragile contents during
transport.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An envelope is provided. The envelope comprises a front
panel and a rear panel. Each of the front and rear panels comprises
an outer layer and an inner cushioning layer formed from a plastic
air-cellular material. The front panel is connected to the rear
panel along a bottom edge and a pair of opposing side edges. A flap
is foldably connected to a top edge of the rear panel. The flap
comprises a plurality of separable portions. Each of the separable
portions includes an adhesive layer on an adjacent surface thereof.
The flap is movable between a closed position where a selected
separable portion is adhered to the front panel, and an open
position where the flap is separated from the selected separable
portion. The flap is adapted to be repeatedly closed and opened by
sequentially adhering and separating the separable portions in a
proximal direction.
[0006] Preferably, the inner cushioning layer comprises: a) a first
layer of plastic film defining a plurality of spaced-apart concave
cavities and a plurality of land areas between the concave
cavities; and b) a second layer of plastic film bonded to the first
layer along the land areas. The first layer is bonded to the outer
layer along a distal portion of the concave cavities.
[0007] The present invention provides the advantage of a reusable
envelope which is capable of improved protection of fragile or
delicate contents.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] In the accompanying drawings:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an envelope according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a rear plan view of the preferred embodiment;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view of an envelope
panel according to the preferred embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred
embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a front plan view of the preferred embodiment in
the closed position; and
[0014] FIG. 6 is a front plan view of the preferred embodiment in
the open position after one use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] FIG. 1 shows an envelope 10 according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the envelope 10 includes a
front panel 12 and a rear panel 14. The panels are joined at
opposing side edges 16, 18 and at a bottom edge 20. Preferably, the
front and rear panels 12, 14 are integrally constructed from a
single sheet of a composite material (described in detail below),
which is folded at bottom edge 20. The front and rear panels 12, 14
are bonded together at side edges 16, 18 by any suitable means,
such as being heat sealed along heat seal strips 22. The front and
rear panels 12, 14 define a storage space (not shown) between them
which is accessed through a top portion 24 of the envelope 10.
[0017] Referring now to FIG. 3, the composite material (from which
the front and rear panels 12, 14 are formed) includes an outer
layer 30 and an inner cushioning layer 32. The outer layer 32 is
preferably constructed from polyethylene, and may be corona treated
if required for display of writing or illustrations (such as
branding).
[0018] The inner cushioning layer 32 is formed from an air-cellular
material, which is itself formed from a first layer 34 and a second
layer 36. The first layer 34 is a plastic film in which a plurality
of spaced apart concave cavities 38 are formed. The second layer 36
of plastic film is a substantially planar layer which is
superimposed onto the first layer 34 and heat laminated onto land
areas 37 of first layer 34 which surround the concave cavities 38.
First and second layers 34, 36 may be formed of any suitable
thermoplastic film, such as low density polyethylene. Such films
are well-known and commercially available.
[0019] The inner cushioning layer 32 is bonded to the outer layer
30 by heat laminating the distal portions 39 of the concave
cavities 38 to the outer layer 30.
[0020] Referring again to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, a flap 40 is connected
to a top edge 41 of rear panel 14. Preferably, the flap 40 is
formed out of the same material as the outer layer 30 and is
constructed integrally with the outer layer 30 of rear panel 14.
Preferably, the top edge 41 is a fold to permit the flap 40 to open
and close.
[0021] Continuing to refer to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the flap 40
includes a plurality of separable portions 42. For convenience, the
embodiment illustrated and described herein includes two separable
portions: a distal separable portion 42a and a proximal separable
portion 42b. As used herein "distal" means the portion of the flap
40 furthest away from the fold 41, and "proximal" means the portion
of the flap 40 closest to the fold 41. It will be understood by
those skilled in the art that the flap may include three or more
separable portions 42.
[0022] Each separable portion 42a, 42b includes an adhesive layer
44 coated on an adjacent surface (i.e. adjacent to panel 12 when
folded about fold 41) thereof. The adhesive layer 44 may cover all
of the interior surface of the separable portions 42 or only a part
thereof. The adhesive layer 44 may be composed of any suitable
adhesive coating the interior surface of the separable portion 42,
or may be an additional layer of material covered with adhesive
(such as two-sided tape). A keeper strip 46 may be provided to
cover the adhesive layer 44 prior to use. The purpose of the keeper
strip 46 is to prevent accidentally adhering the flap 40.
[0023] Continuing to refer to FIGS. 1 and 2, the separable portions
42a, 42b may be separated by any suitable means, such as a tear
strip 48.
[0024] The operation of the preferred embodiment will now be
described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4-6. After placing the
contents into the envelope 10, the user removes the keeper strip 46
from the adhesive layer 44 of a selected separable portion 42,
which in this embodiment, is the distal separable portion 42a. The
user closes the envelope 10 by folding the flap 40 about fold 41
onto the front panel 12. The adhesive layer 44 of the distal
separable portion 42a adheres the flap 40 to the front panel 12 in
order to maintain the envelope 10 in the closed position until it
is ready to be opened by the recipient.
[0025] In order to open the envelope 10, the recipient tears the
flap 40 along tear strip 48, thereby separating the distal
separable portion 42a from the flap 40. As best shown in FIG. 6,
the recipient can then open the flap 40 to access the contents of
the envelope 10, while the distal separable portion 42a remains
adhered to the front panel 12.
[0026] When the recipient wishes to reuse the envelope 10, the
recipient removes keeper strip 46 from the proximal separable
portion 42b to expose its adhesive layer 44. The recipient can then
adhere the flap 40 to the front panel 12 in the same manner as
described above.
[0027] Although in the preferred embodiment described herein only
includes two separable portions 42 and can, therefore, only be used
twice, additional separable portions may be provided. In such
embodiments, the number of times the envelope may be re-used is
equal to the number of separable portions in the flap, provided
that the separable portions are used sequentially starting with the
distal separable portion.
[0028] The present invention provides the advantage of a protective
plastic envelope which cushions its contents, and at the same time
may be conveniently reused several times, so that it does not have
to be thrown out after only a single use.
[0029] While the present invention as herein shown and described in
detail is fully capable of attaining the above-described objects of
the invention, it is to be understood that it is the presently
preferred embodiment of the present invention and thus, is
representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated
by the present invention, that the scope of the present invention
fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to
those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present
invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the
appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular
is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless explicitly so
stated, but rather "one or more." All structural and functional
equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred
embodiment that are known or later come to be known to those of
ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by
reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims.
Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address
each and every problem sought to be solved by the present
invention, for it is to be encompassed by the present claims.
* * * * *