U.S. patent number 3,627,195 [Application Number 04/857,372] was granted by the patent office on 1971-12-14 for envelope blank.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ernst Hauer & Co.. Invention is credited to Kurt Hauer.
United States Patent |
3,627,195 |
Hauer |
December 14, 1971 |
ENVELOPE BLANK
Abstract
An envelope blank of predetermined configuration is made from
sheet material. An enclosure for an envelope to be made from the
blank is placed onto the latter in predetermined orientation with
reference to the same. Thereupon, the blank is converted into a
finished envelope containing the enclosure. The blank is also
disclosed.
Inventors: |
Hauer; Kurt (Warmbronn/Wuertt.,
DT) |
Assignee: |
Ernst Hauer & Co.
(Stuttgart, DT)
|
Family
ID: |
5706428 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/857,372 |
Filed: |
September 12, 1969 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Sep 14, 1968 [DT] |
|
|
P 17 86 310.4 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/68.1;
229/75 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
27/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
27/00 (20060101); B65d 027/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;53/29,183
;229/75,68,69 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Norton; Donald F.
Claims
I claim:
1. An envelope consisting of an envelope blank including a sheet
material blank body having a main portion provided with a fold
line, a pair of spaced-parallel side edges extending transversely
of said fold line and a pair of spaced-parallel longitudinal edges
extending in parallelism with said fold line, said fold line
subdividing said main portion into a first and a second section
having respective transversely spaced marginal portions extending
along said fold line inwardly of the respective longitudinal edges
and being spaced from said fold line by at least substantially
identical distances, and longitudinally spaced side flaps on one of
said sections located along and outwardly of the respective side
edges and being unitary therewith; said envelope blank being folded
along said fold line with said first and second sections of said
main portion of said blank superimposed upon each other, with said
marginal portions thereof located in direct contact with each other
and in the same plane as the corresponding sections of said blank
and said longitudinally spaced side flaps folded inwardly towards
one another along said side edges so as to be located between said
first and second sections; and adhesive means on at least one of
said marginal portions for connecting the same to one another when
said sections are folded to superimposed positions along said fold
line with said marginal portions located in the same plane as the
corresponding sections.
2. An envelope as defined in claim 1, wherein said side flaps each
extend from the one longitudinal edge having said marginal portion
of said one section toward said fold line, and further comprising
cutouts in said side flaps in the region of said one longitudinal
edge of said one section and extending in direction toward said
fold line.
3. An envelope as defined in claim 1, wherein said second section
converges slightly in direction from said fold line towards said
marginal portion of said second section.
4. An envelope as defined in claim 1, wherein said adhesive means
is a latently adhesive substance.
5. An envelope as defined in claim 4, wherein said adhesive means
is a heat-activatable adhesive material.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to envelopes, and more
particularly to blanks which are to be converted to envelopes. The
invention further relates to a method of inserting an enclosure
into an envelope.
It is hardly necessary to discuss mailing envelopes in detail.
However, for purposes of the present disclosure it is necessary to
recall that mailing envelopes have a flap which is folded over the
open side of the envelope, closing the same. Such envelopes are
supplied with the flap folded over but of course not sealed. To
insert an enclosure the flap must be moved to open position, that
is unfolded through substantially 180.degree., whereupon the
enclosure is inserted into the envelope and the flap returned to
its folded-over position. Then, sealing of the envelope is effected
in suitable manner. This is a procedure which is familiar to
everyone who has ever mailed a letter or other material, and it is
carried out by most persons purely as a matter of routine which is
rarely if ever found objectionable.
The situation is different, however, when envelope-stuffing
machines are considered, that is apparatus which inserts enclosures
into envelopes automatically. Such machines are widely used for
inserting advertising material, bills, circular letters and a great
variety of other enclosures into envelopes for distribution
purposes. The purpose of using machines for this operation is,
evidently, to process large quantities of envelopes and enclosures
at high speeds. This objective, however, is hampered by the fact
that known apparatus for this purpose utilizes conventionally
constructed envelopes which are supplied in the same manner in
which they are supplied to individual letter writers, namely with
the backflap folded over but not sealed. The apparatus must
therefore move the backflap of the envelope through substantially
180.degree. so that the envelope is open. Thereupon the back panel
of the envelope must usually be lifted with a suitable suction
arrangement to permit insertion of the enclosure by the inserting
means provided for this purpose. Now the backflap must be returned
to closure position and sealing must be effected, the adhesive
means conventionally provided for this purpose having been applied
and/or activated prior to the return of the flap to closure
position. It is readily understandable that apparatus capable of
performing all of these operations must be relatively complicated
and therefore expensive and that it is impossible to avoid frequent
malfunctions or breakdowns. Malfunctions are particularly prevalent
in such apparatus because on insertion of the enclosure into the
open envelope the enclosure frequently will not have precisely the
orientation with reference to the opening of the envelope which is
necessary to permit trouble-free insertion. This leads to wrinkling
of the enclosure and/or the envelope, necessitating that they be
discarded. Frequently, such occurrences can lead to shutdown of the
apparatus and at times they may even require repairs.
All of this is clearly undesirable but heretofore the art knows of
no reliable way to prevent these problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to
overcome the aforementioned difficulties.
More particularly it is an object of the present invention to
provide a method of inserting an enclosure into an envelope by
means of an envelope-stuffing apparatus, which method is not
possessed of the aforementioned disadvantages.
The invention also provides an envelope blank for use in such
apparatus in the carrying out of the method.
In pursuance of the above objects, and others which will become
apparent hereafter, one feature of my invention resides in a method
of inserting an enclosure into an envelope which, briefly stated,
comprises the making of an envelope blank of predetermined
configuration from sheet material, the placing of an enclosure onto
the blank with predetermined orientation relative to the same, and
the conversion of the blank to a finished envelope about the
enclosure.
The blank may of course be stamped or die cut from sheet material
in conventional manner. According to the present invention it does
not have the conventional envelope backflap. It has, instead, a
sheet material blank body having a first section adapted to
constitute the front of the finished envelope, a second section
which extends along the first section and is adapted to be folded
into a superimposed position with reference thereto so as to
constitute the back of the finished envelope, and transversely
spaced side flaps provided on at least one of the sections adapted
to be folded inwardly in direction towards one another. Adhesive
means is provided for adhesively connecting marginal zones of the
sections to one another.
Where folding is to occur, the blank is advantageously provided
with fold lines which are scored, impressed or otherwise provided
to facilitate folding.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the
invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The
invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its
method of operation, together with additional objects and
advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following
description of specific embodiments when read in connection with
the accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a blank according to the present
invention in unfolded condition;
FIG. 2 is a view of the blank in FIG. 1 but with portions thereof
partially folded and with an enclosure in the process of insertion;
and
FIG. 3 is a view of the blank of FIGS. 1 and 2 subsequent to
conversion into an envelope with the enclosure contained therein;
and
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation of an envelope-stuffing
machine.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Discussing the drawing in detail it will be seen that the blank
shown in FIG. 1 for the novel envelope is identified generally with
reference numeral 1. As mentioned before, it may be die cut,
stamped or otherwise produced from suitable sheet material. In the
state shown in FIG. 1, the blank 1 is planar and constitutes in
effect a shaped sheet, that is a sheet having the outline
illustrated in FIG. 1.
As the drawing shows, the blank 1 has a first and a second section
i.e. a section 2 which in the finished envelope will constitute the
front side, a section 3 which in the finished envelope will
constitute the rear side, and two unitary side flaps 4 and 5 which
will close the sides or ends of the envelope when the same is
completed. Reference numeral 6 has been employed to designate all
such portions of the blank 1 which are to be folded with reference
to the section 2, that is the section 3 and the side flaps 4 and 5.
Reference numeral 7 identifies a fold line, which may be provided
by scoring, impressing or in other suitable manner well known to
those skilled in the art, along which the section 3 is to be folded
with reference to the section 2 until the two sections are
superimposed upon one another. Reference numerals 8 and 9 identify
similar fold lines along which the side flaps 4 and 5 are to be
folded with reference to the section 2. Reference numeral 10
identifies a marginal zone of the section 2 which is remote from
and extends in substantial parallelism with the fold line 7;
reference numeral 10a identifies a similar marginal zone of the
section 3. The drawing shows that the zones 10, 10a are spaced from
fold line 7 by at least substantially identical distances.
Corresponding marginal zones of the sections 2 and 3 of course
extend at opposite sides of the fold line 7. Either the marginal
zone 10, the marginal zone 10a or both are provided with a layer
10' (shown fragmentarily for the sake of simplicity) of suitable
adhesive, preferably a latently adhesive substance which will
become activated under the influence of elevated temperatures. Such
adhesive substances are well known and need not be described in
detail; they do not in themselves form a part of the present
invention. Similar adhesive substance may be provided on the side
flaps 4 and 5, but here on those surfaces thereof which are not
visible in FIG. 1, but which will face upwardly as seen in FIG. 1
in the same direction as the surface visible for the section 2,
when the folding of the side flaps 4 and 5 is completed (see
reference numeral 10" in FIG. 3).
In the illustrated embodiment the outline of the section 2 is
rectangular, whereas in accordance with the preferred embodiment of
the invention the outline of the section 3 differs from that of the
section 2 in that it tapers in direction away from the fold line 7.
As a result, the length of the marginal portion 10a is somewhat
shorter than that of the marginal portion 10. The side flaps 4 and
5 are provided with cutouts 12 extending from the edge 11 of the
marginal portion 10 in direction towards the fold line 7. This
makes it possible for the end portions of the marginal portion 10a
to become adhesively connected with corresponding portions of the
marginal portion 10 which would otherwise be covered by the side
flaps 4 and 5 in the absence of the cutouts 12.
The blank 1 is particularly intended for use in automatic
envelope-stuffing apparatus. In such apparatus, a stack of blanks 1
will be provided, and from this stack the blanks 1 will be
individually transferred--as by sliding--onto a worktable. On the
worktable the section 3 and the side flaps 4 and 5 are folded
upwardly about the respective fold lines 7, 8 and 9 until they are
upwardly inclined with reference to the plane of the section 2, as
shown in FIG. 2. Now the enclosure 13 is inserted from the side of
the section 2 having the edge 11, suitable inserting means being
provided for this purpose. It is not essential that the section 3
and the side flaps 4 and 5 be moved to the position shown in FIG. 2
before the enclosure 13 is inserted; however, this is advantageous
because they thus constitute abutments which serve to provide for
proper location and orientation of the enclosure 13 with reference
to the section 2, it being evident that for instance when the
enclosure 13 abuts with its leading edge 14 against the upwardly
inclined section 3, it is properly and fully inserted. Now, the
side flaps 4 and 5 are completely folded over in direction towards
one another until they overlie corresponding portions of the
section 2 and of the enclosure 13, depending upon the size of the
latter. Finally, the section 3 is completely folded down so as to
overlie and be juxtaposed with the section 2, with the marginal
portion 10a overlying the marginal portion 10 in direct contact
therewith, the portions 10, 10a being located in the same plane as
the respective corresponding blank sections. The adhesive layer 10'
is now activated, for instance by applying one or more heated
instrumentalities to the marginal portions 10, 10a or both if the
adhesive is of the heat-activatable type, and thereby the envelope
is sealed, assuming the configuration shown in FIG. 3, with the
enclosure 13 located in its interior and with the side flaps
located between the sections 2 and 3. Now the sealed envelope is
ejected from the machine, and the procedure repeated with another
blank 1 and another enclosure 13.
If desired, the section 3 may be provided on its outer side, that
is the side which is not visible in FIG. 1 but which is visible in
FIG. 3, with a scoring line 15, a line which is impressed, printed
or otherwise provided, to simulate the existence of a foldover flap
as it is provided in conventional envelopes.
If it is not desired that the envelope be completely sealed, for
instance if printed advertising matter is to be mailed in it, only
the marginal portions 10 and 10a are adhesively connected with one
another whereas no adhesive connection is established between the
sections 2, 3 and the side flaps 4, 5, the latter simply being
folded in between the sections 2 and 3.
By resorting to the present invention the envelope blank 1 itself
can be very simple and inexpensive in its manufacture, the
apparatus used for filling and converting it can be simple and
therefore also inexpensive, and the filling or stuffing is no
longer subject to the difficulties resulting from improper
alignment of the enclosure or of envelope as discussed in the
introductory portion of this specification. Accordingly, the output
of apparatus utilizing the present invention can be significantly
increased over what is known from the prior art.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or
two or more together, may also find a useful application in other
types of applications differing from the types described above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied
in an envelope blank, it is not to be limited to the details shown,
since various modifications and structural changes may be made
without departing in any way from the spirit of the present
invention.
For better understanding an additional FIG. 4 is added which shows
a side elevation of an envelope-stuffing machine in a diagrammatic
drawing. The front supporting frame is omitted.
Between the two supporting frames 16 from which--as said--only one
is shown, a number of rollers is arranged about which the blanks 1
respectively the enclosures 13 are transported through the
apparatus. The rollers are supported in the supporting frames 16.
The blanks 1 are fan-shaped stacked on a feedboard 17. Always one
blank 1, that is a full plane sheet, is brought to the driving
rollers 19, 20, 21, 22 through a feed roller 18 which pivots in
rhythm. The driving rollers 19 to 22 transport it further as long
as its edge 11 comes behind a gradation 23 of the feedboard 17. The
roller 24 under the feed roller 18 does not rotate yet it is
displaceable in the direction vertically to the feedboard 17 to
adjust the split between the rollers 18 and 24 in that manner that
utmost one sheet goes through the split. In order to stop the blank
1 when the edge 11 reaches the gradation 23 a photocell control is
provided which is combined with an electromagnetically controlled
roller 25. During the way until behind the gradation 23 the side
flaps 4 and 5 will be directed approximately 90.degree. to the
plane of transport through folding arrangements not shown. This
position will be seen dash-dotted approximately in the midst of the
figure. The section 3 which constitutes the rear side firstly comes
on the inclined plane 26 and then will be pressed vertically to the
plane of the feedboard 17 through a turn of this plane about a
joint 27. For this purpose a clamping bar 28 is pressed against the
fold line 7 which separates the section 2 (front side) from the
section 3 (rear side).
On a further feedboard 29 enclosures 13 will be conveyed over
driving rollers 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 which finally arrive over
the driving rollers 21 and 22 into the prepared envelope--that is
the blank 1--with the turned-up side flaps 4 and 5 and the section
3. By the lead-in to the envelope the roller 36--as in dashed lines
shown--is turned up around the joint 37. As soon as the enclosure
13 lies in the envelope the roller 36 will press itself against the
roller 25, the clamping bar 28 will be put in its extended
position. The roller 25 starts and the envelope will be transported
under the raised inclined plane 26 together with its enclosures
after finally turning-up of the side flaps 4 and 5. At last the
envelope arrives over the rollers 38 and 39 at a buffer 40 on a
pressure plate 41. The buffer 40 and the roller 42 are in this
situation in the dash-lined position.
While now already a new blank 1, through the pivoting in rhythm of
the feed roller 18, is led in into the apparatus the envelope with
the enclosure inside will be pressed against a heating plate 43
through the vertical moving-up of the pressure plate 41 so that the
adhesive of the heat-activatable type melts and the envelope will
be closed. Now the pressure plate 41 lowers, the buffer 40 turns up
around the joint 44 in the position full-lined in FIG. 4 and the
roller 42 which is to be turned around the joint 45 places itself
against the roller 46 so that after starting of the roller 46 the
closed envelope will arrive at last over the rollers 47, 48, 49, 50
upon a depot board 51.
Below the conveyor track is a driving motor 52 with a gear not
shown before the various rollers and the like as well as an
electronic control 53 which is likewise shown only in diagrammatic
drawing. The envelope-stuffing machine stands with bases 54 upon an
assembly plane 55, that is a table or the like.
* * * * *