Remailable Mailing Envelope

Abstract

A window envelope arrangement with the original sender's return address label removable by recipient and replaceable to cover the window which had originally exposed the recipient's address so that the same envelope may be returned in the mail by the recipient with an enclosure, such as a check, back to the original sender. Capable of expression in several different forms, the envelope body itself resembles the usual window arrangement but a top sealing flap with the return address incorporates a detachable remailable sender's label flap with either self-stick or wettable glue, perforated on the remailable return address label so that it is torn away and stuck in place over the window without the remailing recipient having to do any alignment, addressing or writing on the envelope.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention.

Paper receptacles such as window envelopes, self-sticking envelopes and return envelopes having address labels. Also envelope sealing closures, particularly perforated closures.

2. Description of the Prior Art.

Envelopes which are reuseable for remailing are well known in the art. Such envelopes commonly provide a removable remailing label or else use part of the original enclosure in the envelope such as the billhead, to be replaced inside a window in the envelope and remailed. The problem with arrangements shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,152,751; 2,846,135; 2,600,114; 2,405,511; 932,715 is essentially that of alignment because accuracy must be maintained in folding and replacing either a label or billhead or the address will not be plainly visible or during transit the contents shift and the post office is unable to make a prompt delivery. Also, remailable labels are well known, that is, it is known in the art to send the recipient an adhesive label which can be pasted over the front for remailing but this requires a separate operation and preparation in preparing the original envelope, and furthermore makes no use of the return address on the envelope which has to be provided for the original mailing. The trouble with folding and refolding remailable envelopes like those in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,245,447; 1,953,192; 1,438,122; 978,421; 1,145,935 is the alignment problem plus concentration and study to learn the folding, etc. There is, therefore, a real need in the art for a remailable envelope which uses the return address for the remailing and which is pre-prepared on the envelope itself so that most any recipient readily knows what is to be done and is unlikely to make any mistakes and can do the remailing rapidly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is capable of expression in several different forms. Basically, the concept is that of a window envelope with the usual pocket provided by folding and gluing the sides and with a top flap which is longer than usual and includes a lower sealing edge for original mailing and spaced therefrom and at the top edge of the flap a second sealing edge which originally is unsealed but has adhesive (either wettable or self-stick) for future use. A return address portion of the envelope is removable by means of weakened lines and contains the return address information for the original mailing and is used as the label over a window in the envelope for the remailing by the original recipient. A good use of the present envelopes is in small offices of doctors, dentists and the like who must send out many individual bills over a short period of time each month and wish to receive back as promptly as possible remittance in payment of these bills. In a busy doctor's or dentist's office, there is simply insufficient time for the office employees to prepare all of the material and there is also the problem of getting the recipient to make a quick return of the payment which is enhanced by providing the recipient the self-addressed envelope. The present arrangement does not attempt to make any reuse of the window itself, for exposing a return address, as in some prior art envelopes, since this has been found to provide problems of alignment and is too complex or troublesome for many people. The window address has been eliminated for the return mailing purposes and is covered by the removable label which is easily removed and replaced. Nor does the present arrangement require any refolding or repositioning, or realignment of basic envelope parts since the pocket remains substantially unchanged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a partly assembled envelope made in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 and with the envelope further closed.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a complete blank from which the envelope in FIG. 1 is folded.

FIG. 4 is a front plan view of the envelope shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, inclusive, ready for first mailing.

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the first modified form of an open envelope also shown in a variation in FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the second and further modification.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of another and third modification.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of another and fourth modification with a flap partially folded.

FIG. 9 is a partial plan view of the envelope shown in FIG. 8 completely folded.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the fifth modification with an open flap and other modifications.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the envelope in FIG. 10 in closed condition.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a partially opened envelope of a further and the sixth modification.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the front of the envelope of FIG. 12 in closed position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The pocket portion of the envelopes is that container part which is closed on three sides and open at the top to receive the contents. While in the accompanying drawings there is shown a blank from which the envelope is made and the folding of the parts thereof into a pocket, it should be understood that essentially the pocket is not changed by the recipient of the envelope, that is, it is not necessary for the recipient to unfold or unglue the pocket flaps or parts and reassemble or realign these, such being an advantage of this invention over some prior art.

Furthermore, window envelopes may be open window (nothing in the space) or with the window closed with transparent film, such as cellophane, and provision is disclosed herein for treating both kinds.

Referring first to FIG. 4, the closed and sealed envelope of the preferred embodiment is designated generally by reference numeral 10 and comprises a body or pocket designated generally by reference numeral 12 and which is closed on three sides by respective flaps 14, 16 and by folding a sheet or blank 18 at the bottom 20. An outer top flap 22 is formed on sheet or blank 18 and it has a return address window 24 therein which folds over a removable return address label or removable tab 26 on the other end of blank 18 and on a second and inner top flap 30. There is dry adhesive 32 on the top flap 22 which is also known as the outer or primary flap; there is dry adhesive 34 on the second inner top flap 30 which is also known as the secondary closure flap. There is dry adhesive 36 on the return address label or tab 26 which is attached by weakened lines 40 perforated between it and the flap 30 to which it is attached. Return address label 26 has printed or otherwise indicated thereon the return address information 42. The envelope body or pocket 12 has either an open or closed window 44 therein over which is fitted and glued the return address label 26 in the manner shown in FIG. 2 by tearing it away from flap 30 and moistening the glue or adhesive 36.

The evolution of the envelope 10 from the flat blank 18 is seen by reference to FIG. 3, FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 in that order and then to FIG. 2 wherein is found the procedure for revising and remailing the same envelope 10. It is noted that for first or initial mailing, flap 22 is over the flap 30 and the return address label 26.

Some of the advantages of the above noted arrangements are:

1. The label 26 is easily removed by pulling against the perforations (sometimes it is difficult to remove perforated sheets).

2. The label 26 can be made as wide as ever necessary to cover a wide window on the envelope with greater tolerance in alignment of outgoing address in window permissible. With the label exposed on the outside (see other embodiments herein), it is possible the postmark might strike the label.

3. The outer top flap 22 can be sealed without danger of wetting label 26.

4. The label 26 remains cleaner for return use.

5. The design is attractive and has a professional look.

6. The label can be shaped easily to pleasing proportions.

If the window 28 is open (not covered by transparent sheet) the label 26 can have only a border of adhesive to avoid the label adhering to the contents through the window.

In the embodiment and first modification 50 shown in FIG. 5, the pocket 51 comprises a front 52 folded on a back 54 closed by sides 56 and with a top flap 58 having a return label 60 connected by perforations 61 to the top flap 58. Top flap 58 is connected to the back 54 by a perforated line 59 and has an adhesive edge 62 for closing the pocket for first mailing. Front 52 has a small flap 66 with adhesive 68 for closing and sealing in place for remailing and the usual window 68.

In the operation of envelope 50 which is folded from a flat blank as noted by inspection of FIG. 5, the first mailing is done by inserting a bill or other enclosure inside the envelope pocket 51 to show the address through the window 68 in the usual manner, and the envelope is closed by sealing flap 58 by edge 62 onto the face of front 52. For remailing, top flap is detached along perforated lines 59 and label 60 is detached along its perforated lines 61 and attached in place over window 68 by adhesive 70 bordering the window 68. Adhesive could be combined with the inside of label 60 in addition to or in lieu of the adhesive border 70, but this may not be desirable if there is a chance that moisture from the initial sealing of edge 62 might affect the border on label 60 (this is not illustrated for it is believed to be obvious from description alone).

The envelope 100 in the embodiment in FIGS. 6 and 7 is similar to that in FIG. 1, but instead of the label being attached to the inner top flap 30, the inner top flap is designated as 102 and indented at 104 to get the adhesive on the initial sealing flap 106 away from the label 108 which is attached by perforations 110 to a side flap 112 having adhesive 114 and sealing the pocket along with the front 116 and back 118 in the manner of previous embodiments. Front 116 has the usual window 120 for exposing the contents of the initially addressed insert whereas the back 118 has the initial sealing flap 124 with a window 126 exposing the return address label 108 which has the printing 130 thereon. Label 108 is detached at perforations 110 and replaced for remailing over window 120.

In the fourth modification shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the envelope designated generally by reference numeral 150 comprises the usual pocket 152 formed from a base blank with a front 154, back 156 and closed and sealed sides 158. Front 154 has a remailing seal flap 160 with adhesive 162. Back 156 extends into the top initial remailing sealing flap 164 with adhesive 166. The return address label 168 is mounted in the upper left-hand corner as usual by means of detachable connection means such as rubber cement or other similar sticky substance whereby the label 168 which initially for first mailing is the return address may be removed and replaced over the window 170 in the front 154 for remailing, and the remailing seal flap 160, which is also the inner top flap on initial mailing, is sealed in place after label 168 is removed. There can be blank space under label 168 for addressee (original) to enter his return address upon remailing or it can be printed with the same address as the return address label 168. In this day of pre-printed bank checks, it is not as much a problem to identify the remitter as at one time. Thus, true return addresses are not as important.

In the embodiment and fifth form shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the same pocket 180 is formed from back 182, front 184 and side 186, and the back 182 extends into the second, inner seal flap 188 which is used for remailing. The first sealing flap 190 which carries the removable label 192 is attached along a line on the front of flap 188 by removable means such as rubber cement or similar sticky substance. Label 192 is attached by perforated lines 196 and is removed and attached over the window 198 for remailing. There is a preprinted return address 200 as before and, of course, initial mailing is addressed by means of an insert showing through the window 198. The adhesive may be dry in a border around the window 198 in lieu of the border on the back of label 192.

In the sixth and final embodiment in FIGS. 12 and 13, the envelope 220 like other embodiments has the usual pocket formed from a back 222, a front 224, and side flaps 226 with a front window 228 in front 224 and through which the insert in the pocket shows the first mailing address. Like the embodiment in previous FIGS. 10 and 11, back 222 extends into a top flap 230 which is composite flap with a top seal flap 232 and an intermediate seal flap 234 which are detachable by perforated lines 236 and 238 respectively, about the remailing return address flap and label 240. An adhesive border 242 is formed around the window 228 to which the removed label 240 is attached upon removal and repositioning.

While a window envelope has been shown and discussed in many places and while this concept lends itself especially to use with such envelopes, the invention is not limited in use to such envelopes with windows and in each form discussed and described the original address may be on the envelope surface itself, as by typing, or on a label or in some other manner.

Thus, while I have shown and described a particular form with variations, this does not limit my invention since there are various alterations, changes,ommisions, and departures which may be made, although not shown or mentioned, still within the scope of the invention defined by interpretation of the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed:

1. In a remailable envelope which is used to send an enclosure, such as a statement or bill, in a first and initial mailing and to be returned to the original sender in a second mailing:

a. an envelope pocket having an open top into which is inserted an enclosure, and a front on which the original address is viewable,

b. a first sealing flap on said envelope for sealing said pocket for the original first mailing thereof,

c. a return address label attached on said envelope near one edge thereof in position to function as the return address on the original first mailing, said label being detachably attached on said envelope for easy removal thereof and for re-positioning over the original address on the front of the envelope, there being means between said label after removal and said front of said envelope to retain said label thereon,

d. and a second sealing flap for sealing said envelope for return,

e. said first sealing flap having a window therein and said flap folding over said return address label for initial, first mailing and being detached and discarded for return mailing.

2. In a remailable envelope which is used to send an enclosure, such as a statement or bill, in a first and initial mailing and to be returned to the original sender in a second mailing:

a. an envelope pocket having an open top into which is inserted an enclosure, and a front on which the original address is viewable,

b. a first sealing flap on said envelope for sealing said pocket for the original first mailing thereof,

c. a return address label attached on said envelope near one edge thereof in position to function as the return address on the original first mailing, said label being detachably attached on said envelope for easy removal thereof and for re-positioning over the original address on the front of the envelope, there being means between said label after removal and said front of said envelope to retain said label thereon,

d. and a second sealing flap for sealing said envelope for return,

e. said envelope being folded from a flat blank comprising a back panel, front panel, first sealing flap panel, second sealing flap panel and return address panel,

f. said first sealing flap panel having a window therein, said return address panel being attached to said second sealing flap panel and positioned to be folded beneath said window for first mailing.

3. The envelope in claim 2:

Said first sealing flap extending from one edge of said back panel, and said second sealing flap extending from the edge of said front panel.

4. The envelope in claim 3:

Said return address panel extending from the edge of said second sealing flap.