Booklet with attached envelopes

Abstract

A booklet for distributing printed material and a return envelope to a recipient. The booklet is formed from a single pre-printed sheet and includes side-by-side envelopes which are separable from each other. Portions of the booklet pages may also be made separable for return in the envelopes.

Parent Case Text

This application is a division of my present application Ser. No. 174,321, filed Aug. 24, 1971 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,277.

Description

The present invention relates to a printed article adapted to be sent through the mail or otherwise distributed. More particularly, the invention relates to such articles which include a multi-page booklet and a postal card or envelope for use by the recipient.

When advertising a product or a service with printed material mailed or otherwise distributed in large volume to potential customers, it is highly desirable to provide the customers at the same time with means such as a return postal card or envelope which will enable them to respond to the advertisement by placing an order, requesting further information, etc. A conventional way of accomplishing this is to distribute the advertising material plus a self-addressed postal card or envelope together in an outer envelope. However, this approach makes it necessary to print the materials separately and insert them in the envelopes, resulting in a relatively costly operation.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved printed booklet and method of forming same from a single sheet of pre-printed paper stock folded upon itself to provide a plurality of return envelopes within the booklet.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank or sheet of paper stock adapted to be formed into a booklet suitable for carrying advertising or other printed information;

FIGS. 2 through 8 show the blank of FIG. 1 as it appears in various stages of its formation into a booklet; and

FIG. 9 shows a booklet formed by the method shown in FIGS. 2 through 8.

There is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 9 the formation of a booklet 110 (FIG. 9) formed of a single pre-printed sheet or blank 112 and which includes a plurality of self-contained detachable envelopes 114 and a plurality of coupons, detachable slips 116 in the form of application forms, etc., includible within the envelopes. The booklet thus finds particular advantage when a single booklet carries the advertisements of several advertisers.

More particularly, the blank 112 as seen in FIG. 1 is adapted to be folded transversely to provide panels 118, 120, 122, 124, and 126. Although the blank is not folded in FIG. 1, the locations of the fold lines are shown in phantom and are designated by the numerals 128, 130, 132, and 134. The reverse sides of the panels shown in FIG. 1 are indicated by the numeral assigned to that panel, followed by the suffix a.

It should be understood that the blank 112 is pre-printed on both sides prior to folding or gluing to provide any advertising message desired and also to provide an address on the envelopes 114 as well as a postage paid imprint (not shown). In addition, holes 136 are provided in the panels 124 and 126 to allow for the passage of adhesive through these panels, in a manner hereinafter described, these holes being provided on a line 138 located centrally of all the panels and extending transversely of the fold lines previously referred to.

In the preferred illustrated embodiment, the booklet 110 is formed by first providing a strip 140 of a remoistenable envelope adhesive on the panel 120, this strip extending transversely of the centerline 138 adjacent to but spaced from the location of the fold line 130 which separates the panels 120 and 122. The adhesive facilities the sealing of the envelopes 114 when they are detached from the booklet. Thus, the remoistenable adhesive is allowed to dry prior to a completion of the folding operation. Normally, however, the drying is completed in a matter of seconds. Alternatively, two alignable strips of adhesive which have affinity only for each other could be provided for sealing the envelopes, one strip being provided at the location of the strip 140, as shown, and the other strip being provided on the surface 118a of the panel 118.

In a second and succeeding step, a quick-setting adhesive is applied to the panel 120 in the form of five spaced strips 142 which extend parallel to one another and to the centerline 138 (FIG. 2). These strips 142 extend from the first fold line 128, which separates the panels 118 and 120, in the direction of the strip 140 of remoistenable adhesive but terminate short of the strip 140. The panel 118, which includes one edge 143 of the blank or sheet 112, is then folded along the first fold line 128 into face-to-face relation to the panel 120 (FIG. 3) and is secured or bonded in such position by the strips 142. The panel 118 thus cooperates with the panel 120 to form the pockets of four envelopes 114, although it should be apparent that the pockets of only two envelopes would be provided if two of the strips 142, designated by the suffix a, were eliminated. It should be noted that the panel 118 as measured along the line 138 between the edge 143 and the fold line 128 is of lesser width than the panel 120 as measured along the line 138 between the fold lines 128 and 130 so that the edge 143 does not extend to the strip 140 of remoistenable adhesive. The portion of the panel 120 above the envelope pockets thereby defines flaps for the envelopes 114. Also, the strips 142 of adhesive are of a lesser length than the width of the panel 118 and so do not extend to the free edge of the panel when it is folded.

The blank 110 is then folded along the fold line 132 separating the panels 122 and 124. FIG. 4 illustrates the folding of the blank along fold lines 128 and 132, while FIG. 5 illustrates the blank as thus folded, but from the reverse side, with panels 124 and 126 facing outwardly. It will be appreciated that FIG. 4 is illustrative only and that when the folding along line 132 takes place, the folding along line 128 has already been accomplished.

With the blank in the position shown in FIG. 5, an adhesive is placed along the line 138 of panels 124 and 126, and a portion of this adhesive penetrates the holes 136 so as to contact the underlying panels 120 and 122. The blank is then folded along lines 130 and 134, which lines became superimposed during the previous folding along line 132. FIG. 6 illustrates this folding diagrammatically, with the folding of the panel 118 along line 128 shown as not having been completed whereas in actual practice this folding has already been accomplished.

By virtue of the gluing and folding thus far described, panel 118 is glued to panel 120, and panels 120, 122, 124 and 126 are all glued to each other along the centerlines 138 of each panel. In addition, the panels are attached along essentially common fold lines 128, 130, 132 and 134 at their edges.

The blank, as shown in FIG. 7, is then perforated along lines 144 as well as along lines 138 to provide lines of weakness located approximately midway between the center lines 138 and each of the free lateral edges of the blank.

It should be noted from FIG. 7 that the first fold line 128 is not superimposed on the fold line 132 but is spaced therefrom due to the fact that the panel 120 is of a lesser width than the interior panels 122 and 124. This feature is significant because, in the final steps of forming the booklet 110, the blank folded as shown in FIG. 7 and containing the fold line 132 is cut between fold lines 128 and 132. This removes the portion of the blank containing fold line 132 but not the portion containing fold line 128 and, thus, does not alter the pockets of the envelopes 114. This cut separates panels 122 and 124 to provide separate pages. Likewise, a small portion of the blank as seen in FIG. 7 adjacent and including the fold lines 130 and 134 is cut away to separate the panel 120 from the panel 122, and to separate the panel 124 from the panel 126. However, the panels all remain attached by virture of the adhesive applied at the centerline 138, which adhesive penetrated the holes 136. The blank can then be folded along lines 138 to provide the booklet 110. As an alternative, the blank could have been folded along lines 138 prior to cutting as shown in FIG. 8.

After the folded blank has been cut, all of the pages become separable, being attached only along the line 138. In addition, and by virture of the perforations, various portions of the booklet can be detached from the remaining portions. For example, the four envelopes 114, located at the center spread of the booklet, can be detached along lines of perforation 144 and 138. Likewise, portions 116 of each of the remaining pages can be detached along the same lines of perforation for insertion into the envelopes. These other portions can be printed to provide return coupons, order forms for merchandise, application forms for insurance, etc. The booklet may contain the advertisements of several advertisers, with each envelope being returnable to a different advertiser.

The booklet itself can be mailed in the form shown in FIG. 9, in which case an outer surface might bear a postage permit imprint and provide a space for a tape bearing the name and address of the addressee. A suitable means such as a seal or stamp (not shown) could be provided at the free end edges of the pages to maintain them in a closed position.

In forming the booklet, it is possible to provide slightly larger than usual perforations along the line 138 and to thereby dispense with additional holes 136. Also, a tear strip could be provided along the fold lines 132, 130 and 134 which the recipient could remove and thereby himself separate the pages, thus eliminating the necessity of cutting the pages apart prior to delivery to the recipient.

While certain specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it should be apparent that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

Various of the features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A single, folded, printed blank for forming a booklet for distributing printed material and return envelopes to a recipient, said folded blank comprising a plurality of superimposed panels interconnected to one another along spaced parallel horizontal fold lines

A. one of said panels being folded upon itself along an intermediate horizontal line and secured in such folded condition by adhesive to provide side-by-side envelope pockets and an envelope flap for each pocket,

1. said one panel having a strip of envelope adhesive on each of said envelope flaps, and

2. said one panel having a line of weakness intermediate of adjacent envelopes to facilitate separation thereof from each other,

B. at least one other of said panels being provided with a line of weakness to facilitate the separation of a portion thereof which is insertable into one of said envelope pockets,

C. said panels being arranged in superimposed relation to one another,

D. said panels being interconnected to one another along a common vertical line perpendicular to said intermediate line and also being foldable about said common vertical line to create a booklet; and

E. said horizontal intermediate line being located slightly vertically above the lowermost of said parallel fold lines, so that it is unaffected when the upper and lower edges of said folded printed blank are removed to cause said panels to become separate sheets.

2. A single, folded, blank in accordance with claim 1 wherein there are at least two superimposed panels in addition to said one panel, wherein said one panel is adhesively attached in said folded condition to provide at least four side-by-side envelopes and wherein an adjacent superimposed panel in surface-to-surface contact with said one panel has a plurality of lines of weakness to define said separable portions.

3. A single, folded, blank in accordance with claim 2 wherein said plurality of lines of weakness in said adjacent panel are defined by lines of perforations and wherein the same lines of perforations also are formed in said one panel and therein facilitate the separation of said side-by-side envelopes from each other.

4. A single, folded, blank in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of said panels is provided with holes along said common line, and wherein adhesive penetrates through said holes and interconnects said superimposed panels.

5. A single, folded, blank in accordance with claim 4 wherein at least three panels are provided in addition to said one panel and wherein said holes are provided in at least the two panels in the middle of said superimposed group.