U.S. patent number RE30,114 [Application Number 05/718,389] was granted by the patent office on 1979-10-16 for continuous forms assembly.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Uarco Incorporated. Invention is credited to Howard K. Absler, Joseph J. Juszak.
United States Patent |
RE30,114 |
Juszak , et al. |
October 16, 1979 |
Continuous forms assembly
Abstract
A continuous form envelope assembly, wherein a plurality of
superimposed plies define mailing envelopes with inserts, including
return envelopes therein. Transverse lines of weakening across the
plies define the individual envelopes. The return envelope, which
is an insert, is defined by two plies, one of which includes a flap
formation whereby the return envelope may be closed. The other ply
defining the return envelope, includes a protective portion
adjacent the flap and which is secured to the outer envelope so
that when the return envelope is extracted from the outer envelope,
the protective portion remains with the outer envelope.
Inventors: |
Juszak; Joseph J. (Crystal
Lake, IL), Absler; Howard K. (Skokie, IL) |
Assignee: |
Uarco Incorporated (Barrington,
IL)
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Family
ID: |
27035934 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/718,389 |
Filed: |
August 27, 1976 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
450147 |
Mar 11, 1974 |
03905545 |
Sep 16, 1975 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
229/305;
229/69 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41L
1/32 (20130101); B65D 27/06 (20130101); B42D
5/026 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B42D
5/00 (20060101); B42D 5/02 (20060101); B41L
1/32 (20060101); B41L 1/00 (20060101); B65D
27/06 (20060101); B65D 027/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;229/69,73,85
;206/610,611 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Garbe; Stephen P.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wegner, Stellman, McCord, Wiles
& Wood
Claims
We claim:
1. In a continuous forms envelope assembly wherein a plurality of
elongated, superimposed plies including transverse lines of
weakening defining individual envelopes which may be separated from
the assembly therealong and wherein upper and lowermost ones of the
plies define fronts and backs of envelopes with intermediate plies
defining insert material within each envelope including at least a
return envelope, the return envelope being defined by portions of
adjacent intermediate plies, respectively defining the front and
back of the return envelope, one of said adjacent plies further
including an envelope flap that may be folded about and secured to
the other of said adjacent plies of closing the return envelope and
wherein the intermediate plies are constructed so that the insert
material is free from the outer envelope along at least two,
opposed, marginal edges of the outer envelope, the improvement
wherein said other adjacent ply has an attaching portion secured to
the outer envelope, said attaching portion being attached to a
covering portion which is in substantial abutment with said flap;
said attaching portion and said covering portion being loosely
secured to the remainder of said other adjacent ply so that upon
the opening of the outer envelope, the return envelope can be
easily extracted with said attaching portion and said covering
portion remaining interiorly of the outer envelope.
2. A continuous forms envelope assembly according to claim 1
wherein said one adjacent ply having said flap thereon further
includes a moistenable adhesive on the side of said flap facing
said other adjacent ply and abutting said covering portion.
3. A continuous forms envelope assembly according to claim 2
wherein said adjacent plies defining said return envelope are
configured to define a top opening envelope and wherein said
attaching portion and said covering portion are defined by an
L-shaped chip.
4. A continuous forms envelope assembly comprising: a plurality of
at least four superimposed, elongated plies of paper, a first of
said plies defining the fronts of outer envelopes; a second of said
plies defining one of the fronts and the backs of return envelopes
within the outer envelopes, a third of the plies defining the other
of the fronts and the backs of the return envelopes within the
outer envelopes, and the fourth of the plies defining the backs of
the outer envelopes; said plies including transverse lines of
weakening defining individual envelopes which may be separated from
the assembly therealong; said first and fourth plies being secured
to each other about at least three marginal edges to define a
sealed outer envelope; one of said second and third plies having at
least two, opposed, marginal edges free from connection to said
outer envelope and a flap extending along one marginal edge to
define a sealing flap for the return envelope; the other of said
second and third plies having at least one marginal edge secured to
said outer envelope and a covering portion extending from said
marginal edge in alignment and in substantial abutment with said
flap, means separating said marginal edge and said covering portion
from the remainder of said other of said second and third plies;
and means securing said remainder to said one of said second and
third plies to define said return envelopes.
5. A continuous forms envelope assembly according to claim 1
wherein said attaching and covering portions are loosely secured to
said remainder by small, easily rupturable tongues in a partial
slit separating said attaching and covering portions from said
remainder. .Iadd. 6. A sealed envelope comprising: front and back
panels, and insert material within said sealed envelope; said
insert material comprising interconnected upper and lower panels
forming a return envelope having an opening along one edge thereof,
one of said return envelope panels being separable along a keen
line of weakening provided therealong, the other of said return
envelope panels having a flap foldable along a fold line provided
thereon; attaching means connecting a portion of said insert
material in said sealed envelope with said sealed envelope, said
portion comprising a section of said one panel which is
superimposed over said flap and which is separable along said keen
line of weakening; and a tear strip on said sealed envelope for
opening said sealed envelope and freeing said return envelope from
said sealed envelope, said section of said return envelope being
retained with said sealed envelope upon the freeing of said return
envelope from said sealed envelope. .Iaddend..Iadd. 7. The envelope
according to claim 6, wherein said tear strip is located along one
end of said sealed envelope, and said keen line of weakening is
disposed perpendicular to said tear strip. .Iaddend..Iadd. 8. The
envelope according to claim 6, wherein said section extends along
said return envelope between opposite end edges thereof. .Iaddend.
.Iadd. 9. In a continuous forms envelope assembly wherein a
plurality of elongated, superimposed plies including transverse
lines of weakening defining individual envelopes which may be
separated from the assembly therealong and wherein upper and
lowermost ones of the plies define fronts and backs of envelopes
with intermediate plies defining insert material within each
envelope including at least a part of a return envelope, the return
envelope being defined by portions of adjacent plies including at
least one intermediate ply, one of the adjacent plies including an
envelope flap that may be folded about and secured to the other of
the adjacent plies for closing the return envelope and wherein the
intermediate plies are constructed so that the insert material is
free from the outer envelope along at least two, opposed, marginal
edges of the outer envelope, the improvement wherein said other
adjacent ply has an attaching portion thereof secured to at least
one of said upper and lowermost plies with said attaching portion
including a covering portion in substantial abutment with said
flap; said attaching portion and said covering portion being
loosely secured to the remainder of said other adjacent ply so that
upon the opening of the outer envelope, the return envelope may be
easily separated therefrom with said edge portion and said covering
portion remaining attached to said one of said upper and lowermost
plies. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to continuous business-form assemblies, and
more particularly to continuous form envelope assemblies formed of
superimposed plies and having insert material including at least
one return envelope therein.
Representative prior art includes Steidinger U.S. Pat. No.
3,104,799; then Van Malderghem U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,438 and
MacDougall, U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,007
Recent years have seen a substantial upsurge in the use of business
forms of the type that can be placed in the mail with information
placed thereon by computer-operated printers or manually-operated
tabulators. This upsurge is principally due to the invention
disclosed in the above-identified Steidinger patent wherein a
totally sealed envelope having insert material already therein can
have information inscribed on the envelope and can be placed in the
mail without the usual need for stuffing. The elimination of
stuffing operations also eliminates the need for correlating insert
material with the envelope so that the proper envelope bearing the
proper insert material is directed to the correct recipient.
Moreover, as disclosed by Steidinger, the insert material may
include a return envelope so that all or part of the insert
material may be returned to the sender of the original envelope in
the enclosed return envelope.
Naturally, such advantages have strongly commended the use of
structures made according to the teaching of Steidinger. A variety
of structures have evolved which include return envelopes.
Frequently, the return envelope is made using a pressure sensitive
transfer adhesive as the flap sealing adhesive. This adhesive strip
is protected by a removable backing which must be removed by the
recipient prior to sealing the return envelope. In other instances,
the ply forming the side of the return envelope other than that
bearing the flap is provided with a removable chip which overlies
the adhesive for ease of manufacture and which may provide a
measure of protection for the adhesive. In this case, rather than
removing a piece of tape to expose the adhesive, the chip must be
removed so as to enable the flap to be moistened and folded over
for sealing of the return envelope.
Heretofore, such means have generally been desirable principally in
terms simplifying the manufacture of the form and, to a lesser
extent, in precluding the adhesive on the flap of the return
envelope from adhering, due to moisture conditions in the mail or
in storage, to the interior of the original mailer, thereby
precluding easy removability of the return mailer. However, the
desirability of providing such means introduces an undesirability
in terms of requiring the recipient to perform an otherwise
unnecessary operation in terms of removing the chip or the
adhesive-protecting tape. The undesirability is enhanced in the
construction wherein a chip is employed in that, if directions are
not strictly adhered to, the recipient may inadvertently remove the
flap of the return envelope rather than the chip.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the principal object of the invention to provide a new and
improved continuous form envelope assembly having insert material
in the form of a return envelope. More specifically, it is the
object of the invention to provide such an envelope wherein the
adhesive on the flap of a return envelope within the mailer is
protected until such time as the mailer is opened and does not
require the recipient to perform a positive act to remove the
protection for such adhesive.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention achieves the foregoing
object in a construction including a plurality of superimposed
plies defining a continuous business form envelope assembly. The
outermost ones of the plies define the front and back of mailers
while intermediate plies define insert material within the mailers.
Transverse lines of weakening across the plies provide for
separation of the assembly into individual envelopes for mailing
purposes.
Two of the intermediate plies define return envelopes. One such ply
includes a flap having an adhesive of the moistenable type facing
the other intermediate ply. The other intermediate ply includes a
chip aligned with the adhesive-bearing flap which chip is loosely
attached to the remainder of the ply, the remainder defining the
other side of the return envelope. The chip is secured to the outer
envelope such that, upon opening the mailer to extract the return
envelope, the chip remains with the outer envelope, while the
return envelope is easily pulled away from the chip due to the
loose connection. As a result, when the original mailer is opened,
the adhesive is automatically exposed so as to eliminate the need
for the removal of a tape or a chip by the user.
According to the preferred embodiment, the return envelope is a
top-opening envelope and the chip is L-shaped with the base thereof
secured, as by a glue line, to the outer envelope.
Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the
following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a continuous form envelope assembly
made according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the various components defining an
individual envelope in the assembly; and
FIG. 3 is a schematic illustrating the relative dimensions of the
various plies comprising an individual envelope to each other and
the relationship of the glue line to the various components.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A continuous business form envelope assembly is illustrated in FIG.
1 and is folded in a zig-zag stack, generally designated 10, as is
conventional. The assembly includes a plurality of individual
envelopes 12 which are defined by transverse lines of weakening 14,
normally in the form of perforations, extending across the plies
defining the assembly. Running longitudinally of the plies are
removable control punch margins 16 as is well known.
Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, an individual envelope 12 in the
assembly will be described. It is to be understood that all of the
envelopes are identical, are formed of elongated plies, and are
separated by the lines of weakening 14. A first ply is designated
18 and may serve as the so-called record ply as is well known in
the art. At its opposite longitudinal edges, it is provided with
the control punch margins 16 having a plurality of pin-feed holes
20 therein.
The immediately subjacent ply 22 defines the front of the
individual envelope or mailer in the assembly. Near one side is
provided a removable stub 24 which is separable from the remainder
of the ply 24 along the line of weakening 25. The stub 24 forms
part of a tear strip by which access to the interior of the mailer
may be achieved. Finally, the ply 22 is also provided by the
control punch margins 16.
The next lowermost ply 26 is optional and may be an insert. Through
the use of spot carbons or the like (not shown) on the back side of
the ply 22, information may be selectively transmitted and
imprinted on the insert 26. Means by which such is accomplished are
well known in the art and form no part of the instant
invention.
Ply 26 is die cut at margins 28, 30 and 32 so that when in the
completed envelope assembly, those three margins will be free from
attachment to the envelope. The fourth margin includes a stub 34
which is in line with the stub 24 and which is separable from the
remainder of the insert ply 28 by a line of weakening 36. When
assembled, the stub 34 serves as an attaching portion to maintain
the insert 28 in a predetermined location within the envelope so as
to insure proper alignment during an imprinting process. When the
envelope is opened by removal of the stub as is well known, the
insert 28 will be free from attachment to the inner envelope and
may be easily removed.
A further ply 38 defines the front of a return envelope contained
within the outer envelope. It, too, may be selectively imprinted
upon through the use of spot carbon on the back side of ply 28.
Like the ply 28, ply 38 includes die cuts on margins 40, 42 and 44
so that such margins are free from attachment to the interior of
the mailer. The ply 38 is also provided with a stub 46 separated
from the remainder of the ply 38 by a line of weakening 48. The
stub 46 serves as an attaching portion for the ply 38 in the same
fashion as the stub 34 serves as an attaching portion for the ply
26.
The ply 38, adjacent its upper edge, includes a line of weakening
50 which serves to define a flap 52 for the return envelope. On the
back side of the flap 52 is a moistenable adhesive 54 whereby the
return envelope may be sealed.
If desired, angled cuts 56 may be provided at the corners of the
flap 52.
A ply 58 defines the back of the return envelope and a covering
portion for the adhesive 54. Specifically, the ply 58 includes a
return envelope back-defining portion 60 which is separated from
the remainder of the ply 58 by transverse slit 62 that aligns
approximately with the line of weakening 50 on the ply 38 and a
longitudinal partial slit 64. The partial slit 64 is not continuous
as at 66 and 68 so as to define small, easily rupturable or
breakable tongues interconnecting the back-defining portion 60 with
the remainder of the ply 58.
The upper and lower margins 70 and 72 of the ply 58 are die cut so
as to free the ply 58 from attachment to the mailer along those
margins. The margin 74 is also die cut but, as seen in FIG. 3,
extends somewhat to the right of the margins 30 and 42 on the plies
26 and 38.
As a result, it will be seen that in addition to the return
envelope back-defining portion 60, ply 58 includes a generally
L-shaped chip 76. The chip 76 in turn defines a covering portion
80, defined by the upright of the L and an attaching portion 81
defined by the base of the L. As can be seen, the covering portion
80 is aligned with the adhesive 54 to cover the same.
Finally, the ply 58 includes a stub 78 separated from the remainder
of the ply by a line of weakening 82, which stub 78 functions as an
attaching portion for the ply 58.
A ply 83 defines the back of the mailer. It includes a stub 84 at
one side thereof separated from the remainder of the ply by a line
of weakening 85.
Each envelope 12 comprises the foregoing part and is secured in
assembled relation as by glue lines. For example, glue lines 86
(indicated as X's in FIG. 3) secure the stubs 24, 34, 46, 78 and 84
together to define a single unitary tear-off strip. A transverse
glue line 88 on the upper and lower margins of the ply 83 serves to
assemble the outer envelope. Specifically, the glue lines 88 secure
ply 83 to the ply 22. In addition, along one longitudinal margin, a
glue line 90 is provided, which glue line also serves to secure the
plies 83 and 22 to each other to define a completely sealed
mailer.
A glue line 98 extends between the ply 82 and the base of the
L-shaped chip 76 to secure the latter to the outer envelope.
Finally, to complete the return envelope defined by plies 38 and
58, a glue line 100 extends about three marginal edges up the ply
38 within the line of weakening 48.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that removal of the tear
strip defined by the stubs 24, 34, 46, 78 and 84 will substantially
free the contacts from the outer envelope of the mailer. In this
respect, the ply 26, if present, will be completely free, while the
plies 38 and 58 will be held only by the tongues 66 and 68. The
tongues 66 and 68 are so weak that a gentle pull on the return
envelope defined by the plies 38 and 58 will result in their
severance and the free removal of the return envelope. Due to the
presence of the glue line 98, the L-shaped chip 76 will remain
within the outer envelope and may be discarded therewith. However,
prior to such removal of the return envelope, it will be
appreciated that the covering portion 80 has served to cover the
adhesive 54 during storage and mailing. Thus, a continuous form
envelope assembly made according to the invention eliminates any
need for the recipient to remove a chip or an adhesive protective
tape prior to sealing the return envelope. It therefore renders a
mailer easier to use and eliminates any possibility that the flap
52 on the return envelope would be removed rather than the
removable chip.
* * * * *