This invention is directed to an envelope blank and method of forming an adjustable envelope.
Mailing operations such as bulk mail advertising and delivery of account notices are used by merchants, financial institutions, and others to communicate with existing and prospective customers. Often pre-printed “return” envelopes are included in the mailing for the convenience of customers. Sometimes customer's use commercial checks that are larger than the return envelopes included by the merchants. In such cases, the checks must be folded to fit in the return envelope or the customer must use his own envelope.
An alternative is for the merchant to provide the customer with an adjustable envelope that can be adjusted to a larger size to hold the unfolded check. Several envelopes have been developed that have adjustable sizes. U.S. Pat. No. 1,010,282 issued to Low discloses an envelope that can be adjusted to different sizes to accommodate multiple documents. The envelope body has auxiliary inner and outer closing flaps secured by glue or other means at its ends. The flaps are folded inwardly and superimposed over the envelope body. The outer closing flaps have cutaway portions with arranged tongues extending in the direction of the flap. The tongues are inserted into openings along the length of the flap to keep the envelope closed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,640 issued to Young relates to an envelope with pleated side flaps forming folded gussets that unfold to expand the envelope into a box-like configuration. U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,445 issued to Greason discloses an envelope that has two panels joined by an adhesive to form an expandable pocket. The expandable feature is provided by an accordion fold between the longitudinal edges of its two panels. U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,866 issued to Bluemle describes an envelope with pleated side flaps that form a box-like gusset for depth-wise expansion. The side flaps are constructed as side portions of one panel that are foldable longitudinally, with side tongues at the bottom ends. The bottom side tongues serve for closing and adhesively bonding the side flaps to the envelope bottom. The pleated or folded expansion means described in these patents have however been found to be bulky, thus creating difficulties in stacking and bulk packaging of the envelopes. The tongue closure means using are complex, expensive to manufacture, and difficult to use with automated mailing equipment.
What is needed is an adjustable envelope made from a blank that can easily be adjusted from a first size to a second size.
The invention teaches an adjustable envelope with a front panel, rear panel, closure panel, a first side flap, and a second side flap that is adjustable. The first side flap is secured to the rear panel, the second side flap is not. The envelope's size can be adjusted by manipulating the adjustable side flap of the envelope to a different dimension. The adjustable side flap has at least one fold line at least some distance from the front panel. In an exemplary use, a first user will include an adjustable envelope in a first shorter length as an insert in another envelope. The second user will adjust the length of the adjustable envelope to a second longer length to hold a larger item.
The envelope design of the invention provides an adjustable envelope that can be used for multiple mailing applications. Use of the envelope in a first, compact length allows it to be inserted inside another envelope mailer. The envelope may be folded with even overlaps to provide a relatively even thickness across all panels for packing and stacking in automated mailing operations. Thus, the problem of uneven and bulky stacking found with gusset envelopes having, for example, pleated or box folds is eliminated.
The adjustable design of the envelope allows automated bill processing at high speeds. If longer commercial sized checks are mailed flat, rather than folded to fit in a shorter envelope, the checking processing operation can be improved. Envelopes containing folded checks cannot be put through fast automatic extraction processes. However, envelopes containing unfolded checks, can be slit along three sides to send the check in one direction and the envelope remains in the other. The sliver cuts can be vacuumed away. Moreover, the envelope angles of the present invention can be optimized to enhance automation.
It is believed that the present invention includes many other embodiments that may not be described in detail, but would nonetheless be appreciated by those skilled in the art from the above disclosure. Accordingly, this disclosure should not be read as being limited only to the foregoing exemplary embodiment.
The present application is a continuation in part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/929,062 filed on Aug. 15, 2001, which is abandoned.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
188299 | Marshall | Mar 1877 | A |
192363 | Christey | Jun 1877 | A |
646638 | Cutler | Apr 1900 | A |
926025 | Shaffer | Jun 1909 | A |
1010282 | Low | Nov 1911 | A |
1042488 | Shaffer | Oct 1912 | A |
1194440 | Swortfiguer | Aug 1916 | A |
2364297 | James | Dec 1944 | A |
2945616 | Normandin | Jul 1960 | A |
2945617 | Normandin | Jul 1960 | A |
3063618 | Berkowitz | Nov 1962 | A |
3144979 | Young | Aug 1964 | A |
3414185 | Young | Dec 1968 | A |
3552640 | Young | Jan 1971 | A |
3648923 | Young | Mar 1972 | A |
3817445 | Greason | Jun 1974 | A |
D250590 | Cohn et al. | Dec 1978 | S |
5398866 | Bluemle | Mar 1995 | A |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20030173395 A1 | Sep 2003 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 09929062 | Aug 2001 | US |
Child | 10323078 | US |