Claims
- 1. An enclosure for shipping an article capable of releasing a combination of gas and particulates, the enclosure comprising a material of construction adapted to allow escape of the gas from the enclosure while retaining the particulates within the enclosure, sized to contain the article, and having no breaches capable of allowing escape of the particulates except for an opening at the top end, the opening adapted to be sealed in a closed configuration adapted to prevent escape of the particulates.
- 2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is defined by at least a front face and a back face, the closed configuration comprising at least one pinch line distal of the opening, each pinch line comprising a line along which at least the front face and the back face are both folded or rolled 180 degrees.
- 3. The enclosure of claim 2, wherein the enclosure comprises an envelope.
- 4. The enclosure of claim 3 wherein the front face of the envelope has an outward-facing side, an inward-facing side, and a flap that extends proximally beyond the back face in an open configuration, the flap comprising a first area of adhesive on the inward-facing side for adhering to the back face when the flap is folded over at a first pinch line.
- 5. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein the front face of the envelope further comprising at least a second area of adhesive on the outward-facing side for adhering to the back face when a top portion of the closed envelope is folded over one or more times at one or more other pinch lines.
- 6. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein the second area of adhesive is located in a position such that the envelope, after folding over the flap at the first pinch line in a first direction, is adapted to be folded again in the first direction on a second pinch line, and a third time in the first direction on a third pinch line to position the second area of adhesive for adhering to the back face.
- 7. The enclosure of claim 6, wherein the second pinch line comprises a line along which the front face, the back face, and a portion of the flap are folded or rolled 180 degrees.
- 8. The enclosure of claim 3, wherein the envelope further comprises a secured bottom opening and a secured longitudinal seam, the secured bottom opening comprising a bottom pinch line that pinches closed the bottom opening and forms a bottom edge of the envelope.
- 9. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the material of construction comprises spun bond polyolefin.
- 10. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the article comprises a pyrotechnic device.
- 11. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the article comprises a currency anti-theft device.
- 12. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the particulate comprise smoke, dye, active ingredients of tear gas, or a combination thereof.
- 13. The enclosure of claim 12, wherein the active ingredients of tear gas are selected from: chlorobenzylidene malonitrile (CS); chloroacetophenone (CN or “mace”); and oleoresin capsicum (OC or “pepper spray”).
- 14. The enclosure of claim 2 further comprising one or more areas of adhesive on the enclosure for sealing the enclosure in the closed configuration.
- 15. The enclosure of claim 14, wherein the one or more areas of adhesive each comprise a protective, removable covering over the adhesive.
- 16. The enclosure of claim 14, wherein each of the front face and the back face of the enclosure comprise at least one area of adhesive.
- 17. The envelope of claim 14, wherein the adhesive comprises an acrylic adhesive.
- 18. A method for shipping a device capable of releasing a combination of gas and particulates, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an enclosure comprising a material of construction adapted to allow escape of the gas from the enclosure while retaining the particulates within the enclosure, sized to contain the article, and having no breaches capable of allowing escape of the particulates except for an opening at the top end; (b) inserting the article in the enclosure; and (c) sealing the top end in a closed configuration adapted to prevent escape of the particulates.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the enclosure is defined by at least a front face and a back face, the method comprising in step (c) sealing the top end in the closed configuration by forming at least one pinch line distal of the opening, each pinch line comprising a line along which at least the front face and the back face are both folded or rolled 180 degrees.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the enclosure further comprising one or more areas of adhesive on the enclosure, the method in step (c) comprising activating the adhesive and using the adhesive for securing the enclosure in the closed configuration.
- 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more areas of adhesive each comprises removable covering over the adhesive, the stop of activating the adhesive comprising removing the removable covering.
- 22. The method of claim 18, wherein the enclosure comprises an envelope and the front face has an outward-facing side, an inward-facing side, and a flap that extends proximally beyond the back face in an open configuration, step (c) further comprising folding the flap over in a first direction at a first pinch line to close off the opening and fastening the flap to the back face.
- 23. The method of claim 22, wherein step (c) further comprises folding over a top portion of the closed envelope one or more additional times in the first direction and fastening the folded top portion to the back face.
- 24. The method of claim 23, wherein step (c) comprises (c1) folding over the top portion on a second pinch line, and then (c2) folding over the top portion an additional time in the first direction on a third pinch line before fastening the folded top portion to the back face.
- 25. The method of claim 24, wherein step (c1) comprises forming the second pinch line at a line along which the front face, the back face, and a portion of the flap are folded or rolled 180 degrees.
- 26. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing the enclosure comprises providing an enclosure comprising spun bond polyolefin.
- 27. The method of claim 18, wherein the method comprises shipping an article comprising a pyrotechnic actuator.
- 28. The method of claim 18, wherein the method comprises shipping an article comprising a currency anti-theft device.
- 29. The method of claim 18, wherein the method comprises shipping an article capable of releasing particulates comprising smoke, dye, active ingredients of tear gas, or a combination thereof.
- 30. The envelope of claim 29, wherein the method comprises shipping an article capable of releasing particulates comprising active ingredients of tear gas selected from: chlorobenzylidene malonitrile (CS); chloroacetophenone (CN or “mace”); and oleoresin capsicum (OC or “pepper spray”).
- 31. A method for shipping a currency anti-theft device having a pyrotechnic actuator and capable of suddenly releasing a combination of gas and particulates, the particulates comprising smoke, dye, active ingredients of tear gas, or a combination thereof, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an envelope comprising spun bond polyolefin and capable of enclosing the article, the envelope having a front face, a back face, a top end, a sealed bottom end, and an opening at the top end, and having an open configuration and a closed configuration, the front face having an outward-facing side, an inward-facing side, and a flap that extends topward beyond the back face in the open configuration, the flap comprising a first area of adhesive protected by a first removable covering on the inward-facing side of the flap; (b) inserting the article in the envelope; (c) folding the flap over in a first direction at a first pinch line to pinch off the opening, removing the first removable covering from the first area of adhesive, and fastening the flap to the back face, the first pinch line positioned bottomward of the opening so that both the front face and the back face are folded when the flap is folded over; (d) folding over a top portion of the closed envelope on a second pinch line that causes a crease in the front face, the back face, and a portion of the flap; and (e) folding over the top portion an additional time in the first direction on a third pinch line, removing a second removable covering from a second area of adhesive on the front face, and fastening the folded top portion to the back face.
- 32. An enclosure having an open configuration and a closed configuration, the enclosure adapted, in the closed configuration, to allow gas to escape the enclosure while retaining essentially all liquid or solid particulate within the enclosure, the enclosure comprising spun bonded polyolefin and having at least a front face, a back face, a bottom opening secured in a pinched closed configuration, and a top opening, the enclosure comprising means for securing the top opening in a pinched closed configuration comprising at least one pinch line distal of the top opening, each pinch line comprising a line along which at least the front face and the back face are both folded or rolled 180 degrees.
- 33. The method of claim 18, wherein the method is used to enable shipment of the article pursuant to an exemption from a hazardous shipping regulation.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/409,674, filed Sep. 10, 2002, and from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/410, 985, filed Sep. 16, 2002, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60409674 |
Sep 2002 |
US |
|
60410985 |
Sep 2002 |
US |