Envelopes – wrappers – and paperboard boxes – Envelope – Including remailing means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-18
2001-08-21
Garbe, Stephen P. (Department: 3727)
Envelopes, wrappers, and paperboard boxes
Envelope
Including remailing means
C229S070000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276601
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a combined letter and envelope for dual orientation printing. Devices including a mailer having printed information thereon such as, for example, an invoice or bill are well known. The main purpose for such devices is to provide convenience to a customer, giving them a bill or invoice while also providing a convenient envelope in which payment and a reply/receipt may be inserted for mailing back to the vendor.
A need has developed for a combined letter and envelope that is simple in construction, easy to use by the consumer, easy to print on using standard home office printing equipment, and easy and cheap to manufacture. It is with these needs in mind that the present invention was developed.
Applicants are aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,036 to Rutkowski et al. that discloses a mailer with reply envelope. In the Rutkowski et al. device, two separate sheets of paper are adhered to one another at prescribed locations to provide a message section along with a reply envelope. The present invention differs from the teachings of Rutkowski et al. as contemplating constructing a combined letter and envelope of a single sheet of paper folded in half and including fewer perforations and adhesive sections than is the case with Rutkowski et al. The present invention also differs from Rutkowski et al. as contemplating a unique manufacturing process therefor not contemplated by Rutkowski et al.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a combined letter and envelope for dual orientation printing. The present invention includes the following interrelated objects, aspects and features:
(1) The present invention is disclosed in terms of embodiments of a combined letter and envelope as well as the method of fabrication of same.
(2) A first embodiment of combined letter and envelope in accordance with the teachings of the present invention includes a single piece of paper divided into halves by a crease. A front half has an upper region and a lower region divided by a first perforation extending through both the front half and the back half of the piece of paper. The rear half of the piece of paper is also divided into upper and lower regions at the same perforation. The rear half has a second perforation extending only through the rear half and slightly below the first perforation so that a narrow horizontal strip of paper comprising a portion of the rear half may be removed to reveal a narrow strip or flap on the front half of the piece of paper having a rear surface covered by a wettable adhesive.
(3) The crease dividing the single piece of paper into front and rear halves is located in a location dividing the lower portions of the front and rear halves from one another and, thereby, forming the bottom extent of the envelope. Thus, it should be understood that the return envelope may be created by removing the lower regions of the front and rear halves from the respective upper regions thereof at the first-mentioned perforation, removing the strip of paper defined by the second perforation, wetting the wettable adhesive that is exposed by removal of the narrow horizontal strip of paper, and folding the flap with the wettable glue thereon over a rear surface of the lower region of the rear half of the piece of paper to seal the envelope. The sides of the envelope are suitably sealed together by an adhesive during the manufacturing process.
(4) The upper regions of the front and rear halves of the piece of paper are adhered together through adhesive deposited thereon during the process of manufacture. Once the first perforation is torn to separate the envelope from the letter, an opening is formed between the upper regions of the front and rear halves and the upper regions may be separated from one another in a manner well known to those skilled in the art to reveal the rear surface of the front half upper region and the front surface of the rear half upper region. Invoice or other information may suitably be printed on one or both of these surfaces and separate areas may be defined, as desired, for example, to provide a receipt or reply form.
(5) In a second embodiment of the present invention, the single piece of paper used to form the combined letter and envelope is longer than is the case in the first embodiment. For example, in the first embodiment, the piece of paper employed to make the combined letter and envelope is approximately 8½ inches wide by 22 inches long so that, when folded, the combined letter and envelope is letter size. In the second embodiment of the present invention, that portion of the front and rear halves from about one-third of the way down from a top edge thereof is similar to the first embodiment. The additional length of the front and rear halves of the piece of paper employed to form the second embodiment of the present invention provides an additional region to provide additional information from the sender. If desired, the length of the second embodiment may be divided into approximate thirds, with creases between each region thereof so that first and second regions of the front and rear halves of the inventive device may be folded to provide a two or four page area to provide a letter, invoice, or combination thereof. The approximately lower one-third of the front and rear halves is used to form an envelope in the same manner as is the case in the first embodiment.
(6) In a third embodiment of the present invention, approximately the lower one-third of the front and rear halves of the piece of paper is similar to those of the first and second embodiments and may be used to provide an envelope. A middle section thereof may be used to provide an additional envelope along with a payment stub or other printed matter. An upper region may be used to provide a variable letter, invoice, or a combination thereof. In the same manner as is the case in the first and second embodiments, the crease between the front and rear halves of the piece of paper is at the bottom of the device and forms the bottom extent of the envelope located at the lower region thereof.
(7) As explained hereinabove, the present invention also contemplates the method of manufacturing the subject combined letter and envelope embodiments. As explained above, the inventive combined letter and envelope, in its various embodiments, is made of a single piece of paper folded at a crease to provide two parallel sheets of paper with the crease forming the bottom of an envelope incorporated therewith. Through this construction, advantageously, the manufacturing process may be implemented by providing an elongated roll of a paper web that is unrolled and conveyed along a production line during the course of manufacture.
(8) During the course of manufacture, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, areas of glue of different kinds are applied to prescribed regions on the paper web for particular purposes. For example, wet glue is applied to regions of the paper that will be adhered together, for example, facing upper regions of the front and rear halves after the paper is appropriately folded. Wettable glue is applied at other areas, particularly where a flap will be formed for the envelope located at the lower portions of the front and rear halves of the piece of paper forming the combined letter and envelope.
(9) At one location along the manufacturing line, a perforator is provided to provide perforations on the front and rear halves of the creased piece of paper to permit separation of upper and lower portions of the front and rear halves thereof. At another location along the manufacturing line, a perforator is provided which solely perforates at a location on the rear half of the piece of paper to allow formation of the flap of the incorporated envelope. A sheet stacker is provided to stack the finished combined letter and envelope devices.
Accordingly, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a combined letter and envelope.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a devic
Ross Robert K.
Yatsko John A.
Garbe Stephen P.
Spiegel H. Jay
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