Composite form structure

Details Composite form structure Composite form structure

2000-04-25

2001-09-04

Garbe, Stephen P. (Department: 3727)

Envelopes, wrappers, and paperboard boxes

Envelope

Coupon

C229S068100, C462S064000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06283362

ABSTRACT:

This is a provisional application for patent.
This invention relates to a composite form structure. More particularly, this invention relates to a composite letterhead and envelope form structure.
As is known, various types of forms have been used for mailing purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,152,135 describes the use of a single sheet of letter sized paper which can be folded and used as a mailing envelope. U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,864 describes a one piece mailer which can be fed through a laser printer so as to be provided with variable information, such as address information, and thereafter folded for mailing purposes.
Mailer constructions have also been known which are made up in a continuous form assembly wherein each section of the assembly provides a form constituted by an envelope and a contiguous insert portion which can be separated from the envelope and subsequently inserted into the envelope for mailing purposes.
It has also been known that form letters, or personalized letters, can be readily processed and imaged in laser printers and the like using personal computers. It is also known that in order to address an envelope for such a letter, the envelope had to be inserted in a typewriter or inserted separately into a printer, such as a laser or dot matrix printer. Thus, where multiple letters are imaged with personalized information and separate multiple envelopes are addressed in a typewriter or otherwise, there is a risk that the correct insert would not be stuffed in the correct envelope.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,904 describes a mailer form having an envelope portion integrated with a letterhead or insert portion to permit feeding through an imaging device such as a laser printer whereby both the letterhead portion and the envelope portion can be imaged at the same time.
It is an object of this invention to provide a composite form structure having an ability to be processed through a laser printer, ink jet printer, or other imaging machine in an efficient and reliable manner.
It is another object of the invention to provide a composite form structure which can be readily used in the home, by small businesses and the like.
It is another object of the invention to provide a mailer form which permits imaging of a letter and addressing of an envelope in one pass through an imaging machine such as a laser printer, ink jet printer and the like.
It is another object of the invention to provide a composite form structure in which a letterhead provides a relatively large surface area for imaging.
It is another object of the invention to provide a composite form structure having a letterhead of a size close to a standard 8½ by 11 inch sizes.
Briefly, the invention is directed to a composite form structure comprising a letterhead and an envelope which are separately made and which are releasably attached one to the other.
The letterhead is constructed of rectangular shape with a predetermined width, a predetermined length and a predetermined thickness, i.e. a predetermined weight such as twenty-four pound stock.
The envelope is constructed with a pocket of a width greater than the width of the letterhead and a height greater than the length of the letterhead when folded in order to receive the letterhead in a folded-over condition. The envelope may also have a thickness less than the thickness of the letterhead, i.e. a weight less than the weight of the letterhead. For example, the envelope may have a weight of twenty pound stock while the letterhead has a weight of twenty-four pound stock. The purpose of this is to reduce the difference in thickness when the composite form structures are stacked in feeders and, thus, to improve feeding. In addition, the envelope has a flap which extends beyond the pocket for folding over in order to close the pocket after the folded over letterhead has been placed in the pocket.
In accordance with the invention, the letterhead is releasably attached to the flap of the envelope in an overlapping manner and so that the letterhead and envelope are movable as a unit through a printer for placement of imaging on each.
The letterhead may be releasably attached to the flap of the envelope in various manners. In a first embodiment, a fugitive type adhesive or removable adhesive or repositionable type adhesive is placed between the letterhead and the flap in order to permit the letterhead to be manually removed from the flap. In a second embodiment, a line of glue may be used to permanently attach the letterhead to the flap with a major portion of the letterhead being subsequently detached by use of a micro-perforation or other perforation in the letterhead which leaves a small stub of the letterhead on the envelope. In a third embodiment, a spot glue may be used to attach the letterhead to the flap of the envelope.
The flap is also provided with an adhesive for sealing of the flap to the envelope in order to close the pocket. For example, a remoistenable glue or a pressure sensitive glue covered by a removable tape may be used.
When using a releasable adhesive, the adhesive should be of a type so that any residue of the adhesive would remain on the envelope flap rather than on the letterhead. Once the flap is folded over to close the pocket of the envelope, any residue will be hidden from view.
The letterhead may be sized close to a standard 8½ inch by 11 inch paper size while also approximating the same relationship. Optionally, the letterhead may be sized to be of A4 size, or of a size close to a Monarch size, i.e. 7¼ inches by 10{fraction (7/16)} inches, or of a greeting card size.
When folded in thirds, the letterhead should ideally fit into the envelope without further folding. Since the letterhead is narrower than the envelope, the letterhead may easily slide into the envelope without having to be folded to reduce the width.
The letterhead and envelope may be aligned so that one edge of the letterhead lines up with one edge of the envelope to assure that the composite form feeds straight into a printer.
In one embodiment, the letterhead is positioned over the adhesive on the flap of the envelope in order to insulate the adhesive from the heat of a laser printer drum. This construction is also ideally suited for ink jet printers and may also be used on printers employing other imaging technologies.
In still another embodiment, the letterhead may be positioned on the opposite side of the flap from the adhesive side of the flap.
In still another embodiment, the flap of the envelope can be compressed in the area that the letterhead is attached to the envelope. This has the advantage of minimizing any build-up or additional thickness in this area due to the adhesive on the flap.
The letterhead may incorporate additional features such as an identification card and/or a label and may be used for other means of communications such as invoices, statements or newsletters.
The envelope may also be provided with imaging, customized or otherwise, electronic postage, return and outgoing names and addresses and the like. Further, this imaging may be provided at the same time and in the same pass as the letterhead is imaged.


REFERENCES:
patent: 240646 (1881-04-01), Blair
patent: 2112227 (1938-03-01), Berkowitz
patent: 2835512 (1958-05-01), Whitman
patent: 3104800 (1963-09-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 3243205 (1966-03-01), Borgquist
patent: 3460743 (1969-08-01), Burnett
patent: 3467299 (1969-09-01), Meyer
patent: 4708285 (1987-11-01), Segall
patent: 5377904 (1995-01-01), Michlin et al.
patent: 6062465 (2000-05-01), Kearns
patent: 6089613 (2000-07-01), Petkovsek

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