Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi – Pliable container – Envelope
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-27
2004-04-06
Rada, Rinaldi I. (Department: 3721)
Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi
Pliable container
Envelope
C493S923000, C493S931000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06716150
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND AND FIELD OF APPLICABILITY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to an envelope and method of making the envelope. A tape strip is located along the perimeter of the front panel and a portion of the seal flap on the interior of the envelope.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The stationery envelope has been an indispensable tool for communication throughout the last century, and, accordingly, much effort has been focused on making the design, manufacture and user-friendliness of this instrument more efficient and economical. In particular, several attempts have been made to improve the technical design of the envelope to allow the user easier access to the envelope contents, while at the same time reducing the risk of accidentally tearing the envelope body and damaging its contents or causing injury to the user.
The use of tear guides has been one means of providing simple, controlled access to the envelope contents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,161,958 (MacDonald) discloses an envelope in which a cutting element is secured to the inner face of the rear section of the envelope. The cutting element, which may be a thin, twisted ribbon of cellophane, is secured between the upper and lower edges of the inner rear face of the envelope. In this position, according to the patent, the cutting element is in a concealed and inaccessible position within the envelope. Arced perforations near one or both corners of the rear section expose one or both ends of the cutting element at the back of the envelope, allowing the exposed ends to be grasped and pulled outward with a slitting motion to open the envelope.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,956,727 (Chevan) describes an envelope that includes a side strip secured to the inside of the front panel near the fold between the front and rear sections of the envelope. The portion of the strip that is between the front and rear sections has a pressure sensitive adhesive applied on either side, which permits the strip to function as a tearing member. The strip also allows functions as a re-sealing member that can be inserted between the open edges of the envelope to close it after it has been opened. An exposed portion of the strip containing no adhesive extends beyond the upper edge of the front panel, and when the envelope is sealed, this exposed portion is partially positioned beneath the upper sealing flap to provide an end or tab that can be lifted by the user and pulled to remove the strip and open the envelope.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,908 (Shelley) discloses a paper stationery envelope with a combination of corner guides and an internal tear strip of paper, plastic or cloth placed on the interior surface of the envelope along substantially the entire length of one or more edge folds of the envelope. The strip placed along the edge fold extends either over the entire length of the edge fold or close to the end of each edge, but, in any event, does not extend beyond the edges and there is no external indication of its presence.
This prior art, while recognizing the need for an envelope that can be torn open without detriment to the contents, has not solved the problem of providing an envelope with a reliable tear mechanism that can readily be identified by the user, and which is easy to manufacture on-line in a machine process for making envelopes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention teaches an envelope with a tape strip secured to the front panel of the envelope on the inside of the envelope. The tape strip extends to the perimeter of the seal flap. A perforated region is formed on the seal flap adjacent to the tape strip. The envelope is opened by pulling the tear seal flap in the vicinity of the perforated region. The tape strip controls the movement of the tear and allows the envelope to be opened without damaging the contents of the envelope.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3298598 (1967-01-01), Eberstadt
patent: 3380648 (1968-04-01), De Lyra
patent: 3392908 (1968-07-01), Shelley et al.
patent: 3501086 (1970-03-01), Kuniyukii
patent: 4781296 (1988-11-01), Morris et al.
patent: 5290225 (1994-03-01), Younger
patent: 5697879 (1997-12-01), Nokelainen
patent: 6248049 (2001-06-01), Scheggetman
patent: 6457638 (2002-10-01), Schmidt
patent: 6491213 (2002-12-01), Purcell
Bowman D. L.
Mead Westvaco Corp
Rada Rinaldi I.
Weeks Gloria
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