Multi-part non-impact printer airbill form

Details Multi-part non-impact printer airbill form Multi-part non-impact printer airbill form

1999-04-15

2001-04-17

Wellington, A. L. (Department: 3722)

Printed matter

Having revealable concealed information, fraud preventer or...

Having plastic laminate

C283S109000, C283S111000, C283S079000, C283S081000, C283S061000, C283S062000, C462S002000, C462S006000, C462S900000, C462S025000, C229S301000, C229S302000, C229S303000, C229S304000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06217079

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multi-part mailing form for use with a non-impact printer, and more particularly, to an airbill form which may be used for addressing packages sent by an overnight mail service.
2. Background Information
Overnight air courier services have become a common mode to send original documents and goods. Examples of such services include the Express Mail service of the United States Postal Service, Federal Express, United Parcel Service, DHL, Airborne, and many others. Most commercial air courier services utilize a similar multi-part airbill form comprising several layers of superimposed sheets, each of which must bear certain address information. The name of the shipper and the name of the recipient are printed once and appear on all sheets of the airbill form.
Current multi-part airbill forms typically have four sheets: one sheet for the sender, one sheet for the recipient signature as a proof of receipt, one sheet for the package, and one sheet for the air courier's billing department. Many of the various multi-part airbill forms used by air courier services have a peel away backing which exposes a pressure sensitive adhesive for affixing the airbill form to the package being sent.
In order to use these airbill forms, it is necessary to inscribe the addresses of both the recipient and the sender on each of the sheets of the airbill form. Carbon paper or coatings of microcapsules are normally used to permit the user to add the information only one time on the top sheet and still have it appear on the remaining sheets. Nevertheless, the address information must be added to the airbill form by either a typewriter, an impact printer, or by hand. Most offices today utilize computers because of their well-known advantages over typewriters and manually prepared documents. Further, most computer systems used in offices are linked to a non-impact type printer, such as the laser printer or ink jet printer, because of the speed and quiet operation of non-impact printers compared to the older impact printers or typewriters.
Because of the non-impact type of printing equipment used in modern offices, the address information added to air courier airbill forms must be done manually. This results in inefficient use of time if done by typewriter or, if done by hand, can leave the air courier company with the problem of reading the handwriting of someone else. Though manually adding the address information to airbill forms may be done easily enough where a small number of packages are to be sent, it is very inefficient where a large number of packages are to be sent. In the latter case, it is desirable to use a computer and associated printer to prepare the airbill forms. For example, where a mail order vendor ships merchandise by overnight air courier, many hundreds or thousands of airbill forms must be prepared daily and manual preparation of the airbill forms is very tedious and difficult. With current airbill forms, the only manner of using a computer is to utilize an impact printer, which is both slow and noisy. Non-impact printers, which are faster and quieter than impact printers, cannot be used because of the requirement to have the address information on each sheet of the existing multi-part airbill forms.
What is needed is an air courier airbill form which can be printed using a non-impact printer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a multi-part form for use as a mailing form for placement on a package, in which address information is printed by a non-impact printer on one side of the form proximate to the time the form is to be used. The form includes a substantially opaque first panel on which certain information, e.g., address information, can be printed and a substantially transparent or translucent panel on which certain information, such as an address, can be printed. The transparent panel is divided from the first panel by means permitting the folding of the first panel over the transparent panel. Advantageously, the information printed on the form can be printed on one and the same face of each of the panels, thus allowing for printing by a non-impact printer in communication with a computer having a database which holds information which can be directed to be printed on the form. Preferably, the address information printed on the transparent panel is a mirror image to the normally readable address information printed on the first panel. Further, there is included means for affixing the one printed face of the transparent panel to the package and means for affixing the back or opposing face of the non-impact printed face of the first panel to another portion of the form or to the package.
A second embodiment of the invention concerns a multi-part form comprising a plurality of separate panels affixed together as a single sheet for use as a mailing form, e.g., airway bill, waybill, bill of lading, or the like, on a package. The panels are folded over to be superimposed with one another for use as a multi-part, manifold form. Address information can be printed on one and the same face of each panel of the form by a single pass through a non-impact printer proximate to the time the form is used. This embodiment having a plurality of panels affixed together comprises at least a first substantially opaque panel and a substantially transparent or substantially translucent panel. For convenience, the transparent or translucent panel is hereinafter referred to as the “transparent panel” but would be understood to be either substantially transparent or translucent such that printed information disposed on one face of this panel shows through and can be read from the other face. The panels can also be independently pre-printed on either face with certain background colors or information, e.g., instructions for use.
The first panel, which is a top panel when the form is in folded configuration and placed on a package, is preferably a paper material having a substantially white background and capable of being printed on by a non-impact printer. The transparent panel, forming a bottom panel when placed on a package in folded configuration, is preferably a substantially transparent or translucent paper or plastic, also capable of being printed on by a non-impact printer.
In a preferred variant of this second embodiment, the mailing form comprises at least three panels and is described herein as having three panels. The first and second panels form each end of a single sheet and are separated from each other, adjoined by a third substantially transparent or translucent panel (hereinafter “the transparent panel”) affixed therebetween. The first and second panels are preferably substantially light-colored, or white, background paper capable of being printed on by a non-impact printer. The transparent panel is preferably a substantially transparent or translucent paper or plastic also capable of being printed on by a non-impact printer.
In this variation of the second embodiment, each of the panels is overlapped with its adjacent panel and forms a section approximately one-third the area of the mailing form such that the first and second panels can be folded over the transparent panel to form a three-part, manifold mailing form. The transparent panel can be positioned such that the printed face contacts the package such that the address information printed thereon is readable therethrough. The non-impact-printed faces of the first and second panels, being folded over the transparent third panel, position the printed face of those panels such that they are facing away from the package and are thereby also readable in that folded configuration when not covered by an overlying opaque sheet.
Further, this second embodiment of the subject invention comprises a means for affixing at least a portion of the printed face of the transparent third panel to the package. A means can also be provided for affixing the second panel in folded configuration to the transparen

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