EP0753462B2

EP0753462B2 - Mailing envelope

Info

Publication number: EP0753462B2
Application number: EP96901804A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Javier Elizalde Escala
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-02-10
Filing date: 1996-02-06
Publication date: 2004-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 2016-02-06
Also published as: CA2187509A1; DK0753462T4; MX9604733A; CA2187509C; BR9605804A; FI964040A0; NO320673B1; EP0753462B1; EP0753462A1; ATE180453T1; DE69602559T2; DE69602559T3; GR3030909T3; NO964289D0; DE69602559D1; ES2136387T5; WO1996024531A1; RU2113385C1; AU4623696A; ES2136387T3

Abstract

The mailing envelope has row of oblique cuts in registration with the adhesive area of the back where the corresponding closure flap will adhere, so that in one of the extremities of the row of oblique cuts there is provided a special larger cut with a different inclination, said cut forming a means for initiating the opening of the envelope, by tearing out the aligned oblique cuts, when pulling from the respective extremity of the flap. Likewise, a second special cut provided at the opposite extremity of the row of oblique cuts will form the means to evidence a fraudulent attempt to open the envelope, the reason being that, when pulling from that second flap extremity in order to try to separate it from the back of the envelope, a tearing is produced in the transverse direction to the envelope. Both the oblique cuts and the extreme cuts for initiating the opening and tamper evidencing, are applicable to envelopes with straight, trapezoidal or triangular flaps. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention refers to an envelope, in other words a classic paper container used to send any type of letter or document, according to the preamble of claim 1.

It is known that envelopes are shaped as a type of rectangular container, open at one of its sides, where there is a sealing flap aided by an adhesive strip, that at times is moistenable and other times it makes contact, in such a way that once the envelope has been conveniently sealed, the opening of the same by the addressee turns out to be a bit difficult, since the envelope must be opened without damaging the contents thereof.

The conventional solution for this purpose is the use of the classic letter-opener, which takes advantage of the lack of absolute sealing existing especially in the vertexes of the envelope, is inserted in one of them tearing one of the edges thereof. This solution, though it offers some optimal results, nevertheless has the inconvenient problem that on may occasions there is no letter-opener available, and one has to resort to the use of other objects, not normally used for this purpose and whose use is far from optimal.

A more advanced solution consists of, after choosing which is the edge for opening the envelope, to conveniently fasten a string to the same, that emerges slightly through one of its ends, in such a way that the addressee of the envelope needs only to pull on the free end of the thread, achieving the rapid opening of the same. This solution, undoubtedly effective, nevertheless has the basic problem of making the envelope more expensive upon including this additional means for opening same.

Besides, it happens that careful pulling on the sealing flap allows it to become loose from the back and thus the documents inside can be analyzed without authorization. In other words, on many occasions envelopes may be opened fraudulently and may be later sealed back up, without the addressee becoming aware of this fact as for example disclosed in US-A-3,460,743.

The envelope that the invention proposed has been designed and structured in order to fully satisfactorily solve the above mentioned problem, in such a way that, without the least repercussion on the manufacturing cost of the same, the envelope offers an extremely rapid, simple and effective opening means, allowing the addressee to realize if the same has been fraudulently opened without authorization.

For this purpose, the mailing envelope according to the invention comprises
a body with a generally rectangular contour, provided with a mouth corresponding with one of its edges, sealable by a foldable trapezoidal closure flap, with a free edge limited between two vertexes, the closure flap being attachable to the body by means of an adhesive attachment strip, the envelope including on the reverse or back surface of its body, a plurality of aligned parallel cuts adjacent to the free edge of the closure flap when said closure flap is in its folded or sealed position, whereby said cuts remain hidden under said closure flap in said folded or sealed position, said cuts being substantially adjacent, defining together small connections being easily frangible by means of tearing when conveniently pulling on the closure flap when sealed on the envelope, for which purpose the alignment of cuts lengthwise affects and is covered by the entire attachment strip, the envelope including a special initiating cut being larger than the cuts of said plurality of cuts, whereby
the special initiating cut entirely and transversally crosses the adhesive area of the attachment strip, and is situated in such a way that it remains hidden under the closure flap in the folded or sealing position thereof, the closure flap has a non-sealed edge portion in the vicinity of the special initiating cut, the non-sealed edge portion allowing a user to grip the closure flap by said edge portion and to initiate the tearing action, and the special initiating cut is placed in the vicinity with one of the vertexes of said closure flap.

In order to achieve this purpose the cited cuts must be placed right next to the free edge of the sealing flap, in such a way that in the opening operation the gummed area of the body of the envelope remains basically fastened to the flap, thus favoring the tearing operation.

In accordance with another one of the features of the invention it has been provided for that said cuts turn out to be rather oblique with regard to the free edge of the sealing flap, defining on the back of the envelope a slightly broken tearing line, that makes the tearing operation easier.

Finally, it is necessary to point out that one of said cuts, the one corresponding to be beginning of the opening operation will be different from the other ones, specifically larger, this starting cut being established in one of the ends of the sealing flap, when it is rectilinear.

In any case, it suffices to grasp the flap at the initial tearing point provided for, that will be conveniently indicated on the envelope, so that with slight pulling tearing takes place along the alignment of cuts and thus the envelope opens up entirely.

Another object of the invention is to provide the envelope with means to allow the addressee to know if there has been fraudulent opening thereof, for which purpose aside from the initial tearing cut cited above and larger than the cuts that form the alignment on the back of the envelope, another larger cut has been provided for in the opposite end, all in such a way that if ones tries to loosen the flap from this second end, by means of careful pulling, the uncontrolled tearing of the corresponding area of the envelope would take place and thus fraudulent or unauthorized opening of the envelope would be revealed. In other words, it makes the envelope inviolable.

In the case of envelopes with a triangular flap, aside from the center cut for starting the tearing, there will also be two other larger cuts corresponding with the outside ends of the areas where the smaller alignments of cuts will be provided for on each side of the cited center cut for initial tearing.

To complete the description that is being made and for the purpose of providing a better understanding of the features of the invention, the present description is provided with a set of drawings comprising special embodiments of the invention as well as purely illustrative examples for background information only. The following has been shown in an illustrative and non-restrictive manner:

Figure 1 is a rear view of an envelope with a straight or trapezoidal flap, made in accordance with the improvements object of the present invention, which appears open, representing in the same with a broken line, the sealed position of the flap.

Figure 2 is a view of the envelope of the above figure, but now it is sealed.

Figure 3 again shows the envelope of figure 2, in the initial opening state.

Figure 4 again shows the envelope of the above figures after opening by means of tearing the flap.

Figure 5 shows but for comparison only an envelope with a triangular flap,

Figures 6 to 8 show further details of an envelope with the triangular flap of figure 5 for comparative purpose only.

Figure 9 shows a rear view of the envelope shown in figure 1, but in this case provided with the second larger cut that will be the means of inviolability of the envelope, since an attempt to loosen the sealing flap from that end in which said cut is made would involve the tearing of the envelope according to an irregular path but practically crosswise one.

Figure 10 shows the envelope of the above figure but sealed.

Figure 11 shows the same envelope as in figures 9 and 10, in the initial opening position at both ends, showing in one case the tearing by means of the alignment of cuts and in the other case the crosswise tearing of the envelope.

Figure 12 shows a rear view of an envelope with a triangular flap, similar to the one of figure 5, with the two larger cuts of the ends corresponding to the areas or edges in which the alignments of parallel cuts are made.

Figure 13 shows the envelope of the above figure sealed, there being three arrows indicating the points or ends from which one can pull the sealing flap to tear open the envelope along the alignment of cuts or to cause the tearing in an attempt of fraudulent opening.

In view of these figures one can observe how the proposed envelope has the shape of any conventional envelope, materialized by a body (1) provided with a sealing flap (2) with a straight or trapezoidal shape, wherein a broad rectilinear edge (3) is defined, as shown in figure 1, or else materialized by a body (1') aided by a triangular shaped flap (2'), defining an angular free edge (3'), as seen in figure 5. It can be materialized by any other basic shape, without this affecting at all the essence of the invention, having in any case close to the free edge (3-3') of the flap (2-2') thereof, an adhesive strip (4), that may be continuous as in the example of figure 1 or made into two symmetric portions (4') as in the example in figure 5, that may be either moistenable or by contact, in the latter case helped by a protective strip of paraffin coated, silicon coated or the like, and that in any case constitutes the means for sealing the flap (2-2') to the envelope (1-1'), to achieve sealing of the same after the corresponding contents has been inserted therein.

Now then, from this basic and conventional structure, the invention includes on the back of the envelope, that corresponds to reference (1) itself, a plurality of cuts (5-5') which are not very large, that form a parallel alignment very close to the imaginary line (6) of the cited body (1) receiving the free edge (3-3') of the flap (2-2') after sealing the same.

These cuts (5-5'), preferably in an oblique position, define between them easily frangible connections (7), that convert this alignment of cuts (5-5') into a line of opening by tearing, when one pulls on the flap itself (2-2') fastened to the body (1) of the envelope in the previous operation of sealing the same.

In order to facilitate the tearing operation and in the specific case of an envelope (1) with a straight or trapezoidal flap shown in figures 1 to 4, the existence of an initial cut (8) has been provided for. It is located in correspondence with one of the ends of the flap and transversally affects the entire gummed area (9) by which the flap (2) is fastened to said body (1) by means of the adhesive strip (4), in such a way that when one pulls on this vertex of the flap (2), conveniently indicated by the arrow (10) that appears in figure 2, and specifically in the oblique direction of the cited arrow, there is a progressive tearing of the connections (7) by means of the cuts (5), as shown in figure 3, until the envelope is entirely opened as is shown in figure 4.

On the other hand and in the specific case of the envelope (1') provided with a triangular flap (2') shown in figures 5 to 8, in this case it has been provided for that the starting cut (11) has an arched shape and is located opposite the free edge (3') of the flap, specifically between the two side alignments of cuts (5'), in such a way that when one pulls on the middle vertex of the flap, in accordance with the arrow referred to as (12) in figure 6, the tearing of the body (1') of the envelope takes place in a similar way as in the previous case, in this case towards both sides and symmetrically, as shown in figure 7, until the envelope is opened entirely, as shown in turn in figure 8.

Hence and as it has been said above, it suffices to simply pull on the indicated area (10-12) of the envelope in order to achieve the tearing and subsequent opening of the same along the line provided for this purpose, that ensures perfect access to the inside and the absolute lack of risk of damaging the contents thereof.

In figured 9, 10 and 11 one can see the envelope (1) of figures 1 to 4, but provided with means that will indicate if said envelope has been opened fraudulently. The references of the elements and parts common to both envelopes (one represented in figures 9, 10 and 11; and the other represented in figures 1 to 4) will be the same in both cases.

Now then, in said figures 9, 10 and 11, the envelope (1) in question, aside from all the features described for the envelope of figures 1 to 4, has the particularity that in the part of the gummed area (9) opposite to the cut (8) for starting the tearing, there is a second cut (8a) that is going to define an inviolability means of the envelope, since when one carefully pulls on the flap (2) by the vertex that has been represented by arrow (10a), in an attempt of fraudulent opening, then the envelope will tear as is represented in figure 11.

For a better understanding of the present invention related to a mailing envelope with a trapezoidal flap, an envelope with a triangular flap is also disclosed.

An envelope with a triangular flap as shown in figures 12 and 13, corresponds to that which is shown in figures 5 to 8. It can also be provided with the means that will reveal a case or attempt of fraudulent or unauthorized opening.

In this case, the envelope (1') aside from the cut for starting tearing (11) has a pair of cuts (11') in the opposite ends of the gummed areas (9'), in such a way that if one pulls on the center area or vertex, as arrow (12) of figure 3 indicates, it will open in the exact same way as the envelope (1') of figures 5 to 8. Now then, if one pulls on the ends of the flap (2') as indicated by the arrows (12') then the tearing would take place just as it happened in envelope (1) of figures 9, 10 and 11 when one pulled on the end corresponding to the arrow indication (10a), revealing an attempt of fraudulent opening.

The cuts (8a) and (11') referred to for the embodiment of the envelopes corresponding to figures 9 to 11 and to figures 12 and 13, respectively, are connected to the final cut (5) and (5') of the alignments of oblique cuts made in the respective gummed areas of said envelopes.

Claims

Mailing Envelope comprising
a body (1) with a generally rectangular contour, provided with a mouth corresponding with one of its edges, sealable by a foldable trapezoidal closure flap (2), with a free edge (3) limited between two vertexes (10, 10a), the closure flap (2) being attachable to the body by means of an adhesive attachment strip (9), the envelope including on the reverse or back surface of its body (1), a plurality of aligned parallel cuts (5) adjacent to the free edge (3) of the closure flap (2) when said closure flap (2) is in its folded or sealed position, whereby said cuts remain hidden under said closure flap (2) in said folded or sealed position, said cuts being substantially adjacent, defining together small connections (7) being easily frangible by means of tearing when conveniently pulling on the closure flap (2) when sealed on the envelope, for which purpose the alignment of cuts (5) lengthwise affects and is covered by the entire attachment strip (9), the envelope including a special initiating cut (8) being larger than the cuts (5) of said plurality of cuts (5), whereby
the special initiating cut (8) entirely and transversally crosses the adhesive area of the attachment strip (9), and is situated in such a way that it remains hidden under the closure flap (2) in the folded or sealing position thereof, the closure flap (2) has a non-sealed edge portion in the vicinity of the special initiating cut (8), the non-sealed edge portion allowing a user to grip the closure flap by said edge portion and to initiate the tearing action, and the special initiating cut (8) is placed in the vicinity with one of the vertexes (10) of said closure flap (2).
Mailing envelope according to claim 1, characterized in that the cited cuts (5) adopt a slightly oblique arrangement with respect to the alignment itself, or in other words, with respect to the free edge (3) of the closure flap (2) when closed.
Mailing envelope, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that in addition to the special initiating cut (8) it presents on the opposite end of the attachment strip (9), a second special cut (8a) provided in order to evidence a fraudulent attempt to open the envelope when pulling from the respective end of the closure flap (2).
Mailing envelope according to the previous claim, characterized in that in said opposite end, a graphic element (10a) has been provided, corresponding to the pulling point.
Mailing envelope, according to any of the claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the second special cut (8a) of the envelope presents an opposite direction to the special initiation cut (8).
Mailing envelope, according to any of the claims 3-5, characterized in that it has been provided that the pulling from the end corresponding to the second special cut (8a) produces the irregular and approximately transversal tearing of the reverse side of the envelope, comprised between the respective alignment of the cuts (5) and the free edge corresponding to the mouth of said back side of the envelope.
Mailing envelope, according to any of the claims 1-6, characterized in that on the external side of its closure flap (2) it includes a graphic element (10-12) corresponding to the pulling point foreseen for the opening of the envelope.