GB2140743A - Re-usable mailing envelope - Google Patents

Abstract

The envelope is formed of a rectangular thermoplastics sheet welded to form a flap which can overlie a slit-like opening. An adhesive address label seals the flap to the envelope but does not extend to the ends of the flap so that the label can be readily torn open, and the envelope then re-used with another like label.

Description

SPECIFICATION Re-usable mailing envelope This invention relates to re-usable mailing envelopes.

This invention aims to provide a convenient and cheaply-manufacturable re-usable envelope which can avoid the wastage of materials involved in using envelopes oniy once.

According to the invention there is provided a mailing envelope-of sheet plastics material having an opening in the form of a slit, and an adhesive address label which can be applied to the envelope to seal the envelope.

A preferred way of packaging the envelope and address label of the invention is in a pack containing at least one envelope and a number of labels sufficient for the or each envelope to be used many, for example 20i 50, 100 or more, times.

The envelope preferably has a closure flap which folds over the slit to close the envelope and which can be secured by attachment of the address label in the form of an adhesive strip to the flap and in adjacent surface of the envelope.

A particularly advantageous envelope has a closure flap which has a rectilinear free edge which is somewhat longer than the address label. When the flap is secured by the label, corners of the flap are left free and can be gripped between thumb and forefinger in order to open the envelope by tearing the label along the line of the free edge of the flap.

The adhesive of the address label is conveniently protected by a peel-off sheet which is removed before use of the label. One surface of the label is preferably suitable for writing on, either in manuscript or by typewriter.

Alternatively, the label can be pre-printed with a desired address.

The envelope is conveniently made for folding and heat-sealing a sheet of plastics material such as 500 gauge polyethylene.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawing, of which the sole figure is a plan view of a re-usable mailing envelope.

The envelope 10 shown in the drawing measures about 9cm by about 23cm but may of course be any desired size. It is formed by folding a rectangular sheet of 500 gauge polyethylene transversely along folds 11, 1 2 to form a front surface 13, a rear surface 14 and a closure flap 1 5. The longitudinal edges of the sheet are then heat sealed at 1 6 and 1 7.

To seal the envelope 10, a strip 18 of adhesive-backed paper is applied to the outer surface of the flap 15 and the front surface 1 3. Prior to use, the adhesive of the strip 18 is protected by a peel-off sheet. The length of the strip 1 8 is somewhat less than that of the flap 1 5 so that corners 19, 20 of the flap 1 5 remain free after application of the strip 1 8 to the envelope 10.

For mailing, an address and stamp are applied to the strip 18, before or after its application to the envelope 1 0.

At its destination, the envelope 10 is opened by tearing the strip 18, for example by gripping the corners 19, 20 of the flap 1 5 and tearing the strip 1 8 along the edge of the flap 15.

For further use, a fresh strip 1 8 is applied to the envelope 1 0. A single envelope can thus be used many times over and the wastage of materials associated with single-use envelopes avoided.

1. A mailing envelope of plastics material having an opening in the form of a slit, and an adhesive address label which can be applied to the envelope to seal the envelope.

2. An envelope as claimed in claim 1 having a flap which can be folded over the slit to close the envelope, the label comprising a strip which can be applied to the flap and an adjacent surface of the envelope.

3. An envelope comprising sheet material configured to define an interior accessible through a slit in combination with a closure strip of tearable material adhering to the sheet material to seal the slit, the sheet material being of sufficient strength to be manipulated to tear the closure strip to allow access to the envelope interior without damage to the envelope.

4. An envelope as claimed in claim 3 wherein the closure strip can be removed from the envelope without damage to the envelope.

5. An envelope as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein the closure strip is capable of bearing print or writing on the exposed side thereof so as to function as an address label.

6. An envelope as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5 wherein the envelope comprises rectangular sheet material having parallel folds of which one defines the interior and the slit and the other defines a flap overlying the slit.

7. An envelope as claimed in claim 6 wherein the sheet material is weldable plastics material and the interior is defined by edge welds at right angles to the folds.

8. An envelope as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein the sheet material is of polyethylene.

9. An envelope as claimed in claim 2, 6, 7, or 8 wherein at least one end portion of the flap remains free when the strip is applied thereto to facilitate opening of the envelope by tearing the strip.

10. A re-usable mailing envelope substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Re-usable mailing envelope This invention relates to re-usable mailing envelopes. This invention aims to provide a convenient and cheaply-manufacturable re-usable envelope which can avoid the wastage of materials involved in using envelopes oniy once. According to the invention there is provided a mailing envelope-of sheet plastics material having an opening in the form of a slit, and an adhesive address label which can be applied to the envelope to seal the envelope. A preferred way of packaging the envelope and address label of the invention is in a pack containing at least one envelope and a number of labels sufficient for the or each envelope to be used many, for example 20i 50, 100 or more, times. The envelope preferably has a closure flap which folds over the slit to close the envelope and which can be secured by attachment of the address label in the form of an adhesive strip to the flap and in adjacent surface of the envelope. A particularly advantageous envelope has a closure flap which has a rectilinear free edge which is somewhat longer than the address label. When the flap is secured by the label, corners of the flap are left free and can be gripped between thumb and forefinger in order to open the envelope by tearing the label along the line of the free edge of the flap. The adhesive of the address label is conveniently protected by a peel-off sheet which is removed before use of the label. One surface of the label is preferably suitable for writing on, either in manuscript or by typewriter. Alternatively, the label can be pre-printed with a desired address. The envelope is conveniently made for folding and heat-sealing a sheet of plastics material such as 500 gauge polyethylene. An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawing, of which the sole figure is a plan view of a re-usable mailing envelope. The envelope 10 shown in the drawing measures about 9cm by about 23cm but may of course be any desired size. It is formed by folding a rectangular sheet of 500 gauge polyethylene transversely along folds 11, 1 2 to form a front surface 13, a rear surface 14 and a closure flap 1 5. The longitudinal edges of the sheet are then heat sealed at 1 6 and 1 7. To seal the envelope 10, a strip 18 of adhesive-backed paper is applied to the outer surface of the flap 15 and the front surface 1 3. Prior to use, the adhesive of the strip 18 is protected by a peel-off sheet. The length of the strip 1 8 is somewhat less than that of the flap 1 5 so that corners 19, 20 of the flap 1 5 remain free after application of the strip 1 8 to the envelope 10. For mailing, an address and stamp are applied to the strip 18, before or after its application to the envelope 1 0. At its destination, the envelope 10 is opened by tearing the strip 18, for example by gripping the corners 19, 20 of the flap 1 5 and tearing the strip 1 8 along the edge of the flap 15. For further use, a fresh strip 1 8 is applied to the envelope 1 0. A single envelope can thus be used many times over and the wastage of materials associated with single-use envelopes avoided. CLAIMS

1. A mailing envelope of plastics material having an opening in the form of a slit, and an adhesive address label which can be applied to the envelope to seal the envelope.

2. An envelope as claimed in claim 1 having a flap which can be folded over the slit to close the envelope, the label comprising a strip which can be applied to the flap and an adjacent surface of the envelope.

3. An envelope comprising sheet material configured to define an interior accessible through a slit in combination with a closure strip of tearable material adhering to the sheet material to seal the slit, the sheet material being of sufficient strength to be manipulated to tear the closure strip to allow access to the envelope interior without damage to the envelope.

4. An envelope as claimed in claim 3 wherein the closure strip can be removed from the envelope without damage to the envelope.

5. An envelope as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein the closure strip is capable of bearing print or writing on the exposed side thereof so as to function as an address label.

6. An envelope as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5 wherein the envelope comprises rectangular sheet material having parallel folds of which one defines the interior and the slit and the other defines a flap overlying the slit.

7. An envelope as claimed in claim 6 wherein the sheet material is weldable plastics material and the interior is defined by edge welds at right angles to the folds.

8. An envelope as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein the sheet material is of polyethylene.

9. An envelope as claimed in claim 2, 6, 7, or 8 wherein at least one end portion of the flap remains free when the strip is applied thereto to facilitate opening of the envelope by tearing the strip.

10. A re-usable mailing envelope substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.