GB2262908A - A method of constructing a letter into a form which is suitable for posting without an envelope. - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of constructing a letter 2 into a form which is suitable for posting without an envelope, by folding the letter at lines (x-x and y-y, Fig. 1) into a shape which is suitable for enabling the folded letter to be sent through the post, and retaining the letter in its folded condition by sticking at least one adhesive closure member 14, 16 along at least one otherwise openable edge of the folded letter, the adhesive closure member being separately formed from the paper letter sheet. A high tack adhesive may be used, the closure member having lines of weakness 22, 24 to facilitate letter opening. Alternatively a low tack adhesive may be used, a non-adhesive portion 26 of the closure member being provided which may be gripped by the user. <IMAGE>

Description

A METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING A LETTER INTO A FORM WHICH IS SUITABLE FOR POSTING WITHOUT AN ENVELOPE This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for constructing a letter into a form which is suitable for posting without an envelope.

Usually, letters are sent through the post in envelopes. The envelopes protect the letters but are wasteful of material since the envelopes usually have no other function than to protect the letters and they are therefore usually discarded after the letters are opened.

Airmail letters are known which each have integrally formed portions which are adapted to be bent over and stuck in position to enable the letter to be folded into a shape which is suitable for enabling the folded letter to be sent through the post. These airmail letters thus save on the use of envelopes but they do not permit the use of standard sheets of paper, for example standard A4 size sheets of paper.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate the need for envelopes with letters written on standard sheets of paper such for example as A4 sized sheets of paper, thereby enabling a saving in the material used to produce the envelopes, a saving in mass of waste generated by discarded envelopes, and a saving in storage space which is required to store envelopes.

Accordingly, this invention provides a method of constructing a letter into a form which is -suitable for posting without an envelope, which method comprises providing at least one sheet of paper which is of a type normally used for letters and which is also of a type not normally capable of being sent through the post without an envelope, providing desired information on the sheet of paper so that the sheet of paper is then in the form of a letter, folding the letter into a shape which is suitable for enabling the folded letter to be sent through the post, and retaining the letter in its folded condition by sticking at least one adhesive closure member along at least one otherwise openable edge of the folded letter, the adhesive closure member being separately formed from the sheet of paper.

The present invention also provides a stationery pack comprising at least one sheet of paper which is of a type normally used for letters and which is also of a type not normally capable of being sent through the post without an envelope, and at least one adhesive closure member for retaining the sheet of paper in a folded condition suitable for sending through the post after the sheet of paper has been provided with desired information so that the sheet of paper is then in the form of a letter, the adhesive closure member being separately formed from the sheet of paper.

In the method and the stationery pack embodiments of the present invention, the adhesive closure member may be constructed and/or marketed specifically for retaining the letter in its folded condition.

The present invention still further provides a closure member constructed and/or marketed specifically for retaining a sheet of paper in a form which is suitable for posting without an envelope, the sheet of paper being of a type normally used for letters but also of a type not normally capable of being sent through the post without an envelope.

In the various embodiments of the invention, the adhesive closure member may bear instructions for use and/or advantages of its use. For example, the instructions for use may be "peel off to open". Also by way of example, it is mentioned that the advantages of the use of the adhesive closure member may be stated to be "no envelope - less waste" The adhesive closure member may also bear at least one of advertisements, company names, personal messages, decorative effects, and trade marks.

Preferably, the adhesive closure member is a contact adhesive closure member. Thus the adhesive closure member may be secured in position simply by pressing it where desired. Alternatively, the adhesive closure member may be of the type that needs wetting.

The adhesive closure member is preferably in the form of a roll. Appropriate lengths of the adhesive closure member can thus be torn or cut from the roll. In this case, the adhesive closure member may be in the form of tape. Alternatively, if desired, the adhesive closure members can be separately formed so that they can be, for example, in the form of separate tabs.

If desired, the adhesive closure member may be provided on a backing sheet from which the adhesive closure member is peeled off ready for sticking on to a folded letter where suitable and appropriate.

The sheet of paper may be pre-printed with the senders name and address. Such a sheet of paper is normally referred to as a letter headed sheet of paper.

Alternatively, the sheet of paper may be blank for being provided with a person's name and address by typing. or by writing. The desired information that is to be provided on the sheet of paper may be provided by writing, typing, printing or any other suitable and appropriate means.

If desired, the sheet of paper may bear at least one fold mark for indicating where the sheet of paper is to be folded.

Businesses having their own letter headed paper may normally only need to separately purchase the closure member. Individuals not having their own letter headed paper may prefer to purchase a stationery pack.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1 - 6 illustrate a first embodiment of the invention; Figures 8 - 14 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention; Figures 16 - 20 illustrate a third embodiment of the invention; Figures 21 - 24 illustrate a fourth embodiment of the invention; Figures 25 - 28 illustrate a fifth embodiment of the invention; Figures 29 - 34 illustrate a sixth embodiment of the invention; Figures 35 - 40 illustrate a seventh embodiment of the invention; Figures 41 - 45 illustrate an eighth embodiment of the invention; and Figures 46 - 60 illustrate different types of adhesive closure member.

Referring to Figures 1 to 6, there is shown a letter 2 which comprises a sheet of paper 4. The sheet of paper 4 is of a type normally used for letters and it is also of a type not normally capable of being sent through the post without an envelope. The sheet of paper has been provided with desired typed information as shown in order to make the sheet of paper 4 into the form of a letter. The sheet of paper 4 is a standard sized sheet of paper 4 so that it may be, for example, an A4 sized sheet of paper. It will be noted that the sheet of paper 4 has a printed heading 6 as is normal for business letter headed paper.

In order to fold the sheet of paper 4 into a form suitable for sending through the post, the sheet of paper 4 needs to be folded at lines x - x and y - y as shown in Figure 1. Because the sheet of paper 4 shown in Figure 1 is unencumbered by any adhesive closure member, it is easy to fold the sheet of paper 4.

The sheet of paper 4 is blank on its reverse side and, referring to Figure 1, the sheet of paper 4 is first folded under about the line x - x. If the sheet of paper 4 is then turned over it will have the appearance shown in Figure 2.

Referring back to Figure 1, the sheet of paper is then folded inwardly at line y - y, whereupon the folded sheet of paper 4 will have the form shown in Figure 3.

In Figure 3, the fold lines xx and yy have been shown for clarity of illustration. As can be seen from Figure 3, the printed heading 6 is clearly visible together with the name and address 8 of the addressee.

As shown in Figure 1, the sheet of paper 4 has a top edge 10 and a bottom edge 12. As can be seen from Figure 3, the top edge 10 lies inwardly of the outer most edges of the folded sheet of paper 4, the outermost edges being defined by the fold line yy and the bottom edge 12.

Figure 4 shows how two adhesive closure members 14, 16 are stuck to the folded sheet of paper 4 to retain the folded sheet of paper 4 in a form which is suitable for sending the letter 2 through the post. The adhesive closure member 14 is stuck along the top of the folded sheet of paper 4 as shown in Figure 3 to extend to both sides of the top edge 10. Thus part of the adhesive closure member 14 is on the top of the letter just above the printed heading 6 and part of the adhesive closure member 14 is on the rear side of the paper when viewed as in Figure 1. The adhesive closure member 16 extends to both sides of the fold line x - x.Thus part of the adhesive closure member 16 is on the front side of the sheet of paper 4 as viewed in Figure 1 and just below the name and address 8 whilst the other part of the adhesive closure member 16 is on the rear side of the sheet of paper 4 as viewed in Figure 1 and is adjacent the bottom edge 12.

As can be seen from Figure 4, the adhesive closure members 14, 16 are cut oversize so that they can be bent around the edges of the formed letter 2 and stuck to a rear surface 18 of the sheet of paper 4, as can be seen from Figure 5.

As can be seen from Figure 6, the formed letter 2 can then be provided with postage marking means in the form of the illustrated postage stamp 20 or a postage franking mark (not shown). The letter 2 can then be sent through the post and it can receive post office franking information and dot or bar codes as may be determined by the post office.

The adhesive closure members 14, 16 are provided with a low tack adhesive for enabling them to be secured in position.

If the letter 2 contains more than one sheet of paper, it may be preferable to make a third fold (not shown) so that the bottom edge 12 overlaps the front line x - x.

The manner in which the sheet of paper 4 has been folded as described above with reference to Figures 1 to 6 is similar in the manner in which a sheet of paper would be folded if the sheet of paper 4 were to be folded for a known standard window envelope. As in the case of a window envelope, the name and address 8 of the addressee is not required to be duplicated on a separate envelope.

This is clearly visible as shown in Figure 6. The text of the letter 2 as shown in Figure 1 is protected from reading and from soiling because it is facing inwardly in the folded letter 2. The longer edges of the folded letter 2 are sealed with the adhesive closure members 14, 16 to prevent the folded letter 2 becoming entangled with other envelopes in the post. The contents of the letter can simply be read by peeling off the adhesive closure members 14, 16, which is easily effected because they are only stuck in position with the low tack adhesive.

As shown in Figure 6, the postage stamp 20 (or other postage payment means) remains attached to the letter 2 together with any other postal marks applied by the post office. This is effective to provide a record of posting or other information. The sender9 a printed heading 6 remains visible in the folded letter 2 as can be seen from Figure 6 and this is advantageous in the case of an addressee moving where the letter 2 needs to be returned by the post office to the sender. It will be apparent that there is no need for the post office to open the letter 2 because the senders address will be clearly visible. By having the senders address clearly visible, this saves the time consuming chore of the sender having to write the sender's name and address on the back of the envelope in case it should be necessary for the letter 2 to be returned.It will also be appreciated from the letter 2 as shown in Figures 5 and 6 that the adhesive closure members 14, 16 will use substantially less material than that which would otherwise be required by an envelope and this in turn has important ecological and environmental connotations relating both to the manufacture of the adhesive closure members and to the disposal of the adhesive closure members after the letter has been opened.

Referring now to Figures 8 to 14, similar parts as in Figures 1 to 6 have.been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. As can be seen from Figure 7, the printed heading 6 is in the top right hand corner of the sheet of paper 4 instead of being centrally located as shown in Figure 1. The sheet of paper 4 is still an A4 sized sheet of paper and it is blank on its rear surface 18.

The sheet of paper 4 is first folded at line w - w as shown in Figure 8, then at line x - x as shown in Figure 9, then at line y - y as shown in Figure 10, and then at line z - z as shown in Figure 11.

As shown in Figures 12 - 14, a single adhesive closure member 14 is employed to retain the folded letter 2 in its folded condition.

It will be appreciated from Figures 8 to 14 that the text of the letter 2 as shown in Figure 7 is again protected. Also, the name and address 8 are not requireo to be duplicated on an envelope. Again the stamp 20 remains permanently on the letter 2 and the printed heading 6 is available on the back of the letter 2 as shown in Figure 1s this being advantageous if it should be necessary for the post office to return the letter to the sender for a.y reason. Still further, it has not been necessary to use an envelope and, as the adhesive closure member uses substantially less material than that which would otherwise be required by an envelope, a substantial saving in material and waste is therefore achieved.

Referring now to Figures 16 to 20, similar parts as in previous figures have again been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding.

In Figure 15, the letter 2 is similar to the letter g shown in Figure 1. However, the sheet of paper 4 is first folded at line x - x as shown in Figure 16 and it is then folded at line y - y as shown in Figure 17. A single adhesive closure member 14 is then stuck in position as shown in Figures 18 - 20 to provide the completed letter 2 ready for posting. The advantages of the previously described letters 2 are obtained except for the fact that, as can be seen from Figures 19 and 20, the printed heading showing the address of the sender is not automatically visible.

The letters 2 shown in Figures 1 - 20 illustrate how a sheet of paper 4 can be formed into a letter 2 with the minimal use of material. A portion of the sheet of paper 4 becomes susceptible to soiling but this soiling is on a part of the sheet of paper 4 which is not important and which is thus of considerably less significance than the saving in material and storage costs of envelopes, and the need to address envelopes. If it should be desired not to permit the soiling of any part of the sheet of paper 4, then an additional sheet or sheets of paper may be added and folded in unison with a sheet of paper or sheets of paper 4 carrying the information.In the case of Figure 1, a sheet of paper containing only the printed heading 6 and the name and address 8 could be positioned over the illustrated sheet of paper 4 and a blank sheet could be positioned under the sheet of paper 4 shown in Figure 1. In the case of Figure 7, a sheet containing only the printed heading 6 and the name and address 8 needs be positioned over the sheet of paper 4 shown in Figure 7. In the case of Figure 15, a blank sheet or a reversed letter headed sheet can be positioned over the illustrated sheet of paper 4 in Figure 15.

In Figures 1 - 20, the adhesive closure members 14, 16 are provided with a low tack adhesive as stated above. The adhesive closure members 14, 16 are shown binding the folded sheet of paper 4, but only partly covering a portion of the edges of the folded sheet of paper 4. The extent to which the edges of the folded sheet of paper 4 are covered by the adhesive closure members 14, 16 may vary according to the degree of privacy required. In the cases illustrated in Figures 1 - 20, the folded sheet of paper 4 has been adequately bound to retain its folded form, but a portion of the information in the letter 2 will be legible if the unbound edges of the folded letter 2 are prized apart.

This may be achieved without removing the adhesive closure members 14, 16 and without damaging the folded letter 2. If more privacy should be required then additional adhesive closure members 14, 16 may be applied to the otherwise unfolded edges so that these unfolded edges cannot be prized apart without removing the adhesive closure members 14, 16. The adhesive closure members 14, 16 may therefore be used both to retain the folded condition of the letter 2 and also to seal otherwise openable edges of the folded sheet of paper 4.

If desired, the postage stamp 20 or other postage payment means may be applied on an upper located adhesive closure member 14 or, partially on the upper adhesive closure member 14 and partially on the sheet of paper 4.

Figures 21 - 24 show a letter 2 formed by folding a single sheet of paper 4 along a fold line x - x.

The folded sheet of paper 4 is held in position by an adhesive closure member 14 as illustrated most clearly in Figures 23 and 24. The closure member 14 is provided with a low tack adhesive and it will be seen that the closure member is turned around the otherwise open edge of the folded sheet of paper 4.

Figures 25 - 28 show an arrangement similar to Figures 21 - 24 except that the closure member 14 is applied length ways of the open edge of the folded sheet of paper 4, instead of transversely across the open edge as in Figures 21 - 24.

As an alternative to employing a low tack adhesive on the adhesive closure members 14, 16, a high tack adhesive may be employed. The high tack adhesive may substantially permanently attach the adhesive closure members 14, 16 to the sheet of paper 4 such that the adhesive closure members 14, 16 cannot be removed without damaging the sheet of paper 4. In this case, the adhesive closure members 14, 16 may be cut, torn or otherwise broken in order to enable the unfolding of the letter 2.

Referring now to Figures 29- 34, there is shown a letter 2 similar to that shown in Figures 21 - 24 except that the adhesive closure member 14 is provided with a high tack adhesive so that it is not easily removable from the sheet of paper 4, and also the adhesive closure member 14 is provided with a pair of lines of weakness so that the adhesive closure member 14 can be torn, assuming that it is made from an easily tearable material such for example as paper. The lines of weakness in the adhesive closure member 14 are shown as lines of weakness 22, 24.

The lines of weakness can be torn. As an alternative to having lines of weakness, simple marking lines may be provided which can then be cut with, for example, scissors.

Alternatively, a knife can be inserted into the closed loop and then used to slit the strip formed by the adhesive closure member 14. As can be seen from Figures 29 - 34, the adhesive closure member 14 projects beyond the otherwise openable edge of the folded letter 2 in order to facilitate the tearing, cutting or slitting of the adhesive closure member 14.

Figures 35 - 40 show an envelope 2 with an adhesive closure member 14 similar to that shown in Figures 21 - 24. In Figures 35 - 40, the adhesive closure member 14 is provided with a low tack adhesive in order to enable the letter 2 to be sealed and then opened by peeling off the adhesive closure member 14 as shown in Figure 40. In order to facilitate easy removal of the adhesive closure member 14, a portion 26 of the adhesive closure member 14 may be arranged to be free of the low tack adhesive or it may be arranged to be coated or covered by a material that prevents the portion 26 from adhering to the sheet of paper 4.As a further alternative, the portion 26 may be similarly coated with a low tack adhesive as the remainder of the adhesive closure member 14 but the portion 26 may then be turned back on itself and stuck to itself so that the folded portion 26 will not stick to the sheet of paper 4. The removal of the adhesive closure member 14 is facilitated because a user wishing to open the envelope 2 is easily able to grip the non-stuck portion 26.

Figures 41 - 45 show an arrangement which is similar to that shown in Figures 25 - 28 except that the adhesive closure member 14 extends beyond one edge of the letter 2 as shown and constitutes the above mentioned non-adhesive portion 26, that is a portion which is free of the low tack adhesive, or which is covered or coated by a material preventing the portion 26 from adhering to the paper 4, or which is folded back on itself.

Figures 46, 47 and 48 show different types of adhesive closure member 14. In each case the adhesive closure member 14 is in the form of an elongate strip, which may be separately formed or which will more usually be formed as part of a roll from which strips of the required lengths are peeled off and cut, Figures 49 - 54 show adhesive closure members 14 in the form of different shaped tabs. These tabs will usually come in packs of similarly shaped tabs. It will be apparent from Figures 46 - 54 that the adhesive closure members may be in the form of tape or tabs.

The adhesive closure member may be provided with instructions for use and/or advantages of its use.

Thus, for example, an adhesive closure member may be provided with the words "peel off to open" and with the words "no envelope - less waste". Other information may be provided on the closure member such for example as one or more of advertisements, company names, personal messages, decorative effects and trade marks.

The or each adhesive closure member used in the present invention may be made of any suitable and appropriate material. The adhesive closure member needs to be such that it can easily be attached to sheets of paper which have been folded as illustrated above, and also such that it can also be removed or broken in order to enable a folded letter to be unfolded and read.

Generally, the adhesive closure member may be made from paper, cloth, a synthetic plastics material or any other suitable and appropriate material. The adhesive closure member may be pre-coated or otherwise impregnated with the required adhesive material. The adhesive closure member may be of any suitable and appropriate size and shape, with a tape or a tab being presently preferred since such tape or tabs are able to lay flat on a sheet of paper with minimal outward projection from an edge of a folded letter. This avoids the possibility of an outward projection hindering automatic postal sorting machinery.

The adhesive closure member may be of any shape or size. Usually it will be of such a shape and size that its length exceeds its width. Where a tape is employed, then the tape is preferably not wider than 5cm and a preferred width is 2cm. The thickness of the tape may vary but it is preferred that the tape is not more than lmm thick. A presently preferred thickness is O.lmm or less.

Where the adhesive closure member is in the form of a tab of the type shown for example in Figures 49 - 54, then the tab may be of any suitable shape and size but preferably the size will not exceed 25 square centimetres.

A presently preferred tab size is one which does not exceed eight square centimetres. The thickness of the material used for the tabs 14 may be the same as the thickness of the material used for the tapes 14.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, other shapes for the closure members to those shown in Figures 46 - 54 may be employed.

According to the degree of privacy required, the adhesive closure member produced with a low tack adhesive that is removable may incorporate a tamperevident element which restricts the removal and re-application of the adhesive closure member. The quality of the adhesive can be such that it allows the removal of the adhesive closure member from the paper without tearing the sheet but removes a portion of the surface of the paper sheet or otherwise negates the adhesive quality of the adhesive closure member so that it cannot be removed and re-applied. Alternatively, or in addition to this, the adhesive closure member may be provided with an element that marks the paper or remains attached to the paper after the adhesive closure member has been removed and which would be used to identify removal of such from the paper or the secondary use of an adhesive closure member.

The adhesive closure member may be applied by hand to the paper or it may be incorporated into a dispenser or other mechanical device which may automate the formation of a tab to assist the removal of an adhesive closure member with a low tack adhesive and/or to automate the application of the adhesive closure member to the paper. This may be beneficial to large commercial users of mailed correspondence because, apart from saving on the material cost of envelopes and reducing the waste that used envelopes can create, the adhesive closure member can facilitate a simplified and more flexible automated letter production system. The paper may therefore be folded by machinery which also applies the adhesive closure member and franks the letter.

Claims (1)

1. A method of constructing a letter into a form which is suitable for posting without an envelope, which method comprises providing at least one sheet of paper which is of a type normally used for letters and which is also of a type not normally capable of being sent through the post without an envelope, providing desired information on the sheet of paper so that the sheet of paper is then in the form of a letter, folding the letter into a shape which is suitable for enabling the folded letter to be sent through the post, and retaining the letter in its folded condition by sticking at least one adhesive closure member along at least one otherwise openable edge of the folded letter, the adhesive closure member being separately formed from the sheet of paper.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the adhesive closure member is constructed and/or marketed specifically for retaining the letter in its folded condition.

3. A method according to claim 2 in which the adhesive closure member bears instructions for use and/or advantages of its use.

40 A method according to claim 3 in which the adhesive closure member also bears at least one of advertisements, company names, personnal messages, decorative effects, and trade marks0 5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which the adhesive closure member is a contact-adhesive closure member.

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which the adhesive closure member is in the form of a roll0 7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which the sheet of paper is pre-printed with the senders name and address.

8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which the desired information is provided on the sheet of paper by writing, typing or printing.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which the sheet of paper bears at least one fold mark for indicating where the sheet of paper is to be folded.

10. A method according to claim 1 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A stationery pack comprising at least one sheet of paper which is of a type normally used for letters and which is also of a type not normally capable of being sent through the post without an envelope, and at least one adhesive closure member for retaining the sheet of paper in a folded condition suitable for sending through the post after the sheet of paper has been provided with desired information so that the sheet of paper is then in the form of a letter, the adhesive closure member being separately formed from the sheet of paper.

12.. A stationery pack according to claim 11 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A closure member constructed and/or marketed specifically for retaining a sheet of paper in a form which is suitable for posting without an envelope, the sheet of paper being of a type normally used for letters but also of a type not normally capable of being sent through the post without an envelope.

14. A closure member according to claim 13 and substanially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.