US3374940A - Envelopes with integral, detachable coupons contained therein - Google Patents

Description

March 26, 1968 R. D. ALLISON 3,

ENVELOPES WITH INTEGRAL, DETACHABLE COUPONS CONTAINED THEREIN INVENTOR ROBERT D- ALL/SON A TTORNEV March 26, 1968 R. D. ALLISON 3,374,940

ENVELOPES WITH INTEGRAL, DETACHABLE COUPONS CONTAINED THEREIN Filed June 15, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PIC-3.5 g FIG. 6

7; 8; FIG. 9 H640 80 l v l l 86 l I 70 Z l I I I l L United States Patent 3,374,940 ENVELOPES WITH INTEGRAL, DETACI-IABLE COUPONS CONTAINED THEREIN Robert D. Allison, 140 Garfield Road, West Hartford, Conn. 06091 Filed June 15, 1966, Ser. No. 557,798 7 Claims. (Cl. 22970) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An envelope is made from a single blank of paper or other similar sheet material. The blank includes an extension which constitues a coupon or other item to be enclosed in the envelope. To form the envelope the blank is folded and sealed in such a way that the extension is completely enveloped and concealed. The extension is unsealed to any other part of the blank and is detachably secured to the remainder of the blank by a line of perforations so that when the envelope is opened the extension may be readily removed therefrom.

This invention relates generally to stuffed, sealed envelopes, and more specifically, this invention relates to an envelope having as an integral part thereof, a detachable extension of one of the flaps folded inside the sealed envelope, forming the contents thereof.

The term stuffed envelope is commonly used in the art when referring to an envelope into which its contents have been inserted, either mechanically or manually, after the envelope has been completely folded and sealed except for the closing or sealing flap, which is left free until after the inserting operation is performed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a stuffed, sealed envelope from a single sheet orblank of paper or similar material, where the content-part of the envelope is connected to an inside flap by a weakened line, such asa line made up of a series of slits.

Such stuffed, sealed envelopes are particularly useful in the distribution of game coupons, advertising material, etc., at grocery stores, service stations, and many other places which distribute such material as an incentive for a customer who has received one to return to the distributor, and hopefully, bring additional business to that distributor. The part of the unit forming the envelopes contents may conveniently be printed with a message, advertisement, game material, etc. According to this invention, the sheet or blank is folded such that the part forming the contents forms an integral part of the envelope and is securely sandwiched between the front and back panels of the envelope. Also, according to my invention, the part forming the contents may easily be removed, when the envelope is opened, by gently pulling to cause separation along the weekend line.

The above and many other advantageous features of my invention will' hereinafter more fully appear, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 isa plan view of an envelope embodying one form of my invention.

FIGURE 2-is a plan view of an envelope blank which, when folded, results in the envelope shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of an envelope embodying another form of my invention.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of an envelope blank which, when folded, results in the envelope shown in FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a blank which, when folded, results in an envelope according to another form of my invention.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the blank shown in FIG- URE 5 after it has been partially folded.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of an envelope folded from the blanks illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6.

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of a blank which, when folded, results in an envelope according to another form of my invention.

' FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the blank shown in FIG- URE 2 after it has been partially folded.

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of an envelope folded from the blanks illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 9.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate respectively an envelope and blank for making same, according to my invention. The envelope includes a front panel 12, a back panel 14 hingedly connected along fold line 16 to the front panel, side or intermediary flaps 18 and 20 for connecting back panel 14 to front panel 12, and top flap 22. Side flaps 18 and 20 are connected to the front panel 12 along fold lines 24 and 26, and top flap 22 is connected to front panel 12 along fold line 28. Side flap 20', side flap 1 8 and the extension thereof, are folded first along their respective fold lines 26 and 24. When folded, extension 30 falls short of folded side flap 20. Back panel 14 is then folded along fold line 16, and adhesively connected to flaps 1'8 and 20 by means of adhesive strips 31 and 32 respectively. Finally, flap 22 is folded along line 28, and sealed by means of adhesive strip 33 to back panel 14. v

The extension 30 is the message-carrying piece in the envelope, and may, if desired, be a coupon, advertisement, or any other desired piece of printed matter. Extension 30 is integral with the flap 18, but is attached thereto only by means of a weakened line 35, which may conveniently be a line of slits 36 or the like, resulting in only nominal connection between flap 18 and extension 30. Thus, when the envelope is opened, for instance by pulling flap 22 up, the extension 30 forming the contents can easily be removed by gently pulling the extension and breaking the connected points along weakened line 35.

The embodiment of my invention shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 is similar to the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 except that the'position of back panel 14, and the flap 18 and the extension 30 are interchanged. Thus, the back panel 14 is connected to the front panel along a side foldline 24, or if desired, along side fold line 26 (not shown). Flap 18 is connected to front panel 12 along fold line 16, and the extension 30 thereof extends upward from the bottom of the envelope, instead of from the side as in FIGURES 1 and 2. Flap 20, and flap 18 along with its extension 30, are folded first, then back panel 14 is folded over and adhesively connected to flaps 18 and 20 by means of the L-shaped adhesive pattern 36. Flap 22 is then folded to overlie the edge of back panel 14 and is adhesively connected thereto by means of the strip of adhesive 33. When the envelope is opened, the extension 30 is removed by breaking the connection along weakened line 35, as described herein'befor'e in the description of FIGURES 1 and 2. In this case, also, a gentle pull is all that is required to separate the message-carrying extension from the flap 18.

Although the construction illustrated in FIGURES 5- 10 inclusive deviates considerably from that shown in FIGURES l-4 inclusive, the same inventive principle is involved. In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 5-7 inelusive, central panel 40 is flanked on one side by panel 42 which is defined from central panel 40 by fold line 44. Flap 46 extends from the opposite side of panel 40, and is connected thereto along fold line 48. Extension 50 of flap 46 is connected thereto along weakened line 52. Extension 50, the message-carrying piece, is attached to fiap 46 along line 52 which contains a series of slits 54 or the like, resulting in only nominal connection between extension 50 and flap 46. To form the envelope, flap 46 along with its extension 50 is first folded along line 48 to lie 3 fiat over the panel 40, As shown in FIGURE 6, the extension 50 is shorter than central panel 41) and falls short, by an appreciable amount, of the fold line 44. Panel 42, having a U-shaped strip 55 of adhesive around its edges, is next folded along line 44 and the adhesive coated edges connected to flap 46, and to portions of central panel 40 exposed by the recessed side edges 56 and 58 of the extension 50. Thus, the extension 50 is sandwiched freely between panels 40 and 42. Panels 40 and 42 are provided with two parallel weakened lines 60 and 62 which are substantially equidistant from fold line 44 and consequently match when panel 42 is folded. By tearing the strip 64 along the perforated lines 60 and 62, the edge of the envelope is opened so that the extension 50 may be reached and pulled out.

FIGURES 8, 9, and 10 illustrate an embodiment of my invention slightly different from that shown in FIGURES 5, 6, and 7. Central panel 70 is flanked on one side by panel 72, connected thereto along fold line 74. Flap 76 is connected to central panel 70 at fold line 78, extending substantially parallel to fold line 74, along the opposite side of panel 70. Parallel weakened lines 80 and 82 are provided on opposite sides of fold line 78, approximately equidistant therefrom, so that when flap 76 is folded along line 78, the weakened lines 80 and 82 will match. As in FIGURES 5, 6, and 7, flap 76 is recessed at 84 and 86. After folding flap 76, panel 72, having strips of adhesive 88, 90, and 92, is folded into position over flap 76. Panel 72 is connected, by means of the adhesive strips 88 and 90,. to portions of central panel 70 exposed by the recesses 84 and 86 in flap 76. Strip of adhesive 92 is connected to flap 76 between the edge 78 and the weakened line 82, and the weakened line 93 of panel 72 is positioned so as to substantially match the weakened lines 80 and 82. When the edge 94 is separated from the envelope by tearing along the weakened lines, the message-carrying piece 76 also is freed, and can be readily removed.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. For example, extension 30 in FIGURES 1-4 inclusive, extension 50 in FIGURES -7 inclusive, and extension 76 in FIGURES 8-10 inclusive may be divided, by additional weakened lines (not shown) into a plurality of units. Also, the back panel 14 in FIGURES 3 and 4 may be made up of two flaps which overlap near, the center of the'envelope, as is sometimes the practice in the envelope art.

I claim: I

1. An envelope and an integral coupon concealed therein made from a single blank of sheet material and comprising: a rectangular front panel, a flap connected to said front panel along a first fold line defining one edge of said front panel and folded along said fold line into overlying relationship therewith, an extension forming a coupon such as aforesaid attached to said flap along a weakened line parallel to and spaced from said fold line, said extension being unfolded about said weakened line so as to be disposed in the same plane as said flap and said extension and said flap having combined dimensions no greater than those of said front panel so as to be located entirely within the edges of said front panel, a rear panel connected to said front panel along a second fold line defining another edge of said front panel and folded along said second fold line into overlying relationship with said flap and said extension so that said extension is sandwiched between said front and rear panels, means sealing said rear panel to said flap adjacent said first fold line to join said front and rear panels along said one edge of said front panel, and means for joining said front and rear panels along the third and fourth edges of said front panel to form a rectangular envelope closed along all four of its edges and containing said extension.

2. An envelope and an integral concealed coupon as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said means for joining said front and rear panels along the third and fourth edges of said front panel comprising second and third flaps connected to said front panel along third and fourth fold lines respectively, and means sealing said third and fourth flaps to said rear panel.

3. An envelope and an integral concealed coupon as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said flap and said extension having edges spaced a substantial distance inwardly of said third and fourth edges of said front panel, said rear panel having edges approximately aligned with said third and fourth edges of said front panel, and said means for joining said front and rear panels along said third and fourth edges of said front panel comprising means sealing said front panel directly to said rear panel adjacent said third and fourth edges.

4. An envelope and an integral concealed coupon as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said first and second fold lines being perpendicular to one another.

5. An envelope and an integral concealed coupon as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said first and second fold lines being parallel to one another.

6. An envelope and an integral concealed coupon as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said front and rear panels having weakened lines extending thereacross in registry with said weakened line joining said flap and said extension so that by tearing along said weakened lines said envelope is opened and said coupon simultaneously detached from said flap.

7. An envelope and an integral concealed coupon as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said extension having one edge spaced from a selected one of said second, third and fourth edges of said front panel so as to leave a space between said coupon and said selected one edge, and said front and rear panels having registered weakened lines extending thereacross in said space between the said coupon and said selected one edge so that'said envelope may be opened by tearing along said latter weakened lines without damiging said extension.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 380,616 4/1888 Bobrick. 1,032,648 7/1912 Berwick. 1,139,003 5/1915 Westberg 229 1,171,703 2/1916 Cather 229-70 2,436,105 2/ 1948 Fisler. 2,931,559 4/ 1960 Hilliard 22973 3,314,592 4/ 1967 Streich 22974 3,259,299 7/ 1966 Spang 22932 FOREIGN PATENTS 419,327 11/1934 Great Britain.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner.

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