ENVELOPE WITH SEALED DISPLAY RACK HOLE

• US 20110108612A1
• Filed: 11/10/2009
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Victor Envelope Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Victor Envelope Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: NICKELL, David, JOHNSON, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,534,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/75
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2150/00 Flexible containers made from sheets or blanks, e.g. from flattened tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2160/10 rectangular and flat, i.e. without structural provision for thickness of contents
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2160/104 obtained from rhombus shaped sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/00 Making flexible containers, e.g. envelopes or bags
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/8122 Applying patches
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/82 Forming or attaching windows
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 27/04 with apertures or windows for viewing contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/14 Suspension means handles B65D33/06

Abstract

An envelope having a compartment and a sealed display rack hole is made from a single blank and has a front panel, two side flaps, a top flap, and a bottom flap. Each flap is integrated with the front panel and folds around a respective fold line to form the compartment. The front panel and either the top or bottom flap each have a display rack hole disposed to register with one another when the flap having the display rack hole is folded around its fold line. The front panel is affixed to the flap having the second display rack hole, preferably with adhesive or by heat sealing, to create an area that seals the display rack holes from the compartment. In preferred embodiments, the front panel has a window covered with transparent sheet.

Claims

1. An envelope formed from a blank, comprising:

a front panel having a first display rack hole;

a first side flap integrated with the front panel on a first side of the front panel;

a second side flap integrated with the front panel on a second side of the front panel opposite the first side;

a top flap integrated with the front panel on a third side and being foldable around a first fold line,

a bottom flap integrated with the front panel on a fourth side opposite the third side and being foldable around a second fold line;

a second display rack hole in one of the top and the bottom flaps and disposed to be in registry with the first display rack hole when the flap having the second display rack hole is folded around its fold line to be adjacent to the front panel; and

a compartment formed by the front panel and ones of the flaps for containing contents of the envelope, the front panel being affixed to the flap having the second display rack hole and an area proximate to the first and second display rack holes to form a seal from the compartment.

2. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the first side flap has a first outer margin and is foldable around a third fold line, the second side flap having a second outer margin and is foldable around a fourth fold line, and each outer margin has a nominal portion and a recessed portion that is closer to the fold line of the respective side flap such that, when the side flaps are folded around their fold lines, a first distance between the recessed portions is greater than a second distance between the nominal portions.

3. The envelope of claim 1, further comprising a window in at least the front panel.

4. The envelope of claim 3, further comprising a transparent sheet affixed to at least the front panel and sealing the window.

5. The envelope of claim 3, wherein a portion of the window extends beyond the third fold line into the first side flap.

6. The envelope of claim 3, wherein a portion of the window extends beyond the fourth fold line into the second side flap.

7. The envelope of claim 6, wherein at least one of the top and bottom flaps tapers inwardly toward a center line of the envelope such that the top and bottom flaps do not occlude the window.

8. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the area proximate to the first and second display rack holes is sealed with adhesive.

9. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the area proximate to the first and second display rack holes is heat sealed.

10. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the area proximate to the first and second holes forms a sealed perimeter around the first and second display rack holes.

11. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the area proximate to the first and second holes forms a sealed band which seals the compartment from the registered rack holes.

12. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the bottom flap is resealable.

13. The envelope of claim 12, further comprising a polymeric film affixed to one of the top flap and the bottom flap, the other of the top flap and bottom flap comprising a release liner and an adhesive disposed to contact the polymeric film once the release liner is removed from the adhesive.

14. The envelope of claim 13, wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

15. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the blank is made of a material selected from the group consisting of paper, polymer, and combinations thereof.

16. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the second display rack hole is in the top flap.

17. A process for forming an envelope comprising the steps of:

transporting a blank to a panel cutter at a first position;

cutting a cut-out from the blank, the cut-out having a first display rack hole, a top flap, a bottom flap, and a second display rack hole in one of the top and bottom flaps; and

while the cut-out remains at the first position, scoring the cut-out along a first fold line such that the first display rack hole registers with the second display rack hole when the flap having the second display rack hole is folded around the fold line to be adjacent to the cut-out.

18. The process of claim 17, further comprising the steps of

scoring the cut-out to create a second fold line for a bottom flap, the bottom flap being opposite the first fold line of the top flap;

scoring the cut-out to create a third fold line for a first side flap, the third fold line being adjacent to the first fold line;

scoring the cut-out to create a fourth fold line for a second side flap, the fourth fold line being adjacent to the first fold line and opposite the third fold line; and

forming a front panel from an area inside the first, second, third, and fourth fold lines.

19. The process of claim 18, further comprising the steps of

cutting a window in at least the front panel while at the first position;

transporting the cut-out to a patching section at a second position; and

affixing a transparent sheet to the cut-out such that at least the window is covered by the transparent sheet.

20. The process of claim 18, further comprising the steps of transporting the cut-out to a seal section at a third position;

and

applying an adhesive to one of the top and bottom flaps.

21. The process of claim 20, further comprising applying a release liner to the adhesive;

and

affixing a polymeric film to the other of the top flap and the bottom flap.

22. The process of claim 21, further comprising transporting the cut-out to a folding section at a fourth position;

applying an adhesive at least to an area proximate to the first and second display rack holes;

folding the top flap around the first fold line; and

folding at least two of the first side flap, the second side flap, and the bottom flap around their respective fold lines, the area being sealed from a compartment formed by the front panel and the folded flaps.