SEALING LIQUID

• US 20110139337A1
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia Holding AG
• Original Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia Holding AG
• Inventors: Muhl, Wolfgang, Gerhardt, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,236,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/69
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 11/00 Hand or desk devices of the office or personal type for applying liquid, other than ink, by contact to surfaces, e.g. for applying adhesive combined with envelope-closing devices B43M5/02; reservoir brushes A46B11/00; devices for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces in general B05C; liquid receptacles B65D
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 5/00 Devices for closing envelopes
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 5/02 involving pretreatment of the surfaces to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer

Abstract

The invention concerns a sealing liquid comprising water and a penetration agent for sealing of mail pieces, the use of said sealing liquid as well as sealing devices and franking machines containing such a sealing liquid.

Claims

1. A method for sealing an enclosure for placement in a delivery stream for transporting the enclosure, said enclosure comprising an enclosure body having an access opening therein for insertion of an item into the enclosure, and a closure element having dried gumming thereon, said method comprising the steps of:

wetting the dried gumming on the closure element with a sealing liquid comprising 2% ethyl lactate by weight, 0.5% rincinoleic amide propyl betaine amphoteric surfactant by weight, and 1.2% sodium lactate 50% solution, to produce a wetted closure element; and

positioning the wetted closure element over the access opening in said enclosure body and pressing the wetted closure element against said enclosure body to seal said access opening.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said enclosure is an envelope comprising an envelope body as said enclosure body and an envelope flap, connected to said envelope body, as said closure element, and wherein the step of positioning the wetted closure element over the access opening comprises folding the envelope flap over said envelope body and pressing the envelope flap against said envelope body.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 comprising folding the envelope flap over the envelope body and pressing the envelope flap against the envelope body automatically in an envelope closing device.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said enclosure body is a carton comprising carton flaps that fold to cover said access opening, and wherein said closure element comprises gummed tape, and wherein the step of positioning the wetted closure element over the access opening comprises placing the gummed tape over the carton flaps that are positioned to cover said access opening, and pressing the gummed tape against said carton flaps.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising employing, as said sealing liquid, a sealing liquid comprising at least one substance selected from the group consisting of stabilizers, buffers, dyes, and aromatic substances.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising employing, as said sealing liquid, a sealing liquid comprising:

50 to 96.3% water by weight,

0 to 10.0% stabilizers and/or buffers by weight,

0 to 5.0% dyes by weight,

0 to 5.0% aromatic substances by weight and

wherein said ethyl lactate, said rincinoleic amide propyl bentaine amphoteric surfactant, said 50% sodium lactate solution, said water, said stabilizers and/or buffers, said dyes, and said aromatic substances always add to 100% by weight.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising employing, as said sealing liquid, a sealing liquid comprising:

70 to 96.3% water by weight,

0 to 3.0% stabilizers and/or buffers by weight,

0 to 2.0% dyes by weight,

0 to 1.0% aromatic substances by weight,

wherein said ethyl lactate, said rincinoleic amide propyl bentaine amphoteric surfactant, said 50% sodium lactate solution, said water, said stabilizers and/or buffers, said dyes, and said aromatic substances always add to 100% by weight.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising employing, as said sealing liquid, a sealing liquid comprisingto 96.27% water by weight,

0.01 to 2.0% stabilizers and/or buffers by weight,

0.01 to 1.0% dyes by weight,

0.01 to 0.1% aromatic substances by weight,

wherein said ethyl lactate, said rincinoleic amide propyl bentaine amphoteric surfactant, said 50% sodium lactate solution, said water, said stabilizers and/or buffers, said dyes, and said aromatic substances always add to 100% by weight.