POSTAL SEALING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20150218421A1
• Filed: 11/07/2014
• Published: 08/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kamz Technologies Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kamz Technologies Company, LLC
• Inventors: Lalonde, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 10,640,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2301/122 the adhesive layer being present only on one side of the carrier, e.g. single-sided adhesive tape
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2301/16 by the structure of the carrier layer
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/22 Plastics; Metallised plastics
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0341 having label sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/219 Edge structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24488 Differential nonuniformity at margin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature

Abstract

A tab for sealing an unenveloped mailpiece having a front surface, a rear surface, and at least one unbounded edge separating the front and rear surfaces. The tab includes a flexible film configured to extend from the front surface across the unbounded edge to the rear surface. The flexible film has a periphery region and a substantially continuous inner region. At least one adhesive layer is disposed about at least a portion of a bottom surface of the flexible film configured to adhere to the front and the rear surfaces of the mailpiece. At least one peripheral flaw is disposed within the periphery region and generally aligned with unbounded edge.

Claims

1. A tab for sealing unbound edges of a mailpiece, said tab comprising:

a flexible film having a periphery region and a substantially continuous inner region;

at least one adhesive layer disposed about at least a portion of a bottom surface of said flexible film; and

at least one peripheral flaw disposed within said periphery region.

2. The tab of claim 1, wherein said flexible film is a polymer-based film.

3. The tab of claim 2, wherein said flexible film is a substantially transparent.

4. The tab of claim 1, comprising a plurality of peripheral flaws disposed within said periphery region.

5. The tab of claim 4, wherein said plurality of peripheral flaws includes at least one peripheral flaw disposed on a first and a second generally opposite sides of said periphery region, respectively.

6. The tab of claim 1, wherein said at least one peripheral flaw includes a slit formed within said periphery region.

7. The tab of claim 1, wherein said at least one peripheral flaw includes a notch formed within said periphery region.

8. The tab of claim 1, wherein said at least one peripheral flaw includes a sawtooth pattern formed within said periphery region.

9. The tab of claim 1, wherein said at least one peripheral flaw includes a starburst pattern formed within said periphery region.

10. The tab of claim 1, wherein said at least one peripheral flaw includes a wave formed within said periphery region.

11. The tab of claim 1, wherein said at least one peripheral flaw includes an arc formed within said periphery region.

12. The tab of claim 1, wherein said at least one peripheral flaw includes an area of the polymer substrate having a reduced thickness compared to the inner region of the polymer substrate.

13. The tab of claim 1, wherein said at least one peripheral flaw extends from a periphery of said flexible film.

14. The tab of claim 1, wherein said at least one peripheral flaw is offset from a periphery of said flexible film.

15. The tab of claim 1, wherein said flexible film has a generally circular cross-section.

16. The tab of claim 1, wherein said flexible film has a generally oval cross-section.

17. The tab of claim 1, wherein said periphery region extends from a periphery of said flexible film to less than, or equal to, 10% of the longest cross-sectional dimension of the flexible film.

18. The tab of claim 2, wherein said flexible film includes at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene, polyester, and triacetate.

19. A tab for sealing unbound edges of a mailpiece, said tab comprising:

a flexible film;

at least one adhesive layer disposed about at least a portion of a bottom surface of said flexible film; and

at least one peripheral flaw disposed within a periphery region of said flexible film;

wherein a substantially continuous inner region of said flexible film is not perforated.

20. A system comprising:

an unenveloped mailpiece having a front surface, a rear surface, and at least one unbounded edge separating said front and rear surfaces; and

a tab comprising;

a flexible film configured to extend from said front surface across said unbounded edge to said rear surface, said flexible film having a periphery region and a substantially continuous inner region;

at least one adhesive layer disposed about at least a portion of a bottom surface of said flexible film configured to adhere to said front and said rear surfaces; and

at least one peripheral flaw disposed within said periphery region and generally aligned with unbounded edge.