Forming an envelope having a die cut window and containing inserts

• US 5,640,831 A
• Filed: 08/11/1995
• Issued: 06/24/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moore North America Incorporated (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Original Assignee: Moore Business Forms Inc.
• Inventors: Slyster, John F. Jr., Harrod, Jimmie A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Culver, Horace M.
• Application Number:
  US08/514,383
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 53/460, 53/461, 53/462, 53/435, 53/154, 53/155, 53/231, 53/233, 53/237, 53/238, 53/244, 53/569, 53/520, 53/206, 53/284.3, 53/116, 53/429
• US Class Current: 53/429
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1406 Ultraviolet [UV] radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1483 coated on the article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4845 Radiation curing adhesives, e.g. UV light curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/431 Joining the articles to themselves B29C66/4322 and B29C66/4332 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/472 said single elements being substantially flat
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83411 Roller, cylinder or drum types B29C66/83431 takes precedence; rollers, cylinders or drums moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined B29C66/8362
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/836 Moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined, e.g. transversely to the displacement of the parts to be joined, e.g. using a X-Y table B29C66/65 takes precedence
• 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 2170/20 having multi-layered walls, e.g. laminated or lined
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/36 by continuously feeding the sheets, blanks or webs to stationary members, e.g. plates, ploughs or cores
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 5/04 automatic

Abstract

A plurality of interconnected envelope blanks are formed from an envelope web of paper. Die cut windows are also formed in each envelope blank of the interconnected web and transparent window patches are adhesively secured over the die cut window. A plurality of inserts from insert webs of paper are formed and may be variably imaged. The inserts are collected and disposed on the interconnected envelope blanks with address information registering through the window. The interconnected blanks and web form with inserts applied are severed to form discrete envelope blanks and later folded and glued to form complete mailers.

Claims

1. A method of automatically forming a mailing envelope with a plurality of contained insert sheets from at least one insert web of paper and an envelope web of paper, comprising the steps of continuously and automatically:

(a) forming at least one insert from the at least one insert web of paper, including by cutting the web, and folding the insert, to produce a formed insert;

(b) forming a plurality of interconnected envelope blanks from the envelope web of paper;

(c) forming a window in each of said interconnected envelope blanks;

(d) collecting and placing a plurality of insert sheets, including the formed insert, on each of the plurality of interconnected envelope blanks while they are interconnected, in web form; and

then

(e) while conveying the interconnected blanks in web form, severing the interconnected envelope blanks from each other to produce individual blanks, and forming each individual blank around the inserts placed thereon to produce a final mailing envelope containing a plurality of insert sheets.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 including applying a transparent window patch to each of said interconnected envelope blanks in registration with the window formed in each said interconnected envelope blanks.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (b) is practiced to form each blank so that it has two parallel minor flaps on opposite edges thereof, and after severing has two parallel major flaps on opposite edges thereof.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein step (e) is practiced by the sub-steps of, during conveyance of the envelope blanks in a first direction, sequentially (e1) plough folding over the minor flap;

and (e2) severing the leading interconnected blank from the next blank so that both major flaps are free;

then changing the direction of conveyance and sequentially (e3) applying adhesive to the major flaps; and

(e4) plough folding the major flaps so that adhesive applied thereto comes into contact with the minor flaps and other major flap, to form a sealed mailing envelope containing inserts.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 comprising the further step, prior to steps (d) and (e1) of scoring the envelope blanks at the minor flaps to facilitate plough folding of the minor flaps.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 comprising the further step, just prior to step (e3), of scoring the envelope blanks at the major flaps to facilitate plough folding of the major flaps.

7. A method as recited in claim 4 comprising the further step, just prior to step (e3) of scoring the envelope blanks at the major flaps to facilitate plough folding of the major flaps.

8. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein step (b) is further practiced to form envelope blanks having, after severing, a large major flap and a small major flap, the large and small major flaps having parallel end edges, and each having a pair of side edges generally parallel to the end edges;

and wherein step (e3) is practiced by placing adhesive adjacent each of the side edges of the large major flap, and adjacent the end edge of the small major flap.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein step (e4) is practiced by first plough folding the large major flap so that the adhesive thereon comes into contact with the minor flaps;

and then plough folding the small major flap so that the adhesive thereon comes into contact with the large major flap.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (a) is practiced by forming a plurality of inserts from a plurality of webs of paper;

and wherein step (d) is practiced by aligning the inserts while still in web form, prior to severing into sheets, and folding the aligned sheets together.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein the insert webs have formaliner punching along the edge thereof and comprising the further step of removing the formaliner punching from the edges of the webs after alignment, but prior to severing of the webs into insert sheets.

12. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein step (a) is practiced by buckle folding immediately after severing.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 comprising the further step of placing at least one additional, preformed, insert on the formed insert just prior to placing the inserts on the envelope web.

14. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein step (d) is practiced to place a plurality of insert sheets from step (a), and only insert sheets formed in step (a), on the envelope web.

15. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein steps (a) and (d) are practiced so that variably imaged address information from an insert sheet is placed on the envelope blank so that it is visible through the window.

16. A method as recited in claim 1 comprising the further step of variably imaging a plurality of insert webs of paper, and wherein steps (a) and (d) are practiced to match up corresponding variably imaged insert sheets for each final envelope construction.

17. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said forming of each individual blank around the inserts pursuant to step (e) is practiced solely by plough folding.

18. A method of automatically forming a mailing envelope with a plurality of contained insert sheets from an envelope web of paper, comprising the steps of continuously and automatically:

(a) forming a plurality of insert sheets;

(b) forming a plurality of interconnected envelope blanks from the envelope web of paper, each blank having a pair of minor flaps generally parallel to each other and on opposite sides of the blank and, after severing, a pair of major flaps generally parallel to each other and on opposite sides of the blank;

(c) forming a window in each of said interconnected envelope blanks;

(d) collecting and placing the plurality of insert sheets on each of the plurality of interconnected envelope blanks while they are interconnected, in web form; and

then

(e) conveying the envelope blanks, and during conveyance of the envelope blanks;

(e1) plough folding the minor flaps;

(e2) severing the interconnected envelope blanks from each other;

(e3) applying adhesive to at least some of the flaps; and

(e4) plough folding the major flaps, to form a final mailing envelope with a plurality of inserts therein.

19. A method as recited claim 18 including applying a transparent window patch to each of said interconnected envelope blanks in registration with the window formed in each of said interconnected envelope blanks.

20. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein step (b) is further practiced to form envelope blanks having, after severing, a large major flap and a small major flap, the large and small major flaps having parallel end edges, and each having a pair of side edges generally parallel to the end edges;

and wherein step (e3) is practiced by placing adhesive adjacent each of the side edges of the large major flap, and adjacent the end edge of the small major flap, no other adhesive placement being provided.

21. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein the step (e4) is practiced by first plough folding the large major flap so that the adhesive thereon comes into contact with the minor flap;

and then plough folding the small major flap so that the adhesive thereon comes into contact with the large major flap.

22. A method as recited in claim 18 comprising the further step, prior to steps (d) and (e1) of scoring the envelope blanks at the minor flaps to facilitate plough folding of the minor flaps.

23. A method as recited in claim 18 comprising the further step, just prior to step (e3), of scoring the envelope blanks at the major flaps to facilitate plough folding of the major flaps.

24. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein steps (e1)-(e4) are practiced sequentially.

25. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein steps (a) and (d) are practiced so that variably imaged addressed information from an insert sheet is placed on the envelope blank so that it is visible through the window.

26. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein steps (e1) and (e2) are practiced while conveying the envelope blank, with insert sheets thereon, in a first direction, and wherein the steps (e3) and (e4) are practiced while conveying the envelope blank, with insert sheets thereon, in a second direction, generally transverse to the first direction.

27. A method as recited in claim 26 comprising the further step of, after severing each envelope blank, conveying each blank at a substantially 45°

angle with respect to the first direction before conveying it in the second direction.

28. A method of automatically forming a mailing envelope with at least one insert, from an envelope web of paper, comprising the steps of continuously and automatically:

(a) forming a plurality of interconnected envelope blanks from the envelope web of paper with each blank having long and short edges and interconnected in the web along the long edges;

(b) forming a window in each of said interconnected envelope blanks;

(c) placing at least one insert having long and short edges on each of the plurality of interconnected envelope blanks while they are interconnected, in web form with the long and short edges of said insert lying generally parallel to the long and short edges of said blanks; and

then

(d) conveying the interconnected blanks in web form in a direction parallel to said short edges, and while conveying the interconnected blanks, severing the interconnected envelope blanks from each other to produce individual blanks, and forming each individual blank around the at least one insert placed thereon including plough folding the short edges as the blanks are conveyed to produce a final mailing envelope containing at least one insert.

29. A method as recited in claim 28 wherein step (a) is practiced to form each blank so that it has two parallel minor flaps along said short edges thereof only, and disposed at the sides of each of the landscape mode blanks after severing has two parallel major flaps along said long edges thereof, perpendicular to the short edges, changing the direction of conveyance and then plough folding the long edges.

30. A method of automatically forming a mailing envelope with at least one insert, from an envelope web of paper, comprising the steps of continuously and automatically:

(a) forming a plurality of interconnected envelope blanks from the envelope web of paper with each blank in landscape mode when the blanks are interconnected;

(b) forming a window in each of said interconnected envelope blanks;

(c) placing at least one insert on each of the plurality of interconnected envelope blanks while they are interconnected, in web form; and

then

(d) conveying the interconnected blanks in web form, and while conveying the interconnected blanks, severing the interconnected envelope blanks from each other to produce individual blanks, and forming each individual blank around the at least one insert placed thereon to produce a final mailing envelope containing at least one insert;

wherein step (a) is practiced to form each blank so that it has two parallel minor flaps on opposite first edges thereof only, and disposed at the sides of each of the landscape mode blanks after severing has two parallel major flaps on opposite second edge thereof, perpendicular to the first edges; and

wherein step (d) is practiced by the sub-steps of, during conveyance of the envelope blanks in a first direction, sequentially (d1) plough folding over the minor flaps; and

(d2) severing the leading interconnected blank from the next blank so that both major flaps are free;

then changing the direction of conveyance and sequentially (d3) applying adhesive to the major flaps; and

(d4) plough folding the major flaps so that adhesive applied thereto comes into contact with the minor flaps and the other major flap, to form a sealed mailing envelope containing said at least one insert.

31. A method as recited in claim 30 comprising the further step of scoring the envelope blanks at the minor and major flaps thereof prior to plough folding, to facilitate plough folding.

32. A method as recited in claim 30 wherein step (d1) is practiced to fold at least one minor flap over the insert to assist in holding the insert in place during subsequent processing.

33. Apparatus for automatically forming a mailing envelope with a plurality of contained insert sheets from at least one insert web of paper and an envelope web of paper, comprising:

means for forming at least one insert from the at least one insert web of paper, including means for cutting the insert from the web, and means for folding the insert to produce a formed insert;

means for forming a plurality of interconnected envelope blanks from the envelope web of paper;

means for forming a window in each of the interconnected envelope blanks;

means for collecting and placing a plurality of inserts on each of the plurality of interconnected envelope blanks while they are interconnected, in web form;

means for conveying the interconnected blanks in web form;

means for severing the interconnected envelope blanks from each other; and

means for forming an envelope blank around a formed insert to produce a final mailing envelope containing a plurality of insert sheets.

34. Apparatus according to claim 33 including means for applying a transparent window patch to each of said interconnected envelope blanks in registration with the window formed in each of said interconnected envelope blanks.

35. Apparatus according to claim 33 including means for variably imaging indicia on at least one of the plurality of insert webs of paper and means for aligning the variably imaged one insert with said window.