Printed labels for postal indicia
First Claim
1. A mailing piece comprising:
- an envelope or postcard having an addressable face with an upper right corner; and
a label having a first face with permanent pressure sensitive adhesive, and an imaged second face, said imaged second face including as indicia;
"POSTAGE PAID", an indication of rate, and an indication of permit authorization; and
said imaged second face including decorative graphics having one or more colors immediately adjacent or underlying said indicia; and
said label first face adhered to said envelope or postcard at said upper right corner thereof by said permanent adhesive.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Pressure sensitive adhesive labels having postal indicia on them are used to produce mailing pieces, and allow production of distinctive mailing pieces at high speeds (e.g. 300-500 feet per minute). The labels have "POSTAGE PAID", an indication of rate such "BULK RATE" or "FIRST CLASS MAIL", and an indication of permit authorization such as "PERMIT NO.". The pressure sensitive adhesive of the label is adhered to an envelope or postcard at an upper right corner of an addressable face of the envelope or postcard. The label may have the same size as (and simulate) a conventional postage stamp, and the indicia may overlie the decorative graphics, with the indicia and the decorative graphics sharply color contrasting. The labels may simulate first class postage metering including a circle indicating the zip code of origin. The labels are typically either tipped on or blown on an envelope web, and a business reply envelope (also with a label having similar "POSTAGE PAID" indicia, etc.) may be inserted in an outgoing envelope (if a distinct envelope), or may be formed with the outgoing envelope (if a mailer type business form).
26 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A mailing piece comprising:
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an envelope or postcard having an addressable face with an upper right corner; and a label having a first face with permanent pressure sensitive adhesive, and an imaged second face, said imaged second face including as indicia;
"POSTAGE PAID", an indication of rate, and an indication of permit authorization; and
said imaged second face including decorative graphics having one or more colors immediately adjacent or underlying said indicia; andsaid label first face adhered to said envelope or postcard at said upper right corner thereof by said permanent adhesive. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A label comprising:
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a substrate that is rectangular in shape and has first and second major faces, and is dimensioned so that it will fit in the upper right corner of a conventional business envelope; permanent pressure sensitive adhesive on said label first face; and postal indicia imaged on said label second face and including;
"POSTAGE PAID", an indication of rate, and an indication of permit authorization; and
said imaged second face including decorative graphics having one or more colors immediately adjacent or underlying said indicia. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method of producing mailing pieces, the mailing pieces comprising envelopes or postcards having an addressable face with an upper right corner, using labels, the labels having a first face with permanent pressure sensitive adhesive, and an imaged second face which includes as indicia:
- "POSTAGE PAID", an indication of rate, and an indication of permit authorization; and
decorative graphics immediately adjacent or underlying the indicia;
the method comprising the steps of automatically;(a) moving the envelope or postcard in a predetermined path; (b) while moving the envelope or postcard in the predetermined path imaging address information on the addressable face; and (c) substantially immediately before or after step (b), while moving the envelope or postcard in the predetermined path, tipping or blowing the label on the addressable face so that the label first face is adhered to the envelope or postcard upper right corner by the label permanent adhesive. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- "POSTAGE PAID", an indication of rate, and an indication of permit authorization; and
Specification