Check carrier

• US 8,272,564 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2010
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Cantley, Kerry M., Vasquez, Teresa J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US12/727,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20100170945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 235/381, 235/487, 235/379, 283/58, 705/45
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: B42F 7/025 made of transparent material
• CPC Class Codes: B42P 2201/04 for securities, e.g. bonds, banknotes, stock certificates
• CPC Class Codes: B42P 2201/12 for mailing, transporting, dispatching documents
• CPC Class Codes: B42P 2221/02 with indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 27/04 with apertures or windows for viewing contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

The check carrier consists of an envelope of translucent material that is dimensioned to closely conform to the dimensions of a standard check. The back of the check carrier includes an endorsement window through which a bank or other financial institution can apply its endorsement stamp directly to the check. The bottom of the check carrier may be provided with an area for receiving the MICR printing such that the MICR can be read directly off of the carrier. The MICR area can be removed. The open end of the check carrier can be sealed closed using a repositionable adhesive. The adhesive can also be used interior of the check carrier such that the adhesive contacts the check to fix the check within the carrier.

Claims

1. A check carrier for securing a check in a manner such that the check can be processed by automated processing equipment configured to perform image processing while the check is in the check carrier, the check carrier comprising:

a front panel and a back panel defining a space therebetween for receiving a check, wherein there is MICR printing on the check; and

a removable area for receiving MICR printing located along a bottom edge of the front and back panels, the removable area for receiving MICR printing being releasably connected to and of a same material as at least one the front and back panels of the check carrier along a line of connection through at least one of the front panel or back panel such that the removable area for receiving MICR printing is manually removable from the check carrier while the check is able to be secured in the space between the front panel and the back panel;

wherein the at least one of the front panel or the back panel is structurally weakened along the line of connection; and

wherein the check carrier is configured such that the automated processing equipment may image the removable area for receiving MICR printing when the removable area for receiving MICR printing is connected to the check carrier and the automated processing equipment may directly image the MICR printing on the check when the removable area for receiving MICR printing is removed from the check carrier.

2. The check carrier according to claim 1, wherein the check carrier and the removable area for receiving MICR printing are sized such that an external dimension of the check carrier is substantially equal to a length or a width of the check when the removable area for receiving MICR printing is removed and such that the check carrier is able to be aligned with the automated processing equipment.

3. The check carrier of claim 1, further comprising:

perforation along said line of connection through at least one of the front panel or back panel for releasably attaching the removable area for receiving MICR printing to the check carrier such that the removable area for receiving MICR printing is manually removable from the check carrier while the check is able to be enclosed in the space.

4. The check carrier of claim 1, further comprising:

a closure mechanism for enclosing the check in the space between the front panel and the back panel.

5. The check carrier of claim 1, further comprising:

a window formed in the back panel for allowing access to a back of the check.

6. The check carrier of claim 1, further comprising:

a repositionable adhesive that is adhered to the check and to the check carrier so as to secure the check inside of the check carrier.

7. The check carrier according to claim 6, wherein the repositionable adhesive is adhered to an inside surface of the front panel or the back panel.

8. The check carrier according to claim 7, wherein the repositionable adhesive secures the check in the check carrier by adhering directly to the check and thereby adhering the check to the inside surface of at least one of the front panel and the back panel.

9. The check carrier according to claim 6, wherein the repositionable adhesive is configured to be repositionable such that the repositionable adhesive can be adhered anywhere on the inside surface of at least one of the front panel and the back panel so as to accommodate various sizes of checks.

10. A check carrier for securing a check having a front and a back in a manner such that the check can be processed by automated processing equipment configured to perform image processing while the check is in the check carrier, the check carrier comprising:

a front panel and a back panel defining a space therebetween for receiving a check, wherein there is printing on the check;

an opening allowing access to the space between the front panel and the back panel;

the back panel being slightly longer than the front panel such that an extended portion of the back panel extends beyond a free edge of the front panel at the opening;

the extended portion of the back panel facilitates the insertion of the check into space between the front panel and the back panel; and

a removable area for receiving machine-applied, printed information about the check located along a bottom edge of the front and back panels, the removable area for receiving machine-applied, printed information about the check being releasably connected to and of a same material as at least one of the front and back panels of the check carrier along a line of connection through at least one of the front panel or back panel such that the removable area for receiving machine-applied printed information about the check is manually removable from the check carrier while the check is able to be enclosed in the space between the front panel and the back panel;

wherein the at least one of the front panel or the back panel is structurally weakened along the line of connection and;

wherein the check carrier is configured such that the automated processing equipment may image the removable area for receiving machine-applied printed information about the check when the removable area for receiving machine-applied printed information about the check is connected to the check carrier and the automated processing equipment may directly image the printing on the check when the removable area for receiving machine-applied printed information about the check is removed from the check carrier.

11. The check carrier of claim 10, further comprising:

a repositionable adhesive adhered to the check and to the check carrier so as to secure the check inside of the check carrier.

12. The check carrier of claim 10, further comprising:

a closure mechanism for enclosing the check in the space between the front panel and the back panel.

13. The check carrier of claim 10, further comprising:

a window formed in the back of the check carrier for allowing access to the back of the check.

14. The check carrier of claim 10, further comprising

perforation along said line of connection through at least one of the front panel or back panel for releasably attaching the removable area for receiving information about the check to the check carrier such that the removable area for receiving information about the check is manually removable from the check carrier while the check is able to be enclosed in the space.

15. The check carrier of claim 10, wherein the information about the check is MICR printing.

16. A method of using a check carrier to secure a check in a manner such that the check can be processed by automated processing equipment configured to perform image processing while the check is in the check carrier, the method comprising:

providing the check carrier having a front panel and a back panel and an interior space between the front and the back panels for receiving the check;

providing a removable area of the check carrier that is configured for receiving MICR printing located along a bottom edge of the front and back panels, wherein the removable area of the check carrier that is configured for receiving MICR printing is manually removable from the check carrier along a line of connection through at least one of the front panel or back panel while the check is able to be enclosed in the interior space between the front and the back panels of the check carrier, wherein the removable area of the check carrier is connected to and of a same material as at least one of the front and back panels;

inserting the check into the space between the front and the back panels of the check carrier, wherein the check has a weakened structural integrity and cannot be processed by the automated processing equipment without first being inserted into the check carrier;

determining that MICR printing is not needed on the removable area of the check carrier that is configured for receiving MICR printing;

upon determining that MICR printing is not needed, removing said removable area from the check carrier processing the check carrier by the automated processing equipment; and

processing the check carrier by said automated processing equipment so that said automated processing equipment images the check inside the check carrier.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein removing the removable area of the check carrier that is configured for receiving MICR printing makes an external dimension of the check carrier substantially equal to a length or a width of the check.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

enclosing the check in the space between the front and the back of the check carrier.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sending the check carrier and the check to the automated processing equipment.