Reusable top flap envelope with dual opposing seal flaps

• US 9,878,825 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2016
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EcoEnvelopes LLC
• Original Assignee: EcoEnvelopes LLC
• Inventors: Ward, Gale G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascua, Jes F
• Application Number:
  US15/172,142
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 229301-306
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 27/04 with apertures or windows for viewing contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 27/06 with provisions for repeated re-use
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 27/14 using adhesive applied to integral parts, e.g. flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 27/34 Lines of weakness
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 27/38 Tearing-strings or -strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/80 Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging bio-packaging Y02W90/10

Abstract

Automation-compatible reusable envelopes are embedded in standard envelope layouts, having a top flap outgoing envelope and an opposing bottom return seal flap. The return flap is formed by a person removing a unique flared tear strip that removes undesirable outgoing postal codes, and also forms a tapered return seal flap. The unique flare at each end of the tear strip is formed with lines of weakness that primarily extend parallel to the long bottom edge of the envelope, but that also wrap from the face across the bottom edge and then to the side edge of the envelope. A security tab and/or bridge structure is formed by removing a tear strip on the envelope, allowing access into the envelope.

Claims

1. A reusable dual-seal outbound top flap return bottom flap envelope, comprising:

an envelope pocket configured to receive and retain an envelope insert, and having a front panel, a back panel generally parallel to and spaced from said front panel and adjoined to said front panel along two sides and along a bottom, said back panel disconnected from said front panel along a top edge of said back panel and thereby defining an opening into said envelope pocket adjacent to a top of said back panel;

an outbound seal flap extending from a top of said front panel distal from said envelope pocket bottom;

an outbound affixer configured to seal said outgoing seal flap to said envelope pocket and thereby close said envelope pocket prior to an outbound mailing;

a lower line of weakness formed in said envelope pocket on a first one of said front and back panels generally adjacent to but offset from said envelope pocket bottom and crossing said envelope bottom to a second one of said front and back panels prior to terminating adjacent to a first one of said two sides;

an upper line of weakness formed in said envelope pocket and spaced from said lower line of weakness by a tear strip width and thereby defining a tear strip there between, said tear strip configured upon removal from said envelope pocket to open said envelope pocket adjacent to said envelope pocket bottom; and

a tapered return seal flap incorporating portions of both of said front and back panels and having a return seal flap edge defined by said lower line of weakness; and

a return affixer adjacent to said return seal flap edge and configured to seal said tapered return seal flap to said first one of said front and back panels and thereby close said envelope pocket subsequent to said tear strip removal prior to a return mailing;

wherein said lower line of weakness crosses said envelope bottom to a second one of said front and back panels prior to terminating adjacent to a second one of said two sides.

2. The reusable dual-seal outbound top flap return bottom flap envelope of claim 1, wherein said tear strip is configured to receive postal codes applied to said envelope during outgoing mail delivery processing, and to remove said received postal codes from said envelope pocket upon separation therefrom.

3. A reusable dual-seal outbound top flap return bottom flap envelope, comprising:

an envelope pocket configured to receive and retain an envelope insert, and having a front panel, a back panel generally parallel to and spaced from said front panel and adjoined to said front panel along two sides and along a bottom, said back panel disconnected from said front panel along a top edge of said back panel and thereby defining an opening into said envelope pocket adjacent to a top of said back panel;

an outbound seal flap extending from a top of said front panel distal from said envelope pocket bottom;

an outbound affixer configured to seal said outgoing seal flap to said envelope pocket and thereby close said envelope pocket prior to an outbound mailing;

a lower line of weakness formed in said envelope pocket on a first one of said front and back panels generally adjacent to but offset from said envelope pocket bottom and crossing said envelope bottom to a second one of said front and back panels prior to terminating adjacent to a first one of said two sides;

an upper line of weakness formed in said envelope pocket and spaced from said lower line of weakness by a tear strip width and thereby defining a tear strip there between, said tear strip configured upon removal from said envelope pocket to open said envelope pocket adjacent to said envelope pocket bottom; and

a tapered return seal flap incorporating portions of both of said front and back panels and having a return seal flap edge defined by said lower line of weakness; and

a return affixer adjacent to said return seal flap edge and configured to seal said tapered return seal flap to said first one of said front and back panels and thereby close said envelope pocket subsequent to said tear strip removal prior to a return mailing;

further comprising a tear starting tab formed entirely in said first one of said front and back panels and configured to be manually forced to initiate a tear in said upper and lower lines of weakness.

4. The reusable dual-seal outbound top flap return bottom flap envelope of claim 3, wherein said tear strip further comprises a first end adjacent said first one of said two sides and a second end adjacent a second one of said two sides, and said tear starting tab is intermediate along said tear strip between said tear strip first and second ends.

5. The reusable dual-seal outbound top flap return bottom flap envelope of claim 4, wherein said lower line of weakness crosses said envelope bottom to a second one of said front and back panels prior to terminating adjacent to a second one of said two sides.

6. The reusable dual-seal outbound top flap return bottom flap envelope of claim 4, wherein said tear strip further comprises a first portion removed with said tear starting tab, and a second portion defining a bridge between said front and back panels that in combination with said tapered return seal flap is configured when said first tear strip portion is removed to further operatively define a lip adjacent to said envelope pocket bottom that includes both front and back panel portions that are operative to retain said envelope insert within said envelope pocket.

7. A reusable dual-seal outbound top flap return bottom flap envelope, comprising:

an envelope pocket configured to receive and retain an envelope insert, and having a front panel, a back panel generally parallel to and spaced from said front panel and adjoined to said front panel along two sides and along a bottom, said back panel disconnected from said front panel along a top edge of said back panel and thereby defining an opening into said envelope pocket adjacent to a top of said back panel;

an outbound seal flap extending from a top of said front panel distal from said envelope pocket bottom;

an outbound affixer configured to seal said outgoing seal flap to said envelope pocket and thereby close said envelope pocket prior to an outbound mailing;

a lower line of weakness formed in said envelope pocket on a first one of said front and back panels generally adjacent to but offset from said envelope pocket bottom and crossing said envelope bottom to a second one of said front and back panels prior to terminating adjacent to a first one of said two sides;

an upper line of weakness formed in said envelope pocket and spaced from said lower line of weakness by a tear strip width and thereby defining a tear strip there between, said tear strip configured upon removal from said envelope pocket to open said envelope pocket adjacent to said envelope pocket bottom; and

a tapered return seal flap incorporating portions of both of said front and back panels and having a return seal flap edge defined by said lower line of weakness; and

a return affixer adjacent to said return seal flap edge and configured to seal said tapered return seal flap to said first one of said front and back panels and thereby close said envelope pocket subsequent to said tear strip removal prior to a return mailing;

wherein said upper line of weakness is formed entirely in said first one of said front and back panels; and

wherein said upper line of weakness further comprises a straight line, and said lower line of weakness further comprises a first straight line segment parallel to and offset from said envelope pocket bottom and a second straight line segment angularly offset from said first straight line segment.

8. The reusable dual-seal outbound top flap return bottom flap envelope of claim 7, wherein said second straight line segment angular offset from said first straight line segment further comprises an angle intermediate between zero and ninety degrees that is configured to define a tapered return seal flap edge for said tapered return seal flap.

9. A reusable dual-seal envelope, comprising:

an envelope pocket configured to receive and retain an envelope insert, and having a front panel, a back panel generally parallel to and spaced from said front panel and adjoined to said front panel along two sides and along a bottom, said back panel disconnected from said front panel along a top edge of said back panel and thereby defining an opening into said envelope pocket adjacent to a top of said back panel;

an outbound seal flap extending from a top of said front panel distal from said envelope pocket bottom;

an outbound affixer configured to seal said outgoing seal flap to said envelope pocket and thereby close said envelope pocket prior to an outbound mailing;

a first line of weakness formed in said envelope pocket;

a second line of weakness formed in said envelope pocket and spaced from said first line of weakness by a tear strip width and thereby defining a tear strip there between, said tear strip configured upon removal from said envelope pocket to open said envelope pocket,

said tear strip extending in a first longitudinal direction generally parallel to at least one of said two sides, said bottom, and said front panel top, and terminating in a first end that wraps from a first one of said front and back panels to a second one of said front and back panels adjacent to said first end and across said at least one of said two sides, said bottom, and said front panel top and thereby incorporating portions of both of said front and back panels; and

a tapered return seal flap having a return seal flap edge defined by said first line of weakness; and

a return affixer adjacent to said return seal flap edge and configured to seal said tapered return seal flap to said first one of said front and back panels and thereby close said envelope pocket subsequent to said tear strip removal prior to a return mailing;

wherein said second line of weakness is formed in said front panel, and said first line of weakness further comprises a linear portion parallel to said envelope pocket bottom and a first angled termination extending from and angularly offset from said linear portion, and terminating on said back panel adjacent to a first one of said first and second edges.

10. The reusable dual-seal envelope of claim 9, wherein said first line of weakness further comprises a second angled termination extending from and angularly offset from said first segment distal to said first angled termination, and terminating on said back panel adjacent to a second one of said first and second edges distal to said first one of said first and second edges.

11. The reusable dual-seal envelope of claim 9, wherein said first line of weakness terminates at either distal end spaced from either of said first and second edges.

12. The reusable dual-seal envelope of claim 9, wherein said linear portion of said line of weakness extends offset from said envelope pocket bottom.

13. The reusable dual-seal envelope of claim 9, wherein said first line of weakness extends in said front panel parallel with and offset from said envelope pocket bottom, and said second line segment extends in both said front and back panels, and crosses said envelope pocket bottom.

14. A reusable top flap envelope, comprising:

a first major surface;

a second major surface;

a first edge adjoining said first and second major surfaces;

a second edge generally parallel with and distal to said first edge adjoining said first and second major surfaces;

a third edge generally perpendicular to said first and second edges and extending there between adjoining said first and second major surfaces;

an opening into a space between said first and second major surfaces distal to said third edge;

said opening, said first and second major surfaces, and said first, second, and third edges defining an envelope pocket;

an outgoing seal flap extending from a first one of said first and second major surfaces and located distal to said third edge and adjacent said opening and configured to affix with a second one of said first and second major surfaces and thereby generally close said opening and thereby close said reusable top flap envelope in a first outgoing mailing;

a tear strip configured upon removal from said envelope pocket to open said envelope pocket adjacent to said third edge and to form a tapered return seal flap;

said tapered return seal flap having a first border adjoining to said envelope pocket, a second border shorter than said tapered return seal flap first border and more distal to said outgoing seal flap than said tapered return seal flap first border, a third border extending between said tapered return seal flap first border and said tapered return seal flap second border, and a fourth border distal from said tapered return seal flap third border and extending between to said tapered return seal flap first border and said tapered return seal flap second border; and

a return seal configured to seal said tapered return seal flap to said envelope pocket and thereby close said envelope pocket subsequent to said tear strip removal;

wherein said tapered return seal flap further comprises portions of both of said first and second major surfaces.

15. The reusable top flap envelope of claim 14, wherein said tapered return seal flap further comprises a trapezoid.

16. A reusable top flap envelope, comprising:

a first major surface;

a second major surface;

a first edge adjoining said first and second major surfaces;

a second edge generally parallel with and distal to said first edge adjoining said first and second major surfaces;

a third edge generally perpendicular to said first and second edges and extending there between adjoining said first and second major surfaces;

an opening into a space between said first and second major surfaces distal to said third edge;

said opening, said first and second major surfaces, and said first, second, and third edges defining an envelope pocket;

an outgoing seal flap extending from a first one of said first and second major surfaces and located distal to said third edge and adjacent said opening and configured to affix with a second one of said first and second major surfaces and thereby generally close said opening and thereby close said reusable top flap envelope in a first outgoing mailing;

a tear strip configured upon removal from said envelope pocket to open said envelope pocket adjacent to said third edge and to form a tapered return seal flap;

said tapered return seal flap having a first border adjoining to said envelope pocket, a second border shorter than said tapered return seal flap first border and more distal to said outgoing seal flap than said tapered return seal flap first border, a third border extending between said tapered return seal flap first border and said tapered return seal flap second border, and a fourth border distal from said tapered return seal flap third border and extending between to said tapered return seal flap first border and said tapered return seal flap second border; and

a return seal configured to seal said tapered return seal flap to said envelope pocket and thereby close said envelope pocket subsequent to said tear strip removal;

wherein said tear strip further comprises a line of weakness formed in said envelope pocket having a first segment on said first one of said first and second major surfaces generally adjacent to and offset from said envelope pocket third edge, a second segment extending from said first segment, crossing said envelope pocket third edge to said second one of said first and second major surfaces, and terminating adjacent to a first one of said first and second edges, and a third segment extending from said first segment, crossing said envelope pocket third edge to a first one of said first and second major surfaces, and terminating adjacent to a second one of said first and second edges.