Abstract:
An envelope includes a rear panel and a front panel with a closure flap. The front and rear panels are connected by an expandable sidewalls formed by joining end flaps of the front and rear panel. The sidewalls have an intermediate line of weakness that allows bending and expansion. A liner is secured to the rear panel and forms a relatively small pocket and a relatively large pocket within the envelope. An additional pocket or receptacle is joined to the rear panel. The envelope is especially suited for receiving photographic film or digital storage means when delivered to the retailer for processing and for returning photographic prints, negatives and/or digital media to the consumer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is directed to an expandable envelope having multiple, variously sized compartments to present the customer properly-sized compartments for receiving various photographic storage means, such as conventional film, disks, or memory modules for deposing the storage means and for returning the negatives to the customer.  
         [0002]     Recently, many major technological breakthroughs in consumer electronics have really built around the same basic process: converting conventional analog information into digital information. The digital camera is an example of this shift. All digital cameras have a built-in computer and record images in an entirely electronic form.  
         [0003]     Early generations of digital cameras had fixed storage inside the camera. You needed to connect the camera directly to a computer by cables to transfer the images. Although most of today&#39;s cameras are still capable of connection to a computer, they usually provide the consumer with some sort of removable storage device. There are a number of storage systems currently used in digital cameras, such as: SmartMedia Cards, which are small flash memory modules; CompactFlash, another form of a flash memory card, similar to but slightly larger than SmartMedia cards; Memory Stick, a proprietary form of flash memory used by Sony, or a disk, which are small built-in hard disks, or PCMCIA hard-disk cards, for image storage. Finally, some of digital cameras are using writeable CD and DVD drives to store images.  
         [0004]     The present photographic-development envelopes for receiving and separate work pockets for returning film and negatives are generally unsuited for the new digital format. The compartment for the envelopes are too large for either the disk or flash memory modules. This is undesirable because during handling the disks and cards tend to float within the envelope, which may impair the stored images. For example, the disk surface may get scratched due to excessive movement within the envelope. This is especially true if the consumer includes more than one form of film, i.e., when the consumer includes both a disk storage device and a film canister in the same compartment.  
         [0005]     In addition to not being designed for memory modules and disks, another concern for the photographic industry is the numerous envelopes used in order to complete one process request. A “counter bag” is commonly used for holding the film or photographic negatives of a customer. These counter bags were typically envelopes or pockets having a space for customer-identification information and a tear-off strip with indicia that identifies the customer&#39;s envelope. These envelopes are provided by the retail store and either a clerk or the customer completes the customer-identification section for processing.  
         [0006]     The counter bag is then inserted in a separate envelope referred to as a “print pocket” or “work pocket.” The work pocket is designed to carry the counter bags with the film, negatives, memory stick, prints, or other from the retailer to the processing laboratory. The work pocket includes information such as the customer&#39;s requested processes, size and number of prints, disk or other options. The work pocket further includes a pocket-identification number, a claim check, which includes the same pocket-identification number, the retail store information, and the customer information. The work pocket is forwarded to a photo-finishing laboratory. The work pocket accompanies the customer&#39;s film or other work through the finishing process. Upon completion, the negatives, memory module or other storage means is placed in a negative pocket, which is inserted into a photo wallet along with the prints and/or disk. The photo wallet is placed back into the work pocket and returned to the retailer. The customer then picks up the work pocket with the other envelopes inserted therein. As is evident, this process requires numerous envelopes or pockets.  
         [0007]     Even retailers that provide in-house photo processing may provide counter pockets of different sizes or shapes depending on whether the customer is depositing film, negatives, prints or memory modules. Upon completion of the processing, the retailer inserts the negatives, memory module or other storage means in a negative pocket, which is inserted into a photo wallet along with the prints and/or disk. The photo wallet is placed back into the original counter pocket and returned to the customer.  
         [0008]     Consequently, it is desirable to have an envelope that is suitable for the photographic business and, in particular, a single envelope for receiving and returning photographic images stored on any of various storage means, the underlining negatives, and in the case of digital storage means, storage device itself to a customer in a single envelope.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     An envelope includes a front panel and a rear panel connected at the bottom thereof so as to form an enclosure. An expandable end wall is formed by extensions of the front and rear panels on either side thereof. The expandable end walls are formed by a double folded flap forming inner and outer portions joined to the back panel and a flap joined to the front panel which allow folding inward of the end wall relative to the remainder of the envelope. In particular, the end wall is formed by joining the outer portion of the rear wall flap to the front wall flap. The envelope thus defines a first pocket.  
         [0010]     A liner is secured to the rear panel. The liner is secured by areas of adhesive and at the areas of nonadhesive define a second comparatively smaller pocket and a third larger pocket.  
         [0011]     A hinged back pocket is joined to the rear panel at a line of weakness. The hinged back pocket is configured to hang on the exterior surface of the rear panel and the receptacle defines a fourth pocket.  
         [0012]     The envelope further includes a cover panel which is attached to the front panel and which extends over the top of the envelope to enclose the small and large pockets from the top.  
         [0013]     The envelope is especially useful for depositing, storing and transporting photographs, memory modules, storage disks and negatives. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the envelope subsequent to construction of the envelope from the blank of  FIG. 6  and showing the envelope with the closure flap thereof open.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of an envelope for use in accordance with the present invention with all parts of the envelope blank except the closure flap in a folded configuration subsequent to manufacture of the blank.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the envelope shown in  FIG. 2  with the closure flap in an open configuration thereof.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged and fragmentary cross sectional view of the envelope, taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged and fragmentary cross sectional view of the envelope, as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of an envelope blank of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.  
         [0021]     The reference numeral  1  generally designates an envelope in accordance with the present invention. A cut envelope blank  3  is illustrated in  FIG. 6  from which the envelope  1  is manufactured. With reference to  FIG. 6 , the envelope blank  3  is constructed by well-known methods of cutting from a larger single piece of paper stock, web, or roll of paper, and various lines of weakness, which facilitate folding along the lines, are formed on the envelope blank  3  by conventional and well-known methods. It is to be understood by those skilled in the art that lines of weakness may be perforations, score lines or fold lines, or other lines that weaken the blank in certain locations to enable the folding or bending of a portion of the envelope.  
         [0022]     With reference to  FIG. 2  and as will be described in greater detail below, the envelope  1  is constructed to have a pocket  47  to enclose photographs, an additional pocket  79  to hold film negatives, a third pocket to hold a storage disk  55 , and a fourth pocket to hold any of various digital flash memory modules  53 .  
         [0023]     The envelope  1 , as seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3  includes a rear panel  10 , a front panel  11 , a closure or seal flap  12 , and a negatives holder  13 . The front panel and rear panel are connected near a lower end thereof as seen in  FIG. 1 , by a bottom strip  15 . The bottom strip  15  is joined along each side thereof to the rear panel  10  and front panel  11  at lines of weakness  16  and  17  respectively. There is also a center line of weakness  18  in the bottom strip  15  that runs parallel to the lines of weakness  16  and  17 . The strip  15  folds or bends at the lines  16 ,  17  and  18  to allow expansion or compression of the envelope  1 , that is, greater spacing between or less spacing between the rear panel  10  and front panel  11 , respectively. As shown in the Figures, lines of weakness  16 ,  17 , and  18  preferably are fold lines.  
         [0024]     The rear panel  10  and front panel  11  are generally rectangular in shape and are relatively parallel to one another when the envelope is completed such as is shown in  FIG. 1 . Preferably, the front panel is provided with an area for a photo-finisher to provide any commentary regarding the requested services or the quality of the print, or any other statements.  
         [0025]     The closure flap  12  is attached to the upper side of the front panel  11 . The closure flap includes a top section  21  and a front cover section  22 . The top section  21  is connected to the front panel  11  at a line of weakness  24 . The top section  21  and cover section  22  are likewise connected at a line of weakness  25 . There is also a center line of weakness  26  in the top section  21  that runs parallel to the lines of weakness  24  and  25 . The lines of weakness  24 ,  25  and  26  allow folding therealong so that the closure flap  12  may be folded from an open configuration thereof to a closed configuration along any of the lines of weakness. Lines of weakness  25  and  26  likewise allows folding of the top section  21  so as to be folded further relative to the cover section  22  to enable the closure flap to be moved into the closed configuration when the envelope is in an expanded mode, e.g., full of developed prints. As shown in the Figures, lines of weakness  24 ,  25 , and  26  preferably are fold lines.  
         [0026]     Cover section  22  preferably includes one or more areas  27  of a releasable adhesive on n inner surface of cover section  22 . The adhesive areas  27  enable a consumer to seal the deposit envelope to insure that the contents are secure. The outer surface of cover section  22  of the closure flap preferably is provided with customer identification blanks for the customer to write in when depositing the envelope with the retailer.  
         [0027]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , extending longitudinally from closure flap  12  is a return receipt section  19  that is connected to the closure flap at a line of weakness  20 . Line of weakness  20  is preferably perforated such that a consumer who is dropping off an item to be developed, can remove this section. Preferably, this section has a unique identification numeral printed thereon which matches an identification number printed on either the front panel or closure flap to match the person that delivered the item for processing.  
         [0028]     Extending laterally outward from each side of the front panel  11  when the envelope is still in the blank  3  form, are a pair of side flaps  29  and  30  ( FIG. 6 ). The side flap  29  is joined to the remainder of the front panel  11  at a line of weakness  31  and there is a second line of weakness  32  which is parallel to the line  31  that substantially separates the side flap  29  into a first or inner segment  33  and a second or outer segment  34  and facilitates folding therebetween. Lines of weakness  31  and  32  preferably are fold lines.  
         [0029]     The side flap  30  is likewise joined along one side thereof to the front panel  11  at a line of weakness  35  and has a second line of weakness  36  parallel to the first line of weakness  35  and which separates the side flap  30  into a first or inner segment  37  and a second or outer segment  38 . As with the other lines of weakness described herein the lines  35  and  36  allow and facilitate relative folding of adjacent elements separated by the lines of weakness. Lines of weakness  35  and  36  preferably are fold lines.  
         [0030]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the rear panel  10  has laterally extending side flaps  41  and  42 . The side flap  41  is attached to the rear panel  10  at a line of weakness  43  and the side panel  42  is attached to the rear panel  10  at a line of weakness  44 . Lines of weakness  41  and  42  preferably are fold lines.  
         [0031]     As best can be seen in  FIG. 5 , the front panel side flap  41  is fixedly joined with the back panel side flap outer segment  34  so as to overlap therewith and to be positioned inside thereof relative to the envelope  1 . The side flap  41  is secured to the segment  34  by an adhesive, such as glue, or the like. Likewise the flap  42  is fixedly secured to the segment  38 . In this manner the side flaps  29  and  41  form an expandable sidewall  45  and the flaps  30  and  42  form an expandable sidewall  46 .  
         [0032]     A first pocket  47  is thus formed between the rear panel  10 , the front panel  11 , the sidewalls  45  and  46  and the bottom strip  15 . The first pocket  47  is generally completed by placing the closure flap  12  in the closed configuration thereof.  
         [0033]     A multiple pocket-forming intermediate liner  51  is attached to the rear panel  10  and extends substantially between opposite sides of this panel and from the top edge of the rear panel  10  to line of weakness  16 . The liner  51  defines on the rear panel of the envelope a first comparatively small compartment  53  and another comparatively large compartment  55 . The liner  51 , as can be seen in  FIG. 6  and in an end view in  FIG. 4 , is constructed of a rectangular sheet of paper stock, stiff card or the like. An adhesive is used to secure the liner  51  to the rear panel. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the adhesive is applied in specific adhesive areas on the rear panel to form the second pocket  53  and third pocket  55 . Specifically, second pocket  53  is formed by adhesive area  56  applied around an edge bottom and middle portion of rear panel  10 . The second pocket is operably sized and configured to receive a digital memory module or similarly sized objects. The third pocked is formed by the middle portion of adhesive area  56  and a second adhesive area  57  positioned on the lower portion of the opposite side of rear panel  10 . This area  56  only extends a portion of the height of rear panel  10 . This configuration allows third pocket  55  to be operatively configured to receive a storage disk.  
         [0034]     As used herein any directional connotations refer to the envelope as aligned in  FIGS. 6, 7  and  8 . That is, with the envelope  1  being generally upright and the rear panel  10  and front panel  11  being generally vertically aligned with the closure flap  12  at the upper end of the envelope. While these specific directional connotations are utilized herein to better describe the invention relative to the drawings, it is foreseen that the envelope  1  can assume a wide variety of alignments and is often used with the front panel  11  positioned downwardly. Consequently, directional connotations as used herein are for description purposes only and are not intended to be limiting upon the scope of the invention.  
         [0035]     The rear panel  10  is formed with a pair of cutouts  65 ,  66  to facilitate the insertion of cards or disks in or the removal of cards or disks from the second and third pockets,  53 ,  55 . Particularly, a first cutout  65  is formed near the upper left-hand corner of the rear panel  10 , as is seen in  FIG. 1 . This cutout  65  is preferably positioned immediately in front of the second pocket  53  to allow easier access to the contents of the second pocket  53 . The second cutout  66  is preferably formed near the upper right-hand corner of the rear panel to allow easier access to the third pocket  55 .  
         [0036]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , hinged back pocket  13  extends longitudinally from rear panel  10  when the envelope is still in the blank  3  form. The hinged back pocket  13  comprises 
        a rear section  71  and a front cover section  72 . The rear section  71  is connected to the rear panel  11  at a line of weakness  74 . The rear section  71  and cover section  72  are likewise connected at a line of weakness  75 . The line of weakness  75  allows folding therealong so that the front cover section  72  may be folded to face rear section  71 . The rear panel  10  and front panel  11  are generally rectangular in shape and are relatively parallel to one another when the envelope is completed such as is shown in  FIG. 1 . The hinged back pocket  13  is preferable sized such that both the rear section  71  and the front cover section  72  are smaller in height than the front and rear panel,  10 ,  11 , respectively.        
 
         [0038]     Extending laterally outward from each side of the rear section  71  of the hinged back pocket  13  are a pair of side flaps  76  and  78  ( FIG. 6 ). The side flap  76  is joined to the remainder of the rear section  71  at a line of weakness  80 . Side flap  78  is likewise joined along one side thereof to the rear section  71  at a line of weakness  82 . As with the other lines of weakness described herein the lines  80  and  82  allow and facilitate relative folding of adjacent elements separated by the lines of weakness.  
         [0039]     As best can be seen in  FIG. 5 , the side flaps  76 ,  78  are fixedly joined with the rear surface of front cover section  72  so as to overlap therewith and to be positioned inside thereof relative to the envelope  1 . The side flaps  76 ,  78  are secured to the front cover section  72  by an adhesive, such as glue, or the like. In this manner, the rear section  71 , front cover section  72 , and side flaps  76 ,  78  define the fourth pocket  79 . The cover section  22  of the closure flap  12  overlaps the hinged back pocket  13  in the closed position.  
         [0040]     As discussed with rear panel  11 , rear section  71  of the hinged back pocket  13  is formed with cutouts  65 ,  66  to facilitate the insertion of cards or disks in or the removal of cards or disks from the second and third pockets,  53 ,  55 . Particularly, first cutout  65  is formed near the upper left-hand corner of the rear section  71 , as is seen in  FIG. 1 . This cutout  65  is preferably positioned immediately in front of the second pocket  53  to allow easier access to the contents of the second pocket  53 . The second cutout  66  is preferably formed near the upper right-hand corner of the rear section  71  to allow easier access to the third pocket  55 .  
         [0041]     During use of the envelope  1 , the envelope  1  is configured as in  FIG. 1  and the photographs (shown in ghost lines), the disk (shown in ghost lines), the memory module (shown in ghost lines), the negatives, or any combination thereof are placed in the envelope  1 . The closure flap  12  is closed and the customer identification information is completed by the customer or retailer. The return receipt section  19  is removed and the envelope  1  is then ready to be transferred by the retailer to a photo-finishing developer.  
         [0042]     In this fashion, the envelope  1  of the present invention operates as a counter bag.  
         [0043]     Upon receiving the prints, film, memory cards and/or compact disk, the photo-finishing developer processes the requests and inserts the prints in the first pocket  47 , returns the flash memory module, if provided, in the second pocket  53 , inserts the disk, if provided, in the third pocket  55 , and places any negatives in the fourth pocket  79 . The developer then reseals the adhesive areas  27  on the rear panel and returns the packet to the retailer, who, in turn, returns the envelope of the present invention to the customer. In this fashion, the envelope  1  of the present invention operates as a work bag.  
         [0044]     It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.