Specialty envelope serving as a picture frame

An envelope which may be cut from a single piece of sheet material comprising a plurality of flaps, the front and rear of which are fitted with adhesive strips for sealing and for holding a photograph. The flaps are disposed so that an attached photograph may be covered and protected in the mail. Perforations or die cuts define a removable portion of a writing surface, removal of which makes the photograph visible from outside the envelope. The flaps are cut and disposed so that alternate procedures of refolding and resealing provide a frame for the photograph which may be placed on its side or its end.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates to envelopes specifically designed for 
carrying photographs through the mails and more particularly discloses 
such an envelope which also serves as a picture frame. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Since the invention of inexpensive cameras, it has become common for people 
to provide photographs to accompany and illustrate letters mailed to 
relatives and friends. More recently, custom made postcards and Christmas 
cards wherein the front of the card comprises a photograph have been 
available. The most salient disadvantage of such custom postcards is that 
the photograph is often damaged during the passage of such postcards 
through the mails. When photographs are simply included in a conventional 
envelope along with a letter, they may become separated from the written 
message and misplaced when the envelope is opened by the recipient. 
Envelopes of unitary construction using part of the surfaces used to 
contain a written message and part for the address are known. Furthermore, 
envelopes of unitary construction especially designed to contain a written 
message and advertising materials attached thereto, are also known. An 
envelope of the latter type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,720,721 to 
Culotta. 
An envelope designed specifically for protecting a photograph during 
passage through the mails and furthermore to assure that photograph and 
message do not become separated upon opening of the envelope is described 
in my co-pending application Ser. No. 901,502 filed May 1, 1978, now U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,186,868 and entitled "Specialty Envelope". The specification of 
said co-pending application is hereby incorporated by reference. 
For most written messages accompanied by a photograph, it has been found 
that the recipient's interest in the written message is more ephemeral 
than his or her interest in the accompanying photograph. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the greater longevity of interest in a photograph as opposed to 
a written message, it is considered desirable that a specialty envelope be 
designed for protecting a photograph during passage through the mails, and 
also to provide a convenient and attractive means for displaying the 
photograph once the recipient has read an accompanying message. It is 
therefore an object of this invention to provide a specialty envelope 
which will protect a photograph during passage through the mails, assure 
that the photograph and an accompanying written message do not become 
separated upon opening by the recipient, and furthermore to provide a 
convenient picture frame for displaying of the photograph once the 
recipient has read the accompanying written message. The present invention 
comprises a speciality envelope which includes a writing surface, two side 
flaps, a rear flap at one end of the writing surface, and a front flap at 
the other end of the writing surface having an adhesive strip thereon for 
application to the back of a photograph or similar object. The photograph 
and the short front flap may be folded over the writing surface once the 
message is written. The side flaps are disposed so that they may be folded 
over the back of the photograph. 
A second adhesive strip is provided near the distal end of the rear flap 
for securely holding the folded specialty envelope together when folded 
for mailing. According to one aspect of the present invention, a third 
adhesive strip is provided on the front flap on the side opposite the 
first adhesive strip. The third adhesive strip may be used to more 
securely fasten the rear flap to the front flap upon passage through the 
mails, or may be preserved for later use when the present invention is 
used as a picture frame. 
According to another aspect of the present invention, a portion of the 
writing surface is perforated so that it may be removed by the recipient 
after reading a message written thereto. The photograph may then be folded 
back into the same position it occupied during mailing but will be visible 
from the outside of the speciality envelope due to the removal of a 
portion of the writing surface. One or both side flaps may then be left 
unfolded while the rear flap is again folded to its mailing position and 
is attached securely to the front flap. By leaving one side flap unfolded, 
the side flap becomes a base upon which the specialty envelope may be 
rested so that the photograph may be viewed through the opening in the 
writing surface. In a similar manner, leaving both side flaps unfolded 
will leave two edges of the side flaps in a position to serve as a base 
for supporting the specialty envelope on its end. These and other aspects 
of the present invention are described below in the detailed description 
of two alternate preferred embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Turning first to FIGS. 1 and 2, plan views of the first preferred 
embodiment and the alternate preferred embodiment are shown. Throughout 
this specification length dimensions will be defined as those measured 
along lines parallel to line L as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and width 
dimensions will be referred to as dimensions parallel to line W shown in 
FIGS. 1 and 2. Also the upper surface of each component of the preferred 
embodiments will be that surface visible in the plan views FIGS. 1 and 2, 
and the lower surface of each component will be that surface opposite the 
upper surface. 
As may be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiments of the present 
invention include a writing surface 13 having a removable portion thereof 
10 bounded by lines 51, 52, 53, and 54. Lines 51-54 are die cut in the 
preferred embodiment and the removable portion 10 of writing surface 13 
bounded by lines 51-54 is held in place by a plurality of uncut portions 
noted as 50 in FIGS. 1 and 2. As may be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, lines 
51-54 comprise a plurality of cuts bounding the removable portion 10 of 
writing surface 13. Of course any suitable means for defining a removable 
portion of writing surface 13 may be used. For example, evenly distributed 
perforations along lines 51-54 could be used in place of die cuts with 
uncut portions 50 as shown in the preferred embodiments. 
The preferred embodiments of the present invention also include a front 
flap 17, having disposed thereon an adhesive strip 19; a rear flap 20 
having disposed thereon a second adhesive strip 22, and side flaps shown 
as 11 and 15 in the first preferred embodiment and 11' and 15' in the 
alternate preferred embodiment. The preferred embodiments use conventional 
two-sided adhesive strips for adhesive strips 19 and 22. One side of said 
adhesive strip is attached to the upper surface of the flap upon which 
said strip is disposed, and the exposed remaining side is left covered 
until the cover is removed by the ultimate user of the present invention. 
Of course any adhesive material such as cellophane tape, glue, or paste 
may be used in construction of an embodiment of the present invention. 
In the preferred embodiments shown, rear flap 20 is of substantially the 
same length as writing surface 13. However, in order to embody the 
protective features of the present invention it is only necessary that the 
sum of the lengths of front flap 17 and rear flap 20 be greater than the 
length of writing surface 13. This assures that the entire writing surface 
and the back of photograph 40 will be adequately protected in passage 
through the mail. As may be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, right side flaps 11 
and 11' each include a bottom edge 41. Similarly, left side flaps 15 and 
15' each include a bottom edge 42. As may be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, 
edges 41 and 42 in the preferred embodiments are cut so that a line drawn 
along each of edges 41 and 42 forms an acute angle with a line extending 
from crease 21. 
In the alternate preferred embodiment show in FIG. 2, side flaps 11' and 
15' include top edges 43 and 44, respectively. A line drawn along either 
of edges 43 and 44 intersects a line drawn along crease 18 at an acute 
angle. 
USE OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
FIG. 3 shows the first preferred embodiment of the present invention with a 
photograph 40 shown in phantom attached to the upper surface of front flap 
17 by adhesive strip 19. It is assumed that writing surface 13 contains a 
written message thereon as written by the user. Of course the upper 
surface of rear flap 20 as well as the upper surfaces of side flaps 11 and 
15 may also be used to hold portions of a written message since all of 
said upper surface will be hidden from view when the envelope is 
ultimately sealed for deposit in the mail. 
FIG. 4 shows the first preferred embodiment of the present invention with 
the photograph 40 folded over writing surface 13 in a direction indicated 
by arrow 31 in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 also shows a third adhesive strip 14 
disposed on the lower surface of front flap 17. 
To complete closure of the specialty envelope for mailing, side flaps 11 
and 15 are folded inwardly along creases 12 and 16 in the directions shown 
by arrows 35 and 36 respectively in FIG. 4. The final step is to fold rear 
flap 20 in the direction shown by arrow 37 in FIG. 5. 
Note that FIG. 5 also shows third adhesive surface 14 disposed on the lower 
surface of front flap 17. In the preferred embodiments of the present 
invention, third adhesive strip 14 may have the protective strip thereof 
removed prior to sealing so that adhesive strips 14 and 22 are urged 
together forming a very secure seal when rear flap 20 is folded over side 
flaps 11 and 15. 
Alternately, the protective strip may be left on adhesive strip 14 by the 
sender, and removed by the recipient of the specialty envelope. When the 
recipient is refolding the specialty envelope of the present invention for 
use as a frame, as is described hereinbelow, the recipient may then remove 
the protective strip of adhesive strip 14 in order to then form a tight 
seal between adhesive strips 14 and 22. 
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, third adhesive strip 14 
may be used in lieu of second adhesive strip 22 and secure closure of the 
specialty envelope may still be obtained. 
The folded and sealed specialty envelope of the present invention provides 
a secure and sturdy means for transporting photograph 40 through the mail 
and prevents damage to the surface of photograph 40 since it is completely 
enclosed within the specialty envelope. 
The recipient of the specialty envelope will open it by reversing the steps 
described above so that he or she is presented with the envelope and 
photograph substantially as shown in FIG. 3. Once the written message has 
been read, the recipient may then transform the present invention into a 
convenient and attractive frame for photograph 40 by executing the 
following steps. First the movable portion 10 of writing surface 13 is 
removed by breaking uncut portions 50. This leaves a hole in writing 
surface 13 bounded by lines 51, 52, 53 and 54. The recipient then folds 
photograph 40 and front flap 17 along crease 18 in the direction shown by 
arrow 31 in FIG. 3. This will cause the face of photograph 40 to appear in 
the opening bounded by lines 51-54 when the lower surface of the remainder 
of writing surface 13 is viewed. 
FIGS. 6-9 show the alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention 
and its configuration as the frame for photograph 40. The next step to be 
executed by the recipient is to fold left side flap 15' over front flap 17 
and the back of photograph 40 as shown in FIG. 6. The remaining steps in 
creation of the convenient frame depend upon the nature of photograph 40. 
If photograph 40 is one having a breadth greater than its height, then the 
next step for the recipient is to fold rear flap 20 in direction 37 as 
shown in FIG. 6. This leaves right side flap 11' protruding from the 
otherwise completely closed envelope and photograph combination as shown 
in FIG. 7. 
The preferred embodiments of the present invention are constructed from 
cardboard or lightweight plastic, but any suitable material may be used. 
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that use of such 
materials will cause crease 12' as shown in FIG. 6 to have enough 
flexibility so that flap 11' may be folded along crease 12' but that 
crease 12' will also have enough stiffness so that right side flap 11' may 
support the weight of the remainder of the envelope and photograph 
combination as shown in FIG. 7. If a lighter weight material is used, a 
support member may be added between side flap 11' and rear flap 20. 
In FIG. 7 it may be seen that right side flap 11' is used as a base for the 
specialty envelope containing photograph 40 and that by refolding and 
sealing the envelope as described hereinabove, a convenient and attractive 
frame is provided to the recipient of the written message and photograph. 
If photograph 40 is one whose height is greater than its breadth, an 
alternate last step must be used to refold and reseal the envelope in 
order to create a frame. Instead of folding the left side flap 15' down as 
shown in FIG. 6, side flaps 11' and 15' should be left open, and rear flap 
20 should be folded over photograph 40 in the direction of arrow 37 as 
shown in FIG. 6. This produces a sealed envelope substantially as shown in 
FIG. 8 with side flaps 11' and 15' protruding from the otherwise sealed 
envelope and photograph combination. 
Recall that bottom edges 41 and 42 of side flaps 11' and 15' respectively 
form an acute angle with a line drawn along crease 21 as was described 
above, and as may be seen from FIG. 2. Thus, when the resealed envelope is 
placed on a level surface on crease 21 and bottom edges 41 and 42, the 
plane in which photograph 40 lies will be tilted slightly back toward side 
flaps 11' and 15' from a perpendicular to the surface upon which edges 41 
and 42 rest. Thus it may be seen that a convenient and attractive frame is 
provided for a photograph whose height is greater than its breadth. 
Similarly, an envelope constructed according to the alternate preferred 
embodiment shown in FIG. 2 may be resealed and placed on edges 43 and 44, 
and crease 18. 
From the foregoing it will be apparent that specialty envelope of the 
present invention provides the advantages of completely protecting a 
photograph in passage through the mails, securing the photograph to an 
accompanying written message when the envelope is opened by the recipient 
and a convenient and attractive frame which may be implemented simply by 
removing the removable portion of the writing surface and refolding and 
resealing the envelope. It may also be seen that the present invention 
will provide such a convenient frame to the recipient without regard to 
whether the photographer shot the accompanying photograph in such a manner 
that its height was greater than its breadth or vice versa. 
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing 
description of the preferred embodiments are examples of the present 
invention and that other embodiments which provide the advantages set 
forth herein are possible. Therefore the scope of the present invention 
should be limited only by the claims appended hereto.