Simulated commercial envelopes and methods of making the same

Simulated commercial envelopes and methods of making the same are disclosed. An example envelope includes a first envelope portion having a front panel including a top edge and a bottom edge parallel to the top edge, connected by a pair of side edges. A top flap is integrally formed with the top edge of the front panel about a first fold line and a bottom flap is integrally formed with the bottom edge of the front panel about a second fold line. A second envelope portion having a rear panel is adapted to be secured to the front panel to form a pocket for a mailer insert. The bottom flap foldable about the second fold line and is secured to the rear panel on a side opposite the formed pocket, and the top flap is foldable about the first fold line and is also secured to the rear panel or the bottom flap on the side opposite the formed pocket to form the example envelope.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to envelopes and more particularly, to simulated commercial envelopes and methods of making the same.

BACKGROUND OF RELATED ART

Mass produced integrated mailing envelopes are typically formed from webs of paper stock moving through inline presses. The inline presses create mail kits by integrating the envelope and internal components all in one print finishing process. For instance, a plurality of interconnected envelope blanks are formed from a web of paper. The integrated envelope is formed by sequentially applying adhesive to the edge and sides of the bottom flap and plow folding the flap over the main body. The top flap is then plow folded over both the main body and the bottom flap to seal the envelope. The resultant envelope is oftentimes readily recognized as a mass mailing by the characteristic rectangular envelope back, lacking the familiar angled flaps and edges of conventional commercial envelopes.

Conventional commercial envelopes, however, are typically manufactured from a single envelope sheet. This sheet is typically first printed in a web press, sheeted, and finally die cut to create a multi-sided envelope blank. An example commercial envelope includes a main body portion, a pair of oppositely located side flaps, a bottom flap, and a top flap. During manufacturing, the side flaps and bottom flap are glued, folded and sealed together to form the envelope, and the top flap is provided with a glue. Because of the required assembly steps, including multi-sided folding, commercial envelopes are not conducive to inline press manufacturing used in the integrated process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates a plurality of example envelopes10prior to assembly. In this example, each of the envelopes10are prepared from a two-piece envelope blank12that is removed from a paper stock, such as, for example a paper web13. The example envelope blank12includes a first envelope portion14and a second envelope portion16. The envelope blank12may be removed from the paper web13by any suitable manner, including, for example, die cutting. As illustrated, multiple envelopes10may be removed from the paper web13during manufacture. Furthermore, while the first and second envelope portions14and16are illustrated as being formed from a single web13, the envelope portions14and16may be formed from separate webs and/or from webs separately formed from a single web (e.g., split from a single web). Still further, all, or a portion of, the blank12may be removed from the web14at any time during assembly of the envelope10. The example paper web13is adapted to move through a single direction inline web assembly press parallel to the arrow D as shown.

Referring toFIGS. 2-5, the example envelope10is illustrated as removed from the web13. In this example, the envelope10is prepared from the two piece envelope blank12that includes the first envelope portion14and the second envelope portion16. Specifically, the example first envelope portion14includes a front panel18, a top flap20, and a bottom flap22. The example second envelope portion16includes a rear panel24. Each of the example front panel18and rear panel24are generally rectangular in shape and are of substantially the same width and height. In particular, in this example the front panel18and the rear panel24are each approximately ten inches in width and four inches in height. The width and/or the height of each of the front panel18and the rear panel24, however, may vary as desired. Furthermore, the height of the front panel18may be different than the height of the rear panel24.

As illustrated, the example front panel18includes a top edge18a, and a parallel bottom edge18b, connected by a pair of side edges18cand18d. The example rear panel24similarly includes a top edge24a, and a parallel bottom edge24b, connected by a pair of side edges24cand24d. The front panel portion18has an inner surface18ewhich lies in confronting relationship with an inner surface24eof the rear panel24after the envelope10is assembled as described below. Further, the example top flap20and the bottom flap22are integrally formed with the top edge18aand the bottom edge18bof the front panel18about respective fold lines28and30. As shown, the example fold lines28and30are parallel to both the top edge18aand the bottom edge18b, and are, therefore, parallel to each other. The side edges18cand18dare free from any fold lines, flaps, or other appendages.

Each of the example top flap20and bottom flap22includes a generally triangular shaped portion. For instance, in this example the top flap20includes a first side edge20cand a second side edge20dextending from the side edges18cand18dof the front panel18respectively. The side edge20cextends from the intersection of the edge18cand the top edge18a, extending upward and convergently towards an apex32formed by the intersection of the side edges20cand20d. The side edge20dextends from the intersection of the edge18dand the top edge18a, extending upward to the apex32. The size and/or shape of the top flap20may vary as desired. In this example, the distance between the apex32and the top edge18ais approximately two inches.

Similarly, the bottom flap22includes a first side edge22cand a second side edge22dextending from the side edges18cand18dof the front panel18respectively. In this example, the side edge22cextends from the intersection of the edge18cand the bottom edge18bopposite the top flap20. The side edge22dextends from the intersection of the edge18dand the bottom edge18b. Both side edges22cand22dextend downward and converge toward a bottom edge22b. The bottom edge22cis generally parallel to the bottom edge18bof the front panel18. In other examples, the side edges22cand22dmay extend to an apex (not shown) thereby eliminating the bottom edge22b. The size and/or shape of the bottom flap22may vary as desired. In this example, the distance between the bottom edge22band the bottom edge18bis approximately three and one half inches.

The example front panel portion18is provided with a plurality of adhesive regions for assembling the envelope10as will be described in detail below. For example, the example front panel portion18includes a first adhesive region40aand a second adhesive region40bfor securing the rear side panel portion24to the front side panel portion18. A third adhesive region40cis provided for securing the bottom flap22to an outer surface24fof the rear panel24, and a fourth adhesive region40dfor securing the top flap20to the outer surface24fof the rear panel24or to an outer surface of the bottom flap22, after the envelope10is assembled. Each of the adhesive portions40a-40dmay be any suitable fastener and/or adhesive, including, for example, permanent, semi-permanent, or releasable adhesive, or other suitable arrangement. While the adhesive portions40a-40dare illustrated as contiguous regions, the adhesive portions may be placed in any suitable pattern, arrangement and/or location. For instance, while the adhesive portions40a-40dare illustrated as being located on the inner surface18eof the front panel portion18, any or all of the adhesive portions40a-40dmay be located on the corresponding surface of the rear panel24, or may alternatively be located on both surfaces.

Referring toFIGS. 2-5, two example assembly processes of the envelope10are shown. The example assembly processes may be performed by a high speed inline web assembly press (not shown), or other suitable automated and/or manual process.

In one method of forming the envelope10, a preformed mailer insert50is first aligned with and placed in proximity to the front panel portion18of the first envelope portion14as shown inFIG. 3A. The mailer insert50will thus lie in confronting relationship with the inner surface18e. The mailer insert50will not overlap the adhesive layers40aor40b, allowing for removal of the insert50later by a recipient of the envelope10. The mailer insert50may be any type of insert (e.g. a letter, card, billing statement, advertisement, etc.), separately or concurrently formed, and sized and/or folded for placing onto the inner surface18e. In the illustrated examples, the mailer insert50is a folded paper mailer.

After placement of the mailer insert50, the rear panel24is aligned with and mounted to the front panel portion18of the first envelope portion14, at least partially covering the mailer insert50, such that the inner surface24elies in confronting relationship with the mailer insert50. The rear panel portion24is secured to (i.e. adhered to) the front panel portion18by, for example, the adhesive layers40aand40b.

The bottom flap22is then folded over the outer surface24fof the rear panel portion24as shown inFIGS. 3B-3C. The folding may be performed by, for example, plow folding the bottom flap22in the inline assembly press. The illustrated bottom flap22covers at least a portion of the outer surface24fof the rear panel portion24, but also leaves at least a portion of the outer surface24funcovered. The bottom flap22could cover the outer surface24f.

In another example method of forming the envelope10, shown inFIG. 4, the mailer insert50is placed into an already formed pocket46bounded on three sides. In particular, the pocket46is formed between the rear panel portion24and the front panel portion18by the adhesion of the rear panel portion24to the front panel portion18and by the folding of the bottom flap22. As with the previous example, the mailer insert50will not overlap the adhesive layers40aor40b.

In either example, the mailer insert50may be placed on the inner surface18eor inserted into the pocket46in any suitable manner. For instance, the mailer insert50may be placed in cooperative relationship with either the front panel portion18or the rear panel portion24prior to the formation of the pocket46and the pocket46may be subsequently formed around the mailer insert50during the inline process (FIG. 3A), or the example mailer insert50may be inserted into the pocket46after the formation of the pocket46(FIG. 4). This may be achieved by, for example, a secondary offline inserting process.

Turning now toFIG. 5, after the mailer insert50is assembled within the envelope10, the top flap20is folded about the fold line28and the envelope10is ready for subsequent sealing. The top flap20may be folded, for example, by plow folding the top flap20about the fold line28, such as, for instance, during the inline press assembly. Similar to the bottom flap22, the top flap20covers at least a portion of the outer surface24fof the rear panel portion24. As illustrated, in this example, the top flap22covers a portion of the bottom flap22when folded. The top flap22, however, may not cover a portion of the bottom flap22when folded. With both the bottom flap22and the top flap20folded, however, at least a portion of the outer surface24fof the rear panel portion24remains uncovered. In this manner, the back side of the assembled envelope10has the appearance of a standard commercial envelope. The top flap20may be folded and left un-sealed for later processing and/or sealing as desired. Any or all of the assembly steps may be performed by an automated process, a manual process, or a combination of both.

Turning now toFIG. 6, there is illustrated another example envelope10′ similar to the envelope10. The envelope10′ ofFIG. 6has many similarities to the envelope10. Thus, to avoid redundancy, structures appearing in the envelope10are not again discussed in detail in the following description of the example envelope10′. Instead, the intended reader is referred back to the description of the example envelope10for a complete description of those components. To facilitate such an effect, like reference numbers are used to reference like structures in the example envelope10,10′.

The example envelope10′ ofFIG. 6is prepared from a similar two-piece envelope blank12′, but also includes a transparent window film15. In this example, the front panel portion18includes at least one window19formed through the panel18, sized and located for a mailing address and/or other information to be displayed therethrough. For example, the window19may allow a mailing address located on the mailer insert50to be displayed.

In this example, the window film15is placed over the address window19and adhered to the inner surface18eof the front panel portion18. For instance, as illustrated the adhesive40ais extended around at least a portion of the address window19and a first side of the window film15is adhered thereto. While the window film15may be sized to correspond generally to the size of the address window19, (i.e., only covers the window19), in this example the window film15extends substantially the same width as the front panel portion18. The window film15, however, may be sized as desired. In this illustrated example, the window film15is secured to the front panel portion18by at least a portion of the adhesives40aand40b. Accordingly, an adhesive40eand40fand/or other suitable fastener is included on the second side of the window film15to secure the rear panel portion24to the window film15. Thus, the example pocket46is formed between the window film15and the rear panel portion24.

As noted above, the window film15may be any suitable size and/or shape. For example, the window film15may be sized to substantially correspond to the shape of the address window19and blown on as a patch. Alternatively, the window film15may be larger or smaller than the address window19. Furthermore, as in this example, the window film15may include an adhesive40e,40fto assist in the securement of the rear panel portion24to the front panel portion18, and the adhesive40e,40fmay be any pattern as desired, or may be eliminated entirely. Additionally, the window film15may be completely eliminated from the envelope10′ and the address window19left uncovered.

Because previous envelopes manufactured by an inline press typically included a plurality of flaps that are not perpendicular to the direction of travel of the envelope through an inline press, the manufacturing of the envelope required a change of direction to properly process folds. A change of direction in the inline manufacturing process, however, leads to an increase in space, cost, complexity, and/or time, thus slowing the manufacturing process and/or making the process more costly and/or impractical. For example, to plow fold a piece of paper in an inline press, the paper must be traveling in a direction parallel to the fold. Accordingly, envelope assemblies that include flaps with fold lines perpendicular to the direction of travel require a change of direction to properly plow fold the flap. This change of direction increases the complexity of the press assembly, results in slower processing speeds, and is not conducive to large mailing projects that rely upon very fast and efficient processing times.

Furthermore, the characteristic rectangular envelope formed by typical inline press assemblies oftentimes is easily recognizable by a customer as a mass mailing envelope. This mass mailing classification may have negative connotations to the recipient, even when the mailing is highly relevant to the consumer. In some instances, the consumer may choose not to open the mailing, or delay doing so, simply as a result of the appearance of the mailing piece. Thus, producers of mass mailing projects desire a mailer that may be produced quickly and efficiently, while resulting in an envelope that has the appearance of a business mailer.

The example envelopes10,10′ described herein present the appearance of a commercial envelope, while allowing the envelopes10,10′ to be mass produced at typical inline press speeds. In particular, the example envelopes10,10′ include flaps and fold lines that are parallel to the direction of travel of the envelopes10,10′ within the inline press. The envelopes10,10′ are processed in a single direction through the inline press, allowing the press to run at a normal process rate, suitable for large mailing projects. Additionally, the appearance of the example envelopes10,10′ mimic that of a traditional commercial envelope. In particular, the example envelopes10,10′ are produced with a quickly recognizable commercial, or “diaper” envelope back.