Returnable mailer

A mailer includes a container having a label for printing a recipient first address, and a return zone for printing a return address. A release liner is integrated with the container below the label which is releasably bonded to the liner. The liner contains a recipient second address hidden behind the label, which is viewable upon removal of the label for reusing the mailer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to mailers, and, more specifically, 
to reusable mailers. 
A mailer provides a container for delivering various items from a sender to 
a recipient. The most common mailer is an envelope which may have various 
configurations and sizes. Other mailers include boxes, tubes, and packages 
for delivering items. Mailers may be sent to the recipient using the US 
Postal Service, or various private carriers, such as overnight delivery 
services or local couriers. 
In many situations, the sender expects a response from the recipient. This 
typically occurs when a bill or invoice is sent to a customer for which 
payment is typically returned by check. The sender may provide a 
preaddressed return envelope, with or without postage being paid, as a 
courtesy to the recipient for facilitating the return process. 
The additional return envelope adds to the expense of the transaction, and 
requires the recipient to complete the return address on the envelope and 
affix additional postage. 
Accordingly it is desired to improve the process of sending and returning 
mailers, and facilitate use by the recipient. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A mailer includes a container having a label for printing a recipient first 
address. A release liner is integrated with the container below the label 
which is releasably bonded to the liner. The liner contains a recipient 
second address hidden behind the label, which is viewable upon removal of 
the label for reusing the mailer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a mailer 10 in accordance with an exemplary 
embodiment of the present invention. The mailer includes a container 12 
which may have any suitable form such as an envelope of various size and 
configuration. Alternatively, the container may be in the form of a 
delivery box, tube, or other package for shipping an item 14 to a 
recipient. Shipping may be accomplished by any suitable manner such as the 
US Postal Service, overnight carriers, or couriers, for example. 
In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the container 12 is 
configured as a flat envelope for sending to the recipient an item 14 in 
the form of one or more sheets of paper such as an invoice or bill 
requesting payment for a product or services rendered. The item 14 is 
placed inside the container 12 and suitably sealed therein, with the 
container having an exposed outer surface on which may be printed the 
addresses for the specific recipient and the sender. 
The container has an exposed label 16 of sufficient size for printing a 
recipient first address 18 thereon. The container also includes on its 
front face a return area or zone 20 located in any suitable position for 
printing a return address 22 thereon. 
A release liner 24 is integrated with the container 12 below the label 16. 
The label is releasably bonded to the liner by a suitable adhesive 26 
which covers the back side of the label. The label 16 is preferably a 
pressure sensitive label which cooperates with the underlying liner 24 in 
any conventional manner to permit the label to be removed or peeled away 
from the liner 24 by applying a suitable lifting or peeling force for its 
removal. 
The liner 24 contains a recipient second address 28 printed thereatop which 
is hidden behind the label 16 prior to label removal. The label may be 
removed by being peeled away from the liner 24 to expose to view the 
initially hidden second address 28. 
This improved construction of the mailer 10 facilitates the shipment and 
return of the same container between the sender and recipient in a typical 
transaction. During the initial construction of the mailer 10, any 
suitable second address 28 may be printed atop the hidden liner 24. For 
example, the second address 28 may match the return address 22 in the 
event the sender wants the container returned. Or, the second address may 
be to any other location specified by the original sender. 
The so preprinted mailer is then used by placing therein the item 14 of any 
suitable form, such as the exemplary invoice or bill illustrated. The 
container is suitably sealed closed, and the first address 18 is printed 
atop the face of the label 16 for the intended recipient. The return 
address 22 may be printed at the same time the first address is printed, 
or it may be preprinted along with the second address 28. The mailer 10 is 
then sent to the recipient at the first address by any suitable service. 
Upon receipt, the recipient opens the mailer 10 in any convenient manner 
for removing the item 14 being sent. The recipient may then use the same 
mailer 10 for responding to the sender as found in suitable instructions, 
which may be printed on the back of the container for example. Following 
the instructions, the recipient conveniently removes the label 16 from 
atop the liner 24 by peeling it away therefrom to expose the hidden second 
address 28 therebelow. 
In a preferred embodiment, the recipient reapplies or attaches the removed 
label 16 atop the return zone 20 to hide the original return address 22, 
with the reapplied label 16 now providing a suitable return address for 
the reuse of the same mailer. The same adhesive 26 originally found on the 
label back permits its reattachment to the container, now with a permanent 
bond. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the recipient uses the same mailer for sending a 
suitable return item 30, such as a payment check for example, to the 
second address 28 now exposed atop the liner 24 in a window 32 defined by 
the opening for the removed label 16. The container may be reclosed using 
any suitable means, such as tape. 
The mailer is then suitably re-sent to the exposed second address 28, which 
may be the original sender for example. In the event the original mailer 
included a postage stamp 34 or bulk mail permit as payment for 
transportation, the recipient may simply cover the original postage with 
new postage 36 for retransmittal. 
FIG. 3 illustrates the mailer 10 in the exemplary form of an envelope which 
may be formed from a single sheet of material, such as paper for example. 
The container initially includes a face sheet 12a which is rectangular in 
the exemplary configuration and includes both the label 16 and return zone 
20. Extending integrally outwardly from the face sheet 12a are two side 
flaps 12b and a bottom flap 12c which are folded-under below the face 
sheet and suitably bonded together to form the envelope container in any 
conventional manner. A top flap 12d also extends from the face sheet and 
includes a suitable adhesive along its edge for closing and sealing the 
container after an item is inserted in the container. 
FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section of the container illustrated in FIG. 3 
through the label and supporting liner. The label 16 is preferably 
parallel and coplanar with the face sheet 12a. The adhesive 26 is disposed 
between the label 16 and liner 24 to form a laminate thereof. 
In the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the label 16 is flush 
with the face sheet 12a, with the label being a portion of the face sheet 
having a perimeter severed therefrom by a conventional die cut 38. 
Accordingly, the label 16 may be integrated in the container 12 which is 
conveniently initially formed in a single sheet of material. The liner 24 
is bonded to the back of the face sheet 12a with a sufficient border 
around the label perimeter for maintaining continuity of the face sheet 
after the die cut 38 is made. The liner also maintains structural 
continuity of the face sheet after removal of the label 16 from its 
window. 
The liner 24 is preferably bonded to both the back side of the face sheet 
12a and the back side of the label 16 with the common or same adhesive 26. 
The adhesive 26 is selected to releasably bond the label 16 to the liner 
24 while permanently bonding the liner to the back side of the face sheet 
around the label. 
FIG. 5 illustrates an exploded view of a portion of the mailer 10 and the 
exemplary construction of the label 16 and liner 24. The liner 24 may have 
any suitable material composition, such as paper for example, and suitably 
conditioned for permitting release of the label 16 therefrom. The liner 24 
is initially printed with the desired recipient first address 28 so that 
the printing adheres thereto. 
A release agent, such as silicone, is next applied over the front surface 
of the liner 24. In a preferred embodiment, the release agent is applied 
solely over the central portion of the liner within the perimeter of the 
label 16 positioned thereatop. The border of the liner around the first 
address is without release agent so that it may be permanently bonded to 
the back side of the face sheet 12a. 
The liner is suitably laminated to the back side of the face sheet with the 
adhesive being applied therebetween to permanently bond the border of the 
liner to the back side of the face sheet, with the label 16 being 
releasably bonded to the liner over the first address 18. 
The face sheet 12a is suitably die cut to define the perimeter of the label 
in a continuous die cut 38 which severs the label from the adjoining face 
sheet, with the die cut defining the corresponding window 32 upon removal 
of the label. Since the label 16 is die cut from the face sheet, it is 
attached thereto by friction along the die cut, as well as by the 
underlying liner 24 which bridges the window 32 and maintains integrity of 
the face sheet. 
The laminated face sheet and liner may be manufactured in any conventional 
manner typically from a roll of face sheet stock to which a series of the 
liners 24 are suitably bonded. The outer profile of the individual 
containers 10 in unfolded form, as illustrated in FIG. 3, are suitably cut 
from the roll using conventional die cutters which are also configured for 
die cutting the individual labels 16 atop the liners 24. 
The individual containers are then formed by folding and bonding the 
respective flaps thereof. During normal use, the recipient first address 
18 as well as the return address 22 may then be concurrently printed atop 
the face of the containers for shipment to the recipients. 
A particular advantage of the laminate construction illustrated in FIGS. 4 
and 5 is the flush and coplanar integration of the label 16 within the 
window 32 formed therearound by the continuous die cut 38. This flush 
configuration reduces the likelihood of premature delamination of the 
label 16 during shipment. However, in that event, the mailer may be 
automatically returned to the sender for reprocessing since the sender's 
address would then be viewable in the window 32. 
Although the invention has been disclosed with respect to the particular 
envelope embodiment illustrated in the figures, it may be applied to 
various other containers as desired. 
While there have been described herein what are considered to be preferred 
and exemplary embodiments of the present invention, other modifications of 
the invention shall be apparent to those skilled in the art from the 
teachings herein, and it is, therefore, desired to be secured in the 
appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and 
scope of the invention. 
Accordingly, what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United 
States is the invention as defined and differentiated in the following 
claims.