Abstract:
An easily opened envelope includes a cutting filament extending across at least one interior edge of the envelope. A tear line that terminates adjacent one end of the cutting filament is torn to expose and thereby permit the user to grasp the thus-exposed end of the cutting element. The edge of the envelope along which the cutting filament extends is severed by pulling the cutting filament along the edge, thereby to provide access to the interior of the envelope.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates generally to envelopes, and more particularly to an envelope which can be easily opened.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     Millions of envelopes are opened each day in homes and offices in the United States and around the world. Typically, the individual inserts his or her index finger or a letter opener under the closure or seal flap which has been previously sealed by an adhesive to the rear panel of the envelope. The index finger or letter opener is then pivoted upward to pry open the seal flap, thereby to allow access to the interior of the envelope and the removal of its contents. It has long been recognized that this is an awkward procedure, which often requires the tearing or cutting of the seal flap or the body of the envelope. This in turn may cause damage to the envelope&#39;s contents or injury to the individual.  
         [0005]     In recognition of these drawbacks in envelope designs, the prior art is replete with proposed designs of envelopes that purport to facilitate the opening of the envelopes. As described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,716,150; 6,491,213; 5,791,566; 5,163,612; 4,470,511; and 4,166,539, envelopes have been provided with tear strips, perforations or other self-opening means to facilitate the opening of the envelope to facilitate access to the contents of the envelope. The use of tear guides to provide easier, more controlled access to the envelope&#39;s contents is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,161,958, which discloses a cutting element secured between the upper and lower edges of the inner rear face of the envelope. Other envelope designs of interest are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,956,727 and 3,392,908.  
         [0006]     These prior art designs are, however, relatively complicated and thus relatively expensive to fabricate, and/or are still difficult or inconvenient to use. There thus remains a need for an envelope which can be economically manufactured and which can also be easily opened without injury to the user or damage to the contents of the envelope.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     To these ends, the envelope of the present invention includes a cutting strip in the form of an elongated, thin cutting filament that extends along a vertical or horizontal edge in the envelope interior and is secured at least at its opposite ends to the envelope at or near that edge. In one embodiment of the invention herein described, the cutting filament extends along the fold line defined at the intersection of the closure or seal flap and the rear panel of the envelope. At least one perforated diagonal tear line terminates at its lower end adjacent one end of the cutting filament so that when the tear strip is torn open the user can easily grasp an exposed end of the cutting filament and then pull the cutting filament along and through the edge along which it extends, thereby to easily and reliably sever that edge and permit ready access to the interior of the envelope. In another aspect of the inventions, a plurality of spaced tiny openings are provided along the edge along which the cutting filament extends to weaken it and thus facilitate its severance as the cutting strip is passed through it.  
         [0008]     To the accomplishment of the above and such further objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to an easily opened envelope, substantially as defined in the appended claims as considered in conjunction with the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof along with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is an elevation of an envelope form from which an envelope according to one embodiment of the present invention can be made;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is an elevation of an envelope of the present invention made from the form of  FIG. 1  when it is closed and sealed;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is an elevation of the envelope of  FIG. 2  when it is open and unsealed;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is an elevation of the envelope of  FIG. 2  illustrating an initial step in opening and unsealing the envelope;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is an elevation of an envelope form for use in fabricating an envelope according to a second embodiment of the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is an envelope made from the envelope form of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is an elevation of an envelope form for use in fabricating an envelope according to a third embodiment of the invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is an elevation of an envelope form for use in fabricating an envelope according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is an elevation of an envelope form for fabricating an envelope according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     As illustrated in an exemplary embodiment of  FIGS. 2 and 3 , made from the form illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the envelope of the present invention generally designated  10  includes a body having, as is conventional, a rear panel  12  and a front panel  14 , each of which has side edges and upper edges. Connected to the upper edge  16  of front panel  14  is a closure flap or seal flap  18 , which includes an adhesive along its lower part. The intersection of closure flap  18  and rear panel  12  defines a fold line  20  at which closure flap  18  is folded and sealed to front panel  14  to seal the envelope and its contents, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Rear panel  12  may, as conventional, include side adhesive flaps  22 ,  24 , which in the assembled envelope illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , are folded inwards and secured by an adhesive to front panel  14 .  
         [0019]     In accordance with the present invention, a thin, elongated cutting filament or strip  26  is secured at least at its opposite ends by any suitable adhesive to rear panel  12  near or at the location of the fold line  20 , and extends, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , along substantially the entire length of the fold line. Cutting filament  26  may be of any relatively rigid and sharp material such as a thread made, for example, of a textile material or nylon; a plastic filament or a metallic wire. A diagonal punched or perforated tear line  28  is formed at each end of the closure flap  18 . As seen best in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , tear lines  28  extend diagonally from one side of closure flap  18  and terminate substantially at fold line  20  at a location slightly inward or adjacent one end of cutting filament  26 . A plurality of spaced tiny perforations or microholes  30  are preferably formed in closure flap  18  along the fold line  20 .  
         [0020]     To open the envelope, the user lifts either the left or right lower corner of closure flap  18 , depending on whether the user is right- or left-handed, to tear the closure flap along one of the tear lines  28 . This operation raises an upper corner  32  of closure flap  18  ( FIG. 4 ), thereby to expose an end of cutting filament  26 , as also shown in  FIG. 4 . The user then holds the envelope in one hand, and with the thumb and forefinger of the other hand grasps this free end of the cutting filament  26  and pulls it first upwards and then toward the right, as viewed in  FIG. 4 , or to the left if the left-hand tear line were severed. As the cutting filament  26  is pulled in the direction of the arrow  34  it acts against the closure flap  18  along the fold line  20  to easily cut through the closure flap, which is weakened, and thus more easily severed from the body of the envelope as a result of the provision of the microholes  30 . In this manner, closure flap  18  is easily and safely separated and removed from the envelope body, thereby permitting ready access to the contents of the envelope, as desired.  
         [0021]     In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , in which elements corresponding to those of the first embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4  are identified by corresponding reference numerals, the cutting filament  26   a  is secured and extends along a lower fold line  36  defined at the intersection of the lower edge of rear panel  12  and the upper edge of front panel  14 . Perforated diagonal tear lines  28   a  and  28   c  extend respectively from the lower parts of the opposing side edges of rear panel  12  and terminate at the lower fold line  36  inwardly of the opposing ends of cutting filament  26   a . Other diagonal tear lines  28   b  and  28   d  extend from the upper parts of the opposing side edges of front panel  14  and also terminate at the fold line  36  at the terminations of tear lines  28   a  and  28   c . As seen best in  FIG. 6 , the envelope may be opened by tearing the bottom of the envelope  10   a  at one of the tear lines  28   a - d  to expose one end of the cutting filament  26   a , which is then pulled along the lower fold line  36  to sever it and provide access to the interior of the envelope.  
         [0022]     In the envelope  10   b  illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the cutting filament  26   b  is secured to and extends along the inner left edge (as viewed in  FIG. 7 ) of rear panel  12 . Diagonal tear lines  28   e  and  28   g  extend respectively from the upper and lower edges of rear panel  12  and terminate adjacent the opposite ends of the cutting filament  26   b . Other diagonal tear lines  28   f  and  28   h  extend from the upper and lower ends of side flap  22  and terminate adjacent the opposing ends of the cutting filament  26   b.    
         [0023]     The envelope  10   c  illustrated in  FIG. 8  is similar to that of  FIG. 7  except that the cutting filament  26   c  is secured to and extends along the right edge of rear panel  12 . Tear holes  28   j  and  28   k  respectively extend from the upper and lower edges of rear panel  12  to the opposing ends of the cutting filament  26   c . Diagonal tear lines  28   i  and  281  extend respectively from the upper and lower ends of side flap  24  to terminate adjacent the opposing ends of the cutting filament  26   c.    
         [0024]     The envelope  10   d  illustrated in  FIG. 9  includes four cutting filaments  26   d ,  26   e ,  26   f  and  26   g , respectively secured to and extending along the opposing side and upper and lower edges of rear panel  12 . Diagonal tear lines  28   m - 28   t  extend respectively from the outer edges of the closure flap  18  and front panel  14  and from the upper and lower portions of the opposing side edges of rear panel  12 ; all terminate adjacent or inwards of one of the opposite ends of their associated cutting filament  26   d , 26   e , 26   f  or  26   g.    
         [0025]     It will be appreciated from the foregoing description of a presently preferred embodiments thereof that the present invention, as described hereinabove, provides an envelope that is easily and safely opened. It will also be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that modifications may be made to the embodiments specifically described above without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.