Patent Publication Number: US-8534535-B2

Title: Envelope with sealed display rack hole

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to envelopes, particularly envelopes having a display rack hole sealed from the main compartment. 
     Envelopes come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and have features that are adapted directly for their intended purpose. For example, some envelopes are expandable to accommodate contents that vary in size, while others contain printing on the inside to prevent reading of the documents inside. 
     In contrast, some envelopes are designed with visibility in mind. These envelopes often have trademarks or designs printed on the front, have holes so that the envelopes may be hung on display racks to increase their visibility, or have windows cut into them that allow the user to see the envelope&#39;s contents. 
     Depending on the size of the contents, however, a display rack hole in an envelope may allow the contents to escape even though the envelope itself is sealed. This is particularly true for small items such as seeds, nails, bolts, screws, beads, etc. Thus, a need exists for an envelope having a display rack hole which is sealed from the main compartment of the envelope and does not allow the contents to escape. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the invention, an envelope is formed from a blank and comprises a front panel, a first side flap, and a second side flap. The front panel has a first display rack hole and the first and second side flaps are each integrated with the front panel on opposing sides. A top flap is integrated with the front panel on a third side and is foldable around a first fold line. A bottom flap is integrated with the front panel on a fourth side that is opposite the third side and has a second fold line. Either the top flap or the bottom flap has a second display rack hole that registers with the first display rack hole when the flap is folded around its fold line to be adjacent to the front panel. The front panel and ones of the flaps form a compartment for containing the contents of the envelope and the front panel is affixed to the flap having the second display rack hole and an area proximate to the first and second display rack holes forms a seal from the compartment. 
     Preferably, a perimeter around the display rack holes is sealed with adhesive or heat. More preferably, the envelope contains a window. 
     A process for forming an envelope comprises the steps of transporting a blank to a panel cutter at a first position, and cutting a cut-out from the blank. The cut-out has a first display rack hole, a top flap, a bottom flap, and a second display rack hole in one of the top and bottom flaps. While the cut-out remains at the first position, the cut-out is scored along a first fold line such that the first display rack hole registers with the second display rack hole when the flap having the second display rack hole is rotated around its fold line to be adjacent to the cut-out. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further aspects of the invention and their advantages can be discerned in the following detailed description, in which like characters denote like parts and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of an unassembled envelope according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of an assembled envelope showing a front panel, a window, and transparent sheet according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of an assembled envelope showing the side, top, and bottom flaps according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram showing a method of forming an envelope according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an envelope, indicated generally at  100 , comprises a front panel  102 , a first side flap  104 , a second side flap  106 , a top flap  108 , and a bottom flap  110 . The first side flap  104  is integrated with the front panel  102  on a first side of the front panel and the second side flap  106  is integrated with the front panel  102  on a second side that is opposite the first side. The top flap  108  is integrated with the front panel  102  on a third side of the front panel and is foldable around a first fold line  112 . The bottom flap  110  is also integrated with the front panel  102  on a fourth side that is opposite the third side and has a second fold line  130 . The front panel  102  has a first display rack hole  114  and either the top flap  108  or the bottom flap  110  has a second display rack hole  116  which is disposed to be in registry with the first display rack hole  114  when the flap having the second display rack hole  116  is folded around its fold line to be adjacent to front panel  102 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the top flap  108  has the second display rack hole  116 . 
     Alternatively, the second display rack hole  116  may be formed in the bottom flap  110  (not shown) such that when the bottom flap is folded around the second fold line  130  to be adjacent to the front panel  102 , the second display rack hole  116  registers with the first display rack hole  114 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , when the envelope  100  is fully assembled, the front panel and the flaps form a compartment  202  for holding the contents of the envelope. The front panel  102  is affixed to the flap that has the second display rack hole  116  and an area  204  proximate to the first and second display rack holes  114 ,  116  forms a seal from the compartment  202 . Preferably, the area is sealed with adhesive or heat. In preferred embodiments, the area  204  forms a peripheral seal  204 A around the first and second display rack holes  114 ,  116 . Alternatively, the area  204  forms a sealed band  204 B which seal compartment  202  from the folded top of the envelope  100 , where the registered rack holes  114 ,  116  are located. 
     It is advantageous to form the envelope  100  from a single blank of material because it reduces the number of processing steps, increases production speed, and reduces labor. In some embodiments, the necessary features can be formed in the blank using a single die. Suitable materials include thin sheets of polymer, paper, cardboard, or fiberboard. As used herein, the term “paper” includes any cellulose product. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , at least the front panel  102  preferably comprises a window  118 . A transparent sheet  120  may be affixed to an area  132  surrounding the window  118  on an inside surface of at least the front panel  102  such that it seals the window  118  to the surface. The sheet may be affixed by adhesive or by heat sealing the sheet  120  to the inside surface. The first side flap  104  is foldable around a third fold line  122  and, as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 , a portion  134  of the window  118  may extend beyond the third fold line  122  into the first side flap  104 . Similarly, the second side flap  106  is foldable around a fourth fold line  124  and a portion  136  of the window  118  may extend beyond the fourth fold line  124  into the second side flap  106 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the first side flap  104  has an outer margin  302  and is foldable around the third fold line  122 . The second side flap  106  has an outer margin  304  that is foldable around the fourth fold line  124 . Each margin  302 ,  304  has a nominal portion  322 ,  324  and a recessed portion  306 ,  308  that is closer to the fold line  122 ,  124  of the respective flap  104 ,  106 . Thus, when the first and second flaps  104 ,  106  are folded about their respective fold lines  122 ,  124 , a first distance  310  between the recessed outer margins  306 ,  308  is greater than a second distance  312  between the nominal portions  322 ,  324 . 
     Additionally, if the window  118  extends into the side flaps  104 ,  106 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , it is preferred that the sides  314 ,  316  of the top flap  108  and/or the sides  318 ,  320  of the bottom flap  110  taper inwardly toward a center line  322  of the envelope  100  such that the top flap  108  and/or bottom flap  110  do not occlude the window  118 . 
     The bottom flap  110  is preferably resealable and may use any of a variety of mechanisms such as pressure sensitive adhesives, multiple adhesive strips, or string and button clasps. In a particularly preferred embodiment, a polymeric film such as Mylar® may affixed to either the top flap or the bottom flap. The other of the top and bottom flap has a pressure sensitive adhesive disposed to contact the polymeric film once a silicone release liner is removed from the pressure sensitive adhesive. 
     The envelope discussed above may be formed by a variety of pieces of equipment known to those of skill in the art. Exemplary machines include cutting and folding machines produced by the F. L. Smithe Machine Company, specifically the RA 800 series. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a process for forming an envelope, indicated generally at ( 400 ), comprises the steps of feeding ( 402 ) one or more blanks into an apparatus at a beginning position, transporting ( 404 ) the blank to a panel cutter at a first position, and cutting ( 406 ) a cut-out from the blank. The cut-out comprises a first display rack hole, a top flap, a bottom flap, and a second display rack hole in either of the top and bottom flaps. The cut-out may also include a window in the front panel. Preferably, the blank is transported to the first position and all subsequent positions by at least one movable vacuum pad. Excess material trimmed from the blank is typically removed through a pneumatic tube which carries the scraps to a hopper to be recycled. 
     The method further comprises scoring ( 408 ) the cut-out along a first fold line such that the first display rack hole registers with the second display rack hole when the flap that has the second display rack hole is folded to be adjacent to the cut-out. The method preferably includes simultaneously scoring the cut-out to create a second fold line for the bottom flap that is opposite the first fold line of the top flap, scoring the cut-out to create a third fold line for a first side flap adjacent to the first fold line, and scoring the cut-out to create a fourth fold line for a second flap adjacent to the first fold line and opposite the third fold line. An area inside the first, second, third, and fourth fold lines forms the front panel. Most preferably, both the steps of cutting ( 406 ) and scoring ( 408 ) are performed while the cut-out is still at the first position. 
     The method may further include transporting ( 410 ) the cut-out to a patching section at a second position and affixing ( 412 ) a transparent sheet ( 413 ) to the cut-out such that at least the window is covered by a transparent sheet. Alternatively, the window may extend across the entire width of the front panel and into the side flaps with the transparent sheet covering the window accordingly. The method may further include transporting ( 414 ) the cut-out to a seal section at a third position and applying ( 416 ) an adhesive to at least one of the top and bottom flaps, most preferably applying adhesive to an area that is proximate to at least one of the first and second display rack holes. 
     Optionally, the method includes applying ( 418 ) a release liner to the adhesive and affixing ( 420 ) a polymeric film to the other of the top and bottom flaps. The polymeric film acts as a smooth, durable surface to which the adhesive may be repeatedly attached and removed. The release liner acts as a protective cover over the adhesive, preventing premature adhesion and the collection of debris. The release liner is typically made of a silicone-containing material. In the event that no polymeric film is used, the adhesive may be dried in a drying tunnel before the cut-out moves for further processing. 
     Once the adhesive is applied, the method preferably includes transporting ( 422 ) the cut-out to a folding section at a fourth position and folding ( 424 ) the top flap around the first fold line and at least two of the remaining flaps around their respective fold lines. Thus, the front panel and the three folded flaps form a compartment with one open side, through which the contents may be inserted. The area to which the adhesive was applied seals the area proximate to the display rack holes from the compartment. 
     In summary, the sealed display rack holes allow envelopes containing small articles such as seeds or beads to be hung on a display rack, enhancing the visibility of the envelope and the product. This is advantageous for buyers because they can verify the quality and quantity of the goods and advantageous for sellers because the increased visibility is more likely to translate to higher sales. The described methods of forming the envelopes are also advantageous for sellers because the envelopes can be made from a single blank on equipment that is widely available, reducing the sellers&#39; overall costs. 
     While illustrated embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated in the appended drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto but only by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.