Patent ID: 7726548

Claim:
A reusable envelope, the envelope comprising: an envelope body having a width; and a reusable sealing flap, the sealing flap comprising at least: a first flap portion proximal to the envelope body and extending along the envelope body for a length; a second flap portion extending from the first flap portion distal from the envelope body, and extending along a length of the first portion that is less than the length of the first portion; a side edge comprising an arcuate contour, the arcuate contour comprising a first edge portion at least partially corresponding with the first flap portion and intersecting a second edge portion at least partially corresponding with the second flap portion at a vertex defining an angular turning point between said arcuate contour and said second edge portion and thereby defining an angular indentation along said side edge; a plurality of adhesive regions formed on the sealing flap each spaced apart from a boundary along which the first portion of the sealing flap can be separated from the second portion of the sealing flap, the boundary comprising a tear off portion and a bridge portion, the tear off portion extending partially across the sealing flap so the tear off portion comprises an end spaced inwardly from the side edge of the sealing flap and spaced from the intersection of the first and second edge portions wherein the bridge portion comprises the region between the inwardly spaced end of the tear off portion and the angular indentation so the bridge portion at least partially connects the first and second portions of the reusable sealing flap and so the bridge portion is structurally capable of at least partially maintaining the connection between the first and second portions of the reusable sealing flap after the tear off portion is at least partially removed from the reusable sealing flap while also providing a narrowed region that facilitates severing of said second portion from said first portion through said narrowed region; and wherein at least one adhesive region of the sealing flap can be used to seal the envelope a first time so the second portion of the sealing flap can be separated from the first portion of the sealing flap to open the envelope and the first portion of the envelope can be used to close the envelope a second time.