Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a recyclable bundle envelope to better enable the collection, bundling and tying of paper to be recycled and usable with a container therefor.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Numerous systems exist for collecting and bundling paper for recycling.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,440 discloses a rigid receiving box and string arrangement to bundle and tie paper for recycling.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,506 discloses a paper receiving frame and string arrangement to bundle and tie paper for recycling.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,966 discloses another paper receiving frame and string arrangement to bundle and tie paper for recycling.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,020 discloses another complicated paper receiving frame and string arrangement to bundle and tie paper for recycling.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,576 discloses a complex and expensive paper receiving basket and string arrangement to bundle and tie paper for recycling.  
           [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,371 discloses another complex paper receiving frame and tying arrangement to bundle and tie paper for recycling.  
           [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,316 discloses a paper bundler frame and bundling strap arrangement to bundle and tie paper for recycling.  
           [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,262 discloses a complex paper receiving container and string arrangement to bundle and tie paper for accumulation and disposal.  
           [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,744,461 discloses a collapsible paper receiving container and string arrangement to bundle and tie paper for stacking.  
           [0014]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,636,432 discloses a paper receiving utility rack with string to receive paper and for recycling.  
           [0015]    It is respectfully requested that this citation of art be made of record with regard to the within application.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0016]    The present invention provides a flat foldable, stackable envelope. The envelope includes guided and engaged string. An out folded envelope is adapted to receive and bundle paper for recycling. The envelope is engagable in a box which supports the envelope as it is incrementally filled. Arrangements can be made to hold the string at the box.  
           [0017]    Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic of the invention are pointed out in the claims, the invention and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be further understood by reference to the description following and the accompanying drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is an isometric partially schematic view of a bundle envelope of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is an isometric partially schematic view of the bundle envelope of FIG. 1 expanded along its folds.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a detail, partially schematic elevation of a string guide as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and  4 .  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 is a bundle envelope filled with paper, secured and ready for recycling.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 is an isometric partially schematic view of the bundle envelope of FIG. 2, expanded along its folds, shown in a support box. 
     
    
       [0023]    Referring now to the figures in greater detail, where like reference numbers denote like parts in the various figures.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]    The recycle envelope  10 , as shown, particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a front  11 , a back  12 , a bottom  13 , right side  14  and a left side  18 . As shown in FIG. 1, the recycle envelope  10  is substantially folded flat, with the first end  31  and second end  32  of the tie string  30  shown schematically extended and the loose looping of the tie string  30  extending through openings  28 ,  29  through the recycle envelope  10 . In FIG. 2, the recycle envelope  10  is shown opened to receive paper.  
         [0025]    As can be seen in FIG. 2, the unfolded recycle envelope  10  has the tie string  30  looped about itself as a string guide  40  engaged on the front  11  and back  12  of the recycle envelope  10 .  
         [0026]    The recycle envelope  10  is shown expanded, in FIG. 2, where it is open to receive paper for recycling. As can be seen in FIG. 3, schematically, the tie string  30  crosses itself looped about itself as a string guide  40 .  
         [0027]    In FIG. 5, an expanded recycle envelope  10  is shown expanded along its folds, as it is shown in FIG. 2, in a support box  50 . The support box  50  has inside support bars  51 , a back  52 , a bottom  53 , a right side  54 , and a left side  57 . The recucle envelope  10  expands fully up to the inside support bars  51 , receiving support from the inside support bars  51 , the back  52 , the bottom  53 , the right side  54  and the left side  57 . The corner folds  15 ,  17 ,  19  and  21  are supported at the respective corners  55 ,  56 , formed by the inside support bars  51  and the corners  58  and  59  of the support box  50 .  
         [0028]    A utility space  62  is defined in the support box  50  between the inside support bars  51  in the support box  50  and the frong  61 .  
         [0029]    In FIG. 4, paper  70  is shown in the recycle envelope  10 , removed from the support box  50  and tied by the tie string  30  into a bundle for recycling.  
         [0030]    The recycle envelope  10 , as shown in FIG. 1, is a single unit of a stack or package of recycle envelopes  10  kept available for the collection of paper  70 . The flat folding of the recycle envelope  10  conserves space. The use of paper, such as kraft paper, renders the recycle envelope  10  both strong and inexpensive and easily dispensable and recyclable.  
         [0031]    The configuration and composition of the tie string  30  looped about itself as a string guide  40  is compatible with the economic packaging and dispensing of the recycle envelopes  10 . The tie string  30 , looped about itself as a string guide  40 , enables the tying for recycling of the recycle envelope  10  as shown in FIG. 4.  
         [0032]    The tie string  30  is continuous from the first end  31  to the second end  32 . The tie string  30  is long enough to enclose a full recycle envelope  10 , as can be seen in FIG. 4, and short enough not to tangle, as can be seen in FIG. 1.  
         [0033]    Starting at the first end  31 , the tie string  30  passes through the opening  28 , loops around, looped about itself on the front  11 , as a string guide  40 , passing across the front  11  to the right front corner fold  15  across the right side  14 . The tie string  30  passes across the right side  14  to the right back corner fold  17  and to the back  12 . The tie string  30  then loops around, looped about itself as a string guide  40  passing across the back  12  to the bottom  13 , then across the bottom  13  up across the front  11  and then across the left side  18  at the left front corner fold  19 , past the left side center fold  20  around the left back corner fold  21  to the back  12 . The tie string  30  then loops around, looped about itself as a string guide  40  and then the tie string  30  passes through the opening  29  to the second end  32 .  
         [0034]    As can be seen in FIG. 3, lengths of the tie string  30  overlap, looped about itself as an interactive string guide  40 . The overlapping within the string guide  40  keeps the tie string  30  from disengaging, so the tie string  30  is held until used, to tie the paper bundle  70 , as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, the recycle envelope  10  as stacked, or shown in FIG. 1, retains the tie string  30 . String guides  40  are both simple and economical.  
         [0035]    In use, the recycle envelope  10  is opened, as shown in FIG. 2. The recycle envelope  10  unfolds along back bottom infold  26 , while the right bottom front infold  22  and right bottom back infold  23  open from the right side center fold  16 , and the left bottom front infold  24  and left bottom back infold  25  open from the left side center fold  20 . The tie string  30  surrounds the recycle envelope  10  with the first end  31  and second end  32  free to hang loose until grasped and pulled.  
         [0036]    The interacting of the tie string  30  lengths does not inhibit the movement of the tie string  30 , looped about itself as a string guide  40  tied, as shown in FIG. 4.  
         [0037]    As can be seen in FIGS. 1, 2,  4  and  5 , the tie string  30  loops around, looped about itself as a string guide  40  is mounted by threading the tie string  30  through the openings  28 ,  29  at appropriate point on the recycle envelope  10 .  
         [0038]    When the recycle envelope  10  is used in connection with a support box  50 , as shown in FIG. 5, the first end  31  and second end  32  normally hang down, until they are tied. As shown in FIG.  5 , the support box  50  provides a sturdy support for the recycle envelope  10 , while it is being routinely filled. The support box  50  prevents toppling of the open recycle envelope  10  and support for a full load of recycle paper. A full recycle envelope  10  can be grasped by the first end  31  and second end  32 , as shown extending, in FIG. 5, to tighten the tie string  30  against the paper  70  in the recycle envelope  10 , drawing the string  30 , tightly guided over the two string guides  40 . Once tightened, the first end  31  and second end  32  may be tied and the full recycle envelope  10  removed, as shown in FIG. 4.  
         [0039]    As a convenience, one or more studs (not shown) may be provided on the support box  50  so that the first end  31  and second end  32  can be wrapped around to conveniently keep the first end  31  and second end  32  within reach, while the recycle envelope  10  is unfolded and in the support box  50 .  
         [0040]    The bottom  13  of the recycle envelope  10  substantially fits into the space defined by bottom  53  and the inside support bars  51 . Separating the front  11  and back  12  opens the recycle envelope  10  outfolding the left side center fold  20 , right side center fold  16  and the back bottom infold  26 , allowing the right side  14  and left side  18  to interact with their respective left bottom front infold  24 , bottom back infold  25 , right bottom front infold  22 , right bottom back infold  23 , to cause the recycle envelope  10  to fill the space in the support box  50  between the back  52  and the inside support bars  51 .  
         [0041]    The utility space  62  is convenient to use to store recycle envelopes  10 . Once a bundle has been made, tied and prepared for recycling, a new recycle envelope  10  is at hand for use.  
         [0042]    The terms and expressions which are employed are also used as terms of description; it is recognized, though, that various modifications are possible.  
         [0043]    It is also understood the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might fall therebetween.

Technology Category: b