Tamper-Evident Reusable Mailing Envelope

Abstract

A tamper-evident reusable mailing envelope comprising an outer envelope with a sealing flap and an inner slide pouch in which is positioned a letter or other correspondence to be mailed. The slide-pouch comprises an addressor pocket and an addressee pocket into which the address of the addressor and the address of the addressee, such as in the form of their respective business cards or preprinted address cards, may be inserted so as to properly address the envelope from the addressor to the addressee. Upon receipt by the addressee, the addressee may respond by simply repositioning the business cards from the respective address pockets such that the original addressee's business card is now positioned in the addressor pocket and the original addressor's business card is positioned into the addressee pocket.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to mailing envelops. More particularly, this invention relates to mailing envelopes which are reusable. This invention further relates to mailing envelopes which include a security feature that indicates when the envelope has been tampered with before receipt by the intended recipient.

2. Description of the Background Art

Presently, there exist many types of mailing envelopes. The most conventional type of mailing envelope comprises a pouch in which a letter or other type of correspondence is inserted into, whereupon the flap of the envelope is adhesively sealed to securely retain the correspondence therein. The addressor and addressee information is typically type-written or handwritten onto the outside of the envelope allowing the envelope to be properly addressed for delivery via the postal service. Unfortunately, conventional envelopes of this nature are not reusable and therefore unnecessarily result in considerable depletion of natural resources such as paper.

Another common type of mailing envelope comprises an “inter-office” delivery pouch having ruled lines on the outside thereof indicating inter-office mailing information such as “date”, “deliver to”, “delivery by” and “department”. During use, the letter or other correspondence to be delivered is inserted into the pouch. The flap is temporarily closed by means of a tethered string permanently connected to the flap which is simply wound around a button on the body of the pouch. The delivery information is then completed on one of the ruled lines. Upon delivery via the company's internal delivery process to the recipient, the recipient simply unwinds the tether from the button allowing the pouch's flap to be opened and its contents removed.

Beneficially, the interoffice pouch may then be reused by the recipient by simply crossing-out the line of information and completing the delivery information on the next empty line on the front of the pouch. With twenty-five to thirty ruled lines preprinted on the front of the interoffice delivery pouch, it should be appreciated that the pouch may be beneficially reused twenty-five to thirty times before all of the blank lines of delivery information have been used and only then need the interoffice delivery pouch be discarded. Unfortunately, interoffice delivery pouches of this nature are of being sent through the postal services since there is no means for including the full addresses of the addressor or addressee.

Unfortunately, the use of the tether that simply wraps around the button for closure allows someone other than the intended recipient to open the envelope and inspect its contents before the intended recipient. To preclude such tampering, oftentimes, an adhesive “confidential” sticker is placed over the tether to adhere to the pouch such that the pouch's flap cannot be opened by unwinding the tether from the button without tearing of the adhesive “confidential” sticker.

Many improvements have been made to the conventional envelopes described above. Most improvements have involved streamlining the manufacturing of the envelope such that the envelope may be manufactured in a continuous process. However, other improvements have included enhancements to the envelopes to allow them to be reused both for inter-office delivery and for delivery via postal services. Representative U.S. patents, the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein, to improve envelopes include the following:

U.S. Pat. No. TITLE
3,941,308     Continuous Mailer Envelope Assembly With Inserts
              and Method
3,988,971     Method of Making Envelope Assembly
4,071,997     Mechanism and Method of Making An Envelope
4,411,643     Double Envelope and Method of Making Same
4,454,980     Return Biller Envelope Book
4,487,360     Two Way Envelope
4,514,182     Method of Affixing Envelopes and Letterheads to a
              Carrier Sheet and Assembly Formed Thereby
4,530,730     Method of Making Envelope Assemblies
4,531,993     High Speed Method of Making Envelopes Each With
              a Double Folded Removable Enclosure
4,586,651     Mailing Sub-Assembly With Envelope Sheet and
              Enclosure Sheet
4,632,427     Combined Mailer and Return Envelope
4,648,860     Envelope with Pouch and Method of Manufacture
              Thereof
4,668,211     Method for Preparing a Returnable Self-Mailer
4,668,212     Process for Manufacturing Sealed Postal Envelope
              Assemblies
4,756,468     Windowed Mailer With Tumble-Style Return
              Envelope for Remittance Document, Having Return
              Mail-To Address Exposed By Removable of
              Apertured Cover
4,828,104     Personalized Mailing Envelope or Carrier and
              Method of Enclosing a Personalized Letter in a
              Personalized Mailing Envelope or Carrier
4,899,926     Two Way Mailer
4,912,909     Direct Mail Article with Mailable Reply Card
4,984,733     Dual Mailer Construction
5,031,382     Return Card System
5,071,061     Reusable Routing Pouch
5,071,399     Method of Making a Mailer With Tear Strip on
              Outgoing and Return Envelopes
5,095,682     Mailer and Method and Apparatus for Making
5,271,553     Re-Mailable Envelope With Removable Addressing
              Sheet
5,277,362     Reusable Envelope
5,307,989     Two Way Mailer With External Insert
5,400,957     Reusable Envelope
5,507,131     Mail Solicitation Package Assembly
5,720,158     Information Card Package
5,921,065     Two Way Mailed Document With Two Sided
              Variable Color
6,053,855     Information Direct Mail Article With Cover and One
              or More Interior Sheets and Integral Business Reply
              Envelope
6,732,494     Envelope With an Adhesive Closure and Method and
              Device for Producing the Same
6,893,387     Mailing Envelope Assembly
6,957,766     Envelope With Enhanced Opening Capabilities and
              Method Therefor
Re. 33,173    Envelope With Pouch and Method of Manufacture
              Thereof

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the mailing envelope art.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved envelope that may be repeatedly reused over and over again.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reusable envelope that may be addressed with the addressor's and/or addressee's mailing information by using the addressor's or addressee's business card inserted within windowed pouches.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reusable envelope that includes a security feature which indicates when the envelope has been previously opened before receipt by the intended recipient thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reusable envelope that, in combination, allows addressing through the use of the addressor's and addressee's conventional business cards with a security feature to indicate if the envelope has been previously tampered with before receipt by the intended recipient.

The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For the purpose of summarizing this invention, this invention comprises a tamper-evident reusable mailing envelope comprising an outer envelope with a sealing flap and an inner slide pouch in which is positioned a letter or other correspondence to be mailed. The slide-pouch comprises an addressor pocket and an addressee pocket into which the address of the addressor and the address of the addressee, such as in the form of their respective business cards or preprinted address cards, may be inserted so as to properly address the envelope from the addressor to the addressee. Upon receipt by the addressee, the addressee may respond by simply repositioning the business cards from the respective address pockets such that the original addressee's business card is now positioned in the addressor pocket and the original addressor's business card is positioned into the addressee pocket. It should be appreciated that the use of the slide-pocket within the mailing envelope allows the entire assembly to reused over and over again without needlessly wasting paper or other natural resources.

The tamper-evident security feature comprises one or more aligned openings in the envelope in the upper right hand corner at which position postage stamps would normally be applied. Preferably, two or more parallel-aligned, bar-shaped openings are provided having a stacked height approximately equal to the conventional height of a postage stamp and a length at least as wide as a conventional postage stamp. When a conventional postage stamp is adhesively applied to the envelope over the openings, the adhesive stamp adheres to a middle bar-segment between the two bar-openings and adheres to the slide-pouch positioned therein via the parallel bar-openings. Consequently, it should be appreciated that the adhesive stamp securely fastens the slide-pouch to the envelope and precludes removal thereof unless the stamp is torn off the middle bar segment. Of course, if the stamp is already torn upon receipt by the intended addressee, the addressee knows that the envelope has been previously opened and the slide-pouch has been removed, thereby indicating previous tampering of the envelope.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a slide pouch having a transparent addressor pocket and a transparent addressee pocket;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mailing envelope having an addressor windowed opening and an addressee windowed opening;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an alternative embodiment of the addressor and addressee pockets;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a tamper-evident security feature incorporated into the flap of the envelope;

FIG. 5 is perspective view of an envelope that is composed of a transparent material with the addressor and addressee pockets being affixed to the interior of the front panel of the envelope;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a specially-configured sheet of stationary having pre-perforated addressor portion;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an opening tool.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment in which the business cards are secured to the envelope or slide-pouch by four corner slots into which the four corners of the business card are inserted; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an insertion tool.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one embodiment of the invention comprises a mailing envelope 10 having an addressor windowed opening 12 and an addressee windowed opening 14. A slide-pouch 16, of the approximate configuration of the interior of the envelope 10 includes corresponding transparent addressor pocket 18 and transparent addressee pocket 20 for correspondingly receiving the addressor's business card 22 and the addressee's business card 24. The letter or other correspondence mailed from the addressor to the addressee is inserted into the slide-pouch 16 and then the slide-pouch 16 is inserted into the envelope 10 and its flap either temporarily closed by means of a conventional tethered closure 28 or adhesively sealed by means of an adhesive applied to the underside of the flap 26. It should be appreciated that upon insertion of the slide-pouch 16 into the envelope 10, the addressor's business card 22 is visible through the addressor window 12 and the addressee's business card 24 is visible through the addressee window 14.

The envelope 10 of the invention further comprises at least one, preferably two substantially parallel bar-shaped openings 30A and 30B in the upper right hand corner of the envelope 10 which is the conventional area of placement of postage stamps. The two bar openings 30A and 30B define a mid-bar 30MB therebetween. Upon placement of a postage stamp, shown in phantom at 30S, over the bar-openings 30A and 30B, the postage stamp 30S adheres to the mid-bar 30MB and, through the bar openings 30 A and 30B, also to the surface of slide-pouch 16 positioned within the envelope 10. In this regard, the height of the bar-openings 30A and 30B are preferably approximately the height of a conventional adhesive postage stamp and the width of the bar openings 30A and 30B are preferably at least as wide as a conventional postage stamp and, more preferably, three or four postage stamps. Once the postage stamp 30S is applied as described, the slide-pouch 16 is securely retained within the envelope 10 and cannot be removed to gain access to the letter or other correspondence therein. However, the postage stamp may be easily torn along the edges of the mid-bar segment 30B to release the same, whereupon the slide-pouch 16 may then be removed from the envelope. Of course, it is quickly evident that the envelope 10 had been tampered with before receipt by the intended addressee if the postage stamp 30S is already torn upon receipt of the envelope 10 by the intended addressee. As noted above, the addressor/addressee pockets 18 and 20 are preferably transparent to allow the information on the respective business cards 22 and 24 to be viewed therethrough. In an alternative embodiment as shown in FIG. 3, the addressor and addressee pockets 18 and 20 may simply comprise a pocket frame 32 with an open front mentioned to capture the peripheral side and lower edges of the business card 22 or 24 when inserted therein. Similar to the transparency of the addressor/addressee pockets 18 and 20, the envelope 10 may itself be composed of a transparent material such as plastic thereby eliminating the need for the addressor/addressee windows 12 and 14 since the addressor/addressee business cards 22 and 24 would then be visible through the transparency of the envelope 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, the tamper-evident security feature of the invention may likewise be incorporated into the flap 26 of the envelope 10. More particularly, as shown in FIG. 4, the flap 26 may be configured to fold forwardly toward the front of the envelope 10 and may include corresponding bar openings 30A and 30B that define a corresponding mid-bar segment 30MB that are in overlapping alignment when the flap 26 is folded forwardly over the envelope 10, with the previously-described bar openings 30A and 30B and mid-bar segment 30MB. When the flap 26 is folded forwardly over from the envelope 10 or tucked inside over the slide-pouch 16 positioned therein, the postage stamp 30S may be applied over the bar openings 30A and 30B whereupon its adhesiveness adheres to the mid-bar segment 30MB and to the slide-pouch 16 positioned therein. Consequently, the flap 26 is securely retained in position, thereby eliminating the need for adhesive applied to the flap 26 itself. Indeed, in this embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the flap 26 itself is tamper-evident since it is secured in its closed position by means of the postage stamp 30S as opposed to the temporary tether 28 shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the embodiment of the tamper-evident embodiment of FIG. 4 may be combined with the self-mailing embodiment comprising the addressor/addressee windows 12 and 14 in the envelope 10, in which case, however, the flap 26, which now folds forwardly, should include a cut-out portion 26C so as to not obscure the addressor window 12 when the flap 26 is folded forwardly.

A still further embodiment of the invention that eliminates the need for the slide-pouch 16 is disclosed in FIG. 5. More particularly, in FIG. 5, the envelope 10 is composed of a transparent material such as a transparent plastic and the addressor pocket 18 and the addressee pocket 20 are securely affixed to the interior of the front panel of the envelope 10 for receiving their respective addressor/addressee business cards 22 and 24 therein. It should be appreciated that in this embodiment with at least the front panel of the envelope 10 being transparent, the address information contained on the respective business cards 22 and 24 may be easily viewed therethrough. It should also be appreciated that with the flap 26 also being transparent, the need for the cut-out portion 26C as previously shown in FIG. 4, may be eliminated since the addressor mailing information may still be viewed therethrough when the flap 26 is folded forwardly and the stamp 30S applied across the bar openings 30A and 30B and mid-bar segment 30MB as previously described.

The aforementioned embodiments of FIGS. 1-5 have been illustrated in a generally landscape format depicting the size of a conventional number 10 business envelope. However, without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, it should be appreciated that the envelope 10 may comprise an envelope of any size or convention in a portrait, landscape or square format with a top-opening flap 26 or a side-opening flap 26 that folds forwardly or rearwardly. Furthermore, it should also be appreciated that the tamper-evident security feature of the invention may be employed through the use of any adhesive label in lieu of the above-described stamp 30S, such as in regard to interoffice correspondence in which conventional postage stamps are not necessary.

The slide-pouch 16 may correspondingly be configured to comprise a portrait, landscape or square configuration to appropriately fit into the similarly configured envelope 10. The slide-pouch 16 may comprise a side opening such as that shown in FIG. 1 or an opening along any of its other edges. Furthermore, slide-pouch 16 may be opened along two or more of its edges.

In each of the embodiments, the use of the addressor/addressee pockets 18 and 20 facilitate addressing of the envelope 10 through the use of the addressor's or addressee's respective business cards 22 and 24 and for the addressee to respond to the addressor by simply reversing the cards 22 and 24 in their respective pockets 18 and 20 and reusing the same envelope 10 for such a response. It is noted that in the event the addressor does not have the addressee's business card, the addressor may simply write or type the addressor's address on an appropriately-sized card and insert it into the addressee envelope 20. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, a specially-configured sheet of stationery 40 may be employed that includes pre-perforated addressor portion 42 with optionally the addressor's mailing information preprinted within the addressor's perforated portion 42. In this manner, the addressor may use the stationery 40 to correspond with the intended addressee by typing or writing the addressee's address information in the addressee portion 42. By fan-folding the stationery 40 and inserting it into the envelope 10, the respective addresses would be visible through the windows 12 and 14. Upon receipt by the addressee, the addressee, when responding to the addressor, may simply remove the perforated portions 42 and 44 and insert them into the respective pockets 18 and 20. Preprinted stationery of this nature facilitates a prompt response from the addressee. A similar concept may likewise be employed with greeting cards and other preprinted mailers that seek to solicit a response from an intended recipient to whom the advertisement or greeting card is mailed.

As noted above, the postage stamp 30S functions to provide a secure enclosure that cannot be opened until the postage stamp 30S is torn along the edges of the mid-bar segment 30MB. Typically, such tearing may be conveniently performed by a fingernail or the tip of a pin. However, as shown in FIG. 7, an opening tool 50 may be employed that comprises a handled portion with an elongated rotatable tip portion 52 that rotates on a central axle 54. With this tool 50, its tip 54 may be conveniently inserted into one of the bar openings 30A or 30B to exit the other bar opening 30B or 30A and then rolled therealong to tear the stamp 30S along the opposing edges of the mid-segment 30MB.

As shown in FIG. 8, in lieu of the pockets 18 or 20 or the framed pocket 32, the respective business cards 22 and 24 may alternatively be secured to the envelope 10 or slide-pouch 16 or four corner slots 60 into which the four corners of the business card 22 or 24 may be inserted. Indeed, the use of the corner slots 60 may be advantageous with regard to advertisements, greeting cards and other conventional mailers that may contain business cards or other informational pieces.

As noted above, in lieu of business cards, the address information may be provided on preprinted or handwritten portions of paper and then inserted into the addressor/addressee pockets 18 and 20. As shown in FIG. 9, an insertion tool 60 is provided to facilitate insertion. The insertion tool 60 comprises a body portion 62 of the approximate size of the pockets 18 and 20 and handle 64 that allow the typewritten or hand-written addressing information, such as that written on flimsy paper to be aligned with the body portion 62 and then inserted into the pocket 18 or 20 through the use of handle 64.

The present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims, as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Now that the invention has been described,

Claims

1. A mailing envelope, comprising in combination:

an envelope including a front surface and a foldable flap for closing and opened end of said envelope; said front panel of said envelope including at least one address window;

a slide-pocket for insertion within said envelope;

said slide-pocket including at least one address positioned to be in alignment with said addressing window of said envelope when said slide-pocket is inserted within said envelope;

said addressing pocket including address information on a sheet of material inserted therein; and

at least one bar window formed through said front panel of said envelope for receiving an adhesive stamp which adheres to a portion said front panel of said envelope and to a portion of said slide-pocket inserted therein.

2. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pocket comprises a transparent pocket.

3. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said addressing pocket comprises a pocket frame.

4. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pocket comprises corner slots for receiving corners of said material.

5. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 1, further including another bar opening formed in said flap of said alignment with said bar opening in said front panel of said envelope.

6. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein said flap comprises a cut-out portion proximate to an area to contain addressor mailing information.

7. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 5, including two of said bar openings defining a middle bar segment therebetween.

8. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 7, further including a tool with a rotating hip for facilitating tearing of the postage stamp adhered across said mid-bar segment.

9. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 1, further including an insertion tool for facilitating the insertion of said material into said pocket.

10. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said front panel of said envelope is transparent and wherein said pocket is affixed to an interior surface thereof.

11. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 10, wherein said material comprises a sheet of material with a perforated portion including address information that may be removed and inserted into said pocket.

12. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 1, further including a specially-configured sheet of stationery including a pre-perforated addressor portion with optionally the addressor's mailing information preprinted within the addressor's perforated portion, thereby allowing the addressor to use the stationery to correspond with the intended addressee by placing the addressee's address information in the addressee portion such that upon fan-folding the stationery and inserting it into the envelope, the respective addresses are visible through the windows.

13. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 1, further including an opening tool having a rotatable tip portion.

14. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 1, optionally including corner slots allowing a business card to be inserted therein.

15. The envelope assembly as set forth in claim 1, further including an insertion tool.