GB2265333A

GB2265333A - Continuous integrally-connected envelope stock for typing or printing.

Info

Publication number: GB2265333A
Application number: GB9305489A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Albert Warren Coulson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-03-18
Filing date: 1993-03-17
Publication date: 1993-09-29
Also published as: GB9305489D0; GB9205851D0

Abstract

Continuous stationery comprises partly folded envelopes 2, 4, 6 integrally connected together by unfolded flaps 18, 26 etc. of adjacent envelopes. The stationery is made from a one-piece blank which is cut and creased to form the individual envelopes, the envelopes being connected together by means of unfolded opposed top and bottom flaps or opposed side flaps of adjacent envelopes. Flaps 12, 14 etc. are folded inwards and glued together to facilitate feeding the envelopes through a typewriter or printer. The flap joint 68, etc. may be offset from the centre to avoid interference with the address typing. The joint lines 64, 66 are scored or perforated to allow separation of envelopes after printing. <IMAGE>

Description

CONTINUOUS STATIONERY This invention relates to continuous stationery, and is particularly concerned with envelopes.

It is well known to provide continuous stationery both for sheets and envelopes, but all of the prior proposals necessitate the use of a backing or carrier sheet to which the sheets or envelopes are attached in order that the sheets or envelopes can be fed in a continuous manner through a typewriter, word processing machine or computer or similar equipment.

Dealing specifically with envelopes in relation to the above, it was necessary to pre-form the envelopes - in many and varying sizes - and then attach the pre-formed envelopes by means of adhesive to the backing or carrier sheet. In addition, it was necessary to laterally score and/or perforate the backing or carrier sheet in order that the envelopes could be stacked or stored in a concertina-like fashion.

The formation of the backing or carrier sheet, the provision of the adhesive, and the application of the envelopes to the backing or carrier sheet, all added to the overall cost of the finished product. In addition, the backing or carrier sheet, once the envelopes had been typed upon, is usually discarded or used as scrap paper which is wasteful and costly.

The invention seeks to provide an alternative form of continuous stationery - envelopes - which will overcome the disadvantages of known continuous stationery.

According to the present invention there is provided continuous stationery comprising partly-folded envelopes integrally connected together by unfolded flaps of adjacent envelopes.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: - Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for use in the production of continuous stationery in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 is a plan view of continuous stationery in accordance with the invention and produced from the blank of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, and firstly to Figure 1, there is shown a blank which is composed of paper or light card and which consists of a plurality of identical blank portions 2, 4, 6, etc.

Referring specifically to the blank portion 2, this consists of a main panel 10, side flaps 12 and 14, a top panel 16 and a bottom panel 18. Similarly, the blank portions 4 and 6 have identical panels and flaps which are referenced 20 to 28 and 30 to 38 respectively.

The panels and flaps of the blank portion 2 are formed by score or crease lines 40, 42, 44, and 46, and similarly the panels and flaps of the blank portions 4 and 6 are formed by score or crease lines 48 to 54 and 56 to 62 respectively.

Each blank portion is integrally connected to its adjacent blank portion by the contiguous panels 18,26 and 28, 36 etc., the respective score or crease lines 64 and 66 being deeper than the other score or creases lines of the portions, such that the section of paper or light card on the score or crease lines 64 and 66 is of lesser dimension or thickness than the section of paper or light card on the said other score or crease lines. Thus the blank portions are separable along these score or crease lines 64 and 66 as will be herinafter explained.

Referring now to Figure 2, it will be seen that the side flaps 12 and 14, 22 and 24, 32 and 34, have been folded inwardly about their respective score or crease lines 46 and 44, 54 and 52, and 62 and 60, the co-operating pairs of side flaps being secured together by means of adhesive at 68, 70, and 72 in overlapping relationship so as to form partly folded and formed envelopes.

The partly folded and formed envelopes are integrally connected together, as seen in Figure 2, by the adjacent or contiguous panels 18,26 and 28,36.

The partly folded and formed envelopes may be fed in a continuous manner through a typewriter, word processing machine, computer or similar equipment, the envelopes being typed or printed upon, in sequence, on the face of the panels 10, 20, 30 etc. remote from the overlapping panels 12 and 14, 22 and 24, 32 and 34 etc.

After typing or printing, the envelopes are separated from one another by tearing along the score or crease lines 64, 66 etc. Thereafter, the intended contents are placed in the envelopes and enclosed therein by inwardly folding the panels 16 and 18, 26 and 28, 36 and 38, and so on. For this purpose, the said panels are coated with an adhesive which may be a moisture-activated adhesive or a contact adhesive, in which case the panels 12 and 14, 22 and 24, 32 and 34, will also be provided with areas of contact adhesive at the appropriate positions.

Thus the invention provides continuous stationery continuous envelopes - which avoid the need for a backing or carrier sheet, and the consequent attachment and detachment of the envelopes from the sheet. In addition, the envelopes may be stored in roll form or in concertinalike fashion.

It will be appreciated that the envelopes may be connected together in end-to-end relationship and partly folded and formed by connecting together the panels 16 and 18, 26 and 28 etc - in which case such panels would be deeper so that they may be overlapped - and subsequently folding over and inwardly the flaps 12 and 14, 22 and 24, and so on, which would thus be made shallower, the appropriate score or crease lines being formed deeper than the other score or crease lines.

Finally, it will be appreciated that continuous envelopes of varying sizes may be formed in accordance with the invention, that the blank may be formed of material other than paper or light card, and that the score or crease lines may be replaced by perforations. In addition, instead of the side flaps 12 and 14, 22 and 24, 32 and 34 or the panels 16 and 18, 26 and 28, 36 and 38 overlapping at substantially the middle position of the panels 10, 20, and 30, they may be arranged to overlap towards one side or one end of said panels, in which case one each of said pairs of side flaps or panels would be made longer than the other of each of said pairs of side flaps or panels.

In this way, there would be no ridge or uneven surface at the centre portion of the main panel to mar any typing or writing applied to the main panel when addressing the envelope.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Continous stationery comprising partly folded envelopes intergrally connected together by unfolded flaps of adjacent envelopes.

2. Continuous stationery according to Claim 1, wherein each envelope comprises a main panel, opposing side flaps, and opposing top and bottom flaps, the partly folded envelopes being connected together by the top and bottom flaps of adjacent envelopes.

3. Continuous stationery according to Claim 2, wherein said top and bottom flaps of adjacent envelopes are seperable from each other by providing a crease or score line therebetween.

4. Continuous stationery according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein said side flaps, when folded inwardly relative to the main panel, overlap at substantially the middle position of said main panel.

5. Continuous stationery according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein said side flaps, when folded inwardly relative to the main panel, overlap at a position towards one side of said main panel.

6. Continuous stationery according to Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein said side flaps, after being folded inwardly relative to the main panel, are adhesively secured together by means of adhesive carried by one or both of said side flaps.

7. Continuous stationery according to any of Claims 2 to 6, wherein after separation from an adjacent envelope, the top and bottom panels are adhesively secured to said main panel.

8. Continuous stationery according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein said envelopes are composed of paper or light card.

9. Continuous stationery according to any of the preceding Claims and formed from a one-piece blank of paper or light card substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

10. Continuous stationery substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.