The present invention relates to an envelope of preferably conventional type and manufactured in conventional manner. Such an envelope usually consists of a front, a back and a sealing flap. Prior to use, the envelope is sealed- along three edges and has an opening on the fourth edge. To open a sealed envelope easily, an instrument is required, such as a paperknife. If there is no instrument at hand it is generally more difficult to open a sealed envelope, and fingernails or other means must be employed to open the sealed envelope.

The object of the present invention is to provide -an envelope with a device to facilitate opening of the envelope in the absence of an instru¬ ment. The means according to the invention comprises a strip with one edge closely abutting one edge of the envelope, said strip being arranged inside the envelope when said envelope is sealed, and being secured to the inside by adhesive, for instance. The strip is provided with a section which may be the length of the opposite edge of the envelope and a part located outside the periphery of the envelope. The part of the strip located outside the periphery of the envelope may constitute an extension of the strip in the ^" envelope so that the two parts of the strip together form a single elongate strip.

The part of the strip outside the envelope may be folded to protrude at a desired angle in relation to the edge of the envelope with which the rest of the strip cooperates. A suitable angle may be one of less than 90°.

The strip may suitable consist of plastic and be in the nature of a foil. It is also possible to utilize aluminium strip, which is also in the nature of foil.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the strip is secured to an inner side of the envelope in such a way that when the protruding section is pulled, the envelope is opened along the edge abutting the strip, and the part of the envelope attached thereto thus accompanies the

strip. The adhesion may also be such that none of the envelope material accompanies the strip when the envelope is opened by means of the strip cooperating with the edge of the envelope.

The side of the envelope opposite the strip, which is not adhered to the strip may be provided with a perforation which, together with the edge cooperating with the strip, forms a tag which can be torn off after the envelope has been opened. When this tag and the section torn off by the strip have been removed, the enclosure can be gripped from two sides, thus facilitating removed of the contents from the opened envelope.

Further characteristics of the invention are revealed in the following claims.

The invention will be described further with reference to the accompany¬ ing drawings showing various views of an envelope provided with the device according to the present invention.

The drawings show an envelope from the front 1, the back 2 with sealing flap 3 and two side flaps 4 and 5. Flaps 3, 4 and 5 and the back 2 protrude from the four edges 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the front 1. The back 2 is suitably adhered to the folded side flaps 4 and 5. The back 2, with the side flaps 4 and 5, forms the rear surface opposite the front 1. The front 1, rear 2 and flaps 3-5 are obtained from a flat blank. A strip 10 and 11 of plastic foil is adhered to the surface of the side flap 5 which is to constitute the inside of the envelope. The strip abuts, or substan¬ tially abuts the edge 9 of the envelope and suitably extends along the whole of this edge. The strip 10 and 11 is provided with a part 11 which will be located outside the periphery of the envelope when sealed. For the part 11 to be located outside the envelope, it must be folded in relation to the part 10, to form an angle with the edge 9. The angle is preferably less than 90 , but may be more than 90 . The adhesion between part 10 and side flap 5 shall be such that it remains difficult to remove the part of the side flap 5 adhered to the strip part 10. The adhered part of the side flap 5 is designated 12. On the front of the envelope is a perforation 13 which, together with the edge 9, forms a tag 14.

An envelope of the type described above functions as follows. An enclosure is inserted in the envelope and this is then sealed by means of flap 3. The strip part 11 protrudes from edge 9 of the envelope. If the strip is pulled obliquely outwards the edge 9 will be opened. When the strip 10 and 11 is pulled, part 12 and the portion of the back of the envelope lying above will accompany it. After removal of the strip a portion of the enclosure is exposed. It is then easy to tear away tag 14, enabling the enclosure to be gripped from two sides and thus extremely easily removed from the envelope.

The strip 10 and 11 described above is preferably of thin plastic foil, but thin aluminium foil is also possible. The strip may alternatively be arranged along edge 8 or edge 6. In this case the edge part 11 need not be folded, but may constitute a straight continuation of strip 10 inside the envelope.