ENVELOPE AND CORRESPONDING METHOD OF PRODUCTION

The present invention relates to an envelope suitable for postal correspondence. In particular, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to an envelope and method of manufacturing envelopes which provides an optional dual payment scheme so that the envelope can be used as free post envelope or "stamp required" reply envelope. The envelope can be produced in a very efficient and thus cost effective manner.

Many different types of envelope are known. These are commonly suitable for postal correspondence in which a sendor deposits a letter or some other contents in an envelope pouch formed by folded and gummed sheets. Typically one side of the pouch is left open and this is closed by a sealing flap once the user has deposited the requisite contents in the envelope.

Many uses are made of such envelopes and one particular use is made by charities in which an envelope is sent out inside another envelope addressed to a potential donor with a request for donations to be returned in the envelope enclosed. The envelope used for returning a donation is normally a free post envelope. Such an envelope constitutes an envelope with a free post indicator and rather than a donor attaching a stamp the envelope will be preprinted with a free post code and also an address. As such when a donor places money or a cheque or other payment inside the envelope the donor pays nothing to the postal services. Rather the charity is charged the postage. It will be appreciated that such postal charges can be costly to a charity.

An alternative would be for charities to provide an envelope by which a donation can be returned but rather than including a postage paid indicator the envelope is preprinted with an outline of a stamp. A potential donor therefore is required to attach a stamp in an indicated position and return the envelope. This has the disadvantage of inconvenience to a potential donor who may thereby be prevented or discouraged from donating to a charity. Occasionally a donor would be happy to make use of a stamp but when a prepaid envelope is provided it may not be clear that this is an option.

Postal services, such as for example the Royal Mail in Great Britain, process envelopes automatically if possible. That is to say automatic sorting machinery is used to process envelopes if at all possible. If a scanning stage in this sorting process is unable to

identify a particular payment method or address to which the envelope should be delivered the envelope is steered to a hand sort area of a sorting office. There a human worker sorts envelopes for delivering and records if use of a freepost facility has been used so that a preregistered organisation such as a charity can be charged postage. Hand sorting costs postal services a substantial amount of money and is far less preferable to having envelopes automatically machine sorted. Hand sorting also takes a good deal longer than machine sorting. Thus there is a disadvantage if a donor handwrites an address on an envelope as this may need to be hand sorted.

It is an aim of the present invention to at least partly mitigate the above-mentioned problem.

It is an aim of embodiments of the present invention to provide a postage paid envelope which provides an option for the sender to pay for the postage instead of using a prepaid feature.

It is an aim of embodiments of the present invention to provide an envelope which can be machine sorted regardless of whether a free post or stamp-based payment scheme is utilised.

It is an aim of embodiments of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing an envelope which can be used according to a prepaid or stamp-based payment scheme. Preferably the method of manufacturing the envelope requires very few steps and can therefore produce the envelopes at an acceptable cost level.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an envelope for postal correspondence, comprising: a first envelope body panel portion; a sealing flap extending from an edge region of the first panel portion; and a further envelope body panel portion comprising a free edge region locatable under said sealing flap in a first mode of sealing and over said sealing flap in a second mode of sealing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an envelope blank comprising: a sealing flap portion extending from a first envelope body panel portion;

a second envelope body panel portion; and first and second side panel portions each extending from a side edge region of one of said first and second envelope body panel portions; wherein said second envelope body panel portion comprises a free edge region locatable, when said blank forms an envelope pouch, to cover a region of a sealing flap formed by said sealing flap portion, in a first mode of sealing or to be substantially covered by said sealing flap in a second mode of sealing.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for manufacturing an envelope, comprising the steps of: providing a sheet or reel of sheet material from which an envelope is to be made; cutting the material into a desired shape to thereby provide an envelope blank comprising a sealing flap portion extending from a first envelope body panel and a second envelope body panel comprising a free edge region; and providing an envelope pouch by folding the envelope blank whereby said free edge region is locatable under a sealing flap, formed from said sealing flap portion, in a first mode of sealing and over said sealing flap in a second mode of sealing.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an envelope which can be used for postal correspondence and which gives a sender the option of returning the envelope via a free post scheme or by fixing one or more postage stamps to the envelope.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an envelope suitable for postal correspondence which can be sorted mechanically without the need for a human inspector/worker regardless of a payment scheme used.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of manufacturing an envelope which includes relatively few processing steps and which provides a robust envelope which is simple to use for an end user.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a view of a first side of an unsealed envelope;

Figure 2 illustrates a second view of the first side;

Figure 3 illustrates a view of a second side of the unsealed envelope shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 illustrates how an envelope may be sealed in a first mode of sealing;

Figure 5 illustrates a view of a first side of an unsealed envelope;

Figure 6 illustrates a second view of the first side illustrated in Figure 5;

Figure 7 illustrates how an envelope may be sealed in a second mode of sealing;

Figure 8 illustrates a first plan view of an envelope blank prior to envelope formation; and

Figure 9 illustrates a reverse plan view of the precut blank illustrated in Figure 8.

In the drawings like reference numerals refer to like parts.

Figure 1 illustrates a view of one side, notionally called a front side, of an envelope 10. The envelope 10 is constructed from folded paper sheet. It will be understood that embodiments of the present invention are not restricted to envelopes manufactured from paper sheet but rather any form of planer material such as thin cardboard or plastic or the like may be utilised. The envelope 10 includes a rectangular shaped side panel 11. A further side panel 12 is also formed as a rectangular shape side panel. It is to be understood that according to embodiments of the present invention the shape of the envelopes is not restricted to the rectangular shape illustrated in the figures. A sealing flap 13 extends from an upper elongate edge region 14 of the rear side panel 12 and a fold line 15 which extends across the width of the envelope forms a joint which enables the sealing flap to fold with respect to the side panel 12.

The front panel 11 includes a free end region 16 which in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 is folded along a fold line 17 downwardly with respect to the front panel 11. The front and rear side panel, sealing flap 13 and free end 16, together with two side panels, form an envelope pouch in which items such as letters or any other such matter to be posted can be placed. The envelope pouch may be sealed prior to posting in one of two modes of sealing as will be described hereinbelow. Each mode of sealing determines a method of payment for postage.

Figure 2 illustrates a first mode of sealing an envelope. As illustrated in Figure 2 the free end region 16 of the panel 11 is folded upwards into a substantially planer orientation with the remainder of the side panel 11. In such a configuration the side panel 11, which includes the free end region 16, is orientated in a substantially coplanar orientation with the rear side panel 12. It will be understood that rather than folding upwards the free end region may be in an unfolded state to start with.

The front side panel 11 has a pre-printed address 20 printed at a location which is fully revealed when an envelope is sealed in either mode of sealing. The address is printed so as to be machine readable. In addition to this pre-printed indicia, a further pre-printed indicia 21 is printed on a front surface of the free end region 16 of the front panel 11. The markings on the free end region indicate a mode of payment and, for the sake of example, as shown in Figure 2, this is a pre-paid badge. This pre-paid badge acts as a payment method indicator. It will be understood that the badge 21 indicates either that postage has been paid or more preferably that postage will be paid via a free post method. Either way results in a user being able to utilise the envelope without having to affix a stamp. The envelope is thus very convenient to use for a user. The envelope illustrated in Figure 2 will be sealed by closing the flap 13 onto the front surface of the free end portion 16 of the front panel of the envelope. Sealing is achieved using a band of adhesive 22 formed on an inside, front surface of the sealing flap 13 of the envelope. It will be appreciated that any form of adhesive methodology can be used such as glue dots or other shapes of adhesive element. It would also be appreciated that in addition to, or in preference to, the sealing band 22 formed on the front of the sealing flap a corresponding adhesive element may be formed on the front surface of the free end portion 16 of the front panel of the envelope.

Figure 3 illustrates a reverse side view of the envelope illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 3 illustrates a back side surface view of the second major body panel 12 and sealing flap 13. It is to be noted that the reverse side of the sealing flap 13 includes a further payment method indicator 30 printed thereon. The payment method indicator indicates a remainder of the two methods of payment which may be utilised when using the envelope. For the sake of the example described herein the payment method indicator 30 indicates that a user should affix a stamp to the envelope.

Both the prepaid indicator 21 and address 20 are printed in accordance with the standards set by the postal service which is to deliver the envelopes. For example in Great Britain the prepaid indicator includes a class of service indicator and associated bar code. The address indicator 20 includes a pre-printed postal address to which the envelope should be delivered. For example this may be a pre-printed address of a charity. Both the address 20 and payment indicator 21 are machine readable.

Figure 4 illustrates an envelope sealed in accordance with a first mode of sealing. In this mode of sealing the free end region 16 of the first panel 11 of the envelope is folded upwards as illustrated in Figure 2. Then the sealing flap 13 is closed over the free end region by folding along fold line 14. Prior to this folding motion the adhesive is wetted so that the sealing flap 13 can be sealed to the front surface of the free end region. In this mode of sealing the prepaid indicia 21 is hidden by the sealing flap 13. The pre-printed address 20 remains visible and the further payment method indicator 30 is revealed. Thus a user can affix a stamp to the envelope at the location indicated and post the envelope. The envelope may thus be processed by the postal services automatically by machine reading. The envelope will be delivered and the contents of the envelope received. This mode of sealing has the advantage that the prepaid value of the envelope is not used. In the instance where the envelope relates to charitable donations this saves money for a charity since a donor affixes a stamp to the region 30 as well as placing a donation in the envelope.

Figure 5 illustrates the envelope 10 in a similar way to that shown in Figure 1 at the beginning of sealing the envelope according to a further mode of sealing. Figure 5 helps illustrate that a further sealing element 50 formed as an adhesive band or other such adhesive member is formed on an inside surface of the free end region 16 of the panel 11.

As shown in Figure 6 in this mode of sealing the sealing flap 13 is first folded inwards. During this motion the adhesive on the sealing flap is not energised so that the adhesive remains ineffective.

Figure 7 illustrates a next stage during this sealing mode of operation in which the free end region 16 is folded upwards to seal across a front surface of the sealing flap 13. It is to be understood that the free end region may be folded upwards along fold line 17 and that prior to this the adhesive is energised by wetting the adhesive layer. If other

adhesive methodologies are used these are somehow energised prior to folding the pseudo sealing flap 16 upwardly. As illustrated in Figure 7 this sealed envelope configuration now presents a free post or prepaid payment method indicator 21 on the front of the envelope. The pseudo flap 16 covers the other payment mode indicator printed on the major sealing flap. A user may now post the envelope which can be automatically machine sorted by the postal services according to the free-payment indicator 21 and pre-printed address 20 which are both machine readable. In the example where the envelope is used by charities a donor can thus locate a charitable donation in the envelope pouch and then seal the envelope without needing to find and adhere a stamp. This makes the envelope pouch a very convenient way for donors to donate to a charity.

Figure 8 illustrates an envelope blank which can be used to provide an envelope in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 illustrates a first plan view of the envelope blank which is cut or stamped or in some other way formed from a sheet of material during an envelope manufacturing process. The envelope blank includes a rear panel 12 which is substantially rectangular. From minor edge regions 81 and 82 respective side panels 83, 84 extend. A fold line 85 may be formed in the envelope blank along the minor edges of the rectangular panel 12. Alternatively a score or perforations may be formed along the same line. In this way the side panels 83, 84 may be folded inwardly with respect to the side panel 12. The major sealing flap 13 of the envelope extends from the rectangular side panel 12 and a fold line 15 or corresponding line of perforations may be formed along a major edge 14 of the rectangular panel 13. A payment method indicator 30 may be printed on the envelope blank subsequent to or prior to the outline shape of the blank being cut out.

The front panel 11 of the envelope is also substantially rectangular in shape and includes an edge region 16 which in use will remain free from securement to the side panels of the envelope. A fold line or perforation line may be formed between the free end region 16 and a remainder portion of the front panel 11 although this is not necessary. As an alternative a further print mark may be formed along the longitudinal width at a desired location so that an end user will understand that they should fold the envelope at that location so as to form a pseudo flap from the edge region of front panel 11. A payment method indicator 21 may be printed on the envelope blank subsequent to or prior to cutting out the blank from a sheet of material. Likewise, the pre-printed

address 20 may be printed on the envelope blank subsequent to or prior to cutting out the blank from a sheet of material.

It is to be understood that in accordance with embodiments of the present invention printing of the payment method indicators and/or address may be carried out prior to cutting out the shape of the envelope blank from a sheet of material. It is also to be understood that further printed indicia may be printed anywhere on the envelope so long as these do not obscure the various features which make the envelope machine readable.

Figure 9 illustrates a reverse plan view of the envelope blank 80 illustrated in Figure 8. As illustrated in Figure 9 the envelope blank 80 includes a front panel 11 and rear pane! 12. A sealing flap 13 extends from the rear panel 12 of the envelope and a gummed strip 22 is formed on the sealing flap 13 subsequent to the envelope blank being cut out. Likewise a further gummed strip 50 is formed on the front panel 11 at a portion which will ultimately be used by a user as a pseudo flap should the payment method indicated by the payment method indicator 21 on the reverse side of the front panel 11 be used.

Embodiments of the present invention have been described in which at least one adhesive element is formed on a major sealing flap 13 of the envelope as well as an edge region portion of the front panel 11 of the envelope. In the described example noted above each adhesive element is described as a gummed strip formed from a remoisturable gum. This type of gum is traditionally used on a majority of envelopes. The gum is applied in liquid form and dried by heaters during a manufacturing process. Once dry when moisture is applied, either by water or licking, it reactivates the gum and allows it to adhere to a corresponding second surface against which the gum is urged. It will be understood that different types of adhesive/securing mechanism may be substituted for one or each gummed strip. For example a peel and strip band may be formed or a multitude of glue dots applied etc.

Embodiments of the present invention have been described with a free-pay indicator 21 formed on the front panel of the envelope, as shown in Figure 2, with a non freepost payment scheme indicator 30 printed on the reverse of the sealing flap, as shown in Figure 4. It is to be understood that the two payment mechanisms are interchangeable so that the freepost indicator could be printed on the reverse side of the major sealing flap of the envelope with a non freepost indicator being printed on the front panel. It is

also to be understood that the payment method indicators may be printed at any desired location on the respective sides of the sealing flap and free end region of the front panel of the envelope. In this way embodiments of the present invention provide an envelope which can be used by charities with an optional freepost or affix postal stamp indicia visible on outside areas of the envelope. The envelope is machine sortable with or without a postage stamp. The method of payment visible is either a pre-paid or free post printed indicia or an area printed to which one or more postage stamps may be affixed. When an envelope is closed only one payment method is visible together with only one address to which the envelope should be delivered. In this way a recipient of the envelope has an option as to how the envelope is returned. The recipient of the envelope is provided with a choice in a very convenient manner as to how payment should be made. This is simply by folding a sealing flap over a further pseudo sealing flap formed by a part of the front panel of the envelope or by tucking the major sealing flap under the pseudo sealing flap.

Embodiments of the present invention also provide a method of manufacturing an envelope. A sheet of planer material, such as paper, is used to manufacture the envelope in a single process via a web-fed machine. Reels of paper or sheets of paper are placed on one end of the machine and paper is drawn through the machine at high speed. The paper is printed to include any required pre-printed indicia such as the payment method indicators and address. Subsequent to this the paper is cut into a shape similar to that shown in Figures 8 and 9. It is to be appreciated that the cutting step could be carried out prior to the printing step. The sheet cut includes a first rectangular side panel and further rectangular side panel which can be folded with respect to each other along a mutual fold line. Side tabs formed on one of the rectangular panels will then be folded inwards and glued to secure edge regions of the rectangular side panels together. It is to be noted that an end region of one of the panels remains free from securement so that it can be utilised as a pseudo sealing flap.

It is to be noted that the manufacturing process for providing the envelopes described can be a fully automated process.

Because the envelope is machine readable regardless of which postal scheme is used, mail services may be able to offer discounts to users wishing to use such envelopes. When such a user is a charity, this has great beneficial effects.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an envelope design which is an optional dual payment envelope.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an envelope which can be manufactured very conveniently. In particular there is no requirement for perforations to be formed if not desired. This means that the envelope can be manufactured using a methodology which uses only folding and gluing stages subsequent to an envelope blank being cut.

Furthermore, during the cutting out process in which the envelope blank is produced, there is no requirement for machinery to be able to form perforations in the sheet of material. Perforations or scoring can of course be used if desired.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise" and "contain" and variations of the words, for example "comprising" and "comprises", means "including but not limited to", and is not intended to (and does not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.

Features, integers, characteristics, compounds, chemical moieties or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith.