According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a mailer and/or file for documents and/or other items, comprising a plurality of wallets for containing said items, an outer envelope for containing the wallets one upon the other in a stack, and a plurality of labels attached one to each of the wallets for use in indicating their individual content, the labels being attached to their respective wallets to extend from one edge of the stack at spaced intervals from one another along that edge and each being foldable back at that edge to project therefrom within the envelope between one face of the stack and a wall of the envelope, and wherein at least part of said wall is transparent to enable the labels where they project as aforesaid to be visible through the wall.

According to another aspect of the invention a method of packaging documents and/or other items for mailing and/or filing, comprises the steps of inserting the documents and/or other items in a plurality of wallets, attaching labels one to each wallet for indicating the content of the individual wallets, assembling the wallets one upon the other in a stack, the labels being attached to their respective wallets to extend from one edge of the stack at spaced intervals from one another along that edge, folding the labels back at said edge under the bottom face of the stack, and inserting the stack in an outer envelope such that the labels project within the envelope between the bottom face of the stack and a wall of the

envelope, at least part of said wall of the envelope being transparent such that the labels where they project as aforesaid are visible through the wall.

Each wallet, which may be of plastics material, may have one side marked to define a plurality of possible locations for attachment of its individual label. Also, the wallets may be stacked on a stiffener-backing, and the labels may then be folded back under the bottom face of the backing to be visible through said wall of the envelope.

The outer envelope may have front and rear walls that are of transparent plastics material and may be closed by a slide-fastener. In the latter case, a label may be attached to the outer envelope such as to block opening of the slide-fastener.

A method of packaging documents and/or other items for mailing and/or filing, and a mailer and/or file for such use, all in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 show the mailer/file according to the present invention from the front and rear respectively, with part of its outer envelope broken away to reveal contents of the envelope; Figures 3 and 4 show the front and rear respectively, of the outer envelope of Figures 1 and 2; Figures 5 and 6 show the front and rear respectively, of a wallet typical of five such wallets that form part of the mailer/file of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 7 is illustrative of a label typical of five such labels that are attached to the five wallets in the mailer/file of Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 8 is illustrative of a label used to seal the outer envelope of the mailer/file of Figures 1 and 2.

The method and mailer/file to be described provide a facility which enables documents and/or other items to be conveniently held in different collections or wallets that are retained together securely in a package, but which at the same time enables the contents of the different wallets to be readily determined and checked without opening the package. The package combines the functions of mailer and file and may be used for both, or for either.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the combined mailer/file involves an outer, rectangular envelope 1 of plastics material, having front and rear walls 2 and 3 respectively; the form of the outer envelope 1 is illustrated more clearly by Figures 3 and 4. The walls 2 and 3, which are both transparent to reveal the envelope- contents, are sealed together peripherally apart from along one, longer side 4 of the envelope 1. The opening between the walls 2 and 3 along the side 4 affords access to the interior of the envelope 1, and can be closed and opened as desired, by selective operation of a slide- fastener 5; the slide-fastener 5 is shown in its closed position.

Five rectangular pocket-wallets 6 of transparent plastics material and having front and rear walls 7 and 8 respectively, are provided for insertion in the envelope 1. The wallets 6 are identical to one another, each having the form illustrated by Figures 5 and 6.

Referring now more especially to Figures 5 and 6, the front and rear walls 7 and 8 of each wallet 6 are sealed together peripherally apart from along one end 9 which is closed by a turned-over flap 10. The flap 10 is readily lifted to enable documents or other items (for example CDs) to be inserted into the wallet 6 and removed from it through the end 9. A reinforcing-strip 11, which is punched to enable the wallet 6 to be retained in a ring-binder when not in use in the mailer/file, extends down one side 12 of the wallet 6, and the front wall 7 is divided off by printing along the opposite side 13 into five rectangular sections 14.

The five sections 14 of the wallet 6 define possible locations for attachment of a rectangular label 15 of the form illustrated in Figure 7. An individual label 15 is attached to each wallet 6 but the particular one of the sections 14 used for the attachment is different as between the five wallets 6.

Referring to Figure 7, each label 15 is of paper or other material allowing information concerning the content of the respective wallet 6 to be written or typed on its front face 16. A strip of contact adhesive (not shown) for use in attaching the label 15 to its respective wallet 6, is laid down at one end 17 on the reverse face of the label 15, beneath a printed location-strip 18 on the front face 16. The label 15 is attached to the wallet 6 with its end 17 located within the appropriate section 14 and the remainder extending outwardly at right angles to the side 13 of the wallet 6.

Before the five wallets 6 are inserted in the envelope 1, they are assembled together in a stack on the front face 19 of a rectangular backing-board 20 (see Figure 1) of cardboard or hardboard; other forms of stiffener-backing may be used. The wallets 6 are stacked one upon the

other with their front walls 7 uppermost and their sides 13 in register one with the other along one edge of the stack. The labels 15 accordingly extend outwardly in the same direction as one another from this edge of the stack and, because they are attached to differently-located sections 14 of the different wallets 6, are spaced from one another in a non-overlapping relationship along that edge. Once the five wallets 6 are stacked together in this way, their labels 15 are folded downwardly and then back under the backing-board 20 onto its rear face 21 (Figure 2). A line 22 is printed on each label 15 (Figure 7) to guide the fold.

It is with the wallets 6 stacked on the board 20 and the labels 15 folded down and back under it, that the wallets 6 are inserted together in the envelope 1. The stack is inserted with the sides 13 of the wallets 6. leading, and with the rear face 21 of the board 20 facing the inside of the rear wall 3 of the envelope 1. This locates the five labels 15 of the five wallets 6 folded back and projecting between the board-face 21 and the transparent wall 3 so that each is clearly visible through the wall 3. The content of each individual wallet 6 can therefore be readily determined and checked from its label 15, by external visual inspection of the rear of the envelope 1.

Once the wallets 6 have been inserted in the envelope 1, the envelope 1 may be closed to retain them securely, by operation of the slide-fastener 5. The envelope 1 is now ready for mailing or filing, and a security seal to give indication of unauthorised opening, is provided by an adhesive label 23 (of the form illustrated in Figure 8) which may be used as an address label where mailing is involved.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the front and rear walls 2 and 3 of the envelope 1 are printed with markings 24 and

25 respectively, to guide the user in positioning the label 23 on the envelope 1. More particularly, the label 23 is attached to the front and rear walls 2 and 3 of the envelope 1 bridging side 4 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; lines 26 printed on the label 23 assist with folding over the side 4. As so placed, the label 23 blocks opening of the slide-fastener 5, and therefore access to the items inside the envelope 1, until the label 23 is torn or cut.

Any of the wallets 6 may be removed from the envelope 1, and may subsequently be returned with their contents unchanged or otherwise, or may be replaced by other wallets similar to those removed. Where there is change of content of any wallet 6, the attached label 15 is suitably amended or is replaced by another. Supplies of the labels 15, and also of the labels 23, may be provided in the form of sheets from which the labels can be readily peeled when required for use.

Although the wallets 6 as described above are adapted for use in a stack of five, the mailer/file may be modified, more especially in the number of sections 14 afforded and the dimensioning of the labels 15 attached, to make provision for a larger or smaller stack. The wallets 6 may be of a size to accommodate A4 sheets without folding, but alternatively may be larger (for example to accommodate A3 sheet-size unfolded) or smaller.

Furthermore, means other than the flap 10 may be used to retain items within the wallets 6; for example, a slide- fastener, or (as in the case of the envelope 1 also) some alternative fastening or retaining means may be utilised.

The board 20 used to back the stack of wallets 6 may be dispensed with, but has the advantage of providing a measure of protection for the contents of the wallets 6 against bending and other damage, and helps to retain the labels 15 in place against the inside of the rear wall 3 of the envelope 1.