Technical Field

The invention relates to easy-opening envelopes of the sort comprising an opening strip allowing easy opening of the envelope. Background Art

It is known to provide envelopes with an opening strip, for example of plastics or cotton material, which extends along a fold line of the envelope, and which can be used to tear along the fold line to which it is attached in order to open the envelope. It is also known to provide a line of perforations across one comer of the envelope, from one edge of the envelope to an adjacent edge, in order to allow the comer of the envelope to be torn away when opening the envelope. The opening strip is attached to the comer of the envelope to be torn away, so that once the comer has been torn away the comer acts as a tab which allows the user to hold one end of the opening strip, and to pull the opening strip in order to open the envelope. Such an arrangement suffers from a number of disadvantages. In particular, the fact that the comer tab is attached to the rest of the envelope only by means of the perforated line results in the comer of the envelope being weak and vulnerable to damage. In the worst case, the comer tab may be bent during the transit of the envelope, and may become separated or partially separated from the rest of the envelope before the envelope reaches its destination.

A further disadvantage is that the contents of the envelope may become damaged when the envelope is opened. In particular, if part of the contents of the envelope lies within the comer portion of the envelope which defines said comer tab, then the contents of the envelope may be inadvertently torn when the comer tab of the envelope is torn away.

The invention seeks to provide an easy-opening envelope which overcomes at least some of the above disadvantages.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an easy-opening envelope comprising a front face, a rear face, a closure flap, and an opening strip; the front face having a plurality of edges at which the front face is connected to the rear face or the closure flap; the opening strip extending along, and being attached to, a first one of said edges; and a further one of said edges adjacent to said first edge being provided with a line of weakness which extends inwardly from said further edge but does not extend to any of the other of said edges, said line of weakness being arranged so that a user can open the envelope by first grasping a portion of the envelope between said line of weakness and said first edge, and then pulling along the direction of said first edge so that the envelope tears from said line of weakness to said first edge to form a tab which separates from the rest of the envelope but remains attached to the opening strip, so that as the user pulls the tab the opening strip tears open said first edge of the envelope.

It will be appreciated that, because the line of weakness extends inwardly from only one edge of the envelope, the envelope is of inherently stronger design than prior art envelopes of the type described above.

Preferably, said line of weakness is formed by a continuous slit which extends inwardly from said further edge.

Alternatively, said line of weakness can be formed, at least in part, by perforations in the material of the envelope.

Advantageously, the front and rear faces are glued, or otherwise adhered, together in the region of the envelope defining said tab, so that said tab is provided with greater structural integrity once it has been torn away from the rest of the envelope.

The invention includes within its scope both envelopes made from conventional materials, such as paper and card, and envelopes made from plastics materials such as plastics courier packs.

If the envelope is made from a plastics material, said further edge of the envelope is preferably formed by a welded seam, and said line of weakness is preferably formed by extending the welded seam in a direction away from said further edge. Said line of weakness is conveniently located immediately adjacent to said first edge, so that the tab is formed by tearing a small portion of the envelope away from a comer of the envelope.

In one embodiment of the invention, said line of weakness is substantially straight and extends generally parallel with said first edge. The opening strip is conveniently formed from a plastics material.

The opening strip can extend along any edge of the envelope. However, in the case of an envelope formed from paper or card, it has been found particularly convenient to place the opening strip along a side edge of the envelope, so that it extends from the closure flap to the bottom of the envelope, and to form said line of weakness so that it extends inwardly from a fold line formed between the front face of the envelope and the closure flap.

In the case of a plastics envelope, it has been found convenient to position the opening strip along a bottom fold line of the envelope, opposite the closure flap.

The invention is particularly suitable for high security, tamper-proof envelopes. In particular, the closure flap can be provided with a very strong adhesive which ensures that the closure flap cannot be opened without damaging the envelope.

In such a case, there is no way of opening the envelope without the addressee of the envelope being aware that the envelope has been opened.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an easy- opening envelope comprising front and rear faces, a closure flap for sealing the envelope, and an opening strip attached to the envelope and adapted to tear a line through a portion of the envelope in order to open the envelope, wherein a tab portion of the envelope, to which the opening strip is also attached, is adapted to be torn away by the user when opening the envelope in order to

form a tab which remains attached to me opening strip, and which the user can grasp in order to pull the opening strip so as to tear the opening strip through the envelope, and wherein the envelope further comprises viewing means located in the vicinity of the tab portion, said viewing means being adapted to allow the user to view inside the envelope in the vicinity of the tab portion in order to ensure that the contents of the envelope do not become damaged when the tab portion is torn away by the user in order to open the envelope.

Conveniently, said viewing means is formed only in one face of the envelope. In the simplest case, the viewing means comprises an aperture, such as a circular hole, formed in at least one face of the envelope at or adjacent the tab portion. Alternatively, at least one face of the envelope is provided with a transparent portion located at or adjacent the tab portion.

In the case where the viewing means is formed in only one face of the envelope, it is desirable for the other face of the envelope to be coloured on the inside at least at the position corresponding to the viewing means so that the colour becomes visible when none of the contents of the envelope are located beneath the viewing means. The colour is desirably any colour except white, but is preferably a distinctive colour, such as red.

It will be appreciated that this feature provides an envelope which is particularly convenient to use. When the envelope is received by an addressee, the addressee simply looks through the viewing means in order to ascertain whether the colour is visible. If the colour is not visible, the addressee simply taps the envelope so that the contents of the envelope move away from the viewing means, and then tears away the tab portion in order to open the envelope. Preferably, the viewing means covers only a very small portion of the envelope, so that the confidentiality of the contents of the envelope is maintained.

Furthermore, the viewing means is preferably located, at least partially, within the tab portion, although other locations are possible, including for example immediately adjacent the tab portion.

Advantageously, the front and rear faces are glued, or otherwise adhered, together at said tab portion, so that said tab is provided with greater structural integrity once it has been torn away from the rest of the envelope.

It should be appreciated that the features of the first and second aspects of the invention can be combined in a single envelope, and the invention includes within its scope any such combination of features.

An additional aspect of the invention aims to provide a tear open envelope incorporating a tear strip or line which facilitates rapid access to the contents of the envelope without damaging the contents thereof. Said additional aspect of the invention resides broadly in an envelope assembly having a stick-down closure flap which may be folded over and adhered to an adjacent wall panel to seal the envelope, said envelope having a portion thereof adapted to be gripped by a user, said portion having a flexible line member secured thereto and extending from said portion across and being secured to said envelope, said portion being detachable from said envelope to permit said line member to open the envelope. The line member may be retained by an adhesive applied over the member and adjacent portion of the envelope or it may be coated with an adhesive adapted to adhere the flexible line member to the envelope at a fold line if desired. The line member may extend along the fold line between the stick-down closure flap and remainder of the envelope or may extend along a side fold in the envelope. Preferably a slit is provided in the envelope to facilitate detachment of the tear-off portion. The slit may extend down from the top edge of the envelope through the closure flap and opposite panel of the envelope. Alternatively, the slit may extend inwardly from one side edge of me envelope. If desired, portion of the envelope may be weakened such as by providing perforations to facilitate definition of the tear-off portion. The slit suitably extends to or adjacent said weakened portion. In an alternative form, the slit may extend from a edge of the envelope flap to intersect the line of perforations which are also formed in that flap. The envelope is preferably provided with a glue zone which enables the flap to be adhered to the remainder of the

envelope and the slit may extend through the glue zone to a line of perforations defining the tear-off portion. Brief Description of Drawings

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

Figure 1 is a view of the rear of an envelope constituting a first embodiment of me invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1, showing a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 shows the rear face of a plastics courier pack, constituting a third embodiment of the invention; and

Figures 4 to 7 show additional embodiments of the invention. Best Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

Referring to Figure 1, an easy-opening envelope 2 is shown which comprises a rear face 4, a closure flap 6, and a front face (not visible in the figure). The rear face 4 is joined to the front face by means of a fold line 8 which extends along a first side 10 of the envelope. The rear face 4 is connected to the front face at the second side 12 of the envelope by means of a side strip 14 which is formed by folding a portion of the front face over the rear face 4. The side strip 14 is glued to the rear face 4. At the bottom edge 16 of the envelope me rear face 4 is attached to the front face by means of a bottom strip 18. Like the side strip 14, the bottom strip 18 is also formed from a folded portion of the front face, and is glued to the rear face 4.

The top edge 20 of the envelope is formed from a top fold line 22 between the front face and the closure flap 6. The underside of the closure flap 6 is provided with an adhesive which is covered by a removable strip 24. In order to seal the envelope, the user peels away the removable strip 24 in order to expose me adhesive and then presses me closure flap 6 against the rear face 4. In order to provide the envelope with a high degree of security, the adhesive on the closure flap 6 is sufficiently strong to ensure that the closure flap 6 cannot be opened without tearing the material of either the

rear face 4 or the closure flap 6. The two faces of the envelope and the closure flap 6 are formed from paper or card which tears if an attempt to open the closure flap 6 is made after the envelope has been sealed.

The manner in which the envelope is designed to be opened will now be described. A plastics strip (not visible in the figure) extends along the second side 12 of the envelope. The plastics strip is glued to the inside of the envelope along a fold line 13 formed between the front face and the side strip 14. At the top of the fold line 13 a small slit 26 extends perpendicularly from the top fold line 22. The slit 26 is a continuos slit, which extends through the material of the front face, the closure flap 6 and the side strip 14. However, the slit 26 does not extend all the way to the tapered edge 28 of the closure flap 6.

The comer 30 of the envelope adjacent the slit 26 is adapted to form a removable tab portion 32 between the slit 26 and the fold line 13. At the tab portion 32 a small amount of adhesive is placed between the front and rear faces, thus ensuring that the tab portion 32 remains intact when the envelope is opened. In order to open the envelope, the addressee grasps the tab portion 32 and pulls downwards along the direction of the second side 12 so that the material of the envelope tears from the bottom end of the slit 26 across to the fold line 13 of the envelope.

It will be appreciated that, because the plastics opening strip is adhered along the entire length of the fold line 13, the plastics opening strip remains attached to me tab 32 even when the tab 32 has been torn away from the rest of the envelope. The tab

32 thus enables the addressee to pull the end of the plastics opening strip so that the plastics opening strip tears along substantially the whole length of the fold line 13.

In order to make clear to the addressee mat the envelope is intended to be opened in this fashion, a small arrow 34 is printed on the closure flap 6. The arrow 34 contains the words "TEAR AND PULL".

It will be appreciated that the provision of a relatively small slit 26 extending from the top fold 22 of the envelope is particularly convenient and simple to manufacture, and results in an envelope of greater structural integrity than an envelope

in which a perforated line extends all the way between the top fold line 22 and the fold line 13.

The envelope shown in Figure 2 is identical to that of Figure 1 (the same reference numerals being used to indicate like parts) except for the provision of a punched hole 40 in the side strip 14 at a location just below the tab portion 32. The hole 40 is formed only in the strip 14, and does not extend through the front face of the envelope. However, the inside of the front face of the envelope is provided with a circular red spot 42 which is of the same size as the hole 40, and located immediately below the hole 40. It will be appreciated that the provision of the punched hole 40 and the red spot

42 enables the addressee to check whether any of the contents of the envelope would be damaged by tearing away the tab portion 32. If the addressee, on looking through the punched hole 40, finds that the red spot 40 is obscured by any of the contents of the envelope, the addressee simply taps the envelope so as to move the contents away from the tab 32, before proceeding to open the envelope in the manner described above.

Figure 2 shows only one embodiment of the invention, and other arrangements are of course possible. For example, instead of the punched hole 40, the envelope can be provided with a transparent portion located at or near die tab portion 32.

Figure 3 shows a plastics courier pack 50 which comprises a rear face 52, a closure flap 54, and a front face (not visible in me figure) from which the closure flap 54 extends. The rear face 52 is connected to the front face by a fold line 56 which extends along me bottom of the envelope, and by two welded seams 58 and 60, which extend along me sides of me envelope. An adhesive strip 62 extends along d e inside surface of me closure flap 54 for use in sealing the envelope. The courier pack shown in Figure 3 is designed to be opened in a similar manner to the envelopes described above. However, in this case, a plastics opening strip (not visible in me figure) is provided along me fold line 56 at the bottom of the envelope. A line of weakness 68 extends inwardly from me welded seam 60 in order to form a tab portion 70. The line of weakness 68 is formed by extending me welded

seam 60 inwardly. The line of weakness 68 can be eimer a continuous slit or simply a line of weakened plastics material. In either case, the envelope is opened by tearing the tab portion 70 away from me rest of the envelope in order to tear me plastics opening strip along me fold line 56 in a manner similar to mat described above. In order to ensure diat me contents of the envelope are not damaged when me tab portion 70 is torn away, me rear face 52 of the envelope is provided with a transparent portion 72, which is integrally formed wi me rest of the rear face 52. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, only the rear face 52 is provided wim a transparent portion. However, other embodiments of the invention are possible in which both the front and rear faces are provided with transparent portions.

In the embodiment of Figure 3, the inside of me front face of the envelope is provided wim a coloured region (not shown) beneath the transparent portion 72 in order to make it easier for the addressee to ascertain whether any of the contents of the envelope are located witi in the region of the transparent portion 72. The coloured region is preferably of a bright distinctive colour, such as red.

The foregoing describes only preferred embodiments of the invention, and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without the departing from the scope of the invention.

Reference will now be made to Figures 4 to 7 which illustrate additional embodiments of the invention.

As shown in Figure 4, the envelope 10 is of conventional form and includes a closure flap 65 adapted to fold along a fold line 64 to seal the envelope by adhesion to the back panel 62 of me envelope 10. The flap 65 includes an adhesion zone 61 extending substantially the full length of the flap 65 and adjacent me lower edge thereof.

A grippable tab 67 is defined in me back flap 65 between a line of perforations 63 which extends along me fold line 64 of the back flap 65 and a converging line of perforations 66 which extends to me edge of me flap 65. As shown, the slit 69 extends dirough the glue line 61 to the line of perforations 66. A thread or line member 70 is

adhered to me underside of me flap 65 and extends along or adjacent me fold line 64. The tiiread or line member 70 is preferably adhered along me line 64 by an adhesive. One end 71 of the thread or line member 70 extends away from the fold line 64 to overlie me tab 67 to which it is adhered by adhesive. Alternatively, me thread 70 may extend fully along me fold line 64 and be retained to the tab 67 by the glue carried by the tiiread or line 70. The adhesive or glue along the line 70 may be at spaced positions or continuously along the line 70. This arrangement ensures that when a user's fingers are pushed under the tab 67, it tears away cleanly from the back flap 65, either along the lines of perforations 63 and 66 or along the line 63 the slit 69 and line 66. When the tab 67 is detached, and pulled upwardly the thread 70 rips through the upper edge of d e flap 65 along the fold line 64 to open the envelope 10. Of course, the thread 70 may extend along a side edge of the envelope 10 to effect opening of the side thereof.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 7 there is illustrated a further form of envelope 20 according to the invention having a closure flap 21 which may be adhered to the back flap 22 of the envelope by means of a conventional adhesive along a glue line 23 shown in dotted outline. A tearable tab 24 is defined in the envelope 20 by a slit 25 which extends downwardly from the top edge of die envelope. The slit 25 is formed in the flap 21 and the front panel 26 of the envelope. A line member 27 extends down one side flap 28 of the envelope 20 being secured tiiereto by adhesives. The line member 27 is also secured to the removable portion 24. The slit 25 may extend to lines of perforations 29 which extend both through the closure flap 21 and panel 26.

Additionally, an aligned line of perforations 30 may be provided in d e end flap 28 and die slit 25 may also extend through the end flap 28. For opening of the envelope, the portion 24 may be grasped and torn away in the direction of d e arrow in Figure 5. This detaches die portion 24 from the envelope along the slit 25 and lines of perforations 29. This then allows the envelope to be opened by means of the line member 27 which will serve to rip the end of die envelope

open. In some cases, it is not necessary to incorporate the line of perforations 29 as me portion 24 may be simply ripped from the end of the envelope.

In an alternative arrangement, a slit 31 may be provided in an edge of e envelope as shown on me right hand side of Figure 5 adjacent the upper comer. The slit 31 may define a tear-away portion 32 and a line member 33 shown in dotted outline may be adhered to the portion 32. Again me slit 31 which extends through me front panel 26, the flap 23 and end flap 28' may intersect a line of perforations 34 which extends to the upper edge of me envelope.

The envelope then may be opened by gripping the portion 32 and pulling it upwardly to detach it from the remainder of the envelope and thereby effect opening of the envelope by means of the line member 33. The line member 33 may be cotton, plastics or any otiier material and may be adhered along the lengtii of the fold line from, either at the top of the envelope or at the side. The portion of e envelope along which me line 33 or 27 extends may be weakened by means of lines of perforations to facilitate opening.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative embodiment of me invention, all such modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within me broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth.