CONTINUATION HISTORY

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application 10/966,292 filed on 10/15/2001, which application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application, now U.S. Patent 6,866,184 issued on March 15, 2005, and which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to mail containers such as envelopes, mailing tubes, boxes, etc, and more particularly to a mail container with contaminant indicator that includes a transparent window provided along a perimeter edge of the mailing container for allowing a mail recipient to verify that the mail container is free from particulate contaminates such as powders, granules, particles, etc. The threat of receiving biologically contaminated mail has increased due to the increasing use of terrorist tactics by groups and individuals seeking to further their political agendas. Because virtually everyone receives mail is subject to such threats, it would be a benefit, particularly to advertisers and companies seeking to send legitimate correspondence, packages and the like to have a mail container with a contaminant indicator that could be used by legitimate individuals and companies which would provide the recipient of mail items with a mechanism for verifying the mail item received does not contain a biological hazard in the form of a loose particulate such as powders, granules, and the like. As used herein the term "mail" is

used to encompass items delivered by the United States Postal Service as well as other well known express shipping companies that deliver overnight letters, parcels, and other packages.

In order to attract the attention of the mail recipient that particulate matter may be contained in a mail container, it would be a further benefit to have a mail container that included a quantity of substantially clear adhesive on only a portion of one or more of the transparent perimeter edge viewing windows so that the mail recipient or delivery person could immediately identify the existence of particulate matter contamination. Because persons unfamiliar with the mail container of the invention might not understand its operation, it would be a still further benefit if a quantity of substantially clear, adhesive was deposited on only a portion of a number of in-line transparent perimeter edge viewing windows wherein each window had adhesive shaped in the shape of a letter such that should particulate contaminates become attached to the adhesive, a warning message, such as the word "DANGER" or "WARNING" would be visible in such a window of the mail container.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

One object of the invention is to provide mail container with contaminant indicator that includes a transparent window provided along a perimeter edge of the mailing container for allowing a mail recipient to verify that the mail container is free from particulate contaminates such as powders, granules, particles, etc.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mail container with viewing openings for allowing a mail recipient to verify that the mail container is free from particular contaminants such as powders, granules, particles, etc.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a mail container as above which conforms to postal regulations.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a mail container as above that can be utilized with commercial high speed mail sorting equipment.

Other objects and advantages of this invention shall become apparent from the ensuing descriptions of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a mail container with contaminant indicator is provided. The mail container with contaminant indicator includes a mail container that includes a transparent window in the mailing container for allowing a mail recipient to verify that the mail container is free from particulate contaminates such as powders, granules, particles, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of this invention. However, it is to be understood that this embodiment is intended to be neither exhaustive, nor limiting of the invention. They are but examples of some of the forms in which the invention may be practiced.

Figure 1 is a front plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the mail container with contaminant indicator of the present invention in the form of a legal size envelope.

Figure 2 is a back plan view of the mail container with contaminant indicator of Figure 1 with the mail item insertion flap in the open position.

Figure 3 is plan view of a die-cut paper blank used to form the envelope of Figures 1 and 2 showing the contaminant viewing holes cut out along what will form the perimeter edges of the envelope and the crease lines along which the blank is folded to from the envelope seen in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4 is a plan view of the die-cut blank of Figure 3 showing areas of construction adhesive, four clear plastic hole cover strips each permanently affixed to the paper blank in a manner to sealing cover a number of the contaminant viewing holes; a section of each of the cover strip covering each hole having a quantity of transparent, restickable adhesive provided thereon for trapping contaminants in particulate form, such as powders, granules, etc.

Figure 5 is a partial plan view of a bottom edge of a second exemplary mail container with contaminant indicator of the present invention in the form of a box having a bottom edge provided with six contaminant viewing holes formed through a bottom front edge wherein the contaminant viewing holes are sealing covered with a transparent plastic cover; each transparent cover having a quantity of transparent, restickable adhesive provided thereon for trapping contaminants in particulate form, such as powders, granules etc. that are deposited onto the plastic cover in a manner

to spell out the message "DANGER" to a mail recipient should particulate contaminants adhere to the adhesive areas.

Figure 6 is the rear view of an alternate embodiment of the mail container. Figure 7 is the front view of the mail container of Figure 6. Figure 8 is the rear view of an alternate embodiment of the mail container.

Figure 9 is the front view of another alternate embodiment of the mail container of Figure 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Without any intent to limit the scope of this invention, reference is made to the figures in describing the various embodiments of the invention. Figures 1-5 show various aspects of exemplary embodiments of the mail container with contaminant indicator of the present invention generally designated 10,10a.

Mail container with contaminant indicator 10 is a legal sized envelope, generally designated 12, is formed from a die-cut paper blank, generally designated 14 (Figures 3,4) having contaminant viewing holes, generally designated 16, cut out across crease lines 18 along what will form the perimeter edges 20 of the envelope 12. Four clear plastic hole cover strips 38a-d are each permanently affixed to the paper blank 14 in a manner to sealing cover a number of the contaminant viewing holes 16 such that all the contaminant viewing holes 16 are sealed. In this embodiment, one half of each section of plastic hole cover strip 38a-d covering each contaminant viewing hole 16 has an adhesive area 42 having a quantity of transparent, restickable adhesive provided thereon for trapping particulate contaminants for ready viewing by the mail container recipient.

Restickable adhesive is used to prevent mail items from being damaged by adhesion to the adhesive areas 42.

Figure 5 shows a portion of a second exemplary mail container in the form of a box 10a having a forward bottom edge 50 provided with six contaminant viewing holes 16 formed through forward bottom edge 50 wherein the contaminant viewing holes 16 are sealing covered with a transparent plastic cover 54 and each transparent cover 54 has an adhesive area 42 shaped in the form of a letter having a quantity of transparent, restickable adhesive provided thereon for trapping contaminants in particulate form, such as powders, granules etc. that are deposited onto the plastic cover in a manner to spell out the message "DANGER" to a mail recipient should particulate contaminants adhere to the adhesive areas 42.

In order to comply with mail system specifications and manufacturer's tooling requirements, another embodiment of the mail container with contaminant indicator is possible. This embodiment is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. Using a "#10" envelope 101, a plurality, (in this exemplary embodiment, four), approximately one-eighth inch top ridge holes 102 are configured at the top of envelope 101, at approximately one inch spacing, and about two inches from either side of envelope 101. Further, there is at least one side view hole 103 on at least one side of envelope 101, approximately in the middle between the top and bottom edges of envelope 101 facing the front. There are a plurality (in this exemplary embodiment, three) bottom ridge holes 104 at the bottom edge of envelope 101 facing the front, two of them starting two inches from the bottom left side edge of envelope 101 and about one-eighth inch in width, separated by one inch from one

another. The last of three bottom ridge holes 104 is separated from first two bottom ridge holes 104 by about five and one-half inches and is about one inch from the bottom right side of the edge of envelope 101, allotting space for bar code imprinting for mail sorting, etc. There is further at least one large plastic-covered window 105 on the front of envelope 101 about one and one-quarter inches wide and six and one-half inches long starting about one and one-half inches from the top edge of envelope 101 and about two inches from the top edge of envelope 101 and seven-eighths of an inch from the bottom edge of envelope 101. Large window 105 can also have adhesive operatively affixed to the inner side of itself, such that contaminant matter will adhere to such adhesive, making it obvious that the envelope contains such contaminants. This adhesive can be applied to large window 105 to spell out words, or give any other indication, such as an exclamation point, a stop sign, or the like.

At least one plastic-covered window 106 (in this embodiment, two are pictured) on the back of the envelope are one-quarter inch by six and three-quarters inches in length, separated one-half inch apart from each other. Each window 106 starts about one and one-half inches from the right and left side edges of envelope 101 with a flap fold on the back of envelope 101. Similar to large window 105, this window can have adhesive operatively affixed to the plastic in order to spell out or otherwise indicate the presence of a contaminant that would adhere to such adhesive.

Finally, this embodiment has at least one side slit 107 on each side end edge about two inches vertically of the envelope that is hidden from the actual plain eye

view of the prospective user. Such slits 107 are not required to be covered in plastic, but can be if the application calls for such.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate another preferred embodiment of the mail container. In this embodiment a "#10" envelope 201 is shown having a plurality of top ridge holes 202, 203, and 204 positioned on the back side 201A of envelope 201. These holes are spaced apart to allow corresponding top ridge holes 205 and 206 in the front side 201B of envelope 201 to be positioned between the back side ridge holes 202-204 as shown. It is preferred that each hole 202-206 be covered by a plastic sheet 207. In an alternate embodiment transparent plastic sheet 207 can be sized to cover only one or more of the holes. In this embodiment it is preferred that none of the back side top ridge holes 202-204 overlap with the front side top ridge holes 205 and 206 to prevent a visible hole to be seen through the mail container if the top ridge holes 202-204 become uncovered. It is further preferred that the top ridge holes 202-204 be positioned away from mail container edges 208 and 209 to reduce interference with the processing of the envelopes through conventional mail sorting machines.

It is also preferred that the back side bottom ridge holes 210 and 211 be spaced apart to allow corresponding front side bottom ridge holes 212 and 213 to be positioned so as not to overlap with the back side bottom ridge holes 210 and 211. It is further preferred that the bottom ridge holes 210-213 be covered by a transparent plastic sheet 214. Ln an alternate embodiment transparent plastic sheet 214 can be sized to cover one or more of the holes. It is further preferred that the bottom ridge holes 210-213 be positioned away from the mail container edges 208

and 209 to reduce interference with the processing of the mail container through the conventional mail sorting machines.

In this embodiment it is preferred that mail container 201 be provided with a back side window 215 and a front side window 216 each covered with a transparent plastic sheet 217 and 218 respectively. It is preferred that back side window 215 be elongated with its horizontal side sections 216 and 217 be spaced sufficiently away from mail container edges 208 and 209 respectively to minimize the possibility that the mail container 201 will be hung up or torn by the mail sorting equipment during processing. In still another preferred embodiment transparent plastic sheets 207, 214,

217, and 218 are affixed by glue about the hole perimeters, hi a more preferred embodiment the glue line should be 0.05 inches or less from the hole perimeter, most preferably about 0.032 inches or less, to facilitate better stacking during processing. It can be seen from the preceding description that mail container with contaminant indicator has been provided.

It is noted that the embodiment of the mail container with contaminant indicator described herein in detail for exemplary purposes is of course subject to many different variations in structure, design, application and methodology. Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept(s) herein taught, and because many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive

requirements of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.