GB2431143A

GB2431143A - Mailable package

Info

Publication number: GB2431143A
Application number: GB0620374A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Wilkinson
Original assignee: COMMUNISIS BBF Ltd
Current assignee: COMMUNISIS BBF Ltd
Priority date: 2005-10-13
Filing date: 2006-10-13
Publication date: 2007-04-18
Also published as: GB0520837D0; GB0620374D0

Abstract

A return-mailable package for an item such as a DVD is formed from a blank comprising a sheet of foldable material having adjacent first (110a) and second (110b) panels, and a second sheet portion (114) overlying the first panel and adhered to it around three sides, to produce an open pocket. The first sheet (110a, 110b) also has a pair of marginal strips along the two long edges comprising portions bearing adhesive (154,156) whereby, when the sheet is folded over to bring the second sheet portion (114) into contact with the second panel (110b), portions of the marginal strips come into contact and are adherable together. In general, there will also be an adhesive strip (124) adjacent one or both of the short edges of the sheet which in the folded state, can be used to seal those edge regions together. Thus the result is a package sealed around all edges. An adhesive strip (120) adjacent the mouth of the pocket serves to reseal it after removal of the second panel (110b) and the marginal strips (154, 156).

Description

MAILABLE PACKAGE

The present invention relates to mailable packages, and aspects include blanks and processes for their production.

The invention is particularly concerned with packages that are intended to be mailed twice. A particular example is in the field of DVD rental by post.

A rental company mails a package containing a DVD to a customer who, after a while, mails the DVD back to the rental company. It is convenient if the original packaging can be used for this. A known type of packaging for this is shown schematically in Fig. 1. A rectangular sheet of paper 10 has a transverse tear/fold line 12 slightly to one side of the centre, dividing it into two panels lOa, lOb. Most of the small panel lOa is covered by a second sheet 14 which is sealed along three sides (by a seal 16) , leaving a mouth 18 open towards, and spaced from, the tear/fold line 12. The strip of paper between the mouth 18 and the tear/fold line 12 bears an adhesive band 20, initially covered by a release paper. At the free end of the other panel lOb, there is a marginal strip 22 bearing another adhesive band 24, initially covered by a release paper. This is separated from the bulk of the panel by a second tear/fold line 26.

The exposed face of the second sheet 14 bears a return address. The reverse side of the right-hand panel lOb has a space for indicating the address of a customer.

In use, a DVD is placed in the pocket formed by the second sheet 14 and underlying panel lOa. The right-hand panel lOb is folded over about the tear/fold line 12.

The marginal strip 22 bearing the adhesive strip 24 is folded over, after the release paper has been removed, and sealed down on the reverse side of the sheet 10. The package is now sealed, and the customer's address is exposed, so the package is ready for mailing.

The customer who receives the package can open it by tearing away the panel lOb bearing his address; it will tear easily along the fold/tear lines 12 and 26, possibly assisted by the use of a paper knife.

When the customer wishes to return the DVD, it can be placed back into the pocket. This can then be sealed by folding the strip with the adhesive band 20 over the edge region of the second sheet 14, and sealing it down to that sheet. The pocket is now a sealed envelope, with the return address exposed.

It has been realised that there is a drawback about such packaging. In the state in which a package is sent out to a customer, the sheet 10 is folded roughly in half, sealed by the end strip 22 which is folded over and held down by the adhesive panel 24. However, the package is open at the sides. This does not affect the DVD within the pocket 14, which is entirely safe, but this open construction is a danger to other items in the mail, which may get caught up in it. In consequence, the Post Office can not allow such packages to be machine sorted in the usual way. Thus they are extremely unpopular with the Post Office.

The present invention seeks to address this problem.

Thus in one aspect the present invention provides a blank for a package comprising a sheet of foldable material having adjacent first and second panels, a second sheet portion overlying the first panel and adhered to it in marginal regions excluding a marginal region adjacent the second panel, so as to produce a pocket with an accessible interior. The first sheet also has a pair of marginal strips along the two long edges comprising portions bearing adhesive means whereby, when the sheet is folded over to bring the second sheet portion into contact with the second panel, portions of the marginal panels come into contact and are adherable together. In general, there will also be an adhesive strip adjacent one or both of the short edges of the sheet which, in the folded state, can be used to seal those edge regions together. Thus the result is a sealed package, which may be much as described with reference to the prior art, with the important difference that the package is not open at the side, because of the adhesive regions on the longitudinal marginal strips. The customer must tear these away in opening the package.

Preferably there are easy-tear lines to assist in this, and to ensure that the tearing does not damage the article so that it cannot be reused for returning the DVD. Thus the removable strips should be outside at least some of the adhesive strips attaching the adjacent sides of the second sheet portion onto the first panel.

Desirably, the end adhesive strip is separated from the second panel by a tear strip, to facilitate the opening of the package by the customer.

Further aspects of the invention include a sealed package with an article in the pocket, produced by folding the blank and sealing it; and a method of producing and/or using such a blank.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a blank of a prior art package (already described) ; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank which is a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section thereof on 111- 111-; Fig. 4 is a corresponding section in the sealed state as when the package is being mailed to the customer; Fig. 5 is a corresponding view of the second sealed state, as when the package is being returned by the customer; Figs. 6-9 are views corresponding to Figs. 2-5 respectively, showing a second embodiment.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 2-5 has many features in common with the prior art packaging shown in Fig. 1, and corresponding elements have been given the same reference numerals but raised by 100. Thus there is main rectangular sheet 110 having a transverse fold/tear line 112 somewhat offset from the centre line so as to delimit a smaller panel llOa and a larger panel hUb. A second sheet 114 is secured around three sides to the first panel hlOa to define a pocket. (It may be an extension of the first sheet 110 that has been folded over, so it requires securing only at the sides.) The main sheet 110 is somewhat wider than the main sheet 10 shown in Fig. 1, to provide a longitudinal marginal band 150 at each long side. The transverse adhesive bands 120,124 are correspondingly extended, to reach the edges of the sheet. The marginal bands 150 are delimited by tear lines 152. There are bands of adhesive material 154,156 extending over most of the length of the longitudinal strips not covered by the transverse adhesive bands 120,124.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 2-5, the transverse bands of adhesive 120,124 employ pressure-sensitive adhesive, initially covered with release papers.

Suitably these bands are applied in the form of double- sided adhesive tape. The longitudinal adhesive bands 154,156 are latex adhesive, as used in self-sealing envelopes. That is, the bands are not significantly tacky to the finger or ordinary paper, but when the blank is folded about the fold line 112 so that the adhesive bands 154,156 are brought into face-to-face contact, they bond strongly to each other. Thus when the package is initially formed and sealed, by folding along the lines 112 and 126 and sealing the end transverse adhesive band 124 on the other side of the sheet, the package is also sealed along its edges. It can thus be mailed safely, and passed through automatic sorting machines.

The end user tears away the longitudinal marginal strips 150, using the tear lines 152. Otherwise the package can be opened and reused just as for the prior art package shown in Fig. 1.

Other forms of adhesive sealing can be used, both for the transverse seals and for the longitudinal marginal seals, and different seals may use different types. If, for example, the sealing of the longitudinal edge strips uses a pressure-sensitive adhesive like the double-sided sticky tape adhesive used for the transverse seals, then it is not necessary for both portions 154,156 of each marginal strip to bear adhesive means. Another type of adhesive that can be used is a remoist adhesive.

Figs. 6-9 show a further embodiment. Again, features corresponding to those shown in Fig. 1 are given the same reference numerals, but now raised by 200. One way in which this embodiment differs from that of Fig. 1 is that the transverse fold/tear line 212 is substantially central. Thus when the blank is folded about this line, the marginal strip 222 is in contact with a marginal region on the front face of the second sheet 214, instead of being folded over around the back of the main sheet 210. Thus it must seal to this marginal region. In this example, it seals by means of latex adhesive. Thus, in addition to the adhesive strip 224, there is a corresponding latex adhesive strip 260 extending across the edge region of the second sheet 214.

This embodiment also employs latex adhesive for the sealing of the envelope for its return journey. Thus an additional band 264 of latex adhesive is provided on the second sheet 214 adjacent the mouth 218.

To facilitate the opening of the initial package by the customer, the marginal strip 222 includes a thin intermediate strip 270 between the strip bearing the adhesive 224 and the main panel 210b, which is formed as a tear strip.

It will be appreciated that features described in connection with one embodiment, such as the tear strip, can be applied to other embodiments.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A blank for a package comprising a sheet of foldable material

having adjacent first and second panels, a second sheet portion overlying the first panel and adhered to it in marginal regions excluding a marginal region adjacent the second panel, so as to produce a pocket with an accessible interior, wherein the first sheet also has a pair or marginal strips along the two long edges comprising portions bearing adhesive means whereby, when the sheet is folded over to bring the second sheet portion into contact with the second panel, portions of the marginal panels come into contact and are adherable together, the arrangement being such that the adhesion of the second sheet portion to the first panel employs margional regions which extend inwardly of said adherable panel portions, whereby the adhered panel portions can be removed without destroying said pocket.
2. A blank according to claim 1 wherein said marginal strips comprising adherable panel portions are delimited by easy-tear lines.
3. A blank according to claim 1 or claim 2 having an end adhesive strip adjacent the free short edge of the second panel and separated from it by a tear strip, to facilitate the opening of the package.
4. A blank for a package substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs 2- 9 of the accompanying drawings.
5. A package as produced by inserting an article into the pocket of a blank according to any preceding claims, and folding the blank to bring the adherable panel portions into contact to effect adhesion.
6. A method of packging comprising providing a blank according to any of claims 1-4, inserting an article into the pocket of a blank and folding the blank to bring the adherable panel portions into contact to effect adhesion.
7. A method according to claim 6 including a preliminary step of printing first data onto the second sheet portion, and printing second data onto the reverse face of the second panel, so that only the second data are visible after folding.