US3802618A - Send and return envelope - Google Patents

Abstract

A send and return envelope having printed or typed addresses on only one side thereof when in an open position and which discloses the appropriate return address as well as directing address both during the original mailing and the return mailing. The envelope includes a pocket portion and a flap portion formed with an opening or window. For the original mailing the flap portion is foldable upon the pocket along a first fold line with the opening disclosing the appropriate directing and return addresses. Upon receipt of the envelope, a part of the flap portion is removable and the remaining flap portion is foldable upon the pocket portion along a second fold line in such manner as to leave exposed only the appropriate directing and return addresses for the return mailing.

Description

United States Patent 119.

Wiessner [5 SEND AND RETURN ENVELOPE Martin Gerald Wiessner, 4451 W. 186th St., Country Club Hills, Ill. 60477 22 Filed: Mar. 10,1972

211 App]. No.: 233,612

[76] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl..- 229/73, 229/71, 229/923 51 1111.01 865d 27/06 [58] Field of Search 229/71, 73, 92.3

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,113,716 12/1963 Howard 229/73 2,686,005 8/1954 Hyman 3,652,007 12/1969 MacDougall 229/73 Primary Examiner.William T. Dixson, Jr. I Assistant Examiner-Stephen P. Garbe Attorney, Agent, or FirmWolfe, Hubbard, Leydig,

Voit & Osann, Ltd.

1451 Apr. 9, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT A send and return envelope having printed or typed addresses on only one side thereof when in an open position and which discloses the appropriate return address as well as directing address both during the] original mailing and the return mailing. The envelope includes a pocket portion and a flap portion formed with an opening or window. For the original mailing the flap portion is foldable upon the pocket along a first fold line with the opening disclosing the appropriate directing and return addresses. Upon receipt of the envelope, at part of the flap portion is removable and the remaining flap portion is foldable upon the pocket portion along a second fold line in such manner as to leave exposed only the appropriatedirecting and return addresses for the return mailing.

. 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SEND AND RETURN ENVELOPE DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to envelopes, and more particularly to send and return envelopes. These envelopes are designed for transmission from a sender to recipient and then from the recipient back to the sender.

I-Ieretofore, many types of send and return envelopes have been developed. These prior envelopes, however, often have been cumbersome or confusing to use, both to the sender and the recipient. They also have generally required printed or typed information on two different sides of the envelope or on separate insertable parts, which significantly increased their manufacturing cost or necessitated writing on two sides thereof or insertion of the envelope twice into the typewriter by the user. When attempts have been made to provide send and return envelopes which were printed or typed on only one side, it has been necessary to omit certain information, such as the return address of the original sender. The original senders return address, however, is especially important on such envelopes since they are commonly ulitized for bill collection and statement purposes, and without the return address the creditor does not know whether the bill reached the intended recipient, whether the recipients address was in error, or whether the recipient had moved.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a send and return envelope that is economical to manufacture and simple to use both by the original sender and the recipient.

Another object is to provide a send and return envelope of the above kind in which all printed, typed, or written information is on a single side of the envelope and which discloses the appropriate return address as well as directing address both during the original mailing and during the return mailing.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the invention and upon reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a send and return envelope embodying the present invention shown in an open position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective of the send and return envelope shown in FIG. 1 after being sealed for mailing by the original sender, with phantom lines diagrammatically illustrating the manner in which the envelope is folded;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating the manner in which a part of the flap portion is separated from the envelope by the recipient prior to return mailing; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective of the envelope shown in FIG. 1 after removal of the separable flap part and folding and sealing of the remaining flap portion for return to the original sender.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, a certain illustrative embodiment has been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, al-

temative constructions, and equivalents falling within the scope and spirit of the invention.

Turning now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown an illustrativesendand return envelope 10 em bodying the present invention which is adapted for transmission from a sender to a recipient and then from the recipient back to the original sender. Theenvelope 10 includes a pocket portion 11 and afoldable flap portion 12 having a generally rectangularshaped opening 14 formed therein. The pocket portion 11 is formed in a conventional manner so as to provide a suitable'compartment for bills, statements, letters or the like that are intended to be either mailed orreturned in the envelope. Theenvelope 10 is shown in FIG. 1 with theflap portion 12 in its open position so that the pocket portion 11 is accessible.

In accordance with the present invention, the envelope has printed or typed addresses on only one side thereof when in the open position and is adapted to disclose appropriate return and directing addresses both during the original mailing and during the return mailing. To this end, the address of the original sender of the envelope is provided on the envelope at two locations, as indicated as 15, 16, and the address of the recipient is provided on the envelope at one location, as indicated at 18. In this case the recipient address 18 and one sender address 16 are located on the pocket portion 11 while the second sender address 15 is located on theflap portion 12. Adjacent the recipient ad dress 18 and the sender address 15 is the word From" for the purpose of indicating the source or origin of the mailing of the envelope, as will become apparent below. In the upper right hand corner of the pocket portion 11 in this case there is a printed rectangle 19 indicating the area where a stamp is to be placed for return mailing of the envelope.

It will be appreciated that all information relative to the sending and return addresses and the return stamp indication area are on a common side of the envelope when it is in its open position, as shown in FIG. 1. This permits the envelope to be economically printed in a single operation at substantial cost savings over envelopes which require printing on two sides. Similarly, any of the addresses which may be typed on the envelope may be done by inserting the envelope only one time into a typewriter.

In carrying out the invention, theflap portion 12 is foldable upon the pocket portion along afirst fold line 20 and theopening 14 is positioned such that it discloses the address 18 of the recipient as the directing address and the sender address 15 and its accompanying legend From as the return address, while the other sender address 16 is hidden by the foldedflap portion 12. Thefold line 20 is spaced a predetermined distance from the pocket portion 11, such as, for example, three-fourths inches. To secure theflap portion 12 in the closed position over the pocket portion 11 for the original mailing while permitting it to be'removed without substantially defacing or damaging the pocket portion, two relatively small gummed areas 21 are spaced apart near the outer edge of theflap portion 12 for adhesively engaging the lowermost edge of the pocket portion 11.

For the purpose of permitting the recipient to return the envelope to the sender with proper directing and return addresses disclosed on the envelope, the flap portion 12includes aseparable part 22 which may be removed from the envelope as shown in FIG. 3 to leave a smallerresidual flap 24. In this case theflap part 22 is separable along thefirst fold line 20 and to facilitate such removal perforations are provided in theflap portion 12 on thefold line 20.

After removal of theseparable'flap part 22, theresidual flap portion 24 is foldable upon the pocket portion 11 along a second fold line 25, which in this case is substantially adjacent to the pocket portion 11. Such folding of theresidual flap portion 24 covers the sender address 15 and its legend From, while leaving exposed on the face of the pocket portion the sender address 16 as a directing address and the recipient address 18 and its associated legend From as the return address. To seal theresidual flap portion 24 in such folded position, a gum strip 26 is provided across the width of theresidual flap 24.

In view of the foregoing, it can be seen that the send and return envelope of the present invention is economical to manufacture and simple to use both 'by the original sender and the recipient. When original sender has had the envelopes printed, the sender generally need only add the recipients address at one place on the envelope. In the event that the senders address is not printed on the envelope, the envelope may be placed in a typewriter in its open position and all necessary information may be typed at one time. For return of the envelope, the recipient has to do nothing more than remove theseparable flap part 22 and seal theresidual flap 24. The recipient need not supply his return address nor manipulate any cumbersome inserts.

It will be understood that while in the illustrated embodiment the recipient address 15 is shown on theflap portion 12, it could be located on the upper portion of the pocket 11 by appropriately positioning the fold lines and and the flap opening 14. The sender address 15 must merely be positioned such that it is visible through theopening 14 when theflap portion 12 is folded along thefirst fold line 20 and is covered by theresidual flap portion 24 when it is folded along the second fold line 25.

I claim as my invention:

1. A send and return envelope for transmission from a sender to a recipient and for return from the recipient to the sender comprising a pocket portion and a flap portion, said flap portion being foldable from an open position to a closed position upon said pocket portion along a first fold line,

said envelope having a first sender address placement area and a second sender address placement area and a single recipient address placement area all on a common side of said envelope when said flap portion is in an open position,

said flap portion having an opening positioned such that when said flap portion is folded upon said pocket portion along said first fold line said opening discloses said first sender address placement area above said recipient address placement area while said second sender address placement area is covered by said flap,

said flap portion having a part which is separable from said envelope to leave a residual flap portion,

said residual flap portion being foldable upon said pocket portion along a second fold line to cover said first sender address placement area while said recipient address placement area is disclosed above said second sender address placement area.

2. The envelope of claim 1 in which said recipient address placement area has legend indicating the source or origin of the envelope, said legend being covered by said flap portion when said flap portion is folded upon said pocket portion along said first fold line, and said legend being disclosed upon removal of said flap portion and folding of said residual flap part upon said pocket along said second fold line.

3. The send and return envelope of claim 2 in which said first sender address placement area has legend indicating the source of origin of said envelope, said sender address placement area legend being disclosed through said flap opening when said flap portion is folded upon said pocket portion along said first fold line, and said sender address placement area legend being covered by said residual flap portion upon folding upon said pocket portion along said second fold line.

4. The send and return envelope of claim 1 in which said flap portion has a pair of relatively small spaced adhesive fastening means near the outer edge thereof, and said residual flap portion has adhesive fastening means located near said second fold line.

5. The send and return envelope of claim 1 in which said first fold line is located a predetermined distance from said pocket portion and said second fold line is located substantially adjacent said pocket portion, said separable flap part being separable from said envelope along said first fold line, and said flap portion is perforated along said first fold line to permit ready separation of said separable flap part.

Claims (5)

1. A send and return envelope for transmission from a sender to a recipient and for return from the recipient to the sender comprising a pocket portion and a flap portion, said flap portion being foldable from an open position to a closed position upon said pocket portion along a first fold line, said envelope having a first sender address placement area and a second sender address placement area and a single recipient address placement area all on a common side of said envelope when said flap portion is in an open position, said flap portion having an opening positioned such that when said flap portion is folded upon said pocket portion along said first fold line said opening discloses said first sender address placement area above said recipient address placement area while said second sender address placement area is covered by said flap, said flap portion having a part which is separable from said envelope to leave a residual flap portion, said residual flap portion being foldable upon said pocket portion along a second fold line to cover said first sender address placement area while said recipient address placement area is disclosed above said second sender address placement area.

2. The envelope of claim 1 in which said recipient address placement area has legend indicating the source of origin of the envelope, said legend being covered by said flap portion when said flap portion is folded upon said pocket portion along said first fold line, and said legend being disclosed upon removal of said flap portion and folding of said residual flap part upon said pocket along said second fold line.

3. The send and return envelope of claim 2 in which said first sender address placement area has legend indicating the source of origin of said envelope, said sender address placement area legend being disclosed through said flap opening when said flap portion is folded upon saId pocket portion along said first fold line, and said sender address placement area legend being covered by said residual flap portion upon folding upon said pocket portion along said second fold line.

4. The send and return envelope of claim 1 in which said flap portion has a pair of relatively small spaced adhesive fastening means near the outer edge thereof, and said residual flap portion has adhesive fastening means located near said second fold line.

5. The send and return envelope of claim 1 in which said first fold line is located a predetermined distance from said pocket portion and said second fold line is located substantially adjacent said pocket portion, said separable flap part being separable from said envelope along said first fold line, and said flap portion is perforated along said first fold line to permit ready separation of said separable flap part.

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