Mailer

This patent application concerns a sheet of writing paper joined to a second sheet of paper designed to form a sealed envelope in which the first sheet of paper may be inserted.

The item according to the invention is designed to facilitate and speed up the task of those who write letters or correspondence mailed in sealed envelopes.

To date writing paper has always been produced separately from the mailing envelope meaning that it is necessary to write on both the sheet of paper and on the envelope, making it necessary to insert first the paper and then the envelope into the typewriter or computer printer.

For the first time ever, the item according to the invention makes it possible to write on the sheet of paper and the envelope with a single printing operation in that the two parts make up the two consecutive parts of the same sheet of paper. Once this sheet has been inserted into a printer or typewriter, it is possible to fill in the front of the envelope and then the text of the letter consecutively; once printed, it is possible, by folding appropriately, to insert the letter sheet into the appropriately folded part forming the envelope.

These operations are performed without separating the two parts of the sheet of paper according to the invention; the addressee of the letter will later separate the letter and envelope by tearing along the perforated lines dividing the two. For major clarity the description of the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings intended for purposes of illustration and not in a limiting sense where: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>figure 1 is a plan view of the back face of the continuous module in question, namely the side opposite to that which is printed;</li><li>figure 2 is a view of the folded writing paper part of the module in question;</li><li>figure 3 shows the writing paper part inserted in the envelope part of which only the last section remains open;</li><li>figure 4 shows the sealed envelope obtained with the module according to the invention, ready for mailing;</li><li>figure 5 shows the envelope once it has been opened by the addressee by removal of the glued sections of the envelope;</li><li>figure 6 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the invention without perforated feed edges, designed for typewriters or printers without follower.</li></ul>

The item according to the invention consists of a special sheet of paper, which in the embodiment illustrated in figure 1, is designed for computer printers and is therefore provided with perforated feed edges.

This sheet of paper consists of two consecutive parts of paper (1) and (2) separated by a transverse perforated line (3); the first part (1) being the envelope and the second part (2) being the writing paper.

By inserting this new item into a normal printer it is possible to fill in the front of the envelope and then type the contents of the letter consecutively.

Once the same has been printed, the writing paper-part (2) is folded and inserted into the envelope part (1) which is in turn folded appropriately and sealed over itself in order to produce a sealed envelope; it is important to reiterate that these operations for preparing the sealed envelope ready for mailing are performed without separating the two parts (1) and (2).

In particular the first writing paper part (1) or envelope part is characterised by two transverse folding lines (1a) consisting of perforations or creasing - which separate the same into three sections, of which at least two (1A, 1B) are of the same height forming the front and back of the envelope, while the height of the third section (1C), which acts as the sealing flap, may be smaller.

Moreover, said folding lines (1a) make it possible - as better explained herein - to fold and overlap the three sections of the part (1) in question to form the envelope itself.

In addition, the first part (1) is also provided with four perforated lines arranged in longitudinal direction which form two pairs symmetrically opposite to the centre longitudinal axis of the part itself.

In fact, two (1b) of these perforations are arranged along the longitudinal edges of part (1) and are generally designed to facilitate the removal of the perforated edges (4a) designed to feed the continuous module, while the other two folding lines (1c) are generally positioned a little more internally.

Between the outer perforated lines (1b) and the inner perforated line (1c) there being provided on the rear face of said part (1), a longitudinal line of glue covered by an easily removable strip or film (1e).

The second part (2), namely the writing paper-part, is also provided with two transverse folding lines (2a) - also consisting of perforation or creasing - which divide the sheet into three identical sections (2A, 2B, 2C) whose height is equal to that of the above mentioned sections (1A, 1B) of the envelope part (1). Said writing paper part (2) is also provided with two longitudinal perforated lines (2c) aligned precisely and consecutively with the inner lines (1c) on the above envelope part (1) - and designed to allow removal of the perforated edges (4b) which on this writing paper part (2) are wider than those (4a) on the envelope part (1).

Regarding printing of the module according to the invention, the first point to mention is that only the second section (1B) of the envelope part (1) on the face without gluing lines (1d), namely that acting as the front of the envelope, is printed as well as the writing paper part (2) on which the text of the message to send to the addressee is printed.

Regarding packaging of the module in question, it is necessary to fold backwards from bottom to top, the various sections of the writing paper part (2), using the transverse folding lines (2a) provided on the same.

Thanks to a first rotation and folding operation, the bottom section (2A) of the writing paper part (2) abuts against the back face of the middle section (2B); thanks to a second rotation and folding of these two sections abutting against each other, they are placed against the back face of the upper section (2C), as shown in figure 2.

Thanks to a third rotation and folding operation, the compacted writing paper part (2) now abuts against the back face of the bottom section (1A) of the envelope part (1).

A successive rotating in the same direction allows the above envelope to abut on the back of the middle section (1B) of the envelope part; at this point the writing paper part (2) is placed between the front (1B) and the back (1A) of the envelope part (1) as shown in figure 3.

The last rotation and folding operation, this time from top to bottom, involves the upper section or flap (1C) of the envelope part (1) in order to overlap said flap (1C) on the back (1A) of the envelope.

In order to seal said envelope, it is obviously necessary to remove, before the above folding operations, the two strips (1e) covering the glue lines (1d) as well as the two perforated edges (4b) of the writing paper part (2) along the above perforated lines (2c).

The prior removal of these wide edges (4b) of the writing paper part (2) is necessary to prevent the latter from interfering with the glue lines (1e) of the envelope part (1) when this is folded back over itself to seal the envelope.

Once the envelope has been sealed, it is necessary to remove the perforated feed edges (4a) of the envelope part (1), tearing along the outer longitudinal perforation lines (1b) conventionally (see figure 4).

It should be remembered finally that in order to open the envelope, the addressee uses the inner longitudinal perforated lines (1c) on the envelope part (1) which permit eliminating the glued side edges (1d) (see figure 5).

The addressee may also separate the envelope part (1) from the writing paper part (2) in order to keep only the latter, tearing along the transverse perforated line (3).

According to the same inventive idea, the item according to the invention may also be realised without the side feed edges (4a and 4b), for use with typewriters or printers without follower for the continuous module, as in the case of many needle printers and almost all laser or ink printers (see figure 6).

It would also be possible to provide at the middle section (1B) of the envelope part (1), a window (F) covered with a transparent film for reading the address printed on section (2C) of the writing paper part (2).

This window (F) is illustrated in figure 2 with a broken line, in that it is an option of the version of the item designed for continuous module printers, while the window (2) is obligatory in the version of the item as illustrated in figure 6, designed for single sheet printers or typewriters.

Moreover, the writing paper part could optionally be available in multiple lengths of the envelope part in order to allow printing of long texts.

Finally, the transverse folding lines (2a) of the writing paper part (2) could also be used, when the same are perforated, to separate the three sections (2A, 2B, 2C) when these are to be printed with the same information to act as original and copies, of which the original is mailed in envelope (1) and the copies are kept by the sender.