Method of producing mailing envelopes having labels with decorative graphics

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is well known in the proaucnon of mass mailings that machine printed postal indicia (postal franking) can indicate to the recipient tnat the enclosea material is junk mail thus resulting in the reciDient simply aiscaraing the mail Diece thereby resulting in a Dcssible loss of revenue io bv the postal customer, since the mail piece went unoDened and the purchase or service opportunity was lost It has been Tound that the placing of stamps on envelopes involved in a mass mailing campaign results in a greater acceptance by the reciDient, as the mail does not appear to oe a mass mailing Droduct, but rather a proguct in which a is stamD was physically aoDiied to the outgoing enveloDe However, it is exoeoted that the reciDient or target of such mailings will soon begin to recognize a particular stamp as being associated witn mass mailing or aavensina camoaigns and as sucn, there is a need to ennance or be able to vary the image of the mail piece wmie at the same time, being sure to allow adequate tracking of the revenue streams for the Postal Service

According to the present invention, a mailing piece utilizing labels, and a method of production of mailing pieces utilizing the labels, are provided which addressable problem described above The labels produced and utilized according to the present invention increase the acceptance of mass mailing pieces while enhancing the image of the mailing pieces, but still simultaneously continuing to maintain a means by which the

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Postal Service can track the revenue of mail, such as with conventional· indiciai / Thd^fa,bels ' ' I Ur Nz.

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colors along with postal indicia immediately aajacent or overlying the decorative graDhics The postal indicia includes necessary terminology /, for mass mailing postage charging, but is devoid of numerical postage such as are provided on conventional stamps produced by the Post Office

According to the present invention there is provided a mailing piece comprising an outgoing envelope having an addressable face with an upper right corner, a left upper corner and a central right area, a return address in said left upper corner, and an outgoing address in said central right area, and a label having a first face with permanent pressure sensitive adhesive, and an imaged second face, said imaged second face including as indicia POSTAGE PAID, an indication of rate, and an indication ot permit authorization, and said imaged second face including decorative graphics having one or more colors immediately adjacent or underlying said indicia, said label first face adhered to said envelope or postcard at said upper right corner theredf by said permanent adhesive, and a business reply envelope within or part of said outgoing envelope, said , business reply envelope having an upper right corner, and a second label having a first face with permanent pressure sensitive adhesive, and an imaged second face, said imaged second face including as indicia POSTAGE PAID, an indica ion of rate, and an indication of permit authorization, and said imaged second face including decorative graphics immediately adjacent or underlying said indicia, and said second label first face adhered to said business reply envelope at said upper right corner thereof by said second label permanent adhesive

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Tne indication of rate indicia may include, as two common examples thereof, either BULK RATE or FIRST CLASS MAIL, and the indication of permit authorization typically comonses PERMIT NO Tne label may De as described above, in size and graphics and indicia color and for example may be rectangular and have dimensions of about one inch by aoout 7/8 inch (or about 1 3/8 inch by 7/8 inch, or about 1 3/4 inch by 1 % inch) Alternatively the label may simulate first class postage

L * metering, whicn may include a circle indicating the zip code of origin of the envelope or postcard

The envelope may be either a standaro separate envelope, or it may be a mailer type qq business form The business reply envelope may be within (if the outgoing envelope is a separate envelope), or part of (if the outgoing envelope is a mailer type business form), the outgoing envelope 'ypically the label on the business reply envelope (BRE) is one containing indicia indie, ig FIRST CLASS MAIL as the rate

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The invention also relates to a method of producing mailing pieces, the mailing pieces comprising envelopes or postcards having an addressable face with an upper nght comer, using labels, the labels having a first face with permanent pressure sensitive adhesive, and an imaged second face wnich includes as indicia POSTAGE PAID, an indication of rate, and an indication of permit authorization, and decorative graohics immeoiately adjacent or underlying the indicia Tne method preferably comorises the steos of automatically (a) Moving the envelope o^r oostcard in a predetermined path (b) During the practice of io steD (a), imaging address information on the addressable face And, (c) substantially immediately before or after step (b), while practicing step (a), tipDing or blowing tne laDel on the addressable face so that the label first *ace is adhered to the envelope or postcard upper right corner by the label permanent adhesive Step (a) is typically practiced at a speed of is between about 300-500 feet Der minute (e g aoout 350 fpm), and where the mailing oiece is an outgoing mailing envelooe (OME) there may be the further steD of (d) proviaing a business reply envelope with the outgoing envelope, the BRE preterably including a second label as described above Step (d) may be practiced by providing a separate, distinct BRE and inserting the BRE in the OME, or by forming them as part of the same mailer Step (c) may be practiced utilizing labels that are approximately the same size as conventional postal stamps, or simulating first class postage metering, as described above

It ts the primary object of the present invention to enhance the 25 appearance, effectiveness, and overall desirability of mass mailings, and to do so m a manner that is cost effective and readily allows conventional cost recovery by the Postal Service (e g the LISPS), or at least to provide the public with a useful choice This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims _r

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGURES 1 through 3 are top plan views of exemplary labels containing postal indicia according to the present invention ,

FIGURE 4 is a top schematic view of an exemplary separate outgoing mailing envelope mailing piece having a label like that of io FIGURES 1 through 3 adhered thereto,

FIGURE 5 is a rear view of the envelope of FIGURE 4 and shown in perspective view a business reply envelope that may be inserted therein, and

FIGURE 6 is a schematic block diagram illustrating vanous method steps that may be practiced according to the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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FIGURE 1 illustrates generally via reference numeral 10 an exemplary label with postal indicia according to the present invention (I

The label comprises a substrate 11 (typically of plastic) having a first major face - shown generally by reference numeral 12 (the back face as viewed in FIGURE 1) with permanent pressure sensitive adhesive 13 thereon, and a second face 14 (the top face viewed in FIGURE 1) with postal indicia imaged (e g applied by printing with a printing plate, or otherwise imaged utilizing any suitable conventional technique such as electrostatic printing, ink jet printing, or the like) Part of the postal indicia

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PCT/US96/17763 imaged on the face 14 is POSTAGE PAID as illustrated in FIGURE 1 (U S POSTAGE PAID), as well as an indication of rate (the indicia

FIRST CLASS MAIL m FIGURE 1), and an indication of permit authorization [i e devoid of numencal postage such as 32&lt;i] (PERMIT

NO Γ in FIGURE 1) Also imaged on the second face 14 are decorative

I graphics illustrated schematically at 15 and 16 in FIGURE 1 The /

decorative graphics 15, 16 have one or more colors (that is besides black and white) immediately adjacent the postal indicia such as POSTAGE PAID, etc , in FIGURE 1 In the illustrative embodiment illustrated in io FIGURE 1, the graphics 15 is illustrated as blue in color and is a commercial trademark or trade name in stylized form, while the symbolic graphics 16 is indicated as yellow in color and has a totally pictonal configuration (that rs no words), e g simulating a lightening bolt

In the FIGURE 1 embodiment the postal indicia simulates first is class postage metering, and to that end includes a circle 17 indicating the zipcode of origin of a mailing piece to which the label 10 would be applied, as well as other indicia/graphics simulating first class postage metering, such as the box 18 and lines 19 Of course the graphics 15,16 are merely illustrative and any suitable graphics may be provided, such as trademarks, trade names, logos, pictorial representations, patriotic symbols, or the like

FIGURES 2 and 3 illustrate two other versions of exemplary labels according to the present invention The label 20 of FIGURE 2 includes as the graphics a color representation of George Washington (or another patriotic symbol such an eagle, flag, the Liberty Bell, or the like) 21, while the indicia such as PERMIT NO 1,US POSTAGE PAID, and BULK

I¹

RATE (which is an indication of rate) are imaged so that they appear to overlie the graphics 21 The indicia may be black, or a color, and the / indicia must sharply contrast in color with the color or colors of the j'

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PCT/US96/17763 graphics 21 which they appear to overlie In this embodiment the label 20 has a size approximately the same as a conventional postage stamp, e g in this particular embodiment a rectangular shape and dimensions of about one inch by 7/8 inch, the most common stamp size Of course any other conventional stamp size may be utilized, such as about 1 3/8 inch by 7/8 inch, or about 1 3/4 by/i 'Λ inches, etc Pressure sensitive y

adhesive - like the adhesive13 from FIGURE 1 — is applied to the back face of the label 20

The label 22 of FIGURE 3 is the same as the label 20 except that l'( io the sides 23 thereof have ;a scalloped configuration, which simulates the ill ' sides of conventional postage stamps The scalloped configuration 23 may be provided by actually scalloping the edges of the label 22 (as seen

III in FIGURE 3), or by printing which simulates scalloping In this particular li embodiment the decorative colored graphics 24, which the postal indicia is such as BULK RATEj¹ appears to overlie, simulates flowers Of course almost any colored decorative graphics may be utilized as the graphics

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FIGURE 4 illustrates an exemplary mailing piece 27 according to the present mvenV&lt;j!n, in this case in the form of a separate envelope 28 having an upper rijjht corner 29 which is shown in larger size so as to more clearly illustrate the postal indicia label 30 utilized therewith according to the invention The envelope 28 includes an addressable face 31, the primary face seen in FIGURE 4, and typically includes outgoing addressjjndicia 32 imaged therecn in a central right area thereof, as well all return address indicia 33 imaged in the upper left ^lV corner thereof Tl ie envelope 28 flap 34 is for sealing the envelope 28 once it has been provided with suitable inserts The envelope 28 is //&gt;

typically referred/'/o aSjan OME and is typically of the standard business envelope size /'{ should also be understood that instead of a separate /'/

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PCT/US96/I7763 envelope 28 the mailing piece 27 according to the invention may comprise an envelope in the form of a conventional mailer type business form, or under some circumstances a postcard

In the FIGURE 4 embodiment the label 30 includes colored s graphics ir&gt; the form of a blue background and a brown eagle, shown generally by reference numerals 35 and 36 in FIGURE 4, with the postal indicia (in this case BULK RATE, U S POSTAGE PAID, and PERMIT NO 1234) imaged on the label below the colored graphics 35. 36 The side edges ofthe colored graphics 35 simulate a stamp edge, such as io illustrated by the reference numerals 23 in the FIGURE 3 embodiment in this case being printed on the substrate or the label The label 30 is adhered to the upper right hand corner 29 of the envelope 28 by the conventional permanent pressure sensitive adhesive on the bottom face of the label 30 (not seen in FIGURE 4)

A business reply envelope (BRE), such as shown by reference υ

numeral 40 in FIGURE 5, may be inserted into the envelope 28 as illustrated schematically in FIGURE 5, and after insertion ofthe BRE 40 (as well as any other inserts desired) the flap 34 may be sealed by activating the rewettable adhesive 41, or like adhesive for sealing flap 34 to the body of the envelope 28 The BRE 40 in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 5 also comprises a conventional envelope 42 (although of a size smaller than the envelope 28), having the desired reply address indicia 43 imaged in the central nght portion thereof, typically the same address indicia - illustrated at 44 - imaged in the upper left hand comer thereof, and preferably including a second label 45 according to the present invention The second label 45 typically includes as the rate indication thereon FIRST CLASS MAIL, and in this particular embodiment illustrates schematically an American flag 46 as the decorative colored graphics The label 45 is adhesively secured to the

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PCT/US96/17763 upper right corner of the BRE 42 oy permanent pressure sensitive adhesive

The mailing pieces 27, 42 according to the present invention are much more effective than conventional mass mailings in getting a recipient's attention, and maximize the probability that the recipient will open up the piece 27 The pieces 27 may also be produced very quickly, being produced on-line during the vanable imaging of the mailing pieces with the address information, etc , not requiring slow time-consuming and perhaps labor intensive procedures that would typically be necessary in io the application of postal stamps to mailing pieces FIGURE 6 illustrates schematically exemplary method steps according to the method of the present invention, which all may be practiced on conventional equipment such as a Webtron Press, or the like All the steps are performed automatically

As illustrated schematically at 50 in FIGURE 6, a web of mailing pieces, which may be separate envelopes on a substrate a web of paper to be formed into separate envelopes, a web of paper to be formed into mailers, a earner sheet containing postcards, a web of paper to be formed into postcards, or the like, is moved at a web speed that is high, such as

2o about 300-500 feet per minute (e g about 350 fpm) While being moved at that speed, the OME (either already formed or in web form) is imaged with the outgoing address indicia, such as the indicia 32 illustrated in FIGURE 4 This imaging is schematically represented in box 51 in FIGURE 6, and may comprise any suitable conventional imaging technique such as electrostatic printing, impact printing, ink jet printing etc Labels, such as the labels 10:20, 22, 30, 45, are separately imaged, as illustrated schematically at 52 in FIGURE 6, and include the desired postal indicia according to the invention as well as decorative colored graphics The labels imaged at 52 may either be conventional labels

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PCT/US96/17763 which have a release sheet carrier engaged by the pressure sensitive adhesive, or the labels may be Imerless labels

The labels from box 52 are applied to the OME on press, as l| illustrated by box 53 in FIGURE 6, utilizing conventional blow-on and tipl\ on techniques Conventional blow-on and tip-on techniques may be practiced at the same desired speed of about 300-500 feet per minute, as the other procedures schematically illustrated in FIGURE 6

When BREs are to be utilized with the OMEs, the method steps indicated by boxes 54-56 in FIGURE 6 are typically utilized That is the io BREs are imaged (the address information, such as the information 43) as illustrated in the box 54, the labels 45 are blown or tipped thereon as indicated at 55 in FIGURE 6, and the BREs are inserted within or formed with the OMEs as illustrated by box 56 in FIGURE 6 For example the BRE 40 may be inserted in the distinct envelope 28 as illustrated schematically at FIGURE 5, or the BRE may be formed with a continuous web that is forming a mailer type business form Where mailer type

It business forms are being formed, or envelopes are being formed from

1\ webs, there may also be the method step 57 illustrated in FIGURE 6, where there was folding and/or cutting of the web In any event the '1 outgoing piece (when in envelope form whether a separate envelope or a mailer) is finally typically, sealed as illustrated schematically at 58, producing a final mailing, piece

While the method^steps are illustrated in a particular sequence in FIGURE 6, the steps maiy be practiced in a wide variety of sequences for example the label blow-on/tip-on illustrated schematically at 53 before or it after the imaging step illustrated by block 51

Practicing the invention it is thus possible to produce mailing pieces as an on-line operation for a Mailer, rather than as an off-line jl operation, with faster production times, reduced costs, minimal waste, no SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) f

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PCT/US96/17763 refund paper work and therefore cost savings, while at the same time producing distinctive high quality outgoing pieces While the invention has been herein shown and desenbed in what is presently conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment thereof it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications may be made thereof within the scope of the invention, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent products ard procedures