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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to continuous assemblies of postal
correspondence units with incorporated detachable documents.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to facilitate the processing of office forms for mass
correspondence, there exist in commerce various types of continuous
assemblies designed to pass through a suitable office printing machine,
for example, the print-out device of a computer. These assemblies are
delivered to the user folded accordion-style along transverse lines of
weakness, each panel of the accordion element constituting a postal
correspondence unit, sealed in manufacture or sealable after folding.
After passage through the print-out device, the "separation into units" of
the assembly is carried out by separating the panels from one another in a
breaker or in a cutting device. Mostly, the assembly is provided with
marginal perforations serving for driving it through the processing
machines and the perforated margins are detached either by continuous
cutting in the breaker or the transverse cutting device or by the
addressee by means of the longitudinal detachable perforations.
Of course, the assembly can receive in the course of manufacture, over the
whole or part of the surface of one or several of the elements which
constitute it, printing of a general nature (business letter-head of the
sender, indication of the time for reply, list of products of services
placed at the disposal of the addressee, method of settlement, form to be
filled, etc..) as well as various markings (trade mark, signs, patterns
for decoration or to prevent reading by transparence of the closed
folder), this printing and marking then being repeated on each panel and
only the personalised printing, relating to a given addressee being done
on the office printing machine.
When each unit of correspondence is sealed in manufacture, the assembly is
in the form of a bundle of superposed and continuous paper strips on which
the particular information printed by the office printer is selectively
reproduced by known means (carbon areas, reactive papers, self-reproducing
paper, etc.). Such articles are commonly denoted by the English term
"mailers". Separately from a first possible strip, called the recording or
checking strip, which receives all the information printed by the office
printer, the top strip forms the upper wall of the envelopes of the
successive folders and the lower strip the back wall of said envelopes
which are sealed by two longitudinal glueing lines which follow the
detachable lateral margins of the assembly and transverse glueing lines
framing each of the lines of weakness provided by folding in accordion
fashion. All the intermediate strips are intended to form the internal
documents which can include an envelope called a return envelope and for
this they are suitably cut out so as not to be "stuck" at least by the
transverse adhesive. Lines of detachable perforations or of breakage
starting are formed on certain strips or on all of the strips so as to
permit for each unit folder, its opening and the seizing of the
incorporated documents by tearing away of at least one transverse or
lateral strip or, automatically, by a sudden pull applied at a certain
point. Mostly the intermediate strips are assembled together and with the
top and bottom strips by one only of their longitudinal edges, that is to
say each inside document has three free edges and one detachble lateral
edge.
These "mailers" have a certain number of drawbacks. Firstly, the assembly
into a bundle of the different strips requires a machine of very
specialized formation, large and of high cost which, supplied by as many
spools as there are strips, provides for the cutting-out of the
intermediate strips, the glueing, the lateral assembly strips and the
formation of folders for the accordion folding. Moreover, when the
intermediate strips are held by one only of their lateral edges, the
latter presents with respect to the other, an excess thickness which
interferes with the formation of a "bundle" of the accordion folding and
limits the possible number of inside documents which, besides, cannot have
notable differences as to their dimensions as for that corresponding to
the transverse direction of the strips. Lastly, the folders being sealed
in manufacture, none of the inside documents can receive a direct
impression from the printer, which prevents their passage through optical
or magnetic readout machines.
There have been proposed, continuous assemblies of mailers not sealed in
manufacture, of the letter-card type. In these assemblies each panel of
the accordion elements includes at least three flaps which can each
receive a direct impression. According to the number of flaps and the
method of folding provided for the letter-card (folding accordion-style or
rolled folding) the address of the addressee is borne directly on the flap
forming the face of the sealed folder or appears through a window formed
on said face flap after having been struck on another. After passage
through the printer the various panels are separated as has been stated
above and each correspondence unit is folded along weakness lines
separating the different flaps, preferably in a suitable folding machine,
and sealed automatically by simple pressure due to lines of self-adhesive
areas or by pressure and heating by means of thermo-adhesive stripes. On
reception, the addressee opens these folders by detaching narrow strips,
by means of the lines of detachable perforations, on three sides or at
least on two opposite sides and unsticking the third when it involves
self-adhesive areas.
These letter-cards have however certain drawbacks. The principal drawback
resides in the limitation of the number of flaps. It is difficult to
exceed three flaps whilst remaining within reasonable limits as to the
length of the panels of accordion folding of the continuous assembly. If
all the flaps can receive a direct impression, contrary to the internal
documents of a "mailer", it is not possible to obtain on an end flap
detachable by the user, a lower free edge for optical read-out
(reply-card, universal payment voucher) except if the separation into
units is effected by cutting (guillotine or rotary knife) and not by a
breaker. Lastly, if the detachable flap has to include two free edges
(lower edge and right-hand edge) to pass into a magnetic read-out machine
(cheque for example) it is necessary for the corresponding flap to be cut
laterally on the right-hand side, during manufacture, which involves
interruptions in the right-hand lateral driving margin and the
possibilities of mishaps.
In all cases the internal documents are derived from the single continuous
strip (letter-cards) or are obtained by flat cutting-out of intermediate
strips paid out from spools ("mailers"). It is impossible to incorporate
in the correspondence units of these continuous assemblies, documents
arising from other sources of mechanical or manual formation, such as a
large cross-folded printed form, a plastic card, a fascicle or a
catalogue, etc...
Finally, it is known, besides, to attach by glueing to a simple continuous
strip provided with marginal perforations or any other drive means, single
leaves, wads of leaves, pockets, etc., so as to enable such elements to
pass through an automatic printer. The continuous strip is then called a
support strip or pilot strip. The forming machines enabling this to be
carried out are simple machines, relatively inexpensive and which, until
now, can effect this positioning of the attached elements in extremely
accurate manner.
OBJECTS AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In order to eliminate the drawbacks and to reduce the cost price of mass
correspondence units, to enable the incorporation in each folder of
heterogeneous documents coming from one or several independent forming
stations and, for certain purposes, to obtain at least one internal
document printed directly by the printer, the invention provides that in
each unit the document incorporated is constituted by a leaf including a
top flange and a detachable portion or by a pad of such leaves, not
necessarily of the same dimensions, joined by their flanges and provided
if necessary with selective transfer means from one leaf to the other, or
again by a pad composed of heterogeneous elements such as leaves, folded
prints which crossed or uncrossed folds, return envelope, fascicles,
plastic cards or the like connected together by respective detachable
flanges formed or attached at the top of said elements, wherein each
incorporated document is attached to a respective panel of a continous
base strip, each document being glued at the top transversely to said base
strip, each panel being bounded by two transverse weakening lines provided
for the accordion folding of said continuous strip, the latter being
provided with means enabling it to be driven in a printing machine,
arranged to constitute the envelopes of correspondence units by folding
each of the panels after separation of the latter and glueing or by
assembly by glueing to another continuous strip called a cover strip and
including for each panel at least one tear line enabling the opening of
each of the thus constituted envelopes.
This general arrangement enables different types of correspondence units to
be produced sealed in manufacture or sealable after their passage into the
printer by simple pressure (self-adhesion) or pressure with heat
(thermo-adhesion). The description which follows relates to the principal
types possible, between which each user can choose according to the
requirements themselves imposed on him by the operation to be carried out
and the nature of the documents (dimensions of incorporated documents,
necessity or not of obtaining a direct impression on the incorporated
documents, addresses of the addressees appearing or not on the
incorporated documents, etc.) or by the equipment that he has available
(single impression printer, double impression or Y printer, unit
separation equipment, possibilities of the automatic machine folding,
etc.).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The description refers to the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an assembly of folders, according to the
invention, sealed in the course of manufacture;
FIG. 2 shows an embodiment according to the invention of a continuous strip
of folders sealed by covering after their passage through the printer;
FIGS. 3a and 3b show one of the folders of an assembly comprising two flaps
and intended to be sealed by folding;
FIGS. 4a and 4b, 5a and 5b, 6a and 6b, 7a and 7b show respectively four
modifications of a two flap folder;
FIG. 8 shows the top opening means of a folder according to the embodiments
of FIGS. 1 or 2 or 3a, 3b or 5a, 5b;
FIG. 9 shows the lateral opening means of an embodiment of a folder
according to FIGS. 7a, 7b;
FIGS. 10a and 10b show a three flap folder designed to be folded in
accordion style;
FIGS. 11a and 11b show also a three flap folder but provided for rolled
folding; and
FIGS. 12a, 12b and 12c show respectively three phases of the cross-wise
folding of a folder derived from a continuous assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the following description, for all the types of assemblies described,
everything which is placed inside the postal folder after the latter is
sealed is denoted by "the incorporated document". This document may be a
single leaf or a pod of leaves provided if necessary with selective
transfer means from one leaf to the other, or again a heterogeneous group
which can include one or several leaves, diverse elements such as folded
prints, fascicles, envelopes, plastic cards or any other elements with a
flat face and of relatively slight thickness. All the elements
constituting the incorporated document are formed into a pad at the top
either directly (leaves) or by means of flanges attached to said elements,
or again after having fixed said elements on support leaves overlapping at
the top, by means of incisions in the support leaves or adhesive "wedges"
or vanishing spots of glue. The various elements of an incorporated
document can arise from different respective forming stations, including
manual forming stations. The dimensions can vary from one element to
another.
The whole useful portion of each element or of the support leaf of each
element is detachable from the narrow stacking strip which has the same
width for all the elements or element supports. The glued stacking of
these strips obtained by the assembly into a wad will be denoted below by
the expression "the flange of the incorporated document" Thus the
incorporated document can be separated from its flange by tearing or
pulled off according to the resistance of the separating lines of each
element.
Thus one characteristic of all the elements of the incorporated documents
in the continuous assemblies of postal correspondence units according to
the invention is to present all their free edges when they are arranged on
the support leaves or three free edges when they are stacked directly In
all the types of mailers according to the invention the incorporated
document passes into the printer with a flange at the top and alone,
consequently, the top edge of each element cannot be free. This is a
feature which cannot be found in any other presently known assemblies.
In all the figures showing various embodiments of the invention, the
assembly includes as the driving means, marginal strips of equidistant
perforations. It is known that these strips can be cut in the
unit-separating device or separated by the addressee by means of
detachable lines of perforations. It is the latter case which has been
assumed in making the drawing, but it must be understood that the strips
could be eliminated for the drawing of a unitary postal cover. In the same
way, any other known drive means could be adopted.
FIG. 1 shows the constitution of an assembly of folders sealed in
manufacture according to the invention. Each incorporated document 1 is
attached by glueing at the top of its flange 2 on a respective panel 3 of
a continuous strip 4 called a base strip comprising means 6 for driving it
in the forming machines and mechanographic printing machines, each panel
of said strip extending between two transverse lines 5a, 5b of weakness
enabling the accordion style folding of the continuous strip. This
operation of glueing the incorporated documents is effected in a
conventional machine (not shown) with high accuracy as regards the
position of the document on its respective panel. In the same machine or
at another station, the strip 4 receives glue stripes 7 extending parallel
at a short distance from each of the four sides of each panel, it receives
also a tear line 8. This tear line can be transversal as shown in FIG. 1,
and it then coincides with the line of separation 10 of the flange from
the incorporated document, or longitudinal as will be mentioned below.
The strip 4 is then directed along F to an assembly machine where it is
assembled by clamping the marginal zones (an operation called
crimp-locking) with a continuous strip 11 of the same width, called a
covering strip and if necessary a strip 12 called a recording or checking
strip. Each of these strips has transverse weakness lines dividing them
into panels identical with those of strip 4. The cover strip 11 includes
also on each panel, a tear line 13 which becomes applied exactly on the
tear line 8 of the corresponding panel of the strip 4.
Each panel of the strip 11 and the corresponding panel of the strip 4 are
fastened together over the whole of their periphery by the glue stripes 7.
Of course, the latter instead of being arranged on the front of the strip
4 could be on the back of the strip 11. They could also be replaced by
thermo-adhesive strips if heating rollers are available for their assembly
or again by self-adhesive lines arranged in conjugate manner on the front
of the strip 4 and the back of the strip 11.
The thus constituted assembly is folded in accordion fashion by means of
the weakness lines of the strips.
In order that, subsequently, the impression of the printer should transfer
to the upper element of the incorporated document through the cover strip
11, this element is self-reproducing or has a front reacting chemically
with the back of the strip 11 or the latter includes carbon areas, all
well-known arrangements, not being claimed in themselves in the present
invention. In the same way, when the strip 12 is present, it is possible
to obtain a selective transfer of the impression of the printer on the
front of the strip 11 through the strip 12.
After opening out the strip 12 and separation into units by breaking or
cutting the weakness lines of the strips 4 and 11, a plurality of sealed
envelopes is obtained whose face is constituted by the front of a panel of
the strip 11 and the back by the rear of a panel of the strip 4. The
tearing of the superposed lines 8 and 13 enables the opening of the
envelope by the addressee and extraction of the document 1. This
extraction can be automatic as will be explained below.
FIG. 2 shows a modification in which the folders are not sealed in
manufacture but only by the user after passage in the printer. This
arrangement is adopted to obtain a direct impression on the first element
of the incorporated document. It is not possible therefore to have here an
or checking strip such as 12. Here again, each incorporated document 1 is
attached by glueing at the top of its flange 2 to a panel 3 of a
continuous base strip 4. Since the strip is intended to pass as is into
the printer, it is delivered to the user folded accordion style. The
peripheral glueing means 14 of each panel with the corresponding panel of
the cover strip 15 can hence be only thermo-adhesive stripes or lines of
self-adhesive areas conjugated with lines 16 borne by the back of said
cover strip. Of course, the strips 4 and 15 include drive means and tear
lines as in FIG. 1. The strip 15 not passing into the printer, each of its
panels is provided with a window 17 arranged so as to become positioned
during assembly, facing the zone of the incorporated document which
receives the address of the addressee.
After passage into the printer and before separation into units, the two
strips 4 and 15 are assembled in superposition, by means of glueing means
14-16 by passage between two pressure rollers, possibly heating.
In all the following embodiments the folders are sealed after passage into
the printer, the incorporated document receiving a direct impression, by
folding the base strip. There is no longer a cover strip, the assembly
being replaced by folding which can be carried out in an automatic
machine. Here again, the glueing means can be only self-adhesive or
thermo-adhesive means. The lines of self-adhesive areas or the stripes of
thermo-adhesive material will both be denoted by the expression "self- or
thermo-adhesive lines".
In FIGS. 3a-3b, 4a-4b, 5a-5b, 6a-6b and 7a-7b only a single panel of a
continuous base strip is shown on which an incorporated document is
attached by glueing at the top of its flange 2. Said panel bears
laterally, on each side, a fraction of the marginal strip 6 of
perforations for driving the continuous strip, detachable by means of a
tear line 18.
The panel is divided into two flaps 19a and 19b, foldable on one another by
means of a longitudinal fold line 20 (with respect to the continuous base
strip) in FIGS. 3a-3b, 4a-4b, or transversal at 21 in FIGS. 5a-5b, 6a-6b
and 7a-7b.
The incorporated document is attached to the flap 19a. The flap 19b, which
forms the face of the postal folder when it is folded back to the flap 19a
thereby imprisoning the incorporated document, is provided with a window
22 which comes to face the zone of the incorporated document which
receives the impression of the address of the intended recipient.
Self- or thermo-adhesive lines 23 extend parallel and at a short distance
from the four sides of each panel. Thus when the two flaps are folded on
one another, the folder can be sealed by simple pressure or by heat and
pressure.
Various solutions can be adopted to effect the opening of the sealed
folder.
In FIGS. 4a-4b and 6a-6b, there is provided, inside the frame formed on
each panel by the self- or thermo-adhesive lines 23, a frame 24 of
detachable perforations, which enables the opening of the folder by
tearing three sides as for an ordinary letter-card.
In FIGS. 3a-3b and 5a-5b the panel comprises two transverse tear lines 25
and 26 symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal fold line 20 or
transversal fold line 21. Each of these lines is formed by two segments
25a and 25b and 26a-26b of detachable perforations connected at the centre
of said lines by a half-moon cut 25c, 26c whose convexity is turned
towards the centre of the folder, and one 25 of these lines coincides with
the separating lines 27 of the flange from the incorporated document.
It is clear that after having torn off the marginal strips 6, it suffices
to tear the superimposed lines 25 and 26 when the folder is sealed to open
the latter, to release the incorporated document and to be able to seize
the latter by means of the half-moon cut-out. If instead of detachable
perforations, the segments 25a, 25b, 26a, 26b are breakage lines with weak
attachments as well as the separating line 27, the opening of the folder
and the extraction of the incorporated document is carried out
simultaneously under the effect of a sudden pull exerted at the level of
the half-moons (see FIG. 8).
This method of opening can also be applied to folders formed as has been
mentioned with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 by means of tear lines such as 8
and 13 (FIG. 1) comprising a half-moon cut-out such as 28 provided on the
base strip and the cover strip.
For the articles shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b, the opening of the folder is
effected in the same manner by means of longitudinal tear lines 29, 30
with a half-moon cut-out, but the opening is done laterally (see FIG. 9).
However, the incorporated document 1 can only be extracted by tearing and
is unnecessary for the line of separation 27 from its flange to be a
fragile rupture line. Of course, this lateral opening arrangement which is
also that of currently known mailers can be adopted for the folders
corresponding to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3a-3b, the tear lines being suitably
arranged.
In FIGS. 10a-10b and 11a-11b a single panel of a continuous base strip is
shown. This panel is divided into three flaps 31a, 31b, 31c by two
parallel fold lines 32a, 32b. In the Examples shown the fold lines are
transversal (with respect to the continuous base strip) and the flaps are
equal or substantially equal but it is clear that the fold lines could be
longitudinal and that one of the end flaps could be distinctly smaller
than the two others. The incorporated document 1 is attached to one of the
flaps by glueing at the top of its flange 2. Two lines of detachable
perforations 33a-33b are formed on the panel parallel to and in the
vicinity of the two sides perpendicular to the fold lines 32a, 32b.
In FIGS. 10a-10b, the three flaps are designed to be folded in accordion
fashion. The zone intended to receive the address of the proposed
recipient is provided on the end flap 31a whose front comes to the outside
of the sealed folder. This sealing is achieved by means of lines 34 of
self-adhesive areas framing the front of the assembly formed by the two
flaps 31b and 31c, and 35 framing the back of the assembly formed by the
two flaps 31a and 31b. The opening of the folder is effected by tearing
the two lines of perforations 33a and 33b and by unsticking the ends of
the two end flaps.
In FIGS. 11a-11b the three flaps are folded on one another by rolled
folding. The document 1 is attached to one 31c of the end flaps. The zone
intended to receive the address of the addressee is provided on the other
end flap or, as in the Example shown, on the incorporated document and the
central flap 31b is provided with a window 36 which comes to face the said
zone when the folder is sealed. This sealing is achieved by means of lines
37 of self-adhesive areas borne by the front of the panel and 38 borne by
the back of the flap 31c coming to the inside of the folder. The opening
is effected by tearing the lines of perforations 33a and 33b and
unsticking the end of the flap 31a forming the back of the folder.
FIGS. 12a-12b-12c show one panel of a continuous base strip. The front of
the panel carries the self- or thermo-adhesive lines 39 along three of its
sides and parallel to the latter, slightly towards the inside, three lines
41 of detachable perforations. The panel comprises two cross-fold lines 42
and 43, one parallel to the free edge of the glueing means and the
perforations being slightly displaced towards said edge with respect to
the corresponding median of the panel and the other coinciding with the
other median so as to form four equal boxes two by two on the panel,
respectively 44a, 44b and 45a, 45b. In the Example shown the free edge of
the glueing means is the lower transverse edge of the panel, the fold line
displaced with respect to the corresponding median is the line 43, the
boxes 44a and 44b being larger than the boxes 45a and 45b. The
incorporated document 1 is attached to one of the boxes by glueing at the
top of its flange 2. Self-adhesive lines 40 are provided on the back of
the panel along and in the vicinity of the shifted fold lines 43 and,
perpendicular to said line, along the sides of the small boxes 45a and
45b. One of the large boxes (here 44b) is provided with a window 46 which
comes, after cross-folding of the panel, to face the zone of the small box
opposite (or of the incorporated document when the latter is attached to
said box as in the Example shown), provided to receive the address of the
addressee.
The opening of the sealed folder is effected by tearing the lines of
perforations 41, that is to say the two sides of the sealed folder which
do not correspond to the fold and unsticking lines of the self-adhesive
line along the shifted fold line 43.
In all the embodiments including lines of self-adhesive areas, in order not
to interfere with the accordion style folding of the continuous base
strip, said areas are placed according to the arrangements provided in
French Patents 1,215,307 or 75 12 994 of Applicant.
Of course, any type of printing can be carried out before the assembling
outside of the zones of the base strip and of the elements of the
incorporated document intended to receive printed information.
When windows are provided, the latter may be closed by an attached
transparent leaf.
It must be understood that the expression "attached to a flap (or a box)"
applied to the incorporated document, signifies that the document covers
said flap or said box at least partially, but that its flange can be glued
to an adjacent flap (or box), the separation line of said flange
coinciding with the fold line separating the flaps (or boxes) concerned
when this line is transversal, as is the case shown in FIGS. 11a-11b,
12a-12b-12c but which could also be the case for FIGS. 6a-6b, 7a-7b or
10a-10b.
Lastly, if in all the Examples described and shown, each folder is formed
from a complete panel of the continuous base strip, it must be clear,
notably when the folders are sealed by folding around transverse lines
(FIGS. 5a-5b, 6a-6b, 7a-7b, 10a-10b and 11a-11b) and when a Y impression
printer is available, that each panel of the base strip can comprise two
folders placed side by side. In this case the machine performing the
separation into units must comprise a median longitudinal cutting means
for the assembly.
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