Envelope, shipping tube or shipping carton with holes

Abstract

A container for shipping contents through the mail includes side surfaces joined at edges and meeting at comers, wherein the side surfaces and edges contain a plurality of holes that fluidly communicate from an inside of the container to an outside environment and wherein each comer where two or more of the edges meet is replaced by a hole that fluidly communicates from an inside of the container to an outside environment.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A container for shipping contents through the mail, the container comprising side surfaces that are joined at edges and that meeting at comer, wherein the each of the side surfaces and edges contains a plurality of holes that fluidly communicate from an inside of the container to an outside environment and wherein each comer where two or more of the edges meet is replaced by a hole that fluidly communicates from an inside of the container to an outside environment.  
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the number and location of the holes are such that the interior of the container may be inspected.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the number, size and location of the holes are such that the container is incapable of containing a powdered material.  
     
     
         4 . An envelope comprising a substantially flat receptacle made of paper or paper substitute material, the receptacle having two walls joined at their edges to form a pocket-like enclosure for enclosing a sheet-like article while it is being transported, wherein the walls and edges of the enclosure contain a plurality of holes that fluidly communicate from an inside of the receptacle to an outside environment.  
     
     
         5 . The envelope of  claim 4  wherein each comer of the receptacle where two edges meet is replaced by a hole that fluidly communicates from an inside of the receptacle to an outside environment.  
     
     
         6 . The envelope of  claim 4  wherein at least one of the two walls of the receptacle contains at least one region that does not have holes, so that an address can be written on an outer surface thereon.  
     
     
         7 . The envelope of  claim 4  wherein the number, size and location of the holes are such that the receptacle is incapable of containing a powdered material.  
     
     
         8 . The envelope of  claim 4  wherein at least one edge of the receptacle has holes that are elongated in the direction of the edge.  
     
     
         9 . The envelope of  claim 4  wherein the receptacle has a vertical and a horizontal dimension and wherein holes in the walls are elongated in the vertical dimension.  
     
     
         10 . The envelope of  claim 4  wherein the shape, size or orientation of the holes at least one of the walls are controlled in accordance with a predetermined scheme to convey and store information to an automated reader.  
     
     
         11 . The envelope of  claim 4  wherein the holes on the edges of the receptacle permit visual inspection of contents of the envelope.