Documents envelope

Abstract

A documents envelope that has one opening ( 13 ) only for inserting documents into and removing documents from the envelope and a flap ( 11 ) for closing the opening, which flap ( 11 ) includes a series of sections, the sections including: (a) a first section ( 15 ) that is at or towards an end of the flap and can be secured to a front face or panel ( 3 ) (hereinafter referred to as “panel”) of the envelope when the flap ( 11 ) is in an initial closed position and thereby close the opening ( 13 ); (b) a second section ( 17 ) that is adjacent to the first section ( 15 ) and covers a section of the envelope front panel ( 3 ) that can carry or does carry on-forwarding or return delivery information when the flap ( 11 ) is in the initial closed position; and (c) a third section ( 25 ) that is adjacent to the second section ( 17 ) and can be secured to the envelope front panel when the flap ( 11 ) is in a subsequent closed position and thereby reclose the opening ( 13 ).

1 . A documents envelope that has one opening only for inserting documents into and removing documents from the envelope and a flap for closing the opening, which flap includes a series of sections, the sections including: 
 (a) a first section that is at or towards an end of the flap and can be secured to a front face or panel (hereinafter referred to as “panel”) of the envelope when the flap is in an initial closed position and thereby close the opening;    (b) a second section that is adjacent to the first section and covers a section of the envelope front panel that can carry or does carry on-forwarding or return delivery information when the flap is in the initial closed position; and    (c) a third section that is adjacent to the second section and can be secured to the envelope front panel when the flap is in a subsequent closed position and thereby reclose the opening.    
     
     
         2 . The envelope defined in  claim 1  wherein the flap includes a tear strip that separates the first and the second sections of the flap and facilitates separating the flap from the envelope when the flap is in the initial closed position.  
     
     
         3 . The envelope defined in  claim 1  or  claim 2  wherein the flap includes a line of weakness that separates the second and the third sections of the flap and facilitates separating the second section from the third section.  
     
     
         4 . The envelope defined in the preceding claims wherein the first section includes an adhesive for securing the first section to the envelope front panel.  
     
     
         5 . The envelope defined in the preceding claims wherein the third section includes an adhesive for securing the third section to the envelope front panel.  
     
     
         6 . The envelope defined in  claim 5  wherein the flap includes a tear strip that separates the third section and a fourth section of the flap and facilitates opening the re-closed opening.  
     
     
         7 . The envelope defined in any one of  claims 1  to  4  wherein the envelope front panel includes a flap that has an adhesive for securing the third section to the envelope front panel.  
     
     
         8 . The envelope defined in  claim 7  wherein the flap is formed so that the flap can be folded out of the plane of the envelope front panel to allow the third section to be folded so that it extends across the location occupied previously by the flap and the flap can then be folded back to contact the third section and secure the third section to the envelope front panel via the adhesive strip and thereby re-close the opening.  
     
     
         9 . The envelope defined in  claim 8  wherein the envelope panel flap includes a tear strip that separates the flap and the envelope front panel and facilitates opening the re-closed opening.  
     
     
         10 . The envelope defined in any one of the preceding claims formed by folding and gluing a blank of a suitable material, such as paperboard or paper.  
     
     
         11 . The envelope defined in any one of the preceding claims further includes a rear panel, parallel side edges, and a bottom edge, with the flap being an extension of the rear panel.