Two-way mailing envelope and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a two-way envelope having a removable rear flap with an outgoing addressee portion and a front panel with an incoming addressee portion for the sending and returning of items, such as through the US mail, a method of its manufacture by web equipment, and methods of its use. The rear flap is attached to the top of the rear panel. It is sufficiently long that it covers the incoming addressee portion when folded over the front panel. It may have a fold allowing a lower portion of the rear flap to be folded under the rear flap exposing the outgoing and incoming addressee portions.

1 . A two-way envelope comprising: 
 a front panel having an outer surface and an incoming addressee portion on the outer surface;    a rear panel connected to the front panel by a fold;    a front flap attached to the front panel; and    a rear flap having an outer surface and an outgoing addressee portion on the outer surface, the rear flap being attached to rear panel, and the rear flap being sufficiently long so that when the rear flap is folded over the front panel, the rear flap covers the incoming addressee portion and the outgoing addressee portion is exposed;    and when a lower portion of the rear flap is folded under the rear flap the outgoing addressee and incoming addressee portions are exposed for permitting imaging outgoing and incoming addressee information thereon in a single pass by a single imaging device.    
   
   
       2 . The two-way envelope of  claim 1  further comprising resealable pressure sensitive adhesive on an inner surface of the lower portion of the rear flap.  
   
   
       3 . The two-way envelope of  claim 2  wherein the rear flap has an upper portion, and the envelope further comprising a barrier layer on the inner surface of the upper portion of the rear flap.  
   
   
       4 . The two-way envelope of  claim 1  wherein the front flap has an inner surface, and the envelope further comprising pressure sensitive adhesive on the inner surface of the front flap.  
   
   
       5 . The two-way envelope of  claim 4  wherein the front panel has an inner surface and the envelope further comprising a barrier layer on the inner surface of the front panel.  
   
   
       6 . The two-way envelope of  claim 1  further comprising a line of weakness between the rear panel and the rear flap.  
   
   
       7 . A two-way envelope comprising: 
 a front panel having a top edge, an outer surface, and an incoming addressee portion on the outer surface;    a rear panel having a top edge, the rear panel connected to the front panel by a fold;    a front flap attached to the top edge of the front panel, the front flap having an inner surface and a first adhesive on the inner surface; and    a rear flap having an outer surface, an outgoing addressee portion on the outer surface, an inner surface, and a second adhesive on the inner surface, the rear flap being attached to the top edge of the rear panel, and the rear flap being sufficiently long so that when the rear flap is folded over the front panel, the rear flap covers the incoming addressee portion and the outgoing addressee portion is exposed.    
   
   
       8 . The envelope of  claim 7  further comprising a line of weakness between the rear panel and the rear flap.  
   
   
       9 . The envelope of  claim 8  wherein the front panel has an inner surface, the envelope further comprising a first barrier layer on the inner surface of the front panel.  
   
   
       10 . The envelope of  claim 9  wherein the rear flap has an inner surface and an upper portion and wherein the first adhesive is a resealable pressure sensitive adhesive, the envelope further comprising a second barrier layer on the inner surface of the upper portion of the rear flap.  
   
   
       11 . The envelope of  claim 10  wherein the incoming addressee portion and the outgoing addressee portion are exposed when the rear flap is folded over the front panel and when a lower portion of the rear flap is folded under the rear flap.  
   
   
       12 . The envelope of  claim 8  wherein the adhesive is a moisture-sensitive adhesive and the envelope further comprising a line of weakness between the outgoing addressee portion and the second adhesive.  
   
   
       13 . A method for making a two-way envelope comprising: 
 conveying a web of material;    longitudinally folding the web to form a front flap region;    longitudinally folding the web to form a front panel region having an incoming addressee portion;    longitudinally folding the web so that a rear flap region is folded over the front flap region, the rear flap region having an outgoing addressee portion on the portion of the rear flap region folded over the front panel region and so that a lower portion of the rear flap region covers the incoming addressee portion;    applying a first adhesive material longitudinally to the front flap region of the web and applying a second adhesive material longitudinally in the lower portion region; and    transversely cutting the web to form an individual two-way envelope.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising longitudinally weakening the web between a rear panel region and the rear flap region.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the second adhesive material is a moisture sensitive adhesive and the method further comprising longitudinally weakening the web between the outgoing addressee portion and the second adhesive material.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising applying an incoming pre-printed address label to the incoming addressee portion and an outgoing pre-printed address label to the outgoing addressee portion.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising longitudinally folding the web to form the lower portion region of the rear flap region.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising applying a second barrier layer longitudinally to the rear flap region of the web so that the second barrier material is in registry with the second adhesive material when the web is longitudinally folded over to form the lower portion region, wherein the second adhesive material is a resealable pressure sensitive adhesive.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising imaging incoming and outgoing addresses in a single pass by a single imaging device.  
   
   
       20 . A method of delivering an item and receiving a returned item comprising: 
 placing an item into a two-way envelope comprising: 
 a front panel having a top edge, an outer surface, and an incoming addressee portion on the outer surface;  
 a rear panel having a top edge, the rear panel connected to the front panel by a fold;  
 a front flap attached to the top edge of the front panel, the front flap having an inner surface and a first adhesive on the inner surface; and  
 a rear flap having an outer surface, an outgoing addressee portion on the outer surface, an inner surface, and a second adhesive on the inner surface, the rear flap being attached to the top edge of the rear panel, and the rear flap being sufficiently long so that when the rear flap is folded over the front panel, the rear flap covers the incoming addressee portion and the outgoing addressee portion is exposed;  
   sending the envelope to a recipient; and    receiving a returned item from the recipient in the envelope.    
   
   
       21 . A method of sending an item comprising: 
 providing an envelope of the type set forth in  claim 1;     imaging an outgoing addressee and an incoming addressee on the envelope;    inserting an item into the envelope; and    sending the envelope containing the item.