Flexible postal mailer and blank therefor

Abstract

A postal mailer includes a first main panel and a second main panel opposite the first main panel and opposed first and second peripheral side panels extending between the first main panel and the second main panel. One or more score lines extend across each of the first and second main panels and an opening is formed in each of the first and second peripheral side panels and extends between the first and second main panels.

1 . A postal mailer, comprising:
 a first main panel and a second main panel opposite said first main panel;   opposed first and second peripheral side panels extending between said first main panel and said second main panel;   one or more score lines extending across each of said first and second main panels; and   a single opening formed in each of said first and second peripheral side panels and extending between said first and second main panels.   
   
   
       2 . The postal mailer of  claim 1 , wherein said opening comprises a generally rectangular opening. 
   
   
       3 . The postal mailer of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second main panels and said first and second peripheral side panels define a sleeve having an opening at each end. 
   
   
       4 . The postal mailer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 opposed first and second end panels extending between said first main panel and said second main panel.   
   
   
       5 . The postal mailer of  claim 4 , wherein said first and second end panels include end closure flaps. 
   
   
       6 . The postal mailer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 said one or more score lines extending across each of said first and second main panels and said opening formed in each of said first and second peripheral side panels and extending between said first and second main panels cooperating to provide a region of preferential bending when said postal mailer is processed by postal processing equipment.   
   
   
       7 . The postal mailer of  claim 1 , wherein each of said one or more score lines extending across said first main panel and each of said one or more score lines extending across said second main panel extend in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the postal mailer. 
   
   
       8 . The postal mailer of  claim 1 , wherein said postal mailer is elongate and wherein each of said one or more score lines extending across said first main panel and each of said one or more score lines extending across said second main panel extend in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the postal mailer. 
   
   
       9 . The postal mailer of  claim 1 , wherein each of said one or more score lines extending across said first main panel is parallel to and axially aligned with a corresponding one of said one or more score lines extending across said second main panel. 
   
   
       10 . The postal mailer of  claim 9 , wherein said opening comprises a generally rectangular opening extending in axial alignment with said one or more score lines extending across said first main panel and said one or more score lines extending across said second main panel. 
   
   
       11 . The postal mailer of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more score lines extending across each of said first and second main panels and said opening in each of said first and second peripheral side panels cooperate to define at least one region of increased flexibility which extends transversely with respect to an axis of said postal mailer. 
   
   
       12 . The postal mailer of  claim 11 , wherein said postal mailer is elongate and said axis is a longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       13 . The postal mailer of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one region of increased flexibility includes a region of increased flexibility which is generally centrally positioned along said axis. 
   
   
       14 . The postal mailer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shrink wrap layer covering the postal mailer.   
   
   
       15 . The postal mailer of  claim 1 , wherein said postal mailer is formed of a foldable sheet material selected from the group consisting of paperboard, cardboard, card stock, plastic, and plastic-coated paper. 
   
   
       16 . The postal mailer of  claim 1 , wherein said first main panel, said second main panel, and said first and second peripheral side panels are dimensioned as a flat-size mail piece. 
   
   
       17 . The postal mailer of  claim 1 , further comprising an inner mail piece dimensioned to be slidably received within said postal mailer, said inner mail piece selected from the group consisting of:
 an inner sleeve having at least one region of increased flexibility which is substantially aligned with said one or more score lines extending across each of said first and second main panels and said opening formed in each of said first and second peripheral side panels and extending between said first and second main panels;   an inner substrate formed of a flexible polymeric foam material; and   an inner tray.   
   
   
       18 . The postal mailer of  claim 17 , wherein the inner tray is a molded plastic tray having one or more compartments for receiving an item to be mailed. 
   
   
       19 . The postal mailer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 said first and second main panels being generally rectangular and of substantially the same dimension;   each of said first and second main panels having a first pair of opposing edges having a length in the range of about 4 to about 12 inches and a second pair of opposing edges having a length in the range of about 4 to about 15.75 inches; and   each of said opposing sidewalls having a thickness in the range of about 0.009 inches to about 1.25 inches.   
   
   
       20 . A postal mailer blank, comprising:
 a plurality of wall panels hingedly connected together for forming a first main panel, a second main panel opposing said first main panel, and first and second opposing side walls;   one or more score lines extending across said first main panel and one or more score lines extending across said second main panel; and   a first opening for forming a first opening in said first opposing side wall;   a second opening for forming a second opening in said second opposing side wall;   said first and second openings aligned with each other and with said one or more score lines extending across said first main panel and said one or more score lines extending across said second main panel.