Method and apparatus for managing the delivery of mail items

Abstract

A mailer provides a new way of securing the delivery of letters, packages, parcels, and/or other items of mail through the U.S. Postal Service. The mailer includes a container and a spacer attached to an inner surface of the container. The container is designed to hold items of mail having an aggregate thickness less than a minimum thickness required to qualify as a First Class Mail parcel. The spacer has a predetermined thickness which causes the first and second sheets of the container to expand to a thickness which equals or exceeds the minimum thickness required to qualify as a First Class Mail parcel. The mailer therefore allows otherwise unqualified mail items to be sent as First Class or special services mail.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A mailer, comprising:
 a container including first and second flexible sheets arranged in opposing relation and coupled to one another to form an enclosure to hold one or more items of mail, wherein an innermost surface of at least one of the first or second sheets is in contact with the one or more items of mail and wherein outermost surfaces of the first and second sheets form exterior surfaces of the container; and   at least one spacer in the container between the first and second sheets, wherein:   the one or more items of mail have an aggregate thickness less than a first thickness required to qualify as a predetermined class of mail,   the at least one spacer has a second thickness which is equal to or greater than the first thickness and which causes the first and second sheets of the container to separate by a distance which equals or exceeds the first thickness required to qualify as said predetermined class of mail,   the at least one spacer is located between the innermost surfaces of the first and second sheets, the at least one spacer in contact with at least one of the innermost surfaces of the first and second sheets,   a separation distance between the first and second sheets at locations which do not correspond to a location of the at least one spacer is less than the first thickness, and   each of the first and second sheets is made of material different from and with no intervening corrugated or bubble wrap layers.   
     
     
         3 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one spacer has a surface attached to the innermost surface of one of the first or second sheets. 
     
     
         4 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the at least one spacer has first and surfaces, and   the first surface of the at least one spacer is attached to the innermost surface of the first sheet and the second surface of the at least one spacer is attached to the innermost surface of the second sheet.   
     
     
         5 . The mailer of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a plurality of spacers between the first and second sheets,   wherein each of the plurality of spacers has the second thickness.   
     
     
         6 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein the second thickness of the spacer causes the first and second sheets to separate by a distance which satisfies a requirement of one or more special postal services provided by the United States Postal Service. 
     
     
         7 . The mailer of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more special services includes a delivery confirmation service provided by the United States Postal Service. 
     
     
         8 . The mailer of  claim 6 , the one or more special services includes a signature confirmation service provided by the United States Postal Service. 
     
     
         9 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein the first sheet includes an extension for closure over an opening of the container. 
     
     
         10 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one spacer is a foam block, the foam block compresses when pressure is applied and returns to an original form when the pressure is removed. 
     
     
         11 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one spacer is sized to fit into only a single corner of the container. 
     
     
         12 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein the spacer is made of a polymer. 
     
     
         13 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein the first sheet includes a transparent window for allowing identifying information on the one or more items of mail to be visible. 
     
     
         14 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second sheets are made of paper. 
     
     
         15 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second sheets are directly connected to one another. 
     
     
         16 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein the predetermined class of mail is First Class Mail. 
     
     
         17 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second sheets are made of a polymer. 
     
     
         18 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second sheets are made of only one layer. 
     
     
         19 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein the location of the at least one spacer is determined by a user of the mailer. 
     
     
         20 . The mailer of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second sheets have different lengths.