Mail Assembly for Flats Transportation

Abstract

A mail assembly and a method of packing an envelope with the mail assembly. The mail assembly having a mail tray that is sized and shaped to be inserted into a flat envelope and a plurality of protrusions extending distally out of the mail tray and forming at least one holding area on the mail tray for retaining at least one item, wherein each of the plurality protrusions is disconnected from the other protrusions.

1 . A mail assembly, comprising:
 a mail tray that is sized and shaped to be inserted into a flat envelope; and   a plurality of protrusions extending distally out of the mail tray and forming at least one holding area on the mail tray for retaining at least one item, wherein each of the plurality protrusions is disconnected from the other protrusions.   
     
     
         2 . The mail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions are arranged in a predetermined pattern to form the at least one holding area. 
     
     
         3 . The mail assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the predetermined pattern is configured to form the at least one holding area to retain a single item. 
     
     
         4 . The mail assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the predetermined pattern is configured to form the at least one holding area to retain multiple items. 
     
     
         5 . The mail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the protrusions extends an equal distance from the mail tray. 
     
     
         6 . The mail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions comprises:
 a first set of protrusions having a first shape; and   at least one second protrusion having a second shape, wherein the first shape is different from the second shape.   
     
     
         7 . The mail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one holding area comprises an interior of one of the protrusions. 
     
     
         8 . The mail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions comprises:
 a first set of protrusions extending a first distance from the mail tray; and   a second set of protrusions extending a second distance from the mail tray, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance.   
     
     
         9 . The mail assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first set of protrusions are arranged around a perimeter of the mail tray. 
     
     
         10 . The mail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tray comprises a rectangular shape. 
     
     
         11 . The mail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein, when the mail assembly is inserted into the flat envelope, the flat envelope has a substantially uniform thickness. 
     
     
         12 . The mail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the protrusions comprise a conical frustum shape. 
     
     
         13 . The mail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the protrusions taper from a proximal end on a top surface of the mail tray to a distal end. 
     
     
         14 . The mail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the protrusions comprise a distal end that is flat. 
     
     
         15 . The mail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mail tray includes at least one hole that penetrates through the mail tray. 
     
     
         16 . The mail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mail assembly comprises one of a fiber based material, a petroleum based plastic material, or a plant based plastic material. 
     
     
         17 . A method of packing an envelope with an item to be mailed, comprising:
 selecting a mail assembly comprising a mail tray and a plurality of protrusions extending distally out of the mail tray to forming at least one holding area on the mail tray, wherein the mail assembly is sized and shaped to correspond to the envelope;   inserting the item into the holding area on the mail tray; and   inserting the mail assembly including the item into the envelope.