Flexible Mailer and Blank for Making Same

Abstract

A one-piece blank is provided to fold into an envelope with self-contained pockets to receive goods for mailing. In one embodiment, each side flap of the blank is provided with an extension that is foldable into a pocket for disposition over the back panel of the blank. In a second embodiment, each side flap is provided with a pair of interconnected extensions that are foldable into pockets along with a part of the side flap for disposition over the back panel. The envelope formed by a blank is expandable to receive goods and when stuffed conforms to the United States Postal Service regulations for flat-sized pieces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A blank for making an envelope, said blank comprising
 a rectangular front panel having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from a bottom edge thereof, a horizontally disposed score line spaced from a top edge thereof, a vertically disposed score line spaced from one side edge thereof, a vertically disposed score line spaced from another side edge thereof and a plurality of angularly disposed score lines, each said angularly disposed score line extending from an intersection of a respective horizontally disposed score line and a vertically disposed score line to a respective corner of said panel;   a pair of side flaps at opposite sides of said front panel, each said flap being foldable over said front panel along a vertical fold line therebetween and including a vertically disposed score line spaced from said fold line, each said flap including a first section extending from a respective vertical fold line and a reduced second section extending from said first section;   a pair of extensions, each said extension extending from a respective side flap and having a plurality of contiguous sections for folding longitudinally thereof into a pocket for disposition over said front panel;   a back panel extending from said front panel along a horizontal fold line therebetween, said back panel having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from said fold line between said front and back panels to define a trapezoidal section therebetween, said back panel being foldable over said front panel and said second section of each said side flap to define a pocket therewith; and   a closure flap extending from said front panel along a horizontal fold line therebetween for folding over said back panel, said second section of each said flap and each said pocket, said closure flap having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from said fold line between said closure flap and said front panel.   
     
     
         2 . A blank as set forth in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said extensions has five of said contiguous sections for folding into a pocket of rectangular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         3 . A blank as set forth in  claim 1  wherein a perforated line separates at least one of said extensions from a respective one of said side flaps to allow said one extension to be separated from said respective one of said side flaps. 
     
     
         4 . A blank as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said back panel has a curvilinear edge at one end thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A blank as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising means for sealing said closure flap on said back panel, said means including an adhesive strip along an inside edge of said closure flap for sealing against said back panel and a removable barrier strip over said adhesive strip. 
     
     
         6 . A blank as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a removable tear strip in said closure flap. 
     
     
         7 . A blank for making an envelope, said blank comprising
 a rectangular front panel;   a pair of side flaps at opposite sides of said front panel, each said flap being foldable over said front panel along a vertical fold line therebetween and including a vertically disposed score line spaced from said fold line, each said flap including a first section extending from a respective vertical fold line and a reduced second section extending from said first section;   a pair of extensions, each said extension extending from a respective side flap and having a plurality of contiguous sections for folding longitudinally thereof into a pocket for disposition over said front panel;   a back panel extending from said front panel along a horizontal fold line therebetween, said back panel having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from said fold line between said front and back panels to define a trapezoidal section therebetween, said back panel being foldable over said front panel and said second section of each said side flap to define a pocket therewith; and   a closure flap extending from said front panel along a horizontal fold line therebetween for folding over said back panel, said second section of each said flap and each said pocket, said closure flap having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from said fold line between said closure flap and said front panel.   
     
     
         8 . A blank as set forth in  claim 7  wherein a perforated line separates at least one of said extensions from a respective one of said side flaps to allow said one extension to be separated from said respective one of said side flaps. 
     
     
         9 . An expandable flat-sized flexible envelope comprising
 a rectangular front panel having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from a bottom edge thereof, a horizontally disposed score line spaced from a top edge thereof, a vertically disposed score line spaced from one side edge thereof, a vertically disposed score line spaced from another side edge thereof and a plurality of angularly disposed score lines, each said angularly disposed score line extending from an intersection of a respective horizontally disposed score line and a vertically disposed score line to a respective corner of said panel;   a pair of side flaps at opposite sides of said front panel, each said flap being folded over said front panel along a vertical fold line therebetween and including a vertically disposed score line spaced from said fold line, each said flap including a first section extending from a respective vertical fold line and a reduced second section extending from said first section;   a pair of extensions, each said extension extending from a respective side flap and having a plurality of contiguous sections folded longitudinally thereof into a collapsed is expandable pocket and disposed over said front panel;   a back panel extending from said front panel along a horizontal fold line therebetween, said back panel having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from said fold line between said front and back panels to define a trapezoidal section therebetween, said back panel being folded over said front panel and said second section of each said side flap to define a pocket therewith; and   a closure flap extending from said front panel along a horizontal fold line therebetween and folded over said back panel, said second section of each said flap and each said pocket, said closure flap having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from said fold line between said closure flap and said front panel.   
     
     
         10 . An envelope as set forth in  claim 9  wherein at least one of said extensions is expandable into a pocket of rectangular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         11 . An envelope as set forth in  claim 9  further comprising a perforated line separating at least one of said extensions from a respective one of said side flaps to allow said one extension to be separated from said respective one of said side flaps. 
     
     
         12 . An envelope as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said back panel has an edge at one end thereof spaced from said extensions. 
     
     
         13 . An envelope as set forth in  claim 9  further comprising an adhesive strip along an inside edge of said closure flap sealing against said back panel. 
     
     
         14 . An envelope as set forth in  claim 9  further comprising a removable tear strip in said closure flap for releasing said closure flap from said back panel. 
     
     
         15 . An envelope comprising a rectangular front panel;
 a pair of side flaps at opposite sides of said front panel, each said flap being folded over said front panel along a vertical fold line therebetween and including a vertically disposed score line spaced from said fold line, each said flap including a first section extending from a respective vertical fold line and a reduced second section extending from said first section;   a pair of extensions, each said extension extending from a respective side flap and having a plurality of contiguous sections folded longitudinally thereof into an expandable pocket and disposed over said front panel;   a back panel extending from said front panel along a horizontal fold line therebetween, said back panel having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from said fold line between said front and back panels to define a trapezoidal section therebetween, said back panel being folded over said front panel and said second section of each said side flap to define a pocket therewith; and   a closure flap extending from said front panel along a horizontal fold line therebetween and folded over said back panel, said second section of each said flap and each said pocket, said closure flap having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from said fold line between said closure flap and said front panel.   
     
     
         16 . An envelope as set forth in  claim 15  further comprising a perforated line separating at least one of said extensions from a respective one of said side flaps to allow said one extension to be separated from said respective one of said side flaps. 
     
     
         17 . A blank for making an envelope, said blank comprising
 a rectangular front panel having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from a bottom edge thereof, a horizontally disposed score line spaced from a top edge thereof, a vertically disposed score line spaced from one side edge thereof, a vertically disposed score line spaced from another side edge thereof and a plurality of angularly disposed score lines, each said angularly disposed score line extending from an intersection of a respective horizontally disposed score line and a vertically disposed score line to a respective corner of said panel;   a pair of side flaps at opposite sides of said front panel, each said flap being foldable over said front panel along a vertical fold line therebetween;   a pair of extensions extending from each respective side flap, each said extension having a plurality of contiguous sections for folding longitudinally thereof into a collapsed pocket for disposition over said front panel;   a back panel extending from said front panel along a horizontal fold line therebetween, said back panel having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from said fold line between said front and back panels to define a trapezoidal section therebetween, said back panel being foldable over said front panel and each of said side flaps; and   a closure flap extending from said front panel along a horizontal fold line therebetween for folding over said back panel, each of said side flaps and each said pocket, said closure flap having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from said fold line between said closure flap and said front panel.   
     
     
         18 . A blank as set forth in  claim 17  wherein each said side flap includes a vertically disposed score line spaced from said fold line, an upper section extending from said vertical fold line and a lower section extending from said fold line. 
     
     
         19 . A blank as set forth in  claim 18  wherein said extension extending from said upper section of a respective side flap has four of said contiguous sections for folding into a collapsed pocket with said upper section. 
     
     
         20 . A blank as set forth in  claim 19  wherein said extension extending from said lower section of a respective side flap has four of said contiguous sections for folding into a collapsed pocket with said lower section. 
     
     
         21 . A blank as set forth in  claim 20  wherein each of said pair of extensions extending from each respective side flap has a central section of said contiguous sections for folding into parallel with said front panel and being connected to each other 
     
     
         22 . An expandable flat-sized flexible envelope comprising
 a rectangular front panel;   a pair of side flaps at opposite sides of said front panel, each said flap being folded over said front panel along a vertical fold line therebetween and including a vertically disposed score line spaced from said fold line, an upper section extending from said vertical fold line and a lower section extending from said fold line;   a pair of extensions, each said extension extending from a respective side flap and having a plurality of contiguous sections folded over each other into a collapsed condition and disposed over said front panel;   a back panel extending from said front panel along a horizontal fold line therebetween, said back panel having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from said fold line between said front and back panels to define a trapezoidal section therebetween, said back panel being folded over said front panel and said lower section of each said side flap; and   a closure flap extending from said front panel along a horizontal fold line therebetween and folded over said back panel, said upper section of each said flap and said back panel, said closure flap having a horizontally disposed score line spaced from said fold line between said closure flap and said front panel.   
     
     
         23 . An envelope as set forth in  claim 22  wherein at least one of said extensions is expandable into a pocket of rectangular cross-sectional shape with said upper section of a respective side flap.