High security self-sealing mailing receptacle

Claim 2

A mailing device or the like comprising an envelope having a front and a rear face, said front and rear faces being connected at bottom and side edges, said rear face being of lesser vertical extent than said front face, said envelope including a mouth portion defined between the inner surface of said front face and the uppermost margin of said rear face, a closure flap defined by an upward continuation of said front face, said closure flap being connected to said front face at a first hinge line coincident with the upper margin of said front face, said closure flap extending laterally in each direction beyond said side edges, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on the inner surface of said closure flap extending entirely across said closure flap, a release strip removably secured to and covering said pressure sensitive layer, a tear strip formed on said closure flap, said tear strip being interposed between said first hinge line and said pressure sensitive layer, said envelope being sealable by removing said release strip, folding said closure flap over said mouth portion to bond portions of said pressure sensitive layer to said rear face, and thereafter folding the portions of said closure flap extending beyond said side edges into registry with said front face and bonding said extending portions to said front face.

Claim 3

A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tear strip begins at a point inwardly disposed with respect to one of said side edges and extends to a point at least coincident with said other side edge whereby, following sealing of said device and upon activation of said tear strip to open said device, at least a corner of said closure flap in registry with said one side edge remains in overlapping relation of said mouth portion.

Claim 4

A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said tear strip comprises a length of high tensile strength material bonded to said inner surface of said closure flap.

Claim 5

A device in accordance with claim 3 and including a generally U-shaped tab portion formed through said closure flap in registry with said tear strip, said tab being positioned in proximate relation to said one side edge.

Claim 6

A device in accordance with claim 1, said device being fabricated from a generally rectangular blank, said front and rear faces being defined by a first transverse fold line forming said bottom edge, said closure flap being partially separated from the body of said blank by inwardly extending slits substantially coincident with said first hinge line, said slits terminating at positions substantially coincident with said side edges, said side edges of said device being formed by inwardly folded double layer portions of said blank extending from said bottom edge toward said first hinge line.

Claim 7

A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said blank is formed of double thickness, the combination including padding material between said thicknesses in the area in registry with said front and rear faces.

Claim 8

A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tear strip comprises a length of high tensile strength material bonded to said inner surface of said closure flap, said material extending substantially entirely across said closure flap whereby, upon attachment of said extending portions of said closure flap, each of said side edges is encircled by a length of said high tensile strength material, said device including a cutout portion extending through said closure flap and said tear strip at a position in proximate relation to one of said side edges.

Claim 9

A mailing device or the like comprising an envelope having a front and a rear face, said front and rear faces being connected at bottom and side edges, said rear face being of lesser vertical extent than said front face, said envelope including a mouth portion defined between the inner surface of said front face and the uppermost margin of said rear face, a closure flap defined by an upward continuation of said front face, said closure flap being connected to said front face at a first hinge line coincident with the upper margin of said front face, said closure flap extending laterally in each direction beyond said side edges, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on the inner surface of said closure flap extending entirely across said closure flap adjacent the end margin thereof, a release strip removably secured to and covering said pressure sensitive layer, a length of high tensile strength material fixedly bonded to said inner surface of said closure flap at a position parallel to and interposed between said first hinge line and said pressure sensitive layer, said material extending entirely across said closure flap, a cutout portion formed through said closure flap and said tear strip laterally inwardly of and in proximate relation to one of said side edges, said envelope being sealable by removing said release strip, folding said closure flap over said mouth portion to bond portions of said pressure sensitive layer to said rear face, and thereafter folding the portions of said closure flap extending beyond said side edges into registry with said front face about fold lines coincident with said side edges and bonding said extending portions to said front face.

Claim 10

A mailing device or the like comprising an envelope having a front and a rear face, said front and rear faces being connected at bottom and side edges, said rear face being of lesser vertical extent than said front face, said envelope including a mouth portion defined between the inner surface of said front face and the uppermost margin of said rear face, a closure flap defined by an upward continuation of said front face, said closure flap being connected to said front face at a first hinge line coincident with the upper margin of said front face, said closure flap extending laterally in each direction beyond said side edges, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on the inner surface of said closure flap extending entirely across said closure flap adjacent the end margin thereof, a release strip removably secured to and covering said pressure sensitive layer, a length of high tensile strength material fixedly bonded to said inner surface of said closure flap at a position parallel to and interposed between said first hinge line and said pressure sensitive layer, said material extending entirely across said closure flap, a cutout portion formed through said closure flap and said tear strip laterally inwardly of and in proximate relation to one of said side edges, said envelope being sealable by removing said release strip, folding said closure flap over said mouth portion to bond portions of said pressure sensitive layer to said rear face, and thereafter folding the portions of said closure flap extending beyond said side edges into registry with said front face about fold lines coincident with said side edges and bonding said extending portions to said front face.