Reclosable envelope

#The present invention relates to a reclosable envelope, and more particularly relates to such a reclosable envelope as is used in inter-office communications. A first tab is adhered to the main portion of the envelope and a second adhered to the overlying flap, with there being elongated means for releasably interconnecting these two tabs.

#Conventionally inter-office envelopes are designed to be of sturdy construction in order to withstand multiple reuses thereof as the envelope is employed for the shipment of inter-office communications within a large organization. Typically, an envelope of this prior art type is formed of relatively high-grade paper, and includes a reclosable flap mechanism, usually consisting of a string secured to a tab affixed to the flap of the envelope and capable of being wound about a second tab fixed to one surface of the body of the envelope. However, this prior art type of envelope requires riveting of each tab to their respective parts of the envelope. This results in a time consuming and expensive manufacturing process, which includes many manual steps.

#Applicant is also aware of a prior art device disclosed in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 808,601 filed on June 21, 1977, by Robert Cohn et al, entitled Improved Inter-Office Envelope. This application specifically discloses the advantageous concept of connecting various tabs to an envelope via hot melt adhesive. This eliminates the requirement of riveting of such tabs and allows the tabs to be secured to the envelope by means of high-speed machines. In that application each of the tabs is substantially annular in one embodiment and are secured to their respective parts of the envelope by a single spot of adhesive. In another embodiment, the tab securable to the main body portion of the envelope is circular and is secured to the envelope by means of a plurality of spots of hot melt adhesive.

#Referring now to the drawings which form a part of this original disclosure and which are not necessarily to scale:

#FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a reclosable envelope in accordance with the present invention showing a tab coupled to the main body portion of an envelope having a plurality of elongated fingers therein which releasable receive an elongated member extending from a tab coupled to the overlying flap on the envelope;

#FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view in side elevation taken along lines 2--2 in FIG. 1, showing how the plurality of fingers on the tabs releasably receive the elongated member;

#Referring now the drawings in further detail, a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and comprises an envelope 10 including an enclosed body portion 11 hingedly connected to an overlying flap 12, a first tab 14 and a second tab 16. Releasably interconnecting the first and second tabs is an elongated flexible member 18.

#Envelope 10 is a conventional envelope formed of paper or other suitable material including reinforced polymeric material. The overlying flap 12 is preferably integrally formed with the enclosed body portion 11 of the envelope. The basic purpose of the invention is to provide an apparatus for releasably securing the flap 12 to the main body portion 11.

#The first tab 14 is preferably formed of a polymeric material having an elastic memory and is rectangular in plan and has a substantially rectangular cross section. As shown in FIG. 1, the elongated member 18 is integral with and extends from the bottom of the first tab. The elongated member 18 has a substantially rectangular cross section as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. At the distal end of the elongated member 18 is an enlarged end portion 20 which facilitates manual manipulation of the elongated member.