Patent US4778100A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4778100A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Direct-mail advertising package with acceptance form and return mailer envelope

Assignee: INSTANT WEB Inc 7951 POWERS BOULEVARD CHANHASSEN MINNESOTA 55317 A CORP OF MINNESOTA
•
Filing: 1986-09-10
•
Granted: 1988-10-18
•
Expires: 2006-09-10
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A direct-mail advertising package includes an acceptance form and a return mailer envelope. The acceptance form and envelope are disposed between a front and back cover, each of which may bear a promotional message. The respective peripheral edges of the package (or other peripherally-disposed portions of the package) are glued together, preferably intermittently, so that the integrity of the package may be maintained during mailing. The front and back covers are integrally joined to form a spine alongside an edge of the package, and recessed index tabs are formed on the package opposite to the spine, so that the package may be "popped" open against its adhesive retention. The acceptance form is perforated, and when torn away from the package, has outer dimensions which are less than the corresponding inside dimensions of the envelope; thus the acceptance form may be slipped easily into the envelope without folding the acceptance form. If desired, the acceptance form is made from a relatively-thin paper stock. With this arrangement, the acceptance form may be passed through an optical reader without jamming the equipment. Alternate embodiments are illustrated, including a double fold-out promotional sheet included in the mailing package.

Inventors

  • 👤 Thomas L. McGuire
  • 👤 Robert M. Steinberg

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 21:26
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D27/00; B65D27/06

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 178 words
A direct-mail advertising package comprising a plurality of sheets having respective peripheral portions, adhesive means for binding together at least some of the sheets substantially at their peripheral portions, thereby maintaining the integrity of the package during mailing, the plurality of sheets including a front cover, a back cover and an acceptance form, a return mailer envelope disposed between the front and back covers, the front cover bearing a display, the acceptance form bearing an addressee thereon, the package having an edge provided with a recessed indexing means, such that the package may be "popped" open to facilitate a manual separation of at least some of the sheets and a selection of the return mailer envelope against the retention of the adhesive means, the acceptance form being perforated for tearing the acceptance form away from the package, and the acceptance form upon removal from the package having outer dimensions which are less than the corresponding inner dimensions of the return mailer envelope, such that the acceptance form may be received within the envelope without folding the acceptance form.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 178 words
A direct-mail advertising package comprising a plurality of sheets having respective peripheral portions, adhesive means for binding together at least some of the sheets substantially at their peripheral portions, thereby maintaining the integrity of the package during mailing, the plurality of sheets including a front cover, a back cover and an acceptance form, a return mailer envelope disposed between the front and back covers, the front cover bearing a display, the acceptance form bearing an addressee thereon, the package having an edge provided with a recessed indexing means, such that the package may be "popped" open to facilitate a manual separation of at least some of the sheets and a selection of the return mailer envelope against the retention of the adhesive means, the acceptance form being perforated for tearing the acceptance form away from the package, and the acceptance form upon removal from the package having outer dimensions which are less than the corresponding inner dimensions of the return mailer envelope, such that the acceptance form may be received within the envelope without folding the acceptance form.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
The package of claim 1, wherein the front and back covers are integrally formed and are joined together to form a spine opposite to the indexing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
The package of claim 1, wherein the acceptance form has mutually-perpendicular respective perforations thereon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
The package of claim 1, wherein the acceptance form is made from a relatively-thin paper stock, whereby the acceptance form may be passed through an optical reader without jamming the reader or distorting the card.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 38 words
The package of claim 1, wherein the acceptance form is disposed directly beneath the front cover, and wherein the front cover has a window formed therein, whereby the addressee on the acceptance form is visible through the window.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 247 words
A direct-mail advertising package comprising a plurality of sheets having respective peripheral portions, adhesive means for binding together at least some of the sheets substantially at their peripheral portions, thereby maintaining the integrity of the package during mailing, the plurality of sheets including a front cover, a back cover and an acceptance form, the front and back covers being made from a relatively-stiff stock and being integrally joined together to form a spine along one edge of the package, the acceptance form being disposed directly beneath the front cover and bearing an addressee thereon, the acceptance form having mutually-perpendicular respective perforations thereon, the acceptance form being made from a relatively-thin stock, whereby the acceptance form may be passed through an optical reader without jamming the reader or distorting the card, a return mailer envelope disposed between the front and back covers, the package having an edge provided with a recessed indexing means substantially opposite to the spine, whereby the package may be "popped" open to facilitate a manual separation of at least some of the sheets and a selection of the return mailer envelope against the retention of the adhesive means, the perforations on the acceptance form facilitating tearing the acceptance form away from the package, and the acceptance form upon removal from the package having outer dimensions which are less than the corresponding inner dimensions of the return mailer envelope, such that the acceptance form may be received within the envelope without folding the acceptance form.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 247 words
A direct-mail advertising package comprising a plurality of sheets having respective peripheral portions, adhesive means for binding together at least some of the sheets substantially at their peripheral portions, thereby maintaining the integrity of the package during mailing, the plurality of sheets including a front cover, a back cover and an acceptance form, the front and back covers being made from a relatively-stiff stock and being integrally joined together to form a spine along one edge of the package, the acceptance form being disposed directly beneath the front cover and bearing an addressee thereon, the acceptance form having mutually-perpendicular respective perforations thereon, the acceptance form being made from a relatively-thin stock, whereby the acceptance form may be passed through an optical reader without jamming the reader or distorting the card, a return mailer envelope disposed between the front and back covers, the package having an edge provided with a recessed indexing means substantially opposite to the spine, whereby the package may be "popped" open to facilitate a manual separation of at least some of the sheets and a selection of the return mailer envelope against the retention of the adhesive means, the perforations on the acceptance form facilitating tearing the acceptance form away from the package, and the acceptance form upon removal from the package having outer dimensions which are less than the corresponding inner dimensions of the return mailer envelope, such that the acceptance form may be received within the envelope without folding the acceptance form.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 26 words
The package of claim 6, wherein the front cover has a window formed therein, whereby the addressee on the acceptance form is visible through the window.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 21 words
The package of claim 6, wherein the indexing means comprise recessed indexing tabs on a lower right-hand corner of the package.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 94 words
A direct-mail advertising package comprising a front cover and a back cover integrally joined together to form a spine along a side edge of the package, a return mailer envelope and an acceptance form disposed between the front and back covers, adhesive means for binding at least the front and back covers together to thereby maintain the integrity of the package during mailing, and recessed indexing means substantially opposite to the spine, whereby the package may be "popped" open against the adhesive means to facilitate a selection of the return-mailer envelope and acceptance form.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 94 words
A direct-mail advertising package comprising a front cover and a back cover integrally joined together to form a spine along a side edge of the package, a return mailer envelope and an acceptance form disposed between the front and back covers, adhesive means for binding at least the front and back covers together to thereby maintain the integrity of the package during mailing, and recessed indexing means substantially opposite to the spine, whereby the package may be "popped" open against the adhesive means to facilitate a selection of the return-mailer envelope and acceptance form.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 95 words
The package of claim 9, wherein the acceptance form has mutually-perpendicular perforations formed thereon, such that the acceptance form may be torn away from the package, and such that when removed the acceptance form has outer dimensions which are less than the corresponding inner dimensions of the return-mailer envelope, whereby the acceptance form may be received within the envelope without folding the acceptance form, and wherein the acceptance form is made from a relatively-thin paper stock, whereby the acceptance form may be passed through an optical reader without jamming the reader or distorting the card.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 19 words
The package of claim 9, further including a double fold-out promotional sheet disposed between the front and back covers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 110 words
A direct-mail advertising package comprising a front cover and a back cover integrally joined together to form a spine along a side edge of the package having three outer peripheral edges thereon, a double fold-out promotional sheet disposed between the front and back covers, adhesive means for binding at least the front and back covers together substantially at the peripheral portions thereof to thereby maintain the integrity of the package during mailing, and recessed indexing means on one of the three peripheral edges of the package, whereby the package may be "popped" open against the adhesive means to facilitate a selection and opening up of the double fold-out promotional sheet.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 110 words
A direct-mail advertising package comprising a front cover and a back cover integrally joined together to form a spine along a side edge of the package having three outer peripheral edges thereon, a double fold-out promotional sheet disposed between the front and back covers, adhesive means for binding at least the front and back covers together substantially at the peripheral portions thereof to thereby maintain the integrity of the package during mailing, and recessed indexing means on one of the three peripheral edges of the package, whereby the package may be "popped" open against the adhesive means to facilitate a selection and opening up of the double fold-out promotional sheet.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-10-18 1992-04-18 1992-10-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-10-18 1996-04-18 1996-10-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-10-18 2000-04-18 2000-10-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag