Easy open envelope

Abstract

An envelope comprising a tear strip that functions as an efficient opening means for access to the envelope contents.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An envelope comprising: 
 a) a body formed from a front panel, said front panel having two opposing side edges, and a rear panel also having two opposing side edges;    b) an overlapping seal flap, which is foldably connected to the front panel, having two side edges and further having an upper free edge thereof;    c) side flaps, each side flap being formed as an extension of a side edge of the front panel; and    d) a tape strip affixed in contiguous, unbroken fashion along one side edge of the front panel and along the corresponding side edge of the seal flap; wherein the cut edge of the tape strip at the upper free edge of the seal flap is contiguous with, and symmetrical in alignment to, said free edge of the seal flap;    e) a perforated region along the length of the seal flap adjacent to the tape strip; and    f) a perforated region in the lower region of the front panel, said perforation being disposed at an angle in relation to the lower end of the tape strip;    wherein a rip tab is formed by the aligned free edges of the tape strip and seal flap and said perforated region along the length of the seal flap.    
     
     
         2 . The envelope of  claim 1 , wherein the perforated region along the length of the seal flap extends along the entire length of said seal flap.  
     
     
         3 . The envelope of  claim 1 , wherein the tape strip is formed from plastic or adhesive-backed polymer film.  
     
     
         4 . A method of making an envelope having an easy opening feature comprising: 
 a) cutting a blank from a paper-based substrate;    b) scoring the blank to form a front panel, rear panel, seal flap and side flaps;    c) applying a gum adhesive at the inside outer edge of the seal flap;    d) affixing a tape strip lengthwise along one side edge of the front panel and along the corresponding region of the seal flap, the upper free edge of said tape strip being longer in length than the total length of the front panel and seal flap, and extending beyond the free edge of the seal flap;    e) trimming the corners of the seal flap, thereby removing excess substrate and tape strip, such that the upper free edge of the tape strip is contiguous with, and symmetrical in alignment to the free edge at the corresponding corner of the seal flap, said aligned free edges of the seal flap and tape strip forming a rip tab for opening the envelope;    f) adhering the side flaps to the interior of the rear panel to form the envelope body.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the tape strip is affixed by means of a self-contained adhesive on one side of the strip.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , which is performed in a machine process in which the rip tab is formed in the direction of movement of the blank through an envelope forming machine.