Envelope tray adapter

Abstract

An envelope tray adapter is designed to protect a horizontal stack of envelopes positioned in a postal tray having outwardly angled sidewalls. The adapter has pairs of side and end panels joined end to end and sized to fit on the bottom wall of the tray. Each panel has a height greater than the envelope stack, but less than the sidewalls of the tray for supporting a second postal tray nested on top and protecting the envelopes from crushing. The panels may be formed from a continuous length of material that is folded to form the end and side panels. The adapter panels may also be formed of a corrugated paper material. One end of the panels has a free end including a glue flap that overlaps and adheres to the inner surface of the adjacent panel.

1 . An envelope tray adapter for a protecting a horizontal stack of envelopes positioned in a tray having outwardly angled side walls and a bottom wall, each side wall having a side wall height, said bottom wall having a bottom wall length and a bottom wall width, each envelope having an envelope length and an envelope height, said envelope length being less than said bottom wall width, and said adapter comprising:
 (a) a pair of end panels, each end panel having an end panel height and having a panel length less than said bottom wall width;   (b) a pair of side panels, each side panel having a side panel height and having a side panel length less than said bottom wall length;   (c) said end panels and said side panels being joined in end to end relation with said end panels opposite one another and said side panels opposite one another; and   (d) said end panels and said side panels having such panel heights and cooperating in such a manner as to support a second tray out of crushing engagement with a stack of envelopes positioned within said panels.   
   
   
       2 . An adapter as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) said end panels are of generally equal height and only one of said side panels has a panel height equal to the height of said end panels.   
   
   
       3 . An adapter as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) the end panel heights and the side panel heights are all substantially equal.   
   
   
       4 . An adapter as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) each end panel height and each side panel height is greater than said envelope height but less than said side wall height; and   (b) the end panel heights and the side panel heights are all substantially equal.   
   
   
       5 . An adapter as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) said adapter is positioned within said tray and supports a second tray stacked thereon out of crushing relation with a horizontal stack of envelopes positioned in said adapter.   
   
   
       6 . An adapter as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) one of said end panels has a first free end and an inner surface;   (b) a side panel adjacent said one of said end panels has a second free end; and   (c) a glue flap extends from said second free end, overlaps said inner surface of the end panel adjacent thereto at said first free end, and is adhered to said inner surface of the adjacent end panel.   
   
   
       7 . An adapter as set forth in  claim 1  and including:
 (a) a continuous length of material folded to form a first side panel, a first end panel, a second side panel, and a second end panel.   
   
   
       8 . An adapter as set forth in  claim 1  and including:
 (a) a continuous length of material folded to form a first end panel, a first side panel, a second end panel, a second side panel, and a glue flap; and   (b) said glue flap is adhered to said first end panel.   
   
   
       9 . An adapter as set forth in  claim 1  and including:
 (a) a continuous length of material folded to form a first end panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, a second side panel, and a glue flap;   (b) said glue flap is adhered to said first end panel; and   (c) said adapter is formed of a corrugated paper material.   
   
   
       10 . An envelope packaging system for horizontal stacks of envelopes, each envelop having an envelope length and an envelope height, said system comprising:
 (a) a first postal tray having outwardly angled side and end walls and a bottom wall, each side wall and end wall having a side wall height, said bottom wall having a bottom wall length and a bottom wall width, said side height being greater than said envelope height;   (b) an envelope tray adapter including:
 (1) a pair of end panels, each end panel having an end panel height less than said side wall height but greater than said envelope height and a panel length less than said bottom wall width; 
 (2) a pair of side panels, each side panel having a side panel height equal to said end panel height and a side panel length less than said bottom wall length; and 
 (3) said end panels and said side panels being joined in end to end relation with said end panels opposite one another and said side panels opposite one another; 
   (c) said envelope tray adapter being positioned within said postal tray engaging said bottom wall to receive a horizontal stack of envelopes within said adapter; and   (d) a second postal tray positioned on said envelope tray adapter to thereby maintain said second postal tray out of crushing engagement with envelopes positioned within said envelope tray adapter.   
   
   
       11 . A system as set forth in  claim 10  wherein:
 (a) one of said end panels has a first free end and an inner surface;   (b) a side panel adjacent said one of said end panels has a second free end; and   (c) a glue flap extends from said second free end, overlaps said inner surface of the end panel adjacent thereto at said first free end, and is adhered to said inner surface of the adjacent end panel.   
   
   
       12 . A system as set forth in  claim 10  and including:
 (a) a continuous length of material folded to form a first end panel, a first side panel, a second end panel, and a second side panel.   
   
   
       13 . A system as set forth in  claim 10  and including:
 (a) a continuous length of material folded to form a first end panel, a first side panel, a second end panel, a second side panel, and a glue flap; and   (b) said glue flap is adhered to said first end panel.   
   
   
       14 . A system as set forth in  claim 10  and including:
 (a) a continuous length of material folded to form a first end panel, a first side panel, a second end panel, a second side panel, and a glue flap;   (b) said glue flap is adhered to said first end panel; and   (c) said adapter wall is formed of a corrugated paper material.   
   
   
       15 . A method for packaging horizontal stacks of envelopes, each envelope having an envelope length and an envelope height, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a plurality of postal trays, each tray including outwardly angled side and end walls and a bottom wall, each side wall and end wall having a side wall height, said bottom wall having a bottom wall length and a bottom wall width, said side height being greater than said envelope height;   (b) providing a plurality of envelope tray adapters, each adapter including:
 (1) a pair of end panels, each end panel having an end panel height less than said side wall height but greater than said envelope height and a panel length less than said bottom wall width; 
 (2) a pair of side panels, each side panel having a side panel height equal to said end panel height and a side panel length less than said bottom wall length; and 
 (3) said end panels and said side panels being joined in end to end relation with said end panels opposite one another and said side panels opposite one another; 
   (c) positioning one of said envelope tray adapters within each of a plurality of said postal trays, each adapter engaging said bottom wall of a respective tray;   (d) positioning a horizontal stack of envelopes within each of said adapters; and   (e) stacking said postal trays with adapters and envelopes therein with each upper tray engaging an adapter in its respective lower tray whereby each upper tray is maintained out of crushing engagement with envelopes in the respective lower tray.   
   
   
       16 . A method as set forth in  claim 15  and for each adapter performing the steps of:
 (a) providing one of said end panels with a first free end and an inner surface;   (b) providing a side panel adjacent said one of said end panels with a second free end;   (c) providing a glue flap extending from said second free end and overlapping said inner surface of the end panel adjacent thereto at said first free end; and   (d) gluing said glue flap to said inner surface of the adjacent end panel.   
   
   
       17 . A system as set forth in  claim 15  and including the step of:
 (a) folding a continuous length of material to form a first end panel, a first side panel, a second end panel, and a second side panel of each adapter.   
   
   
       18 . A system as set forth in  claim 15  and including the steps of:
 (a) folding a continuous length of material to form a first end panel, a first side panel, a second end panel, a second side panel, and a glue flap of each adapter; and   (b) gluing said glue flap of each adapter to said second end panel thereof.   
   
   
       19 . A system as set forth in  claim 15  and including the steps of:
 (a) folding a continuous length of a corrugated paper material to form a first end panel, a first side panel, a second end panel, a second side panel, and a glue flap of each adapter; and   (b) gluing said glue flap of each adapter to said second end panel thereof.