Envelope processing evaluation guide

Abstract

In a method and system for facilitating evaluation of the production accuracy of an envelope machine for producing folded envelopes from sheets of envelope stock, a guide of the same size as the envelope stock has indicia printed thereon corresponding to the locations of desired envelope folding operations. By processing a guide with the machine to form an envelope, the deviation of the actual folding location from the desired folding location can be evaluated by reference to the indicia and corrective machine adjustments can be made. Additional indicia printed on the guide facilitate further evaluation, such as accurate cutting of the envelope stock.

1 . An evaluation guide sheet for evaluating at least the processing accuracy of an envelope machine capable of producing folded envelopes from sheets of envelope stock, the evaluation guide sheet comprising:
 a sheet of envelope stock having a first envelope flap area and first printed indicia corresponding to the first envelope flap area, the first printed indicia comprising a first desired fold line indicia printed along an exact location of a desired fold line and one or more first positioning indicia associated with the first desired fold line indicia and printed parallel to and adjacent to the first desired fold line indicia, the first desired fold line indicia indicating the exact location at which the first envelope flap area should be folded to form a first envelope flap.   
     
     
         2 . The evaluation guide sheet of  claim 1  wherein the sheet of envelope stock comprises a seal flap having first indicia printed thereon and a bottom flap having second indicia printed thereon, the first and second indicia being positioned such that the first and second indicia overlap and align with one another when the seal flap is accurately folded over the bottom flap. 
     
     
         3 . The evaluation guide sheet of  claim 1 , the sheet of envelope stock further having one or more line groups printed thereon, the one or more line groups indicating the desired location at which the sheet of envelope stock should be cut. 
     
     
         4 . The evaluation guide sheet of  claim 1 , wherein the first desired fold line indicia comprises a first line and the one or more first positioning indicia comprises one or more additional lines positioned adjacent to, and in parallel with, the first line. 
     
     
         5 . The evaluation guide sheet of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more additional lines are visually different than the first line. 
     
     
         6 . The evaluation guide sheet of  claim 1 , the sheet of envelope stock having a second envelope flap area and second printed indicia corresponding to the second envelope flap area, the second printed indicia comprising a second desired fold line indicia printed along an exact location of a desired second fold line and one or more second positioning indicia associated with the second desired fold line indicia and printed parallel to and adjacent to the second desired fold line indicia, the second desired fold line indicia indicating the exact location at which the second envelope flap area should be folded to form a second envelope flap. 
     
     
         7 . The evaluation guide sheet of  claim 6 , wherein the first desired fold line indicia comprises a first line and the one or more first positioning indicia comprises one or more additional lines positioned adjacent to, and in parallel with, the first line, and the second desired fold line indicia comprises a second line and the one or more second positioning indicia comprises one or more additional lines positioned adjacent to, and in parallel with, the second line. 
     
     
         8 . The evaluation guide sheet of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more first additional lines are visually different than the first line, and the one or more second additional lines are visually different than the second line. 
     
     
         9 . The evaluation guide sheet of  claim 7 , wherein the first line is non-parallel to the second line.