U.S. patent application number 10/782611 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-18 for decorative gift article.
This patent application is currently assigned to MARS, INCORPORATED. Invention is credited to Baker, Paul, Rake, Joseph, Richards, William R..
Application Number | 20040226846 10/782611 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33423176 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040226846 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rake, Joseph ; et
al. |
November 18, 2004 |
Decorative gift article
Abstract
A decorative gift article is in the form of a gift package
decoration attached to or forming a container. The container has an
interior volume, configured to hold gift items, and an opening,
configured to provide access to items within the interior volume. A
cover or closure is provided for the opening.
Inventors: |
Rake, Joseph; (East
Stroudsburg, PA) ; Baker, Paul; (Sayloriburg, PA)
; Richards, William R.; (Pluckemin, NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FITZPATRICK CELLA HARPER & SCINTO
30 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA
NEW YORK
NY
10112
US
|
Assignee: |
MARS, INCORPORATED
McLean
VA
|
Family ID: |
33423176 |
Appl. No.: |
10/782611 |
Filed: |
February 19, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60448696 |
Feb 19, 2003 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/457 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2543/00092
20130101; B65D 2543/00527 20130101; B65D 43/0222 20130101; B65D
2543/00296 20130101; B65D 2543/00944 20130101; B65D 2543/00537
20130101; B65D 67/00 20130101; B65D 2543/00361 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/457 |
International
Class: |
B65D 005/00; B65D
073/00 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A decorative gift article, comprising: a gift package decoration
and a container; wherein the container defines an interior volume
configured for holding at least one gift item, the container having
a first configuration to secure items within the container and a
second configuration to provide access to items within the interior
volume; the gift package decoration comprises a ribbon or is
symbolic of a festive event or a combination thereof; and the
container is removably attached to, connected to, or integrated
with the gift package decoration.
2. The article of claim 1, wherein the ribbon is in the form of a
bow.
3. The article of claim 1, wherein the gift package decoration is a
molded material defining a cavity that forms a portion of the
container, such that the gift package decoration and the container
are a single piece.
4. The article of claim 3, wherein the gift package decoration is a
ribbon in the form of a bow.
5. The article of claim 1, wherein the container is a separate
element attached to the gift package decoration.
6. The article of claim 5, wherein the gift package decoration is a
molded material.
7. The article of claim 5, wherein the gift package decoration is a
ribbon is in the form of a bow.
8. The article of claim 1, wherein the container has the form of an
oblate spheroid.
9. The article of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive material
located on a portion of at least one of the gift package decoration
and the container, and configured to permit adhering of the article
to another surface.
10. The article of claim 9, wherein the adhesive comprises a
peel-away adhesive strip carried on at least one of the gift
package decoration and the container.
11. The article of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a first
portion and a second portion, at least one of the first portion and
the second portion defining at least a portion of an interior
volume and an opening providing access to the interior volume.
12. The article of claim 1, further comprising at least one tag
attached to at least one of the gift package decoration and the
container on which a legend may be provided.
13. The article of claim 1, wherein the container has a generally
domed shape.
14. The article of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a first
portion and a second portion, and the second portion is configured
to function as a lid or closure for an opening defined by the first
portion that provides access to the interior volume defined by the
first portion.
15. The article of claim 14, wherein at least a part of the first
portion has a domed shape.
16. The article of claim 14, wherein a portion of the second
portion is configured to fit within a portion of the interior
volume to secure items within the interior volume.
17. The article of claim 14, wherein the second portion further
comprises at least one tab configured to facilitate separation of
the first and second portions.
18. The article of claim 1, wherein the gift package decoration is
symbolic of at least one of the birth of a child, a birthday, a
wedding, an anniversary, a religious holiday or event, a secular
holiday, friendship, or love.
19. A decorative gift article, comprising: a flexible ribbon bow; a
container, attached to the bow, defining an interior volume for
storing gift items and an opening for providing access to the
interior volume; and a closure for the opening.
20. A decorative gift article, comprising: a gift package
decoration symbolic of a festive event; a container, attached to
the gift package decoration, defining an interior volume for
storing gift items and an opening for providing access to the
interior volume; and a closure for the opening.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention is generally directed to a decorative
gift article. In particular, the present invention is directed to a
decorative gift article that is attached to or is an integral part
of a gift package for small gifts, such as pieces of candy, that
may be given alone or attached to a wrapped gift.
[0003] 2. Related Background Art
[0004] Gifts given on special occasions, such as birthdays, are
often wrapped in brightly colored and decorated paper, typically
having a design that reflects the special occasion. The wrapping
paper adds a festive appearance to the gift, and helps to add an
element of surprise. The use of decorations, such as decorative
bows and ribbons, with or without other adornment, is typically
expected, and all but required on gift packages today. Thus, bows,
ribbons, and other decorations for gift packages are known in the
art.
[0005] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,459 to Keller discloses a
decorative ribbon having a controllable adhesive that permits the
ribbon to be adhered to a gift package, but also to be removed, and
relocated on the package. The ribbon may include an incomplete die
cut to provide for decorative stand-up portions, decorative
cutouts, or messages in the ribbon.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,614,274 to Huss discloses a preformed bow
that, in at least one application, has a layer of pressure
sensitive adhesive for adhering the bow to an object.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,778 to Andonian discloses a gift-package
ornament for enhancing the decorative appearance of a gift, where
the ornament includes an upright figure and a flexible base that
can be affixed to a surface or a gift.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,725 to McCormack et al. discloses a
candy package for stick candy that includes a clip for attaching a
bow or a gift card to the package. The bow and card are attached to
the clip by adhesive or a twist-tie member that is looped around
folded ribbon to give the appearance of a tied bow.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,769 to Chung discloses a decorative gift
article that incorporates a pouch to accommodate gift items. A
decorative ribbon can be tied to a center portion of the pouch to
constrict it to retain items, such as jewelry or candy, in the
pouch.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 1,238,110 to Coolidge discloses a candy
container in which candy pieces simulate fruit or nuts, and are
arranged to resemble a bouquet.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,560 to Stringham discloses a structure
for holding confections for use in conventional greeting card
envelopes. The structure has the form of a confection tray formed
from a sheet of material having a generally planar upper surface
with one or more relatively shallow open recesses or receptacles.
The recesses are shaped to hold a confection or other gift item so
that the top of the item is generally flush with the upper surface
of the sheet of material. The tray may be inserted into a folding
greeting card.
[0012] U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 288,062 discloses a combined
greeting card and candy package. The sides, top, and bottom of the
package are all rectangular, and the top is printed with the words
"Happy Birthday".
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,275 to Faiola et al. discloses a
greeting card comprising a removable, transparent receptacle for a
gift, such as a flower. The receptacle is detachably secured to the
card for easy removal without damaging the card or detracting from
the appearance of the card. The card may comprise means for
securing the gift within the receptacle, or the gift may be secured
by closing the card.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,905 to Ingber et al. discloses a gift
package including a candy CD in a CD holder that has a base and a
transparent cover, where the cover holds a card that is visible
through the cover, and contains a preprinted message.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,452 to Craig discloses a "tethered
fortune" that comprises a tether attached to a fortune card and
charm. The charm may be encapsulated in a rigid capsule attached to
the fortune card.
[0016] U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,379 to Roccaforte discloses an
ornamental band for encircling an object and a decorative element
attached to the band. The ban includes a strip of elastic material
large enough to be stretched over and retained by the object.
[0017] U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,386 to Cheng discloses a decorative gift
article that comprises a decorative support and a retaining frame
for holding one or more gift items. The retaining frame is
configured to hold a gift item in confinement, while permitting at
least a substantial portion of the gift item to be observed. No
closure or other means of preventing exposure of the gift item to
the environment is disclosed.
[0018] U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,769 to Cheng discloses a decorative gift
article that comprises a decorative support and at least one pouch
to accommodate gift items. The pouch is tied off with a ribbon or
cord or the like to retain the gift items in the pouch. The pouch
is advantageously a mesh-like material or netting.
[0019] U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,836 to Eisenbraun discloses a display
package that comprises a folding display card and a unitary blister
package configured to hold the card in a folded configuration.
[0020] U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,404 to Lithwick discloses a greeting
card that comprises front and back panels and a flat container
mounted in a cut-out in the front panel. The container is formed
form a single, folded piece of thin sheet acrylic.
[0021] U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,936 to Ferguson discloses an ornamental
article that comprises a housing for holding a gift article, a
viewing aperture for viewing a gift within the housing, and a
closable lid.
[0022] U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,350 to Haase, et al. discloses a shower
party nameplate and favor that comprises a flexible mesh fabric bag
and a cardboard name plate attached to the bag.
[0023] U.S. Pat. No. 2,806,313 to James discloses a decorative
center for package bows that comprises a center that is held in
place by a fastener. The center may be hollow with a top opening.
However, no closure for the opening is disclosed.
[0024] U.S. Pat. No. Des. 431,878 to Holowich discloses a combined
button and bow.
[0025] However, the applicant is not aware of any prior art that
discloses a gift article, comprising a container for small gift
items incorporated with or attached to a gift package decoration.
The present invention provides such a gift article.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0026] The present invention provides a novel decorative gift
article or package that includes a container for gift items
integrated with or attached to a gift package decoration, such as a
ribbon, decorative card, or bow. The container may be filled with
one or more non-edible or edible gift items. Non-edible gift items
include, but are not limited to, small toys, jewelry, cosmetics,
and the like. Edible gift items can be for human or pet
consumption, such as nuts, pretzels, and confections, which may be
wrapped or unwrapped, for humans, and snacks and treats, such as
bones, biscuits, rawhide, and the like for pets. The filled article
can then be associated with another gift package or box in the
manner of a conventional gift package decoration, such as a ribbon
or bow, to provide an interesting and inviting present.
[0027] The decorative gift package or article of the present
invention comprises a gift package decoration, which may be
symbolic of a festive event, or a ribbon, which may be in the form
of a bow, or a combination of a ribbon and a symbolic gift package
decoration. The decorative gift package of the invention further
comprises a container that defines an interior volume configured
for holding at least one gift item, and has a first configuration
to secure items within the container, preferably in a manner that
prevents exposure of the gift item to the environment, and a second
configuration to provide access to items within the interior
volume. The container is configured to hold smaller gift items,
where the container opening provides access to the gift items
within the interior volume.
[0028] The container may comprise one or more pieces. A one-piece
container may have a punch-out, i.e., a pre-scored or weakened
area, to access items within the container. Preferably, the
container comprises a first portion and a second portion, where at
least one of the first portion and the second portion defines at
least a portion of an interior volume and an opening providing
access to the interior volume. In one embodiment, the first portion
defines the interior volume and the opening, and the second portion
is configured to function as a lid for covering the opening,
thereby securing small gift items within the interior volume. The
container may be formed of any useful material known in the art.
Preferably, at least a portion of the container is substantially
rigid.
[0029] The container may be attached to the gift package decoration
by any means known in the art, or the gift package decoration may
be formed such that the container is part of the gift package
decoration. For example, the gift package decoration may be a
molded material defining a cavity that is the container, such that
the gift package decoration and the container are a single piece.
Optionally, the gift article further comprises at least one tag
attached to the gift package decoration or container that can bear
a written legend like an address to which the article is to be sent
or a brand name for the article.
[0030] Preferably, the article comprises an adhesive material on a
portion of the gift package decoration or the container, configured
to permit adhering the article to a gift package. For example, the
adhesive material could be a peel-away adhesive backing on the gift
package decoration. The adhesive may be of the type that
permanently attaches the gift article to the gift package, or of
the type that allows the gift article to be affixed to the package,
removed, and repositioned on the package without damaging the gift
package.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a gift article in
accordance with the invention in which the gift package decoration
is a flexible bow, and the container cover is in place;
[0032] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the gift article, like
FIG. 1, where the container cover has been removed;
[0033] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the gift article of
FIG. 1;
[0034] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a gift article in
accordance with the invention, where the gift package decoration is
a molded bow comprising the container;
[0035] FIGS. 5A to 5D illustrate gift articles in accordance with
the invention, where the gift package decoration is symbolic of a
celebrated event;
[0036] FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the container of the
gift articles of FIGS. 5A to 5D, where the container is closed;
[0037] FIG. 7 is a front perspective view for the container of FIG.
6, where the container is open;
[0038] FIG. 8 is a cross sectional illustration of the container of
FIGS. 6 and 7; and
[0039] FIGS. 9 and 10 are top plan views of the two portions of the
container FIGS. 6 and 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE
INVENTION
[0040] As used herein, the terms "decoration" and "gift package
decoration" refer to any decorative article appropriate for
decorating a gift package, such as ribbons, bows, and decorative
cards.
[0041] As used herein, the term "ribbon" refers to any piece of
flexible or inflexible material having the appearance of a
conventional ribbon. That is, the material resembles, but need not
be, a strip or band of fabric or cloth. Ribbons may be textured or
non-textured, transparent, translucent, or opaque, and colored or
uncolored. Transparent ribbons may also be clear or tinted. In
accordance with the invention, ribbons may be formed of any
material useful in a gift article, and may be flat, looped, or tied
in knots or bows, or configured to give the appearance of being
tied in knots or bows.
[0042] One embodiment of the gift article according to the present
invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. The gift article 10
comprises a gift package decoration 12, which, as illustrated,
comprises a ribbon in the form of a bow, and a container 11. As
discussed above, and as with the other embodiments of the invention
discussed below, the container may comprise one or more pieces. As
illustrated, the container 11 comprises a first portion 14, which
functions as a base, and a second portion 16, which functions as a
cover, closure, or lid for the first portion 14 of the container
11. Optionally, the gift article 10 further comprises at least one
gift tag 18 and at least one peel away adhesive strip 24 for
attaching article 10 to a gift package. The illustrated first and
second portions 14 and 16 together define a cavity or interior
volume 20 in which gift items, such as confectionery pieces, e.g.,
sugar shelled candies, may be stored. The interior volume or cavity
20 is accessible through at least one opening 22 defined by the
first portion 14. As illustrated, the first portion 14 is attached
to gift package decoration 12 by an adhesive material, but may be
attached by any suitable fastener known in the art, such as a
rivet, clamp, clasp, or pin. The illustrated first and second
portions 14 and 16 of the container 11 together form complimentary
portions of an oblate spheroid. However, as will be recognized by
those skilled in the art, the base 14 and the closure 16 may have
any decorative or functional shape useful in the invention. For
example, the container 11 may have a shape that is symbolic of a
celebrated event, such as a birthday cake.
[0043] The first and second portions 14 and 16 of the container 11
are preferably, but need not be, formed from the same material,
such as a plastic, which may be transparent, opaque, or
translucent, and of any color, color pattern, or design. For
example, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the
first portion 14 may be opaque and the second portion 16
transparent to allow viewing of the gifts within the container 11.
Moreover, the second portion 16, which functions as a closure, need
not be substantially the same size as the first portion 14, as
shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, at least a portion of the container 11
is formed of a material that is substantially rigid. The second
portion 16 need only be of an appropriate size and shape to
securely cover opening 22, where opening 22 is of a sufficient size
and appropriate shape to allow access to the interior volume 20. In
addition, the second portion 16 may be totally removable from the
base 14 or attached or tethered by a ribbon, string, hinge or the
like (not shown).
[0044] Preferably, the first and second portions 14 and 16 of the
container 11 are configured to be secured together in a manner that
prevents exposure of the contents of container 11 to the
environment. More preferably, the first and second portions 14 and
16 are configured to be secured sufficiently to allow the container
11 to function as a primary package or "first wrap" for an edible
product, where the container 11 prevents dirt, excess moisture,
infestation, and other such contaminants from entering the
container 11. The container may also have a tamper evident feature,
such that the package reveals a non-reversible physical change when
the contents of the container are accessed. This may include a
pop-up button, a tear/break in the packaging and the like.
[0045] A further embodiment of the gift article of the invention is
illustrated in FIG. 4. As shown there, the gift article 30
comprises a gift package decoration 32 and a container 34, where
the gift package decoration 32 is in the form of a molded bow, and
the gift package decoration and a first portion 35 of the container
34 are molded from a single piece of material, such as plastic. As
with the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the material may
be transparent, translucent, or opaque. The container 34 is
configured to store gift items, as described above.
[0046] The container 34 of the gift article 30 further comprises a
second portion 36, which functions as a closure, and is configured
to cover an opening defined by the first portion 34 in the same
manner as the container 11 of the gift article 10, illustrated in
FIGS. 1 to 3, such that the opening is uncovered when the second
portion 36 is removed to provide access to gift items stored in the
container 34. Optionally, the gift article 30 may also comprise one
or more tags 40 carried on the bow on which an address or a brand
name, can be written.
[0047] As with the embodiment discussed above, the container 34 is
preferably configured to be secured in a manner that prevents
exposure of the contents of container 34 to the environment. More
preferably, the container 34 is configured to function as a primary
package or "first wrap" for an edible product, where the container
34 prevents dirt, excess moisture, infestation, and other such
contaminants from entering the container. The container 34 may also
have a tamper evident feature, such that the package reveals a
non-reversible physical change when the contents of the container
are accessed. This may include a pop-up button, a tear/break in the
packaging and the like, such that any tampering with the contents
will be evident to a purchaser.
[0048] In a further embodiment, at least one of the gift package
decoration and the gift items within the container are symbolic of
or have at least one characteristic corresponding to an event
celebrated by the giving of the gift, where the gift package
decoration may be two- or three-dimensional. For example, for a
gift at a baby shower, the gift package decoration could be a
representation of a baby toy, such as a rattle, which is preferably
pink for a girl or blue for a boy. In addition, the gift articles
could be pink and white or blue and white confectioneries.
[0049] For a birthday gift, the gift package decoration could be in
the form of one or more balloons, a birthday cake, or birthday
candles. For a wedding or anniversary gift, the gift package
decoration could take the form of at least one of flowers, bells,
and doves. For St. Valentine's Day or as an expression of love, the
gift package decoration could be in the form of a heart. For
Christmas, the gift package decoration could depict a Christmas
tree or package, a snowman, a sleigh with or without reindeer,
Santa, or a religious scene. For a thank you or as an expression of
friendship, the gift package decoration could be in the form of
stars, flowers, and the like. Non-limiting examples of gift package
decorations in accordance with the invention are illustrated in
FIGS. 5A to 5D, where the gift package decoration 40A in FIG. 5A is
a baby rattle, the gift package decoration 40B in FIG. 5B is a
birthday balloon, the gift package decoration 40C in FIG. 5C is a
heart, the gift package decoration 40D in FIG. 5D is a star.
[0050] Again, the gift items within the container preferably have
at least one characteristic corresponding to the celebrated event.
For example, red and green candies for Christmas, and red or a mix
of red and white candies for St. Valentine's Day.
[0051] As illustrated in FIGS. 5A to 5D the container 42 is a clear
plastic dome. However, as will be understood by one of ordinary
skill in the art, the containers 42A to 42 D may have any shape
useful for holding gift items, and may also have a shape symbolic
of or corresponding to the celebrated event, such as a birthday
cake. As with the containers discussed above, the containers 42A to
42 D may be transparent, opaque, or translucent, and may be of any
appropriate color. Preferably, containers 42A to 42C are
transparent, such that the contents are visible.
[0052] A useful container 50 for storing and displaying small gift
items in the gift article of the invention is illustrated in FIGS.
6 to 8, where FIG. 6 is a perspective illustration of a closed
container, FIG. 7 is a perspective illustration of an open
container 50, FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional illustration of the
container of FIGS. 6 and 7, and FIGS. 9 and 10 are top plan views
of the individual portions of the container of FIGS. 6 and 7. The
container 50 comprises a first portion 51 and a second portion 52.
As illustrated, a part of the first portion 51 is in the shape of a
dome 53, and defines an inner volume 54. The first portion 51 also
comprises a lip or flange 55 that extends from the circumference 56
of the inner volume 54. The flange 55 is preferably configured to
allow the container 50 to be affixed to the gift package decoration
(not shown).
[0053] The second portion 52 comprises an outer lip 57 and a ridge
58 configured to fit within the circumference 56 of the inner
volume 54. Preferably, the fit between the circumference 56 and the
ridge 58 is such that a friction seal is formed. The second portion
52, as illustrated, further comprises an optional tab 59 that may
be used to remove the second portion 52 from the first portion 51
by simple finger pressure, allowing access to gift items stored in
the container 50. At least one of the outer lip 57 and the tab 59
are configured to preferably prevent splashback. That is, at least
one of the lip 57 and the tab 59 will prevent any portion of the
second portion 52 from entering the inner volume of the first
portion 51, which could cause gift items within the inner volume 54
to be forced out of the container 50, when the second portion 52 is
removed from the first portion 51. The second portion 52 may
further comprise one or more ribs or ridges 60, configured to allow
the second portion to flex and expand into the inner volume,
pressing any gift items within the container 50 in the direction of
the first portion 51 to better display the gift items, and to
accommodate a wide fill range within the container 50.
[0054] As with the other containers described above, the container
50 may be formed from any material known in the art, such as a
plastic material. The container 50 may be transparent, opaque, or
translucent, and may be of any desired color, color pattern, or
design. Preferably, the container 50 is formed from clear
polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and is preferably seal grade
having a thickness of from about 0.01 to about 0.02 inch.
Propotypes of the container 50 illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8 have
been produced using 0.0175 inch Seal PET for the first portion and
0.0125 inch Seal PET for the second portion.
[0055] As illustrated in FIGS. 5A to 5D, containers 42A to 42D are
of the type illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The containers 42A to 42D
are attached to the gift package decoration 40 with the second
portion 52 positioned between the first portion 51 and the gift
package decoration 40. To access the gift items within the
containers 42A to 42D, the container may be removed from the gift
package decoration 40, or the first portion may be removed from the
second portion, leaving the second portion attached to the gift
package decoration 40. As will be understood by those of skill in
the art, any other useful configuration may be used with the
invention.
[0056] As with the embodiments discussed above, the container 50 is
preferably configured to be secured in a manner that prevents
exposure of the contents of container 50 to the environment. More
preferably, the container 50 is configured to be secured
sufficiently to allow the container 50 to function as a "first
wrap", such that no additional wrapping is required when the gift
article of the invention is placed on sale, and is preferably
clear, such that any tampering with the contents will be evident to
a purchaser.
[0057] Thus it will be appreciated that the present invention
provides a decorative gift package or article in which a container
for gift items like candy is integrated with a gift package
decoration, such as a bow or ribbon for direct attachment to a
further gift package.
[0058] This invention is not limited by the embodiments disclosed
herein and it will be appreciated that numerous modifications and
other embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art.
Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims cover all such
modifications and embodiments that fall within the true spirit and
scope of the present invention.
* * * * *