U.S. patent application number 13/197343 was filed with the patent office on 2012-02-09 for interactive gift bag.
Invention is credited to Suzanne M. Lahr Yoder.
Application Number | 20120033897 13/197343 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45556216 |
Filed Date | 2012-02-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120033897 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lahr Yoder; Suzanne M. |
February 9, 2012 |
INTERACTIVE GIFT BAG
Abstract
A gift bag topper which, in one embodiment, includes a
substantially planar die cut piece of material such as cardboard or
paperboard which is attached to one or more handles of a
conventional gift bag such that the topper adds an additional
entertainment element to the gift bag and may complete the artwork
or picture printed on the outer surface of the gift bag. In another
embodiment, one or more die cut components are inserted via narrow
slots or openings contained thereon onto the top edge of the open
end of two or more greeting card panels. The die cut components sit
atop the gift bag and may serve to conceal the contents of the gift
bag from the recipient.
Inventors: |
Lahr Yoder; Suzanne M.;
(Columbia Station, OH) |
Family ID: |
45556216 |
Appl. No.: |
13/197343 |
Filed: |
August 3, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61370135 |
Aug 3, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
383/6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 85/00 20130101;
B65D 33/004 20130101; B65D 33/12 20130101; B65D 33/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/6 |
International
Class: |
B65D 33/06 20060101
B65D033/06 |
Claims
1. A gift bag with topper comprising: a gift bag having a closed
end and an open end formed by a front panel, a back panel opposite
an parallel to the front panel, two side panels which are
perpendicular to and extend between the front and back panels and a
bottom panel which creates the closed end of the gift bag; a first
rope handle secured to an upper portion of the front panel and a
second rope handle attached to an upper portion of the back panel;
a die cut topper having at least two apertures thereon through
which the first or second rope handle is inserted such that the die
cut topper is secured between the first or second rope handle and
the gift bag.
2. The gift bag with topper of claim 1, wherein die cut topper
extends above the top edge of the open end of the gift bag.
3. The gift bag with topper of claim 1, wherein the die cut topper
is shaped and decorated to match or complement the artwork
contained on an outer surface of the front or back panel of the
gift bag.
4. The gift bag with topper of claim 1, wherein the die cut topper
is substantially planar.
5. The gift bag with topper of claim 1, wherein the front panel and
the back panel each contain two spaced apart apertures which
facilitate attachment of the first and second rope handles
thereto.
6. The gift bag with topper of claim 1, wherein the first rope
handle is secured to the front panel by inserting a first free end
of the first rope handle into a first opening on the front panel
and inserting a second free end of the first rope handle into a
second opening on the front panel and knotting both the first and
second free ends of the first rope handle.
7. The gift bag with topper of claim 6, wherein the knotted ends of
the first and second rope handles are located on an outer surface
of the gift bag.
8. The gift bag with topper of claim 6, wherein the knotted ends of
the first and second rope handles are located on an inner surface
of the gift bag.
9. The gift bag with topper of claim 1, wherein the die cut topper
can move freely along the length of the rope handle.
10. A gift bag and topper comprising: a gift bag having a front
panel, a back panel, a right side panel and a left side panel, an
open end and a closed end; a topper having four topper panels which
are contiguous with one another, each topper panel positioned at an
approximate 90-degree angle to each adjacent topper panel creating
an X-shape, and each topper panel having at least one slot
contained along a bottom edge of each topper panel; wherein the
slot contained on each of the four topper panels is positioned and
inserted over one of the front, back, right side and left side
panels of the gift bag
11. The gift bag and topper of claim 10, wherein the topper
conceals the contents of the gift bag.
12. The gift bag and topper of claim 10, wherein the topper is
shaped and designed to complement the gift bag.
13. The gift bag and topper of claim 10, wherein the topper is die
cut.
14. The gift bag and topper of claim 10, wherein the topper is made
of cardboard or paperboard.
15. The gift bag and topper of claim 10, wherein the topper is
capable of being folded into a flat position.
16. A gift bag and topper comprising: a gift bag having a front
panel, back panel, right side panel, left side panel, bottom panel
and one open end; a handle attached to the front panel; a handle
attached to the back panel; a topper attached to the handle
attached to the front panel.
17. The gift bag and topper of claim 16, wherein the topper extends
above a top edge of the open end of the gift bag.
18. The gift bag and topper of claim 16, wherein the handles are
rope handles.
19. The gift bag and topper of claim 16, wherein the topper is die
cut.
20. The gift bag and topper of claim 16, wherein the topper is
located between the gift bag and the handle attached to the front
panel.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 61/370,135, filed on Aug. 3, 2010, which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention is in the field of social expression
products, and more particularly to gift products including gift
wrapping and bags.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Gift bags are widely used packaging and wrapping medium for
gifts of small sizes. The popularity of gift bags stems from ease
of use and a wide range of styles, colors and sizes available. The
typical construction of gift bags has been very conventional,
largely due to low cost and ease of manufacture. Conventional gift
bags are made of different types of printed paper, folded in a
standard manner to form a reinforced square bottom, pleated sides
and a crease in one of the main side walls to enable the bottom of
the bag to be folded flat with the walls. Paper construction
affords a wide variety of print media and finishes which are the
primary aesthetic sales-triggering attributes of gift bags. For the
basic cubic folding bag, the necessity of a handle has been dealt
with in the minimalist manner of a string or rope through opposed
sides of the bag. This provides a means for carrying and closure,
but does not add appreciably to the aesthetics of the bag other
than through color coordination. Gift bags are a difficult product
to bring variety to in a manner which makes efficient use of retail
space. A greater variety of designs and styles would increase
sales, but is not practical given that each group of bags of a
particular design occupy a significant amount of retail space. The
retail display of gift bags preferably accentuates the primary
feature of the printed occasion theme, pattern and color, but such
displays are static in the sense that a consumer may decide very
quickly based upon this primary appearance of the bags. In other
words, the choices are strictly limited to what is displayed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In accordance with the present disclosure and related
inventions, interactive gift bags are provided, in one embodiment,
in the form of a gift bag having a front panel, a back panel
parallel to and opposite the front panel, two side panels
positioned therebetween, and a bottom panel which closes off one
end of the gift bag. The bag contains two handles, one handle
attached to the front panel and one handle attached to the back
panel. The handles are strands of rope or cord that are inserted
into two holes or apertures located proximate to the top open edge
of the front and back gift bag panels. The handles are also
inserted into two holes or apertures contained on a die cut topper
which is shaped and designed to correspond or compliment the
artwork printed on the gift bag. When the handles are pulled taut,
the gift gab topper sits proximate to the top open edge of the
front and/or back panel of the gift bag, or "tops off" the gift
bag.
[0005] In another embodiment, a gift bag includes a four sided gift
bag construction and a three-dimensional die cut topper that is
removably inserted over the open end of the gift bag. The topper
contains one or more slots or openings along the bottom side of the
topper so that the topper sits atop or straddles at least one top
edge of the gift bag panels. The topper conceals the contents of
the gift bag from the recipients and also adds a more decorative
effect to the package.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the
Interactive Gift Bag of the present invention, in a first
position.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the Interactive Gift Bag of
FIG. 1, in a second position.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a front view of different variations of the
Interactive Gift Bag of FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the
Interactive Gift Bag of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the gift bag topper of FIG.
4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED AND ALTERNATE EMBODIMENT
[0011] The gift bag topper of the present disclosure and related
inventions is a die cut piece of material such as cardboard,
paperboard or other suitably strong, substantive but lightweight
material that is attach to a traditional gift bag. The die cut
shapes of the gift bag topper may complement the artwork printed on
the gift bag.
[0012] The bag portion of the gift bag with topper is of a
conventional design, having a front panel A and a back panel B
opposite the front panel A with two side panels C, D extending
therebetween. The length of the side panels C, D, controls the
width of the gift bag 50. A bottom panel (not shown) connects each
of the front A, back B and side panels C, D to create a closed end.
Opposite the closed end is an open end for insertion of a gift or
other items into the gift bag 50. The side panels C, D may contain
a vertical bisecting crease or fold line 10, which enables the bag
to be neatly folded and packaged for retail sale. The gift bag 50
also contains two handles 12, one handle 12 attached to the front
panel A and one handle (not shown) attached to the back panel B.
The handles 12 may be similar to a cord or rope-like structure,
which extend between two holes or openings positioned proximate to
the upper edges of the front A and back B panels along the open end
of the gift bag 50. For each handle 12, a single piece of cord or
rope-like structure is used. The two free ends of a first cord are
inserted into the two holes in the front panel A of the gift bag 50
and the two free ends of a second cord are inserted into the two
holes in the back panel B of the gift bag 50. The cords may
inserted into each hole from the outside of the bag to the inside
of the bag where each free end of the cord is tied or knotted for
secure attachment to the gift bag or alternatively, the cords may
be inserted from the inside of the bag to the outside of the bag,
where each free end is then tied or knotted.
[0013] In one embodiment, indicated generally at reference numeral
100 and shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the gift bag topper T includes at
least one die cut shape which is attached to at least one of the
gift bag handles 12. The topper T may be formed in a variety of
shapes and sizes. The shape may correspond to artwork or other
printed indicia on the outside surface of the front A and/or back B
panels of the gift bag 50. To facilitate attachment of the topper T
to the gift bag 50, the topper T may contain two openings or
apertures which correspond in shape, size, location and distance
between each hole, to the two openings contained on the front A and
back B gift bag panels, through which the rope-like handles 12 or
cord is attached. Depending on whether the handles 12 are inserted
into the openings on the gift bag 50 from the outside to the inside
or from the inside to the outside, the handles 12 are either
inserted into the topper T then the gift bag 50 or the handles 12
are inserted into the gift bag 50 and then into the topper T. In
either case, the handles 12 and the gift bag topper T are secured
to the gift bag 50.
[0014] The gift bag topper T may move along the length of the cord
or rope-like handle 12 between the gift bag 50 and the ends of the
handle or handles 12. When the topper T is in a first position, as
shown in FIG. 1, the topper T sits at the opposite ends of the
handle 12 from the gift bag 50 such that there is space between the
gift bag 50 and the topper T. When the topper T is in a second
position, shown in FIG. 2, the rope or handle 12 is pulled taut so
that there is no slack in the handle 12 so that the topper T sits
horizontally flush with the front A and/or back B gift bag panel.
The holes or apertures contained on the gift bag topper T have a
diameter that is substantially similar to the diameter of the cord
or rope-like handles 12 such that there is sufficient friction
between the handle 12 and the topper T, while also allowing the
topper T to move along the length of the handle 12 when appropriate
force is applied. The gift bag topper 12 provides an interactive
aspect to the gift bag 50, wherein pulling the handle 12 through
the openings located on the gift bag 50 also pulls up the topper T,
thereby completing the picture printed on the outside surface of
the gift bag 50.
[0015] The gift bag topper T may be formed into any shape or size
and in a preferred embodiment will correspond with or be
complimentary to the artwork or printed indicia on the front A
and/or back B panels of the gift bag 50. The topper T may complete
the picture or artwork contained on the gift bag 50. For example,
as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, if the front A and/or back B panels
contain a picture of a girl or princess, the gift bag topper T may
be shaped and decorated and/or adorned to look like a crown. When
the gift bag handle 12 is pulled taut, the topper T is positioned
along the top edge of the gift bag 50 so that it appears as though
the girl or princess printed on the outer surface of the gift bag
50 is "wearing" a crown or the crown "tops off" the picture
contained on panel A. The gift bag topper T may be substantially
planar or it may contain three-dimensional aspects. The topper T
may additionally contain various adornments such as beads,
crystals, or other decorative embellishments. Other examples, shown
in FIG. 3, include, but are not limited to: a gift bag 50 which
resembles a cupcake and topper T which resembles the frosting (14);
a gift bag 50 which resembles a flower pot and a topper T which
resembles a bouquet of flowers (16); a gift bag 50 which resembles
a gift package and a topper T which resembles a balloon bouquet
(18); a gift bag 50 which resembles an ark and a topper T which
resembles a herd of animals (20); and a gift bag 50 which resembles
a robot body and a topper T which resembles a robot head (22). The
examples given herein are representative embodiments but are by no
means intended to limit the inventions to the stated examples. A
variety of combinations may be assembled and are considered to be
within the scope of the invention.
[0016] An alternate embodiment of the gift bag topper of the
present invention, indicated generally at reference numeral 200 and
shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, includes a three-dimensional die-cut topper
T that sits above the top edge of a gift bag 50 and may contain
artwork or be shaped in a way that correspond to the artwork or
other printed indicia located on the outer surface of the gift bag
50. Alternatively the topper T may be generically shaped and/or
decorated so that it can be used with a variety of different gift
bags. The topper T contains two or more vertical elongate slots or
narrow openings located along the bottom edge of the topper T such
that the topper T can be inserted onto the top edges of an open end
of a gift bag 50. The topper T may contain slots that facilitate
insertion of the front and back panels of the gift bag 50, or the
topper T may contain additional slots or openings that allow it to
be inserted onto the front and back panels and/or one or both side
panels. The slots or openings fit over or straddle the gift bag 50
such that one side of the slot is located on the outside of the
gift bag panel and the other side is located on the inside of the
gift bag panel. The topper T may be made of a single piece of
material, such as cardboard or paperboard, which contains strategic
fold lines which enable the topper T to be folded into a flat
position. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the topper T may
contain four panels or components E, F, G and H, which are
connected at a center point along a single edge. Each panel E, F, G
and H is positioned perpendicular to or at an approximate 90-degree
angle to an adjacent panel, creating a cross or an X-like figure.
Each of the four panels E, F, G and H contains a narrow slot or
opening along a bottom edge of each panel. Each of the panels is
then positioned over one of the four panels of the gift bag 50
along the open end and inserted through the slot onto each panel.
For example, as shown in FIG. 4, slot S1 of topper panel E is
positioned and inserted over the left side panel D of the gift bag
50; slot S2 topper panel F is positioned and inserted over the
front panel A of the gift bag 50; slot S3 topper panel G is
positioned and inserted over the right side panel C of the gift bag
50; and slot S4 (not shown) of topper panel H is positioned and
inserted over the back panel B of the gift bag 50. Alternatively,
the topper may only have two slots, such as on panels F and H such
that the topper T is only inserted over the front A and back B
panels or on panels E and G such that the topper T is only inserted
over the two side panels C, D. Or in yet another alternative, the
topper T may consist of a single panel extending over the front A
and back B panels or the two side panels C, D of the gift bag 50.
The topper T can be folded along the center line such that two
pairs of panels are in direct contact and the entire topper T is
folded into a flat position. This enables the bag 50 and topper T
to be easily packaged while still allowing a consumer to see the
structure and design of the topper T. An alternate embodiment may
include two or more separate planar pieces of material which may be
assembled in a three-dimensional structure that sits atop the gift
bag 50. For example, a first planar piece may contain at least two
slots or openings along the bottom edge thereof, the front panel of
the gift bag being inserted into one slot and the back panel
inserted into the other. A second planar piece may have one longer
slot that may be inserted over the top of the first planar piece
such that one piece extends horizontally across the gift bag 50 and
the other piece extends vertically across the gift bag 50. The
second planar piece may also contain additional slots or openings
that may be inserted over the right and left side panels of the
gift bag 50. Any number of separate components may be attached or
may interconnect to form the gift bag topper T. The panels may be
substantially planar or non-planar. The slots provide easy
insertion over the top of the gift bag 50 and easy removal by
simply lifting the topper T off of the gift bag 50. Since the
topper T is connected to at least two opposing panels of the gift
bag 50, it serves to conceal the contents of the bag 50 from the
recipient until removal thereof. The gift bag 50 may be filled with
a gift or other item and then covered with the gift bag topper T.
This embodiment does not limit the types of handles which can be
used on the gift bag. The handles may be the cord or rope-like
handles, as described above, or may alternatively be die cut
handles which are glued to or otherwise attached to the gift bag,
or the front and back panels may contain horizontal openings
thereon of a size which would allow a user to place there fingers
therethrough. Other types of handles may be used as well. This gift
bag topper T may be packaged or sold separately from the gift bag
50 so that consumers may mix and match gift bags 50 and toppers T
or the gift bag 50 and topper T may be packaged and sold as a
single unit.
[0017] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that
numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the
invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing
from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The
present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all
respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Other features and
aspects of this invention will be appreciated by those skilled in
the art upon reading and comprehending this disclosure. Such
features, aspects, and expected variations and modifications of the
reported results and examples are clearly within the scope of the
invention where the invention is limited solely by the scope of the
following claims.
* * * * *