U.S. patent application number 13/294150 was filed with the patent office on 2012-11-15 for tensioned pop-up gift card holder.
This patent application is currently assigned to Gift Card Impressions, LLC. Invention is credited to Brett R. Glass, Nicole E. Glass.
Application Number | 20120285861 13/294150 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47141148 |
Filed Date | 2012-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120285861 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Glass; Brett R. ; et
al. |
November 15, 2012 |
TENSIONED POP-UP GIFT CARD HOLDER
Abstract
A gift card holder having pop-up elements and that is held under
tension so that the holder moves from a folded state to an opened
state primarily under integrated holder mechanical power.
Inventors: |
Glass; Brett R.; (Overland
Park, KS) ; Glass; Nicole E.; (Overland Park,
KS) |
Assignee: |
Gift Card Impressions, LLC
Overland Park
KS
|
Family ID: |
47141148 |
Appl. No.: |
13/294150 |
Filed: |
November 10, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61411921 |
Nov 10, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/768 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B42D 15/042
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/768 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/00 20060101
B65D025/00 |
Claims
1. A gift card holder comprising: a main body having four
adjoining, generally rectangular walls surrounding an interior
space, a plurality of pop-up elements secured to said holder within
said interior space, an elastic member attached at a first end to a
first corner formed by a first wall and a second wall, said first
wall and said second wall adjoining one another, said elastic
member attached at a second end to a second corner formed by a
third wall and a fourth wall, said third wall and said fourth wall
adjoining one another, whereby tension applied by said elastic
member draws said first corner and said second corner toward one
another, thereby opening said holder.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the prior filed,
co-pending provisional application Serial No. 61/411,921, filed
Nov. 10, 2010.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to gift card holders and
more particularly to a device for holding a gift card while
providing graphical and mechanical enhancements to entertain the
gift card recipient and add value to the gift, namely a gift card
holder with pop-up elements that is held under tension so that it
moves from a folded state to an opened state primarily under
integrated mechanical power versus user manipulation.
[0003] Transaction cards, stored value cards, or gift cards, as
they are commonly called based upon their intended use, have become
popular gifts. Gift cards typically comprise a stored value card
whereby a certain cash equivalent value is encoded upon a magnetic
strip applied to the surface of the card. This stored value may be
determined by the vendor prior to packaging and display for sale
or, more commonly, is selected at the point of sale by the
purchaser and loaded by the cashier using a magnetic card
reader/writer. While popular, gift cards are typically provided
with a generic and impersonal design, typically identifying the
associated merchant for which the card may be used to purchase
merchandise, and therefore are not personalized in view of the
intended recipient.
[0004] What is needed, therefore, is a gift card holder that
provides graphical and mechanical enhancements to entertain the
gift card recipient and add value to the gift. What is also needed
is a gift card holder that presents a gift card to a recipient
through mechanical linkage with pop-up elements that are held under
tension until such tension is released at which point mechanical
power provided by the tension causes the holder and pop-up elements
to open and assume a display configuration.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a holder for
receiving and holding a gift card. The gift card holder provides
graphical and mechanical enhancements to entertain the gift card
recipient and add value to the gift. The gift card holder presents
a gift card to a recipient through mechanical linkage with a
tensioning device that biases the holder in an open display
disposition so that the holder expands or opens to such disposition
when unconstrained.
[0006] An embodiment of a holder may include a main body having
four adjoining, generally rectangular walls surrounding an interior
space. A plurality of pop-up elements is typically secured to the
holder within the interior space. An elastic member is attached at
a first end within the interior space to a first corner formed by a
first wall and an adjoining second wall. The elastic member is
attached at a second end within the interior space to a second
corner formed by a third wall and an adjoining fourth wall. Tension
applied by the elastic member draws the first corner and second
corner toward one another, thereby opening the holder.
[0007] Other advantages of the invention will become apparent from
the following description taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example
an embodiment of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a front view of a tensioned pop-up gift card
holder showing the holder in an opened display configuration.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a top view showing the holder in a partially
opened configuration.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a left side view of the holder.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a right side view of the holder.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the holder showing the tensioning
apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention
are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the
disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which
may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural
and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted
as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a
representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to
variously employ the present invention in virtually any
appropriately detailed structure.
[0014] With reference to the figures, FIGS. 1 through 5 illustrate
an embodiment of a tensioned pop-up gift card holder 100. The
holder 100 comprises a main body 105, which generally comprises
four outer walls 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d (referred to collectively
by reference numeral 110) surrounding an interior space 115. The
main body 105 is rectangular (typically substantially square) in
cross section. Various pop-up elements 101 may be fastened within
the interior space, typically by inserting tabs projecting from an
element into slots provided in internal main body structures, such
as the walls 110 or associated structures.
[0015] The four outer walls 110 are typically partially separated
from one another by slits 107 running from the top edge of the main
body 105 to a distance approximately one third to two thirds of the
total distance from the top edge to the bottom edge of the main
body 105. These upper portions 111a, 111b, 111c, 111d (referred to
collectively by reference numeral 111) of the four walls 110 fold
outward along hinge lines 125 when the holder is in an opened
disposition as shown in the figures. Upper portion 11 lb includes a
slot 120 for receiving and holding a gift card within the holder
100.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a front view of a tensioned pop-up gift card
holder 100 showing the holder 100 in an opened display
configuration, which displays the structural and graphical elements
of the pop-up elements 101 and presents the gift card to the
recipient in a pleasing and novel manner. When folded, the holder
100 is folded about axis A (shown in FIG. 2) by pressing the main
body 105 inward and in the direction of arrows B. FIG. 2 is a top
view of the holder 100 showing the holder 100 in a partially opened
configuration as when being opened or closed.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a left side view of the holder 100 in a
substantially open disposition. As can be seen, an upper portion
111a of outer wall 110a bends outward along fold line 125a. FIG. 4
is a right side view of the holder 100 in a substantially open
disposition. As can be seen, an upper portion 111b of outer wall
110b bends outward along fold line 125b. Outer walls 110c and 110d
remain in a relatively upright disposition, although deflected
slightly outward.
[0018] Within the interior space 115, as shown in FIG. 5, a first
septum 130 projects downward and across the interior space 115 from
the confluence of walls 110a and 110b to meet a second septum 135
projecting upward from the confluence of walls 110c and 110d. An
elastic member 140 such as a rubber band is attached at one end to
one or more points proximate to the confluence of walls 110a and
110b, and at the other end to one or more points proximate to the
confluence of walls 110c and 110d. Therefore, both septa 130 and
135 and the elastic member 140 cross the interior space 115
diagonally from opposing corners 150c and 150d. When the holder 100
is in an open disposition for presentation of the pop-up elements
101 and gift card, as shown in FIG. 5, the tension created by the
elastic member 140 draws the first septum 130 toward the second
septum 135 so that they abut at gap 145. Although not shown, the
holder 100 may be placed in folded disposition by squeezing corners
150a and 150b toward one another in the directions of arrows B,
thus drawing septa 130 and 135 apart and increasing tension in the
elastic member 140. When corners 150a and 150b have been brought
together in close proximity, the holder 100 will attain a
relatively flat disposition and may be inserted into a sleeve or
envelope for mailing or presentation to a gift recipient. When the
holder 100 is drawn from its enclosure, tension in the elastic
member 140 will draw corners 150c and 150d together and 150a and
150b apart, generally in a fairly rapid fashion. The holder 100
will thereby quickly, and without the direct manipulation of the
user, attain the open presentation disposition shown in FIG. 1.
[0019] Note that drawings are not to scale or to relative scale but
are representative of aspects of one or more embodiments of the
present invention.
* * * * *