Abstract:
A tea advent calendar is disclosed comprising housing such as a box having perforated windows and a hanger disposed therein. Inside the box a lining is provided for attaching teabags in their wrappers. The perforated windows may be arranged on both the front and back side of the box. The liner is configured such that behind each window, the teabags are fixed in the lining and accessible after opening the relevant window.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to Czech Republic Application Serial Number PUV 2004-15692, filed Jul. 29, 2004, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Disclosure  
         [0003]     The disclosure relates generally to a tea advent calendar made of a box including a hanger and perforated windows for easy opening and removal of the teabag.  
         [0004]     2. The Prior Art  
         [0005]     Background  
         [0006]     Advent calendars are well known in the arts. An advent calendar is a calendar for counting down the days from one date to the next, in particular if the next date is a special one. Usually an advent calendar is used for counting down the days to Christmas, usually from the start of December.  
         [0007]     Such a calendar contains windows, and each window is associated with a specific day and is adapted for opening. Inside the window there is a picture, molded piece of chocolate, a sweet or a gift.  
         [0008]     Typically, prior art advent calendars are single-sided, i.e., the window openings are disposed on the front side of the calendar.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0009]     A tea advent calendar is disclosed comprising housing such as a box having perforated windows and a hanger disposed therein. Inside the box a lining is provided for attaching teabags in their wrappers. The perforated windows may be arranged on both the front and back side of the box. The liner is configured such that behind each window, the teabags are fixed in the lining and accessible after opening the relevant window.  
         [0010]     Embodiments of the liner may comprise two either separate sheets of cardboard or a single sheet of cardboard folded over on itself with perforations or slits for affixing the teabags in their wrappers such that the particular brand and flavor of the tea is visible to the user when the corresponding window is opened. In particular, the liner may be configured to releasably hold the tea bag by having a pair of opposing diagonal slit flaps formed therein into which the two diagonally opposite corners of the teabags with their wrappers are inserted. The slits may be arranged on both sides of the liner.  
         [0011]     Another embodiment includes a liner for the tea advent calendar comprising either two separate sheets of cardboard or of a sheet of cardboard folded over on itself. In this embodiment, the liner includes cut-outs and slits for affixing the teabags in their wrappers formed as slit flaps and cut out trapezoids into which the two diagonally opposite corners of the teabags with their wrappers are inserted. The cut-outs and slits may be arranged on either or both sides of the liner.  
         [0012]     In yet a further embodiment, the liner for the tea advent calendar comprises either two separate sheets of cardboard or of a sheet of cardboard folded over on itself. This embodiment includes slit flaps and slit bands with cut out openings in the form of a triangle into which the two diagonally opposite corners of the teabags with their wrappers are inserted. The cut-outs and slits may be arranged on both sides of the liner.  
         [0013]     In yet a further embodiment, the tea bags may be affixed to the liner using adhesive material.  
         [0014]     A hanger may be formed in the box in a standard shapes, such as a Euro hanger for hanging the calendar on Euro hooks in shops.  
         [0015]     In preferred embodiments, the package is in the shape of a rectangular box having the dimensions of 265 mm×420 mm×13 mm. The package may include 12 perforated windows on each side of the package. In the middle at the top of the package there may be a perforated hole for hanging the tea calendar in the home.  
         [0016]     The liner may comprise an oblong shape having the dimensions of 520 mm×383 mm onto which, for example, 24 teabags in wrappers are fixed.  
         [0017]     The liner is then inserted in to the package such that the tea bags affixed to the liner are aligned with a corresponding window. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES  
       [0018]      FIG. 1  is a shows a tea advent calendar which has 12 perforated windows for removing teabags with their wrappers on each side of the box with a hanger for hanging on hooks in shops,  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows the liner with slits for fixing the teabags with wrappers, which consists of slit flaps,  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows a liner with cut-outs and slits for fixing teabags with wrappers, which consists of slit flaps and cut-out trapezoids, and  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  shows the liner with slits and cut-outs for fixing the teabags with wrappers which consist of slit flaps and cut-out holes in the form of a triangle.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]     Persons of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following description is illustrative only and not in any way limiting. Other modifications and improvements will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. In the following description, like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a tea advent calendar  100  configured in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure. The calendar  100 , shown in an unfolded fashion in  FIG. 1 , comprises a outer package  1  which may have 12 perforated windows  3  on each side  4  and  5  of the package  1 . The package  1  may also include a hanger flap  9  having a standard hangar shape  10  formed therein.  
         [0024]     The package  1  may then be formed into a box shape and the various flaps affixed using adhesive known in the art. Inside the box  1 , a liner  2  is located as will be described below.  
         [0025]     Perforated windows  3  are arranged on the two opposite sides  4  and  5  of the outer package  1 , under which teabags are located fixed in the liner  2  and accessible after the opening of the relevant window  3 . It is contemplated that the number of windows formed therein may vary, such as to correspond to the days of a particular month or holiday season, or a desired pattern to present tea to a user, such as by flavor, region of origin, or other special characteristics.  
         [0026]     In a preferred embodiment, the shape  10  of the hanger  9  of the box  1  comprises a Euro hanger for hanging the calendar on Euro hooks in shops. Other shapes may be employed.  
         [0027]     The perforated windows  3  can be grasped at a tab  11  formed in the edge of the window  3 , and by pulling from right to left or the other way around the window  3  can be pulled off, whereby the contents of the window  3  may then be displayed, i.e., a teabag with the wrapper visible to the user. Underneath the contents, it is contemplated that text may be revealed with a description of the tea or various descriptive or advertising texts.  
         [0028]     In preferred embodiment, package  1  comprises an oblong box with dimensions of 265 mm×420 mm×13 mm. The material of the box could be made from, for example, fully recyclable paper, cardboard, or plastics as is known in the art. In the centre of the upper part, there can be a perforated hole for hanging the tea calendar in households.  
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows a diagram of a liner  200  of the tea advent calendar configured in accordance with teachings of this disclosure. The liner  200  includes a sheet  2  that may be folded over itself at a perforation  12 . It is contemplated that the liner  200  may comprise two separate cardboard sheets or one cardboard sheet folded over on itself.  
         [0030]     The liner  200  of  FIG. 2  includes a series of slits and/or cut-outs  6  for receiving and releasably affixing teabags in contained in their wrappers. In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the liner  200  includes a pair of opposing slit flap pairs  6  into which the two diagonally opposite corners of teabags with wrappers are inserted. The cut-outs are arranged on both surfaces of the cardboard sheet. The opposing pairs of slits  6  are preferably configured to accept a convention tea bag that is contained in its wrapper. The slits may vary according to the size of tea bags desired to be used.  
         [0031]     In preferred embodiments, the sheet  2  is in the shape of an oblong with dimensions of 520 mm×383 mm. The material of the liner  2  can be, for example, fully recyclable paper cardboard or any other suitable material.  
         [0032]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of a further embodiment of a liner  300 . The liner  300  of  FIG. 3  includes a sheet  2  having a series of slit flaps  6  and cut-out trapezoids  7  pairs for fixing the teabags with wrappers. The slit flaps  6  and trapezoids  7  are arranged as diagonal opposing pairs such that the tea bag is aligned with a desired window in the outer package when the liner is inserted into the outer package.  
         [0033]      FIG. 4  is a diagram of a further embodiment of a liner  400 . The liner  400  of  FIG. 4  includes a sheet  2  having a series of slit flaps  6  and cut-out triangular hole  8  pairs for fixing the teabags with wrappers. The slit flaps  6  and triangular holes  8  are arranged as diagonal opposing pairs such that the tea bag is aligned with a desired window in the outer package when the liner is inserted into the outer package.  
         [0034]     It is also contemplated that the tea advent calendar may be configured to hold the tea bags in place through the use of adhesives, such as conventional glues know in the art.  
         [0035]     While embodiments and applications of this disclosure have been shown and described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications and improvements than mentioned above are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The disclosure, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.