Abstract:
A gift basket assembly is provided with a preformed insert, the insert being a self-contained plurality of independently prepackaged products and a base within a shrink-wrap casing. Shred is disposed in one of the insert and the gift basket, such that the insert can be operably engaged with the basket and an outer wrap, including a shrink-wrap, is disposed about the basket and the insert to form the assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING” 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    The present disclosure relates to gift baskets, and particularly to a preformed insert having a plurality of independently packaged products and an optional base within a casing, wherein the insert can be selectively joined with a basket and the combination disposed within an outer bag or wrap. 
         [0006]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0007]    The sending of a customized selection of products to a recipient is increasingly used by a variety of businesses to commemorate an important event or transaction, or simply engendered good will. Even outside the business context, an individual may wish to send such a customized selection to a family member, friend, or other associate in connection with a holiday, birthday, wedding, funeral, medical event, or for no specific reason. 
         [0008]    Traditionally, the gift baskets are either formed by the manufacturer of the individual products included in the basket, a fulfillment center, or a commercial entity such as a grocery store or flower shop. 
         [0009]    Typically, each product is disposed within the basket along with an amount of packing material and the entire basket is then surrounded with a shrink-wrap material which is heat-treated to retain the products within the basket. 
         [0010]    However, these prior systems often result in large residual inventory of basket kits (the basket along with the packing material and the shrink-wrap bag) which are often not used until the subsequent holiday season. The retention of this inventory reduces the available cash for on going operations as well as incurring costs associated with storage. 
         [0011]    Therefore, the need exists for a method and assembly for increasing use of gift baskets and gift basket kits. The need also exists for a system that reduces the time required to assemble a gift basket. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present disclosure provides a gift basket assembly, having a basket; an insert with the basket, the insert including a base, a plurality of individually packaged products upon the base and a shrink-wrapped casing retaining the base and the products in a predetermined configuration; shred within one of the basket and the insert; and an outer wrap enclosing the insert, the shred, and at least a portion of the basket. 
         [0013]    In selected configurations, the outer wrap is a shrink wrap bag. Further, the shred can be located within the casing. It is also contemplated the insert can include shred. In the present system, the plurality of individually packaged products in the insert can be third-party products. It is further contemplated the insert and separately packaged products can be disposed within the outer wrap. 
         [0014]    The present disclosure further provides a method of forming a gift basket assembly, by locating an insert relative to a basket, the insert having a base, a plurality of individually packaged products upon the base, and a shrink-wrapped casing retaining the products and the base in a given configuration, at least one of the insert and the basket having shred; disposing an outer wrap about the insert and at least a portion of the basket; and at least one of (i) partially securing the outer wrap and (ii) shrinking the outer wrap to retain the insert relative to the basket. 
         [0015]    A further method is provided for forming an insert for a gift basket assembly, by locating a plurality of independently packaged third-party products with respect to a base; disposing shred relative to at least one of the base and the plurality of independently packaged products; disposing a shrink-wrapped casing about at least a portion of the products, the shred and the base; shrinking the shrink-wrap to form a substantially unitary insert having the plurality of independently packaged products retained in the given configuration relative to each other and the base, and the shred being retained within the casing; locating the insert relative to a basket within an outer wrap; and at least one of (i) partially securing the outer wrap and (ii) shrinking the outer wrap to retain the insert relative to the gift basket. 
         [0016]    In certain configurations, it is contemplated the outer wrap is a shrink wrap. 
         [0017]    A further configuration provides a product display assembly having a basket; an insert engaged with the basket, the insert having a plurality of independently packaged third-party products, and a shrink-wrap casing, the casing retaining the plurality of third-party independently packaged products in a predetermined orientation; shred in at least one of the basket and the insert; and an outer wrap extending about the insert, the shred, and at least a portion of the basket. 
         [0018]    It is understood in certain configurations, the casing encases the insert. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a gift basket assembly having a first basket and an insert. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of a gift basket assembly having a second basket and the insert. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of a gift basket assembly having a third basket and the insert. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a schematic representation of a first configuration of the insert. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a schematic representation of a second configuration of the insert. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a schematic representation of another configuration of the insert. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a schematic representation of a further configuration of the insert. 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is a schematic representation of a third configuration of the insert nested with another insert of the third configuration. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the present gift basket assembly  10  includes a gift basket  20  having an insert  30 , wherein at least a portion of the basket and the insert are retained relative to each other by an encompassing outer wrap  60  and one of the basket  20  and the insert  30  include shed  70 . 
         [0028]    For purposes of description, the term basket  20  is intended to encompass retail level container, tin, tray, bucket, crate, bowls, or vessels, which may be formed with or without handles. 
         [0029]    The term “shred”  70  encompasses packaging materials and protective packaging material which can fill voids and provide shock absorption during shipping. Shred  70  includes cellophane shred, crinkle-cut paper shred, diamond shred, excelsior shred (a wood fill), metallic shred, sheet moss, fine paper shred, Spanish moss or any combinations thereof. Selected configurations of the shred  70  can also provide decorative enhancement of the resulting gift basket assembly  10 . 
         [0030]    In the assembled gift basket assembly  10 , the assembly includes the basket  20  with the insert  30  and the shred  70 . 
         [0031]    The basket  20  can include a false bottom or shred  70  for locating the insert in a given position within the basket. Alternatively, the insert  30  can engage the basket  20  to be aligned with a portion of the basket or on an edge of the basket. 
         [0032]    The outer wrap  60 , in one configuration, is disposed about the basket  20  and the insert  30  to completely encompass the basket and the insert, wherein the outer wrap is then closed with a clasp, a tie or a bow  62 . In select configurations, the outer wrap  60  is a shrink-wrap which is activated to retain the insert  30  in the predetermined orientation with respect to the basket  20 . In such configuration, upon the outer wrap  60  assuming the final shrunk configuration, the outer wrap binds and retains the insert  30  relative to the basket  20  to form a substantially integral unit. 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIGS. 4-5 , the insert  30  includes a plurality of individually packaged products  32  within a casing  40 , wherein the casing is a shrink-wrap to retain the relative position of the products. 
         [0034]    The products  32  within the gift basket assembly  10  are individually packaged products. The products  32  include those individually packaged for separate and independent distribution. That is, the products  32  are separately packaged from gift basket assembly  10  and can be packaged for independent resale. However, it is understood some of the products  32  may be separately packaged, though the packaging is not labeled for individual resale. It is also understood the products  32  can include perishable goods such as fresh fruit or even flowers. In some configurations, the products  32  are made by parties other than the creator or assembler of the gift basket assembly  10 . 
         [0035]    It is contemplated that while some products  32  can be retained within the insert  30 , additional products can be separate from the insert, and retained within the outer wrap  60 . Thus, products  32  can be secured within the insert  30  and additional products, such as but not limited to consumer products to fresh fruit, can be outside the insert but within the outer wrap  60 . The resulting gift basket assembly  10  can include the insert  30  alone within the outer wrap  60  or in combination with additional separate products. 
         [0036]    As seen in  FIGS. 5-7 , the insert  30  includes a base  36  upon which the products  32  are disposed, wherein the base may have a footprint which is substantially equal to the footprint of the collection of products; smaller than the footprint of the products; or larger than the footprint of the products. 
         [0037]    In addition, in select configurations, shred  70  may be disposed upon the base  36  or around the products  32  upon the base. The casing  40  then surrounds the products  32 , the base  36  and the incorporated shred  70  to form a separate component. 
         [0038]    It is contemplated the individual products  32  may be arranged with respect to the base  36  and within the insert  30  such that the finished inserts (including the casing) can be stacked or packed in an efficient manner. Thus, as seen in  FIG. 8 , the inserts  30  can be configured such that the shape of the inserts is complementary so as to reduce void space. The configuration shown in  FIG. 8  may only be obtainable for a limited number of insert configurations based on the type and weight of individual products  32 . A divider, of a material such as Styrofoam® brand material or paperboard, may be needed to separate the two inserts in a cell to protect the shrink wrap on the individual inserts. It is understood, the two inserts need to be protected from the external effects of vibration and movement during the transportation and handling process. 
         [0039]    In one configuration as seen in  FIGS. 1-3  and  5 , the footprint of the products  32  in the insert  30  extend beyond the footprint of the base  36  thereby reducing the visual impact of the base. In such configuration, it is contemplated the products can be arranged to substantially occlude the base. Alternatively, it is contemplated the products  32  can provide a footprint that is substantially equal to the base, as seen in  FIG. 6 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , in a further configuration, the periphery of the base  36  can extend substantially beyond the footprint of the respective products  32  in the insert  30 . In this configuration, the base  36  can be colored or incorporate the shred  70  to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. 
         [0040]    In one configuration, the casing  40  is a shrink-wrap material which is disposed about the assembled base  36 , the shred  70  and the products  32 . The shrink wrap is then exposed to heat causing the shrink-wrap to reduce in size and substantially retain the products in a predetermined configuration relative to each other. The insert  30  is a self-contained, self-supporting component. A satisfactory material for the casing includes Willow-Wrap (Shrink Wrap) PVC Film 45% Biaxially which meets FDA regulations for incidental food contact, imported by Willow Group Ltd. 
         [0041]    In operation, it is contemplated that an entity having a residual inventory of gift basket kits, can order the inserts  30  for any of a variety of occasions and, upon receiving the inserts, the entity disposes the insert in its entirety within the basket  2  and places the outer wrap  60 , or bag, about the basket and the enclosed insert. The outer wrap  60  is then tied off, closed (with bow  62 ), or if the outer wrap is a shrink-wrap material, heated so that the outer wrap retains the insert  30  relative to the basket  20 . 
         [0042]    As seen in  FIGS. 1-3 , it is contemplated the base  36  or footprint of the insert  30  can be selectively disposed entirely within the basket  20 ; substantially coincident with a periphery of the opening of the basket; or to extend beyond the periphery of the basket opening. 
         [0043]    Thus, a given size insert  30  can be used with a variety of basket sizes. Particularly, as the configuration of the outer wrap  60  as a shrink-wrap, upon treated the outer wrap, the insert  30  is retained in the predetermined orientation relative to the basket  20 . 
         [0044]    It is also contemplated that the baskets  20  can be of a nesting configuration and the inserts  30  can be also of a relatively efficient packing configuration as shown in  FIG. 8  such that the nested inserts, nested baskets  20 , outer wraps  60 , tie-offs, such as bows  62 , and additional shred  70  can be incorporated into a single shipping container and merely assembled at the desired location. 
         [0045]    As the insert  30  can be used with a variety of baskets  20 , and additional products can be disposed intermediate the insert and the outer wrap  60 , the resulting gift basket assembly  10  can be readily customized, while incorporating a given insert. For example, the gift basket assembly  10  can include an insert  30  having nonperishable items, and perishable items between the insert and within the outer wrap  60 . Thus, the inserts  30  of nonperishable items can be economically assembled, and transported to a final assembler who then incorporates perishable items between the insert and within the outer wrap  60 , and then distributes the finished gift basket assembly  10 . 
         [0046]    The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a presently preferred embodiment, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein.