Three-dimensional inflatable card

This invention discloses a three-dimensional inflatable card including a card body having a containing space defined therein, an opening formed on each of two corresponding sides of the containing space, and a movable portion disposed on the card body at a position corresponding to a side of the containing space; an airbag adhered on the card body within the containing space, and containing a reacting powder and an acid solution pack; and a protective ring disposed around the periphery of the airbag, and having a thickness sufficient to contain the acid solution pack; wherein an acid solution in the acid solution pack is able to chemically react with the reacting powder to produce gas for enabling the airbag to expand to a predetermined volume, break the movable portion, and extend to the outside of the containing space, so as to form a three-dimensional inflatable object on the card body.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a card, and more particularly to a three-dimensional inflatable card comprising an airbag fixed in a containing space of a card body, wherein the airbag is capable of expanding to a predetermined volume, breaking a movable portion of the card body, and then extending to the outside of the card body, so as to form a three-dimensional inflatable object on the card body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In general, a card such as a birthday card, a Christmas card, and a New Year greeting card is folded into two halves, and most card bodies are folded into two halves, and a text, a pattern or a figure is printed separately on external and internal sides of a first half, and an internal side of the second half is provided for writing a greeting message. When card manufacturers design and produce the aforementioned card, outstanding designs can be used to show special paper texture or pattern design, but the cards of this sort can show a monotonous flat visual effect only, and a three-dimensional visual effect cannot be achieved. Obviously, the traditional card not only has the drawback of a monotonous design, but also leaves no deep expression to the card receivers.

To overcome the shortcomings of the aforementioned cards, card manufacturers developed a three-dimensional card as shown inFIG. 1, and the three-dimensional card includes a card body10and an inner card11, wherein the card body10is folded into two halves101,102, and a stylish pattern is printed onto the inner card11, and an end of the inner card11is adhered onto an internal side of a half101of the card body10, and another end of the inner card11is adhered onto an internal side of another half102of the card body10. When the card body10is folded into two halves, the inner card11is accommodated into the two halves101,102. When the card body10is spread open, the inner card11is driven by the two halves101,102of the card body10to erect at the internal side of the card body10, such that the inner card11can show a three-dimensional visual effect. Such arrangement not only overcomes the shortcomings of a conventional card being too dull and monotonous, but also adds a memorial storage value to the card.

Although the three-dimensional card can overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and slightly show the three-dimensional visual effect, yet an inner card11of the three-dimensional card still comes with a planar style. Since the inner card11is driven by the two halves101,102and erected on an internal side of the card body10, the inner card11cannot show a dynamic effect for a surprise during the erecting process.

Therefore, it is an important subject of the invention to find a way of overcoming the shortcomings of a conventional three-dimensional card and providing a three-dimensional stylish design of the card to enhance the dynamic effect of the card.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments, and finally designed a three-dimensional inflammable card in accordance with the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a three-dimensional inflatable card comprising a card body, an airbag and a protective ring, wherein a portion of the card body is folded inward, and a side of the card body is adhered onto an internal side of the card body to define a containing space in the card body, and an opening is formed on both corresponding sides of the containing space separately, and a movable portion is disposed on the card body and corresponding to a side of the containing space. The airbag is adhered and fixed in the containing space and contains a reacting powder (such as a carbonate compound including sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate) and an acid solution pack, and the protective ring comprises two protecting elements capable of embedding with each other and is disposed around the periphery of the airbag, wherein the protective ring has a thickness sufficient to contain the acid solution pack and prevent the acid solution pack from being pressed or cracked during the transportation process of the three-dimensional inflatable card, and each of the protecting elements is coupled to an end of a pull string, and another end of each pull string is coupled to the card body and at a position proximate to each opening. The card body includes a tear line disposed at a position proximate to another end of each pull string, such that after a user tears the edge of the card body along each tear line by holding and pulling each pull string, the protecting elements can be separated from each other, and each of the protecting elements can be pulled out from each opening to the outside of the containing space. The user presses the card body at a position corresponding to the airbag to break the acid solution pack and allow an acid solution (such as citric acid, acetic acid, and dilute hydrochloric acid) to flow out. After the acid solution is chemically reacted with the reacting powder to produce carbon dioxide, the carbon dioxide gas expands the airbag to a predetermined volume and drives the airbag to prop open the movable portion and extend the movable portion to the outside of the containing space, so as to form a three-dimensional inflatable stylish card.

Another objective of the present invention is to design an embedding portion at both ends of each protecting element separately, such that the embedding portions at both ends of one of the protecting elements are embedded into the embedding portions on both ends of another protecting element as a whole to constitute the protective ring.

A further objective of the present invention is to design the cross-section of the containing space in a rectangular shape to facilitate the airbag and the protective ring to be contained in the containing space, and make it easier for card manufacturers to transport the three-dimensional inflatable card.

Another objective of the present invention is to design a blowing nozzle of the airbag, such that users can open the blowing nozzle to release the carbon dioxide gas in the airbag in order to reduce the volume of the three-dimensional inflatable card for an easy storage of the three-dimensional inflatable card. Further, users can blow air into the airbag through the blowing nozzle.

The objects, technical characteristics and effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To make it easier for our examiner to understand the technical characteristics of the present invention, we use preferred embodiments together with the accompanying drawings for the detailed description of the invention as follows:

With reference toFIGS. 2 and 3for a three-dimensional inflatable card in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the three-dimensional inflatable card2comprises a card body20, an airbag21and a protective ring22, wherein a portion of the card body20is folded inward, and a side of the card body20is adhered onto an internal side of the card body20to define a containing space201in the card body, and an opening202is formed on both corresponding sides of the containing space201separately. InFIG. 2, an opening202disposed separately on both corresponding sides of the containing space201is substantially in an oval shape, but not limited to such arrangement only. With reference toFIG. 4, the shape of each opening402can be changed according to the design requirements when card manufacturers fold the card body40, so that the cross-section of the containing space401can be in a rectangular shape. In other words, the opening402is in a rectangular shape, not only facilitating the airbag and the protective ring to be contained in the containing space401, but also allowing card manufacturers to transport the three-dimensional inflatable card4more easily.

InFIGS. 2 and 3, the card body20includes a break line203disposed at a position corresponding to a side of the containing space201. In this preferred embodiment, the break line203is in a curved shape, and both ends of the break line203are extended to a folding position of the card body20to form a movable portion24, but not limited to such arrangement only. The break line203is in a U-shape or any other shape, such that even if both ends of the break line203are not extended to the folding position of the card body20, the following procedure (such as inflating the airbag21) can still be carried out.

In addition, the airbag21is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyethylene (PE), and an end of the airbag21is adhered and fixed in the containing space201, and a reacting powder211(such as a carbonate compound including sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate) and an acid solution pack212are contained in the airbag21, and the acid solution pack212is filled with an acid solution such as citric acid, acetic acid and dilute hydrochloric acid, etc.

With reference toFIG. 5, the protective ring22comprises two protecting elements221capable of embedding with each other, and each of the protecting elements221is coupled to an end of a pull string23, and an end of each protecting element221has a convex embedding portion221a, and another end of each protecting element221includes a concave embedding portion221b, and each convex embedding portion221acan be embedded into each concave embedding portion221b, such that the protecting elements221can be engaged and integrated with each other to constitute the protective ring22. With reference toFIG. 2, the protective ring22is disposed around the periphery of the airbag21, such that when the airbag21is not inflated, the airbag21is pressed and contained in the protective ring22, and the protective ring22has a thickness sufficient to prevent the acid solution pack212from being pressed or cracked during the process of transporting the three-dimensional inflatable card2. Another end of each pull string23is coupled to the card body20and disposed at a position proximate to each opening202, and the card body20has a tear line204disposed on the card body20and proximate to another end of each pull string23.

In the first preferred embodiment, if a user tears an edge of the card body20along each tear line204, the user holds and pulls each pull string23to separate the protecting elements221as shown inFIG. 6. The user can pull each protecting element221from each opening202to the outside of the containing space201. When the user presses the card body20at a position corresponding to the airbag21, the user can break the acid solution pack212and allow the acid solution to flow out. After the acid solution is chemically reacted with the reacting powder211to produce carbon dioxide, the carbon dioxide gas expands the airbag21to a predetermined volume as shown inFIG. 7, and the airbag21will break through the break line203of the card body20to prop open the movable portion24, and protrude the movable portion24to the outside of the containing space201, so as to form a three-dimensional inflatable object on the card body.

With reference toFIG. 2for the first preferred embodiment again, the airbag21further comprises a blowing nozzle213. After the carbon dioxide gas in the airbag21is discharged, users can blow air into the airbag21through the blowing nozzle213to maintain the three-dimensional shape of the airbag21. Further, users can open the blowing nozzle213to release air in the airbag21and reduce the volume of the three-dimensional inflatable card2for an easy storage of the three-dimensional inflatable card2.

With reference toFIG. 8for a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the three-dimensional inflatable card8comprises a card body80, an airbag81and a protective ring82, wherein a portion of the card body80is folded inward, and a side is adhered onto an internal side of the card body80to define a containing space801in the card body80, and an opening802is formed on both corresponding sides of the containing space801separately, and a movable opening803is disposed on the card body80and at a side of the containing space801, and the card body80is covered by a movable portion, and the movable portion is a movable card84embedded onto the card body80to seal the movable opening803. However, card manufacturers may change the way of fixing the movable card84onto the card body80as needed. For instance, the movable card84is adhered to the movable opening803by a tape or a glue to seal the movable opening803.

The airbag81is accommodated in the containing space801, and the airbag81contains a reacting powder and an acid solution pack, and the protective ring82is comprised of two protecting elements821engaged with each other and disposed around the periphery of the airbag81, and the protective ring82has a thickness sufficient to prevent the acid solution pack in the airbag81from being cracked during the process of transporting the three-dimensional inflatable card8, and each of the protecting elements821is coupled to an end of a pull string83.

In the second preferred embodiment, after a user pulls each pull string83, each protecting element821is pulled out of the containing space801, and the user can compress the card body80at a position corresponding to the airbag81to crack the acid solution pack and allow the acid solution to flow out and chemically react with the reacting powder to produce carbon dioxide, so that the airbag81can be expanded to a predetermined volume to prop the movable card84out from the containing space801to form a three-dimensional inflatable object on the card body.

While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims. For instance, the protective ring is not limited to a circular shape, but it can be in the shape of a square, a rhombus, a pentagon, a hexagon or any other geometric shape to match the stylish design of the three-dimensional inflatable card.