Multipurpose souvenir kit

Souvenir kits are disclosed, the kits including an assortment of multiple parts including a front member, a rear member, and at least one side member. At least the front member is thematically representative of an aspect of a particular travel destination. At least the front member is configured for connection to one or more other parts in the kit in multiple respective ways so as to make a selected souvenir assembly of at least three possible souvenir assemblies, each having a different use, that can be made from the parts in the kit. Exemplary assemblies include bookends, wall-hangings, enclosures (e.g., planters), light-switch covers, object-holding devices, and wind chimes, and combinations thereof.

FIELD

This disclosure pertains to kits containing multiple parts that can be packaged and shipped in disassembled form and assembled together in different ways to make any of multiple objects having particular appeal as souvenirs and the like.

BACKGROUND

Many tourists purchase souvenirs when traveling, especially when traveling to a popular location or to a location proximal to a particular natural or man-made feature that is famous or well-recognized. Even persons who say they do not buy souvenirs will readily admit that they do not buy them for themselves but rather for others. Usually, a person traveling to a famous destination on business or vacation while leaving a spouse or other loved one at home frequently would be found greatly remiss if he or she returned home without a souvenir of the location to present to the person who stayed home.

Unfortunately, souvenirs are often large and bulky and, when purchased early during the trip, must be lugged around until the end of the trip and ultimately packed into the traveler's luggage, which increases the bulk and weight of the luggage and poses a substantial risk that the souvenir will be damaged during the trip home.

SUMMARY

In view of the conventional situation as summarized above, multipurpose souvenir kits are provided that overcome these disadvantages because the kits are compact in their disassembled form and the constituent parts can be assembled together in various ways to form different assemblies each comprising a respective combination and assembly of parts. The assemblies, which are individually selectable by the possessor of the kit, include one or more assemblies having appeal as souvenir items.

A souvenir kit according to one embodiment comprises an assortment of multiple parts that include a front member, a rear member, and at least one side member. At least the front member is thematically representative of an aspect of a particular travel destination. Also, at least the front member is configured for connection to one or more other parts in the kit in multiple respective ways so as to make a selected souvenir assembly of at least three possible souvenir assemblies, each having a different use, that can be made from the parts in the kit.

The kit can include, for example, one or more of a base member, a second side member, at least one wall-hanging support, and assembly hardware such as screws, nails, hooks, and the like, as needed for making any of the possible souvenir assemblies.

In one embodiment, the kit can be configured such that a selected any of at least four possible souvenir assemblies can be made from the parts in the kit. In another embodiment, the kit can be configured such that a selected any of at least five possible souvenir assemblies can be made from the parts in the kit.

A kit according to another embodiment comprises multiple parts including a front member, a rear member, a base member, and at least one side member. At least the front member is thematically representative of the travel destination, and at least the front member is configured for connection to at least one other part in the kit in multiple ways so as to form, with the front member and at least one other of the parts of the kit, a selected one of at least two souvenir assemblies. The souvenir assemblies that can be made from the kit include bookends, wall-hangings, enclosures, light-switch covers, object-holding devices, wind chimes, and combinations of these assemblies. In the kit the front member, rear member, base member, and at least one side member all can be thematically representative of the aspect of the travel destination.

In the case of the selectable souvenir assemblies including the enclosure, the enclosure can be assembled, at least in part, by attaching the front and rear members perpendicularly to the side members and perpendicularly to the base member serving as a bottom of the enclosure. In a particular embodiment, at least the front and rear members can define respective slots extending along respective side edges of the members, and the side members can have lateral edges configured to slide into the slots, wherein the enclosure is assembled, at least in part, by inserting the lateral edges into the respective slots. In addition or alternatively, respective slots can be defined near respective bottom edges of the front member, rear member, and side members, and the base member can have lateral edges configured to slide into the slots near the respective bottom edges, wherein the enclosure is assembled, at least in part, by inserting the lateral edges of the base member into the slots near the respective bottom edges.

In the case of the selectable souvenir assemblies including the wall-hanging, the wall-hanging can be assembled, at least in part, by attaching wall-hanging supports to a second surface of the base member or of the front member. In another example the wall-hanging can be assembled by attaching the front member and rear member to a first surface of the base member. The kit further can include at least one wall-hanging support.

In the case of the selectable souvenir assemblies including the light-switch cover, the kit further can include at least one light-switch cover-plate that can be mounted at least to the front member. The kit further can include at least one object-hanging component (e.g., a hook) for attachment to a lower edge of the light-switch cover, such as to the lower edge of the front member.

In the case of the selectable souvenir assemblies including the wind chime, the kit further can include a hanger for hanging the wind chime so as to make a hanging wind chime. The kit further can include at least one chime configured to be struck by movement associated with air flow being directed at the chime, and a corresponding number of the chime-attachment devices (e.g., eyelets). In a particular embodiment the wind-chime assembly can be assembled, at least in part, by attaching the front member back-to-back to the rear member.

In the case of the selectable souvenir assemblies including the bookends, the kit further can include bookend supports for attachment to the front and rear members, respectively, for example. A set of bookends can be assembled by, for example, attaching the front member perpendicularly to a first bookend support and attaching the rear member perpendicularly to a second bookend support.

In the case of the selectable souvenir assemblies including the object-holding device, the object-holding device can be assembled by, for example, attaching at least one hook to a lower edge surface of the front member (or to the lower edge surface of the base member to which the front member is attached). The hook can be configured to hold an object, and the front member can be configured for attachment to a support surface.

The kit can be configured such that the members can be assembled into a selected any one of at least three, at least four, or all of the souvenir assemblies.

The aspect of the particular travel destination to which the selectable souvenirs are thematically correlated can be, for example, any of the following: architectural entities, man-made features, natural features, environmental settings, plants, animals, events, persons, fictional places, and fictional characters, and combinations thereof.

According to another aspect, methods are provided for promoting sales of souvenirs, thematically correlated to a particular travel destination, from a sales establishment. An embodiment of such a method comprises providing a kit of parts comprising an assortment of multiple parts including a front member, a rear member, and at least one side member, wherein at least the front member is thematically representative of an aspect of a particular travel destination, and at least the front member is configured for connection to one or more other parts in the kit in multiple respective ways so as to make a selected souvenir assembly of at least three possible souvenir assemblies that can be made from the parts in the kit. The kit is presented for sale at the sales establishment. In another embodiment the kit presented for sale at the sales establishment includes a front member, a rear member, at least one side member, and a base member, wherein at least the front member is thematically representative of the travel destination, and wherein certain members are configured for connection to at least some of the other members in multiple ways so as to form one of at least two souvenir assemblies as selected by a possessor of the kit. The souvenir assemblies can be selected from a set of bookends, a wall-hanging, an enclosure, a light-switch cover, an object-holding device, and a wind chime.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is set forth below in the context of a representative embodiment that is not intended to be limiting in any way. The representative embodiment is described with reference to figures that are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.

Reference throughout this description to a “representative embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one possible embodiment of the subject kits, but not necessarily in all possible embodiments. The described features, structures, and/or characteristics of the representative embodiment can be combined in any of various suitable manners in the one or more possible embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that one or more possible embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific details and/or features in the representative embodiment, or can be practiced with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessary detail.

Referring first toFIG. 1, exemplary constituent parts of a kit10according to a representative embodiment are shown. The kit comprises a front member12, a rear member14, a first side member16, and a second side member18. These parts in this particular embodiment have, by way of example, a thematic “mission” motif which is representative of a particular travel location. The kit10can include additional components such as wall-hanging supports20a-20d,bookend supports22a,22b,a base member24, and a hardware assortment26including, for example, screws, nails, hooks, and the like as required. Each component of the kit10is configured for attachment to another component to form a particular souvenir assembly, or to serve a particular utilitarian purpose associated with construction, use, or mounting of one or more particular souvenir assemblies. Not all possible souvenir assemblies that can be constructed using the kit10necessarily utilize all the parts shown inFIG. 1or otherwise supplied with the kit10. The major parts of the depicted kit10, notably the front member12, the rear member14, the side members16,18, the base member24, and the wall-hanging supports20a-20d,can be made, for example, of wood, rigid plastic, ceramic, metal, or other suitable material. The bookend supports22a,22bdesirably are made of metal, e.g., brass. The various parts can be made of different materials if desired or required.

FIGS. 2 and 3depict one exemplary souvenir assembly, namely a pair of bookends28, that can be made from at least some of the parts of the kit10shown inFIG. 1. Specifically, the bookends28comprise a first bookend28aand a second bookend28b.The first bookend28ais an assembly of the front member12and one bookend support22a,and the second bookend28bis an assembly of the rear member14and the other bookend support22b.In this assembly, each bookend support22a,22bis attached to the bottom edge of the respective member12,14by screws. To such end, the bookend supports22a,22bdefine fastener apertures30a,30b,respectively. Alternatively to screws, the bookend supports22a,22bcan be attached to the respective members12,14by any of various other fastening schemes including, but not limited to, glue, clamps, clasps, nails, etc.

FIG. 4depicts another exemplary souvenir assembly, namely a wall-hanging32, that can be made from at least some of the parts of the kit10shown inFIG. 1. Specifically, the depicted wall-hanging32comprises at least the front member12, the rear member14, and the base member24assembled together. To make the assembly, the front member12and rear member14can be glued, screwed, nailed, or attached in any other suitable manner, to the base member24. The front member12and rear member14may be positioned relative to each other in the manner depicted or can be mounted with their respective positions reversed from what is shown. An appropriately sized base member24advantageously can serve as a backing plate, which is a role that the base member24can serve alone or in combination with one or more of the side members16,18, if desired.

The wall-hanging supports20a-20ddesirably are configured to be screwed or otherwise fastened to a wall, and thus one or more of the supports can be used for supporting the wall-hanging32. For example, the base member24can be provided with extensions or analogous features on its reverse side that are configured to engage the wall-hanging supports20a-20d.The extensions can be configured simply to rest on the wall-hanging supports20a-20d,or the wall-hanging supports20a-20dcan be configured to provide a friction fit around the extensions. In another example, as shown inFIG. 10, at least two of the wall-hanging supports20a-20dhave angled edges90,91, wherein a first wall-hanging support20ais mounted to a wall, e.g., by one or more screws92, with the angled edge90oriented upward. A second wall-hanging support20bis mounted to the rear of the base member24, e.g., by one or more screws94, with the angled edge91oriented downward. To mount the wall-hanging32on the wall, the wall-hanging is simply placed such that the angled edge90rests on the angled edge91.

FIG. 5depicts yet another exemplary assembly, namely an enclosure or container36(usable, e.g., as a planter), that can be made from at least some of the parts shown inFIG. 1. The enclosure36comprises the front member12, the rear member14, the side members16,18, and the base member24. For ease of assembly, the front member12and rear member14desirably define tapered slots38(seeFIG. 3) on their respective rear surfaces adjacent lateral edges of the members. The tapered slots38are configured to receive respective edges40(seeFIG. 1) of the side members16,18, wherein the edges40are configured to slide or otherwise be inserted into the respective slots38. For example, the edges40of the side members16,18slide into the tapered slots38of the front member12and rear member14from the bottom edges42,44(seeFIG. 1) of the front and rear members12,14, respectively. To hold the assembly together, the edges40can be glued, nailed, screwed, friction-fit, etc., in their respective slots38.

For additional structural integrity of the enclosure36, respective slots (not shown, but similar to the slots described above) can be defined near the bottom edge42of the front member12, near the bottom edge44of the rear member14, and near the bottom edges46,48of the side members16,18for receiving corresponding edges of the base member24. To hold the assembly together, the edges of the base member24can be glued, nailed, screwed, friction-fit, etc., in their respective slots. Indeed, the edges of the base member24can be simply fit into the respective slots and held there as a result of other structural integrity provided by assembling the edges40into respective slots38as described above.

Although the assembly shown inFIG. 5is described in the context of being usable as a “planter enclosure,” it will be immediately comprehended that the assembly can be used generally as a box or the like for enclosing any of various items or simply used and enjoyed without having the structure contain anything.

FIG. 6depicts yet another exemplary assembly, namely a light-switch cover50, that can be made from at least some of the parts shown inFIG. 1. The light-switch cover50includes a conventional light-switch cover plate52(shown as a two-gang cover plate), and the front member12. Although the depicted light-switch cover50has the cover plate52situated above the front member12, in an alternative configuration the cover plate52can be located below the front member12, for example. Optionally, as shown, the light-switch cover50can include one or more hooks54(or other object-hanging components) threaded into, for example, the bottom edge56of the front member12and used for, e.g., holding keys56, cups, or other objects. Of course, the cover plate52is not limited to the two-gang, toggle-switch cover shown; it alternatively can be sized for different numbers of switches and/or for different types of switches. The cover plate52can be provided separately by the purchaser of the kit10or provided as a constituent part in the kit. In this regard, the kit10can include multiple cover plates52each configured to cover different types and numbers of switches. The depicted assembly50can be made without the hooks54. Further alternatively, the assembly50can be used, without the cover plate52, as a wall-hanging with or without the hooks54.

FIGS. 7 and 8depict yet another exemplary assembly, namely a wind chime60, that can be made from at least some of the parts shown inFIG. 1.FIG. 7depicts a front view, andFIG. 8depicts a rear view of the wind chime60. The wind chime60includes the front member12and the rear member14attached to each other back-to-back. An eyelet (e.g., screw eyelet)62is attached to the center upper edge64, and an array (e.g., linear array) of eyelets66(e.g., screw eyelets) are attached along the bottom edge68. The wind chime60can be hung from any of various existing structures via the top eyelet62using a cord (shown)70or analogous hanging means. The back-to-back arrangement of the front and rear members12,14allows the thematic aspect of the souvenir to be recognizable no matter the direction in which the wind chime60is facing relative to a viewer. The front member12and rear member14can be assembled together in this manner using the wall-hanging supports20a-20dand/or by using any suitable securing means such as, but not limited to, nails, glue, screws, clasps, friction-fitting rods, etc.

A set of chimes72is hung from the eyelets66using one or more hangers74, such as string, twine, chain, or the like. A single hanger74can be used to attach all the chimes72. Alternatively each chime72can be hung from a respective eyelet66using a respective hanger74. Further alternatively, the chimes72can be hung in selected groups using respective hangers74.

It will be understood that the chimes72can be attached to any of the other assemblies that can be made from the parts of the kit10, especially if the assembly is configured to be hung.

FIG. 9depicts an exemplary carton80that can be used for packing and containing the kit10. The depicted carton80desirably is made of cardboard (such as corrugated cardboard). By way of example, and not intending to be limiting in any way, the carton80has interior dimensions as follows: height “H” of ⅜ inch, length “L” of 9¼ inches, and width “W” of 6⅞ inches. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that components of the kit10can be produced in any of various sizes and from any of various materials; hence, the carton80desirably is dimensioned accordingly so as to hold the kit10compactly and securely to facilitate shipping, transportation, and mobility.

The kit10can contain any of various other parts such as, but not limited to, screws, nails, glue, string, paint, clips, etc., as required or desired. The kit10also can contain assembly instructions, or alternatively the instructions can be printed on the carton80, for example.

Additionally, although the disclosure above generally discusses the various assemblies as being rectilinear, L-shaped (bookends), or substantially flat (wall-hanging), it will be understood that these general configurations are exemplary only. Alternatively, any of the assemblies can have various other shapes and configurations such as circular, polygonal, or the like. The constituent parts of the kit can be fashioned for any size and packed into an appropriate carton.

It also is contemplated that certain constituent parts of the kit can be pre-assembled to allow the kit to exist in a “collapsed” form or state (suitable for packaging and/or shipping) and in an “assembled” form or state (suitable for when the purchaser has returned home). For example, referring to the array of parts shown inFIG. 1, a kit as actually marketed could have the side members16,18at least partially pre-assembled to the front member12and/or the rear member14in a manner (e.g., by hinges, creases, or analogous means) allowing the side members to be folded flat against the front member and/or rear member, representative of the collapsed state, and opened up for an expanded state. Alternatively, for example, the side members16,18could be made telescopic or accordion-folded so as to expand front-to-back for assembly but be in a retracted (collapsed) state for packaging and/or shipping of the kit. The collapsed state can be characterized by a reduced depth dimension, relative to width and length dimensions of a possible souvenir assembly that can be produced from at least some of the constituent parts of the kit.

AlthoughFIGS. 1-10depict assemblies thematically representing a “mission” (as the exemplary locale from which the souvenir ostensibly was obtained), it will be appreciated that the thematic representation alternatively could be any motif, such as another architectural site, a tourist site, a natural scene, a symbol, or a character (e.g., a theme-park character). For example,FIG. 11depicts a front member100that is thematically representative of a cable car, such as characteristic of San Francisco. It also will be appreciated that the kits can be marketed anywhere such as at or near the corresponding location represented by the assemblies. For example, a kit for constructing a miniature Leaning Tower of Pisa could be sold in Pisa or in Italy, or a kit for constructing a miniature Eiffel Tower could be sold in Paris or in France. Small-sized kits would encourage tourists to purchase kits at their points of sale because small size allows for easy packing and transportation of one or multiple kits. Naturally, per-kit postage for mailing multiple kits from a particular location would be lower than for mailing a single kit. It is envisioned that souvenir-shop owners could easily handle the postage at the shop location, and known postage costs to various countries could be printed directly on the carton containing the kit. Due to the simplicity of mailing the kits from a shop location, it is envisioned that shop owners would appreciate increased sales overall as well as increased sales per customer due to the compactness of the kit.

It is also contemplated that there would be a market for a smaller kit, in at least one direction, such as the height. The kit height could be reduced by using flexible compressible foam, (such as urethane foam, Styrofoam, or memory foam, for example) such that it could be compressed when packaged, and then opened, it would expand to size, thereby becoming fully filled out.

The total kit height can be compressed, as an example, to approximately ⅜″ in the package but once the package is opened, the kit could expand to full-size of approximately 1⅜″, thereby making the various pieces multidimensional. The various pieces of the kit, once assembled, would have the appearance of those of the previously de-scaled package. Such packaging would allow for much smaller packages when shipping, storing, marketing and after sales transporting but would have totally different appearances when unpackaged and assembled due to expanding in, at least, one direction.

The features and configurations described above are exemplary only. Other embodiments and configurations are possible without departing from essential characteristics and spirit of this disclosure. For example, aside from the various alternatives discussed above, any of various modifications can be implemented including variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, manner of operation, assembly, and use can be made without departing from the principles and concepts of the subject of this disclosure.