FLEXIBLE DEVICE FOR ATTACHING CARDS TO A GIFT OR PACKAGE

Disclosed is a decorative clip that firmly holds a greeting card with ease of removal and replacement. The clip is attached to a ribbon or elongated band by a connector that provides angular, vertical and lateral positioning of the top of the clip with respect to the package to adapt to the shape and size of the package. The present invention also includes a kit of components that can be sold as a unit as well as a method of assembling the components in three ways to provide the optimum versatility of the packaging to fit the size and shape of the package. One such kit is specifically disclosed for wrapping one of the most common gifts of a bottle of wine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1Ashows an assembly of a wine bottle wrapped and identified using the present invention. The wine bottle10is shown in dotted lines and can include bottles with round bottoms and necks, square bottoms and round necks, rectangular bottoms and round necks or any other shape bottle that is on the market. The wrapper11is preferably a decorative bag however it can be a sheet, cylinder or any other preformed shape and can be opaque, transparent, glow in the dark or of any other optical quality. The bow is preferably a traditional shoe lace bow but may be of any material, size or shape. The elongate band13is preferably a cloth ribbon but may be of any material that is either just flexible but may be elastic or shrink with applied heat or any other material that is capable of being wrapped around the package. The decorative clip14at least requires sufficient winds of a thin resilient material to be deformed when a card is placed between the winds resulting in a card being held in place. The card15is there to identify the recipient and sender of a gift and convey a greeting requiring printing. The card15needs to be of sufficient stiffness that it will deform the thin resilient material of the clip resulting in the forces to hold the card in place. The card may be of any size, shape or number of plies. The connector16attaches the clip14to the elongated band13. Details of the connector16will be illustrated inFIGS. 2A,2B,2C and2D. The clip14may take many forms.FIGS. 1A and 1Bshow the clip14in a spiral form.FIG. 1Cshows a triangular shaped clip17andFIG. 1Dshows a heart shaped clip18. Clips of animals, holiday symbols, celestial objects, landmarks, vehicles, structures, signs and any number of other shapes are possible. All of the clips14have a loop at the top that interfaces with the connector16to attach the clip14to the elongated band13.

FIG. 2Ashows a side view of a connector16. The connector16has a “D” shaped opening21with a single layer left side and two legs on the right hand side. The connector16is preferably made with height23of 0.5-1.0 inches and depth22of 0.38-0.5 inches.FIG. 2Bis a side view of a first method of assembling the clip14with the top loop19to the connector16and subsequently inserting the elongated band13through the “D” shaped opening21of the connector16;FIG. 2Cis a side view of a second method of assembling the clip14with the top loop19to the connector16and subsequently inserting the elongated band13in between the two legs20of the connector16.FIG. 2Dis a side view of a third method of assembling the clip14with the top loop19to the connector16and subsequently piercing the elongated band13with the tips of the two legs20of the connector16.FIG. 2Eis a front view of the first method of assembling the clip14with the top loop19to the connector16and subsequently threading elongated band13through the “D” shaped opening21of the connector16.FIG. 2Fis also a front view of the first method of assembling the clip14with the top loop19to the connector16and subsequently threading elongated band13through the “D” shaped opening21of the connector16except the elongated band13is narrower than the elongated band13ofFIG. 2E.FIG. 2Gis a font view of a second method of assembling the clip14with the top loop19to the connector16and subsequently inserting the elongated band13in between the two legs20(un-shown) of the connector16.FIG. 2His a front view of a third method of assembling the clip14with the top loop19to the connector16and subsequently piercing the elongated band13with the tips (un-shown) of the two legs20of the connector16.FIG. 2Jis a side view of the connector16attached to the elongated band13and with the top loop19of the clip14inserted through the “D” shaped hole21. The four positions of clip14with respect to elongated band13exemplify the freedom of movement of the clip14that allows the present invention to lay flat on packages of various shapes and sizes.

FIG. 2Kshows a cube shaped package in a wrapper11with a bow12card15and clip18. The clip takes a horizontal position when used under these circumstances.FIG. 2Lshows a tall wine bottle shaped package in a wrapper11with a bow12card15and clip14. The clip takes a downward angled position when used under these circumstances.FIG. 2Mshows a large irregularly shaped package with wrapper11with a bow12card15and clip17. The clip takes a close to horizontal position when used under these circumstances.

FIG. 3Ais an illustration of the steps of the first method of assembling the present invention.FIG. 3Bis a block diagram of the steps of the first method of assembling the present invention that start with step301where placing an object (bottle) to be wrapped in the wrapper (bag) to cover the object,302where scrunching the wrapper (bag) around object where elongated band will be placed (at neck of bottle),303where tying elongated band around object, now inside the bag, where it will be most advantageous to attach greeting card (at bottle neck),304where passing elongated band through center cavity of connector and sliding connector with its attached clip to front center of object thus locating it where it will be most advantageous to attach greeting card,305where tying elongated band into a decorative bow atop connector (clip dangles below bow), and306where sliding greeting card into clip so that front of card is displayed as part of overall gift wrapping asthetic.

FIG. 4Ais an illustration of the steps of the second method of assembling the present invention.FIG. 4Bis a block diagram of the steps of the second method of assembling the present invention that start with step401where tying elongated band around object, now inside wrapping paper, so that the object/gift is wrapped and secured with ribbon and a decorative bow is tied on top,402where sliding elongated band between two back legs of connector so that connector is securely clipped to elongated band,403where sliding connector (and clip) along elongated band to location best suited for greeting card display, and404where sliding greeting card into clip so that front of card is displayed as part of overall gift wrapping asthetic.

FIG. 5Ais an illustration of the steps of the third method of assembling the present invention.FIG. 5Bis a block diagram of the steps of the third method of assembling the present invention that start with step501where placing an object (bottle) to be wrapped in the wrapper (bag) to cover the object, and502where scrunching the wrapper (bag) around object where elongated band will be placed (at neck of bottle), and503where positioning elongated band with reattached connector and clip on object (now inside bag) where it will be most advantageous to attach greeting card (at bottle neck), and504where passing ends of elongated band to back of object/gift and bringing ends to front again while clip dangles in front prominent position on object, and505where tying elongated band into a decorative bow atop connector (clip dangles below bow), and506where sliding greeting card into clip so that front of card is displayed as part of overall gift wrapping asthetic.

FIG. 6is a summary chart that contrasts the capabilities of the three methods of assembling the components of the present invention. The three methods are represented in the columns of the chart and the packaging variables that are provided by the instant invention ore represented in the rows of the chart.

FIG. 7shows the components of the kit of the present invention with an example of the graphics that enhance the market appeal of the kit and attractiveness of the finished package. Shown is a wrapper11in the form of a bag for a bottle of wine, the elongate band is in the form of a lush ribbon13, the decorative clip14ofFIG. 1AandFIG. 1Bis fastened to elongated band13by connector16which has been preassembled to elongated band13using method three. An instruction card which is shown in detail inFIG. 8is the final component of the kit ofFIG. 7.

FIG. 8is an example of an instruction card for wrapping a bottle of wine using the components of the kit shown inFIG. 7. Three easy steps and the bottle is fit for presentation to a special person.