Abstract:
A novelty item capable of dispensing individual bills of paper currency for presenting a monetary gift in a new and extravagant fashion. The novelty item includes a container having panels and a slot disposed through one of the panels. A roll of paper currency is disposed within the container and a portion of the roll extends outwardly through the slot of the container. The roll includes a strip of a bills joined together in seriatim in end-to-end fashion. The roll also includes pieces of tape adhered between ends of the bills for temporarily connecting the bills together to establish the strip. The novelty item is packaged in a unique packaging kit for display and marketing purposes.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Not applicable.  
         FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not applicable.  
         REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
         [0003]    Not applicable.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0005]    The present invention generally relates to novelty gift items. More specifically, this invention is directed to a paper money dispenser that individually dispenses bills of paper currency in any desired denomination such that a recipient receives a gift of money in a fan and novel manner.  
           [0006]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0007]    Various types of article dispensers have long been used to dispense such things as labels, correction tape, bandages, and even bacon. More recently, however, a dispenser for dispensing linerless labels was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,301 to Boreali et al. Boreali et al. teach a dispenser for dispensing individual labels from a rolled up web of labels, wherein each label readily separates from the next label, in series fashion. A roll of web labels includes a core and a series of back-to-back linerless labels wherein each label is releasably connected by pressure sensitive adhesive to two other labels in an overlapping arrangement. The dispenser is a box-like device and includes a slot opening in the top thereof, a hollow interior therein, and a spindle mounted within the interior. The spindle is connected to walls of the housing and provides a mount and spindle for the roll to unwind upon. Immediately above and parallel to the spindle, a pair of arcuate guide surfaces are disposed in the housing for guiding movement of the labels away from the spindle. A pair of break-over rollers is positioned immediately above and parallel to the pair of opposed guide surfaces, are rotatable with respect to the housing, and define the exit opening of the dispenser. The break-over rollers further have sufficiently small diameters, compared to the length of each label, to enable stripping action to permit easy detachment of one label from the next. Unfortunately, however, the dispenser of Boreali et al. is unnecessarily complicated with its arcuate guide surfaces, break over rollers, and spindle, and cannot be produced from simple cardboard box construction.  
           [0008]    Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 2,276,296 to Flood teaches another device for dispensing a series of individual labels that are temporarily adhered to a continuous reel of backing tape. The device includes a container having a passage through which the backing tape and labels are pulled along a predetermined path. The device also includes a smooth guiding edge positioned adjacent to the predetermined path and extends edgewise with respect thereto. The guiding edge contacts a back side of the backing tape, wherein the edge is positioned at an angle such as to permit the labels to be peeled away from the backing tape at a sharp right angle. Accordingly, the labels are projected from the device merely by pulling and drawing a free end of the backing tape over the smooth guiding edge at a 90 degree angle from the path defined by the edge. In addition, a serrated blade is provided at the label outlet of the housing to sever the dispensed label at the point where it exits an outlet in the housing. Unfortunately, however, the Flood dispenser is unnecessarily complicated since it is produced from two separate box-like housings, and involves use of a separate backing material.  
           [0009]    Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,861 to Bishop teaches a dispenser for dispensing and separating pressure sensitive adhesive tape from a series of unconnected liner strips in a roll arrangement. Bishop discloses the dispenser as being composed of cardboard carton material, including an interior portion for housing the roll arrangement, and has an exit opening therein. The dispenser includes a tape cutter adjacent the exit opening for cutting away individual pieces of adhesive tape. The dispenser further includes a path having a bend within the interior for sharply bending the roll of adhesive tape back on itself to separate the liner strips from the adhesive tape. The abrupt angle at which the roll of adhesive tape is bent back upon itself enables the unconnected liner strips to individually fall away from the adhesive tape within the dispenser. Accordingly, the adhesive tape is presented to the user without a backing strip, or liner strips, as is necessary with the dispenser disclosed in Flood. Unfortunately, however, Bishop involves relatively complicated flaps and folds of the paper box and also includes an undesirable cutting blade.  
           [0010]    In addition to the article dispensers discussed above, several gift packaging kits have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,759 to Gannon et al. discloses a gift packaging and wrapping ensemble. The gift ensemble includes a collapsible, constructible gift box for packaging gift merchandise, wrapping materials, a gift card, trimming material, a transparent wrapping material, and a rigid backing member for providing support. U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,832 to Hunter et. al. discloses a packing kit for use in packing items for moving transport. The packing kit includes a packing carton, mastic tape for securing the carton closed, packing material to maintain the position of the packing items, inscribing means to label the packing items, and instructions for using the items in the packing kit. U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,440 to Singerman discloses a gift packaging kit including a container of collapsible and constructible rigid material having a plurality of sides and a bottom. Packing material including cellophane, tissue paper, and tissue shred is in an overlying position with respect to the collapsed container. A gift is in a partially overlying position with respect to the container and a wrapping material substantially encloses the gift, the packing material, and the container.  
           [0011]    Unfortunately, the Gannon et al., Hunter et al., and Singerman references fail to disclose a packaging kit adapted for use with a gift of valuable paper and having an openable container with a slot therethrough for dispensing the paper money. Similarly, the Boreali et al., Flood, and Bishop references do not disclose, teach, or suggest a novelty money dispenser. On special occasions, people often present monetary gifts to a recipient. In addition, some people commonly present novelty items as gifts for various occasions. Accordingly, the prior art lacks a fun way to present a monetary gift in a new and extravagant fashion in the form of a novelty item.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a novelty money dispenser. The novelty money dispenser includes a container having panels and further having a slot disposed through one or more of the panels. A roll of paper currency is disposed within the container, wherein a portion of the roll extends outwardly through the slot of the container. The novelty money dispenser of the present invention can further include an openable top panel with the slot disposed therethrough. Furthermore, the roll of paper currency can include a series of individual bills of any selected denomination that are held together end-to-end by pieces of peelable tape for easy separation.  
           [0013]    In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a roll of paper currency that includes a strip of bills joined together in seriatim in end-to-end fashion. The roll also includes an article or compound for temporarily connecting the bills together, such as pieces of pressure sensitive tape adhered between ends of the bills wherein the tape is peelable for easy removal.  
           [0014]    In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a novelty gift packaging kit that is adapted for use with the roll of paper money of the present invention. The kit includes an integral one-piece container that is collapsible and that is constructible. The container includes side panels, a bottom panel, and a top panel that together define an interior of the container when it is constructed. One of the top, bottom, and side panels includes a dispensing slot therethrough for dispensing paper money out from the interior. As packaged in kit form, however, the container is collapsed to form a generally rectangular, planar configuration. The kit also includes adhesive material overlaying the collapsed integral one-piece container, and a transparent wrapping around the container and adhesive material, wherein the container and adhesive material is visible for commercially displaying and promoting the novelty gift packaging kit.  
           [0015]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a unique novelty item used for presenting a monetary gift in a novel and extravagant fashion.  
           [0016]    It is another object to provide a unique roll of paper currency that includes a strip of bills temporarily connected in end-to-end fashion.  
           [0017]    It is a still another object that such a roll is adapted for use with a container to provide the unique novelty item.  
           [0018]    It is yet another object to provide a container that is configured to enable use of the unique roll of paper currency therewith.  
           [0019]    It is a further object to provide a unique novelty item that a recipient can enjoy by pulling bills of paper currency therefrom in a continuous strip, or one-by-one at a time.  
           [0020]    It is still a further object to provide a novelty “money machine” paper currency dispenser where a gift giver selects the amount of gift to be given by selecting a given denomination of currency.  
           [0021]    It is yet a further object to provide a packaging kit for displaying and marketing the novelty “money machine”.  
           [0022]    These objects and other features, aspects, and advantages of this invention will be more apparent after a reading of the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a partially unrolled roll of paper currency according to the present invention, in which individual bills are taped together in an end-to-end manner;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a money dispenser according to the present invention, illustrating the roll of paper currency of FIG. 1 being dispensed therefrom;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the packaging kit of the present invention; and  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the packaging kit of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0027]    Referring in detail to the Figures, there is shown in FIG. 2 a novelty money dispenser  10  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The dispenser  10  generally includes a container  12  and a roll  14  of paper currency rotatably disposed within the container  12 . Preferably, the container  12  includes attractive graphical indicia thereon, for example pictures of wads of money or a continuous strip of paper money being unfurled from a container.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 1 depicts the roll  14  of paper currency in a partially unrolled state. The roll  14  is composed of a strip of individual bills  16  adhered together in seriatim end-to-end. Preferably, as shown, the bills  16  are taped together using pieces of tape  18  that are peelable and preferably pressure sensitive. Consistent with typical paper currency, each bill  16  has a leading end  20 , a trailing end  22 , and sides  24  longitudinally disposed therebetween. Each bill  16  also has an outboard surface  26  and an oppositely disposed inboard surface  28 . With the exception of the last bill of the roll  14 , the trailing end  22  of each bill  16  is aligned adjacently along the leading end  20  of the bill  16  that is disposed successively along the strip. It is contemplated that the bills  16  can be spaced apart from one another or can be overlapped. The pieces of tape  18  are applied between successive bills  16 , on one or both of the inboard and outboard surfaces  28  and  26  of the bills  16 . Preferably, the removable pieces of tape  18  are applied in a direction transverse to the longitudinal path of the strip, as shown. The roll  14  is produced by manually laying out a series of bills  16  in end-to-end fashion, applying the pieces of tape  18  to one surface then, if desired, to the opposite surface of the bills  16 , then rolling up the strip of bills  16  into the roll  14 . The roll  14  can also be automatically produced, such as by a rolling and taping machine specially designed for this task.  
         [0029]    As shown in FIG. 2, the container  12  is a box-like structure having four side panels  30 , a bottom panel  32 , and a top panel  34  together defining an interior  36  of the container  12 . Preferably, the container  12  is constructed of paper or cardboard material and can be printed upon to increase the novelty aspect of the invention. The container  12  is preferably an integral one-piece structure wherein portions of the top and bottom are glued or mechanically interconnected to portions of the side panels  30  to close the container  12 . Any of the panels may be openable, but preferably, the top panel  34  is openable from the side panels  30  using a tab and slot arrangement or the like (not shown). One of the panels, preferably the top panel  34  as shown, includes a dispensing slot  38  therethrough. Independently, such containers are well-known in the art and are exemplified by tissue boxes, gift boxes, and the like. Uniquely, however, the roll  14  of paper currency is disposed within the container  12 .  
         [0030]    Still referring to FIG. 2, the roll  14  is preferably assembled within the container  12  after the bottom panel  32  is connected to the rest of the container  12 , but before the top panel  34  is closed. The leading end  20  of the first bill  16  of the strip is aligned parallel to the dispensing slot  38  and the first bill  16  of the strip is fed therethrough. Then the top panel  34  is glued or connected to the rest of the container  12 . Thus, a completely assembled container  12  includes a portion of the first bill  16  of the roll  14  extending through the dispensing slot  38  and is taped to the exterior of the container  12  to prevent the roll  14  from unraveling and prevent the strip of bills  16  from falling completely inside the container  12 .  
         [0031]    A user dispenses bills  16  from the device through the dispensing slot  38  first by pulling the leading bill  16  with one hand in a direction away from the container  12  until one or more successive bills  16  are exposed. This pulling action unwinds the roll  14  and advances the strip through the dispensing slot  38 . With much enthusiasm, the user pulls the strip of bills  16  from the container  12 , thereby unleashing several feet of the bills  16  and creating a pile of money. Alternatively, the user grabs each successive bill  16  as it exits the dispensing slot  38  with the other hand and continues to pull the leading bill  16  until the pieces of tape  18  joining the bills  16  become disconnected, or are removed, from one or more of the adjacent bills  16 . As a result, the bills  16  can be separated from one another one at a time. Accordingly, the dispenser  10  acts as an extravagant “money machine” novelty gift, wherein a user pulls bills  16  from the dispenser  10  one by one as desired, or in a long continuous strip.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 3 illustrates a packaging kit  40  of the present invention including the container  12  in its collapsed state and a supply of the pieces of tape  18  overlaying the container  12 . The supply of the pieces of tape  18  can be any form including but not limited to a roll or is overlaid in rectangular form as shown. A transparent shrink-wrap  42  encloses the container  12  and the tape  18 . Optionally, a peg rack hook  44  is adhered to a portion of the shrink-wrap  42  for mounting the packaging kit  40  to a store display unit. Finally, a decorative indicia  46  is printed on the container  12  for fun.  
         [0033]    Similarly, FIG. 4 illustrates another packaging kit  140  including a container  112  according to a preferred collapsible design. The container  112  includes decorative indicia  146  thereon for fun and for instructions if desired. The packaging kit  140  also includes a roll of pieces of tape  118  for taping paper money together in seriatim, wherein the paper money is not included with the packaging kit  140 . A pull tab  148  is also included and has adhesive thereon for attaching to the first bill of a continuous strip of paper money (not shown), such that the pull tab  148  sticks out of the container  112  through a dispensing slot  138  when the container  112  is assembled. A transparent shrink-wrap  142  preferably encloses the entire assemblage of components including the container  112 , tape  118 , and pull tab  148 . Finally, the packaging kit  140  is pierced with a peg hole  150  for easy mounting to standard store display hooks. Alternatively, a separate backing board (not shown) can be provided as a support and mounting board for the rest of the components and can include further indicia and instructions printed thereon. The containers  12  and  112  of FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively are preferably constructed of collapsible cardboard material having fold lines and tabs as are well known in the art of packaging.  
         [0034]    While the present invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the teachings of the present invention encompass any reasonable substitutions or equivalents of the claim limitations. A specific example includes using a roll composed of bills of any denomination, or using gift certificates, etc. Another example is using any other shape of container including globes or triangles. Furthermore, one skilled in the art will appreciate that other forms of adhesive or connection could be used besides tape. For example, the bills could be overlapped and joined using a tacky adhesive such as that used in 3M&#39;s Post-It® brand notes. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to only bills that are taped together using individual pieces of tape, and the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.