Abstract:
A container for dispensing, storing and organizing gift wrap and related accessories is presented which includes an elongated container with a lid, dividers within the container to separate and organize the contents, and exterior slots for dispensing wrapping paper, ribbons and tape. The container may include a slot to house a pair of scissors. Additional organization or storage trays may be included, as well as space for spare supplies.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of a prior filed, co-pending application Ser No. 60/589,385, filed Jul. 20, 2004, entitled GIFT WRAP DISPENSING, STORAGE AND ORGANIZING UNIT. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to gift wrap dispensers and, more particularly, to a unit for dispensing, storing and organizing gift wrap and related accessories.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Wrapping gifts is an activity that proceeds birthdays, anniversaries and holidays, such as Christmas. It is common for one or more persons to wrap a plurality of gifts in a rush on Christmas Eve or immediately preceding a birthday party or in retail stores or trade shows. Additionally, often more than one color or pattern of a gift wrap is used along with coordinating ribbons to match the gift wrap. It is often difficult to find scissors or a roll of adhesive tape which becomes hidden under the sheets of wrapping paper. Time is wasted searching for these items and the situation often degrades to a chaotic and frustrating exercise.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention includes an elongated storage container sized to accommodate a plurality of rolls of gift wrapping paper. The storage container includes slots in the top or side walls through which the gift wrapping paper may be pulled to a desired length and cutters integral with the slots. The container also includes storage space for a plurality of ribbons which may be dispensed through holes in the side of the storage space with integral cutters. One or more tape dispensers may be built into the invention to dispense adhesive tape from a roll or from pre-cut pieces. Storage for a pair of scissors with or without a retractable cord may be included in the storage container. The container is portable with all of the accessories self-contained.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the gift wrapping dispensing storage and organizing unit of the present invention.  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is a left side view of the unit of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0007]      FIG. 3  is a back elevational view of the unit of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0008]      FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of the unit of  FIG. 1  with the front removed to show interior details.  
         [0009]      FIG. 5  is a left side view of the unit of  FIG. 2  with the side removed to show interior details.  
         [0010]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the unit of  FIG. 1  with the top removed to show interior details.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , the gift wrap dispensing, storage and organizing unit of the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral  10 . Unit  10  includes a container  12  with a lid  14 . Container  12  may be divided into compartments to better organize the contents. The lid  14  may be snap-fittingly secured to the container  12  or may be hingedly attached to the container  12 . Unit  10  may be made using injection molded plastic and sized to accommodate standard rolls of wrapping paper, spools of ribbon, and other gift wrapping accessories.  
         [0012]     Container  12  includes sides  16  and  18  with slots  20  and  22 , respectively, for dispensing wrapping paper from the rolls of paper  24 . One or more rolls of paper  24  may be dispensed through the slots  20  and  22  as selected by a person wrapping a gift. The upper or lower edge of the slots  20  and  22  may include a serrated blade or cutter to help cut the wrapping paper  24  at a length selected by the user. The plastic edge of the slots  20  and  22  may also be sharpened to allow for cutting the wrapper paper  24 . As shown in  FIGS. 1, 3  and  4 , three rolls of wrapping paper  24  may be dispensed from each side  16  and  18  of container  12 , for example.  
         [0013]     The rolls of wrapping paper  24  are typically wrapped around a hollow, cardboard tube  26 . A wooden or plastic-PVC dowel  28  may be inserted into the hollow tube  26  to provide an axis about which to rotate the wrapping paper  24 . A mounting cup  30  at each end of the dowel  28  and attached to the interior walls of the container  12  supports the wrapping paper roll  24  at a level in the container  12  corresponding to a slot  20  or  22 .  
         [0014]     A longitudinal compartment  32  between the rolls of wrapping paper  24  allows for storage of another two to six rolls of paper  25 . An end compartment  40  in container  12  houses “spools” of curling ribbons  42  which are mounted on vertical axes  44  which extends upwardly from the floor  46  of the container  12 . It being understood that curling ribbons  42  may not include a separate “spool”. Two or more axes may be included. The curling ribbons  42  feed through apertures  48  in the side  50  of the container  12 . Ribbon cutters  52  may be integral to the apertures  48  so that the ribbons  42  may easily be cut to the desired length.  
         [0015]     Tape ribbons  54  may be dispensed through slots  56  in the side panel  50 . Serrated blades or other cutters (not shown) may be integral with the slots  56 . An adhesive tape dispenser  58  may be substituted for any of the rolls of ribbon  54 .  
         [0016]     A pair of scissors  60  is attached to the container  12  by a retractable cord  62  which extends through an aperture  63  and is wound on a spring-return reel  66 . The scissors may be pulled from a storage slot  64  in the container  12  and used to cut ribbons  42  and  54  or wrapping paper  24  and returned to the storage slot  64  for later use. The retractable cord  62  prevents the scissors  60  from becoming misplaced or lost.  
         [0017]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , six spools  41  of curling ribbon  42  are illustrated on vertical axes  44  separated by disks  43 . The disks  43  help space the spools  41  and minimize rotation of one spool  41  when another turns. The curling ribbon  42  may be various colors and styles to suit the preferences of an individual wrapping gifts.  
         [0018]     Spools  68  of tape ribbon  54  are illustrated spaced apart on a horizontal axis  70 . Spacers such as washers (not shown) may be used to space the tape and ribbon spools  68 . One or more rolls of adhesive tape  58  may be mounted on another axis  72 . Horizontal axes  70  and  72  may be made of plastic or wood and may be held in place by indentations (not shown) in the surfaces of the interior walls  74  of compartment  40 . The spools  68  of ribbon  54  and adhesive tape  58  may rotate freely about the axes  70  and  72 . A clip or other retainer (not shown) may be used to prevent the ribbon  54  and tape  58  from slipping back into the compartment  40  through one of the slots  56  after being cut.  
         [0019]     A tray  80  may be included in compartment  40  above the spools of tape  58  or ribbon  68  to hold miscellaneous items such as tags and pre-formed bows and ribbons, for example. To access the rolls of tape  58  and ribbons  68 , the tray  80  may be removed ( FIG. 6 ). Other items such as pre-formed bows or labels may be stored in the end compartment for convenient use.  
         [0020]     The present invention provides a convenient and compact storage and organizing unit for wrapping gifts. As illustrated in the figures, six rolls  24  of wrapping paper may be conveniently and efficiently accessed and used for wrapping gifts. The wrapping paper cutters (not shown) above or below slots  20  and  22  help the person wrapping a gift cut the wrapping paper to the desired size without using scissors. The scissors  60  are always accessible and locatable. Another pair of scissors (not shown) may be stored with the unit and accessible from the back side  18  of the unit  10 . A clip or other retainer (not shown) at the ends of the slots  20  and  22  grip the wrapping paper  24  to prevent it from slipping back into the container  32  after being cut.  
         [0021]     It should be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that other configurations may be made within the scope of the present invention.