Abstract:
A unitary gift box of clam-shell design constructed of cardboard and decorative wrapping paper is configured to releasably hold a gift card. The gift card is secured within a folded pop-up structure that moves the card to a prominently displayed position when the box is opened.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to small, relatively rigid cardboard boxes, and more particularly concerns an ornamental clam shell type box enclosure for a gift card. 
     2. Boxes fabricated of a single piece of cardboard having interconnected upper and lower portions adapted to interengage in clam shell manner are well known. Some of said boxes are intended to enclose an item of merchandise and are sealed upon said merchandise at the time of manufacture of the box. In those instances where the enclosed item is intended as a gift, ornamental gift wrap paper may be applied to the exterior of the box at the time of its manufacture. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,207,567 to Warner discloses a box intended for use as a mailing carton for merchandise. The carton is made from a single piece of cardboard having a sheet of wrapping paper adhered to that surface of the cardboard which will become the exterior surface of the box. The cardboard with attached wrapping paper is folded and glued in a manner to form a box of clamshell configuration. The merchandise is inserted into the box and the box is sealed by way of laterally extending flap portions of the wrapping paper which become glued to the bottom of the box. Therefore, the box cannot be opened without destruction of certain features of the box. 
     Gift cards are generally available as gift items. Such cards are fabricated of substantially rigid plastic in wallet-sized rectangular shape having a standardized length of 85 mm and width of 53 mm; namely a size and shape identical to that of credit cards and driver&#39;s licenses. The gift cards contain coded information, generally in the form of a magnetic strip, which indicates a dollar value for which the card can be used for purchases or exchanged for cash redemption. When presented as a gift, the card is aesthetically unappealing because it does not conform with the general perception of gifts as being packaged in neat boxes covered with decorative wrapping. Those who sell or otherwise provide gift cards accordingly seek an effective yet convenient and inexpensive way to package individualized gift cards with awareness of the old adage that “good things come in small packages”. 
     It is consequently an object of this invention to provide a gift box of clam shell configuration having attached decorative outer wrapping, and which can be opened and closed without destruction of features of the box. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a box of the aforesaid nature having an interior configuration which easily and securely accommodates a gift card in a manner to be prominently displayed when the box is opened. 
     These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. 
     SUMMARY OF THF TNVFNTTON 
     The above and other beneficial objects and advantages are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by a box of rectangular shape fabricated of a single cardboard sheet bounded by interior and exterior faces and a contoured primary perimeter, and a layer of wrapping paper attached to said exterior face and extending beyond said primary perimeter to a contoured secondary perimeter, said sheet containing scored lines which permit folding to produce said box which is comprised of:
     a) a lower portion integrally joined to an upper portion by way of folding upon two lines spaced apart so as to constitute a rear sidewall of said box, said folding interaction sequentially producing:
       1) a closed state defining a compartment bounded in part by said upper and lower portions, and   2) an open state wherein said upper portion is positioned orthogonally to said lower portion, and   
       b) means for releasably securing a gift card within said compartment in a manner which moves said card into parallel relationship with said upper portion in the open state of said box.   

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THF DRAWING 
       For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing: 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a cardboard blank from which an embodiment of the box of this invention is fabricated. 
         FIG. 2  is a front and side perspective view of an embodiment of a box of this invention produced from the blank of  FIG. 1 , said box shown in its open state and without securing means for a gift card. 
         FIG. 3  is a front and side perspective view of the box of  FIG. 2  shown containing securing means for a gift card. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the box of  FIG. 3  shown in its closed state, with portions broken away to reveal interior details. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows upon the line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a greatly enlarged fragmentary view taken in the direction of the arrows upon line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 3  with portions broken away to reveal interior details. 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of said box in an intermediate stage of its fabrication. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-7 , an embodiment of the gift box  10  of this invention is shown having been fabricated from blank  11 . Said blank is comprised of a single sheet of cardboard  24  bounded by flat interior and exterior faces  12  and  13 , respectively, and contoured primary perimeter  14 . Scored lines  15  produce structural weakening of the cardboard sheet, thereby permitting controlled folding. 
     A layer of wrapping paper  16  is adhered to exterior face  13  of the cardboard sheet; and extends beyond said primary perimeter to a contoured secondary perimeter  17  having cut-away gaps  46 . 
     By virtue of downward and inward folding of sheet  24  along said lines of scoring  15 , long and short skirt portions  45  and  25 , respectively, are formed. Said skirt portions terminate in distal edges  30  and have inside faces  31  which are adhered to border portions  32  of said wrapping paper that extend beyond said primary perimeter and have been folded over said distal edges and adhered onto said inside faces. 
     Box  10  is comprised of a lower, body portion  18  foldably interactive with an upper, cover portion  19  in a region of said sheet which becomes the rear sidewall  20  of the box. Said interaction produces a closed state of the box, having compartment  21  bounded in part by rectangular top and bottom surfaces  22  and  23 , respectively, consisting of portions of interior face  12 . 
     When said body and cover portions are folded to the closed state of the box, said skirt portions overlap to produce opposed lateral sidewalls  26  and front sidewall  27 . In order to achieve said result, it is necessary that both rectilinear dimensions of top surface  22  exceed the corresponding dimensions of bottom surface  23  by 2-5 millimeters. In said closed state, compartment  21  is of rectangular shape, elongated in the direction between lateral sidewalls  26 , and bounded in part by said front, rear and lateral sidewalls. Because of the specialized unitary construction of the blank  11 , the box is easily constructed and folded to its closed state in a simple machine operation. In a preferred embodiment, the front skirt portion associated with top surface  22  is bilaterally tapered inwardly toward the center of the box to form a V-notch  48  which facilitates the lifting of cover portion  19 . 
     The four front corners  34 , formed at the intersections of the skirt portions comprising said lateral and front sidewalls, are preferably stabilized, as best shown in  FIG. 6 , by adhered portions of said wrapping paper and stiff paper inserts  35  sandwiched between said wrapping paper and inside faces  31  of said skirt portions. By virtue of the effect of said inserts at the front corners of the box, the box is sufficiently durable to retain its shape and appearance in the course of repeated cycles of opening and closing. 
     A card holder  37 , preferably fabricated from an integral panel  50  of stiff paperboard, is adhered at its longitudinal extremities  51  to interior face  12 . Panel  50  is preferably installed onto interior face  12 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , before the folding operation which produces the box. Panel  50  contains six prescored parallel lines  52  which are laterally directed, namely directed between short skirt portions  25 . When cover portion  19  is folded onto body portion  18 , sections of panel  50  move toward the interior of compartment  21 . In the initial stage of folded deployment, as shown in  FIG. 3  wherein the box is in its open state and cover portion  19  is perpendicular to body portion  18 , a platform  53  is formed and projected forwardly from surface  12 . Paired shoulder portions  54  are caused to embrace platform  53 . Card-holding slots  55  formed in said shoulder portions releasibly secure a gift card  56  seated upon platform  53  in a prominently viewable position. 
     Downward folding of the cover portion to the closed state of the box, as shown in  FIG. 5 , causes card holder  37  to achieve a compacted state while maintaining card  56  in a position of readiness for pop-up display. The box is of minimal cost primarily in view of its substantially unitary construction, requiring no manual assembly costs. Because it is constructed totally of paper products, it is disposable in an environmentally acceptable manner. 
     While particular examples of the present invention have been shown and described, it is apparent that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention in its broadest aspects. The aim of the appended claims, therefore, is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.