Abstract:
A combination gift card holder and message delivery package facilitates the identification of a gift card contained within the package while presenting the recipient with an accompanying message prior to fully revealing the gift card. The package includes first, second and third panels. The first and second panels and the second and third panels are connected with one another along a common edge and are pivotable with respect to each other. The panels have cutouts therein. The gift card is positioned in the package between the second and third panels thereby exposing a portion of a front surface of the gift card through the cutout in the third panel and exposing a portion of a rear surface of the gift card through the cutout in the second panel, thereby partially concealing the gift card while exposing an identification marking thereon.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a divisional of pending U.S. application Ser. No. 12/249,289, entitled “GIFT CARD HOLDER”, filed Oct. 13, 2005. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to gift card holders. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a combination gift card holder and message delivery package that positions associated gift cards for identification while being supported by the package. 
     Gift cards have become a popular way to present someone with an amount of credit that may be used to purchase goods or services at specified retailers. Some types of gift cards include a magnetic strip that has magnetic encoding for storage of information about the particular card. The magnetic strip controls activation of an account associated with the card, and typically must be swiped through a card reader connected with a central computer that authorizes subsequent purchases with the gift card. Alternatively, a bar code or other types of scanable identification markings may be present on the gift card. The identification markings allow for electronic scanning of the card to register the purchasing of the card and automatically display a retail price for the card. In either case, the magnetic strip or other identification markings enable the gift card to be associated with a particular credit account holding a credit value that can be applied to a retail purchase. 
     When gift cards are presented, the giver may wish to provide some sort of sentiment or message to go along with the card. For instance, the gift card may be given in association with a recognized holiday or other special occasion for the receiver (e.g., a birthday). Gift giving in this fashion, however, can be burdensome because a separate sentiment item, such as a greeting card, must often be purchased along with the gift card, and then the gift card placed inside of an envelope holding the greeting card in order to secure the items together. Furthermore, once the recipient opens the greeting card, they may focus on the gift card without considering the message of the greeting card that the gift giver intended them to read. It would be beneficial to provide a gift card and sentiment delivery device integrated together as one packaged unit. This would increase the likelihood of the recipient focusing on the sentiment or message along with the gift card. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A combination gift card holder and message delivery package facilitates the purchase of an associated gift card by exposing a portion of the card for identification so that removal of the card from the packaging at the point-of-purchase is unnecessary. In one aspect, the present invention provides a gift card holding package including first, second and third panels. The first and second panels are connected with one another along a common edge such that the second panel is pivotable with respect to the first panel and juxtaposes the first panel. The third panel extends from the second panel and is oriented to at least partially overlap the second panel. In this way, the package supports and positions the gift card between the second and third panel such that the third panel at least partially conceals the gift card while exposing an identification marking on the gift card through a cutout of the second panel. The identification marking may be a bar code, magnetic strip, or other type of marking that assists the retailer in the purchase transaction while eliminating the need to remove the card from the package to complete the transaction. The third panel may also be formed as a flap pivotable with respect to the second panel, and may have a cutout located to expose indicia on a side of the card opposite of the identification marking while such identification marking is exposed through the cutout of the second panel. This provides the gift recipient with some information about the gift card before the card is fully accessed. 
     In another aspect, the gift card holding package is provided with a first panel having a cutout sufficiently sized to expose indicia on a first side of a gift card, and a second panel having a cutout sufficiently sized to expose an identification marking on a second side of a gift card. The first and second panels are connected with one another along a common edge such that the second panel is pivotable with respect to the first panel and is juxtaposed the first panel. The package is adapted to support and position the gift card between the first and second panels such that the indicia on the first side of the gift card is exposed through the cutout of the first panel and the identification marking on the second side of the gift card is exposed through the cutout of the second panel while the second panel functions to at least partially conceal the gift card. A third panel may be connected with the second panel along a common edge for pivoting with respect to the second panel. This facilitates the third panel pivoting to overlie the first panel folded over the second panel to conceal the cutout of the first panel. The gift card holding package recipient would therefore be presented with a package where the optional third panel is first viewed, then the third panel folded back to reveal the first panel and the gift card indicia through the associated cutout, and finally the first panel folded back to reveal the second panel and the full gift card. 
     An integrated gift assembly of the present invention includes a gift card holder and a gift card. The gift card holder includes first, second and third panels, with at least the second panel having a cutout. The first and second panels are pivotably connected with and juxtaposing one another, and the third panel extends from the second panel with an orientation to at least partially overlap the second panel. The gift card has a first side with an identification marking and a second side. The gift card holder is adapted to removably secure the gift card between the second and third panels to at least partially conceal the gift card while exposing the identification marking on the gift card through the cutout of the second panel. 
     In another aspect, the integrated gift assembly includes a gift card holder having first and second panels, and a gift card. The first and second panels are pivotably connected with and juxtaposed one another, and each panel has a cutout. The gift card has a first side with an identification marking and a second side with indicia. The gift card holder is adapted to removably secure the gift card between the first and second panels such that the indicia on the first side of the gift card is exposed through the cutout of the first panel and the identification marking on the second side of the gift card is exposed through the cutout of the second panel while the second panel at least partially conceals the gift card. 
     Additional advantages and novel features of the present invention will in part be set forth in the description that follows or become apparent to those who consider the attached figures or practice the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are employed to indicate like parts in the various views: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a gift card holding package of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the gift card holding package of  FIG. 1  in the fully opened position; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the gift card holding package of  FIG. 1  supporting a gift card; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the gift card holding package of  FIG. 2  with the gift card secured to a second panel; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the gift card holding package of  FIG. 1  in the partially opened position and with the gift card supported between the second panel and a third panel to expose indicia on a front surface of the gift card through a cutout in the third panel; 
         FIG. 6  is a rear view of the gift card holding package of  FIG. 5  exposing an identification marking on a rear surface of the gift card through a cutout in the second panel; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a gift card holding package; 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of the gift card holding package of  FIG. 7  in the fully opened position and with a gift card secured to the second panel; 
         FIG. 9  is a front view of the gift card holding package of  FIG. 8  in a partially opened position and with the gift card supported between the first panel and the second panel to expose indicia on a front surface of the gift card through a cutout in the first panel; and 
         FIG. 10  is a rear view of the gift card holding package of  FIG. 8  in the fully opened position and with the gift card secured to the second panel to expose an identification marking on the gift card through a cutout in the second panel. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With initial reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an embodiment of a gift card holding package is depicted generally and associated with reference numeral  10 . The package  10  may be fabricated from a piece of flat cardstock that is cut along a chosen outline to define an outer boundary  12  of the unfolded package  10 . A first line of weakness or fold line A is formed by bending or folding portions of the package  10  with respect to one another along an indicated line extending from a top edge  14  to a primary bottom edge  16  of the package  10 . The formation of fold line A, creates a front panel  18  and a back panel  20  for the package  10  on opposed sides of fold line A, with the panels  18  and  20  being pivotable with respect to one another. 
     Another line of weakness or fold line B is formed by bending portions of the back panel  20  with respect to one another along an indicated line extending from the intersection of fold line A and the primary bottom edge  16  of the package  10  laterally to a rearmost edge  22 . Fold line B is therefore perpendicular to fold line A, generally collinear with the primary bottom edge  16 , and forms the back panel  20  into a primary back panel member  24 , mirroring the outline of the front panel  18 , and covering flap  26 . The covering flap  26  has a height dimension defined as the distance between fold line B and a secondary bottom edge  28  of the package  10  in the unfolded position shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Upon folding the covering flap  26  upwardly to the position illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the secondary bottom edge  28  of the package  10  becomes a top edge of the covering flap  26 . Thus, the covering flap is sized and dimensioned to partially or fully conceal items placed on the primary back panel member  24 . The covering flap  26  is folded upward over a lower portion of the primary back panel member  24  and the front and back panels  18 ,  20  are folded together to arrange the package  10  in the closed position to conceal items within the package  10 . This folding also designates an outer surface  30  and an inner surface  32  for the package  10 . In an embodiment where the package  10  is formed as a greeting card, the recipient of the package  10  and enclosed gift item (e.g., a gift card) will first be presented with any message or sentiment on the package outer surface  30  prior to unfolding the package  10  to reveal the gift item secured on the inner surface  32 . 
     The primary back panel member  24  of the package  10  has a cutout  34  sized to expose an identification marking on an item placed between the primary back panel member  24  and the covering flap  26 . Similarly, the covering flap  26  has a cutout  36  sized to expose certain indicia on a side of the item opposite of the identification marking. As one exemplary fabrication method, each of the patterned cutouts  34  and  36  may be die cut into the cardstock forming the package  10 . 
     Turning to  FIGS. 3-6 , the embodiment of the package  10  shown may be used to hold a gift card  100  having an associated amount of purchasing credit. The gift card  100  presents opposed front and back sides  102 ,  104 , with indicia  106  disposed on the front side  102  and a bar code  108  formed on the back side  104  to serve as identification marking. The indicia  106  can include information such as a numerical value of credit associated with the gift card  100  and/or a particular merchant associated with the gift card  100 . The bar code  108  may be scanned at the point-of-purchase of the combined package  10  and gift card  100  so that a purchase can be completed without having to remove the gift card  100  from the package  10 . 
     More specifically, the back side  104  of the gift card  100  may be removably affixed to the primary back panel member  24  on the package inner surface  32  at a position to expose the bar code  108  through the cutout  34 , as depicted in  FIG. 6 . For instance, the gift card  100  may be attached to the primary back panel member  24  by adhesives or other elements that allow for selective detachment of the card  100  from the package  10  when opened. As seen in the partially opened position of the package  10  in  FIG. 5 , the cutout  36  is formed on the covering flap  26  at a specific location relative to the cutout  34  of the primary back panel member  24 . This positioning of the covering flap cutout  36  exposes the indicia  106  on the front side  102  of the gift card  100  when the card  100  is positioned to expose the bar code  108  on the back side  104  thereof through the cutout  34  in the primary back panel section. 
     Although each of the cutouts  34 ,  36  is shown to be generally rectangular, the cutouts  34 ,  36  may take on other shapes in order to expose the indicia  106  and identification markings  108  while at the same time permitting the concealing of at least some regions of the front and back sides  102 ,  104  of the gift card  100  that have graphics or wording present. It may be desirable to conceal certain parts of the gift card  100  when the package  10  is first presented to the gift recipient in the closed position. This encourages the gift recipient to read any message or sentiment presented on the package outer surface  30 , as well as any additional message presented on the package inner surface  32  after unfolding the front panel  18  of the package  10  and prior to unfolding the covering flap  26  downwardly to fully reveal the entire front side  102  of the gift card  100 . For instance, as can be seen in  FIG. 5 , the gift recipient can open the front panel  18  of the package  10  and see that a gift card of a certain value is present, but the covering flap  26  directs the recipient&#39;s focus onto other parts of the package inner surface  32  where an accompanying message may be provided. 
     In an alternative arrangement, the package  10  may be made of other materials besides cardstock, and may take the form of another package structure, such as a plastic case (e.g., CD jewel case). Thus, the front panel  18  and the primary back panel member  24  would be pivotably connected with one another in the same fashion as the front and back portions of a plastic case. The covering flap  26  could extend from a paper insert mounted to the back portion of the plastic case to partially or fully conceal items accessed by opening the case. It should also be understood that the covering flap  26  may be fixedly positioned on the primary back panel member  24  as a pocket for holding the gift card  100 . Thus, opposed side regions  38  of the covering flap  26  may be attached with the primary back panel member  24  so that the flap  26  does not unfold downwardly to the position shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Another embodiment of a gift card holding package  50  is depicted in  FIGS. 7-10 . This embodiment of the package  50  may be formed by generally the same process as the embodiment of the package  10  depicted in  FIGS. 1-6 . More specifically, the package  50  may be fabricated from flat cardstock and provided with a fold line C defining a front panel  52  and a back panel  54  on opposite sides of the fold line C, and optionally a fold line D defining a cover panel  56  on a side of the back panel  54  opposite of the front panel  52 . Fold lines C and D are generally parallel and spaced from one another, each extending from a top edge  58  to a bottom edge  60  of the package  50 . 
     The package  50  is preferably arranged such that the front panel  52  is pivoted or folded over the back panel  54  along fold line C, and then, if provided, the cover panel  56  is pivoted or folded over the front panel  52  along fold line D to form the closed package  50 , the folding process being depicted in  FIG. 7 . The folding pattern designates an inner surface  62  for the package  50 , shown in  FIG. 8 , and an outer surface  64  for the package  50 , shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     The front panel  52  is shown to have essentially the same dimensions as the back panel  54  so that the folding of the front panel  52  over the back panel  54  will fully conceal the package inner surface  62  of the back panel  54 . However, the front panel  52  may, for instance, be dimensioned similarly to the covering flap  26  of the embodiment of the package  10  depicted in  FIGS. 1-6 , so that the gift card  100  or other gift item removably secured to the back panel  54  is only partially concealed by the front panel  52 . The package  50  may take the form of a greeting card to present the recipient with a message or sentiment as the package  50  is unfolded to reveal the gift card  100 . 
     The back panel  54  has a cutout  66  sized to expose the bar code  108  or other identification marking on the back side  104  of the gift card, while the front panel  52  has a cutout  68  sized to expose the indicia  106  on the front side  102  of the gift card. These cutouts  66  and  68  may be die cut into the cardstock forming the package  50 , or may be formed by other methods. A series of slits  70  may be cut into the back panel  54  and arranged with respect to one another for accepting corner regions  110  of the gift card  100  to secure the card  100  with the back panel  54  such that the card back side  104  faces the inner surface  62  of the back panel  54 . These slits  70  are also disposed at a specific location, relative to the cutout  66 , necessary to position the gift card  100  mounted onto the back panel  54  with the bar code  108  exposed through the cutout  66 , as depicted in  FIG. 10 . 
     Alternatively, the slits  70  may be formed on the front panel  52  instead of the back panel  54  to properly position card  100  secured thereto for exposing the barcode  108  through the back panel cutout  66 . In another variation, the back side  104  of the gift card  100  may be removably affixed (e.g., with adhesives) to the primary back panel  54  on the package inner surface  62  at a position to expose the bar code  108  through the back panel cutout  66 . As seen in the partially opened/closed position of the package  50  in  FIG. 9 , which may also be referred to as the fully closed position if the cover panel  56  is not provided, the cutout  68  is formed on the front panel  52  at a specific location relative to the back panel cutout  66  and the slits  70  to expose the indicia  106  when the gift card  100  is mounted with the package  50 . The cover panel  56  may also have a central cutout  72  to reveal certain graphics or wording present on the front panel  52  when the package  50  is in the closed position. 
     When the package  50  is presented to a recipient, the cover panel  56  may be unfolded along fold line D to fully reveal the message or sentiment  74  present on the front panel  52 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . The cover panel  56  also conceals the indicia  106  exposed through the front panel cutout  68  so that the recipient first focuses on graphics or wording seen through the cover panel cutout  72  when the package  50  is first viewed in the closed position. Once the recipient has viewed the package  50  in the partially opened/closed position and sees that an item having purchasing credit is being received, the recipient can then unfold the front panel  52  along fold line C to reveal the gift card secured with the back panel  54 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     As with the embodiment of the package  10  depicted in  FIGS. 1-6 , the package  50  may be made of other materials besides cardstock, and the front panel  52  and back panel  54  may take the form of a pivotably connected members of a plastic case or the like for containing the gift card  100 . Additionally, the front panel  52  may be fixedly positioned on the back panel  54  as a pocket for holding the gift card  100 , with opposed side regions  76  of the front panel  52  being attached with the back panel  54  so that the front panel  52  does not unfold to the position shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     Therefore, various embodiments of the integrated gift card holder and message delivery package of the present invention provide a means for packaging a gift card for ease of scanning at a point-of-purchase location while focusing the recipient&#39;s attention on an accompanying message. Since certain changes may be made in the above invention without departing from the scope hereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the following claims are to cover certain generic and specific features described herein.