Patent Publication Number: US-2003234201-A1

Title: Gift bag with protective liner

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Technical Field  
       [0002] The invention relates generally to gift bags. More particularly, the invention relates to decorative gift bags which protect a gift from damage. Specifically, the invention relates to decorative gift bags having a protective liner for protecting glass bottles or other fragile gift items from breaking.  
       [0003] 2. Background Information  
       [0004] Various types of decorative bags are available for holding gifts which replace the heretofore wrapping of gifts in a separate box or package. However, the need exists for a decorative gift bag with a simple configuration specifically designed to protect a glass bottle or other fragile gift so that a gift can be presented without undue time spent in wrapping the gift. Prior art includes mailing envelopes which utilize various types of padding to protect items to be delivered. However, such envelopes do not have a flat bottom like the bag of the present invention wherein the bag can stand on its bottom and contain a bottle or other gift item in an upright position. Similarly, having a bottom allows the bag opening and the gift within the bag to be displayed upward toward the recipient of the gift.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] Advantages of the invention include a gift bag having a protective liner which will protect glass bottles or other fragile gift items.  
       [0006] A further advantage is a gift bag in which the inside of the bag is lined with a cellular cushioning material which is a laminate of two thin sheets of flexible plastic, one of the sheets being formed with a plurality of spaced apart pockets of sealed air cells.  
       [0007] Another advantage is to provide a means for conveniently and decoratively protecting a glass bottle or other fragile gift without spending unnecessary time to wrap said gift.  
       [0008] Another feature is to provide a gift bag with a string threaded through holes in the side walls near the top of the bag to provide a temporary closure for the bag.  
       [0009] Another feature is a gift bag in which the top edges are folded back into the bag to partially cover and help secure the protective liner inside the bag.  
       [0010] Another feature is a gift bag which will fold into a substantially flat configuration for storing and shipping.  
       [0011] A further advantage is such a gift bag which is of simple construction, which achieves the stated objectives in a simple, effective and inexpensive manner, and which solves problems and satisfies needs existing in the art.  
       [0012] These and other advantages and features of the invention are obtained by the improved gift bag, the general nature of which may be stated as including a bottom wall; a plurality of side walls being joined to one another and to the bottom wall to form an interior storage chamber therebetween with a top opening for inserting and removing a fragile item into and from the storage chamber; and a cellular cushioning material having a plurality of spaced apart pockets of sealed air cells lining the inner surfaces of the bottom and side walls. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0013] A preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles, is set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.  
     [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the gift bag of the present invention in an open position; and  
     [0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the gift bag of the present invention with portions cut away and with a glass bottle being shown in dot-dash lines. 
    
    
     [0016] Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0017] The improved gift bag of the present invention is indicated generally at  1 , and is shown in FIGS.  1 - 2 . Gift bag  1  includes a substantially flat, rectangular bottom wall  2  having edges  3 , an inner surface  4 , an outer surface (not shown) and corners  7 . Bag  1  further includes four substantially flat, rectangular side walls  6 , each having an inner surface  8 , an outer surface  9  and top edges  10 . It will be readily appreciated that bottom wall  2  and side walls  6  could take various shapes. Bottom wall  4  and side walls  6  preferably are formed as an integral one-piece member of paper or a paper-plastic laminate or other suitable material and are joined to form an interior storage chamber  11  with a top opening  12  for placing and removing a glass bottle  14  into and from storage chamber  11 . Substantially parallel corners  13  are formed where adjacent side walls  6  intersect with one another.  
     [0018] In accordance with the invention, inner surface  4  and inner surfaces  8  of bottom wall  2  and side walls  6  are lined with a cellular cushioning material  16 , which is a laminate consisting of two thin sheets of flexible plastic, at least one of the sheets being formed with a plurality of spaced apart pockets  15  of sealed air cells. One example of such a material is sold under the product name BUBBLE WRAP, which is a registered trademark of Sealed Air Corporation. Cellular cushioning material  16  is attached to inner surfaces  4  and  8  by an adhesive  17 , staple or other type of fastener.  
     [0019] Top edges  10  adjacent top opening  12 , are folded into storage chamber  11  to form stiffening lips  18  at each fold line and corners  21  where each of lips  18  intersect one another. A portion  19  of side walls  6  is defined between top edges  10  and lip  18  and overlays part of cellular cushioning material  16  adjacent top opening  12  to assist in securing cellular cushioning material  16  inside the bag.  
     [0020] A plurality of holes  20  are formed in side walls  6  and folded portions  19  adjacent top opening  12  and corners  21 . A string  22  is threaded through holes  20  and tied to itself to create a loop. String  22  may have a slip-knot  23  formed thereon to enable the string to be tightened about the open top of bag  1  to temporarily close top opening  12  to prevent a stored item from accidently falling out of the bag. Decorations  24  may be printed on the outer surfaces of walls  6  to enhance the appearance of bag  1 .  
     [0021] Bag  1  includes creases  26  formed on two opposing sides of bag  1 , only one set being shown in the drawings. Creases  26  include crease  26   a,  which is located medially between and is substantially parallel to corners  13  and extends from lip  18  to bottom wall  2 . Creases  26  further include two creases  26   b  and  26   c  extending from corners  7  of bottom wall  2  and co-terminating on first crease  26   a  to form a triangular panel  25  adjacent bottom wall  2 . A crease  28  is formed in one side wall  6  adjacent the two walls  6  in which creases  26  are formed. Crease  28  extends between corners  13  and is substantially perpendicular thereto. Creases  26  and  28  allow bag  1  to be folded into a substantially flat configuration when not in use for storage.  
     [0022] Gift bag  1  is configured to removably receive glass bottle  14  or another fragile gift item in order to provide protection from breakage as a result of the shock-absorbing properties of cellular cushioning material  16  lining inner surface  4  of bottom wall  2  and inner surfaces  8  of side walls  6 . Gift bag  1  is also configured such that string  22  can be pulled, and tied off if desired, to narrow entrance opening  12  to help prevent glass bottle  14  from accidentally slipping out of gift bag  1  and to give more of a gift-wrapped appearance to bag  1 . String  22  can also be used as a handle to carry bag  1 . The various creases in bag side walls  6  facilitate folding gift bag  1  into a substantially flat configuration for storage and shipping purposes.  
     [0023] Accordingly, the improved gift bag is simplified, provides an effective, safe, inexpensive, and efficient device which achieves all the enumerated objectives, provides for eliminating difficulties encountered with prior devices, and solves problems and obtains new results in the art.  
     [0024] In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.  
     [0025] Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.  
     [0026] Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the improved gift bag is constructed and used, the characteristics of the construction, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations are set forth in the appended claims.