Patent Publication Number: US-8973292-B1

Title: Greeting card with pull string curtain

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application is a non-provisional of and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/888,940, filed on Oct. 9, 2013. A copy of this provisional application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is in the field of social expression products and more specifically, interactive greeting cards. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An interactive greeting card which contains a moveable object attached to a motor and a sound module operative to store and playback at least one pre-recorded audio file. The moveable object is contained on an inside panel of the greeting card concealed beneath a curtain. The curtain contains a pull string cord which when pulled, opens the curtain revealing the moveable object while also triggering playback of the pre-recorded audio and triggering activation of the motor module, causing movement of the mobile object. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the inside of the greeting card of the present invention, with closed curtain. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the inside of the greeting card of  FIG. 1 , with open curtain. 
         FIG. 3  is a front partial tear-away view of the motor module of the greeting card of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a front partial tear-away view of the motor module and electronic components of the greeting card of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED AND ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS 
     The interactive greeting card of the present invention contains a multi-paneled greeting card body combined with a sound and motor module and a moveable object located behind a curtain on the inside of the greeting card. When the curtain is moved aside to reveal the moveable object, the sound and motor modules are activated causing the moveable object to move and the sound module to initiate playback of audio. 
     The greeting card body  10  may contain multiple panels connected along various fold lines. The panels are wrapped around a rectangular form or frame which houses and protects the internal components of the greeting card  100 . The frame is substantially rectangular having various cut-outs and spaces where necessary to accommodate the other greeting card components therein. A front surface of the covered frame serves as the inside right panel of the greeting card  100  and the back surface of the covered frame serves as the back cover of the greeting card  100 . The portion of the greeting card body which covers the frame is attached along a fold line to another greeting card panel which serves as the greeting card cover panel  10 C. The greeting card body  10  may be a single contiguous piece of material (such as paperboard, paper stock, card stock, cardboard, etc.) or it may contain two or more pieces of material that are attached together to form the outer covering of the greeting card  100 . It may contain large main panels and smaller, narrow side panels which cover the thickness or perimeter of the greeting card frame. The material is wrapped around the frame and permanently attached thereto, providing a decorative covering printed with text sentiment, artwork, photographs, drawings and the like. The outer covering or body  10  of the greeting card  100  may also contain three dimensional embellishments such as rhinestones, rivets, ribbon, and the like. 
     As mentioned above, a greeting card frame serves as the internal housing of the electronics and other greeting card components. The frame, in a preferred embodiment, has a substantially rectangular shape with various openings to accommodate the internal components of the greeting card  100 . One or more pieces of foam or other cushioning material may be attached to or inserted proximate to the frame which may surround delicate electronics components to prevent them from damage. In a preferred embodiment, the greeting card frame contains an opening proximate to the center of the frame. This opening is positioned to surround a movable object  12  which is attached to the greeting card  100  beneath the front cover of the greeting card. The moveable object  12 , in a preferred embodiment, is a die cut shape which is attached to a small motor  14  concealed within the greeting card  100  and covered by the panels of the greeting card body  10 . The small motor  14  contains a rotating gear  16  which turns in a circular motion. A portion of the moveable object  12  is attached to this motor  14  via an attachment mechanism  18  so that when the motor  14  is activated, the moveable object  12  begins to move in an up-and-down motion. The motor  14  may alternatively be placed at a different orientation so the movement of the moveable object  12  appears side-to-side as opposed to up and down. Alternatively, a different type of small motor may be used which may affect other types of reciprocal movement. A sound module is also contained within the greeting card and concealed by the panels of the greeting card body  10 . The sound module is operative to store and playback at least one audio file. Electronic components included in the greeting card  100  may include a printed circuit board  20 , integrated circuit chip, processor, memory, speaker  22 , power source  24 , such as one or more batteries, and any other component which is known to one having skill in the art as being essential to or to facilitate storage and playback of an audio file and motor activation and movement of a moveable object. Activation of the sound module and motor  14  are controlled by one or more switch mechanisms. In a preferred embodiment, a single switch mechanism is used to control simultaneous playback of the audio file and movement of the moveable object  12  via the motor  14 . However, in other embodiments, two separate switches may control activation of the sound module and motor  14 . 
     As mentioned above, the greeting card frame contains an opening therein through which the moveable object  12  is located. The opening is covered by a material which represents a curtain  26  covering the opening in the frame. The curtain  26 , in a preferred embodiment, includes two separate pieces of cloth or other material which are each independently attached to two separate notched rods  28  which, in combination with a motorized gear apparatus  32 , allow the curtains  26  to open and close. The notched rods  28  (to which the curtains are attached) each mesh with an opposite side of a gear  25 , which is located equidistant from the right and left sides of the frame. A second motor (when activated)  27  drives the gear  25  such that each notched rod  28  and curtain  26  moves from an open position (wherein each curtain is pushed aside to the left or the right, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 ) and a closed position (wherein each curtain is unfurled or stretched out to cover one half the distance between the two outer edges of the frame, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ). The curtains  26  may be a shiny fabric material or plush velvet material to resemble theater curtains, however the curtains  26  may be made of any material. Also, in other embodiments the curtain may be a single piece of material which opens to the left or to the right. A pull-cord  34  (also referred to herein as a “pull string mechanism”) is attached at one end to a lever  37  and the opposite free end of the pull-cord  34  hangs down along a right edge of the right curtain  26 , as shown in the Figures. A small attachment may be connected to the free end of the pull cord  34  to facilitate pulling the curtain  26  to an open position. Pulling downward on the pull-cord  34  activates the switch  36  (by way of the lever  37 ) which puts the motorized gear mechanism  32  in motion. The motorized gear mechanism  32  causes the two curtains  26  to move away from each other with one curtain moving to the left and the other curtain moving to the right, thereby revealing the moveable object  12  which is beneath the curtain  26 . The switch  36  also activates both the sound module and the motor, causing playback of the at least one audio file through the speaker  22  and causing the mobile object  12  to move in an up-and-down or side-to-side motion. This presentation gives the impression that the moveable object  12  is on a stage dancing to the music being replayed by the sound module. Upon closing the greeting card  100 , a slide trigger  38  sends a signal to the controller that the greeting card  100  is being closed and to cease operation of the motorized gear mechanism  32  (thereby allowing the curtain to move back into the closed position) and to cease the audio replay. The shape and decoration of the greeting card  100 , the shape and decoration of the moveable object  12  and the at least one audio file are each complimentary and coordinated with each other to effect the scene described above. For example, the greeting card  100  may contain printing thereon and may contain additional paperboard (or other material) constructs to resemble a stage or a theater. A rectangular construct  40 A can be attached to a top edge of the greeting card frame, above the opening to represent a cornice or decorative molding that may appear above the top portion of a curtain  26 . Another rectangular construct  40 B may be attached to a lower portion of the greeting card frame below the opening to represent the front face of the stage. These extra constructs  40 A,  40 B not only further carry out the theme of the greeting card  100 , they also make the stage scene look three dimensional. The moveable object  12  may be shaped and printed to resemble any type of performer, human or animal. For example, the die cut shape may resemble a clown, a monkey, a ballerina or a juggler. 
     In practice, the greeting card recipient would open the greeting card  100  by moving the front cover  10 A,  10 B away from the greeting card  100 . On the inside of the greeting card  100  there may be some printed text sentiment and other artwork, etc. The printed text may instruct the user to open the curtain  26  by pulling on the pull-cord  34 . The printed text may be located anywhere on the greeting card  100  or it may be on the pull-cord  34  or to an object attached to the free end of the pull-cord  34 . When the user pulls down on the pull-cord  34 , the lever  37  activates the motorized gear mechanism  32 , causing the curtains  26  to open, revealing the moveable object  12  which is moving or “dancing” to the music which is also being emitted through the speaker  22 . The music and movement of the moveable object  12  may continue until the user closes the greeting card  100 . When the user closes the greeting card a slide switch  38 , located across a fold line adjacent to the front cover of the greeting card  10 A,  10 B, sends a signal to the controller to cease activation of the motorized gear mechanism  32 , thereby closing the curtain  26  and ceasing activation of the motor (ceasing movement of the mobile object) and the audio playback, until the next time the greeting card  100  is opened and the pull-cord  34  is pulled. Alternatively, the music and movement of the moveable object  12  may continue until the audio clip has been exhausted or the sound module and motor  14  may be pre-programmed to remain in the “on” position for a pre-determined period of time. 
     The greeting card of the present invention has been described herein to set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention. Sizes, materials, location of different openings, etc. are not intended to limit the invention in any way. Variations of these parameters have been contemplated and are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. Any types and number of switch mechanisms can be used to replace or in addition to the switch mechanism described herein with respect to the preferred embodiment. Also, additional effects such as lighting may also be added to the invention.