Abstract:
An advertising display device for a napkin holder that includes a top portion having a length to extend across a top surface of the napkin holder, first and second side portions extending from the top portion, the side portions each having a length to extend across a side of the napkin holder, first tab portion extending from the first side portion, and a second tab portion extending from the second side portion, and an attachment device positioned on an end of at least one of the first and second tab portions to allow attachment of the first and second tab portions on a bottom side of the napkin holder wherein the tab portions have a width sized to fit between feet of the napkin holder and wherein printed advertisement is disposed on at least one of the top portion and side portions.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention generally relates to advertising. More specifically, this invention relates to the advertising on a napkin holder using an advertising display device.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     For years, restaurant owners have experimented with various ways of advertising their products to customers. From display windows to placemats, the purpose of the advertising is to catch the attention of the customer while in the restaurant. Customers spend a considerable amount of time sitting at tables in restaurants, thus, advertising at these sites would be beneficial. Currently, stand-alone advertising is used. However, customers generally do not appreciate the clutter created by the stand-alone advertising and will generally move the advertising aside. This drastically minimizes the effectiveness of the advertising at the table.  
         [0003]     It is desirable to provide advertising at a table that overcomes these and other disadvantages.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     One aspect of the invention provides an advertising display device for a napkin holder. The advertising display device for a napkin holder includes a top portion having a length to extend across a top surface of the napkin holder and first and second side portions extending from the top portion. The side portions each have a length to extend across a side of the napkin holder. The display device also includes a first tab portion extending from the first side portion, and a second tab portion extending from the second side portion, and an attachment device positioned on an end of at least one of the first and second tab portions to allow attachment of the first and second tab portions on a bottom side of the napkin holder. The tab portions have a width sized to fit between feet of the napkin holder. Further, printed advertisement is disposed on at least one of the top portion and side portions.  
         [0005]     Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of displaying advertising on a napkin holder. The method includes positioning a top portion of an advertising display device over a top of the napkin holder and positioning side portions of the advertising display device over sides of the napkin holder. Tab portions overlap and bind with an attachment device across the bottom of the napkin holder. When in place, the advertising display device exhibits print advertising on at least one of the top portion and first and second side portions.  
         [0006]     The forgoing embodiment and other embodiments, objects and aspects as well as features and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of various embodiments of the present invention. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the present invention, rather than limiting the scope of the present invention defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates the front side of one embodiment of an advertising display device in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates the advertising display device of  FIG. 1  in a partial display configuration;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates one embodiment of a napkin holder;  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  illustrates the advertising display device of  FIG. 1  in a advertising configuration around a napkin holder;  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates a bottom view of the napkin holder and advertising display device shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of an advertising display device in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart of one embodiment of a method of advertising on a napkin holder.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate one embodiment of an advertising display device  100  made in accordance with the present invention. In  FIG. 1 , advertising display device  100  is illustrated in a flat position and in  FIG. 2 , advertising display device  100  is folded in a partial display configuration.  
         [0015]     In one embodiment, advertising display device  100  comprises an elongated strip of material having a front side  116  and a back side  117 . In one embodiment, advertising display device  100  includes score lines  112 ,  113 , 114 , and  115 . Score lines  112 ,  113 ,  114 , and  115  divide advertising display device  100  into top portion  105 , first side portion  103 , second side portion  104 , first tab portion  101  and second tab portion  102 . Score lines  112 ,  113 ,  114 , and  115  aid in folding advertising display device  100  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  illustrates advertising display device  100  folded at score lines  113  and  114 .  
         [0016]     Advertising display device  100  is sized to fit around a napkin holder, as are known in the art. Referring now to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 3  illustrates one embodiment of a napkin holder  300  suitable for use with an advertising display device made in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, napkin holder  300  comprises a front  322 , a back (not shown), a top  319 , a first side  318 , a second side  320 , and a bottom  321  (see  FIG. 5 ). Top  319  is defined by a first top edge  325 , a second top edge  326 , a third top edge  330 , and a fourth top edge  331 . Bottom  321  is defined by a first bottom edge  324 , a second bottom edge  327 , a third bottom edge  329 , and a fourth bottom edge (not shown). Napkin holder  300  includes at least one opening  328  for dispensing napkins. Four feet  308 ,  309 ,  310  and  311  (see  FIG. 5 ) are on bottom  321  of napkin holder  300 .  
         [0017]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , top portion  105  of advertising display device  100  has a first length defined by score lines  113  and  114  to cover the top  319  of napkin holder  300  from a first top edge  325  to a second top edge  326 , as seen in  FIG. 3 . First side portion  103  of advertising display device  100  has a second length defined by score lines  113  and  112  to cover first side  318  of the napkin holder from first top edge  325  to first bottom edge  324 . Second side portion  104  of advertising display device  100  has a third length defined by score lines  114  and  115  to cover second side  320  of the napkin holder from second top edge  326  to second bottom edge  327 .  
         [0018]     In one embodiment, top portion  105  and side portions  103 ,  104  of advertising display device  100  have a first width W  1  and first tab portion  101  and second tab portion  102  have a second width W 2 . In one embodiment, width W 2  of first tab portion  101  and second tab portion  102  is less than the first width W 1  of the top portion  105  and side portions  103 ,  104  of advertising display device  100 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the reduced width W 2  enables first tab portion  101  and second tab portion  102  to fit between the feet  308 ,  309 ,  310 , and  311  located on the bottom of napkin holder  300 , when the display device is in the display configuration.  
         [0019]     Advertising display device  100  further includes an attachment device  106 . In one embodiment, attachment device  106  is disposed on at least one of the first tab portion  101  and the second tab portion  102 . The attachment device  106  secures first tab portion  101  to second tab portion  102  when advertising display device  100  is in the display configuration around the napkin dispenser. First tab portion  101  and second tab portion  102  bind at attachment device  106  at the bottom of the napkin holder  321 . When bound together at attachment device  106 , first tab portion  101  and second tab portion  102  overlap to cover the length of the bottom of the napkin holder  321 . In one embodiment, attachment device  106  comprises double sided tape. In other embodiments, attachment device  106  may be, for example, tape, glue or hook and loop fasteners. Those with skill in the art will recognize that the arrangement of the attachment device  106  on the tab portions  101 ,  102  may take many configurations and is not limited to the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In one embodiment, a hook portion of a hook and loop fastener is disposed on the first tab portion  101  and the loop portion is correspondingly disposed on the second tab portion.  
         [0020]     Advertising display device  100  further includes advertising material  135 . In one embodiment, advertising material  135  is disposed on at least one portion of the advertising display device  100 . In one embodiment, advertising material  135  is disposed on the front side  116  of advertising display device  100 . In one example, advertising material is disposed on first side portion  103 , second side portion  104 , and top portion  105 . In one embodiment, the back side  117  of advertising display device  100  is devoid of advertising material. Advertising material is oriented in any manner viewable by a consumer and suitable for a particular application. The advertising material may be in color, grey scale or in black and white, as determined by the particular application.  
         [0021]     Advertising display device  100  is composed of a printable material. In one embodiment, advertising display device  100  comprises a vinyl substrate material. In another embodiment, advertising display device  100  comprises  10  mil white vinyl substrate. In another embodiment, advertising display device  100  comprises printable styrene. Those with skill in the art will recognize that advertising display device  100  is made out of any suitable substrate that is durable and capable of having folds or creases. Use of white vinyl substrate, styrene, or similar effective substrate is preferred for exhibition of design and color and ease of cleaning of the advertising display device.  
         [0022]     Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 ,  FIG. 4  illustrates advertising display device  100  of  FIG. 1  in a display configuration around the napkin holder  300  illustrated in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 5  illustrates a bottom view of the napkin holder  300  and advertising display device  100  shown in  FIG. 4 . In this embodiment, advertising display device  100  is folded at score lines  112 ,  113 ,  114  and  115  to place advertising display device in the display configuration. The advertising display device  100  is folded at the score lines in a direction opposite of the desired advertising to form a sleeve around at least a portion of the napkin holder. Top portion  105  of advertising display device  100  covers the top  319  of the napkin holder from first top edge  325  to second top edge  326 . The advertising on top portion  105  faces up and is viewable to a consumer. Score line  113  of advertising display device  100  aligns with first top edge  325  of the napkin holder. Score line  114  of advertising display device  100  aligns with second top edge  326  of the napkin holder. First side portion  103  of advertising display  100  covers the length of first side  318  of the napkin holder from first top edge  325  to first bottom edge  324 . Score line  112  of advertising display  100  aligns with first bottom edge  324  of the napkin holder. Second side portion  104  of the advertising display covers the length of second side  320  of the napkin holder from second top edge  326  to second bottom edge  327 . First tab portion  101  and second tab portion  102  of advertising display device  100  overlap and are positioned between the feet  308 ,  309 , 310  and  311  (see  FIG. 5 ) on the bottom  321  of the napkin holder. The first tab portion  101  and the second tab portion  102  bind at the attachment device  106 . This enables advertising device  100  to remain on the napkin holder until such time as the advertising display device is removed.  
         [0023]     In one embodiment, the front  322  and back of the napkin holder  300  remain exposed when advertising display device  100  is in the display configuration so that napkins are assessable to the consumer.  
         [0024]     Referring now to  FIG. 6  where like reference numbers refer to like elements as those of  FIGS. 1-5 ,  FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of an advertising display device  600 , made in accordance with the present invention. Advertising display device  600  is illustrated in a display configuration covering the front  322  and back (not shown) of the napkin holder  300 . Similar to advertising display device  100 , advertising display device  600  includes three advertising portions  603 ,  604 ,  605 . Advertising display device  600  is secured to the napkin holder in a manner similar to or the same as that of device  100  via first and second tab portions and an attachment device. In this embodiment, advertising material  635  is viewable from the front  322 , top  326  and back (not shown) of the napkin holder. In one embodiment, the top portion  605  of advertising display  600  covers the length of the napkin holder  300  from first top edge  325  to second top edge  326 . The first side portion  603  of advertising display device  600  covers the length of the front  322  of the napkin holder  300  from third top edge  330  to third bottom edge  329 . First side score  613  of advertising display device  600  aligns with third top edge  330  of the napkin holder  300 . Second side portion  604  of advertising display device  600  covers the length of the back (not shown) of the napkin holder  300  from fourth top edge  331  to fourth bottom edge 332 . Second side score  614  of the advertising display device  600  aligns with fourth top edge  331  of the napkin holder  300 . The first tab portion and second tab portion fit in between the feet  308  and  309  on the bottom of the napkin holder  300 . An attachment device  106  on one of the tab portions binds the two tab portions together. This enables the advertising display device to remain in place on the napkin holder until such time that it is removed.  
         [0025]     In one embodiment, first side portion  603  of advertising display device  600  includes an opening  628  that corresponds to an opening  334  in the napkin holder through which napkins are dispensed. This permits the accessibility of napkins from the napkin holder  300  while immediately displaying advertising on at least the front  322  of the napkin holder  300 .  
         [0026]     Those with skill in the art will appreciate that there are other configurations of advertising display device contemplated by the present invention. For example, in another embodiment, advertising material is disposed on the front and back of the advertising display device. In this embodiment, once the advertising campaign or promotion is over, the user can remove the advertising display device from the napkin holder, turn the advertising display device over to reveal the back surface and re-secure the advertising display device thereby displaying the advertising that is on the back surface. This enables the switching of advertising material for present or future advertising campaigns. Advertising on the front and back of the advertising display device may also reduce costs since less advertising display devices will need to be produced, stored, and shipped.  
         [0027]     In yet another embodiment, advertising material on the advertising display device is removable. In an example, the advertising material consists of multiple layers of material that can be pealed off to reveal another or the same advertising underneath. This enables the changing of all or partial advertising campaigns without the need for a new advertising display device. Removable advertising material can also be in the form of coupons, stickers, advertising, or the like that can be removed and used by the customer.  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  illustrates a flow chart for one method  700  of advertising on a napkin holder in accordance with the present invention. Method  700  is described using advertising display device  100  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 . The method begins at step  701 . At step  705 , the advertising display device  100  is folded at all score lines  112 .  113 ,  114 ,  115  in the direction opposite of the advertising  135  to be displayed. At step  710  the top portion  105  of the advertising display device is placed over the top of the napkin holder such that the desired advertising is viewable. The top portion  105  of the advertising display device covers the entire length of the top of the napkin holder. The first and second sides  103 ,  104 , respectively, of the advertising display device are placed over the respective sides of the napkin holder at step  720 . The first and second score lines of the advertising display device align with respective top edges of the napkin holder. Any desired advertising is viewable to the user. At step  730 , tab portions  101 ,  102  on the advertising display device are placed between the feet on the bottom of the napkin holder. The first and second tab score lines of the advertising display device align with respective edges on the bottom of the napkin holder. At step  740 , an attachment device  106  on the first tab portion is revealed (i.e, protective cover is removed from two-sided tape) and pressed against the second tab portion to secure the tabs of the advertising device together so that the advertising device remains in place on the napkin holder. Upon securing the tab portions together, the advertising display device covers the top and sides of the napkin holder thereby displaying the desired advertising. Method  700  ends at step  750 .  
         [0029]     While the embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein are presently considered to be preferred, various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.