Abstract:
A Thematic Concept Reusable Article Carrier as a companion item to related retail goods for transporting, displaying and promoting sales of the related goods.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This disclosure relates to a Thematic-concept reusable Carrier for thematically-related items which may be utilized as a promotional gift, commercial display, and/or a Carrier for conveniently transporting thematically—related items at the point of purchase.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Manufacturers, advertisers, retailers and marketing consultants invest countless hours and money to develop various methods to influence retail purchasing decisions. The advertising initiative focuses on influencing customer decisions, either through apparent or subtle means. Advertisers continuously search for novel ways to advertise products to shoppers and consumers, which are memorable and provides convenient, long-term use.  
         [0003]     Shoppers in large department stores and shopping malls commonly struggle with their purchases. The purchases are usually piled haphazardly in a shopper&#39;s arms while that person continues to shop and frequently care for small children as well. Shopping under such circumstances is difficult and many items may be overlooked. Many department stores may provide paper shopping bags which are designed for temporary use after purchase, and often those bags tear before the intended lifespan of that use is complete. These paper shopping bags are rarely reusable for their intended purpose because of the one-use construction design.  
         [0004]     Canvas tote bags are conveniently large and reusable but present a security problem to stores. Most department stores discourage the use of tote bags because of the potential of theft, where even fairly large items could be stowed into a tote bag without detection by the store&#39;s security personal. The store management would then be faced with the dilemma of insisting to view the contents of patrons&#39; tote bags, perhaps wrongly, or allowing the patron to leave the premises regardless of potential loss of merchandise.  
         [0005]     It would be advantageous to provide a carrier which may be sold or provided with related articles, goods, or items to allow the articles to be easily carried while shopping and may be reused indefinitely by the purchaser.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     The disclosed Thematic-Concept Reusable Article Carrier may be produced to form a companion item to related retail goods which has a thematic concept displayed on the Carrier to reflect those goods, and any related items as chosen. The Carrier may include indicia of the desired theme for use with any goods or items. For instance, goods can include designer goods, cosmetics, shoes, handbags, eyeglasses, sporting goods, apparel, and/or anything item that an entity desires to advertise. The reusable Carrier is particularly well suited as a companion item, or to advertise, a thematic concept of a specialty item, such as for example, teas, chocolates, candles, lingerie, or magazines. Other advertised goods may include, for example, items typically found within a grocery store or market, such as cereal, juice boxes, canned goods, snacks, chips, soft drinks, milk, stationary, or others. Additional items or goods may include those which target a particular market, such as children&#39;s snacks, baked goods, or “health foods”.  
         [0007]     A Carrier having a thematically-related motif may represent a particular brand of item and representative markings of that item may be incorporated into the construction of the Carrier. A Carrier for a particular brand may be constructed of recognizable labels, photos, advertisements, identifying indicia, drawings, pictures, trademarks and the like, of that particular brand while other portions of the Carrier may include labels or representations of thematically-related items. For example, a Thematic Concept Carrier may include representations of tea-time related items including teas, sugars, milk, honey, and the like to provide a coherent or unified theme which would be readily conveyed to most viewers. The Thematic Concept Carrier may be constructed of actual labels, boxes, packaging or the like, or portions thereof, and/or representations the desired items. Any indicia or representations of specific types or brands of a desired item may also be employed in the construction of the Carrier.  
         [0008]     The chosen representations and/or labels (“representations”) may be used once or in a plurality to form a three-dimension carrier in any desired shape. The representations may be of different sizes, shapes, colors and the like to provide a varied and unique motif. The representations are combined together for an attractive, cohesive design which would readily convey to the desired theme to a target shopper and attract a consumer&#39;s attentions.  
         [0009]     Once a cohesive design is chosen, the design is permanently laminated, plasticized, or the like, (“lamination”) to permanently fix the representations into a particular layout. The lamination may be done by any convenient means, for example, chemical sealants, laminations, clear or translucent plastic adhesive sheets, photo lamination sheets typically manufactured by any office supply corporation, or any similar means which may permanently affix the representations while still allow viewing of the design. The lamination also provides protection of the design for long-term reuse. The lamination may be clear or translucent, and/or contain a UV screen to protect the integrity of the representations. The lamination may include a slight color, a tinge of color, or other coloration, which while allowing full view of the design, is also reflect of the thematic concept or motif in some fashion. The laminated representations may then be sized and shaped into portions or sides of the Carrier. The portions or sides may then be arranged into any desired three-dimensional form which may hold a related good or item.  
         [0010]     The portions are fixedly attached to form the desired geometric shape of the Carrier. Attachment may be done by any convenient means, including sewn, fused, laminated, attachment to another portion, multiple portions attached to a decorative material such as a ribbon, plastic, fabric, and the like.  
         [0011]     This attractive, cohesive thematic concept is often shaped to form the Carrier itself into to a silhouette or three-dimensional form which may be reminiscent of the related items and/or brands. For example, a Thematic Concept Carrier having a tea-time motif may include a portion shaped similar to a milk bottle, another portion may be formed in the shape of sugar packets, and yet another portion may include the motifs and shapes of tea packaging. The Carrier may also include the thematic concept on the inner surfaces to continue the motif throughout the Carrier.  
         [0012]     The Carrier may include additional layers of sturdy, supportive material, where necessary, located on an inner surface or surfaces of the Carrier and generally unseen by the viewer. This supportive material may enhance the weight capacity and the expected term of use of the Carrier.  
         [0013]     Continuing with the tea example, the Thematic Concept Carrier may be sold or provided with teas in a specialty or department store to carry and transport the teas after purchase, and/or used as modes of display for the teas. The Thematic Concept Carrier may be sold as a pre-filled article having teas and other related item therein as a convenience to shoppers. In the alternative, the Thematic Concept Carrier may be sold, or included as a promotional “give away” with thematically-related items, as a companion article to allow the shopper to conveniently and attractively transport other purchased items at the time of sale.  
         [0014]     The Carrier may include convenient compartments or pockets, either on the outer or inner surfaces to provide locations for smaller related which would avoid breakage and allow easy identification and retrieval of the goods. The Carriers may range from those having no or just a single compartment or pocket to a multitude of storage compartments for organized placement of the related goods to allow a shopper to easily view the contents of the Carrier, when used as a pre-packaged gift or to fill as desired. While such compartments are convenient and facilitate organization of items displayed in a Carrier, they an alternative embodiment to the Carrier, which may function without compartments.  
         [0015]     Following its initial use, the shopper may reuse the Carrier indefinitely as desired to enjoy the attractive thematic concept or motif.  
         [0016]     It will be appreciated that the thematic concept or motif of the Thematic Concept Carrier may be any theme desired by the merchandiser. For example, a Carrier may be formed of representations of children&#39;s items or goods targeting the children&#39;s market. In this case, a child-sized Carrier may be preferable and the child may reuse the Thematic Concept Carrier to transport school items, snacks, toys and the like. As another example, a Thematic Concept Carrier may be formed in a thematic motif of chocolates or candies, and the Carrier would portray representations of that chosen food. The Carrier may be used to carry quantities of the purchased chocolates, and later reusable by the shopper as desired. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example of the Thematic Concept Carrier.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a Thematic Concept Carrier in an alternative form.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a Thematic Concept Carrier which is sized and shaped for a target children&#39;s market. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , shown is a perspective view of an embodiment of the Thematic Concept Carrier  2  incorporating features of the present disclosure. Although the present disclosure will be described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, it should be understood that many alternate forms of embodiments are encompassed by this disclosure. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of elements or materials may be used.  
         [0021]     In  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the Thematic Concept Carrier is depicted. The thematic concept or motif of the Carrier is generally achieved with the use of labels, representations, photographs, drawings and the like (hereinafter referred to as “representations”) of chosen thematically-related items, such as, for example, decorative tea boxes, cookie labels, a section of a milk carton or depiction of a milk bottle, sugar packet wrappers, honey labels and/or depictions or representations of a lemon, and the like. Where the representations are formed of durable materials, these representations may be organized into a layout pattern to achieve an aesthetically attractive and physically sturdy, durable portion of the Carrier. Where the representations are formed of a less durable material, additional materials may be used to re-enforce the representations&#39; durability and strength without visually impinging on the representations.  
         [0022]     The representations are designed or laid out into a design as desired to also form a desired shape for a portion or side or the Carrier. At least one representation of the thematic concept is employed to form the design. The designs are reflective of the represented goods or items, and may include thematically—related items as well.  
         [0023]     Once the representations are formed into a desired layout pattern, they may be permanently fixed to form portions of the Carrier. The representations may be fixed into portions of the Carrier using any type of permanent, protective covering by laminating, plasticizing, sealing in plastic film, a permanent sealant and the like. Alternatively, several portions may be laminated together to form a contiguous piece, or a large portion of representations may be laminated and manipulated to form several portions or sides of the Carrier, to thereby obviate the need for attaching portions by other means.  
         [0024]     The portions may be cut, punched, stamped or otherwise formed into the desired shape and silhouette for each portion. The portions may be shaped and sized according to the desired thematic concept to form the Carrier, for example the portions and/or the entire Carrier may be shaped in a form that echoes or is reminiscent of the represented concept items. The portion dimensions may be determined by the intended use of the Carrier, with respect to over all size and shape, the target related-items which may be used with the Carrier and the target shopper or purchaser. For example, small, easily portable Carriers having decorative, light weight portions may be formed for children&#39;s items and would frequently include handles for a child to comfortably hold, or place on a shoulder or back. A Carrier intended for use with Child or Teenage items may be formed in unusual or asymmetrical shapes and sizes as may appeal to a shopper of the intended age-group. A Carrier intended for a plurality of boxed or pre-packaged items, such as teas, may be formed to accommodate both the shape of the items and the sensibilities of the targeted purchaser.  
         [0025]     The Carrier  2 , as depicted in  FIG. 1 , includes at least one end portion  4  formed of representations into a design of a thematic concept or motif. The end portion  4  is fixedly attached to at least one side portion  6  formed of representations of the thematic concept or motif, which may differ from those forming the end portion  4 . Typically, a Carrier may include a plurality of side portions and end portions, as well as at least one bottom portion.  
         [0026]     The side portion  6  is fixedly attached to the at least one handle or carrying portion  8  which depicts at least one of the thematically-related item which may differ from those forming other portions. Not shown is a bottom portion  12 , which may also represent a thematically -related item, and is fixedly attached to both an end portion  4  and a side portion  6 . When secured or attached, the side portion  6 , end portion  4 , and bottom portion  12  form an inner chamber between the portions to hold or container items within the Carrier.  
         [0027]     Also depicted is an optional cover or closing portion  10  which may partially or fully cover of an open area of the inner chamber. The closing portion  10  may serve to retain items with the Carrier during transport and display of those items. The cover portion  10  may include Velcro, snaps or any other convenient closure mechanisms to fasten the cover portion  10  to another portion of the Carrier. Typically, items which are packaged in the Carrier relate to the thematic concept of the Carrier itself, and the Carrier enhances the commercial display and marketability of the items. The closing portion  10  may also depict representations of the thematic concept of a particular Carrier. For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the representations may depict cookies, scones, muffins or other foods commonly served with teas to continue the tea-time theme.  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , shown is a Carrier  14  in an alternative embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the thematic motif may be candy and depicts representations of related items, and those items would typically manufactured, licensed or marketed by the same business entity. The desired representations are then permanently laminated to fix the design of the thematic concept. For example, the Carrier  14  depicts a candy-related thematic concept for use with a pre-packaged candy as a store “give-away” to entice shoppers to purchase other items, the Carrier  14  may be utilized to display the related candies in a commercial setting, or purchased with candy to transport.  
         [0029]     The Carrier  14  includes a thematic concept or thematically-related motif, which most or all of the portions reflect. The Carrier  14  includes at least one end portion  4  which is fixedly attached to a contiguous side portion  6 . The portions may be fixedly attached by any structurally durable means, for example, stitched with or without additional material along the seams, laminated by an additional layer to mask the seam location, gluing the seams via a material which may attach to the inner surface of the portions without impinging on the representations, and the like.  
         [0030]     The contiguous portion  6  is elongated to form a frontal side portion  6 , as shown, a rear side portion (not shown), as well as a bottom portion  12  (not shown). An elongated contiguous side portion may also form a closing portion  10  which overlaps a side portion  6  to cover the upper area of the inner chamber formed by the Carrier portions. The Carrier may include handle portions  8  if desired.  
         [0031]     The Carrier  14  may reused by the shopper or purchaser as an attractive, and perhaps humorous, carrier or holder as desired, after serving its initial use as a convenient Carrier to promote and transport commercial items related to the thematic concept.  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a Carrier intended for child-sized items or goods is depicted. The side portions  6  are formed of representations of goods, in this example, foods which target a market for young consumers. The side portions  6  are fixedly attached to end portions  4  which also include design or child-oriented representations. The side portions  6  and end portions  4  are permanently affixed to form a small rectangle, which is for illustration purposes only and any shape may be used. The side portions  6  and end portions  4  are also fixedly attached to a bottom portion (not shown) and at least one handle portion  8 . Each portion may be formed of representations of thematically related goods to appeal to the target audience.  
         [0033]     It will be appreciated that the Thematic Concept Carrier readily serves several purposes. Unlike brown paper shopping bags or gift bags which have a limited lifespan, and are often unattractive, or quickly become unattractive with use as the paper frays and tears, the Carrier provides many advantages to both shoppers and merchants. The Carrier provides to the shopper the advantages of ease of shopping with or transporting the purchased related item. After the initial use, the shopper may reuse the Carrier indefinitely while enjoying the thematic concept or motif of the original purchase. The Carrier provides the advantages of convenient shopping for the patrons, pre-packaging of related-items for ease of patron shopping, and its use as a display for related merchandise.  
         [0034]     It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims.