Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefits of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/989,556, filed on May 7, 2014, the entire contents of which are incorporated here by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention generally relates to the field of offering gift items accompanied by a greeting card enclosed in an envelope, and more particularly, to attaching a greeting card enclosed in an envelope to an article. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In today&#39;s fast paced society many people are choosing to use gift bags over gift-wrap as a means to present offerings. When using a gift bag tissue paper is often used to both conceal and to display the item. A common dilemma that many people face is figuring out what to do with a greeting card. By default most people place the greeting card inside the gift bag, with all of its contents, hoping that it is discovered. Location of the greeting card is even more critical if something of value is inside, such as money or a gift card. Additionally, if a greeting card becomes separated from the gift bag the recipient is unsure of whom the gift is from. 
     It is common knowledge that many gift bags include a small, attached tag used primarily to identify the gift giver and the recipient. There is not sufficient surface area to write a message on the tag. The tag is not secured in an envelope and therefore what is written is not private, nor can money or a gift card be enclosed. Additionally, many people forego writing on the gift tag so that the gift bag can be reused. There are also tiny adhesive cards available that are meant to stick onto the side of the gift bag or present. Similar to the gift bag tag these adhesive tags have limited space to write a greeting, and are not enclosed in an envelope to allow for a private message and securing valued items. Furthermore, if they become unstuck identifying information is lost and the gift bag may become damaged rendering it not reusable. Gift givers have also resorted to taping a greeting card to the gift bag, which is not aesthetically pleasing, and can also damage the gift bag. 
     Another available option, as proposed by Schindele, is a gift bag that has an attached pocket on the front for insertion of the greeting card. If using this option a buyer must locate a greeting bag that is not only the right size, color, and design, but also with a pocket. These bags are not as readily found as standard gift bags, and can be more expensive than simple generic gift bags. 
     Meister proposed integrating magnets into the greetings card as a means to affix the card to the gift bag, however it can be difficult to find such innovation at popular greeting card venues. Rubin received a patent on the development of a “greeting bag” which enables the buyer to mix and match gift bags, greeting cards, and attachment mechanisms from different sets. An example of an attachment mechanism would be a slot in the front of a gift bag in which the card could slide into. The interdependence of each component in this method could pose a problem if the buyer likes, and, or can find only one of the parts. 
     In addition to the problem of affixing greeting cards to gift bags, many have found that this same dilemma applies when a gift giver chooses to give a bottle of wine or spirits. The contours of wine bottles can make affixing a greeting card with adhesives difficult and even unsightly. Often the greeting card is delivered separately for lack of a reliable solution for fastening it to the bottle. 
     Methods of presenting greeting cards with gift bags herertofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages:
         (a) Dropping a loose greeting card in a gift bag filled with all of the paraphernalia inside can lend to the loss or the discarding of the greeting card and its contents.   (b) Small attached gift bag gift tags do not have sufficient surface area for writing messages, do not include an envelope for privacy, and do not allow for enclosure of money or gift cards, and are often not used to preserve the ability to re-use the gift bag.   (c) Affixing a greeting card to the side of a gift bag with adhesives is not aesthetically pleasing, and can cause damage to the gift bag during removal rendering the gift bag not reusable.   (d) Small adhesive tags do not have sufficient surface area for writing messages, do not include an envelope for privacy, do not allow for enclosure of money or gift cards, and are often not used to preserve re-use of the gift bag.   (e) Gift bags with front pockets for insertion of greeting cards are not as commonly found, are more expensive, and can be limiting.   (f) Greeting cards that incorporate magnets for fastening ability are not as readily found, and are more expensive due to the cost of added materials.   (g) Current greeting card options do not attach easily to contoured gift items such as such as a bottle of wine.       

     Therefore it is desirable to provide a simple and inexpensive solution to affix a greeting card secured in an envelope, to any gift. This long-felt, unmet need is solved by the below invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In general, in an aspect, a system of presenting a greeting card with an article including a greeting card insert configured for inscribing a message, a tie fastener configured to attach to said greeting insert, and an envelope configured for enclosing said greeting insert wherein said envelope has an opening for said tie, ends of said tie protrude through the opening, and said insert has an element for attaching said tie. 
     In general, in another aspect, the invention relates to a method of presenting a greeting card with an article that includes providing a greeting card insert configured for inscribing a message, providing a tie fastener configured to be attached to said greeting insert, providing an envelope configured for enclosing said greeting insert, with said envelope having an opening for said tie, attaching said tie to said greeting insert, inserting said greeting insert into said envelope with said tie protruding through the opening, closing said envelope with said tie protruding through the opening and fastening said tie to the article. 
     The present invention generally focuses on a system of presenting a gift via a gift bag, a wrapped package, or a bottle several advantages of which are: the greeting card stays fastened and in full view while enclosed in the envelope, it does not get lost in the contents of the bag, it can be easily detached and reattached at will, it is of substantial size for writing messages, messages remain private secured in an envelope, money or gift cards can be secured inside the envelope, it can remain fixed to the gift package after opening so that the receiver can keep track of whom the gift is from, the presentation is aesthetically pleasing, easy removal preserves the gift bag, if any, for reuse, its presentation invites the gift receiver to open the greeting card first which is customary. Particularly, in its various embodiments and implementations, the invention provides for practically unlimited combinations of greeting set components, improved aesthetic packages, and a simplified process of attaching the greeting card to its accompanied article. 
     Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. Variations and modifications can be made to these exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. Such other embodiments and aspects can be understood with reference to the following detailed description, accompanying drawings, and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout different views. Closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetic suffixes. A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1 . A View Of An Open envelope, A Greeting Insert And A Tie Fastener Of An Embodiment According To The Present Invention 
         FIG. 2 . A Flat Pattern Of The Envelope From  FIG. 1   
         FIGS. 3A-3C . Open Back And Closed Back And Front View Of The Closed Envelope From  FIG. 1  Respectively 
         FIG. 4 . A Single Panel Greeting Card Insert 
         FIG. 5 . A Double Panel Greeting Card Insert 
         FIG. 6 . A Tie Fastener 
         FIG. 7 . A Back View Respectively Of A Set Of The Greeting Card Insert, With Integrated Tie Fastener, Partially Inserted Within The Envelope 
         FIG. 8 . A Back View Respectively Of A Set Of The Greeting Card Insert And Fastener Completely Inserted Into The Envelope With The Envelope In A Closed Disposition With The Tie Fastener Released Thru The Opening In The Envelope 
         FIGS. 9A-D . Front, Side And Back Views Respectively Of A Set Of The Greeting Card Insert, With The Tie Fastener, Within The Envelope 
         FIGS. 10A-B . The Greeting Card Insert Fastened To The Strap Of A Gift Bag Within And Without The Envelope Respectively 
         FIG. 11 . The Set As It May Be Fastened To A Bottle 
         FIG. 12 . The Set As It May Appear If Presented Solely With Tie Fastener Tied in a Bow. 
         FIGS. 13-14 . Alternative Embodiments Of The Set 
         FIGS. 15-16 . Alternative Embodiments Of The Set Using Alternative Fasteners 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated more fully in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment and such variations come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 
     Like numbers refer to like elements to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. The term “exemplary” as used throughout this document is defined to mean “example.” It will be appreciated that terms such as “left”, “right”, “top”, “bottom”, “inwardly”, “outwardly”, “front”, “inner”, “up”, and “down” and other positional descriptive terms used herein below are used merely for ease of description and refer to the orientation of the components as shown in the Figures. It should be understood that any orientation of the elements described herein is within the scope of the present invention. 
     As desired, embodiments of the invention may include the system with more or less of the components illustrated. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment, a greeting set includes an envelope  12 , a greeting card insert  14 , and a tie fastener  16 . The envelope  12  may resemble any variety envelopes of shapes or sizes including baronial, catalog, square, square flap, wallet flap, and the like. The envelope  12  may be constructed in any style and not limited to diagonal seam, center seam, side seam, or single side seam-constructed envelopes. The envelope  12  can be made of a variety of materials, such as paper, plastic, cardboard or the like. 
     The envelope  12  includes a body portion  18  and a flap portion  20  pivotally coupled to the body portion  18  along a fold line  22 . The body portion  18  includes a front panel  24  and a rear panel  26  that define a cavity  28  therebetween, the cavity  28  having a mouth  30 . The flap portion  20  is pivotal about the front fold line  22  between a closed position, wherein the flap portion  20  covers the mouth  30  to generally seal the cavity  28 , and an open position shown. The rear panel  26  and side panels  34   a ,  34   b  when folded at rear fold line  38 , and side fold lines  36   a ,  36   b  meet to create a free edge  32 . The mouth  30  of the cavity  28  may be positioned between the front fold line  22  and the free edge  32 . Alternately the mouth  30  can be defined along or about the free edge  32  and the portions of the front panel opposite the free edge  32 . The flap portion  20  may be sized such that when the flap portion  20  is in its closed position at least part of the flap portion  20  lies on top of, and/or overlaps the rear panel  26 . The flat pattern of the envelope  12  is shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3C , the flap portion  20 , front panel  24 , side panel  34   b  are each contoured as such so that when the flap portion  20  is folded at fold line  22 , and side panels  34   a ,  34   b  are folded at side fold lines  36   a ,  36   b , and rear panel  26  is folded at rear fold line  38  an opening or channel  40  is formed in the top corner of the envelope  12 . When the flap portion  20  is closed, the cavity  28  is largely bounded by the inner surfaces of the front panel  24 , the rear panel  26 , the side panels  34   a ,  34   b , and part of the underside of the flap portion, with the exception of the opening or channel  40 . The opening or channel is also illustrated in  FIGS. 9A-9D . The underside of flap portion  20  may include, for example, a moisture activated adhesive  42 , a pressure sensitive adhesive  42  or other securing means located thereon and positioned to secure the flap portion  20  to the outer surface of the rear panel  26 . The adhesives  42  could be located at locations other than the underside of the flap portion  20 . 
     A greeting card insert  14  may be made of any of a variety of materials including sheets of thin or flexible material such as paper, glossy paper, paperboard, plastic, cardboard, and the like. The insert  14  may also be fabricated of polymer, fabric or other materials, and may be sized to fit in the envelope  12 . The insert  14  could be a single panel or multi-panel sheet (i.e., said insert  14  can include one or more fold lines). However, the insert  14  is not limited to these specific characteristics and can take the form of nearly any component that is or can be inserted into or used with the envelope  12 . 
     A greeting card insert  14  can be single panel, which has a front surface  47  and back surface  48  as seen in  FIG. 4  or multi panel, for example, as seen in  FIG. 5  double panel containing a front panel  50  that has a front surface  51  and front interior surface  52 , and a rear panel  53  that has a rear surface  54  and rear interior surface  55  connected at a fold line  56 . Panels  50  and  53  are movable about the fold line  56  such that the greeting card insert  14  may be adjusted between a folded condition and an unfolded condition. At least a portion of the front panel  50  and rear panel  53 , or the front surface  47  and back surface  48  of the corresponding greeting card insert  14  is constructed of a material that is suitable for receiving ink or other printing compositions. Various greetings, sentiments, messages, and images may be disposed on the front  47  and back  48  surface, and the front surface  51 , rear surface  54 , the interior surfaces  52  and  55 , or any combination thereof of the corresponding greeting card insert  14 . For example the front surface  51  may include an area for text for a label, message, image, or any combination thereof. For example the front surface  51  may include a message printed such as “HAPPY BIRTHDAY”, “HAPPY ANNIVERSARY”, “CONGRATULATIONS”, an image, or any combination thereof. Similarly, at least one of the interior surfaces  52  and  55  of a greeting card insert  14  may include a message conveying various greetings, sentiments, messages and images, or may include no preprinted areas providing the gift giver more room to handwrite a personalized message. In the example of the double panel greeting card insert  14  the front and rear panels  50  and  53 , can be decorated in various colors to provide a pleasant or festive 
     appearance. Images and decorative additions such as ribbons, lace, colored tissue paper and the like may be included on one or more of the panels  50  and  53 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , in an embodiment of the present invention, the greeting card insert  14  contains an aperture  57 . A tie fastener  16  is inserted through the aperture  57  and tied off thereby forming a means to fasten a set of the greeting card insert  14  with envelope  12  to an article such as a gift bag, box, teddy bear, or bottle of wine.  FIG. 5  depicts the aperture  57  at the fold line  56  of the double or multi panel insert  14 , through which a tie fastener  16  can be inserted and tied off forming a means to fasten said set to the article. The tie fastener  16  can be composed of any suitable material including, but not limited to, a textile ribbon, thread, or cord, a metal and/or plastic string, polymer band, and any combination thereof. A tie fastener  16  may be composed of varying lengths and widths, but should be configured to pass through the aperture  57  of the greeting card insert  14 , and long enough to affix the set. 
       FIGS. 9A-D  depict front, side, and back views of the greeting card insert  14  within the envelope  12  respectively.  FIG. 10A  illustrates the set fastened to the strap of a gift bag. The gift receiver has an option of removing the entire set from the gift bag by untying the tie fastener  16 . The gift receiver may reattach the set after opening, or reattach only the greeting card insert  14  if desired. The gift receiver has another option of choosing to keep the greeting attached via the tie fastener  16  while simply removing envelope  12  thereby maintaining the greeting card insert  14  affixed to the gift bag at all times as  FIG. 10B  illustrates.  FIG. 11  shows the set as it may be fastened to a bottle of wine by way of tying the tie fastener  16  around the bottle&#39;s neck.  FIG. 12  illustrates the set as it would be used for presenting a greeting card that a gift giver may want to include a gift card inside, with the tie fastener  16  tied into a bow to add a decorative element to its presentation. 
     Other embodiments are shown in  FIGS. 13-14 . In each case the greeting card insert  14  has an aperture  57  with a tie fastener  16  inserted through the aperture  57 . The envelopes  12  in each case are contoured such that when in folded and closed disposition an opening is created whereby the greeting card insert  14  and tie fastener  16  become exposed enabling fastening of the set. In  FIG. 13  the envelope  12  is constructed to form a rectangular shape when in a folded and closed disposition wherein the flap portion  20  is on the shorter side. In  FIG. 14  an opening is created through the front panel  24  and flap portion  20  of the envelope  12  at the front fold  22  thereby exposing a greeting card insert  14  and tie fastener  16 . A greeting card insert  14  may also require more than one aperture  57  to accommodate a tie fastener. 
     There are many possible variations that may be constructed to expose the greeting card insert  14  and tie fastener  16  by way of an opening  40  in the envelope  12 . Said concept can be applied for any alternative objective whereby it would be desired to affix any insert  58  enclosed in an envelope  12  by way of an exposed tie fastener  16  including but not limited to, for example, a ring  59  in  FIG. 15 , or round fastener  62  in  FIG. 16 , for which a tie fastener  16  may be integrated as a means for fastening. 
     Accordingly, the greeting card and envelope system of the various embodiments can be used to affix greeting cards to various articles. Said system can be used easily and conveniently, and can be unfastened and refastened as desired without causing damage to the article. The greeting card and its contents remain affixed to the article thereby maintaining any valuable contents of the envelope that may be in addition to the greeting card. The concept of insert and envelope system can be applied for any objective in which said system is desired, and therefore not limited to use with greeting cards. 
     While several inventive embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the inventive embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the inventive teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific inventive embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto: inventive embodiments maybe practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Inventive embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the inventive scope of the present disclosure. 
     Accordingly, as indicated above, the foregoing embodiments of the invention are examples and can be varied in many ways. Such present or future variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be apparent to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. 
     As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one”, in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements “at least one of A or B”, or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B” can refer, in one embodiment to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc. . . . It should also be understood that unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited. In the claims, as well as the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood as open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases respectively.

Technology Category: 7