Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is related to and claims priority benefits from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/904,498 (“the &#39;498 application”), filed on Nov. 15, 2013, entitled MULTI-PANEL PAPERBOARD STRUCTURE. The &#39;498 application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    Embodiments of the invention relate to paperboard structures that assemble into giftable greeting cards. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Greeting cards are typically made of paperboard, but are not configured to readily accommodate a gift such as a candy bar or other product. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings and each claim. 
         [0005]    Disclosed is a paperboard structure that is designed to house a product, such as currency, an envelope, or a packaged food product (e.g., a candy or chocolate bar). The structure is configured so that a user may easily secure the product to the paperboard structure and create a giftable greeting card from the paperboard structure and product combination. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a paperboard structure according to one embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the paperboard structure of  FIG. 1  assembled with a product and with the internal section pivoted toward the first section. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the paperboard structure of  FIG. 1  assembled with a product and with the first section pivoted toward the second section. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the paperboard structure of  FIG. 1  assembled with a product and with the internal section pivoted toward the second section. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  shows a blank from which the paperboard structure of  FIG. 1  is assembled. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described. 
         [0012]    Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention,  FIG. 5  illustrates a single blank of foldable material  1 . The blank illustrated herein is formed from foldable substrates, which may be paper-based material such as paperboard or corrugated sheet material, although other materials may be used if desired. The blank may be formed from virgin or recycled material, may be coated or uncoated, and may be single-ply or laminated paperboard. 
         [0013]    As illustrated, blank  1  includes multiple adjacent panels: first panel  2 , second panel  4 , third panel  6 , fourth panel  8 , and spacer panel  10 . In some embodiments, panels  2 ,  4 ,  6 , and  8  are generally rectangular in shape, although the panels may have any suitable shape to form an assembled card structure having a desired shape. Spacer panel  10  is positioned between third panel  6  and fourth panel  8 . In some embodiments, the width of spacer panel  10  generally corresponds to the thickness of the product  42  with which the assembled card structure will be used, although it need not. The product  42  may include packaging and/or a wrapper. The panels of blank  1  shown in  FIG. 5  may be folded to create an assembled card structure  40 , illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 . As discussed in more detail below, the panels of blank  1  may be folded to construct an assembled card structure  40  with a first section  60  that includes a front face  22  and a rear face  24 , an internal section  70  that includes a front face  26  and a rear face  28 , and a second section  80  that includes a front face  30  and a rear face (not illustrated). 
         [0014]    Fold lines  12  separate spacer panel  10  from panels  8  and  6 , and separate panels  4  and  6 . The term fold lines as used herein is not intended to be limiting, but is instead intended to include fold lines, score lines, perforation lines, and cut lines. In some embodiments, fold line  16  separates panel  2  from panel  6 . In some embodiments, fold line  16  is a perforation line so that the internal section  70  (front face  26  and rear face  28 ) may be removed if desired. Blank  1  may optionally include a tab  18  that that may be connected to panel  8  by fold or perforation line  14 . 
         [0015]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , at least a portion of one or more of panels  4  and  6  includes a suitable adhesive so that panels  4  and  6  may be adhered together when blank  1  is assembled into card structure  40 . Panel  8  may also include an area of adhesive  20 . The area of adhesive  20  may be positioned anywhere along panel  8  and may have any suitable dimensions. In some cases, area of adhesive  20  is covered with a removable liner. 
         [0016]    To erect blank  1  into assembled card structure  40 , panels  4  and  6  are folded around fold line  12  and adhered to one another such that the first section  60  of the assembled card structure  40  has two layers. When assembled, the outer side of panel  6  (face down in  FIG. 5 ) becomes the front face  22  of the first section  60  of the card structure  40 . The outer side of panel  2  (face down in  FIG. 5 ) forms the front face  26  of the internal section  70  and the outer side of panel  4  (face down in  FIG. 5 ) forms a rear face  24  of the first section  60  of the assembled card structure. When assembled in a closed position, rear face  24  of the first section  60  and front face  26  of the internal section  70  oppose one another. The inner side of panel  2  (face up in  FIG. 5 ) forms the rear face  28  of the internal section of the assembled card structure and the inner side of panel  8  (face up in  FIG. 5 ) forms the front face  30  of the second section  80 . When assembled in a closed position, rear face  28  of the internal section  70  and front face  30  of the second section  80  oppose one another. Various graphics (i.e., images and/or text) may be printed on front face  22 , rear face  24 , front face  26 , and/or rear face  28  of the card structure  40  as desired. In some embodiments, spacer panel  10  acts as a spine of the assembled structure  40  and includes a forward portion  9  and a rear portion  11 . 
         [0017]    The first section  60  of the assembled structure  40  (including front face  22  and rear face  24 ) may be formed from two layers (panels  4  and  6 ) folded onto one another and includes an inner portion  23  and an outer portion  25 . The inner portion  23  of at least one of the layers of the first section  60  of the assembled structure  40  is connected to a forward portion  9  of the spacer panel  10  and pivots about one or both of the fold lines  12  located adjacent to spacer panel  10 . For example, the layer formed from panel  6  (front face  22  of the first section  60 ) is connected to a forward portion  9  of the spacer panel  10  (see  FIG. 5 ). As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the assembled structure  40  may include an internal section  70  (including front face  26  and rear face  28 ) formed from panel  2 , with the internal section  70  including an inner portion  27  and an outer portion  29 . The inner portion of at least one of the layers of the first sections of the assembled structure  40  is connected to the front face  26  of the internal section  70 . For example, the layer formed from panel  4  (rear face  24  of the first section  60 ) is connected to front face  26  of the internal section  70  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0018]    The internal section  70  may be approximately the same size as the first section  60  (as shown in  FIGS. 1-5 ) or may be smaller in width and/or height based on the configuration of panel  2 . For example, blank  1  may be configured with a stepped configuration such that panel  2  does not extend along the full length of fold line  16  such that the assembled structure  40  includes a partial height internal section  70  allowing a user to view the second section  80  and/or the product  42  secured to the second section  80  (such as a candy bar  42 ) without pivoting the internal section  70 . Because second panel  4  and third panel  6  have similar sizes, in the assembled structure  40 , fold line  16  (about which the internal section  70  pivots) is located adjacent to or near spacer panel  10 . One or more of faces  22 ,  24 ,  26 , and  28  may be printed with graphics and text as desired, or left blank. 
         [0019]    In some embodiments, the front face  30  of the second section  80  is formed from the fourth panel  8  and is connected to the rear portion  11  of spacer panel  10  such that the second section  80  may pivot about one or both of the fold lines  12  located adjacent to spacer panel  10 . The front face  30  may include an inner portion  31  and an outer portion  32 . The front face  30  may include one or more features configured to secure a product. For example, the rear face may include an adhesive area  20  for attaching to the product or an outer surface of the packaging or wrapper of a product. In some non-limiting embodiments, front face  30  may include an optional integral tab  18  configured to interface with the product (or the product&#39;s packaging) where the integral tab  18  is connected to front face  30  of second section  80  at fold line  14 . The tab  18  may wrap around the product  42  or may be inserted into an opening in the packaging of the product  42 . 
         [0020]    Assembled card structure  40  may be provided with ( FIGS. 2-4 ) or without ( FIG. 1 ) a product  42 , such as candy bar  42 . If offered without a product, a user may separately assemble a product (such as a candy bar  42 ) with the card structure  40 . In particular, a user may remove any lining to expose the adhesive area  20  and adhere the product, such as candy bar  42 , to the front face  30  (fourth panel  8 ) of second section  80  of assembled card structure  40 . Tab  18  optionally may be used to further secure the product, such as candy bar  42 , to the card structure  40  by wrapping the tab  18  around an end of the candy bar  42  and inserting the tab  18  into the top end of the carton associated with the candy bar  42 . In some embodiments, the tab  18  is integral to the front face  30  (fourth panel  8 ) and may be operated independent of the other panels of the card structure  40  (i.e., regardless of the positions of the first section  60  or the internal section  70 ). When card structure  40  is erected and secured to product  42  such as candy bar  42 , rear face  28  of panel  2  (not shown in  FIG. 5 ) is adjacent to product  42 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The product  42 , such as candy bar  42 , is now easily and securely coupled to the paperboard structure to form a giftable greeting card. The paperboard structure serves as both a greeting card and as packaging for the product  42 , such as the candy bar  42 . 
         [0021]    In some embodiments, a method for constructing the card structure  40  includes preparing a blank  1  that includes multiple adjacent panels: first panel  2 , second panel  4 , third panel  6 , fourth panel  8  and spacer panel  10 . Panels  4  and  6  may be folded against one another to form a first section  60  with two layers corresponding to panels  4  and  6 . The two layers may be adhered to one another using glue, adhesive, or any other suitable method (such as staples or other mechanical fasteners). Once panels  4  and  6  are folded against one another, fold line  16  (located between panels  2  and  4 ) is disposed near or adjacent to forward portion  9  of spacer panel  10 . Fold line  16  provides a pivoting location for panel  2 , which functions as an internal section  70 . Card structure  40  may be offered as assembled, without product. If offered in such a way, a consumer or other use may at a later time, secure any suitable product to the card structure  40 . In particular, after pivoting the internal section  70  away from the second section  80 , the removable liner may be removed from the area of adhesive  20  (see  FIG. 5 ). Once the area of adhesive  20  is exposed, a product, such as product  42 , may be pressed against the area of adhesive  20 . To further secure the product  42 , an optional integral tab  18  may be folded over fold line  14  and used to secure an upper portion of the product  42 . For example, the integral tab  18  may (1) include adhesive to contact an outer surface of the packaging of the product  42 , (2) may wrap around the packaging of the product  42 , and/or (3) may be inserted into an opening in the packaging of the product  42 . 
         [0022]    Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings or described above, as well as components and steps not shown or described are possible. Similarly, some features and subcombinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. Embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or depicted in the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims below.

Technology Category: 7