The field of the disclosure relates generally to gift wrapping, and more specifically, to a gift bag operable with one or more hangers.
The gift bag fabricated from a material that resembles gift wrapping paper has become well known and can be found in many different shapes and sizes. They may include, for example, a ribbon, paper or twine matching handles that extends from two sides of the bag. In other gift bags, the handles are provided by forming two oval or other shaped holes on opposite sides of the bag through which a user can extend their fingers.
Often, an article of clothing is given as a gift. Retailers once provided shoppers with a box into which the item may be placed, so that the gift giving purchaser might wrap the box with wrapping paper, as is commonly known. However, the receipt of a complimentary gift box is less prevalent than it once was, and purchasers are less likely to purchase both a gift box to hold one or more articles of clothing in addition to the wrapping paper used to wrap the gift box, hence the increasing popularity of the gift bag.
The simplicity of concealing a gift item within a gift bag has made the use of gift bags very popular. However, for articles of clothing to be given as a gift, placing those within the gift bag may lead to a wrinkled or otherwise disheveled look to the clothing article when the receiver of the gift extracts the article from the gift bag. The reasons are simple. Such articles cannot be hung in the conventional gift bag and thus are typically placed about the bottom of the bag. When giving multiple items as a gift, such items are then typically stacked within the gift bag, further leading to the wrinkling and disheveled appearance described above.
In one aspect, a gift bag is described that includes a top panel having a centrally located slot formed therein, a bag body extending downward from the top panel to form a substantial enclosure, and a reinforcing material adjacent the top panel. The reinforcing material is placed so as to not interfere with said centrally located slot and the slot is sized to allow a rod engaging member of a hanger to pass therethrough.
In another aspect, a gift bag having a bag body comprising a paper product is provided. The bag body defines a perimeter and includes a top edge. Portions of the top edge are attached together such that the bag body forms a substantial enclosure. A separate portion of the top edge is not attached together such that a slot is formed. The slot is sized to allow a rod engaging member of a hanger to pass therethrough. The paper product includes a decorative pattern printed thereon.
In still another aspect, a gift bag comprising a bag body is provided. The bag body includes a paper product having a decorative pattern printed thereon, the bag body defining a perimeter. The bag body further includes a top portion that is folded and adhered together to form a substantially rectangular top panel. The bag body further includes a centrally located slot formed in the top panel that is sized to allow a rod engaging member of a hanger to pass therethrough.
To provide such functionality, gift bag 100 incorporates a bag body 110 which extends downward from a substantially rectangular top panel 120. In embodiments, bag body 110 substantially surrounds an item placed within bag 100. In at least one embodiment, top panel 120 incorporates a substantially centrally located slot 130 formed therethrough. In use, hanger 20 is passed through the bag body 100, and eventually the bar engaging portion 30 of the hanger 20 is passed through the slot 130 as shown. In at least one embodiment, top panel 120 and bag body 110 are integrally formed from a product, for example a paper product, portions of the paper product folded and glued to form top panel 120.
The typical hanger includes members that extend from the bar engaging portion which can be referred to as a left shoulder and a right shoulder. When used with an upper torso garment, for example a shirt, these shoulders are covered by portions of the garment, again for example, the shoulder portions of a shirt. When bar engaging portion 30 extends through slot 130, the shoulders of the hanger 20 will eventually come to engage a bottom surface 140 of the top panel 120. Thus, when the gift bag is utilized together with a hanger, the gift will essentially be suspended by the shoulders of the hanger(s) therein.
In at least one embodiment, top panel 120 includes a reinforcing member 150 which, depending on the configuration, may include a corresponding slot therethrough intended to correspond with slot 130. As in many embodiments bag 100 is fabricated from a paper product, reinforcing member 150 operates to prevent or reduce the occurrence of tearing of top panel 120. In embodiments, reinforcing material is fabricated from one of poster board, cardboard, or a semi-rigid plastic sheet material. A fold line 160 is shown to indicate that the gift bag 100 may be folded when not in use such that the top panel is substantially coplanar with a front panel of the gift bag 100.
The multiple embodiments of gift bag 100 include embodiments that are larger (and smaller) in one or more of width, depth, and height to correspond with the many garments types and sizes (as well as non-garment items that are suspended from hanging devices) available in the marketplace. Embodiments of gift bag 100 are contemplated that will hold many garments and their corresponding hangers. In such embodiment, a width of slot 130 may be expanded such that two, five, or ten or more of bar engaging portion 30 to pass threrethrough.
The above described embodiments of gift bags may be fabricated from paper products, plastic products, metallic foil, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the gift bags are fabricated from a thin paper product similar to common wrapping paper. In other embodiments, the gift bags may be a multi-layered paper product including a coating thereon which provides a certain amount of resistance to liquids. Such a coating, or another coating material, may be utilized to provide a glossy finish to the gift bag. The gift bag embodiments described herein are intended to “wrap” gifts, and as such, it should be understood that any number of decorative patterns, colors, and motifs can be printed onto the materials that constitute the bag, the bag body, and the top panel.
While described herein as having a portion of a hanger passing through a slot in the top of the gift bag, it is further contemplated that the described gift bag embodiments can be utilized with other gift items. For example, a gift item that includes a handle, such as a purse or briefcase could take advantage of the gift bags by passing the handle of the purse or briefcase through the slot at the top. As mentioned elsewhere herein, embodiments of the gift bags may be sized to correspond with the items they are meant to conceal. For example, smaller items that are suspended from a small hanger type device, such as jewelry or hosiery, would in turn utilize a gift bag that is smaller in overall size. Over sized items, for example, a set of automobile floor mats that are attached together using a cardboard or plastic hanging device, would in turn utilize a gift bag that is larger in overall size.
Though not shown in the figures, the various gift bags described herein may include indicia printed thereon, such as a company logo, or alphanumeric text indicating a source of the gift bag instead of or in addition to a decorative pattern. In an embodiment, such indicia are located at an inconspicuous location, such as a side area that may be folded, but away from a bottom edge of the bag so that such indicia may not be cut away by simply reducing a “length” of the gift bag.
It is further contemplated that a manufacturer or supplier of such gift bags may be supplying the described gift bags to a third party, such as a retailer, for end use by the retailer. In such embodiments, a logo or other indicia that relates to the third party may be printed on the bag in a conspicuous location so that a person receiving items that are wrapped in such a gift bag is made aware of the retailer from which the gift was purchased. Such indicia may be in addition to or instead of a decorative pattern. Such indicia would also be printed in a location that is distant from the bottom edge of the bag so that such indicia may not be cut away by simply reducing a “length” of the gift bag. In such embodiment, the above described gift tag 202 and outer sleeve 204 may not be utilized, or at least placed in locations on the gift bags so as to not interfere with the third party indicia.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.