Patent Application
20170318929
Transaction cards, stored value cards, or gift cards are popular gifts. Gift cards typically comprise a stored value card whereby a certain cash equivalent value is encoded upon a magnetic strip applied to the surface of the card. This stored value may be determined by the vendor prior to packaging and display for sale or may be selected at the point of sale by the purchaser and loaded by the cashier using a magnetic card reader/writer. Although popular, gift cards are typically provided with a generic and impersonal design. In addition, gift cards are often given in simple un-adorned envelopes or impersonal sleeves. This may minimize the gift giving experience and emotional value for both gift giver and the recipient.
Therefore, a need exists for a gift card holder that provides graphical and/or mechanical enhancements to entertain the gift card recipient and add emotional and personal value to the gift and the gift giver.
This invention relates generally to gift card holders and more particularly to a device for holding a gift card or gift card packet while providing graphical and mechanical enhancements to entertain the gift card recipient and add value to the gift giving experience for the gift giver. In addition, the gift card holders are suitable for convenient display and activation by retailers. Specifically, the gift card holders include one or more cutouts that provide easy access to view and scan a barcode or other indicia on the gift cards for activation.
In one embodiment, the gift card holder is a box having a bottom portion with at least one cutout and a lid portion. The box also includes a tray positioned within the bottom portion. The tray receives a gift card and includes at least one cutout. such that all of the cutouts are aligned so that a barcode or other indicia on the gift card may be viewed when the box is closed.
In some embodiments the bottom portion of the box may have a bottom portion cutout for viewing a gift card held within the box. The bottom portion may also include a slit for receiving a gift card. The tray may also have a slit for receiving a gift card. Both slits may align with one another. The tray may additionally include a cutout for viewing the card.
Details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages may be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
The present invention relates to gift card holders that enhance the gift giving experience for both the gift giver and the gift recipient. The gift card holders disclosed herein also provide benefits to retailers. For example, the gift cards and gift card holders may be received by retailers in pre-assembled packaging. In addition, gift card holders allow the gift cards to be purchased and activated without removing them from the gift card holders. In various aspects, the gift card holders of the present invention include a number of decorative and functional features that allow a gift giver to add personalization and other enhancements when giving a gift card.
The bottom portion 300 and a lid portion 200 are fabricated from a planar material that is cut and scored to define a respective bottom panel 330 including a bottom portion cutout 310 and a top panel 440. Each portion 200 and 300 also includes sidewalls 216A-D and 318A-D, respectively, which are formed from the planar material. The sidewalls 216A-D and 318A-D may be folded inward to provide structure to the box. In one aspect, sidewalls 216A and 216C include notches 220A-B to grip and remove the lid portion 200 from the bottom portion 300 after assembly.
The tray 400 may be formed from a planar material that is cut and folded to fit with in the bottom portion 300. The tray 400 may also be formed by vacuum forming a thermoplastic material. The tray 400 includes a central portion 450 that is proximal to the bottom portion 300 of holder 100, when the tray is assembled.
The central portion 450 of the tray 400 may have a first sidewall 460 and a second and third side wall 470A and 470B. The second and third sidewalls 470A and 470B are opposite one another and parallel to one another. Both the second and third sidewalls may be perpendicular to the first sidewall 460. The sidewalls are connected to one another by a central portion surface 425. In various embodiments the central portion 450 may also include a fourth sidewall opposite the first sidewall 460. The central portion may be slanted with the lowest point of the central portion being adjacent to the first sidewall 460. The lowest point of the central portion 450 may have a slit 455 that aligns with the bottom portion's slit 350. The second and third side wall may have protrusions 430A and 430B configured to retain a transaction card that is held within the central portion 450. The tabs 430A and 430B may be at any point along the second and third sidewalls 470A and 470B. In this regard, a transaction card may be placed in the box by sliding the card through the bottom portion's slit 350 and the tray slit 455 so that the card rests on the central portion surface 425 between the tabs 430A and 430B. In some embodiments the bottom portion's slit 350 may include a finger notch 352 that aids a user in sliding a card into the box through the bottom portion's slit 350.
In one embodiment, the tray 400 is adhered to the interior surface of the bottom portion 300. The central portion 450 of the tray 400 also defines a cutout or opening 410 that is aligned with the bottom portion cutout 310 to allow a barcode or other indicia on the gift card to be viewed and scanned without removing the card from the box 100. In various aspects, the tray 400 includes markings and indicia that may correspond to the gift giving occasion, holiday, or season.
The central portion 1450 of the tray 1400 may have a first sidewall 1460 opposite a fourth side wall 1465 and a second and third side wall 1470A and 1470B. The first and fourth sidewall, 1460 and 1465 may be parallel to one another and generally perpendicular to the second and third side wall 1470A and 1470B. The second and third sidewalls 1470A and 1470B are opposite one another and parallel to one another. Both the second and third sidewalls may be perpendicular to the first sidewall 1460. The sidewalls are connected to one another by a central portion surface 1425. The central portion may be slanted with the lowest point of the central portion being adjacent to the first sidewall 1460. The lowest point of the central portion 1450 may have a tray slit 1455 that aligns with the bottom portion's slit 350. The second and third sidewalls 1470A and 1470B may have protrusions 1430A, 1430B, 1435A, and 1435B configured to retain a transaction card that is held within the central portion 1450. The tabs 1430A, 1430B, 1435A, and 1435B may be at any point along the second and third sidewalls 1470A and 1470B. In this regard, a transaction card may be placed in the box by sliding the card through the bottom portion's slit 350 and the tray slit 1455 so that the card rests on the central portion surface 1425 between the tabs 1430A, 1430B, 1435A, and 1435B. The fourth sidewall 1465 may have a finger notch 1452 located along the sidewall's edge. The finger notch 1452 may aid a user in removing a transaction card from the central portion 1450.
The bottom portion 2300 and a lid portion 2200 are fabricated from a planar material that is cut and scored to define a respective bottom panel 2330 including a bottom portion cutout 2310 and a top panel 2440. Each portion 2200 and 2300 also includes sidewalls 2216A-D and 2318A-D, respectively, which are formed from the planar material. The sidewalls 2216A-D and 2318A-D may be folded inward to provide structure to the box. In one aspect, sidewalls 2216A and 2216C include notches 2220A-B to grip and remove the lid portion 2200 from the bottom portion 2300 after assembly.
The tray 2400 may be formed from a planar material that is cut and folded to fit with in the bottom portion 2300. The tray 2400 may also be formed by vacuum forming a thermoplastic material. The tray 2400 includes a central portion 2450 that is proximal to the bottom portion 300 of holder 2100, when the tray is assembled.
The central portion 2450 of the tray 2400 may have a first sidewall 2460 and a second and third side wall 2470A and 2470B. The second and third sidewalls 2470A and 2470B are opposite one another and parallel to one another. Both the second and third sidewalls may be perpendicular to the first sidewall 2460. The sidewalls are connected to one another by a central portion surface 2425. In various embodiments the central portion 2450 may also include a fourth sidewall opposite the first sidewall 2460. The central portion may be slanted with the lowest point of the central portion being adjacent to the first sidewall 2460. The second and third side wall may have protrusions 2430A and 2430B configured to retain a transaction card that is held within the central portion 2450. The tabs 2430A and 2430B may be at any point along the second and third sidewalls 2470A and 2470B. In this regard, a transaction card may be placed in the box by pressing a transaction card into the central portion so that the card rests on the central portion surface 2425 between the tabs 2430A and 2430B.
In one embodiment, the tray 2400 is adhered to the interior surface of the bottom portion 2300. The central portion 2450 of the tray 2400 also defines a cutout or opening 2410 that is aligned with the bottom portion cutout 2310 to allow a barcode or other indicia on the gift card to be viewed and scanned without removing the card from the box 2100. In various aspects, the tray 2400 includes markings and indicia that may correspond to the gift giving occasion, holiday, or season.
For each embodiment, a gift card may be included with the gift card holders 100, 1100, and 2100. In various other embodiments, the gift card holders 100, 1100, and 2100 may be used or re-used with any gift card, including those purchased separately from the purchase of the gift card holder.
It is believed that the present disclosure and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the components without departing from the disclosed subject matter or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form described is merely explanatory, and it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to various embodiments, it will be understood that these embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the disclosure is not limited to them. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible. More generally, embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure have been described in the context of particular implementations. Functionality may be separated or combined in blocks differently in various embodiments of the disclosure or described with different terminology. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the disclosure as defined in the claims that follow.
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Non-provisional application Ser. No. 15/431,535, entitled “Gift Card Presentation Devices,” filed Feb. 13, 2017, which claims Ser. No. 14/181,668, entitled “Gift Card Presentation Devices,” filed Feb. 15, 2014, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/765,594, filed Feb. 15, 2013, entitled “Gift Card Presentation Devices,” the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61765594 | Feb 2013 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14181668 | Feb 2014 | US |
| Child | 15431535 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15431535 | Feb 2017 | US |
| Child | 15656618 | US |
