The present invention generally relates to a message delivery assembly and a method for conducting business using the message delivery assembly, and more particularly, to a bear shaped message delivery assembly having a lockable message containment cavity and a method for conducting business using the bear shaped delivery assembly by use of a computer based internet web site which allows an individual to order a bear shaped message delivery assembly, author a personal message to be included within the bear shaped message delivery assembly, and pay for the bear shaped message delivery assembly and the delivery of the bear shaped message delivery assembly, in a convenient manner.
Oftentimes, it is desirable to send an individual a personal message by use of a “non-ordinary” or an unconventional means or method in order to surprise the individual or to “brighten” the individual's day or spirit. By way of example and without limitation, prior “unconventional” means of sending a message to another individual include sending flowers with an attached card, sending a balloon and a card, or sending an individual a “singing-telegram”. Although these known methodologies do desirably relay a message to another individual, they do not allow the individual to preserve the memory of the delivered message with a memento which does not eventually fade (e.g., flowers eventually die, balloons eventually deflate and/or pop, and singing telegrams last only as long as the singer is singing the telegram).
One known methodology, for example and without limitation, for sending an individual a surprise gift or memento is the methodology of ordering a Teddy-bear or stuffed animal by use of the Internet. This known methodology allows a customer to order a customized Teddy-bear and send this customized Teddy-bear to another individual. Although this methodology does desirably provide a memento, it does suffer from a major drawback. For example and without limitation, this methodology does not allow a customer to send a personalized message to the individual whom the Teddy-bear was intended for.
Furthermore, it is oftentimes desirable to send another individual a “secure” message which cannot be read by an individual whom the message was not intended for. Prior methodologies for sending a secured message include, by way of example and without limitation, sending another individual a secured e-mail, sending another individual a message which requires the intended recipient of the message to provide identification and a signature before the message is delivered (e.g., any form of certified mail), or personally delivering an individual a message in order to avoid having the message read or intercepted by another individual other than the intended recipient.
Although these prior methods do desirably allow for the sending and receiving of a secure message, they do suffer from some drawbacks. For example and without limitation, sending an individual a secure e-mail does not allow the sender of the e-mail to include a gift or a memento which is not in the form of text or electronic messages. Moreover, sending an individual a piece of certified mail forces the intended recipient to produce and show identification as well as provide a signature, which may undesirably inconvenience the intended recipient or simply lessen or trivialize the intended personal message or surprise. Furthermore, personally delivering a message to the intended recipient requires the deliverer to travel to a location which may not be physically possible if the intended recipient is in a remote location such as a different state or country. Furthermore, sending an individual a Teddy-bear does not allow for a personalized message and, if a card could be included with the Teddy-bear, this method would still lack the secure personalized message delivery nature that is oftentimes desirable.
There is therefore a need for a method which allows an individual to send another individual a secure message in a convenient manner. There is also a need for a method for providing the intended recipient of the secure message with a memento which serves to preserve the memory and surprise of the occasion, which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior message delivery methodologies.
A first non-limiting advantage of the present invention is that it provides a message delivery assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior message delivery assemblies.
A second non-limiting advantage of the present invention is that it provides a message delivery assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior message delivery assemblies and a method for conducting business using the message delivery assembly.
A third non-limiting advantage of the present invention is that it provides a message delivery assembly which has a lock and a key which cooperates with the lock to allow the intended recipient of the assembly to selectively open or remove a portion of the assembly and close or return a portion of the assembly.
A fourth non-limiting advantage of the present invention is that it provides an assembly comprising a body having a containment cavity; a generally hollow cylinder which is selectively inserted into and frictionally fit with the containment cavity; a message which is removably inserted into the cylinder; and a member which is selectively coupled to the cylinder and which is effective to selectively remove the generally hollow cylinder from the containment cavity.
A fifth non-limiting advantage of the present invention is that it provides a message delivery assembly. Particularly, the message delivery assembly comprises a body which is shaped as a bear, the body having a head portion, a torso portion, a pair of arms, and a pair of legs, the torso portion having a containment cavity which extends from between the pair of legs to the center of the torso portion; a generally hollow cylinder which is removably inserted into the containment cavity, the generally hollow cylinder having a threaded aperture, a threaded aperture cover which cooperates with the threaded aperture, and a locking assembly; a message which is removably inserted into the generally hollow cylinder through the threaded aperture; a key comprising a first end which cooperates with the locking assembly to allow removal of the generally hollow cylinder from the containment cavity and a second end of a certain shape; and a fastening assembly which selectively and removably holds the key to the torso portion.
A sixth non-limiting advantage of the present invention is that it provides a method for conducting business using a message delivery assembly. Particularly the method comprises the steps of: providing a stuffed animal having an internal containment cavity and a cylinder; taking an order from a customer to supply a message and a stuffed animal to another individual and collecting payment from said customer; removably placing said customer supplied message from said customer within said cylinder; disposing said cylinder within said internal containment cavity of said stuffed animal; locking said cylinder within said internal containment cavity; providing a key which unlocks said cylinder from said internal containment cavity; and delivering said stuffed animal and said key to said individual.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and by reference to the following drawings.
Referring now to
At the outset, it should be understood that the form 12 of message delivery assembly 10 is not limited to the shape or general form of a Teddy-bear. Rather, there is a plurality of shapes and forms of animals or objects which may be used (e.g., in the place of the Teddy-bear form) for various special occasions and holidays. For example and without limitation, the general shape or form of a duck or an Easter Bunny (not shown) may be utilized on a holiday such as Easter. In further example and without limitation, message delivery assembly 10 may be constructed out of a material which may be sculpted (e.g., ceramic, stone, resin, clay, or the like). In this manner, message delivery assembly 10 may comprise a statue, a center piece, a garden decoration, or the like. It should be appreciated that, in this non-limiting example, the message delivery assembly 10 may be used as a decorative piece after the assembly 10 has been delivered and after the recipient of assembly 10 has read his/her message.
Apparatus 10 further includes a generally hollow cylinder 50 which is tubular in shape and which is also shaped to frictionally fit within the generally hollow area 44 of containment cavity 40. Generally hollow cylinder 50 further includes a first open end 56 and a second closed end 58 having a blind aperture 60 which cooperates with a key 70 to lock and unlock the generally hollow cylinder 50 from the containment cavity 40 and which will be explained below in greater detail.
First open end 56 further includes at least one outwardly projecting fastening tab 52 which cooperates with the at least one inwardly projecting fastening tab 42 of containment cavity 40 to selectively, hold or contain the generally hollow cylinder 50 within the containment cavity 40. As best shown in
As shown in
In one non-limiting embodiment, the containment cavity 40 may employ a magnet 46 operatively disposed upon the top portion (i.e., the end of the cylinder which is closed) of the containment cavity 40 and the generally hollow cylinder 50 may be constructed, in part, of a metal material. In this manner, the magnet 46 of the containment cavity 40 will attract the metal of generally hollow cylinder 50 and act as a fastening device, effective to allow containment cavity 40 to operatively and removably contain the generally hollow cylinder 50. It should be appreciated that, in this non-limiting embodiment, nothing in this description is meant to limit the location of the magnet or the location of the metal. Rather, the magnet may be operatively disposed upon or within the generally hollow cylinder 50 and the containment cavity may be at least partially constructed out of metal. Furthermore, both the containment cavity 40 and the generally hollow cylinder 50 may each contain a magnet 45, 55, respectively, such that one magnet is positioned oppositely (i.e., the poles of the respective magnets are opposite) in respect to the other magnet in order to effectuate a magnetic attraction (i.e., each magnetic pole of a magnet is attracted to an opposite magnetic pole of another magnet), thereby obviating any metal material within or upon the generally hollow cylinder 50 or the containment cavity 40. It should be understood to one who is skilled in the relevant art that the magnets 45, 55 and the fastening tabs 42, 52 may be employed to cooperatively contain the generally hollow cylinder 50 within the containment cavity 40 or either the fastening tabs 42, 52 or the magnets 45, 55 may be removed. In this manner, the generally hollow cylinder 50 may be contained within the containment cavity 40 solely by the use of the magnets 45, 55 or solely by the use of the fastening tabs 42, 52.
Referring now to
In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the generally hollow cylinder 50 may employ a conventional three or four digit combination locking device (not shown) and the intended recipient of the message delivery assembly 10 may receive the proper combination to unlock the conventional combination locking device. In this manner, the key 70, 170 may be obviated. It should be appreciated that, in this non-limiting embodiment, the conventional combination locking device may either be operatively disposed upon the generally hollow cylinder 50 or upon the containment cavity 40, thereby also providing a means for containment cavity 40 to operatively contain the generally hollow cylinder 50.
Referring now to
Generally hollow cylinder 200 further includes a second half 206 having a third closed end 214 and a fourth open end 216 having threading 208 on the outer periphery 209 of the open end 216. It should be understood to one who is skilled in the relevant art that threading 208 is complementary to threading 204 (i.e., threading 208 cooperates with threading 204 to couple and uncouple the first half 202 from or to the second half 206). The fourth closed end 214 of second half 206 further includes a blind aperture 218 which is substantially identical to the blind aperture 60 of generally hollow cylinder 50. It should be understood that, with the above described architecture of this “first and second half” embodiment, a user may selectively remove the generally hollow cylinder 200 from the containment cavity 40 in substantially the same manner as discussed above in the preferred embodiment. Upon removal of the generally hollow cylinder 200 from the containment cavity 40, a user may selectively uncouple and couple the first half 202 from and to the second half 206 in a well known and conventional manner (e.g., by simply spinning the first half 202 in an opposite direction as the second half 206).
Referring now to
Decorative heart design 302 further includes a fastening device 304 which is attached to the decorative heart design 302. Fastening device 304, in one non-limiting embodiment, may comprise a certain length of decorative lace or ribbon which may be decoratively tied around the key 70. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the fastening device 304 may comprise a conventional decorative clasp (e.g., a jewelry or necklace clasp), a key chain, a necklace, a magnet, or the like, which may selectively hold the key 70 to the heart design 302. In yet another alternate embodiment, the assembly 10 may have a ribbon (not shown) which may be hung upon the upper area of body portion 20 and around the head 32 of the assembly 10. This ribbon may further comprise a heart shaped design (not shown) which is substantially similar to the heart shaped design 302. Further, the key 70, in this alternate embodiment, may be attached to the heart shaped design in a conventional manner or in a manner which is substantially similar to the above described manner (i.e., a ribbon, a key chain, a necklace, a jewelry clasp, a magnet, or the like).
In operation and in combination with a conventional computer having Internet access, a user that desires to send a message 90 to another individual, may gain access to a web-site which is designed to allow a user to order a message delivery assembly 10, author a personal message 90 (i.e., enter certain information which pertains to a personalized message, the name of the individual to whom the assembly 10 is to be delivered to, who is sending the personalized message and assembly 10 to the intended recipient, and which assembly 10 the user desires to send) to be included within the message delivery assembly 10, and pay for the message delivery assembly 10 and the delivery of message delivery assembly 10 (e.g., credit card information of the user which allows and authorizes the individual or business enterprise who is/are selling assembly 10 to charge the credit card of the user in order to pay for the assembly 10 and the delivery of assembly 10). It should be understood that nothing in this description is meant to limit the ordering means of an assembly 10 to only a computer system. Rather, assembly 10, in alternate embodiments, may be ordered in person or by utilizing a conventional telephone, a conventional letter, or the like.
Once the user has finished entering the certain information, the user simply pays for the assembly 10 and the delivery of assembly 10. Upon payment, the individual or business enterprise which provides the assembly 10 and delivery service of assembly 10 then downloads the certain entered information from the web-site of the individual or business enterprise and places the personal message 90 within the generally hollow cylinder 50, places the generally hollow cylinder 50 within the containment cavity 40, places the key 70 within the blind aperture 60, and turns the key 70 to lock the generally hollow cylinder 50 within the containment cavity 40. The individual or business enterprise then removably affixes the intended recipient's delivery address to the assembly 1 (or upon or within a box in which assembly 10 will be placed) along with a brief description or directions on how the intended recipient may gain access to the personal message 90 and delivers the assembly 10 to the desired recipient in a conventional manner. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the individual or business enterprise may deliver the key 70 to the intended recipient prior to delivering the assembly 10. In this manner, the individual or business enterprise may request the recipient for proper identification while concomitantly preserving the intended surprise of the message delivery assembly 10. Furthermore, in this manner, the individual or business enterprise can ensure that only the intended recipient will have access to the assembly 10 and the message 90 contained therein.
Referring now to
It should be understood that this invention is not limited to the exact construction or embodiments listed and described, but that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example and without limitation, the containment cavity 40 may be replaced with a fabric pocket which fastens together in a conventional manner (e.g., by use of a hook and pile assembly which may be sold under the registered trademark Velcro®, a conventional zipper and zip assembly, magnetic device, or substantially any desired commercially available and/or conventional fastening assembly).
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