Patent Application
20230312163
The present invention relates to greeting cards, including greeting cards that automatically self-erect into three dimensional polyhedrons upon being removed from an envelope.
Greeting cards come in all shapes and sizes. The purpose of greeting cards is typically to provide enjoyment to the person receiving and opening the greeting card.
However, because most greeting cards are simple fold-out cards, the excitement generated by receiving such cards has diminished over the years.
Accordingly, there is a need for a self-erecting three-dimensional greeting card to increase the excitement generated when receiving the card.
Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
In general, and according to exemplary embodiments hereof, a collapsible and self-erecting polyhedron system is provided. The polyhedron may be chosen to include a cube so that the system provides a collapsible and self-erecting box. The box may comprise cardboard and may serve a variety of purposes. For example, the self-erecting box may include outer surfaces upon which images (e.g., photographic reproductions), graphics, and text may be printed to provide a three-dimensional greeting card. The three-dimensional greeting card (the box) may be collapsed and placed into an envelope, and upon being removed from the envelope, may automatically self-erect providing a fun and exciting experience. Confetti also may be included within the box that may be ejected during the box self-erecting, thereby providing even more enjoyment.
In some embodiments, the self-erecting collapsible polyhedron system 10 (also referred herein as simply the system 10) includes a three-dimensional polyhedron body 12 comprising a plurality of polygonal faces.
For the purposes of this specification, the system 10 will be described primarily as including a cube-shaped body 12. However, it is understood that the system 10 also may include other types of polyhedron shaped bodies (e.g., other cuboids, hexahedrons, etc.) and that the scope of the system 10 is not limited by the type of polyhedron shaped body that it may include.
In some embodiments, as shown in
For the purposes of clarity, the system 10 will first be described in relation to a first portion 50 of the body 12 that includes the side faces 14, 16, 18, 20, and the associated side edges 26, 28, 30, 32 that join the side faces 14, 16, 18, 20. This first portion 50 is depicted in
In some embodiments, as shown in
Then, as the outward forces in the directions of the arrows J, K are continued, the angles θ1 and θ3 may each approach 0° while the angles θ2 and θ4 may each approach 180°. This is shown in
Conversely, inward forces applied to the edges 26, 30 in the directions of the arrows L, M, respectively, in
Then, as the inward forces in the directions of the arrows L, M are continued, the angles θ1-θ4 may all approach 90° as shown in
Given the above, it is understood that the portion 50 may be generally collapsed (into the configuration shown in
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, the force mechanism 52 includes a spring mechanism 54 such as a section of elastic material (e.g., rubber), a rubber band, a coiled spring, any other type of spring device, and any combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the spring mechanism 54 (e.g., a rubber band) coupled to the edge 26 via a first connection mechanism 56 and to the edge 30 via a second connection mechanism 58. In some embodiments, the first and second connection mechanisms 56, 58 may comprise hooks, notches, holes, other types of connection mechanisms, and any combinations thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the first and second connection mechanisms 56, 58 may comprise hooks formed from a tab or folded portion of the material that may comprise the body 12 (e.g., cardboard).
The top face 22 and the bottom face 24 will be described next in relation to
In some embodiments, as shown in
In general, as the first portion 50 collapses (as described above with relation to
As the angle θ1 continues to decrease due to the further collapsing of the first portion 50 (as shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, the second portion 60 and the third portion 74, when combined to form a cube, generally form the system's body 12 of
Accordingly, it can be seen that as the force mechanism 52 applies inward forces in the direction of the arrows L, M to the arrangement in
In some embodiments, as shown in
In addition, it can be seen that forces applied to the cubic system 10 of
In some embodiments, as shown in
Although not shown, it is understood that the bottom face portions 64 and 78 also include similar tabs, left chamfers, right chamfers, and notches configured similarly to function as automatically interlocking stops to the system 10 on the bottom side when the system 10 self-erects into a cubical form.
In some embodiments, the outer surfaces of the faces 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 are adapted to receive images (e.g., photographic reproductions), graphics, and text to be printed onto the faces 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 to form a three-dimensional graphical cube that may be used for a variety of purposes. In one implementation, the graphical cube may be used as a three-dimensional greeting card. The three-dimensional greeting card (the box) may be collapsed and placed into an envelope, and upon being removed from the envelope, may automatically self-erect providing a fun and exciting experience. Multiple systems 10 may be placed into an envelope together at one time. Confetti also may be included within the system 10 that may be ejected during the system 10 self-erecting, thereby providing even more enjoyment. In some embodiments, the confetti may be placed into the folded fold lines 70, 78, 72, 83 to be ejected as the fold lines translate from a fully folded configuration to a fully opened configuration during the self-erecting of the system 10.
In some embodiments, the system 10 includes a holder 100 adapted to generally hold the system 10 in a collapsed state (e.g., flattened) to assist in placing the collapsed system 10 and in removing the collapsed system 10 from the envelop.
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, the holder 100 is sized to fit within a flat envelop thereby holding the collapsed system 10 in a collapsed state between the holder's back base surface 108 and the inner front side surface of the envelop.
In some embodiments, with the holder 100 holding the collapses system 10 within the envelop, the holder's top tab 116 is accessible when the envelop is opened such that a user may grasp the top tab 16 and pull the holder 100 and collapsed system 10 upwards and out of the envelop. Once the holder 100 and the collapses system 10 clear the front of the envelop and the system 10 is no longer held in its collapsed state, the force mechanism 52 causes the system 10 to self-erect as described herein providing a startling and fun experience to the user.
It is understood that any details and/or aspects of any embodiments described herein may be combined with any details and/or aspects of any other embodiments in any way to form additional embodiment(s) all of which are within the scope of the filter system 10.
Where a process is described herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the process may operate without any user intervention. In another embodiment, the process includes some human intervention (e.g., a step is performed by or with the assistance of a human).
As used herein, including in the claims, the phrase “at least some” means “one or more,” and includes the case of only one. Thus, e.g., the phrase “at least some ABCs” means “one or more ABCs”, and includes the case of only one ABC.
As used herein, including in the claims, term “at least one” should be understood as meaning “one or more”, and therefore includes both embodiments that include one or multiple components. Furthermore, dependent claims that refer to independent claims that describe features with “at least one” have the same meaning, both when the feature is referred to as “the” and “the at least one”.
As used in this description, the term “portion” means some or all. So, for example, “A portion of X” may include some of “X” or all of “X”. In the context of a conversation, the term “portion” means some or all of the conversation.
As used herein, including in the claims, the phrase “using” means “using at least,” and is not exclusive. Thus, e.g., the phrase “using X” means “using at least X.” Unless specifically stated by use of the word “only”, the phrase “using X” does not mean “using only X.”
As used herein, including in the claims, the phrase “based on” means “based in part on” or “based, at least in part, on,” and is not exclusive. Thus, e.g., the phrase “based on factor X” means “based in part on factor X” or “based, at least in part, on factor X.” Unless specifically stated by use of the word “only”, the phrase “based on X” does not mean “based only on X.”
In general, as used herein, including in the claims, unless the word “only” is specifically used in a phrase, it should not be read into that phrase.
As used herein, including in the claims, the phrase “distinct” means “at least partially distinct.” Unless specifically stated, distinct does not mean fully distinct. Thus, e.g., the phrase, “X is distinct from Y” means that “X is at least partially distinct from Y,” and does not mean that “X is fully distinct from Y.” Thus, as used herein, including in the claims, the phrase “X is distinct from Y” means that X differs from Y in at least some way.
It should be appreciated that the words “first,” “second,” and so on, in the description and claims, are used to distinguish or identify, and not to show a serial or numerical limitation. Similarly, letter labels (e.g., “(A)”, “(B)”, “(C)”, and so on, or “(a)”, “(b)”, and so on) and/or numbers (e.g., “(i)”, “(ii)”, and so on) are used to assist in readability and to help distinguish and/or identify, and are not intended to be otherwise limiting or to impose or imply any serial or numerical limitations or orderings. Similarly, words such as “particular,” “specific,” “certain,” and “given,” in the description and claims, if used, are to distinguish or identify, and are not intended to be otherwise limiting.
As used herein, including in the claims, the terms “multiple” and “plurality” mean “two or more,” and include the case of “two.” Thus, e.g., the phrase “multiple ABCs,” means “two or more ABCs,” and includes “two ABCs.” Similarly, e.g., the phrase “multiple PQRs,” means “two or more PQRs,” and includes “two PQRs.”
The present invention also covers the exact terms, features, values and ranges, etc. in case these terms, features, values and ranges etc. are used in conjunction with terms such as about, around, generally, substantially, essentially, at least etc. (i.e., “about 3” or “approximately 3” shall also cover exactly 3 or “substantially constant” shall also cover exactly constant).
As used herein, including in the claims, singular forms of terms are to be construed as also including the plural form and vice versa, unless the context indicates otherwise. Thus, it should be noted that as used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Throughout the description and claims, the terms “comprise”, “including”, “having”, and “contain” and their variations should be understood as meaning “including but not limited to”, and are not intended to exclude other components unless specifically so stated.
It will be appreciated that variations to the embodiments of the invention can be made while still falling within the scope of the invention. Alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose can replace features disclosed in the specification, unless stated otherwise. Thus, unless stated otherwise, each feature disclosed represents one example of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
The present invention also covers the exact terms, features, values and ranges, etc. in case these terms, features, values and ranges etc. are used in conjunction with terms such as about, around, generally, substantially, essentially, at least etc. (i.e., “about 3” shall also cover exactly 3 or “substantially constant” shall also cover exactly constant).
Use of exemplary language, such as “for instance”, “such as”, “for example” (“e.g.,”) and the like, is merely intended to better illustrate the invention and does not indicate a limitation on the scope of the invention unless specifically so claimed.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
