BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
There are many times when a person presenting a gift to another person, particularly if that recipient is a small child, would like to make the wrapping of the gift special. Besides using unique wrapping paper and cute bows and ribbons, there are not a lot of options for the person wrapping the gift. Currently available gift wrap is generally intended to be used by itself or with a coordinated bow and ribbon. Such wrapping has been done for may many decades and does not really provide that extra punch that the giver may want to present to the gift recipient. Other options include simple stickers that can be placed anywhere on the gift, without any regard to the design of the wrapping paper. Indeed, for most of those stickers, it would be better if the wrapping paper were as plain as possible.
Thus, wrapping paper having a plurality of accessory indicia is needed that identify to a person wrapping a gift where a number of decorative attachments can be adhered to the wrapping paper to give the wrapping paper, and the gift in particular, a three-dimensional appearance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a combination of decorative gift wrapping paper and decorative attachments that includes gift wrapping paper suitable for wrapping gifts, the gift wrapping paper having on at least one side thereof a decorative design, the decorative design having a plurality of accessory indicia integral with the decorative design, and a plurality of decorative attachments, the decorative attachments corresponding to the accessory indicia on the gift wrapping paper such that the decorative attachments, when attached to the gift wrapping paper on the accessory indicia, provide a three dimensional feature to the gift wrapping paper and have an association with the decorative design around the accessory indicia.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present embodiments of the invention are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles and operations of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a prior art version of a gift wrapped with gift wrapping paper, a ribbon and a bow;
FIG. 2 is one embodiment of a combination of decorative gift wrapping paper and decorative attachments according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates the decorative design having accessory indicia integral with the decorative design;
FIG. 4 is a enlarged view of a decorative attachment prior to attachment to the gift wrap on the accessory indicia integral to the decorative design;
FIG. 5 illustrates a number of other decorative attachments to be used with the gift wrap having a plurality of accessory indicia integral therewith;
FIG. 6 is a second embodiment of a combination of decorative gift wrapping paper and decorative attachments according to the present invention; and
FIG. 7 is a third embodiment of a combination of decorative gift wrapping paper and decorative attachments according to the present invention; and
FIG. 8 illustrates the decorative gift wrapping paper on a roll with decorative attachments stored in the roll for shipment and/or storage.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
The prior art provides for accessorizing the wrapping of gifts. However, the wrapping paper and attachments are not designed to be used together to give the wrapped gift a three dimensional effect. Additionally, the present invention specifically excludes the use of stickers and ribbons/bows with generally available wrapping paper. The current application is directed to accessories that are at least 2 mm in three axes. Stickers are, under the terms of the present invention, not considered to be three dimensional. While the stickers have a thickness, the thickness is irrelevant to the effect of the sticker on the gifts. It is the two dimensional image on the top of the sticker, and not the sticker extending off the wrapping paper, that provides the decorative effect. Similarly, the bow, while three-dimensional, is not considered to be one of the decorative attachments for the purpose of this application. For use of a bow and ribbon, there is no known wrapping paper that has a specific design to locate the bow and ribbon on the wrapped gift. See FIG. 1. Indeed, Applicant asserts that such paper would be difficult to make given the different sizes of boxes/gifts to be wrapped. Additionally, trying to anticipate a particular size or making a number of different designs for a ribbon/bow combination for a particular package size would be inefficient, if not impossible. There are a number of patents that are directed to wrapping gifts, but none disclose or suggest the combination claimed herein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,019 is directed to a number of stickers or one large sticker that has cut-outs that are used to decorate the wrapped gift. However, there is no disclosure regarding any corresponding design on the wrapping paper. U.S. Pat. No. 7,971,721 is directed to gift wrap kit to create a background scene of a village for a nativity set. The wrapping paper may have generic designs for simulating mud/stone/brick in the color of mud may be provided. Not disclosed or suggested is that the patterns for the simulated mud/stone/brick on the wrapping paper are in any particular areas or having particular locations for adding the stickers that are windows, doors, etc. Additionally, the stickers are really only two dimensional in that the thickness of the stickers are irrelevant to the design. U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,759 is directed to a gift wrapping kit that has a gift wrap with a design on the gift wrap. Yet, there is no accessory that provides a three-dimensional effect to the wrapped gift. U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,674 is directed to a combination of a folding gift box-sheet wrap that includes measured, pre-scored, indicia-bearing wrapping dimensionally corresponding to the companion gift box where the sheet wrap permits repeatable and consistent wrapping and even when including no-repeating design element. However, there are no decorative attachments and with no decorative attachments, there can be no design to incorporate the use of such attachments. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0195480 discloses the use of pre-cut parts that, when adhered to a package, form a person, place or animal. However, there is no indication that the pre-cut parts are adhered to the gift wrap at a particular location, but rather the pre-cut parts are adhered at a specific place on the package. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0111374 is directed to a combined three-dimensional mixed-media gift wrapping and decorative figure. A box is used to support three-dimensional parts that transform a gift package into a final form that has decorative and play value. Again, there is no gift wrap that has locations for adding three-dimensional accessories. U.S. Patent Application No. 2007/0034545 is directed to gift wrap that is provided with a graphic. The user may then use stickers, stencils, stampers, and writing instruments to customize a design prior to or after wrapping the gift. However, the stickers are not, according to the present invention, considered to be three dimensional accessories.
Referring now to the figures, a combination of decorative gift wrap and decorative attachments is illustrated. In FIG. 2, a first embodiment of a combination of decorative gift wrap 100 and decorative attachments 102 are used with a gift box 104. It should be realized that the decorative gift wrap 100 is illustrated as only covering one side of the gift box 104, but it can and normally covers all of the sides of the gift box 104. The decorative gift wrap 100 has on a first side 106 a first decorative design 108 and the decorative design 108 includes therein an integral accessory indicia 110. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first side 106 has a decorative design 108 that includes a number of elves 112, some of which are holding stars, which are the integral accessory indicia 110 in this embodiment. As is common with wrapping paper in general, the decorative design 108 repeats itself on the gift wrap 100. As illustrated in FIG. 2, there may be only one integral accessory indicia 110 in each of the decorative designs 108 (meaning that there are a number of integral accessory indicia 110 on the decorative gift wrap 100 due to the repetitive nature of the design), but there may be several integral accessory indicia 110 in each of the decorative designs 108 and the integral accessory indicia 110 could be the same or different, i.e., being of different sizes or different configurations. The decorative attachments 102 that are used with the decorative gift wrap 100 are also stars that correspond to the integral accessory indicia 110. The decorative attachments 102 as illustrated in FIG. 2 are preferably foam stickers that have a thickness T (see FIG. 4) of about 2 mm or more. While the integral accessory indicia 110 is illustrated as being about the same size of the decorative attachments 102 in FIGS. 2 and 3, one or the other could be smaller or larger. For example, the second side 114 of the gift wrap 100 has a second decorative design 116, which is simply a repetitive design of smaller stars and the stars are the integral accessory indicia 118 for the second side 114. The same decorative attachments 102 used with the first side 106 can be used with the integral accessory indicia 118 on the second side 114 or a different size and material can be used as the decorative attachments 102 with the integral accessory indicia 118. If the same decorative attachments 102 are used with the second decorative design 116, then the decorative attachments 102 would be larger than the stars in the second decorative design 116.
One example of one of the decorative attachments 102 is illustrated in FIG. 4. As noted above, the decorative attachments 102 have a thickness T (and dimensions in all directions x, y, and z) that is about 2 mm or thicker. Applicant intends that the thickness T is greater than that of a simple sticker that children typically use to decorate with. In this case, the decorative attachments 102 have a thickness in all three axes as defined in FIG. 4 and provide the wrapped gift with a three dimensional gift wrap. The decorative attachments 102 are made from foam and may have other components such as glitter, writing, multiple colors, etc. The decorative attachments 102 may however be made out of any number of materials and still fall within the scope of the present invention. The decorative attachments 102 may also be objects that are different from the foam sticker illustrated in FIG. 4. For example, the decorative attachments could, as illustrated in FIG. 5, be clothespins 120, feathers 122, bells 124, wiggle eyes 126, shape cutters 128, chalk markers 130, and beads 132, all of which can be made from wood, plastic, ceramic, etc. as required or indicated by the usage. Other options also include buttons (See FIG. 6) and fuzzy pom-poms (see FIG. 7). While a number of different examples have been provided, other objects could be used, as long as the decorative attachments had a relation to the integral accessory indicia. The decorative attachments could be attached to the paper in any number of ways. For example, the decorative attachments could have adhesive on a portion that can be exposed to attach to the gift wrap, a string could be looped through a portion that can then be taped to the gift, directly taped to the gift wrap, etc.
FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the combination of decorative gift wrap 200 and decorative attachments 220,222 are used with a gift box 204. In this embodiment, the decorative design 208 includes circles and snowmen. The integral accessory indicia 210 for the decorative design 208 of the decorative gift wrap 200 are the circles. In this embodiment, the integral accessory indicia 210 have several different sizes and may also even have other designs therein. For example, the circles have words “Let it snow” or an asterisk. This allows the person decorating the package to have options as to which of the the integral accessory indicia 210 will be used with the decorative attachments 220,222. Similarly, the decorative attachments 220,222 are buttons and have different diameters and thicknesses. For example, button 220 is larger in diameter and thickness than button 222. The decorative attachments 220,222 may also completely cover the integral accessory indicia 210 or they may be smaller than the integral accessory indicia 210 and allow some of the integral accessory indicia 210 to show when the decorative attachments are adhered to the gift wrap.
FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of the combination of decorative gift wrap 300 and decorative attachments 302 are used with a gift box 304. In this embodiment, the decorative design 308 includes reindeer. The integral accessory indicia 310 for the decorative design 308 of the decorative gift wrap 300 are the noses of the reindeer. The decorative attachments 302 are fuzzy pom-poms, which are preferably red ones. However, any color, shape or size of pom-poms could be used. It may also be possible to use other objects to show a three-dimensional nose—such as little (less than 1″ in diameter) bows.
The decorative gift wrap and decorative attachments can be packaged in any manner according to the present invention. As with many different wrapping papers, the gift wrap of the present invention may be supplied as sheets, either folded or not. The decorative attachments may then be packaged with the sheets of decorative gift wrap in the same package or an additional package. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the decorative gift wrap 100 may be also supplied on a roll 400 and the decorative attachments 102 are included by inserting them inside the roll of paper 400.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Patent Application
20160340074
