Illuminated greeting cards

• US 4,363,081 A
• Filed: 07/02/1980
• Issued: 12/07/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alfred Mainzer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Robert W. Wilbur
• Inventors: Wilbur, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gron, Teddy S.
• Application Number:
  US06/164,505
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 362/98, 362/99, 362/155, 362/800, 362/802, 362/253, 362/806, 362/808, 362/251, 362/252, 40/124.1, 40/442, 40/445, 46/35, 46/36, 46/37
• US Class Current: 362/98
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/022 combined with permanently fastened sound-producing or light-emitting means or carrying sound records
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/808 Figure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/901 Printed circuit

Abstract

An electrically illuminated folded card device formed from sheet stock, for use as a greeting card or the like. A first portion of the sheet stock forms a display panel having one or more apertures. LED'"'"'s disposed behind the display panel provide illumination through the apertures. A printed circuit board is mounted behind the display panel; LED'"'"'s are, in turn, mounted on the board. A portion of the sheet stock forms a tab disposed behind the display region. A slide switch is formed by a pair of conductive foil areas on the printed circuit board and a conductive shorting member is attached to the tab. As the card is opened, the tab translates behind the display panel and the shorting member wipes across the pair of foil areas, to complete the circuit between the battery and lamps, to turn on the LED'"'"'s.

Claims

1. An illuminated card comprising:

a lamp for providing illumination;

a substantially flat battery for energizing the lamp;

a slide switch for closing a circuit to illuminate the lamp, the slide switch comprising a first, stationary member and a second moveable member;

a card formed of folded sheet stock;

the card having a first fold, defining first and second portions of the card on respective sides of the fold, such that the first and second portions of the card are hingeably connected to each other about the first fold;

the first and second portions of the card having first (i.e., inside) surfaces which face each other when the card is closed about said first fold;

the moveable switch member being fixed to the first card portion, so that the moveable switch member is translated across the second (i.e., outside) surface of the second portion of the card responsive to motion of the first card portion;

the stationary switch member also being disposed adjacent and fixed with respect to the outside surface of the second portion of the card;

the moveable and stationary switch members being disposed relative to each other such that they are caused to come into contact by the opening of the card and are separated from each other by the closing of the card;

the card having a second fold, defining a third portion of the card;

the third portion of the card forming a tab hingebly attached to the first portion of the card along said second fold;

at least part of the tab being disposed behind the inside surface of the second portion of the card and confined to translate across such surface responsive to the opening and closing of the card about the first fold;

the moveable switch member being attached to the tab; and

the second portion of the card being provided with an aperture and the lamp being positioned behind such aperture, whereby the illumination of the lamp may be viewed there through when the card is opened.

2. The illuminated card of claim 1, further comprising:

the second portion having a slit therein disposed parallel to the first fold;

the third portion of the card being inserted through the slit from the inside of the second portion, so that a free end of the tab is adjacent the outside surface of the second portion.

3. The illuminated card of either of claim 1 or 2, wherein the stationary switch member comprises a pair of normally open contacts and the moveable switch member comprises a conductive wiper for shorting (i.e., closing) the normally open, stationary contacts.

4. The illuminated card of claim 3 further including a plurality of stationary switch members, each of which comprises a pair of normally open contacts, and the moveable switch member comprises a conductive wiper for shorting (i.e., closing) the normally open, stationary contacts;

the pairs of normally open contacts being disposed so as to be shorted in sequence by the conductive wiper as the card is opened.

5. The illuminated card of claim 3 wherein the normally open, stationary contacts comprise flat conductive areas disposed on a flat substrate.

6. The illuminated card of claim 5 wherein the flat conductive areas comprise areas of conductive ink.

7. The illuminated card of claim 6 wherein the substrate is the sheet stock.

8. The illuminated card of either of claim 1 or 2, further including means for flashing the illumination means off and on.

9. The illuminated card of either of claim 1 or 2, further including means for producing an audible signal upon opening the card.

10. The illuminated card of either of claim 1 or 2, further including a solenoid actuable by the opening of the card and adapted to produce motion.