Musical gift package

• US 4,614,266 A
• Filed: 06/12/1985
• Issued: 09/30/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard W. Moorhead
• Original Assignee: Richard W. Moorhead
• Inventors: Moorhead, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moy, Joseph Man-Fu
• Assistant Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US06/743,825
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 206/45.14, 206/216, 206/278, 206/566, 206/577, 40/124.1, 40/312, 40/313, 40/538, 40/539, 229/41 R, 229/41 B, 229/87 R, 229/87 A
• US Class Current: 206/216
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 79/00 Kinds or details of packages, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/923 Gift wrapped

Abstract

A gift package is disclosed having a box portion cut from a blank of paperboard, or other suitable material, to be formed with a bottom wall and side walls connected thereto along respective fold lines to extend upwardly and, preferably, diverge outwardly to a small degree toward the top. The side walls are not joined to one another, but may be maintained in the upright position by a close-fitting cover comprising a top wall with depending, joined sides to enclose the upper portions of the box side walls. When the cover is removed, the box side walls fall open to a flat position, thereby exposing the box contents and activating a sound-producing micro-chip containing an electronically encoded melody which thus automatically "plays" when the cover is removed. An attractive inner lining covering the bottom and side walls is also preferably provided.

Claims

1. A musical gift package comprising:

(a) a box portion having a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls integrally attached to said bottom wall and movable with respect thereto between a first position, wherein said bottom and side walls are essentially coplanar, and a second position wherein said side walls extend generally upwardly from said bottom wall and the side edges of each side wall meet the side edges of the adjacent side walls;

(b) a cover portion comprising a top wall with side portions extending downwardly about the periphery thereof;

(c) said cover portion being removably placed upon said box portion when said side walls are in said second position, with said cover side portions closely surrounding the upper marginal portions of said box side walls to prevent movement thereof to said first position;

(d) means for moving said box side walls from said second to said first position in response to removal of said cover portion; and

(e) a miniature, sound-producing, electronic circuit and power source affixed to said box portion for actuation to produce a series of tones representing a musical melody in response to movement of said side walls from said second to said first position.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said side walls diverge outwardly from said bottom wall when in said second position and said means for moving said side walls constitutes gravity acting thereon when said cover portion is removed.

3. The invention according to claim 2 and further including a fabric lining affixed to and covering the inner surfaces of said box portion bottom and side walls.

4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said fabric lining includes portions extending between the side edges of said side walls when the latter are in said first position, whereby said lining presents an essentially continuous outline.

5. The invention according to claim 4 wherein the number of said side walls is four.