User interactive greeting card

• US 7,634,864 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Issued: 12/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Segan LLC
• Original Assignee: Segan LLC
• Inventors: Segan, Marc Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris; Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERAA, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US11/800,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20070256337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 401/240.3, 401/240.6, 401/240.8, 404/21, 404/55, 404/64, 404/86, 446/147, 446/148, 446/151, 446/310
• US Class Current: 40/124.03
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/045 Multi-part cards or sheets, i.e. combined with detachably mounted articles

Abstract

A greeting card having a first card panel, a door connected to the first card panel and movable between a closed position where the door substantially covers a section of the first card panel and an open position where the door uncovers the section of the first card panel. A trigger is provided which is movable between a first position wherein the door is prevented from moving, and a second position wherein the door is allowed to move between the closed and open positions. A member which is movable by a user controls operation of the trigger to move the trigger to the second position to allow the door to move to the open position.

Claims

1. A greeting card comprising:

a first card panel;

a door connected to the first card panel and movable between a closed position where the door substantially covers a section of the first card panel and an open position where the door uncovers the section of the first card panel;

a trigger movable between a first position wherein the door is prevented from moving, and a second position wherein the door is allowed to move between the open position and the closed position; and

a user-manipulatable member configured to rotate about an axis which, in response to user manipulation of the user-manipulatable member about the axis a plurality of times causes, the trigger to move from the first position to the second position to allow the door to move to the open position.

2. The greeting card of claim 1, further comprising an audio source operable to play an audio signal, and wherein the user-manipulatable member controls the playback of the audio signal.

3. The greeting card of claim 2, wherein the user-manipulatable member controls playback speed of the audio signal.

4. The greeting card of claim 2, wherein the trigger is configured to allow the door to move at the conclusion of the playback of the audio signal.

5. The greeting card of claim 4, wherein the trigger allows the door to move after a time interval following the playback of the audio sigal.

6. The greeting card of claim 1, further comprising a deployable visual member disposed between the section of the first card panel and the door;

an urging member connected to the deployable visual member to allow the deployable visual member to move between an undeployed position and a deployed position, the deployable visual member being in the deployed position when the door is in the open position.

7. The greeting card of claim 3, further comprising a deployable visual member disposed between the section of the first card panel and the door;

and an urging member connected to the deployable visual member to allow the deployable visual member to move between an undeployed position and a deployed position, the deployable visual member being in the deployed position when the door is in the open position.

8. The greeting card of claim 7, wherein the movement of the deployable visual member to the deployed position moves the door to the open position.

9. The greeting card of claim 8, wherein the trigger is configured to allow the door to move at the conclusion of the playback of the audio signal.

10. The greeting card of claim 9, wherein the trigger allows the door to move after a time interval following the playback of the audio signal

11. The greeting card of claim 2, wherein the trigger allows the door to move during playback of the audio signal.

12. The greeting card of claim 9, wherein the trigger allows the door to move during playback of the audio signal.

13. The greeting card of claim 9, wherein the urging member connected to the deployable visual member is a coil spring disposed between the section of the first card panel and the deployable visual member.

14. The greeting card of claim 13, wherein the coil spring has two ends which are connected to the section of the first card panel and the deployable visual member, respectively.

15. The greeting card of claim 14, wherein the audio source is also operable to cause playback of a second audio signal.

16. The greeting card of claim 15, wherein playback of the second audio signal is independent of movement of the user-manipulatable member.

17. The greeting card of claim 15, wherein the user-manipulatable member controls the speed of playback of the second audio signal.

18. The greeting card of claim 14, further comprising:

an input gear rotatably supported by the first card panel and movable upon user manipulation of the user-manipulatable member;

a first cam member fixedly supported by the input gear;

a switch supported by the first card panel and disposed adjacent to the first cam member, the switch being connected to the audio source;

an output gear rotatably supported by the first card panel and in driving relationship with the input gear; and

a second cam member fixedly supported by the output gear;

wherein rotating the user-manipulatable member causes the first cam member to engage the switch and generate a timing signal for use by the audio source in controlling playback speed of the audio signal, and

wherein rotating the output gear causes the second cam member to engage the trigger.

19. The greeting card of claim 18, wherein said switch comprises a first switch, said greeting card further comprising a second switch engageable by the output cam for causing a second audio signal to be played.

20. The greeting card of claim 1, further comprising an audio source the audio source further comprising a microprocessor, a memory, and a speaker.

21. A greeting card comprising:

a first card panel;

a door connected to the first card panel and movable between a closed position where the door substantially covers a section of the first card panel and an open position where the door uncovers the section of the first card panel;

a trigger movable between a first position wherein the door is prevented from moving, and a second position wherein the door is allowed to move between the open position and the closed position; and

a user-manipulatable member configured to move in a cycle which, in response to user manipulation of the user-manipulatable member for more than one of the cycle, moves the trigger from the first position to the second position to allow the door to move to the open position without direct user manipulation of the door.

22. The greeting card of claim 21, further comprising an audio source operable to play an audio signal, and wherein the user-manipulatable member controls the playback of the audio signal.

23. The greeting card of claim 22, wherein the user-manipulatable member controls playback speed of the audio signal.

24. The greeting card of claim 22, wherein the trigger is configured to allow the door to move at the conclusion of the playback of the audio signal

25. The greeting card of claim 21, further comprising a deployable visual member disposed between the section of the first card panel and the door;

an urging member connected to the deployable visual member to allow the deployable visual member to move between an undeployed position and a deployed position, the deployable visual member being in the deployed position when the door is in the open position.

26. The greeting card of claim 22, wherein the audio source is also operable to cause playback of a second audio signal.