Flap sensor activated greeting cards

• US 8,448,360 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2011
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Greetings Corporation
• Original Assignee: American Greetings Corporation
• Inventors: Guo, Jerry, Qiao, Tiger, Sapp, David, Laverdiere, Beth, Talbot, Johnathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Silbermann, Joanne
• Application Number:
  US13/198,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20120055053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 401/240.3, 404/55, 409/06, 407/17, 446/147
• US Class Current: 40/124.03
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/022 combined with permanently fastened sound-producing or light-emitting means or carrying sound records

Abstract

The interactive flap sensor activated greeting card of the present invention contains an audio module and a series of “window flaps” across the inside of the greeting card. When the greeting card is opened, a short audio prompt instructs the user to open a series of flaps inside the card to hear further audio messages or sound clips that correlate with the art work inside the card. When each flap is opened, a different audio file is played. The sound module is programmed to react to the card opening and then to trigger additional individual sounds each time one of the flaps of the card is opened. In another embodiment, the greeting card contains a series of flaps wherein opening one flap reveals another flap, and so on. Once the last flap is opened, a short audio recording is activated.

Claims

1. An interactive greeting card comprising:

a greeting card body having at least three greeting card panels with two of the at least three panels forming a cavity therebetween;

a flap contained on one of the at least three greeting card panels;

a sound module operative to store and playback at least one digital audio file, the sound module located inside the cavity formed by two of the at least three greeting card panels;

a three-panel insert located beneath the flap, the three-panel insert having three sub-panels connected along two fold lines and arranged so that each of the three sub-panels are in a stacked arrangement, the three sub-panels each having a flap contained thereon, each flap being integral with its corresponding sub-panel;

a switch connected directly to the third flap;

wherein opening the flap contained on one of the at least three greeting card panels reveals a first flap on a first sub-panel, opening the first flap reveals a second flap on a second sub-panel, opening the second flap reveals a third flap on a third sub-panel, and opening the third flap initiates playback of the at least one digital audio file.

2. The interactive greeting card of claim 1, wherein the flap contained on the one of the at least three greeting card panels is larger than the flap located on the first, second and third sub-panels.

3. The interactive greeting card of claim 1, wherein the flaps decrease in size with the order in which they are opened.

4. The interactive greeting card of claim 1, wherein a front surface of each flap contains a printed message or picture contained thereon.

5. The interactive greeting card of claim 1, wherein each of the flaps reveal a portion of a single printed message.

6. The interactive greeting card of claim 1, wherein a pull string trigger attached to the third flap initiates playback of the at least one digital audio file upon opening the third flap.

7. The interactive greeting card of claim 1, wherein the flap contained on one of the at least three greeting card panels opens in a downward direction.