Gift card carriers

• US 8,800,758 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Roberts, Jamie
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRANO, ERNESTO ARTURIO
• Application Number:
  US11/601,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20080116088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,825 Days
• Field of Search: 206/232, 206/39.7, 206/461, 206/459.5, 401/241.1, 401/241.2, 401/240.6, 401/240.9, 229/68, 229/71, 229/92.8, 283/100, 283/56, 283/61, 283/62, 283/63.1, 281/2, 281/5, 281/3.1, 235/379, 235/380, 235/486, 235/487
• US Class Current: 206/39.7
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/042 Foldable cards or sheets B42D15/045 and B42D15/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/045 Multi-part cards or sheets, i.e. combined with detachably mounted articles
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/024 for making containers from preformed blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/04 Packaging single articles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 1/00 Cardboard or like show-cards of foldable or flexible material

Abstract

A first aspect pertains to a gift card carrier that also operates as a greeting card. A first folded configuration, the gift card carrier presents the gift card for purchase. In a second folded configuration, the gift card carrier acts like a greeting card that encloses the gift card. A second aspect pertains to a gift card carrier with a depression for receiving a gift card therein. The depression may make the gift card appear flush mounted within a panel of the gift card carrier. A third aspect pertains to a gift card carrier with an image of hardware device that includes a display, and a gift card that includes an image associated with the hardware device. The gift card is positioned over the display region of the hardware device image making it appear as if the gift card is the display, and the image thereon is being displayed.

Claims

1. A gift card carrier, comprising:

a panel having a surface with a hardware image disposed thereon, the hardware image representing at least a portion of a hardware device, the portion of the hardware device that is imaged on the panel including a display region of the hardware device; and

a recessed portion on the surface of the panel, the recessed portion being disposed in the display region of the hardware image and defining an area for mounting a gift card,

wherein, when a gift card is mounted in the recessed portion, the gift card is flush with the surface of the panel and the gift card appears to be displayed on the display region of the hardware image.

2. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 1 wherein the display region of the hardware image has substantially the same size and shape of a gift card.

3. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 1 wherein the display region of the hardware image is slighty smaller than the size of a gift card.

4. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 1 further comprising one or more retention mechanisms disposed on the panel in the display portion of the hardware image, the one or more retention mechanisms being configured to hold a gift card against the panel and over the display portion.

5. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 1 further comprising a scan window disposed through the panel in the display portion of the hardware image.

6. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 1 wherein the hardware image represents a media player, computer, monitor, cell phone, PDA, or television.

7. A gift card carrier, comprising:

a panel having a front surface with an image of a hardware device capable of displaying digital images disposed thereon, the image of the hardware device including at least a display region of the hardware device;

a gift card mounted to the front surface of the panel over the display region of the image of the hardware device, the gift card having a front surface with an image disposed thereon, the image being related to the image of the hardware device; and

a recessed portion on the first front surface of the panel in the display region of the hardware image, the recess portion defining an area for mounting the gift card,

wherein, when a gift card is mounted in the recessed portion, the gift card is flush with the front surface of the panel and the gift card appears to be displayed on the display region of the hardware image.

8. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 7 wherein the image disposed on the front surface of the gift card is associated with content that is displayable on the hardware device.

9. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 7 wherein the image disposed on the front surface of the gift card is associated with media content that can be played on the hardware device.

10. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 7 wherein the media content is associated with TV shows, movies, music, music videos, podcasts, or games.

11. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 7 wherein the image disposed on the front surface of the gift card is associated with GUI screen shots or applications that can be displayed on the hardware device.

12. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 7 wherein the hardware device is a portable handheld device.

13. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 7 wherein the hardware device is selected from a media player, computer, monitor, cell phone, PDA, or Television.

14. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 7 further comprising one or more retention mechanisms disposed on the panel in the display region of the image of the hardware device, the one or more retention mechanisms being configured to hold a gift card against the panel and over the display region.

15. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 7 further comprising a second panel that folds relative to the first panel so that the gift card carrier operates as a greeting card.

16. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 15 wherein the gift card carrier is placed in a first folded configuration so that a gift card retained within the recess is presented for view, and wherein the gift card carrier is placed in a second folded configuration so that a gift card retained within the recess is hidden from view.

17. The gift card carrier as recited in claim 7 wherein the panel includes a recessed portion sized and dimensioned to receive the gift card therein so that the gift card appears to be flush mounted when the gift card is positioned inside the recessed portion of the panel, the recessed portion being positioned at the location of the display region of the image of the hardware device so that a gift card retained therein appears to be displayed in the display region of the image of the hardware device.