WO2000032485A1

WO2000032485A1 - Member for attaching novelty items to gift items

Info

Publication number: WO2000032485A1
Application number: PCT/AU1999/001066
Authority: WO
Inventors: Amanda Louise Hillard; Michelle Linsay Hillard; Patricia Ann Hillard; Geoffrey James Hillard
Original assignee: Toppes Limited
Priority date: 1998-12-02
Filing date: 1999-12-01
Publication date: 2000-06-08
Also published as: AUPP742198A0; CA2359542A1

Abstract

An attachment member for attaching novelty item (17) and a gift article, the attachment member including elongated member (11) having a proximal end comprising a cup-shaped locating and supporting portion (12) releasably secured to novelty item (17) and a distal end comprising engagement means (19) attachable to the gift article. Elongated member (11) may comprise a single part or two parts in male-female interconnecting arrangement. Various embodiments are disclosed wherein novelty item (17) may comprise a balloon, a ribbon rosette or a badge, and the gift article may comprise a box or a bottle of wine, liqueur or perfume. Engagement means (19) may adhesively attach to a surface of the box, or it may engage around the neck of the bottle.

Description

MEMBER FOR ATTACHING NOVELTY ITEMS TO GIFT ITEMS

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an attachment member for the attachment of novelty items such as balloons and ribbons to gift items and is particularly, but not exclusively, adaptable for use with gifts such as boxes and bottles, including wine or liqueur bottles.

Background to the Invention

It is known to attach novelty items such as balloons to a gift by means of a cup- shaped holder for the balloon to which the balloon is tied by decorative string, ties, or the like, the holder in turn being tied to the gift. This manner of fastening is tedious, and does not always result in a presentable combination of the articles. Furthermore, it is subject to easy disconnection of the holder from the gift.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an attachment member which is relatively easy to use both in connection to the novelty item and to the gift. It is a further object to provide an attachment member which results in a pleasing appearance of the combination of the novelty and gift.

Brief Summary of the Invention

The present invention relates to an attachment member for attachment to a novelty item and a gift article, the attachment member having a cup-shaped locating and supporting portion releasably securable to the novelty item; said cup- shaped portion including an elongated member depending therefrom; the attachment member further including an engagement means at an end of the elongate member remote from said cup-shaped portion and being attachable to the gift article.

The elongated member may be of a tubular construction. It may be in one part or in two parts. If in two parts, the elongated member may have a first part with a male connecting member, and a second part with a female connecting member.

The engagement means may have an upper end connected to said elongated member, and a lower end. The lower end may have a pedestal which preferably has its lower surface coated with an adhesive for adherence to the gift article, said adhesive surface being protected when not in use by a releasable liner.

Preferably, the attachment member is of one piece construction.

According to another feature of the invention the gift article may be a bottle of perfume, wine, liqueur, or the like, and the engagement means may be engageable over the top of the bottle. In such an instance, the engagement means may have a base having a central aperture and slits extending radially outwardly therefrom, said base having a pair of diametrically opposed arms extending from an outer edge of said base part, with post members extending from the outer ends of said arms, said arms being foldable towards each other whereby said post members become engaged against each other so as to be engageable a single post member with said elongated member. Preferably, the slits extend radially for a part of the radial extent of the base from the central aperture towards the periphery of the base. More preferably, the slits create a plurality of flexible fingers therebetween

When the base is placed over the top of bottle, the slits allow the fingers to engage under ribs of the neck of the bottle so as to hold the base firmly but releasably in location thereon. In order to accommodate a cork or a cap having an enlarged head such as a Champagne cork, it is preferable to provide the arms with cut-out portions to allow the cork or cap head to protrude therethrough.

Alternatively, the arms may extend generally axially upwardly and engage the pedestal at the periphery thereof. Advantageously, there are more than two arms, all arms being equally spaced around the periphery of the base.

According to another feature of the invention the base may have a post member extending normally to the plane of the base.

Further embodiments applicable to bottles may include a circular spring clip with a post member extending upwardly therefrom. If desired, the post member may be formed at its upper end with a foot extending inwardly over the top of a bottle, and being adapted to receive and support the said adhesive coated pedestal.

In yet another embodiment applicable to bottles, there may be provided a closer member having a hinged cap adapted to be located over the top of the bottle and held in place by internal spring fingers or an internal spring ring in the closure member and being adapted engaged the underside of a rib on the bottle neck, or on the bottle neck, and having a post member extending upwardly from the top surface of the cap.

Description of the Drawings

In order that the invention may be more fully understood and readily put into practical effect there shall now be described by way of non-limitative example only a number of embodiments of the present invention, the description being with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank of one embodiment of a part of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the blank of Figure 1 folded into its operative position;

Figure 3 is a side view of the folded blank engaged over the top of a bottle;

Figure 4 is a view of a blank of second embodiment and folded similarly to that of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 4 in a position similar to that of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention applicable to attachment to a gift box;

Figure 7 is a part-sectional side view of the embodiment of Figure 6 in its gift attached position;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 wherein the attachment is a one-piece member;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the back of a novelty in the form of a badge, picture or other like novelty;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an attachment member suitable for attachment to the top of a bottle;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of an attachment to a cylindrical gift item or bottle;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of an alternative attachment to that of Figure 11 ;

Figure 13 is a part sectional view of a gift attachment member in the form of a bottle cap;

Figure 14 is a top perspective view of a final embodiment; and

Figure 15 is an underneath perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 14.

Description of Referred Embodiments

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a part of an attachment member, having a blank 5 of cardboard or plastics sheet material and having a central base 6 with a central aperture 7. The central base 6 has a plurality of equally spaced slits 8 radiating outwardly from the central aperture 7. This forms a number of flexible fingers 16 between slits 8, the fingers 16 (and thus slits 8) being of limited radial extent. Diametrically opposed arms 9 extend from central base 6 and terminate in reduced extensions 10 adapted to fit inside an elongated tubular member 11 depending from and forming part of cup-shaped attachment 12 holding a novelty item and decoration such as a balloon 17 and a ribbon rosette 13.

Blank 5 incorporates fold lines 14 to allow folding of the blank to the configuration as illustrated in Figure 2. When passed over the top of a bottle 15 (in Figure 3), the slots 8 allow a splaying of fingers 16 which are adapted to engage on the bottle neck and preferably under a circumferential rib on the bottle neck.

Figures 4 and 5 are of an embodiment similar to that of Figures 2 and 3, except that arms 9 are provided with cut-outs 18 to accommodate large ribs at the top of bottle 15 or the large head of a Champagne bottle cork.

Figure 6 and 7 illustrate another embodiment of a two-piece attachment member having an attachment cup 12 with an elongated tubular member 11. The cup 12 is tied or otherwise secured to novelty balloon 17, and a ribbon rosette 13 is secured to tubular member 11. The other of the two piece attachment member has a pedestal foot 19 having an upstanding post member 20 frictionally engageable in tubular member 1 1. One of post member 20 and tubular member has a female fitting, and the other has a male fitting. The underside of foot 19 is provided with an adhesive pad 21 normally protected by a releasable liner when the attachment is not in use. The adhesive pad 21 is preferably a high density cross-linked polyethylene foam tape coated on both sides with a high performance rubber- based adhesive providing a quick adhesion when the pedestal 19 is attached to a substantially flat surface such as on a gift box or the like.

Figure 8 illustrates the tubular member 11 and post member 20 as a one-piece construction 22 of either tubular or solid construction. Figure 9 illustrates a back view of a novelty badge 23 with lettering or a picture or portrait on the front face thereof.

In Figure 10 another embodiment of the attachment member is illustrated as suitable for engagement over a bottle or the like. It has a flat base 24 having an aperture 25 and radially extending slits or slots 26 at one end and an upstanding post member 27 at the other end. This embodiment can be attached to the neck of a bottle in similar manner to the embodiment of Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 with the post member 27 engageable in the tubular member 11 of the novelty item attachment as previously described.

Figure 11 illustrates an embodiment of the attachment member having a circular spring or like component 28 for engagement over a tubular or cylindrical gift such as a jar or the like with its post member 29 adapted to engage in the tubular member 1 1 of the novelty item attachment as previously described. Figure 12 is a somewhat similar embodiment to Figure 1 1 but with a foot support 30 extending inwardly to a substantially central location over spring 28 so as to support and engage with foot 19 of the embodiment of Figures 6, 7 and 8.

Figure 13 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention having a one-piece closure 31 for a bottle having a cap 32 hinged at 33 with a post member 34 extending upwardly from a central part of cap 32. Closure 31 is provided at a lower internal location with a ring member or radial fingers 35 biased inwardly so as to firmly engage against the neck of bottle 15 and hold closure 31 on the neck of bottle 15.

To now refer to Figures 14 and 15, the attachment member is, in essence, a combination of that of Figure 8 with that of Figures 1 to 5.

Here there is a cup-shaped portion 12 which the same as that described above. The tubular member/post member 22 is the same as that of Figure 8, and has a pedestal foot 19 at the lower end thereof. The pedestal foot 19 has a skirt 37 depending therefrom around the periphery thereof. The skirt 37 is to engage over and around the top, cap or cork of a bottle and minimise relative movement therebetween.

Two diametrically opposed arms 38 depend from skirt 37 and join to the periphery of base 6, which is similar to and operates in like manner to base 6 of Figures 1 to 5, and therefore will not be described in further detail. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the technology that many variations or modifications in details of design or construction may be made without departing from the present invention and all such variations or modifications are deemed to be within the ambit of the present invention.

Claims

THE CLAIMS:

An attachment member for attachment to a novelty item and a gift article, the attachment member having a cup-shaped locating and supporting portion releasably securable to the novelty item; said cup-shaped portion including an elongated member depending therefrom; the attachment member further including an engagement means at an end of the elongate member remote from said cup-shaped portion and being attachable to the gift article.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the elongated member is of tubular construction.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the elongated member is in two parts.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 2 or claim 2, wherein the elongated member is a single component.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 3, wherein the elongated member has a first part with a male connecting member, and a second part with a female connecting member.

An attachment member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the engagement means has an upper end connected to said elongated member, and a lower end.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lower end has a pedestal.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pedestal has a lower surface which is coated with an adhesive for adherence to the gift article, said adhesive surface being protected when not in use by a releasable liner. An attachment member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the attachment member is of one piece construction.

An attachment member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the gift article is a bottle, the engagement means being engageable over a top of the bottle.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 10, wherein the engagement means has a base having a central aperture the base having slits extending radially outwardly from the central aperture to form therebetween a plurality of flexible fingers.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the slits and the flexible fingers are of limited radial extent.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein said base has a pair of diametrically opposed arms extending from an outer edge of said base, with post members extending from the outer ends of the arms, the arms being foldable towards each other whereby said post members become engaged against each other so as to be a single post member engageable with said elongated member.

An attachment member as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein when the base is placed over the top of bottle, the slits allow the flexible fingers to engage under ribs of a neck of the bottle so as to hold the base firmly but releasably in location thereon.

An attachment member as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the arms have cut-out portions to allow a cork or cap of the bottle to protrude therethrough.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the arms may extend generally axially upwardly and engage the pedestal at a periphery thereof. An attachment member as claimed in claim 16, wherein the pedestal has a skirt depending thereform around the periphery thereof.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 1 1 or claim 16, wherein there are more than two arms, all arms being equally spaced around the periphery of the base.

An attachment member as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 18, wherein the base has a post member extending normally to the plane of the base.

An attachment member as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 19, wherein the base includes a circular spring clip with a post member extending upwardly therefrom.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 20, wherein the post member is formed at its upper end with a foot adapted to, in use, extend inwardly over the top of the bottle, and being adapted to receive and support the adhesive coated pedestal.

An attachment member as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 21 , wherein there is provided a closer member having a hinged cap adapted to be located over the top of the bottle and being held in place by an internal spring member in the closure member and being adapted to, in use, engage the underside of a rib on the bottle neck and having a post member extending upwardly from the top surface of the cap.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 22, wherein the internal spring member is a spring finger.

An attachment member as claimed in claim 22, wherein the internal spring member is a spring ring.