Prefabricated gift wrapper

Abstract

A prefabricated gift wrapper includes a tubular sleeve having opposite open ends through either of which a gift box is insertable, and independently movable end flaps for closing each open end to rapidly and conveniently wrap the box without excessive manual manipulations.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention generally relates to wrapping parallelepiped-shaped boxes that contain gifts or like merchandise.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Gift wrapping generally involves tearing a selected length of gift wrapping paper from a supply roll, and draping it around a box, typically after multiple cutting, shaping, folding and taping operations. These wrapping actions result in considerable inconvenience and time spent in attempting to create a neat, finished, decorative appearance for the wrapped box. Other than employing the professional services of people experienced in wrapping gifts, the art has proposed the use of preformed gift wrappings. U.S. Pat. No. 2,294,690 discloses a prewrapped box which has a wrapper secured thereto. U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,240 discloses a sleeve manufactured with reinforcing sheets and requiring separate taping operations. U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,025 discloses an envelope-type bag into which a box is inserted. U.S. Pat. No. 3,366,313 discloses a flat sheet which a user must wrap around a gift box. As advantageous as some of these preformed and non-preformed gift wrappings have been, there is still a need to minimize the amount of time and effort involved in gift wrapping, and to enable even people of limited wrapping skill to rapidly and conveniently wrap a box with a minimum of manipulations, and create a wrapped box of high aesthetic appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide a prefabricated gift wrapper that avoids the drawbacks described above.

[0006] More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to rapidly and conveniently wrap a box with a minimum of manipulation and skill.

[0007] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive wrapper which can be manufactured at minimum cost.

FEATURES OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In keeping with the above objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a prefabricated wrapper for wrapping a parallelepiped-shaped box having two mutually parallel end walls spaced apart along a longitudinal direction, two mutually parallel side walls spaced apart along a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and two mutually parallel top and bottom walls spaced apart along a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and transverse directions.

[0009] In accordance with this invention, the wrapper includes a sleeve of sheet material and extending along the longitudinal direction between opposite open ends through either of which the box to be wrapped is insertable. The sleeve includes two mutually parallel top and bottom sleeve portions overlying and engaging the top and bottom walls of the box after insertion, two mutually parallel side sleeve portions overlying and engaging the side walls of the box after insertion, and two end flap systems overlying and engaging the end walls of the box after insertion. Each end flap system includes two independently movable top and bottom flaps foldably connected to the top and bottom sleeve portions respectively, and two independently movable side flaps foldably connected to the side sleeve portions respectively. The top, bottom and side flaps of each end flap system are folded into an overlapping relationship to close a respective open end of the sleeve.

[0010] The wrapper further includes an adhesive on one of the flaps, for example, the bottom flap, of each system, for maintaining the overlapping relationship of each end flap system after folding. The adhesive is preferably protected by a protective strip peelably removable to expose the adhesive.

[0011] In use, the box is inserted into either open end of the sleeve. Then, the side flaps of each system are folded over to overlie a respective end wall, and thereupon, the top and bottom flaps of each system are folded over the side flaps. The last flap to be folded is the one bearing the adhesive. Each flap is, as described above, independently foldable so that the movement of one flap does not cause concomitant joint movement of another flap. With a minimum of manipulation, the opposite ends of the sleeve are closed, and the box is neatly and professionally wrapped.

[0012] The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a blank from which a gift wrapper according to this invention is fabricated;

[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wrapper of FIG. 1 in a flattened state suitable for stacking;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the wrapper of FIG. 2 during insertion of a box to be wrapped; and

[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a wrapped box.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Reference numeral 10 generally identifies a wrapper for wrapping a box 12 (FIG. 3) that contains merchandise, for example, a gift. The wrapped box is shown in FIG. 4.

[0018] Box 12 has a parallelepiped shape with two mutually parallel end walls 14, 16 spaced apart along a longitudinal direction, two mutually parallel side walls 18, 20 spaced apart along a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and two mutually parallel top and bottom walls 22, 24 spaced apart along a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and transverse directions. Each wall of the box is generally planar and has a rectangular shape, which includes a square shape. As is conventional, the box includes a container for the gift and a removable cover or lid.

[0019] The wrapper 12 is formed from a rectangular blank 26 depicted in FIG. 1 and constituted of a sheet material, preferably paper of thin, flexible stock (70 pound), which is plain or ornamented. Blank 26 is creased with longitudinal fold lines 28, 30, 32, 34 in mutual parallelism, and with transverse fold lines 36, 38 in mutual parallelism. Fold lines 32, 34, 36, 38 form a side sleeve portion 48 which, as described below, will overlie and engage box side wall 18. Fold lines 28, 30, 36, 38 form a side sleeve portion 50 which will overlie and engage box side wall 20. Fold lines 30, 32, 36, 38 form bottom sleeve portion 54 which will overlie and engage box bottom wall 24. Fold lines 28, 36, 38 bound a top wall portion 52a with an outer edge of the blank. Fold lines 34, 36, 38 bound a top wall portion 52b with an outer edge of the blank. The two top sleeve portions 52a, 52b partially overlap at regions 40, 42 and are adhered to each other, as shown in FIG. 4, to constitute a top sleeve portion that will overlie and engage box top wall 22.

[0020] The flat blank 26 is formed into a tubular sleeve by overlapping the regions 40, 42 and adhering them to each other. This is preferably done by the manufacturer with the sleeve in a flattened condition as shown in FIG. 2, which is also desirable for stacking and shipping purposes in the case where a quantity of such wrappers are to be shipped from the manufacturer to a retail store.

[0021] The flattened sleeve is erected by a user to an erect condition as shown in FIG. 3 by lifting the top sleeve portions 52a, b to directly overlie the bottom sleeve portion 54. The erected sleeve has opposite open ends 56, 58 through either of which the box 12 is insertable. As shown, the box 12 is inserted into end 56 in the longitudinal direction of arrow A until the top sleeve portions 52a, b overlie top box wall 22, the bottom sleeve portion 54 overlies bottom box wall 24, and the side sleeve portions 48, 50 overlie side walls 18, 20. Preferably, the box is snugly received within the sleeve.

[0022] In order to close the open ends 56, 58, two end flap systems 60 are provided at opposite ends of the sleeve. Each system 60 includes two independently movable side flaps 62, 64 foldably connected to the side sleeve portions 48, 50 along transverse fold lines 36, 38 (see FIG. 1), and an independently movable bottom flap 66 foldably connected to the bottom sleeve portion 54. Top flap portions 68a, 68b are foldably connected to the top sleeve portions 52a, 52b, respectively. The top flap portions 68a, 68b together constitute an independently movable top flap 68 that is foldably connected to the top sleeve portion.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, triangular sections are removed between adjacent flaps 68a, 64; 64, 66; 66, 62; and 62, 68b so that each flap is independently movable and foldable about their respective fold lines without causing concomitant joint simultaneous movement of another flap. In the preferred embodiment, angle x is about 89° and angle y is about 87°. Each flap 62, 64 has a trapezoidal shape. Each flap has longitudinal edges that are free, i.e., unconnected to adjacent flaps, to permit the independent flap movement.

[0024] Once the box 12 is inserted, the side flaps 62, 64 of each system are folded inwardly in directions of arrows B toward each other to lie in a common plane overlying the respective box end wall 14, 16. Thereupon, the top flap 68 is folded inwardly to overlie the side flaps. Before folding the bottom flap 66 to overlie the top flap 68, adhesive layers 44 were applied over the bottom flaps 66 and were overlain with peel-off protective strips 46 (see FIG. 1). These strips are peelably removed to expose the adhesives 44 underneath. Now, the bottom flaps can be folded and pressed against the top flaps 68 to retain the flaps of each system in their overlapping relationships.

[0025] It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, also may find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

[0026] It will be further understood that the terms “top” and “bottom” as used herein were used for purposes of convenience and that they could be interchanged. Thus, the seam formed by overlapping regions 40, 42 are preferably positioned on the underside of the wrapped box for aesthetic purposes, and not on the upper side of the box depicted in FIG. 4.

[0027] While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a prefabricated gift wrapper, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

[0028] Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

Claims

1. A prefabricated wrapper for wrapping a parallelepiped-shaped box having two mutually parallel end walls spaced apart along a longitudinal direction, two mutually parallel side walls spaced apart along a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and two mutually parallel top and bottom walls spaced apart along a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and transverse directions, the wrapper comprising:

a) a sleeve of sheet material and extending along the longitudinal direction between opposite open ends through either of which the box to be wrapped is insertable, the sleeve including two mutually parallel top and bottom sleeve portions overlying and engaging the top and bottom walls of the box after insertion, two mutually parallel side sleeve portions overlying and engaging the side walls of the box after insertion, and two end flap systems overlying and engaging the end walls of the box after insertion, each end flap system including two independently movable top and bottom flaps foldably connected to the top and bottom sleeve portions respectively, and two independently movable side flaps foldably connected to the side sleeve portions respectively, the top bottom and side flaps of each end flap system being folded into an overlapping relationship to close a respective open end of the sleeve; and

b) an adhesive on one of the flaps of each end flap system for maintaining the overlapping relationship of each end flap system after folding.

2. The prefabricated wrapper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheet material is paper.

3. The prefabricated wrapper as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the top, bottom and side portions of the sleeve has a rectangular shape.

4. The prefabricated wrapper as claimed in claim 1, wherein each flap is foldably connected along a fold line to the respective top, bottom and side sleeve portions; and wherein each flap has a linear outer free edge parallel to the respective fold line, and two linear side free edges extending between the fold line and the outer edge.

5. The prefabricated wrapper as claimed in claim 4, wherein the free edges of adjacent flaps subtend an acute angle.

6. The prefabricated wrapper as claimed in claim 5, wherein the acute angle is on the order of four degrees.

7. The prefabricated wrapper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adhesive is applied on one of the top and bottom flaps of each end flap system.

8. The prefabricated wrapper as claimed in claim 7, wherein the adhesive extends along a linear course.

9. The prefabricated wrapper as claimed in claim 1; and further comprising a protective strip overlying the adhesive in each end flap system and peelably removable from the respective adhesive to expose the respective adhesive.

10. The prefabricated wrapper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve consists of a blank of the sheet material having overlapping regions adhering to each other.