Gift wrap caddy

Abstract

A gift wrap caddy, having a bottom, a first and a second side wall, and a first and a second end wall extending between the first and second side walls. The bottom, side walls, and end walls define an interior of the caddy. The side walls are attached to the adjacent end walls by a hinge. The bottom is similarly attached to one of the walls by a hinge and to the remaining walls by a releasable clasp. Dividing panels are removably inserted into the interior to define two or more compartments for the storage of gift wrap accessories. At least one handle is attached to either a side wall or an end wall. At least one bar is removably attached to the handle. A strap is attached to the caddy. Wheels may be attached to the bottom of the caddy for mobility.

Description

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

None.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a caddy to store, organize, and protect gift wrap accessories and similar items.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many consumers lack a convenient way to organize and store gift wrap accessories, including wrapping paper, bows, gift bags, tape, and scissors. It is common to store the various accessories in separate locations, increasing the difficulty when it comes time to give a gift. Additionally, many consumers find that bows or paper have become crushed or damaged during storage.

In an attempt to alleviate these difficulties, various gift wrap containers have been produced. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,576 describes a container to hold rolls of wrapping paper in the bottom and has a place to store accessories in the top. U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,589 essentially discloses a box with holes cut in one side through which rolls of paper may be inserted. Another area of the box is used for storage of other accessories. U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,197 is for a wheeled container to hold wrapping paper and a removable tray for accessories. An older patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,833 discloses a box to store folded wrapping paper, with storage for ribbons in the hinged lid of the box. Various design patents also disclose devices to organize gift wrap accessories, including for example U.S. Pat. No. D359,445.

All of the prior art devices suffer from one or more disadvantages. Some devices do not allow for simultaneous access to the paper and to the other accessories. Others do not have adequate means to protect the accessories from damage during storage. The prior art does not allow the user to customize the size or location of the compartments for storage of the accessories. Further, many prior art devices are not particularly adapted to be transported conveniently from the manufacturer to the retailer, and from the retailer to the consumer's home.

Thus, there is a need for a gift wrap caddy that will protect the necessary accessories when not in use and that has one or more additional features, such as allowing convenient access to all the necessary accessories simultaneously, allowing the user to customize the storage area, and being easily and conveniently manufactured and transported. The present invention fulfills this and other needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention claimed in this patent application is a gift wrap caddy, having a bottom, a first and a second side wall, and a first and a second end wall extending between the first and second side walls. The bottom, side walls, and end walls define an interior of the caddy. The side walls are attached to the adjacent end walls by a hinge. The bottom is similarly attached to one of the walls by a hinge and to the remaining walls by a releasable clasp. Dividing panels are inserted into the interior to define two or more compartments for the storage of gift wrap accessories. At least one handle is attached to either a side wall or an end wall. At least one bar is removably attached to the handle. A strap is attached to the caddy. Wheels may be attached to the bottom of the caddy for mobility.

The gift wrap caddy as disclosed provides a novel product to organize and protect gift wrap accessories during storage. The dividing panels may be arranged to create individual compartments adapted to the storage of rolls of wrapping paper, bows, tissue paper, and gift bags. Rolls of ribbon or tape may be placed on the bar. The strap may be configured with pockets, loops, snaps, or the like to hold scissors, rolls of tape, and similar accessories.

The above summary of the present invention is not intended to represent each embodiment, or every aspect, of the present invention. The present invention also includes any additional features and benefits which are apparent from the detailed description and figures set forth below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is an isometric side view of the caddy.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the caddy.

FIGS. 3A-3D show how the caddy may be collapsed.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments are shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as described.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a gift wrap caddy (10) is shown having a bottom (11), a first side wall (12), a second side wall (13), a first end wall (14), and a second end wall (15). The first end wall (14) and the second end wall (15) extend between the first side wall (12) and the second side wall (13) to form an interior (16) along with the bottom (11). Each end wall is connected to the side walls at a hinge (17). The bottom is also connected to one of the first side wall, second side wall, first end wall, or second end wall at a hinge (17), and to the remaining three walls at a releasable clasp (18). One or more dividing panels (19) are inserted into the interior (16) to form two or more compartments (20) for the storage of gift wrap accessories. At least one handle (21) is connected to one of the walls, with at least one bar (22) removably attached to the handle (21). A strap (23) is securely attached to the caddy (10). Wheels (24) are also removably attached to the caddy (10).

To use the caddy, rolls of wrapping paper, bows, tissue paper, gift bags, and the like may be placed in the compartments (20) formed by placement of the dividing panels (19). The bar (22) may be unattached from the handle (21) so that rolls of ribbon or tape may be placed thereon, and then reattached. The strap (25) may be configured with pockets, loops, snaps, or the like to hold scissors, rolls of tape, and similar accessories

In one embodiment, the walls may have a plurality of grooves or other means to receive and securely hold the dividing panels such that the panels may be arranged in various configurations according to the user's needs. The panels may be either removable or hingedly attached to the walls.

The bar may be attached to the handle in various ways, depending on the embodiment. In one embodiment, the bar has a first end and a second end, the first end being rotatably or hingedly attached to the handle, and the second end being removably attached to the handle, so that the second end may be unattached, rolls of ribbon placed on the bar, and then the second end reattached. In an alternate embodiment, the bar is made of two pieces and a spring, the spring pushing the pieces away from a midpoint of the bar and into a pair of recesses on the handle. In this alternate embodiment, the bar is similar to the bar on a common toilet paper dispenser.

As the first step in collapsing the caddy, FIG. 3A shows the caddy (10) with its dividing panels (19) removed. FIG. 3B depicts the second step, in which the clasps (18) have been released and the bottom (11) has been folded at the hinges (17) against the first side wall (12). In the third step, FIG. 3C, the side walls (12, 13) and end walls (14, 15) are folded at hinges (17). Finally, the dividing panels (19) are loosely placed between end walls (14, 15) before the caddy (10) is completely collapsed. The strap (23) may be positioned on the caddy (10) with an appropriate fastener so that it may be used to secure the caddy in its collapsed configuration.

In another embodiment, the handle (21) may be hingedly attached to the wall so that it may also be folded flat when the caddy is not in use. Further, the bar (22) may be positioned between two handles attached to opposite walls of the caddy. In one embodiment, the walls and bottom are fixedly attached to one another with no hinges or clasps, thereby increasing ease of construction.

In the preferred embodiment, the side walls, end walls, and dividing panels are made of a lightweight but sturdy material such as wire mesh or plastic so that the entire caddy is conveniently mobile and yet strong enough to protect the items stored within.

As an alternative to, or in addition to the strap, an embodiment of the invention may have a tray for the storage of gift tags, scissors, or other accessories that can be removably inserted into the interior.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as described.

Claims

1. A gift wrap caddy, comprising:

a bottom, a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall, and a second end wall, said first and second end walls extending between said side walls, the walls and bottom forming an interior;

at least one dividing panel located within said interior, said dividing panel defining two or more compartments;

at least one handle attached to one of said walls, a bar being removably attached to said handle; and

a strap attached to one of said walls.

2. The gift wrap caddy of claim 1, further comprising:

wheels attached to said bottom.

3. The gift wrap caddy of claim 1 in which said handle is hingedly attached to said wall.

4. The gift wrap caddy of claim 1, in which said bar has a first end and a second end, said first end being rotatably or hingedly attached to said handle and said second end being removably attached to said handle.

5. The gift wrap caddy of claim 1, in which said bar has a first piece and a second piece, said bar containing a spring to push said first and second pieces into recesses located on said handle.

6. The gift wrap caddy of claim 1 in which said strap has one or more pockets.

7. The gift wrap caddy of claim 1 in which said strap has one or more loops.

8. The gift wrap caddy of claim 1 in which said strap is in the shape of a loop.

9. The gift wrap caddy of claim 1, further comprising a tray removably inserted into said interior.

10. The gift wrap caddy of claim 1 in which said dividing panels are hingedly attached to said walls such that said dividing panels may be folded flat against said wall.

11. The gift wrap caddy of claim 1 in which said dividing panels are removable.

12. The gift wrap caddy of claim 11 further comprising:

a plurality of grooves or other means to receive said dividing panels located on said walls within said interior, said grooves or other means to receive said dividing panels allowing for said dividing panels to be placed within said interior in a variety of configurations.

13. The gift wrap caddy of claim 11 in which said side walls are connected to said end walls by a plurality of hinges and said bottom is connected to said first side wall by a hinge such that said bottom may be folded up along said first side wall and said caddy may be collapsed by folding at said hinges, said bottom being removably connected to said second side wall and said first and second end walls when in said caddy is in an open position.

14. The gift wrap caddy of claim 13 in which said strap attaches to a fastener when said caddy is in a collapsed position.

15. A gift wrap caddy, comprising:

a bottom, a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall, and a second end wall, said first and second end walls extending between said side walls, the walls and bottom forming an interior;

at least one dividing panel removably located within said interior, said dividing panel defining two or more compartments;

a plurality of grooves or other means to receive said panels located on said walls within said interior, said grooves or other means to receive said panels allowing said dividing panels to be placed within said interior in a variety of configurations;

at least one handle attached to one of said walls, a bar being removably attached to said handle;

a strap attached to one of said walls; and

wheels attached to said bottom.

16. The gift wrap caddy of claim 14 in which said side walls are connected to said end walls by a plurality of hinges and said bottom is connected to said first side wall by a hinge such that said bottom may be folded up along said first side wall and said caddy may be collapsed by folding at said hinges, said bottom being removably connected to said second side wall and said first and second end walls when in said caddy is in an open position.

17. The gift wrap caddy of claim 15 in which said strap attaches to a fastener when said caddy is in a collapsed position.

18. A gift wrap caddy, comprising:

a bottom, a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall, and a second end wall, said first and second end walls extending between said side walls, the walls and bottom forming an interior;

at least one dividing panel removably located within said interior, said dividing panel defining two or more compartments;

at least one handle attached to one of said walls, a bar being removably attached to said handle;

a tray removably inserted into said interior; and

wheels attached to said bottom.

19. The gift wrap caddy of claim 18, further comprising:

a plurality of grooves or other means to receive said panels located on said walls within said interior, said grooves or other means to receive said panels allowing said dividing panels to be placed within said interior in a variety of configurations.

20. The gift wrap caddy of claim 18 in which said side walls are connected to said end walls by a plurality of hinges and said bottom is connected to said first side wall by a hinge such that said bottom may be folded up along said first side wall and said caddy may be collapsed by folding at said hinges, said bottom being removably connected to said second side wall and said first and second end walls when in said caddy is in an open position.