Gift wrap dispensing, storage and organizing unit

Abstract

A container for dispensing, storing and organizing gift wrap and related accessories is presented which includes an elongated container with a lid, dividers within the container to separate and organize the contents, and exterior slots for dispensing wrapping paper, ribbons and tape. The container may include a slot to house a pair of scissors. Additional organization or storage trays may be included, as well as space for spare supplies.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of a prior filed, co-pending application Ser No. 60/589,385, filed Jul. 20, 2004, entitled GIFT WRAP DISPENSING, STORAGE AND ORGANIZING UNIT.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to gift wrap dispensers and, more particularly, to a unit for dispensing, storing and organizing gift wrap and related accessories.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wrapping gifts is an activity that proceeds birthdays, anniversaries and holidays, such as Christmas. It is common for one or more persons to wrap a plurality of gifts in a rush on Christmas Eve or immediately preceding a birthday party or in retail stores or trade shows. Additionally, often more than one color or pattern of a gift wrap is used along with coordinating ribbons to match the gift wrap. It is often difficult to find scissors or a roll of adhesive tape which becomes hidden under the sheets of wrapping paper. Time is wasted searching for these items and the situation often degrades to a chaotic and frustrating exercise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes an elongated storage container sized to accommodate a plurality of rolls of gift wrapping paper. The storage container includes slots in the top or side walls through which the gift wrapping paper may be pulled to a desired length and cutters integral with the slots. The container also includes storage space for a plurality of ribbons which may be dispensed through holes in the side of the storage space with integral cutters. One or more tape dispensers may be built into the invention to dispense adhesive tape from a roll or from pre-cut pieces. Storage for a pair of scissors with or without a retractable cord may be included in the storage container. The container is portable with all of the accessories self-contained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the gift wrapping dispensing storage and organizing unit of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a left side view of the unit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a back elevational view of the unit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the unit of FIG. 1 with the front removed to show interior details.

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the unit of FIG. 2 with the side removed to show interior details.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the unit of FIG. 1 with the top removed to show interior details.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, the gift wrap dispensing, storage and organizing unit of the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. Unit 10 includes a container 12 with a lid 14. Container 12 may be divided into compartments to better organize the contents. The lid 14 may be snap-fittingly secured to the container 12 or may be hingedly attached to the container 12. Unit 10 may be made using injection molded plastic and sized to accommodate standard rolls of wrapping paper, spools of ribbon, and other gift wrapping accessories.

Container 12 includes sides 16 and 18 with slots 20 and 22, respectively, for dispensing wrapping paper from the rolls of paper 24. One or more rolls of paper 24 may be dispensed through the slots 20 and 22 as selected by a person wrapping a gift. The upper or lower edge of the slots 20 and 22 may include a serrated blade or cutter to help cut the wrapping paper 24 at a length selected by the user. The plastic edge of the slots 20 and 22 may also be sharpened to allow for cutting the wrapper paper 24. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, three rolls of wrapping paper 24 may be dispensed from each side 16 and 18 of container 12, for example.

The rolls of wrapping paper 24 are typically wrapped around a hollow, cardboard tube 26. A wooden or plastic-PVC dowel 28 may be inserted into the hollow tube 26 to provide an axis about which to rotate the wrapping paper 24. A mounting cup 30 at each end of the dowel 28 and attached to the interior walls of the container 12 supports the wrapping paper roll 24 at a level in the container 12 corresponding to a slot 20 or 22.

A longitudinal compartment 32 between the rolls of wrapping paper 24 allows for storage of another two to six rolls of paper 25. An end compartment 40 in container 12 houses “spools” of curling ribbons 42 which are mounted on vertical axes 44 which extends upwardly from the floor 46 of the container 12. It being understood that curling ribbons 42 may not include a separate “spool”. Two or more axes may be included. The curling ribbons 42 feed through apertures 48 in the side 50 of the container 12. Ribbon cutters 52 may be integral to the apertures 48 so that the ribbons 42 may easily be cut to the desired length.

Tape ribbons 54 may be dispensed through slots 56 in the side panel 50. Serrated blades or other cutters (not shown) may be integral with the slots 56. An adhesive tape dispenser 58 may be substituted for any of the rolls of ribbon 54.

A pair of scissors 60 is attached to the container 12 by a retractable cord 62 which extends through an aperture 63 and is wound on a spring-return reel 66. The scissors may be pulled from a storage slot 64 in the container 12 and used to cut ribbons 42 and 54 or wrapping paper 24 and returned to the storage slot 64 for later use. The retractable cord 62 prevents the scissors 60 from becoming misplaced or lost.

Referring to FIG. 5, six spools 41 of curling ribbon 42 are illustrated on vertical axes 44 separated by disks 43. The disks 43 help space the spools 41 and minimize rotation of one spool 41 when another turns. The curling ribbon 42 may be various colors and styles to suit the preferences of an individual wrapping gifts.

Spools 68 of tape ribbon 54 are illustrated spaced apart on a horizontal axis 70. Spacers such as washers (not shown) may be used to space the tape and ribbon spools 68. One or more rolls of adhesive tape 58 may be mounted on another axis 72. Horizontal axes 70 and 72 may be made of plastic or wood and may be held in place by indentations (not shown) in the surfaces of the interior walls 74 of compartment 40. The spools 68 of ribbon 54 and adhesive tape 58 may rotate freely about the axes 70 and 72. A clip or other retainer (not shown) may be used to prevent the ribbon 54 and tape 58 from slipping back into the compartment 40 through one of the slots 56 after being cut.

A tray 80 may be included in compartment 40 above the spools of tape 58 or ribbon 68 to hold miscellaneous items such as tags and pre-formed bows and ribbons, for example. To access the rolls of tape 58 and ribbons 68, the tray 80 may be removed (FIG. 6). Other items such as pre-formed bows or labels may be stored in the end compartment for convenient use.

The present invention provides a convenient and compact storage and organizing unit for wrapping gifts. As illustrated in the figures, six rolls 24 of wrapping paper may be conveniently and efficiently accessed and used for wrapping gifts. The wrapping paper cutters (not shown) above or below slots 20 and 22 help the person wrapping a gift cut the wrapping paper to the desired size without using scissors. The scissors 60 are always accessible and locatable. Another pair of scissors (not shown) may be stored with the unit and accessible from the back side 18 of the unit 10. A clip or other retainer (not shown) at the ends of the slots 20 and 22 grip the wrapping paper 24 to prevent it from slipping back into the container 32 after being cut.

It should be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that other configurations may be made within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An organizing unit for gift wrapping and the like comprising:

an elongated container having a transverse divider proximate one end of said container to present a ribbon area and a longitudinal divider to present a wrapping paper area,

an at least one pair of mounting cups secured to opposing interior walls of said elongated container within said wrapping paper area, said mounting cups adapted to rotatably secure a roll of wrapping paper,

a horizontal slot extending through a side wall of said elongated container and generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of said wrapping paper roll, and adapted to permit passage of paper from said wrapping paper roll,

a generally vertically extending axis mounted to a bottom interior surface of said elongated container within said ribbon area, said axis adapted to rotatably secure one or more rolls of ribbon,

one or more ribbon slots extending through an end wall of said elongated container and generally aligned with said vertically extending axis and adapted to permit passage of ribbon from said rolls of ribbon,

one or more horizontal axes secured within said ribbon area and generally parallel to said end wall of said elongated container, said horizontal axis adapted to rotatably secure one or more rolls of tape ribbon and/or adhesive tape, and

one or more tape slots in said end of said elongated container generally aligned with said one or more horizontal axes and adapted to permit passage of ribbon from said rolls of tape ribbon and adhesive tape from said rolls of adhesive tape.

2. The organizer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said horizontal slot includes a serrated edge for cutting said wrapping paper.

3. The organizer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said horizontal slot includes a sharpened edge for cutting said wrapping paper.

4. The organizer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one or more ribbon slots include a cutter for cutting said ribbon.

5. The organizer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one or more tape slots include a cutter for cutting said ribbon tape or said adhesive tape.

6. The organizer as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a scissors compartment secured to said elongated container for housing a pair of scissors.