Collectable Gift Holders
A gift holder of a container caddy or like receptacle attached to or detachably coupled with a stuffed animal, doll or figurine, with which a gift card, prepaid gift certificate, cash, check or other endearment is presentable as a collectable item.
A Provisional Patent Application covering the invention described herein was filed on Aug. 4, 2014, and assigned Ser. No. 62/032,679.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTResearch and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIXNOT APPLICABLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to gift holders, in general, and to a gift holder in the nature of a container caddy pouch or like receptacle attached to or detachably coupled with a stuffed animal, doll or figurine as a collectable item.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, stuffed animals, dolls and like plush figurines are often given as gifts—ranging in size from 4-8 inches to as much as 3-4 feet and more. As is also well known, parents, grandparents—and other relative or just friends—instead give gifts by way of cash or check at meaningful, momentous occasions. The present invention modifies these manners of gift giving to one lending an essence of collectability. And, also, to an expanding promotional concept to retail merchants in so doing, whether big-box or otherwise.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a manner of gift giving which is as least as sentimental and thought out as the presentment of stuffed animals, dolls or plush figurines, but something which is more lasting in nature than follows a mere opening of an envelope to received a cash or check gift.
It is an object of the invention, also, to provide a manner of presentment that itself allows a degree of collectability by a recipient of such items, suitable for purposes of prideful display.
It is another object of the invention to provide this manner of gift giving in a way that not only is welcoming to a recipient, but further lends itself to enhanced revenues to a manufacturer and/or retailer at the same time, as a growth-producing item.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with one aspect of the invention, the cash or checks previously given are replaced by gift certificates-gift cards, which are then presented to a recipient in a new and novel manner primarily through the use of stuffed animals, dolls and like plush figurines. In particular, a pre-paid gift certificate-gift card, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, is presented within a container caddy coupled with at least one of the head and back segmental portions of the animal, doll or figurine, or with its left or right extremities, with the container caddy being detachably connected or attached therewith. With the container caddy being in the form of a pouch, a bag, a box, a sack, a basket, a case, or other like carrier-holder receptacle, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be seen to be one where the container caddy is in the form of a fabric, vinyl or leather composed holder detachably connected between left and right extremities of a stuffed animal—although it could similarly be draped to hang around its head as a necklace ornament, or backpack. As a sales promotion item, the pouch could additionally be configured to include a display of indicia identifying the merchant from whom the collectable gift card holder of the invention was purchased.
In a more general embodiment of the invention, on the other hand, the container caddy can further be arranged to receive gifts even by way of cash, checks, gift certificates—gift cards or other forms of endearment.
These and other features of the invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying Drawings in which:
As will become clear, gift certificate-gift cards as employable with the invention are noting more than store value transaction cards similar to prepaid credit cards that carry a monetary value. Perhaps, in most common usage, they are purchased from racks at grocery store check-out counters or convenience stores, allowing the holder of the card to purchase goods or services from any merchant associated with the card.
Where so displayed, the card typically is of a standard height and width—most often provided with a hook-hole for hanging. Usually, the cards are purchased for redemption of products and/or services at locations other than the place of their purchase. Typical store value transactions cards are used for chain restaurants, iTunes® purchases from Apple Inc., movie theater admissions, and the like. When so purchased, of standardized dimensions, they may come or be placed by the merchant in a small envelope—at the most, identifying where the card may be used—and at the least, printed with a generic or impersonal design.
These prepaid cards, referred to as “gift cards” in accordance with their usage with one aspect of the invention, are inserted into (and preferably protruding from) fabric, vinyl or leather-type container caddy holders detachably connected to left and right extremities or paws of stuffed animals 18 given as part of the gift as depicted at 10 in FIGS. 1-4—the cards themselves being shown at 20. Left and right upper extremities or paws of a stuffed animal are shown at 12, temporarily secured by sewn string threads extending outwardly into side edges 14, 16 of the container caddy. To enhance identification, the caddy 10 may be inscribed with a logo or brand of the merchant where the stuffed animal is obtained, as at 22—and with the expectation that the gift card taken from the caddy will be used for purchases or services rendered at that merchant's own store location. As
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Although apparent for advantageous and desirable use in presenting gifts to children through teenage years, the collectable gift and stuffed animal holder of the invention can also be used for adult gift giving. In such instance, the logo on the container caddy 10 could be that of Tiffany's or Victoria's Secret (for a woman's gift obtaining there, for example), or of professional or college sports teams or individuals (for men's redemptions), or of Nike, Addidas or Under Armour (for both male and female recreational clothing favoring wearers). And, as before, once the caddy is cut away and discarded, then the “resting” stuffed animal can remain as a collectable remembrance of the occasion as well as the extent to which its gift carrying card or other gift presentation was used.
Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with respect to stuffed animals, it will be readily appreciated that the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular such configuration. Those arrangements may instead vary as may be deemed expedient, to include animals and dolls, athletic figurines plush or otherwise, and other likenesses—all detachably securing the container caddy and attaining the same collectable item result with the gift emolument and by substantially the same means to attain substantially the same results. Thus, for example, instead of a merchant's logo, design, brand or name being inscribed on the caddy 10, the caddy might be left unmarked, without any indicia on it, or with a generic endearment indicant as the heart 22 of
Claims
1. A collectable gift holder comprising:
- a stuffed animal, doll or figurine having head and back segmental portions and left and right limb extremities; and
- a container caddy coupled with at least one of said segmental portions and said left and right extremities.
2. The collectable gift holder of claim 1 wherein said container caddy is sized to receive endearments of the class including gift cards, cash, checks and other emoluments.
3. The collectable gift holder of claim 2 wherein said container caddy is constructed of a fabric, vinyl or leather composition.
4. The collectable gift card holder of claim 2 wherein said container caddy is connected with at least one of said head and back segmental portions and said left and right extremities of said stuffed animal, doll or figurine.
5. The collectable gift holder of claim 2 wherein said container caddy is connected between left and right upper limb extremities of said stuffed animal, doll or figurine.
6. The collectable gift holder of claim 2 wherein said container caddy is detachably connected with at least one of said head and back segmental portions and said left and right extremities of said stuffed animal, doll or figurine.
7. The collectable gift holder of claim 6 wherein said container caddy is detachably connected between left and right upper limb extremities of said stuffed animal, doll or figurine by string threads attaching to edges thereof.
8. The collectable gift holder of claim 1 wherein said container caddy is detachably connected between left and right upper limb extremities of said stuffed animal, doll or figurine by string threads attaching to edges thereof.
9. The collectable gift holder of claim 1 also including a prepaid gift certificate-gift card within said container caddy.
10. The collectable gift holder of claim 9 wherein said prepaid gift certificate-gift card is of a given store sales-price valuation.
11. The collectable gift holder of claim 10 wherein said container caddy includes a display of indicia of a merchant from whom said stuffed animal, doll or figurine is obtained.
12. The collectable gift holder of claim 9 wherein said prepaid gift certificate-gift card protrudes outwardly from said container caddy.
13. The collectable gift holder of claim 2 wherein said stuffed animal, doll or figurine is configured to rest upon haunches thereof.
14. The collectable gift holder of claim 1 also including a generic endearment within said container caddy.
15. The collectable gift holder of claim 9 wherein said prepaid gift certificate-gift card protrudes outwardly from said container caddy, wherein said container caddy is detachably connected with at least one of said head and back segmental portions and said left and right limb extremities of said stuffed animal, doll or figurine by string threads attaching to edges thereof, wherein said container caddy is constructed of a fabric, vinyl or leather composition, and wherein said container caddy is in the form of one of a pouch, a bag, a box, a sack, a basket and a case.
16. The collectable gift holder of claim 15 wherein said container caddy includes one of a generic indicant for a recipient of said gift holder and a logo or design on a front face of said container caddy.
17. The collectable gift holder of claim 15 wherein said prepaid gift certificates-gift card is of a given store sales-price valuation.
18. A collectable gift holder comprising:
- a stuffed animal, doll or figurine; and
- a container caddy coupled therewith;
- with the container caddy being sized to receive endearments of the class including gift cards, cash, checks and other emoluments; and with the stuffed animal, doll or figurine configured to rest on haunches thereof in display presentation.
19. The collectable gift holder of claim 18 wherein said prepaid gift certificate-gift card protrudes outwardly from said container caddy, wherein said container caddy is detachably connected with at least one of head and back segmental portions and left and right limb extremities of said stuffed animal, doll or figurine by string threads attaching to edges thereof, wherein said container caddy is constructed of a fabric, vinyl or leather composition, and wherein said container caddy is in the form of one of a pouch, a bag, a box, a sack, a basket and a case.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 28, 2015
Publication Date: Feb 4, 2016
Inventor: Gary Sandberg (West Jordan, UT)
Application Number: 14/810,854