Unfurling banner greeting card and the like

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10475360-B2
Application number	US-201815879119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2018
Priority date	Jan 24, 2018
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

Embodiments comprise a greeting card with a self-retracting, pullout banner comprising banner content that may supplement a message or artwork included on panels of the greeting card. The self-retracting banner can be attached to different portion of the greeting card. The self-retracting banner may be affixed to an edge of the greeting card. A user may extend the banner by pulling the handle away from the greeting card. As such, the self-retracting banner is movable to and between a fully retracted and closed first position and a fully extended and open second position. The self-retracting banner can be concealed within a compartment attached to a portion of the greeting card, for example, the front panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article having an unfurling banner, the article comprising:
a panel having at least a first subpanel and a second subpanel, the first subpanel and the second subpanel being separated by a fold in the panel;
a card content on the panel; and
a self-retracting banner apparatus comprising an unfurling banner having a first end and a second end, a spool attached to the first end of the unfurling banner, a handle coupled to the spool in a way that allows the spool to rotate freely, wherein the second end of the unfurling banner is coupled to the panel at an exterior edge opposite the fold, and
wherein the unfurling banner includes banner content that is related to the card content.

2. The article of claim 1 , the unfurling banner being constructed from a plastic material having shape memory.

3. The article of claim 2 , wherein the plastic material comprises polyethylene terephthalate.

4. The article of claim 1 , wherein the exterior edge of the panel is formed by an edge of the first subpanel.

5. The article of claim 4 , wherein the second end is attached to the edge by adhering the second end between a first ply and a second ply that form the first subpanel.

6. The article of claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises a spool rod that fits inside an inner circumference of the spool.

7. The article of claim 1 , wherein each of the first subpanel and the second subpanel have generally equal dimensions.

8. A greeting card having an unfurling banner comprising:
a panel;
a card content on the panel; and
a self-retracting banner apparatus comprising an unfurling banner having a first end and a second end, a spool attached to the first end of the unfurling banner, a handle coupled to the spool in a way that allows the spool to rotate freely, wherein the second end of the unfurling banner is coupled to the panel, and
wherein the unfurling banner includes banner content that is related to the card content, wherein the unfurling banner is constructed from a plastic material having shape memory, and wherein the unfurling banner is extended beyond an exterior edge of the panel to move the self-retracting banner apparatus to an open position.

9. The greeting card of claim 8 , wherein the plastic material comprises polyethylene terephthalate.

10. The greeting card of claim 8 , wherein the exterior edge of the panel forms a right-vertical edge of the greeting card.

11. The greeting card of claim 10 , wherein the second end is attached to the edge by adhering the second end between a first ply and a second ply that form the panel.

12. The greeting card of claim 8 , wherein the banner content answers a question posed in the card content.

Assignees

• Hallmark Cards

Inventors

• Lacy Orlanda D

Classifications

• G09F11/29

  of a band other than endless · CPC title

• G09F1/04 Primary

  Folded cards · CPC title

• G09F1/00 Primary

  Cardboard or like show-cards of foldable or flexible material · CPC title

• B42D15/045

  Multi-part cards or sheets, i.e. combined with detachably mounted articles · CPC title

• G09F21/02

  by a carrier person or animal · CPC title