WO2007118486A1

WO2007118486A1 - Greeting card envelope

Info

Publication number: WO2007118486A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/003400
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gregor Leinweber; Sebastian Schmidt-Troschke; Christoph Ossenkopp
Original assignee: Bentino Gmbh
Priority date: 2006-04-12
Filing date: 2006-04-12
Publication date: 2007-10-25
Also published as: ATE419189T1; DE502006002500D1; EP1868906B1; EP1868906A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a greeting card envelope with a functional unit which activates an audible, visual, tactile and/or olfactory effect. In order to provide a greeting card envelope that works in highly reliable fashion and is inexpensive to produce, the greeting card envelope (1, 1') can be closed by means of a snap button (2) that is designed and connected to the functional unit in such a way that when the snap button (2) is opened the functional unit activates one or more effects.

Description

Greeting card envelope

The invention relates to a greeting card envelope with an acoustically, optically, haptically and / or olfactorily perceivable effect triggering functional unit.

5

Greeting card envelopes within the meaning of the application are both envelopes that are used to receive and send separate Greetingkartεn, greeting cards, photos, pictures, coupons and the like, as well as - in a corresponding embodiment - envelopes that at the same time greeting card, greeting card or the same-IO chen are, so that can be dispensed with a separate card.

Greeting cards which, when opened, reproduce an acoustic message, for example a greeting or congratulation, or in which an optical effect is triggered, for example one or more LEDs are switched on, are already known and commercially available in different designs.

The functional unit triggers the predetermined effects when the greeting cards are opened to a certain extent. The means used here, for example sliding contacts or contact lugs, allow only a very inaccurate definition of the opening angle required for triggering. They are also very error prone and tend to fail after a few opening operations. In addition, the funds do not contribute to the greeting cards are held reliably in their locked position. In order to effectively prevent a possible incorrect operation or accidental opening, it is necessary to use separate closure elements.

The invention has for its object to provide a greeting card envelope, which has a high reliability and can be produced inexpensively.

0 The invention solves the problem by a greeting card envelope with the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

ALL02390.RTF Characteristic of the greetings card envelope according to the invention is the use of a push button, by the greeting card envelope is reliably closed. The push button is designed in such a way and connected to a functional unit that this causes an acoustic, optical, haptic 5 and / or olfactory perceptible effect when you open the push button.

The push button ensures that the Greetings envelope is reliably closed, so that accidental opening, through which it could unintentionally come to a discharge of an energy source, is effectively prevented. The push button is also characterized by the fact that it allows an arbitrary frequent opening and closing of the greetings card envelope, while the function is maintained.

The effect to be triggered when the push-button is opened is basically freely selectable and can be used as a greeting or congratulation to the occasion.

15 will be adapted. The functional unit comprises for this purpose the respective effect elements, for example a memory unit and a loudspeaker in the achievement of an acoustic effect or light emitting diodes in the achievement of an optical effect, the energy source, the necessary connections to the effect units and the push button and a switching unit, the opening of the Detects push button. A haptic effect can be generated, for example, by a vibration unit, an olfactory effect by an odor generation unit.

Basically, it is sufficient for the function of the greetings card envelope according to the invention, if only the opening process of the push button detected and then 5 out the desired effect is triggered. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, however, the push button is designed such that when closing the push button, the functional unit interrupts the effect. Accordingly, the desired effect even before the expiration of a fixed period, for example. The duration of the acoustic greeting or the duration of the optical effect, be interrupted. This 0 may be particularly advantageous if the effect is triggered at a time when this is not desirable.

The arrangement of the switching unit is basically arbitrary. After a special

ALL02390.RTF However, advantageous embodiment of the invention, the push button on a push-button shell and a push-button lower part, wherein the functional unit triggering switching unit is integrated into the push-button lower part. This embodiment of the invention has the advantage that a corresponding connection to the 5 functional unit can be made independently of the arrangement of the push-button shell. This makes it possible to design the connection to the functional unit particularly simple. An otherwise possibly complicated connection can be dispensed with.

O As an alternative to the arrangement of the switching unit in the push-button lower part according to this embodiment of the invention, according to a further embodiment of the invention, the possibility that the switching unit is connected to a respective contact element in the push-button lower part and the push-button shell. This embodiment of the invention allows a particularly small configuration of the push button.

It is conceivable, for example, a structure according to which, when an interruption of a circuit produced by the contact elements as a result of opening the push button, the functional unit triggers the desired effect.

The greetings card envelope can, as already described above, for example, be designed to accommodate 0 a greeting card, a photo or the like or even serve as a greeting card. The combination of the function of the greeting card and the envelope in an item is particularly advantageous. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, a surface, in particular the surface of a card main body and / or an intermediate card body for this purpose can be described, preferably 5 rewritable trained. Rewritability allows multiple use of the greeting card envelope. For this purpose, the corresponding surface may, for example, have a coating which allows the text applied to it to be removed again.

0 The arrangement of a greeting card in the case of using a greeting card envelope in conjunction with a separate greeting card can basically be done in any way. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, a card body has a pocket, in particular for receiving a greeting card, photos, coupons, etc.

ALL02390.RTF on. The bag ensures in a particularly reliable manner that the greeting card is held in position in the greeting card envelope. In addition, the bag can be used to hold smaller gifts that can also be shipped with the greeting card envelope, give away or the like.

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Particularly advantageously, the bag according to a further embodiment of the invention, a convolution. The fold is preferably accordion-shaped at the opposite edges of the pocket. Such a bag is particularly accessible and allows even inexperienced users to easily get to the contents of the IO bag. The folding also increases the usable space of the bag and is therefore suitable for receiving smaller gifts.

In order to enable a particularly easy removal of the greeting card from the bag, the greeting card envelope according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention on its front 15 on a recess. This view into the interior enabling recess also ensures that when opening the greeting card envelope is immediately recognized that a greeting card or the like is in the bag.

0 The effect to be triggered by the functional unit can in principle be determined in advance depending on the particular occasion. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, however, the functional unit has a receiving unit for storing an individual acoustic effect. The recording unit, which for this purpose has, inter alia, a microphone for inputting an acoustic greeting and a memory element for storing the acoustic greeting, allows the person who gives away the greeting card envelope to record the person giving the message a personal message, a song or the like.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings show:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a greeting card envelope in the closed position;

Aix02390.RTF Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the greeting card envelope of Fig. I in a partially open position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the greeting card envelope of Figure i in almost fully open position.

5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a greeting card envelope in the closed position;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the greeting card slot of Fig. 4 in a partially open position;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the greeting card envelope of Fig. 4 in almost 10 fully open position and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a greeting card envelope in the open position.

The greeting card envelope 1 shown in FIGS. 1-3 is in the manner of a conventional

15 chen Envelope trained. In contrast to a conventional envelope, however, not only is a cover flap 5, but also the tabs 3, 4 arranged on the remaining edges of a card main body 6 are hinged, so that they provide good access to the card main body 6, for example to describe it. enable. 0

For closing the greeting card envelope 1, this has a push button 2, wherein a push button upper part 2a on the cover flap 5 and a push button lower part 2b are arranged substantially centrally on the card base 6. To close the greeting card cover 1, the tabs 3 arranged on the short sides of the card 5 are first pivoted in the direction of the pushbutton lower part 2b. After the subsequent pivoting of the cover flap 5 opposite arranged tab 4, the cover flap 5 is pivoted with the push-button upper part 2a in the direction of the push-button lower part 2b and brought into engagement therewith. Since the tab 4 covers the tabs 3 arranged on the short sides of the edge base body 6 and the cover flap 5 covers the tab 4, the greeting card envelope 1 is reliably secured in the closed position.

An opening of the push button 2 causes via a connection not shown here

ALL02390.RTF a below the Kartengrundköpers 6 arranged and also not shown functional units triggering the desired effect.

In the second exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4-6, the greeting card envelope 1 'is formed by a card main body 12, a card intermediate body 11 and a cover flap 5', which are articulated to one another on their longitudinal sides. The card base 12 has a pocket 13 for receiving a greeting card or pictures. A recess 14 allows insight into the pocket 13 and facilitates access to a greeting card, not shown here. 10

To close the greeting card envelope 1 'has a push button 2 consisting of the on the cover flap 5' arranged push-button upper part 2a and on the opposite side of the bag 13 card body 12 arranged push-button lower part 2b.

15

To close the greeting card envelope 1 ', the card intermediate body 11 is pivoted in the direction of the card main body 12 until they lie flat against one another. The cover flap 5 'is pivoted in such a way until the push button upper part 2a is engaged with the push button lower part 2b. 0

A not shown here, arranged in the push-button lower part 2b switching unit is so connected to a functional unit also not shown here, that when you open the push button 2, the desired effect, for example. An acoustic signal is reproduced via a speaker. 5

A further embodiment of a greeting card envelope 1 "is shown in Fig. 7. Essentially, the structure corresponds to the greeting card envelope 1 'shown in Fig. 3-6. The only difference is that the greeting card envelope 1' does not have a pocket 13 but tabs 15 The greeting card envelope 1 "may be itself a greeting card, but also allows reliable recording of a separate greeting card, a photo, voucher or the like, not shown here, with the tabs 15.

ALL02390.RTF

Claims

claims

1. Greeting card envelope with a functional unit which triggers an acoustically, optically, haptically and / or olfactorily perceivable effect,

5 characterized in that

the greeting card envelope (i, i ') by a push button (2) is closed, which is designed and connected to the functional unit that when you open the push button (2), the functional unit triggers one or more effects.

2. Greeting card envelope according to claim 1, characterized in that the push button (2) is designed such that when closing the push button (2), the functional unit interrupts the effect.

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3. Greeting card envelope according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the push button (2) has a push button upper part (2 a) and a push button lower part (2 b), wherein a functional unit triggering switching unit integrated into the push button lower part (2 b) is. 0

4. Greeting card envelope according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the switching unit is connected to a respective contact element in the push-button lower part (2b) and the push-button upper part (2a).

5 5. Greeting card envelope according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one surface, in particular the surface of a card base body (6, 12) and / or a card intermediate body (11) is writable, preferably rewritable.

0 6. Greeting card envelope according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a pocket (13), preferably on the card body (12), which is particularly suitable for receiving a greeting card, an image and / or a voucher.

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7. Greeting card envelope according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pocket (13) has a fold.

5 8. Greeting card envelope according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pocket (13) has on its front side a recess (14).

9. Greeting card envelope according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the functional unit has a receiving unit for storing an indi vidual acoustic effect.

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