Gift bag with protective liner

Abstract

A gift bag includes a bottom wall and side walls joined together to form a storage chamber therebetween having an top opening. The walls are made of paper or a paper-plastic laminate and are lined on the inside with a cellular cushioning material to protect a glass bottle or other fragile gift item from damage. The cellular cushioning material is a laminated material consisting of two thin sheets of flexible plastic, one of the sheets being formed with a plurality of spaced apart pockets of sealed air cells. A string is threaded through holes formed in the side walls near the top opening so that the bag can be closed off by pulling the string. The outer surface of the walls are decorated. The gift bag can be folded into a substantially flat configuration for storage and shipping.

1 . A gift bag for protecting fragile items, said bag comprising: 
 a bottom wall having an inner surface;    a plurality of side walls each having an inner surface, said side walls being joined to one another and to the bottom wall to form an interior storage chamber therebetween with a top opening for inserting and removing a fragile item into and from the storage chamber; and    a cellular cushioning material having a plurality of spaced apart pockets of sealed air cells lining certain of the inner surfaces of the bottom and side walls.    
     
     
         2 . The gift bag as defined in  claim 1  in which the bottom walls and side walls are formed integrally with one another to form a one-piece member.  
     
     
         3 . The gift bag as defined in  claim 1  in which the bottom and the side walls are substantially flat and rectangular.  
     
     
         4 . The gift bag as defined in  claim 1  in which the walls are formed of paper.  
     
     
         5 . The gift bag as defined in  claim 1  in which the walls are formed of a laminate comprising paper and a plastic material.  
     
     
         6 . The gift bag as defined in  claim 1  in which the side walls have outer surfaces containing decorative indicia thereon.  
     
     
         7 . The gift bag as defined in  claim 1  in which creases are formed in the side walls for folding the gift bag into a substantially flat configuration.  
     
     
         8 . The gift bag as defined in  claim 1  in which the cellular cushioning material is a laminate consisting of sheets of flexible plastic, at least one of the sheets being formed with the plurality of spaced apart pockets of sealed air cells.  
     
     
         9 . The gift bag as defined in  claim 1  in which an adhesive is used to attach the cellular cushioning material to the inner surfaces of the bottom and side walls.  
     
     
         10 . The gift bag as defined in  claim 1  in which the edges of the side walls are folded adjacent the top opening into the storage chamber to form a lip.  
     
     
         11 . The gift bag as defined in  claim 10  in which a portion of the side walls between the edges of the side walls and the lip overlays a portion of the cellular cushioning material adjacent the top opening.  
     
     
         12 . The gift bag as defined in  claim 11  in which a plurality of holes are formed in the side walls and the folded portion of the side walls adjacent the top opening.  
     
     
         13 . The gift bag as defined in  claim 12  in which a string is threaded through the holes for narrowing the top opening when the string is pulled.