Decorative bows and ribbon assemblies with die-cut pieces

Abstract

A decorative bow with die cut pieces has a plurality of ribbon strands in combination with die cut pieces which have a spine and one or more design artifacts which extend from the spine. The die cut pieces are commonly attached with the ribbon strands to form an integrated bow with a distinctive appearance of the ribbon strands in combination with the die cut pieces. In one embodiment, the ribbon strands are generally elongate and helical form ribbons of generally common lengths, combined with die cut pieces having a generally elongate spine of common length with the ribbon strands, and wherein the design artifacts of the die cut pieces are positioned relative to the ribbon strands. The ribbon strands and die cut pieces may be commonly secured to a backing structure by a fastener, the backing structure providing a mount for the decorative bow for application to a package.

What is claimed as the invention is:  
     
         1 . A decorative bow comprising: 
 a plurality of ribbon strands in combination with at least one die cut piece, the die cut piece comprising a spine and at least one design artifact which extends from the spine.    
     
     
         2 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the ribbon strands are generally helical.  
     
     
         3 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the spine of the die cut piece is curved.  
     
     
         4 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the spine of the die cut piece is generally straight.  
     
     
         5 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the ribbon strands have a length generally equal to a length of the die cut piece.  
     
     
         6 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the design artifacts extend from opposite sides of the spine of the die cut piece.  
     
     
         7 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  comprising at least one die cut piece which has a generally straight spine and at least one die cut piece which has a curved spine.  
     
     
         8 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the die-cut piece has design artificats of a common configuration.  
     
     
         9 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the die-cut piece has design artifacts of dissimilar configuration.  
     
     
         10 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the ribbon strands and die-cut piece are attached to a backing structure.  
     
     
         11 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the die-cut piece is intertwined with the ribbon strands.  
     
     
         12 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the die-cut piece overlies at least some of the ribbon strands.  
     
     
         13 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein design artifacts of the die-cut piece are selected from a group consisting of flowers, trees, stars, snowflakes, holly and hearts.  
     
     
         14 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein design artifacts of the die-cut piece are commonly sized.  
     
     
         15 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein design artifacts of the die-cut piece are differently sized.  
     
     
         16 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  further comprising a connecting segment between the spine of the die cut piece and the at least one design artifact.  
     
     
         17 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the ribbon strands are secured together by a fastener.  
     
     
         18 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the ribbon strands are then attached to a backing structure.  
     
     
         19 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the backing structure has a first section having printed indicia and a second section to which the ribbon strands are secured.  
     
     
         20 . The decorative bow of  claim 19  wherein the backing structure has a surface to which the strands are secured and an adhesive.  
     
     
         21 . The decorative bow of  claim 1  wherein the ribbon strands and the spine of the die cut piece are secured together.  
     
     
         22 . A decorative bow comprising a plurality of ribbon strands, segments of each of the ribbon strands secured together with at least one die cut piece, the die cut piece comprising a spine and a design artifacts which extend from the spine.  
     
     
         23 . The decorative bow of  claim 22  wherein a segment of the spine of the die cut piece is secured with the ribbon strands.  
     
     
         24 . The decorative bow of  claim 21  further comprising a connecting segments between the artifacts and the spine of the die cut piece.  
     
     
         25 . The decorative bow of  claim 22  wherein the design artifacts of the die cut piece have a similar configuration.  
     
     
         26 . The decorative bow of  claim 22  wherein the design artifacts of the die cut piece have a dissimilar configuration.  
     
     
         27 . The decorative bow of  claim 22  wherein the spine of the die cut piece is generally straight.  
     
     
         28 . The decorative bow of  claim 22  wherein the spine of the die cut piece has at least one curve.  
     
     
         29 . The decorative bow of  claim 22  in combination with multiple die cut pieces.  
     
     
         30 . The decorative bow of  claim 22  further comprising a backing structure to which the ribbon strand and die cut pieces are attached.  
     
     
         31 . A ribbon assembly comprising: 
 a plurality of ribbon strands secured together;    at least one die cut piece secured together with at least one of the ribbon strands, the die cut piece having a spine and at least one design artifact which extends laterally from the spine.    
     
     
         32 . The ribbon assembly of  claim 31  wherein a segment of the ribbon strnads and the die cut piece is secured to a backing structure by a fastener.  
     
     
         33 . The ribbon assembly of  claim 31  wherein the die cut piece further comprises a connecting segment between the spine and the design artifact.  
     
     
         34 . The ribbon assembly of  claim 31  wherein the ribbon strands and die cut pieces are intertwined.  
     
     
         35 . The ribbon assembly of  claim 31  wherein the ribbon strands are generally helical.  
     
     
         36 . The ribbon assembly of  claim 31  wherein the spine of the die cut piece is generally straight.  
     
     
         37 . The ribbon assembly of  claim 31  wherein the spine of the die cut piece is generally curved.  
     
     
         38 . The ribbon assembly of  claim 31  wherein a length of the spine of the die cut piece is substantially equal to a length of the ribbon strands.  
     
     
         39 . A decorative bow assembly comprising a plurality of ribbon strands secured together at a common segment, a die cut piece having a spine and design artifacts which extend from the spine, a segment of the spine secured together with the ribbon strands.  
     
     
         40 . A ribbon assembly comprising multiple ribbon strands of generally helical form secured together at co-located segments at an approximate midpoint of each of the strands; 
 at least one die cut piece having a generally elongate spine and one or more design artifacts attached to the spine, a segment of the spine of the die cut piece being secured together with the ribbon strands.