Liquid-filled suspended-particle-scene gift card holder

Abstract

A decorative gift card holder is provided for presenting and displaying gift cards, whether of the magnetic stripe or smart card varieties. The gift card holder includes a transparent, fluid-filled chamber in which insoluble white “snow” particles having a density greater than the fluid are trapped. The chamber has a card retention housing within the fluid-filled chamber that is sealed from the latter, and has an access slot at the bottom of the chamber through which a gift card may be inserted into the card retention housing. Once fully inserted, the card can be seen through the water and snow particles. A sheet metal or injection molded polymeric plastic base, which snaps onto a grooved lower projection of the chamber, retains the gift card within the slot, and also provides a stable base for displaying the gift card holder in an upright position.

1 . A decorative gift card holder comprising:
 a transparent chamber having an inner housing, an outer housing, and a bottom panel which interconnects said inner and outer housings, thereby forming a sealed cavity between said inner and outer housings, said bottom panel an opening which provides access to a slot within said inner housing that is sized to receive and retain a laminar gift card;   fluid, which fills said sealed cavity; and   insoluble particles having a density at least as great as that of said fluid, said particles being free floating in the liquid within said chamber.   
   
   
       2 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 1 , wherein said fluid is water. 
   
   
       3 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 1 , wherein said insoluble particles are made of an organic polymer combined with a white inorganic pigment. 
   
   
       4 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 1 , wherein said transparent chamber is formed from first and second injection molded pieces which are bonded together to form a unitary piece. 
   
   
       5 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 4 , wherein said first injection molded piece includes said outer housing and said second injection molded piece includes said inner housing and said bottom panel. 
   
   
       6 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 1 , which further comprises a base which snaps onto a bottom portion of said transparent chamber. 
   
   
       7 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 6 , wherein said base is formed from at least one piece of sheet metal. 
   
   
       8 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 7 , wherein the sheet metal of said base is stamped with a decorative pattern. 
   
   
       9 . A decorative gift card holder comprising:
 a transparent, sealed, liquid-filled first chamber in which particles are free floating, said particles having a density at least as great as that of the liquid in which they are floating; and   a generally rectangular transparent card retention second chamber extending into the transparent liquid-filled chamber so as to be visible through the liquid and free-floating particles, said card retention second chamber having an opening at one end so as to facilitate the insertion of a laminar gift card therein for storage and display.   
   
   
       10 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 9 , wherein said fluid is water. 
   
   
       11 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 9 , wherein said particles are made of an organic polymer combined with a white inorganic pigment. 
   
   
       12 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 9 , wherein said first and second chambers constitute a unitary piece formed from first and second injection molded pieces which are welded together. 
   
   
       13 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 12 , wherein said first injection molded piece includes an outer housing, and said second injection molded piece includes said second chamber, said second chamber opening, and a bottom panel, said bottom panel joining said outer housing to said second chamber and, together with the outer housing, forming the first chamber after said first and second injection molded pieces are bonded together. 
   
   
       14 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 12 , which further comprises a base which snaps onto a bottom portion of said unitary piece. 
   
   
       15 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 14 , wherein said base is formed from at least one piece of sheet metal. 
   
   
       16 . The decorative gift card holder of  claim 15 , wherein the sheet metal of said base is stamped with a decorative pattern.