Gift portfolio, box, and wrapping apparatus and method

Abstract

A gift containment system for gift cards provides a presentation appearing like gift boxes, books, portfolios, and the like used for other high value products, such as jewelry. With strength, durability, three full dimensions, colors, quality, and design options, it can receive decorations, ribbons, and bows, a to/from card, and the like. Requiring no assembly of components, a single, integrated system includes all parts and configures simply. The system may present a gift card, a debit card pre-loaded with a purchased value. Various alternative embodiments of containers are configured to fit in the same carded or bagged footprint on hangers such that their locations are arbitrarily interchangeable without altering spacing between hanger rods (e.g., pegs) on retail racks.

1 . An apparatus formed as a gift container comprising:
 a base;   a cover;   the cover and base, selectively positionable with respect to one another between a first, folded, closed configuration, obscuring a gift contained therein, and a second, open configuration exposing the gift contained therein;   the cover and base, each further comprising a wrap portion, decoratively appointed to be the only visible portion thereof when in the first configuration;   the cover and base, each further comprising a liner portion, decoratively appointed and visible together exclusively and simultaneously in the second configuration;   the cover and base, each comprising a board fixed between and parallel to the liner portion thereof and the wrap portion thereof, the board having a thickness substantially greater than that of the wrap and the liner and effectively imparting rigidity to the cover and the base; and   the wrap portions and the liner portions, further integrally formed to hinge the cover and base with respect to each other between the first configuration and the second configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wrap portions of the base and cover are formed of a single material, continuous, contiguous, and flexible. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the liner portions of the base and cover are formed of a single material, continuous, contiguous, and flexible. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a holder, located on the liner portion of one of the cover and base, the holder being sized and configured to selectively secure a gift card against movement with respect to the apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the holder comprises a first adhesive layer. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the holder comprises:
 a film sufficiently durable and strong to maintain mechanical integrity during separation of the gift card from the first adhesive layer.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising a second adhesive layer, the first and second adhesive layers being applied to opposite surfaces of the film. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a closure secured around at least one of the base, the cover, and both thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the closure is selectively sealable and openable to seal closed and open up, respectively, the cover and base with respect to one another. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the closure comprises a ribbon and a closure adhesive;   the ribbon comprises first and second ends;   the adhesive is disposed along the ribbon proximate one of the first and second ends; and   the other of the first and second ends extends away from the base and the cover in the second, open configuration, and secures the base and cover together by sealing against the closure adhesive in the first, closed configuration.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 at least one of the first adhesive layer, second adhesive layer, and closure adhesive is covered with a strip protecting against adhesion to anything other than the strip prior to use;   the apparatus comprises a greeting panel, on the liner portion of one of the cover and base, and a gift presentation panel containing the first layer of adhesive on the liner portion of the other of the cover and base.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the cover and base are further configured as a book; and   the apparatus further comprises an envelope sized to receive the book.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus comprising:
 a base and a cover;   the cover and base, selectively positionable with respect to one another between a first, closed configuration for obscuring an article contained therein and a second, open configuration exposing the article contained therein;   the cover and base, each further comprising a wrap portion and a liner portion, the wrap portion being decorated and configured to be the only visible portion of the apparatus in the first configuration;   the cover and base, wherein the liner portions are visible together, exclusively and simultaneously in the second configuration;   the cover and base, each comprising a board secured to rigidize the apparatus through control of the section modulus by spacing apart the liner portion thereof and the wrap portion thereof; and   the wrap portions and the liner portions joining to form a hinge flexibly connecting the cover and base to be movable with respect to each other between the first configuration and the second configuration.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein;
 the wrap portions of the base and cover are formed of a single material, continuous, contiguous, and flexible; and   the liner portions of the base and cover are formed of a single material, continuous, contiguous, and flexible.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a holder, located on the liner portion of one of the cover and base, and sized and configured to selectively secure a gift card thereto by a first adhesive layer; and   a strip, protecting the first adhesive layer against contact prior to use;   the strip, selectively and readily removable by a user without tools or solvents to expose the first adhesive layer for use.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a film sufficiently durable and strong to maintain mechanical integrity during separation of the gift card from the first adhesive layer;   a second adhesive layer, the first and second adhesive layers being applied to opposite surfaces of the film.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a closure secured around at least one of the base, the cover, and both thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the closure is selectively sealable and openable to seal closed and open up, respectively, the cover and base with respect to one another. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the closure comprises a ribbon and a closure adhesive;   the ribbon comprises first and second ends;   the adhesive is disposed along the ribbon proximate one of the first and second ends; and   the other of the first and second ends extends away from the base and the cover in the second, open configuration, and secures the base and cover together by sealing against the closure adhesive in the first, closed configuration.   
     
     
         20 . A method for wrapping a gift card, the method comprising:
 providing a base and cover, selectively positionable with respect to one another between a first, folded, closed configuration, obscuring a gift contained therein, and a second, open configuration exposing the gift contained therein;   the providing the cover and base, wherein each further comprises a wrap portion, decoratively appointed to be the only visible portion thereof when in the first configuration, and a liner portion, decoratively appointed and visible in the second configuration;   providing in each of the cover and base, a board fixed between and parallel to the liner portion thereof and the wrap portion thereof, to have a thickness substantially greater than that of the wrap and the liner to impart comparative rigidity to the cover and the base. the boards being separated by a hinge portion hinging the cover and base with respect to each other between the first configuration and the second configuration;   opening the apparatus to expose a first adhesive layer;   securing a gift card against the first adhesive layer;   sealing the apparatus with a closure, selected from a strand wrapped therearound and an envelope sized to receive the apparatus therein.