GB2371516A - A novelty device or greetings card with elestic band biassing means - Google Patents

Description

SPRING ACTIVATED NOVELTIES This specification refers to spring activated novelties, such as"pop-up" cards and the like. The terms"spring activated"and"spring loaded"are often used in this context but these novelties are often activated by elastomeric means. This specification refers particularly to elastomeric forms of operation.

Novelties, such as Greetings Cards, etc. , are well known and, to enhance their impact and enjoyment for the recipient, many features have been introduced. A popular development is where one feature on the card moves outwards, towards the recipient, when the card is opened. In earlier developments, the feature was often mounted on a spring but subsequently elastomeric items have been used to provide the"spring"action and to increase the range of options, including where a part of the novelty resides in the feature actually"jumping out"of the card to startle the recipient.

The elastomeric item may be a strip, secured at the ends via staples or by threading through a hole and knotting but these are fiddly, time-consuming processes. Circular bands are widely available and more convenient, but special provision must be made to attach such elastomeric bands to the cards.

There is thus a need for a better means of locating rubber bands in card novelties which is easy to assemble and minimises the risk of tearing the card to which it is attached, so that a long life, with repeated use, can be guaranteed.

According to the present invention, there is provided a novelty device comprising first and second interconnected parts pivotal one relative to the other about a hinge therebetween, and biasing means anchored relative to the first and second parts so that in one position of the novelty device in which the elastomeric band is tensioned, the tensional force in the biasing means lies adjacent major plane surfaces of the first and second parts and substantially in the plane of the hinge.

In one embodiment of the novelty device of the present invention, the direction of the tension is essentially parallel to the plane of the hinge. Furthermore, the biasing means may be an elastomeric band.

In another embodiment of the novelty device of the present invention the elastomeric band is anchored to the first part by a securing tab cut into the first part, the tab including an aperture at one end of the hinge to accommodate the cross-sectional area of the elastomeric band.

In a further embodiment of the novelty device of the present invention, the elastomeric band is positively located around the tab whether the elastomeric band is under tension or not.

In yet another embodiment of the novelty device of the present invention the elastomeric band is anchored to the second part by a securing tab cut into the second part. Preferably, the section part is provided with two anchor points each comprising a securing tab cut into the second part.

In yet a further embodiment of the novelty device of the present invention, the cut (s) in the planar surface of the first and second parts including a scarfed section.

In an alternative embodiment of the novelty device of the present invention, two planar surfaces are coupled together by a hinge member. Each are provided with the securing tabs and a single elastomeric band is placed around the tabs in each surface so that, when the planar surfaces and hinge member are held in the first position, the elastomeric band is in tension and when the planar surfaces and hinge member are released, they move into a second position where the tension is substantially released.

For a clearer understanding of the invention and to show how it may be put into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a sectional elevational view of part of a known novelty device in which a rubber band is attached to a card; Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line A-A of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional elevational view of a second known novelty device in which a rubber band is attached to a card; Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line C-C of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a sectional elevational view of part of a novelty device of the present invention showing a rubber band attached to a card;

Figure 6 is a sectional view along the line F-F of Figure 5 ; Figure 7 is a partial sectional elevational view along the line G-G of Figure 5 ; Figure 8 is a partial sectional elevational view along the line G-G of Figure 5, showing a scarfed cut between a tab and a card; Figure 9 is a partial sectional elevational view along the line G-G of Figure 5, showing one method of fitting a rubber band around a tab; Figure 10 is a sectional plan view along stepped line 1-1 of Figure 11, showing the interconnection of two cards of a novelty device according to the present invention; Figure 11 is a sectional side elevational view along the line H-H of Figure 10, showing a hinged card in a first tensioned position, prior to release of the hinged card from a sleeve; Figure 12 is a sectional side elevational view similar to Figure 11 following release of the hinged card from the sleeve; Figure 13 is a side elevational view of another form of novelty device according to the present invention; Figure 14 is a plan view of the novelty device of Figure 13 in the direction of arrow A; Figure 15 is a side elevational view of a novelty device in the form of a bunch of flowers; and

Figure 16 is a rear view of the novelty device of Figure 15 with one branch of the device pivoted onto the central branch.

In the following description, the same reference numeral is used for the same component or for different components fulfilling the same function.

In US Patent No. 5 937 554, two examples are given of attachments of elastomeric bands, hereinafter referred to as"rubber bands", to cards. In the first (Figs. I and 2), a lobe 2 is cut out of a card 1 and used as a hook for rubber band 4, via space 3. The tension 6A in band 45 creates a plane of maximum stress 5 at the neck of lobe 2. The line of action of band 4 is offset from the end of stress plane 5 by a distance 16 causing a turning moment (tearing moment) 17 acting on stress plane 5. This tearing moment 17 is the product of the tension in band 4 multiplied by the offset, i. e. (6A x 16). Figure 2 shows a section along the line A-A (Figure 1) indicating the looping of the rubber band around lobe 2.

In the second example (Figures 3 and 4), rubber band 4 is inserted through a hole 9 and then bent round into hole 7 and secured around tab 8. Figure 3 shows a section along the line D-D in Figure 4 and Figure 4 is a section along the line C-C of Figure 3. As shown (Figure 4), the line of action of band 4 is offset from the maximum stress plane 10 at the base of tab 8 by a distance 18, causing a turning moment (bending

moment) 19 about plane 10. Thus, the bending moment on plane 10 is equal to the product of (6B x 18).

In both these examples, the tearing 17 or bending 19 moments exist permanently when the card is"primed"with the rubber band 4 in tension. Repeated use and/or long term storage of such novelties leads to weakening at the stress planes 5 and 10 which may cause tearing away from the cards 1. Many novelties tend to be kept and used regularly on every visitor to that house and so a higher quality of manufacture giving the novelty a long life with intensive use is required. The second example is also difficult to assemble as band 4 has to be inserted through hole 9 from one side of card 1 and then back through hole 7 from the other side of card 1 to engage around tab 8.

This is a time consuming and intricate process.

Figure 5 shows one form of a novelty device in accordance with the present invention. The novelty device comprises two holes 12 cut into card 1. The holes are larger than the cross-section of rubber band 4 and have slits 11, extending away from the holes 12, to a scarf cut 13. The area between holes 12, slits 11 and cut 13 forms a tab 14, hingeable about a plane 15.

Figure 6 is a part sectional view along line E-E of Figure 5 which passes through the hingeable plane 15. The rubber band 4 is shown to

be wound around the tab 14 with the rubber band 4 displaced from the hingeable plane by a distance 20.

The cross-sectional view of Figure 7 is a view along the line G-G of Figure 5 and shows cut 13 in card 1, the tab 14 and the hingeable plane 15. The cut 13 is shown in Figure 7 to be quite wide but this is for illustrative purposes only, the cut being made by a sharp implement and in practice being quite thin showing no discernible cut.

Figure 8 is a similar view of Figure 7 but the difference here is that the cut is scarfed as shown at 13A and again is illustrated as being much wider than in practice when the cut is very thin and there is no discernible cut.

In any of the embodiments shown in Figures 5 to 8 the rubber band 4 is able to move freely in holes 12 to equalise the tension in the various parts of the band. Figure 6 shows band 4 under tension 6C, stretched to the right along a line essentially parallel to the plane 15.

Ideally, tension 6C is also in a plane parallel to that of card 1. This means that the offset 20 is equal to only half the thickness of card 1 plus half the diameter of band 4. Thus, the turning moment 21 is equal to the product of the tension 6C times the distance 20.

Because offset 20 is so small and the tension 6C is effectively along the line of plane 15, moment of force 21 is effectively a shearing force. Card is strong in shear (especially at rounded sections, like the

circumference of holes 12) and any tendency to tear will be restricted by the tight, normal cut 13 or scarfed cut 13A (Figure 8). The angle of the scarfed cut 13A will be chosen to resist any force in band 4 out of the plane of card 1. Furthermore, the clearance in holes 12 means that band 4 is not wedged tightly into a cut right down near plane 15, causing tab 14 to have a permanent deflection out of the plane of card 1.

Figure 9 shows the same tab and card formation as that shown in Figure 8, however, in this embodiment a rod 22 is used to assist in locating the rubber band around tab 14 by momentarily deflecting the tab. The rod 22 conveniently has a hollow curved cross-section as shown at 23 in Figure 9 for receiving therein the rubber band 4.

It is also much easier to fit the band 4 of Figure 9 than with the known novelty device of Figures 3 and 4. Thus, the example shown in Figures 5 and 6, will be much better adapted at resisting tensile forces from rubber bands 4 than either of the prior art cases. This, coupled with the easier band fitting, provides two powerful reasons to prefer the invention disclosed herein over the known prior art arrangements.

One particular application of the invention is shown in Figures 10 to 12. Here a smaller card 1 is hingeably joined at 24 to a larger card lA. The holes 12 are on a line H-H through the mid-point of cards 1 and lA. The band 4 shown to be located in holes 12 in both cards 1 and lA is fully tensioned in the opened out configuration of the pivotally

interconnected cards as shown in Figures 10 and 11. Therefore, the line of action of band 4 is evenly distributed about the length of hinge 24. In Figs 10 and 11, card 1 is hinged to the left, so that band 4 is under tension.

A sleeve 26 may be used to receive the novelty device with card 1 retained on the left, keeping band 4 in tension within the sleeve. When the card IA is removed from the sleeve 26 (arrows 27 indicate relative movement of the card IA to left and/or cards 1, IA to the right), the restraint on card 1 is removed as it passes out from the outer extremity of the sleeve 26 allowing card 1, to flip sharply over as indicated by arrow 25 to the position shown in Figure 12 wherein the rubber band 4 is no longer under tension.

Hinge 24 shown diagrammatically in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 preferably consists of a paper or material strip (s) extending across both cards 1, 1A to form a relatively frictionless pivotal movement.

The card arrangement and its principal of operation shown in Figures 10-12 can be made to represent a variety of different objects. For example, if card IA was held between thumb and index finger and pulled out of sleeve 26, card 1 could flip over as indicated by 25 and "snap"onto the user's thumb. Appropriately, the cards 1, lA can be decorated to represent the mouth of an animal for example, an alligator "biting"the thumb of the user.

Similarly, the cards 1, 1A of Figures 10-12 can be shaped to form the body (card 1) and legs (card lA) of a sheep, frog, toad, spider, or grasshopper, etc. Any one or more of these can be operated to tension the band by moving card 1 to the position shown in Figure 10 and 11, and then rotating the device through 1800 about the longitudinal corresponding to the section line H-H of Figure 10, and placing it on an elongate support card prior to entry into the sleeve 26. Therefore, when the support card is pulled out of the sleeve 26 the figure automatically jumps up to startle the user.

Conveniently, the sleeve 26 can be a part of the greetings card and can be decorated accordingly and the body of the animal figure can, for example, have a message on it such as"Happy Birthday". Moreover, the animal figure can be mounted in a tensioned condition on a separate card 26A which enables the novelty device to be withdrawn from the sleeve 26. The card 26A has a lip 26B forming a trough in which the tensioned novelty device sits. A portion 26C of the card 26A projects outwardly from the sleeve in the fully inserted position of the card 26A.

When portion 26C is pulled the card 26A moves outwardly and pulls out the novelty device which will then operate in the manner described above. More than one novelty device can be located on card 26A.

One advantage of the constructions described above with reference to the present invention is that the tabs 14 in each card 1, 1A are defined

by the holes 12 at the base of each tab. These holes are aligned along the section line H-H, thereby resulting in the tabs 14 extending perpendicularly to section line H-H. Consequently, when the band 4 is tensioned as shown in Figures 10 and 11 the tension force in the band extends across the tabs, parallel to the hingeable line 15 of the tabs, in a direction perpendicular to the hinge 24 between the two cards 1, 1A. Therefore, because the tensional forces apply across the tabs 14 and not perpendicularly to them damage to the tabs is considerably reduced. Moreover, the tensional force on the tab 14 of card 1 is further reduced because the tensional force produced by the band 4 will have moments of force extending through the card 1. Therefore, a much stronger and robust novelty device is produced in its many forms.

In Figures 10-12, the distances 28 and 29 (Figure 10) between holes 12 in cards 1 and 1A and hinge 24 respectively are shown as being equal. In many applications, it is convenient to have these distances 28,29 of different lengths. One particular advantage of this is that it allows a long rubber band 4 to be used so that the"snapping" force can be carried over a longer length of band, thus effectively reducing the stress in the elastomer. Another advantage is that a "snapping"force can be maintained for a greater proposition of the angular movement 25, thus increasing the effectiveness of the novelty device.

Figures 13, 14 illustrate yet another embodiment of the invention, in the form of a frog, the underneath of the frog being shown in the direction of the arrow X in Figure 13 which is the view in Figure 14, in which there are again two cards 1 and 1A coupled together by a strong flexible paper pad 24A which provides hinge 24 for pivotal movement of the two cards 1, 1A one relative to the other.

Two pairs of holes 12 are provided in card 1, one pair towards each end 30,31 of card 1, respectively. A cut 13 joins each hole 12 of each pair of holes to define therebetween a flexible tab 14.

Two holes 12A are also provided on card 1A and in this embodiment are positioned in card 1A as shown in broken lines in Figure 14 beneath card 1, with the holes generally extending in line and located centrally between the two pairs of holes 12.

Rubber band 4 is pushed through the holes 12A between each pair of holes 12 so that it is looped at 32 between the holes beneath card 1A.

The two free looped ends 33,34 extend between cards 1, 1A. The closed end of each free looped end 33,34 of band 4 is pushed through cut 13 between each pair of holes 12 in card 1 and is looped around each tab 14, respectively.

In operation the card 1 is pivoted about hinge 24 to lie substantially flat on the right hand end of card 1A in Figure 14. The band 4 tensions equally in both loops 33,34 In this pivoted position

each pair of holes 12 lies in a position such that the tensional forces in the band lie parallel with planar surfaces of cards 1, 1A and are directed towards the base of the tabs 14 and across the thicker parts of the card 1.

Similarly, the tensional forces acting on the holes 12A act across the main body of the card, thereby providing a strong, resilient construction.

With the card 1 pivoted and lying against the right hand end of

card 1A in Figure 14 the novelty device can be turned over and placed within a sleeve 26, such as that described with reference to Figure 11. Preferably, the novelty device will be located on a separate card so that as the card is pulled from the sleeve 26 the novelty device comes out with the card. When free of the restraint imposed by the sleeve 26 the tension imposed on the band 4 is released and the novelty device in the form of a frog jumps upwardly to temporally startle the recipient of the sleeve. Conveniently, as described above the sleeve, the removable card, and the novelty device can be marked with birthday or other greetings.

In yet a further embodiment of the present invention the novelty device may be in the form of a bunch of flowers, for example, as illustrated in Figures 15 and 16.

A bunch of flowers 40 is illustrated from the front in Figure 15 and from the rear in Figure 16 with one branch 42 of the bunch folded

rearwardly in Figure 16. There are three branches 41, 42, 43 the outer two of which pivots forwardly in Figure 15 about pivots 24 to overlie the central branch 43. The central branch has two holes 12A between which is located a central portion of band 4. Two closed looped end portions of the band 4 extend from the holes 12A at the rear of the novelty device to be pushed through slits 13 of holes 12 on branches 41 and 42 in the same manner as described with reference to Figures 13 and 14.

Each branch 41,42, 43 is a separate card which, as previously described, are pivotally interconnected by a strong flexible paper sheet which defines the pivotal hinge 24. The paper sheet can be sticky tape, for example. In this embodiment exposed surface 44 of branch 41 in Figure 16 has glued on it half of the paper hinge 24A. The other half to the paper hinge 24A is glued to the front surface of the central branch 43. However, this half of the paper hinge is not shown in Figure 15 because it is covered by paper carrying the printed flowers. The same construction is applied to the other branch 42.

In this embodiment and as shown in Figure 16, the band 4 is tensioned when say branch 41 is pivoted forwardly. In this position the band pulls on the very base of tab 14 and the tensional forces lie parallel to the surface of the branches 41, 42 (cards 1, 1A).

The operation of the novelty device is the same as that described with reference to the device described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. However, this instance there is no requirement for a separate card because the effect to be achieved requires only the novelty device to be pulled from the sleeve whereupon the branches open to display the bunch of flowers.

Various embodiments of the novelty device have been described herein but many modifications to the form of the novelty device can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

More particularly, the cards in this description are made of card, but can be replaced by a thin plastics material or other material which is light in weight and sufficiently strong to hold its form and allow operation of the"snap action"to force the novelty device into the air to surprise the recipient of a Greeting Card, for example.

Furthermore, while the preferred form of the novelty device is in the form of an alligator, sheep, frog, toad, spider, grasshopper etc. , the novelty devices may also comprise a teddy bear with spring out arms, a boy, a girl, bee with spring out wings, a crocodile, shark, rat, pair of clapping hands, biting bear, chicken, fish, octopus, human face with hair or wig, cat and whiskers, cat, pants, knickers, astronaut, snake, umbrella, cow, ape, monkey, tree, flying pig, parrot, rabbit, duck, bar of

chocolate, pair of socks, heart, popcorn, dog, flasher with mac, person with tie, elephant, star, jelly, teddy bear, reindeer, pirate, cactus.

In addition, the sleeve 26 has been described as being part of the greetings card associated with any of the forms as listed hereinabove, such greetings card may be used for any greeting and any novelty device in the form of a figure, object or plant as listed hereinabove.

The greetings card may be in the usual form of a folded card having front and back pivotally interconnected parts with a suitable greeting on the outside. When the card is opened a sleeve and any other greeting is presented to the recipient of the card. A novelty device in accordance with the present invention, is ready to pull out of the sleeve which is located on an inside face of the back part of the folded card.

The novelty device is preferably mounted on a separate card slidable within the sleeve and has a narrower end portion which sticks out of the sleeve. The end portion is pulled, pulling out the card, and hence the novelty device as described with reference to Figures 11 and 12 above.

The card shown in Figures 5,10, 14 and 16 is cut at 13 with a straight cut between holes 12, however, cut 13 can take any form preferably a convex arcuate form which has the effect of increasing the size of tab 14 between holes 12.

Claims (31)

CLAIMS :

1. A novelty device comprising first and second interconnected parts pivotal one relative to the other about a hinge therebetween, and a biasing means anchored relative to the first and second parts so that in one position of the novelty device in which the elastomeric band is tensioned, the tensional force in the biasing means lies adjacent major plane surfaces of the first and second parts and substantially in the plane of the hinge.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a pair of holes located in the first and second parts, respectively, for anchoring the biasing means therein.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two holes are aligned one with the other in a direction perpendicular to the pivotal axis of the hinge.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the anchoring between the first and second parts comprises one pair of holes on the first part and one pair of holes on the second part.

5. A device as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4, including a slot extending from each of the holes, respectively, in substantially the same direction generally parallel to the pivotal axis of the hinge.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, comprising a fine cut through each of the first and second parts, the fine cut extending between the end of the slots remote from that end of the slots emerging from the pair of holes, respectively, to define a tab between the slots pivotal about a further axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the hinge in the plane of the hinge so that when the biasing means lies parallel to the plane of the hinge the tensional force is applied sideways across and parallel to a major planar surface of the tab.

7. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the anchoring between the first and second parts comprises a pair of holes on the first part and two pairs of holes on the second part.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pair of holes on the first part are aligned one with the other in a direction parallel to the pivotal axis of the hinge so that when the biasing means lies parallel to

the plane of the hinge the tensional force is applied across and parallel to a major planar surface of the first part.

9. A device as claimed in claim 7 or 8, including a fine cut through the second part, extending between each pair of holes therein, parallel to and displaced to one side of a line interconnecting the centres of the holes of each pair of holes to define a tab located between each pair of holes.

10. A device as claimed in claim 7,8 or 9, wherein the holes of each pair of holes on the second part are aligned to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pivotal axis of the hinge.

11. A device as claimed in claim 6 or 9, wherein the biasing means is arranged to be pushed through the fine cut to sit around the respective tab.

12. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hinge is a paper hinge.

13. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the paper hinge is glued to each of the first and second parts, or comprises a sticky tape for securing the first and second parts together.

14. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second parts are in the shape of a figure, object or plant.

15. A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the figure is in the form of an animal.

16. A device as claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein the animal is an alligator, sheep, frog, toad, spider, grasshopper, etc.

17. A device as claimed in any one of claims 14,15 or 16, wherein the first part constitutes the body of the figure and the second part the legs of the figure.

18. A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the plant is a bunch of flowers comprising first, second and third parts, the second and third parts being pivotal relative to the first part.

19. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the biasing means is an elastomeric band.

20. A device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the elastomeric band is a continuous rubber band.

21. A device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the elastomeric band is a single strand of rubber.

22. A device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a single hole located in each of the first and second parts for anchoring the elastomeric band thereto.

23. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second parts are made of card or plastics material.

24. A greeting card comprising a sleeve and a novelty device as claimed in any of the preceding claims.

25. A card as claimed in claim 24, including an intermediate slidable part for carrying a plurality of novelty devices so that as the intermediate part is pulled from the sleeve the novelty devices spring

out in turn from the sleeve under the tensional force of the elastomeric band.

26. A card as claimed in claim 24 comprising a novelty device, as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23, in the form of a bunch of flowers having first, second and third parts, each of the second and third parts being pivotal about a hinge relative to the first part.

27. A card as claimed in claim 26, wherein one pair of holes aligned in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the first part of the bunch of flowers, and a pair of holes in each of the second and third parts, respectively, the latter being aligned in a direction transverse to the pivotal axis of the hinge in each case.

28. A greeting card set comprising an envelope for receiving a greeting card, the greeting card being associated with a novelty device being spring-activated when the greeting card is inside the envelope, whereby removal of the greeting card from the envelope causes the novelty device to spring into a second configuration by spring action.

29. The greeting card set of claim 28, wherein the novelty device accords to any of claims 1 to 26.

30. A novelty device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in any one of Figures 5 to 9 ; or Figures 10 and 11; Figures 13 and 14; or Figures 15 and 16 of the accompanying drawings.

31. A greetings card substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, any one of Figures 5 to 9; or Figures 10 and 11; or Figures 13 and 14; or Figures 15 and 16 of the accompanying drawings.