Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02592569 2007-06-21
SPECIFICATION
Prior Application
This application is based on provisional application no. 60/792,923 filed
April
18, 2006, and claim is made for the benefit of the filing date of the
provisional
application.
Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to a holder for a gift card that may record a
message from the person giving the gift card that may be played by the
receiver.
Background Of The Invention
Gift cards are becoming increasing popular and are typically provided by a
retail store in much of the manner of a gift certificate. The gift card is
encoded with
an amount of money representing purchases that may be made at the retail
store, and
the recipient may then use the encoded gift card to make purchases. Often the
amount
of the purchase when the card is used is deducted from the value on the card
so the
card may again be used at a later date.
Such gift cards may be considered somewhat impersonal when compared with
an actual gift, but have gained acceptance in that they may be mailed easily,
are
convenient to use and, unlike gift certificates, the value of the card can be
modified as
purchases are made, or value can be added later if desired.
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Summary of the Invention
According to the present invention, a gift card is made more personal by
providing a holder for the card have electronics enabling a voice message to
be
recorded by the purchaser of the gift card, and then played back by the
recipient upon
first removal of the card from the holder or by actuating a switch. Upon
return of the
card to the holder, a speech synthesizer may be provided to state the amount
remaining on the card when it is inserted into the holder.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will
become apparent from the description given below of a preferred embodiment,
which
description is made in conjunction with the following drawing figures.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is a simplified perspective of a holder of the present invention for a
gift
card;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the of a gift card holder according to the present
invention;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the gift card holder according to the present
invention;
Figs. 4 through 9 illustrate sectional views of the gift card holder of Fig. 3
along the sectional lines shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 10 is an explodes view of the present invention.
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Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment
A holder 10 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may include a decorative motif
representing a holiday season or similar motif suitable for the packaging of a
gift.
Alternatively, the motif could include the name and message from a retail
store in
which the gift card to be inserted into the holder may be redeemed. The holder
10
contains circuitry including a microphone 12, speaker outlet 14 and recording
actuation switch 16 located on the surface of the holder. A battery access 18
is also
provided.
As will be understood, a purchaser of a gift card 20 will receive the holder
and
may actuate switch 16 to enable a message or greeting to be recorded on a
recording
chip. The gift card can be inserted into opening 22 of the holder 10, and the
holder
can be designed so that the recipient may press actuation button 24 to slowly
eject the
gift card and play back the recorded message, or the recorded message can be
played
back automatically as the gift card is removed from the holder by the
recipient.
As shown in Figs. 3 and 10, the holder 10 includes a card-receiving carrier 26
supported by frame 28 to receive the gift card. A gear 30 and rack 32
contained in
housing 33 are provided to drive the carrier 26 upon receiving a signal upon
actuation
of button 24 to eject the gift card. The electronic circuitry on pcb board 36
will play
the recorded message through the speaker 14 as the card is ejected from the
holder 10.
To record a message, a pointed object may be inserted in an opening in the top
cover 38 to actuate switch element 40 to record a message spoken into
microphone 42.
The circuitry operates to enable one making the voice recording to hear the
recorded
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,= message by pressing actuation button 24, much in the manner of a recording
made on
a conventional answering machine.
As a added feature, when the card is returned to the holder, the circuitry and
programming may include a speech synthesizer to provide an audio signal
stating the
amount of purchases that may be made by subsequent use of the card. In this
way, the
user will continually be advised of the amount remaining on the card after
use.
Additionally, the circuitry and programming may enable additional amounts to
be
added to the gift card, or the card can be set at an amount certain upon
purchase at a
participating store.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will
be understood from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment made
above;
however, the present invention is not limited by any details of the above but
is set
forth by the appended claims.
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