# US 2014/0360064 A1 · Motorized Foam Greeting Card

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- Number: US 2014/0360064 A1
- Document ID: US20140360064A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/301,166
- Filed: 2014-06-10
- Published: 2014-12-11
- Earliest claimed: 2011-01-11
- Assignees: American Greetings Corporation
- Applicants: American Greetings Corporation
- Inventors: David Mayer; Carol Miller; Dave Sapp; Lynne Shlonsky
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140360064A1

## CPC

- B42D 15/022: {combined with permanently fastened sound-producing or light-emitting means or carrying sound records}
- B42D 15/042: {Foldable cards or sheets (B42D15/045 and B42D15/08 take precedence)}
- G09F 1/08: wholly or partly imitating the form of an object, e.g. of the article to be advertised
- B42D: BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
- G09F: DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS

## Abstract

A greeting card which contains a foam body covered by a front and rear surface material and one or more cavities contained therein for accommodating components of a sound and motor module. The greeting card contains a mobile object, which in a preferred embodiment includes a bundle of individual fiber strands. The bundle of fiber strands are attached to the motor module such that activation of the motor module cause the bundle of fiber strands to separate and spin or twirl. The bundle of fibers strands are attached to the motor through an opening in an upper perimeter surface of the foam body. The bundle of fibers together with the printed front and back surface material combine to resemble a character having a tuft of hair which spins upon activation of the motor module. The greeting card also contains a sound module which plays back audio upon activation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A greeting card comprising:
a foam body having one or more cavities therein;
a sound module operative to store and playback at least one audio file;
a motor module operative to cause movement to a mobile object;
a switch operative to control activation of the sound and motor modules;
the mobile object comprising a bundle of fiber strands which twirl in a circular motion when the motor module is activated;
wherein front and rear surface material attached to the foam body and the mobile object combine to depict a character with a tuft of hair that twirls upon activation of the motor module.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The greeting card of claim 1, wherein the mobile object is a bundle of individual strands which are attached to the motor module at one end.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The greeting card of claim 1, wherein the mobile object is a bundle of individual strands which are each freely moveable upon activation of the motor module.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The greeting card of claim 1, wherein the mobile object is a bundle of individual yarn strands.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The greeting card of claim 1, wherein the mobile mobile object twirls in a circular motion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The greeting card of claim 1 wherein the switch is a contact switch.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The greeting card of claim 6 further comprising a pivot panel which is moveable from a first position between opposing arms of the contact switch and a second position outside of the arms of the contact switch.

### Claim 8

A greeting card comprising:
a greeting card body;
a sound module operative to store and replay at least one audio;
a motor module operative to cause motor movement of a mobile object;
the sound and motor modules contained within one or more cavities in the greeting card body;
a mobile object comprising a bundle of a plurality of individual strands of material, a first end of each of the plurality of individual strands attached to the bundle and the opposite end of each of the plurality of strands are unattached;
a switch which controls activation of the sound and motor modules;
wherein upon activation of the sound and motor modules, the at least one audio file is replayed and the bundle of individual strands of material are set into a spinning or circular motion.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The greeting card of claim 8, wherein the switch is a contact switch;

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The greeting card of claim 9 further comprising a word bubble panel which is operative to control activation of the contact switch.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The greeting card of claim 8, wherein the plurality of individual strands of material are made of yarn.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The greeting card of claim 8, wherein the plurality of individual strands of material are made of rubber.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The greeting card of claim 8, wherein the greeting card body is foam.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The greeting card of claim 13 further comprising a sentiment panel attached to the back side of the greeting card body.

### Claim 15

A greeting card comprising:
a greeting card body having at least one cavity contained therein;
a motor module contained within the at least one cavity in the greeting card body, the motor module operative to cause movement of a mobile object attached to the greeting card body;
a mobile object comprising a bundle of individual strings, each individual string being attached at one end to the bundle;
a switch operative to control activation of the motor module;
wherein when the motor module is activated, the mobile object begins to move and each of the individual strings are spread apart in a circular motion.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The greeting card of claim 15 further comprising a sound module operative to store and playback at least one audio file.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The greeting card of claim 16, wherein the sound module is controlled by the switch.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The greeting card of claim 15, wherein the greeting card body is made of foam.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The greeting card of claim 18, wherein the front and rear surfaces of the greeting card body are covered by a planar sheet material.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The greeting card of claim 15, wherein the mobile object extends outward from a perimeter of the greeting card body.