GB2143177A - Greetings cards - Google Patents

Abstract

A greetings card has a windowed front face for displaying a picture provided, or optionally a photograph or other picture provided by the sender. The front face may be the front cover of a conventional folded card having greetings inside. However, the front cover has a folder or pocket to retain the selected picture behind the front window. An apertured mask is provided for a selected photograph of smaller size than the front window aperture. The mask aperture may also be of an alternative shape to the front window aperture. The apertured mask may be provided as part of the greetings card itself or it may comprise an apertured insert.

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to greetings cards This invention relates to greetings cards.

The object of the invention is to provide a greetings card of conventional general appearance and form, having a front-windowed flap or pocket for displaying a picture, and masking means of different area or shape from that of the window, so that pictures of alternative size and shape, or a selected area thereof, may be thus displayed. The particular intention is that a sender of such a greetings card may select for display a photograph of his own choice of any of a variety of standard sizes and formats.

Accordingly, the invention provides a greetings card having a front window, means for retaining a sheet, such as a photographic print or other picture, behind the window for display therethrough and masking means for positioning within the window area, apertured differently in size or shape therefrom, whereby a picture of preferred size or shape may be thus displayed.

The greetings card may be of conventional folded form to provide a windowed cover and an inner sheet which carries a greetings message.

The retaining means is conveniently a frontwindowed folder, formed by folding the front face of the greetings card inwardly. In a modified form, the folder is made into a pocket by pasting the free edge of the folder to the inside of the greetings card front face.

The masking means may comprise an apertured sheet, such as by a folded part cf the greetings card itself. Alternatively, it may comprise an apertured wallet, which receives the picture and itself fits into the said folder or pocket. Such a masking wallet may have apertures of different size or shape at the front and rear, so providing alternative masking areas.

Short Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 show, respectively, the art side and the reverse side of a greetings card formed from a treble-folded single large printed sheet. Figures 1 and 2 were shown as Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 of Drawing 9 filed with patent application No. 8318795 of the 12th July 1983; Figures 3 and 4 show, respectively, the art side and the reverse side of a greetings card formed from a single large printed sheet, using three parallel folds.Figures 3 and 4 were shown as Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 of Drawing 11 filed with patent application No. 8318795 of the 1 2th July 1983; Figures 5 and 6 show, respectively, a greetings card formed with a pocket from a doublefolded single printed sheet and a doubleapertured wallet formed from a folded sheet; and Figure 7 shows the combination when the wallet is fitted into the greetings card pocket.

Description of the Embodiments The greetings card of Figures 1 and 2 comprises a single sheet 1, printed on the face side of Figure 1, formed into the greetings card of this embodiment by folds on the lines 2-2, 3-3 and 4-4.

The right-hand half of sheet 1, as seen in Figure 1, the left-hand half as seen in Figure 2, has a cut-out large aperture 5 and a cut-out small aperture 6. The edges 7 and 8 are also cut away in the manner shown. The shaded portions, as portion 9 shown in Figure 1, represent the portions of sheet 1 thus removed.

In the folding operation, the sheet portion with small aperture 6 is folded back from the plane of the drawing as seen in Figure 1, forwards as seen in Figure 2, on the line 2-2.

The centre part of sheet 1, with the top part folded behind, Figure 1, is folded back from the plane of the drawing, on the line 3-3.

Viewing Figure 2, the fold is forwards from the plane of the drawing. Finally, the doublefolded sheet 1 is folded on the line 4-4, the left part, Figure 1, being folded back from the plane of the drawing.

In this manner, it will be seen that the onesixth part 1 0 of sheet 1 forms the front face of the greetings card and carries any face greeting, as shown. Part 11 thus forms the back of the greetings card. Part 1 2 carries the inside greetings text, as shown.

The part 10 has the large aperture 5, which may have a decorated border, as shown. Part 1 3 of sheet 1 lies behind the part 10, so that the small aperture 6 fits within the aperture 5.

Aperture 6 may also have a decorated border, as shown.

If preferred, the shaded areas 14 and 15, shown in Figure 2, may be coated with adhesive, to hold the greetings card in the doublefolded format.

The treble-folded sheet 1 provides two apertured pockets. The pocket with small aperture 6 lies between the part 1 3 and the centre part of sheet 1, that is, it is entered between the cut-outs 7 and 8. The pocket with large aperture 5 lies between the front part 10 and the centre part of sheet 1.

The large aperture 5 and the small aperture 6 behind thus provide alternative masks, according to which pocket is used.

The object of this embodiment is that, according to the choice of the sender of the greetings card, either a picture provided when the card is sold, or an alternative picture, particularly a photograph of the sender's choice, may be combined with the printed text of the greetings card. For example, a large photograph could be inserted in the pocket behind the large aperture 5. Alternatively, a smaller photograph, or a smaller area of a larger photograph, when inserted in the pocket behind aperture 6, would be shown through that smaller aperture.

In an alternative format of the greetings card, the one-sixth part 1 6 of sheet 1 is cut out and removed.

The greetings card of Figures 3 and 4 comprises the single sheet 20, which is printed on both sides, as shown in Figure 3 and in Figure 4, respectively, and is folded on parallel lines 21-21 and 22-22/23-23.

Viewing the quarter-parts of sheet 20, thus folded, as seen in Figure 3, the left-hand part 24 becomes the back of the greetings card.

The next part 25 becomes the front and has a large aperture 26 and also carries the card front greetings. The next part 27 has a small aperture 28. This part also has a long edge cut-away part 29 and a pair of slots 30. The right-hand part 31 of the card has a short edge cut-away 32.

In Figure 4, the card parts 24, 25, 27 and 31 are shown, on the reverse face from Figure 3, by the corresponding dashed references 24', 25', 27' and 31'.

In the greetings card format of Figures 3 and 4, as folded, the aperture 28 comes behind the aperture 26. The aperture 28 has a decorated border, printed on the face of part 27', see Figure 4, which border is viewed through aperture 26, viewed from the face of the greetings card.

A small picture is provided, printed on the part 31, see Figure 3, which is framed by the small aperture 28. The inside greetings text is printed on the part 24', see Figure 4.

A preferred picture or photograph may be inserted by the sender of the card, either behind the aperture 26 or behind the aperture 28. In either case, the preferred picture obscures the printed picture on part 31.

In order to provide alternative pockets to hold inserted pictures, the part 31 may have lugs 33 cut, which are then tucked into the cuts 30 of part 27, to hold the two parts together. Alternatively, adhesive covered areas may be used, for the same purpose.

The embodiment of Figures 5, 6 and 7 is a two-part greetings card comprising the card of Figure 5 with the wallet of Figure 6.

The card of Figure 5 is formed from a single sheet 40, twice folded, on line 41-41 and on line 42-42, to form three equal card parts. The centre one-third part 44 has a large aperture 43 and carries the front greetings text. The right-hand part is folded behind, on the line 41-41, and the free edge is stuck to the underside of the part 44 along an adhesive-coated area shown at 45. This forms a pocket, open at top and bottom, behind the aperture 43. The free underpart 46 carries the inside greetings text.

The wallet of Figure 6 is formed from a single sheet 47, folded on the line 48-48.

into the parts 49 and 50. The part 49 is slightly shorter, as shown. The two parts 49 and 50 are joined at the sides, along the adhesive-coated areas 51 and 52, to form a wallet.

The front part 49 has a large aperture 53 and the rear part 50 has a smaller aperture 54. The wallet 47 fits into the pocket of the card of Figure 5, behind the aperture 43.

Figure 7 shows the assembled arrangement.

Provided with the greetings card of this embodiment is a picture card, not shown in the drawings, of the same size as the wallet 47, to fit behind the aperture 43. Alternatively, another picture or photograph, of the sender's choice, may be used.

To mask part of such a picture or photograph, or to accommodate a smaller photograph, the wallet of Figure 6 is used. Such smaller picture is inserted in the wallet to face through either aperture 53 or 54, according to the area to be viewed. The wallet is then inserted in the pocket of the card of Figure 5, so that the picture area is viewed from the front through the aperture 43.

In the three embodiments particularly described with reference to the drawings, the alternative apertures have all been of rectangular format and of different size. If preferred, alternative apertures of different shape may be provided.

Claims (10)

1. A greetings card having a front window, means for retaining a sheet, such as a photographic print or other picture, behind the window for display therethrough and masking means for positioning within the window area, apertured differently in size or shape therefrom, whereby a picture of preferred size or shape may be thus displayed.

2. A greetings card as claimed in Claim 1, of folded form, having a windowed cover and an inner sheet for carrying a greetings message.

3. A greetings card as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which said retaining means is a folder formed by folding the front face of the card inwardly.

4. A greetings card as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which said retaining means is a pocket formed by folding the front face of the card inwardly and pasting the free edge to the underside of the front face.

5. A greetings card as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which said masking means comprises an apertured sheet formed by a folded part of the greetings card.

6. A greetings card as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which said masking means is an apertured wallet adapted to receive the said picture and itself to be retained behind the said window.

7. A greetings card as claimed in Claim 6, in which said wallet is apertured both front and rear to provide two apertures differing in size or shape.

8. A greetings card as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including a picture sheet positioned for display through said front window.

9. A greetings card as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, including a picture printed on or attached to the folded-in part of the front face of the card, in position for display through said window.

10. A greetings card as claimed in Claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, Figures 3 and 4 or Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.