GB2318087A

GB2318087A - Envelope for posting photographs

Info

Publication number: GB2318087A
Application number: GB9719765A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Middlebrough
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-09-16
Filing date: 1997-09-16
Publication date: 1998-04-15
Anticipated expiration: 2017-09-16
Also published as: GB9619278D0; GB9719765D0; GB2318087B

Abstract

The envelope comprising upper and lower sheets 19,20 with a flap 22 includes an insert 11 for mounting a photograph 17. The insert has diagonal cuts 13,15 or releasable adhesive for mounting the photograph and may include a viewing aperture (28,Fig 2) and a fold-out stand. The upper sheet 20 may be wholly transparent or include a window for viewing the photograph.

Description

blountirug ends Display System for Visual Material The present invention relates to a mounting and display system for visual material, in particularly photographs.

When writing short messages to friends, many people (particularly when on holiday) choose to do so by using a picture postcard. This is usually a card approximately 15 x 10 cm, one side having a picture, often a photographically reproduced scene pertinent to the location it is being sold in, and sometimes accompanied by a message. The other side is left substantially blank, although it is usual for guiding markings to be printed to indicate the optimum positions for the stemp and address (on one the right-hend half of that side) and message (on the left-hand half). The card is fairly stiff and the picture durably printed so that the card stands a good chance of travelling through the postal service undamaged.

The disadvantage of using picture postcards for communication is that the pictures lack personal relevance to the people sending and receiving them. In contrast, a photograph taken by an individual is unique, and of personal significance. A photograph may include family and friends, which is in practical terms impossible for a picture postcard. Unfortunately most photographs are unsuitable for postal communications, since the photograph is flimsy and delicate, and easily damaged by the rigours of postage. Additionally the rear surface may not be suitable for writing on and has no guiding markings.

Systems for converting photographs to a form suitable for postage do exist.

One of these (US 4 825 574) comprises a supporting medium which is folded in half to enclose the photograph, with a transparent window on one half of the medium so that the photograph can be seen. In order though to secure the photograph within the medium, a release material must be peeled back to expose adhesive, the photograph positioned and pressed down over the window, and the second half of the medium folded over and pressed down. This process is timeconsuming, may result in the photograph being misaligned, and makes future recovery of the photograph difficult.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved system for allowing a photograph to be mounted.

According to its main feature, the invention provides a mounting and display system for visual material, comprising a mounting card for a photograph or the like, and an envelope formed from a base card and a top sheet comprising

a transparent flexible material such as cellophaneM To adapt a photograph for postage, it is simply mounted on the mounting card, the mounting card is slotted into the envelope, and the envelope is securely fixed. Preferably the system includes a flap at the mouth of the envelope, preferably forming part of the top sheet, which can be tucked in or stuck down to hold the mounting sheet securely.

The top sheet may be wholly transparent, or may have an opaque region (eg as an opaque sheet with a transparent window).

A mounting and display system embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig 1 is a exploded perspective view of the system; Fig 2 is a front plan view of an alternative mounting card; and Fig 3 is a ,rear plan view of a further alternative mounting card.

Referring to Fig 1, the system comprises a mounting card 11 and a base card 19 and a top sheet 20, all of which are rectangular and of similar size.

The mounting card is slightly smaller laterally and longitudinally than both the base card and the top sheet, which (discounting the top sheet's projections) are the same size. For convenience, the base card 19 and a top sheet 20 are shown separated, but in fact they are attached together as a single envelope unit. The top sheet, made from a transparent and firm but flexible material such as cellophane, is affixed to the base card to form an envelope by means of adhesive applied to three flaps 24, two of which run along the long edges of the top sheet and one along a short edge.

The mounting card 11 has four diagonal cuts 13. The photograph 17 to be sent is mounted on the mounting card 11 by slipping its corners into these cuts, which are so configured as to hold the photograph firmly under a slight bending tension. This mounting card is then slotted into the envelope formed by the top sheet and the base card. The remaining short edge of the top sheet hes a tongue 22 protruding from it, and this tongue is tucked fully inside the envelope between the mounting card and the base card to secure the mounting card during postage.

The dimensions of the system will of course vary depending on the size of the photographs for which it is intended. In this embodiment the mounting card is about 12 x 22 cm so that some relevant legend, either pre-printed or written by the user, may be included next to the photograph; pre-printed pictures may also be included next to the photograph. Since each end of each of the cuts 13 must correspond closely to an adjacent edge of the photograph for the photograph to be held tightly, their exact configuration will obviously be determined by what photographs the system is aimed for. Further groups of four cuts 15 (or groups of three cuts if one cut is made common to both groups) may be included on the mounting card to accommodate different sizes of photographs.

The mounting sheet may have printed on it a decorative frame incorporating and thus effectively concealing the slots.

Instead of the top sheet being made from transparent and firm but flexible material, it may be made from a material such as stout paper or thin card with a window cut in it and covered with transparent material.

Instead of four slots, the mounting card may have 2 slots or even I slot, locating the photograph against one or two of its edges, so that when the base card is inserted into the envelope unit, the photograph is held in position by the combination of the slot or slots and the inner edges of the envelope unit.

As a further modification, if the size of the photograph is standardized, it may be possible to make the width of the envelope unit match the height of the photograph, so that the photograph will be held sufficiently tightly in position by the envelope unit when the mounting unit is inserted behind the photograph.

The mounting card may have its corners slightly chamfered at one end, to assist in inserting it into the envelope unit.

The back surface of the base cerd 19 preferably has the usual guiding markings as found on postcards to indicate the correct positioning of the stamp, address, and message. The base card 19 may instead be formed of transparent material like the top sheet 20, with suitable areas either printed with a white (or light) ink-like material to which postage stamps may be attached firmly, or having permanently adhesive paper attached to them for the same purpose. Preferably the base card also has further similar substantially opaque areas on which an address, & c can be written, although it is possible for the address to be written on the mounting card 11, being visible through transparent areas of the base card 19.

This display system allows a photograph (which may be of conventional or instant development type) to be mounted so that it is protected during postege, is easy to use, allows the photograph to be recovered later, and allows a message relevant to the location where the medium is being sold to be superimposed or displayed around the photograph.

Fig 2 shows the face of an alternative form of mounting card. The four cuts 26 are arranged as for the previous mounting card, but a shaped aperture has been cut between them and the photograph is mounted by being placed behind the mounting card face up and the corners slipped into the cuts. The photograph may then be viewed through the aperture. The face of the mounting card around the aperture may have a pictorial or other design printed on it, forming a frame or surround for the portions of the photograph visible through the aperture.

A further variation of the mounting card is shown in Fig 3, this time showing the back surface. This again features a shaped aperture, but now the corners of the photograph, pleced face down are secured within the four pockets 32 formed by right-angled card triangles 30. These are affixed to the mounting card only by their right-angled edges, so that the corners of the photograph may be slipped into them. Instead of such corners, straps running vertically across the back of the mounting card may be used.

A further method of fixing the photograph to the mounting card is to provide the mounting card with an area of releasable adhesive, ie an adhesive which is sufficiently effective to retain the photograph in position when the photograph is pressed lightly onto the adhesive area, but which allows the photograph to be removed from the mounting card without damage.

The top sheet 20 may have included on it opaque areas or lettering, so that messages may be superimposed onto the photograph. The top sheet may of course be affixed to the base card only along its edges. providing the mounting sheet can fit between them, thus obviating the need for flaps 24 along its edges.

If the mounting card is made sufficiently wide perpendicular to the direction it is slid into the envelope, the top sheets tongue 22 may be removed from the design as the mounting card is held firmly by the friction created by the tight fit. The tongue may be tucked into the envelope, below the top sheet, during manufacture, with the user inserting the mounting card fully into the envelope and then sliding it back slightly towards the open end so that its end is caught under the flep. It is preferred that the flap should be held in place in the tucked-in position by its inherent stiffness, but an adhesive sealing system may be employed instead if desired.

The mounting card may be provided with a fold-out stand, so that it can be removed from the envelope and then stood up to display the photograph.

Claims

G1eim

1 A mounting and display system for visual material, comprising a mounting card for 8 photograph or the like, and an envelope formed from a base card and a top sheet comprising a transparent flexible material such as cellophane.

2 A system according to claim 1 including a flap at the mouth of the envelope which can be tucked in or stuck down to hold the mounting sheet securely.

3 A system according to claim 2 wherein the flap form part of the top sheet.

4 A system according to any previous claim wherein the top sheet is wholly transparent.

5 A system according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the top sheet has an opaque region.

6 A mounting and display system for visual material substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.

7 Any novel and inventive feature or combination of features specifically disclosed herein within the meaning of Article 4H of the International Convention (Paris Convention).