Special receptacle or package – Combined or convertible – Including booklet – leaflet or record means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-19
2001-03-20
Foster, Jim (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
Combined or convertible
Including booklet, leaflet or record means
C040S722000, C206S424000, C206S457000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202838
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photo album case or other storage container having a shell into which an album or other storage media may be inserted and removed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional photograph albums and other document storage devices are often provided with cases which receive the photo album or other storage medium therewithin. The storage medium may be a photo album, diary, notebook, account book, book of corporate records, or other article in which photographs, documents, keys, or other articles are stored. The case is typically formed with one closed end structure, wall panels laterally surrounding the closed end structure, and an open end opposite the closed end structure. The photo album or other binder or article containing the items to be stored slips into the shell through the open end and seats in abutting relationship against the opposite, closed end of the case.
In conventional photo albums or other storage cases the manufacturer sometimes provides a preprinted indicia across the closed end of either the spine of the album, the closed end of the case, or both, to aid the user in identifying the contents of the case. However, any such preprinted indicia is typically so general as to be of little value to the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved slip case for photo albums or other binders that provides the user with a custom made content identification display sheet that may be easily applied and which will withstand extensive use. Moreover, the custom identification display sheet may be readily changed by the user for purposes of updating or alteration of the contents of the album housed within the case.
In one broad aspect the present invention may be described as a storage container comprising: an outer shell formed with laterally enclosing walls having inner and outer surfaces and opposing open and closed ends, wherein the shell includes a transverse, closed end structure having inner and outer surfaces and extending across the closed ends of the laterally enclosing walls, thereby defining a storage cavity therewithin. The open ends of the walls form and surround an open entry to the storage enclosure. At least one of the walls is a transparent display wall. A stiff, inner display retainer fits into the storage cavity and conforms to the shape of the inner surface of the display wall. A visual display sheet is located between the display wall and the display retainer. The display retainer presses against the inner surface of the transparent display wall. The display retainer thereby holds the visual display sheet pressed firmly against the inner surface of the display wall.
The outer shell of the storage container may take a number of different forms. For a photo album display case the outer shell of the storage container is typically formed in the shape of a hollow, rectangular prism having one open end and an opposite closed end structure. The shell or slip case may be made of different materials, such as die cut stiff paper, plastic sheet stock, or injection-molded plastic, but it must have at least one transparent display wall, typically formed of transparent polyethylene or some other transparent plastic sheet material. Portions of the shell may also be formed as an alloy casting, of cold forged metal, a ceramic or porcelain material, or bent sheet metal. Portions of the shell, other than the transparent display wall can also be formed of wood or cardboard. It is important for the outer shell of the storage container to be reasonably stiff and to be open at one end to receive the contents of the storage container, which is typically an album or binder of some sort.
The display retainer may likewise be fabricated from a number of different materials. For example, it may be formed from a single sheet of die cut stiff paper or plastic stock. The retainer may be formed as a single, flat panel, but may have at least one fold extending thereacross so as to delineate a display retaining panel and an adjacent support panel. The display retaining panel is disposed to face the inner surface of the display wall panel. At least one support panel preferably projects from the display retaining panel and is disposed to face one of the inner surfaces of the shell immediately adjacent the display wall panel.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the retainer includes a pair of mutually parallel folds that form at least three distinct flat panels joined together by the folds. Two of the flat retainer panels are separated from each other by a distance equal to the width of the closed end structure of the shell. The area of the retainer between the folds in the pair of folds forms a web support panel. The retainer is then inserted into the shell with its central, web support panel disposed in a face-to-face relationship with the closed end structure of the shell. The web support panel is located between the retainer display panel on one side and another support panel extending outwardly toward the open end of the shell from the other side of the web support panel. When the stiff, inner display retainer is formed of a single sheet of stiff stock, folded in this fashion, it has a generally U-shaped configuration. The resiliency of the structure of the stock forming the retainer is normally sufficient to urge the display retaining panel and the support panel located opposite the display retaining panel on the other side of the web support panel toward the display wall and an opposing wall of the shell, respectively.
The visual display sheet may likewise take several forms. The visual display sheet may be a printed sheet of paper or card stock, a photograph, a title sheet, or any other thin, sheet-like structure upon which some indicia of the contents of the storage container is printed or inscribed. The visual display sheet may be of a size equal to the area of the inner surface of the transparent display wall and the area of the retainer display panel. That is, the visual display sheet may extend both the length and breadth of the transparent display wall and display retaining panel.
Alternatively, however, the visual display sheet may be of a size somewhat smaller than both the transparent display wall and the display retaining panel. When the visual display sheet is smaller than these surfaces, some type of mounting is employed to mount the visual display sheet on either the display retaining panel or on the inside surface of the transparent display wall. For example, corner slits may be cut into the display retaining panel to receive the corners of the visual display sheet. The visual display sheet is thereby mounted on the display retaining panel and is preferably centered within the area of the transparent display wall panel of the shell for ease of viewing. Also, the visual display sheet may be mounted directly on the retainer by means of double-sided adhesive tape, by tape at the corners or edges, by photograph corner mounts, by glue, heat sealing or staples, and other available mounting systems.
The visual display sheet may be mounted on the retainer in other ways, as well. For example, In a preferred arrangement some, but not all, of the peripheral edges of a transparent sheet of pocket material may be secured to the outwardly facing surface of the display retaining panel. The transparent pocket sheet may be secured to the display retaining panel by heat sealing, glue, double-sided adhesive tape, staples, or any other conventional fastening system. Whatever the form of attachment, the visual display sheet is preferably inserted in between the transparent display wall of the shell and the display retaining panel and is held pressed against the display wall so as to be visible through the transparent display wall of the shell and so as not to interfere with insertion of an album into the shell.
In one embodiment of the invention the shell is provided with catch members at the open end of the transparent display wall panel and at the open end of a
Foster Jim
Thomas Charles H.
LandOfFree
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