Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Check – label – or tag – Holder
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-25
2003-12-23
Davis, Cassandra H. (Department: 3611)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Check, label, or tag
Holder
Reexamination Certificate
active
06665970
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention is in the field of devices for the display of photographs, art work in sheet and card form, and other display items in sheet and card form, and in particular in the field of display devices for displaying multiple photographs and other display items which provide for the easy and rapid exchange of the photographs and other display items displayed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various versions of picture frames, which consist of a frame, backing and a transparent front panel have traditionally been used to display photographs, art work and other display items. The display item is affixed between the backing and the front panel and the front panel and the backing are secured to the frame. The inventions disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,378 to Burke; U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,984 to Lindquist; U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,278 to Fournet; U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,765 to McLeod; U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,820 to Komamura; U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,532 to Kelly; U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,439 to Shanok; U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,949 to Green; U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,793 to Fischer; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,757 to Carlsson utilize a frame structure and provide some variations and improvements to the common picture frame. These devices incorporate various means of securing the front panel and the backing to the frame with the picture between the backing and the front panel. Each of these devices has obvious limitations in displaying collections of display items, resulting in difficulty in organizing and positioning a collection of display items and in readily exchanging display items.
The need for display devices that provide for an easier exchange of display items has been identified by the inventors of a number of prior art devices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,229 to Werner discloses a device for securing photographs to a display which includes a sheet-like outer frame by means of a plastic wrap adhered to the frame. The plastic wrap then may cling to photographs by means of a static charge to hold the photo in place. This device only works with display materials which can hold a sufficient static charge. It is not well adaptable to displaying a collection of display items.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,581 to Polzin discloses a device which incorporates a sheet-like frame with a transparent display area, the frame being attached to a wall or other surface with an adhesive. The frame has an opening which provides for the removal and replacement of a display item without removing the frame from the surface that it is adhered to. This device is not adaptable to a collection of display items. It is designed for a display item of a specific size.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,044,483 and 4,138,305 to Williams disclose a quick-change display device comprising two sheets of clear glass hinged together. The display item is affixed between the two plates of glass and may be readily removed and replaced by rotating apart the edges of the glass opposite the hinge. Several undesirable features or limitations of this device are readily apparent. The device has no built in mechanism for affixing the display item to the device. Rather it depends upon the sheets of glass being pressed against each other with the display item being impinged between them. This is particularly unsatisfactory for displaying collections of display items where maintaining displayed items in their respective display positions will be difficult. Further, removing and replacing one or more items of the collection will result in the remaining items being disturbed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,236 to Schneider and U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,034 to Lewis disclose devices whereby a display item is enclosed by a transparent envelope. These devices are adapted to display items of specific sizes and they provide very limited access to the display item. These devices are not adaptable to collections of display items.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,535 to Heimo discloses a device for displaying translucent display items. This device includes use of a foil. A pane serves as a back support for the pictures. The pictures are arranged on the pane and kept in place by placing a transparent elastic foil material over the pane. The elastic foil is secured to the pane by use of clamps. This device does not provide for the ready exchange of display items, as the foil must be removed, the display items exchanged and the foil replaced.
The need for display devices that provide for the display of a collection of photographs, art work in sheet or card form, or other display items in sheet or card form, and provide for the quick and easy exchange of the display items, has been noted by the inventors of a number of prior devices. Various types of devices have been developed which utilize transparent pockets or similar features for the individual positioning and display of display items.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,496 to Cohen discloses a modular picture holder which incorporates a number of separated compartments with sidewalls of varying depths. The varying sidewall depths create a three dimensional effect. This device does not provide for the display and ready exchange of collections of display items of varying sizes and does not have a streamlined cross-section for wall mounting.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,029 to Righini discloses a display stand comprised of an array of rectangular frame sections. Photographs may be positioned and rotated in each frame section to provide for variation in the rotational position of the displayed items. This device also does not provide for the display and ready exchange of collections of display items of varying sizes and does not have a streamlined cross-section for wall mounting. This device also does not provide for the protection of the display items. It is intended for displaying photographs of a specific size.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,537 to Pascarelli discloses a device having a matrix of transparent pockets in a web with uniform rectangular openings. Each pocket has a slot in the top for the insertion of a display item. This device does not provide for the display and ready exchange of collections of display items of varying sizes and does not have a streamlined cross-section for wall mounting.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,552 to Fritz discloses a set of pockets which are secured together by snap fit buttons inserted through alined holes in the respective fringes of adjacent pockets. The pockets are open on the top and display items are inserted therein. This device is intended to display a collection of display items of a specific size with one display item being displayed in each pocket, the size of the display item matching the size of the pocket in which it is inserted. The pockets are not suited for the display of display items of varying sizes or for the display of more than one display item.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,352 to Morris discloses a display panel assembly which provides for the viewing of the front and the rear of flat display items without removing the display items form the device. A peripheral frame supports a rigid, transparent front panel and a flexible, transparent, pocketed rear sheet which is held in contact with the front panel by the peripheral frame. Pockets are formed on the back of the flexible rear sheet by strips of the same flexible material. The pockets are designed to display items of a specific, uniform size. Exchange of the display items is difficult unless the display items equal or exceed the specific minimum size.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,436 to Lefkowitz discloses a device for displaying a collection of display items of a specific standard size. This device is constructed of a plurality of vertical panels connected by hinge arrangements, the vertical panels being constructed of a front sheet and a rear sheet of transparent material. Flat display items are inserted in the side of each vertical panels, between the front sheet and the rear sheet. It is difficult to remove and replace a display item, particularly if the display item is inserted all the way between the front and rear sheets.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a display apparatus for p
Davis Cassandra H.
Nelson J. David
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