DE20300802U1 - Color card system for presentation of colors comprises a set of cards with color samples extending to at least one card edge forming a part of the same stack edge in an appropriately assembled card stack - Google Patents

Abstract

The color card system for presentation of a plurality of colors comprises a set of cards (101, 102, ...) with color samples (201, 221, 241, 261; 202, 222, 242, 262; ...) extending to at least one card edge (12, 14) which in an appropriately assembled card stack forms a part of the same stack edge.

Description

···· Patent Attorneys" " DR. ULRICH OSTERTAG DR. REINHARD OSTERTAG

EIBENWEG 10 D-70597 STUTTGART TEL.+49-71 1-766845 FAX +49-711-7655701

Color card system

Applicant: Marabuwerke GmbH & Co, 71732 Tamm

Attorney file: 8511.0

BD.12-004

8511.0 - 1 - 16.01.2003

Color card system

The invention relates generally to color cards, as they have long been used in a wide variety of fields, such as printing or varnishing technology, to clearly display a large number of colors.

For this purpose, a color sample is applied to the color cards for each color to be represented. The arrangement of several color samples on the color card can be done according to different systematic criteria, e.g. according to color tone or color number. The main advantage of color cards is that it is relatively easy for a viewer to select or find a color for a specific purpose due to the large number of color samples that can be perceived at the same time. When looking at color samples "serially", however, comparison is much more difficult, since most people can only remember color impressions very imprecisely.

The disadvantage of the known colour cards, however, is that due to the large number of colours applied to them,

M 1 color card system text.doc

8511.0 - 2 - 16.01.2003

rougher are often very large and therefore unwieldy. Folding up color cards is not possible in many cases or at least involves disadvantages. For example, color samples for colorants that are not intended for application to paper cannot usually be reproduced true to color on foldable materials such as paper or fabric. On the other hand, the size of the color samples cannot be reduced arbitrarily, since a good grasp of the color impression requires a certain minimum size of the color sample.

The object of the present invention is to create a possibility to display a multitude of colors in a true-to-color and yet easy-to-use manner.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a color card system for representing a plurality of colors by means of color patterns, with a plurality of individual cards of the same size, the shape of which enables an oriented alignment of superimposed individual cards to form a stack and on each of which at least one color pattern is applied, which borders on at least one side edge of the individual cards in such a way that in the aligned state at least one edge of the stack is formed only by those side edges of the individual cards to which the at least one color pattern borders.

By providing several individual cards with comparatively few color patterns, a large

♦.·· j

8511.0 - 3 - 16.01.2003

The physical color chart can actually be "broken down" into several individual color charts. The individual charts are very easy to handle and make it possible to represent true-to-color colorants that are not intended for application to paper. Nevertheless, it is very easy to get an overview of the numerous color samples. Because the color samples are directly adjacent to a page edge, the individual cards, which are arranged in a stack or held loosely in the hand, can be leafed through in such a way that all the color samples of an individual card become visible at the edge of the stack that is visible to the viewer as soon as an individual card lying above it is lifted or pushed away a little by hand. It is therefore not necessary to lay all the individual cards next to each other in order to get an overview of the color samples.

On the other hand, the color card system according to the invention, in contrast to conventional color cards, allows two color samples applied to different color cards to be placed directly next to each other. This makes it much easier to compare the color samples; in addition, this method makes it particularly easy to gain an overall impression of the selected combination.

Aligning the individual cards is particularly easy if they are rectangular. The alignment can then be done by hand, like stacking playing cards. However, rectangular individual cards with

8511.0 - 4 - 16.01.2003

rounded or bevelled corners and oval or
triangular single cards.

For rectangular single cards, it is preferred if they have the length and width of credit cards. This corresponds
a length of approximately 8.5 cm and a width of approximately 5.4 cm. This format has proven to be particularly handy; in addition, there are a variety of storage options and containers for credit cards that can be used to store individual cards.

Preferably, the individual cards are made of the same type of laminated plastic as credit cards. This gives the individual cards a high level of strength and durability. On the other hand, they are practically no different from a credit card in terms of handling.

which promotes familiarity with the individual cards. The individual cards can of course be
can also consist of printed cardboard boxes or similar.

For rectangular single cards, it is preferred if
Each individual card has several colour patterns applied to it, which have the shape of stripes parallel to the transverse sides of the individual cards. In this way, several rectangular colour pattern areas with a relatively low aspect ratio can be created.
are applied to the individual cards. Such color sample areas are generally

It is preferable to use color sample areas that are very long and narrow or even line-shaped.

t ·

·

·

·

8511.0 - 5 - 16.01.2003

If the color patterns then border on both long sides of the individual cards, the orientation of the individual cards in a stack no longer plays a role, i.e. regardless of whether an individual card is sorted into the stack correctly or upside down, the color patterns always reach both long sides. This means that the color patterns applied to the individual cards can be viewed from the top or bottom long edge of the stack.

Preferably, an identification area is arranged at the same position on each individual card, which can contain, for example, information about the manufacturer or the color samples shown. In the case of rectangular individual cards, the identification area can, for example, have the shape of a strip parallel to the transverse sides of the individual cards and thus be aligned parallel to the strip-shaped color samples if necessary. The strip-shaped identification area then preferably borders on a transverse side.

In order to be able to put the individual cards in a predetermined order, the individual cards can have a sorting aid. In the simplest case, this is printed ordinal numbers, letters or other sortable symbols. However, edge notches or - if the order is correct - an increasing inclination of one of the cross or long sides are also possible, so that an aligned and correctly sorted stack has a crooked side edge.

· ff 9 *

• · ff * ·

8511.0 - 6 - 16.01.2003

As mentioned above, the alignment of the individual cards into a stack can be done by hand, but also with the help of an alignment aid.

For rectangular individual cards, a substantially cuboid-shaped container is a good alignment aid, which is preferably made at least partially of a transparent material, e.g. polystyrene or acrylic glass. The container is preferably lockable so that all the individual cards can be transported safely in the container. The container is then not significantly larger than a folded-up conventional color card, but the individual cards can also display colorants that cannot be reproduced in true color on paper or other materials.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawing. In the drawing:

Figures 1a and 1b show a plan view of two individual cards which are part of a color card system 0 according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a spatial representation of a color card system according to the invention with a container for storing the individual cards.

8511.0 - 7 - 16.01.2003

Figure la shows an example of a single card of a color card system in a top view and is designated as 101. The single card 101 is made of laminated plastic and has the shape of a rectangle with rounded corners. The long sides 12, 14 of the single card 101 have a length of about 8.5 cm and the short sides 16, 18 have a width of about 5.4 cm. This corresponds approximately to the material and dimensions of credit cards.

A total of four strip-shaped color samples 201, 221, 241 and 261 are applied to the individual card 101, which have the same dimensions and are each directly adjacent to both long sides 12, 14. The transverse side 18 is bordered by a marking area 28 which is also strip-shaped and which can, for example, contain manufacturer information not shown in the figure or information on the color samples shown.

A sorting aid 301 in the form of a number is printed on the color pattern 2 61, which borders on the opposite side 16. With the help of the sorting aid 301, several individual cards can be put into a predeterminable order.

Figure lb shows another individual card 102 of the color card system in a representation corresponding to Figure la. The individual card 102 differs from the individual card 101 only in that it has other color patterns 202, 222, 242 and 262, possibly other designations on the identification tt

8511.0 - 8 - 16.01.2003

area 28 and another symbol 302 as a sorting aid. Depending on the number of colors to be represented, the color card system contains a large number of other individual cards on which fewer or more than four color patterns can be applied in stripes.

If several such individual cards are placed on top of each other and aligned by hand to form a stack, the color patterns of all the individual cards border on the long edges of the stack. If the individual cards are then leafed through, e.g. by placing them at an angle one after the other, the color patterns applied to the individual cards become visible one after the other on the long edge of the stack that is then exposed. The color patterns also become immediately visible as soon as the individual cards lying on top of each other in one hand are pushed apart a little like a fan with the other hand.

Figure 2 shows a spatial representation of a color card system, which includes a container 32 made of transparent plastic for storing and aligning individual cards 101 to 109. The dimensions of the container 32 are adapted to the individual cards 101 to 109 in such a way that they are aligned to form a stack when placed in the container 32. If the container 32 is not completely filled with individual cards, the individual cards up to 109 placed on top of one another to form a stack can be placed one after the other in it. In the state shown in Figure 2, the first four individual cards

8511.0 - 9 - 16.01.2003

101 to 104 have been folded forward so that the surface of the next individual card 105 is no longer covered. Since the color patterns applied in stripes on the individual card 105 (only indicated in Figure 2) border on the upper longitudinal edge 34 of the stack formed by the long sides 12, 14, the color patterns applied to the individual card 105 are also easily recognizable when viewed from an oblique angle, as indicated in Figure 2 with an arrow 36.

Claims (13)

1. Color card system for representing a plurality of colors by color patterns ( 201 , 221 , 241 , 261 ; 202 , 222 , 242 , 262 ), with a plurality of equally large individual cards ( 101 , 102 , . . ., 109 ), the shape of which enables an oriented alignment of superimposed individual cards to form a stack and on each of which at least one color pattern ( 201 , 221 , 241 , 261 ; 202 , 222 , 242 , 262 ) is applied, which borders on at least one side edge ( 12 , 14 ) of the individual cards ( 101 , 102 , . . ., 109 ) in such a way that in the aligned state at least one edge ( 34 ) of the stack only is formed by those side edges ( 12 , 14 ) of the individual cards ( 101 , 102 , . . ., 109 ) which are adjacent to the at least one color pattern ( 201 , 221 , 241 , 261 ; 202 , 222 , 242 , 262 ). 2. Color card system according to claim 1, wherein the individual cards ( 101 , 102 , . . ., 109 ) are rectangular. 3. Color card system according to claim 2, wherein the individual cards ( 101 , 102 , . . ., 109 ) have the length and width of credit cards. 4. Color card system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the individual cards ( 101 , 102 , . . ., 109 ) consist of laminated plastic. 5. Color card system according to one of claims 2 to 4, in which a plurality of color patterns ( 201 , 221 , 241 , 261 ; 202 , 222 , 242 , 262 ) are applied to each individual card, which have the shape of stripes parallel to the transverse sides ( 16 , 18 ) of the individual cards ( 101 , 102 , . . ., 109 ). 6. Color card system according to claim 5, wherein the color patterns ( 201 , 221 , 241 , 261 ; 202 , 222 , 242 , 262 ) border on both long sides ( 12 , 14 ) of the individual cards ( 101 , 102 , . . ., 109 ). 7. Color card system according to one of the preceding claims, in which an identification area ( 28 ) is arranged at the same position on each individual card ( 101 , 102 , 109 ). 8. Color card system according to claim 5 or 6 and according to claim 8, wherein the identification area ( 28 ) has the form of a strip parallel to the transverse sides ( 16 , 18 ) of the individual cards ( 101 , 102 , . . ., 109 ), which preferably borders on a transverse side ( 18 ). 9. Color card system according to one of the preceding claims, in which the individual cards ( 101 , 102 , . . ., 109 ) carry a sorting aid ( 301 , 302 ). 10. Color card system according to one of claims 2 to 9, in which the individual cards ( 101 , 102 , . . ., 109 ) can be aligned with the aid of an alignment aid ( 32 ). 11. Color card system according to claim 10 with a substantially cuboid-shaped container ( 32 ) as an alignment aid. 12. Color card system according to claim 11, wherein the container ( 32 ) consists at least partially of a transparent material, in particular of acrylic glass. 13. Color card system according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the container ( 32 ) is closable.