EP0637775A1

EP0637775A1 - Photographic card and manufacturing method thereof

Info

Publication number: EP0637775A1
Application number: EP93306141A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Isamu Kunieda
Original assignee: MITSUOHGI KK
Current assignee: MITSUOHGI KK
Priority date: 1993-08-03
Filing date: 1993-08-03
Publication date: 1995-02-08

Abstract

A photographic card comprised of a photographic paper (1) already developed and printed and a transparent laminate film (2) covering said photographic paper.

Description

This invention relates to a card used to express something or to transfer information or for other purposes utilizing a photograph together with some words. The card according to the present invention can be used, for example but not limited to, for a business card, a post card, an invitation card, an information card, a New Year's card, a Christmas card, a post-marital announcement card and the like.
In the aforementioned cards, an appropriate photograph is often shown together with some words. In the case of a post card, for example, a photograph will be shown on one face thereof together with some messages written thereon and the name and address of the addressee will appear on the other face of the card. Hitherto, the following methods have been used as ways of exhibiting a photograph together with letters on a card.
A first method is resolving of color constituting the letters and photograph and then repeatedly printing on a mounting sheet each time using a different constituting color.
A second method is adhering a photograph directly onto a mounting sheet printed with an appropriate message thereon.
A third method follows the developing process of photographs. In this method, a sheet of photographic paper is exposed to light through a negative film for the photographic part and simultaneously through a positive lith film for the letters.
In the first method, however, complicated work is required for resolving the constituting color and the printing process requires much time and labor because printing must be repeated using each different constituting color. Moreover, the quality of the finished product is not always good because of color diffusion caused by slipping from the correct place by repeated printing.
In the second method, because of the difficulty of adhering a photograph onto a mounting sheet so that both corresponding edges may coincide precisely with each other, there is a defect that the adhering process requires time and labor.
In the third method, because photographic paper which is already developed and printed is used as a card, color diffusion of the letters and photograph tends not to occur, unlike the case of the first method. However, the color for the letters is restricted to white only, and in the case of slender letters such as Ming style letters some diffusion may occur so that the letters become illegible. Furthermore, it is difficult to print or write a message or the name and address of the sender on the face including a photograph. Further, photographic paper which has been developed and printed is easily contaminated with fingerprints and the like, is easily bent, and sheets tend to stick to each other, so that there are handling problems.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a photographic card, which is easy to manufacture with better quality and to handle, and a manufacturing process therefor.
A photographic card according to one aspect of the present invention comprises photographic paper already developed and printed and a transparent laminate film covering said photographic paper and capable of being printed or written thereon with an appropriate writing tool.
Said photographic card may be manufactured by developing and printing an appropriate photograph onto photographic paper and followed by adhering a transparent laminate film capable of being printed or written onto the surface of the photographic paper.
In the photographic card according to at least the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the reproduction of color is quite reliable even for color photographs because the photographic part is printed from a negative film directly onto the photographic paper.
Further, at least the preferred manufacturing method, unlike the first method of prior art, does not require repeated printing using different constituting colors after resolving the colors, so that it can save the cost of time and labor during the photographic printing process.
Because the transparent laminate film adhered onto the surface of the photographic paper already developed and printed allows printing or writing directly onto the surface thereof, the color of letters can be selected unrestrictedly and even slender letters can be clearly exhibited, unlike the third method of prior art.
Furthermore, the surface of the photograph is covered with a transparent laminate film and therefore the card is not easily bent, unlike the case where photographic paper is used as a card merely after developing and printing. Moreover, where a plurality of the cards are placed on top of each other they do not stick to each other. In addition, the surface of the photograph may not be contaminated with fingerprints and the like, so that it is easy to handle.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing an example of the photographic card according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing a state where the laminate film is adhered onto the photographic paper after developing and printing; and
Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 are front and back views, respectively, of the photographic card according to the present invention used as a post card.

Fig. 1 shows the structure of the photographic card. Numeral 1 in the drawing indicates a sheet of photographic paper. The photographic paper 1 shown here is in a state where developing and printing of the photograph to be included in the card have been completed. That is, it shows a state where the photograph to be included in the card has been developed and printed onto the photographic paper before printing from a negative film according to the ordinary photographic process.
Both front and back faces of the photographic paper 1 after developing and printing are covered with a transparent laminate film 2. As this transparent laminate film 2, any material capable of being printed or written onto the surface thereof can be used. That is, any transparent film capable of being easily adhered with ink during printing or drawing and having a matt and very slightly rough surface can be used so as to allow handwriting with a writing tool such as a ballpoint pen, a fountain pen and the like.
However, the transparent laminate film 2 does not necessarily have to cover both faces of the photographic paper 1 after developing and printing as indicated in the example shown in the drawing, but it must cover at least one face of the card showing the picture (the surface of the photograph).
Onto the surface of said transparent laminate film 2, information 3 such as any message, or the name and address of the sender, will be displayed by printing or drawing.
The card constituted as aforementioned can be prepared as follows.
First, the photograph to be included in the card is developed and printed onto the photographic paper from a negative film according to the ordinary photographic process.
Next, using a laminating machine (not shown in the drawings), the transparent laminate film 2 is adhered onto both front and back faces of the photographic paper 1 after developing and printing by applying heat and pressure. Fig. 2 shows the card in this state.
Consequently, the photographic card is completed by cutting to an appropriate size.
Further, any information 3 such as a message, or the name and address of the sender can be printed using a printer (not shown in the drawings) or handwritten onto the outer surface of the transparent laminate film 2.
Figs. 3 and 4 show an example using the photographic card according to the present invention as a post card with the same reference numerals as those used in Figs. 1 and 2.
In Fig. 3, the numeral 4 indicates the image of the photograph developed and printed which is visible through the transparent laminate film 2.
Fig. 4 shows the front face 5 of the post card where the name and address of the receiver will be displayed. Onto this face 5, the words "post card" 6 and the stamp frame 7 may be printed. Preferably, this face 5 is also covered with the transparent laminate film 2 to facilitate printing or writing of the necessary information such as the name and address of the receiver thereon.
The photographic card can be used not only as a post card as shown in Fig. 3 and 4 but also as a business card, an invitation card, an information card, a New Year's card, a Christmas card, a post-marital announcement card and the like, but not limited thereto.
The photographic card according to the present invention can maintain a tension because it is formed into one body by adhering the transparent laminate film 2 onto the photographic paper 1 after developing and printing.
Further, when a plurality of the photographic cards are placed one above another they do not adhere to each other. The photographic card is also not prone to contamination with fingerprints.
Moreover, the photographic card may provide quite reliable color reproduction even in the case of a color photograph because of the use of the photographic paper itself after developing and printing, thus enabling easy manufacture with better quality.
The photographic card is also very convenient to use because it allows printing, writing or drawing freely and clearly onto the surface of the photograph.

Claims

A photographic card comprising photographic paper, wherein said photographic paper is developed and printed, and the surface thereof is covered by a transparent laminate film capable of being printed or written thereon.
A method of manufacturing a photographic card, characterized in that photographic paper is developed and printed with a desired photograph, followed by adhering a transparent laminate film capable of being printed or written thereon onto said photographic paper.