GB2118485A - A communication medium - Google Patents

Abstract

A communication medium, serving purposes similar to conventional greeting cards or the like, is made of ceramic material or glass and has two mutually angled webs which may either be integral or hinged together. If the latter, the hinge or hinges may be attached to a metal frame surrounding at least one of the webs.

Description

SPECIFICATION A communication medium This invention relates to communication media of the kind intended mainly for expressing sentiments such as birthday and other anniversary greetings, affection, congratulations and commiserations.

It is customary to convey such sentiments by means of an appropriate card which is foldable for transmission by post in an envelope, and after removal from the envelope adapted to stand on a flat surface, such as a mantlepiece.

Such cards, which are produced from relatively stiff paper, however have the disadvantage of deteriorating fairly rapidly, for example by becoming bent, torn, creased and/or soiled. Hence they do not satisfactorily, constitute more permanent mementoes and are generally discarded by their recipient after a few days.

According to the present invention, and with the aim of overcoming these disadvantages, an article defining a communication medium for any of the purposes hereinbefore set forth comprises a first and a second rigid web, said webs each having at least one margin wholly contained in a common plane and being disposed, or adapted to be disposed, at an angle such that the article is stable when standing on a flat surface defining said plane, at least a portion of a surface of at least one of said webs being adapted for the application thereto in a substantially permanent manner of an inscription by means of a common writing implement.

By "rigid" and "common writing implement" for the purpose of this description is meant respectively "substantially complete inflexibility" and "a ballpoint pen, fountain pen, pencil or the like".

Preferably the angle hereinbefore mentioned lies within the range 30 to 90 , i.e. the range of angles at which conventional such greetings cards are generally displayed with a view to (a) providing optimum stability and (b) exposing to sight any pattern, ornament and/or inscriptions on the juxtaposed flanks of the said webs.

In one of its preferred forms, an article embodying the invention is made of a ceramic material such as glazed earthenware clay, or of frosted or clear glass.

The article may be of unitary configuration, i.e.

with the webs integral and disposed at a fixed angle of any desired size, e.g. 90 , by a moulding process well-known to those skilled in the art.

Alternatively, the webs may be made separately, either by a moulding process or any other conventional process for making flat ceramic or vitreous (e.g. plate or sheet glass) articles, and joined together by a hinge or hinges along a margin of each of the webs which is at right angles to the firstmentioned margin, so that when the article is displayed on a flat surface, its webs may subtend any desired angle as aforesaid.

The hinges of such a hinged form of the article according to the invention may be attached to their respective webs in any desired manner (e.g. bonded or pinned). Alternatively, at least one of the webs may be wholly or partly surrounded by a frame of, for example, metal, such as silver or chromium plated steel.

The patterns, ornaments and/or inscriptions may be applied by means of conventional so-called "transfers", or by handpainting.

The adaptation, as aforesaid, of the article for the application thereto of an inscription by means of a said common writing implement may take the form of the application to a said web of a paper label or the like whose surface is capable of accepting, without blotting or smudging, the ink from a ballpoint pen, or fountain pen, or the graphite from a conventional "lead pencil". Alternatively the surface of such a label may be so treated that, whilst accepting an inscription without blotting, it can be wiped clean by means of a rag soaked in water or other suitable solvent, so that the article can be reused on some future occasion.

CLAIMS (Filed 3rd September 1982) 1. An article defining a communication medium and comprising a first and a second rigid web, said webs each having at least one margin wholly contained in a common plane and being disposed, or adapted to be disposed, at an angle such that the article is stable when standing on a flat surface defining said plane, at least a portion of a surface of at least one of said webs being adapted for the application thereto in a substantially permanent manner of an inscription by means of a common writing implement.

2. An article according to Claim 1, wherein said angle lies within the range 30 to 90 .

3. An article according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, made of a ceramic material.

4. An article according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, made of frosted or clear glass.

5. An article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the webs are integral and disposed at a fixed angle.

6. An article according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the webs are joined together by at least one hinge along a margin of each of the webs which is at right angles to the first-mentioned margin, so that when the article is displayed on a flat surface, its webs may subtend any desired said angle.

7. An article according to Claim 6, wherein sad at least one hinge is bonded or pinned to said webs.

8. An article according to Claim 6, wherein at least one of the webs is wholly or partially surrounded by a metal frame, said at least one hinge being attached to said frameof said at least one web.

9. An article according to any one of the preceding claims, having on a surface thereof a pattern, ornament and/or inscription applied thereto by decalcomania.

10. An article defining a communication medium for expressing sentiments such as birthday and other anniversary greetings, affection, congratulations and commiserations, the article being substantially as hereinbefore described.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A communication medium This invention relates to communication media of the kind intended mainly for expressing sentiments such as birthday and other anniversary greetings, affection, congratulations and commiserations. It is customary to convey such sentiments by means of an appropriate card which is foldable for transmission by post in an envelope, and after removal from the envelope adapted to stand on a flat surface, such as a mantlepiece. Such cards, which are produced from relatively stiff paper, however have the disadvantage of deteriorating fairly rapidly, for example by becoming bent, torn, creased and/or soiled. Hence they do not satisfactorily, constitute more permanent mementoes and are generally discarded by their recipient after a few days. According to the present invention, and with the aim of overcoming these disadvantages, an article defining a communication medium for any of the purposes hereinbefore set forth comprises a first and a second rigid web, said webs each having at least one margin wholly contained in a common plane and being disposed, or adapted to be disposed, at an angle such that the article is stable when standing on a flat surface defining said plane, at least a portion of a surface of at least one of said webs being adapted for the application thereto in a substantially permanent manner of an inscription by means of a common writing implement. By "rigid" and "common writing implement" for the purpose of this description is meant respectively "substantially complete inflexibility" and "a ballpoint pen, fountain pen, pencil or the like". Preferably the angle hereinbefore mentioned lies within the range 30 to 90 , i.e. the range of angles at which conventional such greetings cards are generally displayed with a view to (a) providing optimum stability and (b) exposing to sight any pattern, ornament and/or inscriptions on the juxtaposed flanks of the said webs. In one of its preferred forms, an article embodying the invention is made of a ceramic material such as glazed earthenware clay, or of frosted or clear glass. The article may be of unitary configuration, i.e. with the webs integral and disposed at a fixed angle of any desired size, e.g. 90 , by a moulding process well-known to those skilled in the art. Alternatively, the webs may be made separately, either by a moulding process or any other conventional process for making flat ceramic or vitreous (e.g. plate or sheet glass) articles, and joined together by a hinge or hinges along a margin of each of the webs which is at right angles to the firstmentioned margin, so that when the article is displayed on a flat surface, its webs may subtend any desired angle as aforesaid. The hinges of such a hinged form of the article according to the invention may be attached to their respective webs in any desired manner (e.g. bonded or pinned). Alternatively, at least one of the webs may be wholly or partly surrounded by a frame of, for example, metal, such as silver or chromium plated steel. The patterns, ornaments and/or inscriptions may be applied by means of conventional so-called "transfers", or by handpainting. The adaptation, as aforesaid, of the article for the application thereto of an inscription by means of a said common writing implement may take the form of the application to a said web of a paper label or the like whose surface is capable of accepting, without blotting or smudging, the ink from a ballpoint pen, or fountain pen, or the graphite from a conventional "lead pencil". Alternatively the surface of such a label may be so treated that, whilst accepting an inscription without blotting, it can be wiped clean by means of a rag soaked in water or other suitable solvent, so that the article can be reused on some future occasion. CLAIMS (Filed 3rd September 1982)

1. An article defining a communication medium and comprising a first and a second rigid web, said webs each having at least one margin wholly contained in a common plane and being disposed, or adapted to be disposed, at an angle such that the article is stable when standing on a flat surface defining said plane, at least a portion of a surface of at least one of said webs being adapted for the application thereto in a substantially permanent manner of an inscription by means of a common writing implement.

2. An article according to Claim 1, wherein said angle lies within the range 30 to 90 .

3. An article according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, made of a ceramic material.

4. An article according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, made of frosted or clear glass.

5. An article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the webs are integral and disposed at a fixed angle.

6. An article according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the webs are joined together by at least one hinge along a margin of each of the webs which is at right angles to the first-mentioned margin, so that when the article is displayed on a flat surface, its webs may subtend any desired said angle.

7. An article according to Claim 6, wherein sad at least one hinge is bonded or pinned to said webs.

8. An article according to Claim 6, wherein at least one of the webs is wholly or partially surrounded by a metal frame, said at least one hinge being attached to said frameof said at least one web.

9. An article according to any one of the preceding claims, having on a surface thereof a pattern, ornament and/or inscription applied thereto by decalcomania.

10. An article defining a communication medium for expressing sentiments such as birthday and other anniversary greetings, affection, congratulations and commiserations, the article being substantially as hereinbefore described.