GB2220381A

GB2220381A - Postcard for mailing and displaying a photograph

Info

Publication number: GB2220381A
Application number: GB8913452A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Takashi Iizuka
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-06-13
Filing date: 1989-06-12
Publication date: 1990-01-10
Also published as: GB8913452D0; JPH023869U; AU3625089A; FR2632568A1

Abstract

A postcard for mailing and displaying a photograph which has been formed by folding a rectangular board (10) at a centre line (11) comprises a first section (12a) with a window opening (13) and a second section (12b) with tearing and folding lines (16 and 17) which lines provide a support leg (18) to support the postcard in erect position. The photograph is attached to section (12b) by means of adhesive strips (19), the adhesive also gluing together the two sections of the card. The photograph may be protected by a transparent film. <IMAGE>

Description

POSTCARD This invention relates to a postcard for mailing a photograph or the like.

For mailing photographs or the like, generally the photograph or the like is mailed enclosed in an envelope or mailed directly by writing the address on the reverse side of the photograph.

However, the conventional photograph mailing methods have the drawbacks that the photograph tends to fold in transit and/or because the photograph cannot be displayed as it is, the photograph has to be placed into a frame or pasted to an album for display.

The object of the present invention is to provide a postcard which eliminates the drawbacks inherent in the conventional photograph mailing methods.

The invention accordingly provides a blank for forming into a postcard, comprising first and second sections each having dimensions corresponding to those of the finished postcard and defined by a rectangular blank having dimensions twice those of the finished postcard and provided with a transverse folding line substantially at the centre of the length of the blank, a window opening formed in a substantially central region of said first section, address and communication spaces and tearing and folding lines formed on the front side of said second section, said tearing and folding lines in the second section defining a support leg for supporting said postcard in an erect position when said support leg is separated from the body of the second section by tearing along said tearing lines, and an adhesive layer applied to the reverse side of at least one of said first and second sections whereby a photograph or the like can be held between said first and second sections when the sections are folded back along said transverse folding line.

The above and other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which show preferred embodiments of the present invention for illustration purposes only, but not for limiting the scope of the same in any way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a developed plan view of a first embodiment of the postcard according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the postcard showing the card in its condition folded along the centre folding line with the first board section disposed on the top; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the postcard showing the card as being supported in its erect position by the support leg, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the postcard according to the present invention showing the card in its condition folded along the centre folding line with the first board section disposed on the top.

The present invention will now be described referring to the accompanying drawings and more particularly, to Fig. 1 to 3 in which a first embodiment of postcard according to the present invention is shown. In Fig.

1, reference numeral 10 generally shows a rectangular board which has dimensions double as large as the dimensions of the standard postcard and from which the postcard of the invention is prepared. A transverse folding line 11 is cut at the centre of the length of the front side of the board and when the board 10 is folded along the folding line 11, first and second continuous board sections 12a and 12b each having the dimensions of the standard postcard are provided. The first board section 12a is cut away in a substantially central region thereof to form a window opening 13 to give a picture frame configuration to the first board section 12a and the front side of the second board section 12b is provided with an address space 14 adjacent to one end of the second board section 12b and a communication space 15 adjacent to the other end of the board section.Two parallel and spaced tear lines 16, 16 are cut in the front side of the second board section 12b extending from one end edge of the second board section 12b and terminating short of folding line 11. The inner ends of the tear lines 16 are connected by a transverse folding line 17 cut in the front side of the second board section 12b to provide a support leg 18 when the second board section 12b is torn along the tear lines 16 and folded back along the folding line 17 so as to erect the cardboard 10 sidewise as shown in Fig. 3.

Paste is applied in parallel and spaced strips 19 to the reverse side of the second board section 12b extending transversely of the board section except for the region of the support leg 18. Although not shown, a photograph or picture is applied to the reverse side of the first board section 12a in the region of the window 13 to be viewed from the front side of the first board section 12a. As the case may be, a film is applied to the front side of the first board section 12a in the region of the window to protect the photograph or picture against stain. In the foregoing, it has been described that the paste is applied to the reverse side of the second board section 12b, the paste may be applied to the reverse side of the first board section 12a within the scope of the present invention.

Fig. 4 shows the second embodiment of the postcard 10' according to the present invention. The second embodiment is substantially identical with the first embodiment except for the position of the support leg.

The support leg of the second embodiment shown by reference numeral 18' is provided at one corner of the second board 12b (not shown) and defined by the convergant tear lines 16', 16' and folding line 17' cut in the front side of the second board section 12b. One of the tear lines 16' extends from one side edge of the board section and terminates short of the centre folding line (not shown) cut in the front side of the board 10' and the other tear line 16' extends from one end edge of the second board section 12b and terminates short of the centre folding line of the postcard. The folding line 17' extends and connects between the inner ends of the tear lines 16'. Thus, the second embodiment of the postcard is supported endwise by the support leg 18' in the position to be viewed at the window.

With the above-mentioned construction and arrangement of the components of the postcard of the present invention, a photograph is glued to the paste-applied side of the second board section in the position to be viewed in the window, a transparent protective film is applied over the photograph to embrace the photograph and the first and second board sections are glued together to provide a postcard which can mail the photograph by writing an address in the address space on the second card section. Upon receipt of the postcard, the receiver can employ the postcard as a photograph stand by pulling or separating the support leg out of the body of the second board section at the tear lines 16 or 16'.

The postcard of the present invention enables a photograph to be simply mailed and displayed as a photograph stand and the photograph is prevented from folding in transit.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that the same are for illustration purpose only and not to be taken as a definition of the invention, and reference should be given to the appended claims for that purpose.

Claims

1. A blank for forming into a postcard, comprising first and second sections each having dimensions corresponding to those of the finished postcard and defined by a rectangular blank having dimensions twice those of the finished postcard and provided with a transverse folding line substantially at the centre of the length of the blank, a window opening formed in a substantially central region of said first section, address and communication spaces and tearing and folding lines formed on the front side of said second section, said tearing and folding lines in the second section defining a support leg for supporting said postcard in an erect position when said support leg is separated from the body of the second section by tearing along said tearing lines, and an adhesive layer applied to the reverse side of at least one of said first and second sections whereby a photograph or the like can be held between said first and second sections when the sections are folded back along said transverse folding line.

2. A blank as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said tearing lines extend in parallel relationship from one side edge of said second section and terminate short of said transverse folding line in the blank and said folding line in the second board section extends and connects between the inner ends of said tearing lines so as to support the postcard in an erect position sidewise.

3. A blank as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said tearing lines extend in inwardly converging relationship from one side edge and the adjacent one end edge of said second section and terminate short of said transverse folding line, respectively, so as to support said postcard in erect position endwise.

4. A blank for forming into a postcard substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or Figs. 1 and 2 as modified by Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A postcard formed from a blank as claimed in any one of Claims 1 - 4.