GB2401546A

GB2401546A - Card holder

Info

Publication number: GB2401546A
Application number: GB0409510A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Rankin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-04-30
Filing date: 2004-04-29
Publication date: 2004-11-17
Also published as: GB0409510D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a holder for retaining a two-leafed sheet article in an open condition. Two divergent walls 3a,3b are joined at a corner 4 and form a triangular base 2. Protrusions 5a-c extend outwardly from the interior surface of the base and walls. The protrusions are placed on opposite sides of the card, and hold it in a staggered relationship.

Description

CARD HOLDER

Field of the invention

the invention relates to a holder for retaining a two-leafed sheet article in an open condition. The invention also relates to a kit comprising a plurality of holders for use in retaining a two-leafed sheet article in an open condition according to the present invention.

Background to the invention

Two-leafed articles, such as greetings cards, generally comprise a single sheet of paper or paper stock material which is so arranged that a pair of panels which lie in a facewise engagement with one another is provided. The first panel usually has pictorial or printed matter on both outer and inner sides, whilst the second panel usually has such matter only on the inner side. Typically when such a card is displayed, the lack of any means of retaining the card at a particular display angle results in the card falling over and also printed matter being obscured from view.

Prior art devices such as those disclosed in US Patent No.s 3,791,651; 3, 797,149 and 4,007,551 lack any provision for displaying both sides of the first leaf and at least one side of the last leaf simultaneously. Furthermore they do not provide any means for the adjustment of the display angle of the card.

US 4,326,349 overcomes the problems associated with the earlier devices by providing a device comprising first and second leaf supports and receiving means which take the form of a frame structure provided with a slot for the frictional engagement of the leaves. The supports can further include one or two transparent surfaces which would allow unhindered viewing of the card whilst additionally keeping out dust and protecting the card from human handling, and support feet which allow any desired viewing angle without the display falling over. However, there are a number of problems associated with this device, firstly, the design restricts the type and size of card that can be displayed. There are an infinite number of sizes, widths, styles and shape of greeting card, including the more traditional rectangular shape, but also square and circular, multi-leafed, 3-D, concertina, and a style such as that disclosed in US 5,435,085 which incorporates a means of housing objects, such as perfume, chocolates or flowers. Furthermore, the device disclosed in US 4,326,349 is bulky and thus storage may be a problem, and the manufacturing process may be complex and expensive as a result of the number of components and types of materials used.

A need therefore exists for a card holder which can retain a substantially rectangular or square two-leaf sheet article, such as a greeting card in an open condition at a required display angle whilst also being unobtrusive. The device must also be easily stored, manufactured simply and inexpensively and customer fiiendly. It may also be advantageous for the holder to be readily disposable.

Statements of the invention

Thus according to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a holder for displaying a two-leafed sheet article in an open condition, said holder having a pair of divergent wall members, each providing external support to a lower portion of a respective leaf of said article and having a means of retaining at least one of said wall members in an abutting relationship with said respective leaf.

One of the problems associated with the prior art card holders is that the holder often detracts from the card, the holder is as much on display as the card itself, and often surrounds the entire circumference of the card. The holders are usually manufactured from non-flexible materials and can therefore be considered a robust, substantial product in their own right. The holder herein described is designed to be used as corner brace for retaining a card in an open condition. Whilst the walls members of the holder are approximately 25mm in length, this value may vary dependent on how far along the lower portion of a leaf of a card the holder is desired to extend.

Preferably the divergent walls members of the holder extend from a receiving corner of said holder and preferably still these divergent walls members are joined at the recelvmg corner.

In order to make keep the obtrusiveness of the holder to a minimum the walls members of the holder are shallow and preferably taper away from the card receiving corner. Preferably the depth of the wall members decreases in a direction away from the receiving confer. Preferably the depth of the wall member at the receiving corner is less than the length of the wall member. Even more preferably the depth of the wall members at the receiving corner is less than half the length of the wall member. For example, at the receiving corner the wall is approximately 5mm in height, but this may vary depending on the height of a card.

The angle at which a card is to be held open may depend on factors such as whether printed matter on the inner surface of the card is to be displayed or whether a number of cards are to be stacked within each other. The angle at which the two divergent walls members extend away from the card receiving corner governs the angle at which the card is held. A kit therefore may be provided comprises a plurality of holders of varying sizes which can hold cards at a range of angles. Alternatively a hinge may be provided at the point where the two divergent walls meet which enables a holder to hold a card at an infinite number of angles determined by the user.

With the prior art holders, and particularly the holder disclosed in US 4, 326,349, the card is held in the channel of the holder simply by gravity. If the leaf of the card is much thinner than the width of this channel the card will fail to be held at a substantially 90 angle and will tcud to tilt, possibly causing the holder to fall over due to unbalance. In the present invention this problem is overcome by the provision of retaining means which retain at least one of the wall members of the holder in an abutting relationship with a respective leaf of the card.

Preferably this retaining means is at least one protrusion which extends outwardly from at least one surface of the holder so that when in use said protrusion urges a respective leaf towards a wall member for the abutment of said leaf with said wall member. The part of the protrusion that the extreme lowest edge of the leaf abuts with is substantially straight and this forms a locking mechanism.

Even more preferably said surface from which at least one protrusion extends is a surface which is located between the two divergent wall members. Even more preferably still this surface forms a base of the holder and the protrusion extends substantially across the width of said surface, resulting in a narrow channel being formed between the protrusion and the divergent walls of the holder in which a leaf is held.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention each wall member has positioned interior to and parallel therewith a further wall member to form an open- ended channel for accommodating a leaf and wherein at least one protrusion extends outwardly from a surface of at least one wall member In order to give the holder increased rigidity and to prevent the holder splaying outwardly, it will be understood that a further surface may optionally be provided, wherein said surface extends substantially across distance between the two interior wall members.

In a further embodiment of the present invention the retaining means is provided by at least two opposing protrusions. Preferably said opposing protrusions are in a staggered relationship. Said opposing protrusions extend outwardly from at least two interior surfaces of the holder. More preferably still said interior surfaces are the interior surfaces of the opposing wall members which form the open-ended channel for accommodating a leaf. Alternatively still at least one interior surface is an interior surface of a divergent wall member and a second interior surface extends between the divergent wall member.

It will be understood to one skilled in the art that the holder can hold a two-leafed sheet article such as a greeting card, but it holders of varying sizes may used to hold articles with three or more leaves, such as a book, menu, map or photo-album.

It will also be understood that the holder can be used on a portrait or landscape style card.

In order to limit the unobtrusiveness of the holder, to simplify the manufacturing process, to increase disposability and also to minimise the cost, the holder is preferably manufactured from a clear, thin, flexible sheet plastic by vacuum forming.

This method of manufacture results in the product being stored in sheet form. The holders remain post-production in this sheet form, with each holder being pre-cut for easy removal by the consumer. However, a minimum, approx. 0.25mm, of uncut plastic remains around each comer to 'lightly' attached the holder to the sheet. The consumer simply snaps these comer attachments to detach each holder as required.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a kit comprising a plurality of holders for use in displaying two-leafed sheet articles and a means of incorporating said holders in a single item of packaging. Preferably the kit comprises holders of varying sizes for use with different sized articles.

The invention will now be illustrated by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Description of the drawings

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a first embodiment of the holder.

Figure 2 illustrates a plan view of a first embodiment of the holder with a card in place. This figure also illustrates cross-sections across a frontal elevation of the holder which show the structure of the retaining means in more detail.

Figure 3 illustrates a plan view of a second embodiment of the holder with a card in place.

Figure 4 illustrates a plan view of a kit comprising a plurality of holders according to a first or second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of a second embodiment of the holder This figure also illustrates a cross-section across a frontal elevation of the holder which show the structure of the retaining means in more detail.

Detailed description of the invention

Referring to Figure 1, a holder 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in perspective view, the holder comprises a substantially triangular base 2 and two divergent wall members 3a and 3b which are joined at and extend flown a receiving comer 4. The wall members are substantially perpendicular with the base. The wall members extend along the length of the base and taper away from the receiving comer. A resilient jaw into which a respective leaf of a card is held is formed between the retaining means 5a and 5b and also between retaining means 5b and Sc. Retaining means 5a and 5c arc protrusions that extend from the ilmer surface of wall members 3a and 3b. Retaining means 5b is a protrusion that extends from the upper surface of the base and extends substantially across the width of the base.

Referring to Figure 2, a holder 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in plan view, the holder comprises a substantially triangular base2 and two divergent wall members 3a and 3b which are joined at and extend from a receiving comer 4. A resilient jaw into which respective leaves of a card 6a and 6b are held is formed betwocn the retaining means 5a and 5b and also between retaining means 5b and 5c. Retaining means 5a and 5c are protrusions that extend from the inner surface of wall members 3a and 3b. Retaining means 5b is a protrusion that extends from the upper surface of the base and extends substantially across the width of the base. The cross section A-A illustrates that retaining means 5a and 5c extend from the inner surface of the wall members 3a and 3b respectively, and that these protrusions have a substantially straight section which abuts the leaf. The cross section B-B also illustrates that protrusion 5b has substantially straight section which abuts the leaf.

Referring to Figure 3, a holder 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in plan view, the holder comprises a substantially triangular base 2 and two divergent wall members 3a and 3b which are joined at and extend from a receiving corner 4. A resilient jaw into which respective leaves of a card 6a and 6b are held is formed between the retaining means 5a and 5b and also between retaining means 5b and 5c. Retaining means 5a and 5c are protrusions that extend from the inner surface of wall members 3a and 3b. Retaining means 5b is a protrusion that extends from the upper surface of the base and extends substantially across the width of the base. A guiding protrusion 7 which extends from the upper surface of the base and which located within the receiving corner of the holder aids in guiding the cards between the retaining means. The cross section C-C shows thc raised guiding protrusion 7 and the raised retaining means 5b. The cross section D-D illustrates that retaining means 5a and 5c extend from the inner surface of the wall members 3a and 3b respectively, and that these protrusions have a substantially straight section which abuts the leaf. The cross-section E-E shows that the guiding protrusion 7 is substantially circular in shape.

Figure 4 illustrates a plan view of a kit comprising a plurality of holders according to a first and second embodiment of the present invention. A range of size of holder may be included in the kit for holding a range of card sizes and shapes open and at a particular display angle. The holders are manufactured by vacuum forming of plastic sheets. The holders are guillotined around their circumference, but a small section is left uncut on each corner to form a corner attachment 8a-8c functioning to lightly attach the holder to the sheet. The user simply snaps these corner attachments to detach each holder as required.

Figure S illustrates a perspective view of a third embodiment of the holder 1. The holder comprises an outer pair of divergent wall members 3a and 3b which are joined at and extend from a receiving corner 4. A second pair of divergent wall members 3c and 3d is located interior to and parallel with the outer pair to form a V-shaped channel 9. This channel is open at the end of the wall members which is distal to the receiving comers. All wall members taper away from the receiving corner.

Protrusions lOa and lOb are shown extending from the inner surface of wall members 3c and 3d into the channel 9. These protrusions urge the respective leaves of a card towards wall members 3a and 3b, so that an abutting relationship exists between the leaves and the wall members. It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that the protrusions could alternatively extend into the channel 9 from the inner surface of wall members 3a and 3b, in order to urge the respective leaves of a card towards wall members 3c and 3d, so that an abutting relationship exists between the leaves and these wall members. A further alternative is for a resilient jaw to be formed by protrusions extending into the channel from the inner surfaces of wall members 3a-3d and a leaf is held within this resilient jaw. The cross section F-F also illustrates that protrusion Sb has substantially straight section which abuts the leaf.

Claims

1. A holder for displaying a two-leafed sheet article in an open condition, said holder having a pair of divergent wall members, each providing external support to a lower portion of a respective leaf of said article and having a means of retaining at least one of said wall members in an abutting relationship with said respective leaf.

2. A holder according to claim 1, wherein said divergent walls members extend from a receiving corner of said holder.

3. A holder according to claim 2, wherein said divergent walls members join at said receiving corner.

4. A holder according any of the proceeding clainns, wherein the depth of said wall members decreases in a direction away from said receiving corner.

5. A holder according to any of any of the proceeding claims, wherein said walls are shallow.

6. A holder according to any of any of the proceeding claims, wherein the depth at said receiving corner of said wall member is less than its length.

7. A holder according to any of any of the proceeding claims, wherein the depth at said receiving corner of said wall member is less than half its length.

8. A holder according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein said retaining means is at least one protrusion which extends outwardly from at least one interior surface of said holder so that when in use said protrusion urges a respective leaf towards a wall member for the abutment of said leaf with said wall member.

9. A holder according to claim 8, wherein said interior surface from which at least one protrusion extends is located between the two divergent wall members.

10. A holder according to claim 8, wherein said interior surface forms a base of said holder.

11. A holder according to claim 10, wherein said protrusion extends substantially across the width of said interior surface.

12. A holder according to claim 8, wherein each wall member has positioned interior to and parallel therewith a further wall member to form an open-ended channel for accommodating a leaf and wherein at least one protrusion extends outwardly from an interior surface of at least one wall member.

13. A holder according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein said retaining means is provided by at least two opposing protrusions.

14. A holder according to claim 13, wherein said opposing protrusions are in a staggered relationship.

IS. A holder according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein said twoleafed sheet article is a greeting card.

16. A kit comprising a plurality of holders for use in displaying twoleafed sheet articles according to any of the proceeding claims and a means of incorporating said holders in a single item of packaging

17. A kit according to claim 16, wherein said kit comprising holders of varying sizes.

18. A holder for displaying a two-leafed sheet article in an open condition substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 and 2, or Figure 3 or Figure 5.

19. A kit comprising a plurality holder for displaying a two-leafed sheet article in an open condition substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 4.

20. A holder for displaying a two-leafed sheet article in an open condition according to claim 1 as substantially described herein.