WO2002023519A1

WO2002023519A1 - Collapsible folding stereographic viewer and printed media formats

Info

Publication number: WO2002023519A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/028321
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Mccart; Joseph Mccart; Thomas Mccart
Original assignee: Xm Corporation
Priority date: 2000-09-11
Filing date: 2001-09-12
Publication date: 2002-03-21
Also published as: AU2001290737A1

Abstract

A collapsible stereoscopic viewer is disclosed. The viewer is collapsible (1) to a substantially flat position and foldable to an expanded position whereby a stereoscopically complementary pair of images positioned back-to-back relative to each other can be viewed as a three-dimensional image. Also disclosed are postcards (30), greeting cards (40), identification cards, security cards (90), and printed media inserts (51) which are provided with stereoscopically complementary pairs of images (31A, 31B) thereon, which images are positionable back-to-back relative to each other. The various cards optionally include a removable section, which is provided with the stereoscopically complementary image pair (31A, 31B). A three-piece stereoscopic viewer is also disclosed.

Description

Collapsible Folding Stereographic Viewer and Printed Media Formats

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to a collapsible and/or foldable stereoscopic viewer, which employs a stereoscopic pair of images arranged back-to- back relative to one another to provide a three-dimensional image and to printed media formats for use with the stereoscopic viewer.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

Stereoscopic viewers have enjoyed a long history of popularity among a variety of users. Understandably, a great number of stereoscopic viewer designs have been provided. However, all suqh stereoscopic viewers generally include a housing supporting a pair of spaced apart eyepiece lenses having optical characteristics which focus the user's eyes upon an image plane spaced from the housing. A light emitting aperture is typically provided between the eyepiece lenses and the image plane to provide a source of light for illuminating a picture or other image-forming element supported upon the image plane. The viewing of the image through the spaced apart eyepieces provides a stereoscopic or "three-dimensional like" image character. While such stereoscopic viewers are enjoyable, they are typically large and somewhat bulky raising difficulties in storing and transporting the viewers. In addition, the prohibitive size and awkward shape of such stereoscopic viewers often makes them difficult to handle.

In attempting to meet the problems of awkward shape and bulky size of stereoscopic viewers, practitioners in the art have endeavored to provide various folding or collapsible viewers. Such collapsible viewers have in some respects provided improvement in the art. However, they have also typically resulted in structures, which are unnecessarily costly and in many instances difficult or cumbersome to assemble or disassemble tending to make such designs unappealing to consumers.

A wide variety of stereoscopic viewers have been disclosed in the patent literature. For example, U.S. patent no. 5,517,355 discloses a stereoscopic viewer designed to employ a pair of stereoscopic images arranged back-to-back to provide a stereoscopic image. In addition, this patent discloses several embodiments of a card adapted for use in the stereoscopic viewer.

U.S. patent no. 6,069,735 discloses a viewer with an enhanced wide field view. The disclosed viewer creates an enhanced and immersive image. Also disclosed is a novel collapsible viewer that assembles into a substantially rigid structure to maintain proper optical alignment of the lenses and the image(s). This viewer also excludes extraneous light, while allowing the user to focus the device to compensate for variations in eyesight of the users. Also disclosed is a novel means for interchanging images and locking them into optical alignment with the lenses of the viewer.

An example of a variation of a stereoscopic viewer can be found in U. S . patent no. 3,850,505, which discloses a Niewmaster®-type device. U.S. patent no. 5,136,423 issued to Curtin on Aug. 4, 1992 discloses a stereoscopic viewer that collapses into mailable form. Although the viewer disclosed in the Curtin patent ensures alignment of the lens with the image, this device makes no provision for the user to focus the viewer to accommodate for differences in eyesight. Additionally, this structure has no components to shut out extraneous light. The collapsible viewers of the prior art have sacrificed some of the basic features needed to create viewers that are marketable in the promotional products industry. Another example of a collapsible stereoscopic viewer is disclosed in U.S. patent no. 5,309,281 issued to Rover on May 3, 1994. Rover teaches a stereoscopic viewer incorporating a foldable hexagonal frame. The hexagonal frame supports a lens-bearing wall that is opposite to an image-bearing wall. To collapse the device of this invention, the user simply pushes two opposite walls of the frame together. To focus the viewer disclosed in the Rover patent, the user squeezes the hexagonal frame to adjust the distance between the lens-bearing wall and the image-bearing wall. The device of the Rover patent, however, makes no provision to keep out extraneous light. Additionally, the assembly does not result into a rigid structure. Therefore, the alignment between the lenses and the images is often imprecise. U.S. patent no. 4,846,553 issued to Rice discloses yet another collapsible viewer that folds into mailable form. Rice describes his foldable viewer as a bellows- like fold construction, wherein the top, bottom and sidewalls have transverse fold lines that allow the viewer to be collapsed. The Rice patent teaches that these transverse fold lines also allow the user to focus the viewer by squeezing the top and bottom walls together. However, according to the Rice patent, the viewer does not lock into a rigid structure to ensure optical alignment of the stereoscopic components. Additionally, the configuration of the viewer allows extraneous light to enter the viewer through gaps between the various walls of the viewer. U.S. patent nos. 4,175,828; 4,253,732; and 4,357,073 issued to Carver all disclose different versions of a collapsible stereoscopic viewer. These references disclose a viewer where two opposing lateral walls have extensions that bend around the rear wall and attach to form a channel for the receipt of a filmstrip having pairs of stereoscopic images. These references also disclose a focus feature created by transverse fold lines in the lateral walls much like the Rice '533 patent. These references do not disclose a viewer that locks into a rigid assembly. Accordingly, misalignment of the images and the optical means may result from this viewer's inability to "lock" into a rigid structure.

U.S. patent no. 4,660,931 discloses a stereo viewer, which comprises front and rear sides joined by a common hinge, with intermediate hinges. The front side has a zone with a pair of spaced apart lenses and the rear side has a zone with stereoscopic pair in windows. In the storage position the front and rear sides are flat and in the operative position the lenses and the stereoscopic pair are in optical alignment. A positioning member is received between the front and rear sides and provides an abutment against the common hinge for determining the operative or viewing position. The front and rear sides and the positioning member may be made of a single sheet of paperboard and the stereo viewer used as a 3-D postcard.

U.S. patent no. 5,002,363 discloses a stereoscopic sheet with two marks for accommodation of focus and angle of convergence. The stereoscopic sheet comprises one sheet, a lens portion provided at one end portion of the sheet, the lens portion comprising a pair of lenses spaced from each other by the interval of a person's eyes in parallel to the end edge of the one end portion of the sheet, and an image portion provided at the other end portion of the sheet, the image portion comprising a pair of stereoscopic images arranged side by side in parallel to the end edge of the other end portion of the sheet, the lens portion and the image portion being so arranged that the lens and image portions are capable of being erected, with the focal distance of the lenses. Each of the lenses may be adhered to a stepped portion formed by a first through-hole provided in the one end portion and a second through-hole provided in a backing sheet attached to the back side of the one end portion of the sheet. A mark for accommodation of focus and angle of convergence may be provided on the lower side of each of the images of the image portion:

Stereoscopic devices for viewing stills as a three-dimensional image, designed for easy assembly, have hitherto been disclosed in, for instance, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) Nos. 49-44259 (1974) and 49-17676 (1974), Japanese Utility Model Publication (KOKOKU) No. 52-22276 (1977), and Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) Nos. 53-140455 (1978), 55-52119 (1980), 56-161613 (1981), 57-136920 (1982), 57-142715 (1982), 57-136919 (1982), 61-116320 (1986), 61-128619 (1986) and 62-109135 (1987). U.S. patent no. 4,940,210 discloses a collapsible stereoscopic viewer that includes a generally rectangular housing formed of parallel sides and top and bottom surfaces all pivotally secured to form a collapsible rectangular. A pair of internal Walls are similarly secured between the top and bottom surfaces to form two optical channels within the housing. A pair of lens supports is pivotally coupled to the housing interior and may be secured therein using a tab and slot attachment. Each lens support receives and supports a conventional eyepiece lens. A pair of front walls is pivotally secured within the housing interior and may be locked into a vertical position by a tab and slot arrangement. Each front wall defines an aperture aligned with one of the eyepieces. The housing further includes a pair of downwardly extending curved arms, which support a pivotally coupled planar image plane movable between a vertical and horizontal position upon the arms. The entire viewer may be collapsed by pivoting the lens supports and front walls outwardly and collapsing the rectangular housing while pivoting the image plane to a generally coplanar relationship with the collapsed housing and curved arms. U.S. patent no. 5,626,551 discloses a greeting card kit and method for making greeting cards. U.S. patent no. 5,428,423 discloses photographic printed cards and apparatus and methods of making them with a computer and printer system. U.S. patent no. 5,284,365 discloses a greeting card assembly including a basic greeting card member with a removable message insert assembly connected thereto. The basic greeting card member is provided with an insert mounting opening and insert anchor tabs, which are connected to the removable message insert assembly. The removable message insert assembly includes a primary message insert member and an insert support assembly operable for connection to each other having the insert anchor tabs clamped and secured there between. The insert anchor tabs are operable to be severed to remove the removable message insert assembly from the basic greeting card member. The primary message insert member is connected to a cylindrical support member constructed of a magnetic material for ready attachment to an exterior surface of a refrigerator or other magnetically compatible surfaces. In a second embodiment, the removable message insert assembly is provided with a primary message insert member mounted on each side of the cylindrical support member which can be removed from the basic greeting card member to be used as a Christmas tree ornament or the like.

U.S. patent no. 5,807,226 discloses a foldable card and method of making it. The card has multiple panels connected by fold lines which are placed laterally inward from free peripheral edges of end panels such that the card can be die cut in a folded configuration around an entire periphery of the card without entirely eliminating the fold lines. In a preferred method of making the cards, card stock is folded along the fold lines prior to cutting. The fold lines of the card are spaced at intervals to define different widths of adjoining panels so that when folded in a "Z" configuration a free peripheral edge of an end panel overlaps or underlaps a fold line. There may be multiple fold line interconnected panels between end panels. The fold lines may be oriented generally vertically or generally horizontally relative to the face of the card. Abutting surfaces of two or more adjacent panels may be bonded by adhesive at areas not coincident with adjoining fold lines in which case the fold lines between such adhesively connected panels may be eliminated in the die cutting step. In an alternate embodiment, a separate tipped-on panel is applied to a face of a folding panel of the card. The peripheral edges of the tipped-on panel are die cut such that the fold lines are positioned laterally inward from peripheral edges of the tipped-on panel so that the fold lines are not eliminated in the cutting step.

An object of the present invention is to provide a compact and lightweight foldable stereo viewer with special cardholder aspects having a generally flat storage position and an operative or viewing position, and ready changeability from the storage position to the operative or viewing position. Another object of the present invention is to provide a variety of printed media formats for use in conjunction with a stereoscopic viewer to provide a three- dimensional image when viewed using the stereoscopic viewer. Another object of the present invention is a compact and lightweight foldable stereo viewer card that is adapted to be received in an envelope and sent through the mails as a card.

These and other features and advantages of the stereo viewer card will be brought out in the description, which follows, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first embodiment, the present invention relates to a collapsible stereoscopic viewer including first and second side walls. The viewer also includes at least four mirrors, at least two of said mirrors being affixed to each of said first and second side walls. The viewer further includes a card holding device affixed to at least one of said side walls and two eye holes, one in each of said side walls. The collapsible stereoscopic viewer is capable of being arranged in a first, substantially flat position and a second, set up position whereby when a card having back-to-back stereoscopic images is placed in the card holder, each of said images will be transmitted via two mirrors to an eye hole for viewing together to provide a three dimensional image from the two back-to-back images.

In a second embodiment, the present invention relates to a card including at least one removable section which includes a stereoscopically complementary pair of images thereon and wherein said images are positionable back-to-back relative to each other when said removable section is removed from said card.

In a third embodiment, the present invention relates to a printed media insert, which includes a removable section provided with at least one pair of stereoscopically complementary images positionable back-to-back relative to each other when said removable section is removed from said printed media insert.

In a fourth embodiment, the present invention relates to a three-piece stereoscopic viewer including a base, a viewing portion, and a top, wherein said base is provided with four mirrors and a cardholder and said mirrors are arranged to transmit images positioned back-to-back on said card to eye hole located in said viewing portion when said three-piece viewer is fully assembled.

In a fifth embodiment, the present invention relates to an identification or security card, which includes a stereoscopically complementary pair of images positionable back-to-back elative to one another; and identifying data about an individual on said card.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig.1 is a perspective view of a collapsible stereoscopic viewer in accordance with the present invention in the operative position for viewing a three dimensional image.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the collapsible stereoscopic viewer in accordance with Fig. 1 in the collapsed position for storage or transport. Fig. 3 A is a view of a first side of a three-dimensional postcard in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3B is a view of a second side of the three-dimensional postcard shown in Fig. 3A.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a three-dimensional greeting card in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 5A is a view of a first side of a three-dimensional card magazine insert in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 5B is a view of the second side of the three-dimensional card magazine insert shown in Fig. 5A. Fig. 6 is an exploded view of a stereoscopic viewer having a specific configuration to look like a head.

Fig. 7 is instructions for setting up the stereoscopic viewer of Figs. 1-2. Fig. 8 A is a view of a first side of an identification or security card in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 8B is a view of the second side of the identification or security card of

Fig. 8A.

Fig. 9 is a top view of a mug shot card in accordance with the present- invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In designing and producing viewers, one universally recognized principle is that a clear and distinct image requires proper alignment of the optical components of the viewer with the image(s). Another recognized principle is that a viewer must compensate for differences in eyesight among. users, i.e. being near sighted or farsighted, to ensure that a broad range of users can use the viewer and still see a clear image. To that end, viewers must employ some form of focusing means. Additionally, principles of optics teach that extraneous light entering a viewer decreases the clarity of the image. For example, in three-dimensional stereoscopic viewers, a viewer that excludes extraneous light enhances the three-dimensional effect and increases the clarity and illusion of reality of the image.

In a first embodiment, the present invention relates to a collapsible stereoscopic viewer. In the broadest sense, the viewers of the present invention may be made of any suitable material, such as paper, paperboard, plastic, metal, and the like, or any suitable combination of these materials. When used to make the viewers of the invention, suitable materials will preferably be opaque, or will preferably be treated with materials or substances that render them opaque, so that the viewers thus constructed will not permit unwanted extraneous light to interfere with the viewing experience provided by the teaching of the present invention. Collapsible viewers of the present invention will be made of any suitable pliable material, especially, paper, paperboard, and/or plastic. Further, the teachings of the present invention have special application in stereoscopy, virtual reality and regular Niewmaster® types of viewers. Various potential designs can have snap and lock hinges preserving the angles in order to set the viewer into proper functional (angular) orientation. Certain viewer designs will have the means by which it can automatically snap or pop into place for functional viewing orientation or collapse into a storage orientation through tension release mechanisms. The collapsible viewer can fold down into various different storage patterns including; flat layout, coiled layout, folded, stacked or combinations thereof. In order to maintain proper light path/mirror angulation many methods can be used. These include the use of an attached bottom flap to provide proper, angulation. Special finger holds can add to the ease of proper angulation and positioning. Other external methods by which proper angulation can be maintained are i.e. clips, flaps, built in hinges (locking, living), hinge or combinations thereof. Use of external supports, which may surround an amorphous body of the viewer, can provide properly angled reflective parameters, i.e. rings, pre-set surrounding frame, external frame, and accessory frame with preset angles that a viewer can conform into. Preset frames (formed frame receptacles) can_. include things such as a wooden box, plastic box and a formed framed receptacle (i.e. Νerf® ball, Mickey Mouse® head). Build it yourself kits to make collapsible stereoscopic viewers can be created using the materials described above. Optionally, users may design and apply their own decoration to the viewer.

The collapsible viewer can also be a package to hold cards or a pack of cards with size depending on the viewer. Cards that would fit and be seen in the viewer could also be stored in it.

The collapsible viewer may optionally include one or more lenses to help adjust for the focal length of the user's eye. A miniature viewer that uses lenses to provide adequate ocular displacement for viewing yet minimizes the card and viewer size is one option for the present invention. Large, folding collapsible point-of- purchase (POP) viewers suitable for use with oversized images (example 8 W' x 11") can be made so that they can be rested or mounted on surfaces for public viewing, particularly for advertising purposes.

The collapsible viewer may be designed into various self-mailing or packaging forms, with and without cards. The collapsible viewer can also incorporate imbedded electronic chips or readers for voice, data, communication, security or locating, etc. and/or imbedded electronics or LEDs for lighting, illumination, decoration, voice, data, communication, security or location, etc.

The collapsible viewer may optionally include one or more lenses in order to reduce the accommodation length and make them easier to focus by the segment of the population with presbiopia and/or other ocular conditions. The stereoscopic viewer will have the option of print advertising and print elements incorporated into multiple aspects of the functional design.

One example of a collapsible stereoscopic viewing apparatus is shown in Figs. 1-2 of the present application. More specifically, Fig. 1 shows a collapsible stereoscopic viewing apparatus in the operable position. This type of viewing apparatus is described in detail in U.S. patent no. 5,384,655 the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference to the extent necessary to understand the features and operation of the stereoscopic viewing apparatus depicted in Fig. 1 herein. In general, the collapsible viewer 1 of Fig. 1 contains two eye holes 10, four reflective surfaces 11, a card holding apparatus 12 which defines slots 13 into which a card 15 may be inserted in the correct position for viewing using the collapsible viewer 1. The card 15 should have a stereoscopically complementary pair of images thereon, one image on a first side and the complementary image of a second side of the card. Using the reflective surfaces 11, the stereoscopically complementary pair of images is reflected through the eye holes 10 where the user's eyes blend the images into a single, three dimensional image.

Fig. 2 shows the same collapsible stereoscopic viewing apparatus as shown in Fig. 1 in the collapsed position. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the collapsible viewer 1 includes four fold lines 21, 22, 23 and 24 which allow the viewer 1 to collapse to an essentially flat configuration as shown in Fig. 2.

A useful feature of the collapsible viewer 1 shown in Figs. 1-2 is the dual function of the card holding apparatus 12 to both properly position a card 15 in the apparatus in the operative position but also to interact with notches 16 in the viewer 1 as shown in Fig. 1 to lock the foldable viewer 1 into the proper operative position such that the reflective surfaces 11 are aligned to provide a light path from the images on the card 15 to the eye holes 10. In this manner, the viewer 1 is secured in the proper operative position in a simple and economical manner. Viewers may also include pop-ups, cut-outs and die cuts. Further designs of the viewer can include self-mailing packaging. The ability to incorporate customized viewer printing and embellishment further distinguishes the viewer as a visual medium in and of itself. This customizable print aspect can link the collapsible viewer with postcards and/or greeting cards as described below.

Collapsible Viewer Print and Advertising Elements

Viewer print, advertising or other elements can include:

1) Stickers (Normal, Holographic, Prismatic)

2) Adhesive Mechanisms 3) Advertising Card Insert Areas

4) Die Cuts

5) Modern Embellishments

6) Embossing

7) Surface treatments 8) Self Mailing

9) Print/Graphic Treatment

10) Canvas for self-decoration.

11) Attached cards

12) Attached folded strips of cards . 13) Imbedded electronic chips for voice, data or locating.

14) Imbedded electronics or LEDs for lighting, illumination, decoration,, voice, data or location.

Print Media Description

The following are the print applications for which the back-to-back technology of the present invention may be employed.

1) 3-dimensional ("3D") trading cards a) Sports cards, and b) non-sports cards.

2) 3D greeting cards or greeting cards containing 3D cards ready to be punched out or peeled off can be incorporated in the card to be punched out or could be the folded greeting card itself.

3) 3D cards ready to be punched out or peeled off can be incorporated into postcards, optionally with detailed color prints on both sides to be punched out or could be the post card itself ready to be folded and inserted into the viewer.

4) 3D educational information cards.

5) 3D index cards.

6) 3D receipt cards. 7) A folded 3D card straightened for a postcard.

8) 3D advertising card or 3D multicard insert.

9) 3D magazine inserts.

10) Creation of 3D personal cards on home computers and the ability to obtain photographic quality prints on home printers. 11) 3D book inserts.

12) Create your own 3D card kits.

13) 3D bookmark or book page inserts.

14) Event imaging personalized 3D photo cards.

15) Adhesive mechanisms to stick 3D cards on many substrates and products. 16) Specialized pockets to place 3D cards into.

17) 3D or normal stickers or decals to place on the cards.

18) Folded strip of 3D card (accordion layout with built in perforations). 19) Right and left eye stereoscopic pair which are adhered as separate images on a substrate that can be pealed off. and combined to each other or to a separate substrate forming a back to back stereographic pair.

20) Printed stereographic media incorporating imbedded electronic chips or readers for voice, data, communication, security or locating, etc. and/or imbedded electronics or LED's for lighting, illumination, decoration, voice, data, communication, security or location etc. Foldable greeting cards having multiple panels connected by fold lines are desirable for the large amount of graphic area provided and structural distinctiveness. Large-scale manufacture of such cards is difficult in processes in which the fold lines, which connect the panels, are formed after the card is cut from card stock.

To form multiple panel cards with panels having curved and/or intricately shaped peripheral edges, it is preferred to die cut around an entire periphery (360°) of the front and back panels of the card while the card is in a folded configuration. It is also desirable to 360° die cut cards which have a uniquely finished or textured cover panel which is adhesively attached or "tipped-on" to a folding panel of the card, whereby an entire periphery of the front panel could be intricately shaped, along with the other panels of the card.

The present invention also includes incorporating one or more trading cards in a postcard with quality printing on both sides and/or incorporating a trading card in a greeting card. The separate images joined or adhered together on a substrate that can be peeled off is also applicable to a wide variety of different embodiments of the present invention and may be combined with one or more features of other embodiments. Referring to Figs. 3A-3B, there is shown a postcard 30 in accordance with the present invention with the front of the postcard shown in Fig. 3B and the back of the postcard 30 shown in Fig. 3A. The postcard 3- includes a stereoscopically complementary pair of images 31 A and 31 B which are arranged backrto-back on the postcard 30 as shown in Figs. 3A-3B. When the stereoscopically complementary pair of images 31 A, 3 IB is removed from the postcard 30 by tearing along score lines 32, 33, a card having back-to-back stereoscopically complementary images 31 A, 3 IB is obtained. This card can be used in the collapsible viewer 1 described above or in any other suitable viewing apparatus. The stereoscopically complementary images 31 A, 3 IB may be the only images on postcard 30, they may form part of larger images as shown or they may be one of a set of different images and/or combined textual matter to create the desired appearance and effect of the postcard 30.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is shown a greeting card 40 which includes a stereoscopically complementary images 41 A. and 41B. Again, by removing the pair of images 41 A, 41B by tearing along score lines 42, 43, 44 and 44 and folding the images 41 A, 41B to a back-to-back position by folding along fold line 46, a card having back-to-back stereoscopically complementary images 41 A, 41B is obtained. This card can be used in the collapsible viewer 1 described above or in any other suitable viewing apparatus. Note that the images 41 A, 41B may optionally form part of the overall image on the greeting card 40, as shown in order to provide a pleasing aesthetic effect for the greeting card 40 which at the same time providing a card with a stereoscopic pair of images 41 A, 41 B .

Referring to Figs. 5 A and 5B, there is shown a 3D card magazine insert 51 for a magazine 50. The insert 51 includes a front side 52 bearing, in this case, four different images 54A, 55A, 56A and 57A and a back side 53 bearing the stereoscopically complementary images 54B, 55B, 56B and 57B for the images on the front side 52 of insert 51. The insert 51 may be cut out of the magazine 50 and split into four separate cards along score lines 58, 59, each of which will have a stereoscopically complementary pair of images 54A, 54B; 55A, 55B; 56A, 56B; 57A, 57B arranged back-to-back relative to one another. These cards can be used in the collapsible viewer 1 described above or in any other suitable viewing apparatus. Magazine 50 may include other textual material 60 or pictures 61 in addition to the insert 51 on the same pages in order to provide an attractive display or advertisement. In this manner, such an insert 51 can be used as a promotion and/or as part of an advertising campaign.

Referring to Fig. 6, there is shown an exploded view of an alien design stereoscopic viewer 70 in accordance with the present invention. The viewer 70 includes a one-piece lens portion 71 provided with two lenses 72, 73, which may be clear to at least partially opaque.- The viewer 70 may optionally include a decorative insert 74 attached to the lens portion 71 , as shown to provide decoration to the viewer 70. Optionally, lenses 72, 73 can be replaced by a transparent material or can simply be left open for viewing if the use of lenses is not desirable in a particular device.

The viewer 70 also includes a top 75, which may be clear to opaque. A clear top 75 has the advantage that it permits light to enter the viewer 70 to enhance image quality and it allows the use of a decorative insert 74 to provide a design to the viewer 70. Top 75 includes a slot 76 for insertion of a stereocard therein. Also, top 75 includes an opening 77 to facilitate gripping of the stereocard when it is desired to remove it from slot 76. Top 75 also includes fasteners 78 which are used to secure top 75 to base 80 of viewer 70. Fasteners 78 preferably snap-fit into slots 81 in base 80 as shown in Fig. 6. Top 75 may optionally include a device such as flange 79 for securing lens insert 71 into viewer 70.

Base 80 includes mirror seats 82 into which mirrors 83 can be inserted during assembly of the viewer 70. Base 80 also includes a cardholder 84 for holding a stereocard in position in viewer 70. Portions of cardholder 84 may also be formed by, - for example, a slot 85 in lens portion 71 and a rail 86 in top 75, if desired. This three- piece viewer 70 is easy to assemble and can be fabricated to incorporate a variety of designs to provide an attractive device for viewing three-dimensional images. Referring to Fig. 7, there is shown a method for set up of the collapsible , stereoscopic viewer 1 shown in Figs. 1-2.

Referring to Figs. 8A-8B, there is shown an identification or security card 90 in accordance with the present invention, which includes a stereoscopic pair of images 91, 92 on the front and back thereof. Fig. 8 A shows the front of the card 90 and Fig. 8B shows the back of the card 90. The card 90 may include identifying information thereon, for example at one or both of loca ions 93, 94. Also, the card 90 may include corporate or organization identifying information thereon, for example, at 95. ^"The card 90 may include a magnetic strip or bar code 96 thereon for use in automated entry or identification systems. Such a card 90 can also be used, for example, as a smart card, credit card, driver's license, passport, etc. The card 90 of Fig. 8 uses the benefits of stereo-imaging and graphics to enable easier and more accurate recognition of individuals. The presentation of these cards as stereocards provides greater security against tampering or counterfeiting since precise alignment of the various three-dimensional elements is required to provide the stereoscopic effect. Through stereoscopic imaging, the card 90 can incorporation all 23 identifying facial characteristics of a person in the form of a % profile stereoscopic image of that person. This provides a low cost, reproducible and transmutable identification card, which allows greater accuracy in identification of persons while at the same time being useful with existing security systems. Fig. 9 shows a three-dimensional mug shot card 100 having stereoscopic images 101, 102 of a person thereon. Information about the individual can be included in areas 103, 104. Similar advantages as for the Fig. 8 design also apply for Fig. 9. This would permit distribution of, for example, the most- wanted list in three- dimensional stereographic form for easier and more accurate identification of criminals.

Many modifications and variations of these embodiments within the scope of the invention are possible. The scope of the invention is to be determined from the claims appended hereto.

Claims

Claims:

1. A collapsible stereoscopic viewer comprising: first and second side walls; at least four mirrors, at least two of said mirrors being affixed to each of said first and second side walls; a card holding device affixed to at least one of said side walls; two eye holes, one in each of said side walls; and wherein said collapsible stereoscopic viewer is capable of being arranged in a first, substantially flat position and is capable of being arranged in a second, set up position whereby when a card having back-to-back stereoscopic images is placed in the card holder, each of said images will be transmitted via two mirrors to an eye hole for viewing together to provide a three dimensional image from the two back-to-back images.

2. A collapsible stereoscopic viewer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising two lenses, one of which is located in each said eye hole,

3. A collapsible stereoscopic viewer as claimed in claim 2, further comprising first and second flaps, said first and second flaps being affixed to said first and second side walls, respectively, and wherein said card holder includes two slots into which tabs on said first and second flaps fit when the viewer is in the second, set up position to lock the viewer in position for viewing.

4. A collapsible viewer as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first and second sidewalls are attached to each other at one end thereof to form a unitary device.

5. A collapsible viewer as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first and second sidewalls are attached to each other at both ends thereof to form a unitary device.

6. A card comprising at least one removable section which includes a stereoscopically complementary pair of images thereon and wherein said images are positionable back-to-back relative to each other when said removable section is removed from said card.

7. A card as claimed in claim 6, wherein said card is a postcard and a portion of the postcard includes a stereoscopically complementary pair of images positioned back-to-back relative to one another on said removable section of the postcard.

8. A card as claimed in claim 6, wherein said card is a foldable card having a fold line therein, and wherein said removable section comprises a portion of the fold line such that the stereoscopically complementary pair of images on said removable section of said card can be positioned back-to-back relative to each other by folding said removable section along said portion of the fold line comprised by the removable section.

9. A printed media insert, which comprises a removable section provided with at least one pair of stereoscopically complementary images positionable back-to- back relative to each other when said removable section is removed from said printed media insert.

10. A printed media insert as claimed in claim 9, wherein said removable section comprises a plurality of pairs of stereoscopically complementary images. 11. A three-piece stereoscopic viewer comprising: a base; a viewing portion; a top; wherein said base is provided with four mirrors and a card holder and said mirrors are arranged to transmit images positioned back-to-back on said card to eye hole located in said viewing portion when said three-piece viewer is fully assembled.

11. An identification or security card which comprises: a stereoscopically complementary pair of images positionable back-to-back elative to one another; and identifying data about an individual on said card.