Abstract:
A display apparatus is formed from sheet of stock having an image portion separable from a support portion wherein an image is printed on a display side of the image portion and the two portions assembled together to form an integral frame free-standing display. The sheet is provided with die cut and score lines so that no cutting or pasting is required. A computer program enables the combination of digital photographs, simulated picture frame images, clip art and text for processing through a personal computer printer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to printable paper products and methods for producing them and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for printing images integral with a frame.  
         [0002]     The availability of low-cost, high-quality digital cameras has enabled users of these cameras easy and quick access to the images captured by the cameras. The availability of low-cost, high-quality color printers has enabled users of digital cameras to print photographic-quality images directly from a personal printer.  
         [0003]     While printing the images captured by the digital cameras has been made easier, it remains desirable to provide a frame for mounting and displaying the images once printed or for presenting the images as a gift or the like. Conventional picture frames, however, can be both heavy and expensive.  
         [0004]     There is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,854 a picture frame formed of a unitary blank formed in three sections that may be folded to form the picture frame. The frame includes an aperture formed in one of the sections for displaying a separate photograph.  
         [0005]     There is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,936,862 a computer program for generating picture frames from a single sheet of paper along with a pattern with fold and cut lines to create the picture frame. The frame includes a window that the user may remove, or may choose to place art, an imported picture, or design patterns on the window. The frame is assembled by cutting and pasting various portions of the frame and/or picture.  
         [0006]     There is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,061 a foldable picture frame that permits direct printing of a picture and a border. The specification recites that a first side of a flat sheet is utilized to print a digital photograph or picture and is then turned over to print graphics on the other side of the sheet. In addition, a center panel is then removed in order to form a viewing window for the picture.  
         [0007]     It is desirable, therefore, to provide a picture frame with a picture display area formed from a single sheet of stock that does not require removal of a window and can be printed in a single pass.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention concerns a sheet of stock for use in printing images with an integral frame and a computer program for printing an image on the sheet. In one embodiment, an image portion and a support portion are separated, the support portion folded and the two portions attached to stand upright on a surface. In another embodiment, the sheet of stock has magnetic properties that permit attachment to a metal surface such as a refrigerator door.  
         [0009]     A display apparatus for use in printing images with an integral frame includes an image portion having a display side and an opposite side, the image portion having first attachment means formed integral therewith, and a support portion attached to the image portion to form the sheet of stock, the support portion being attached to the image portion at a separation die cut line formed in the sheet of stock, the support portion having second attachment means formed integral therewith, whereby when the support portion is separated from the image portion at the separation die cut line and the first and second attachment means are engaged, the image portion and the support portion cooperate with a generally horizontal support surface to orient the display side in a generally vertical plane for viewing. The first attachment means can be a pair of frame extensions extending along opposite edges of the image portion and separated from an image area by a pair of attachment die cut lines while the second attachment means can be a pair of tabs extending from the support portion for engaging associated openings formed by the attachment die cut lines.  
         [0010]     The display apparatus includes a plurality of score lines formed in the support portion for folding the support portion into a generally V-shape after separation from the image portion. The sheet of stock can include a carrier portion detachably attached to the image portion and the support portion during printing of at least one image on the image portion, the carrier portion being separated from the image portion and the support portion prior to engagement of the first and second attachment means. The image portion includes an image area bounded by a pair of frame extensions, each frame extension being separated from the image area by an attachment die cut line extending between a pair of score lines.  
         [0011]     In an alternate embodiment, the display apparatus includes a sheet of stock having a display side with at least one image portion and a support side opposite the display side, and magnetic means being one of integral with the sheet of stock and a layer attached to the support side, whereby when the image is printed on the at least one image portion, the magnetic means is operable to retain the sheet of stock on a metal surface with the display side oriented for viewing the image. The image portion can have a representation of a picture frame printed thereon and can be surrounded by a carrier portion of the sheet of stock and including die cut lines formed in the sheet of stock for separating the carrier portion from the image portion. The sheet of stock is sized for use with a personal computer printer.  
         [0012]     The present invention includes a method for forming an image display apparatus having an integral frame, comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of stock having an image portion separable from a support portion, the sheet of stock having a display side; obtaining an image in digital form; printing the image on the display side in an image area of the image portion; separating the support portion from the image portion; and assembling the support portion to the image portion to form a framed image display apparatus that cooperates with a generally horizontal support surface to orient the display side of the image portion in a generally vertical plane for viewing. The image can include a frame image representing a simulated picture frame and a photo image wherein the frame image is selected from a stored plurality of different frame images.  
         [0013]     The method can include a step of obtaining a clip art image and printing the clip art image on the display side at a selected location in the image portion. The method includes forming a die cut line in the sheet of stock between the image portion and the support portion and separating the support portion from the image portion at the die cut line. The method can include a step of generating text and printing the text on the display side at a selected location in the image portion.  
         [0014]     The assembled frame fits into a standard greeting card size envelope, which advantageously allows the frame to be mailed with any brand-name greeting card or separately utilizing provided envelopes. The present invention may advantageously include inserts for any occasion, including Christmas, birthday, retirement, and thank you inserts.  
         [0015]     The sheet of stock in accordance with the present invention advantageously provides a picture frame that is portable and inexpensive to produce. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     The above, as well as other advantages of the present invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a sheet of stock for a frame in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  are front elevation views in landscape and portrait orientations, respectively, of the frame of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0019]      FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  are side elevation views in landscape and portrait orientations, respectively, of the frame of  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b;    
         [0020]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  are rear elevation views in landscape and portrait orientations, respectively, of the frame of  FIG. 2   a  and  2   b;    
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a sheet of stock for an alternative embodiment of a frame in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a sheet of stock for an alternative embodiment of a frame in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a computer screen display generated by a computer program in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart of a method of operating the computer program. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0025]     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 , a sheet of stock  12  for forming a frame  10  in accordance with the present invention is shown. The sheet  12  is defined by a peripheral edge  14  thereof. Preferably, the sheet  12  is sized to a standard paper sheet size, such as 8½ inch by  11  inch paper, 8½ inch by  14  inch paper, A4 paper, and the like, and that can be used with a suitable printer (not shown), such as a commercially available black and white printer or a color printer. For example, the sheet  12  in a single sheet form is particularly suited to the type of commercially available printer used with personal computers in homes and businesses. Alternatively, the sheet  12  can be sized to reduce the amount of waste material at the edge  14 . The sheet  12  may also be provided in continuous feed form for high speed volume printing.  
         [0026]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the frame  10  is aligned with the sheet of stock  12  in the “portrait” orientation well known to users of computer printers. Those skilled in the art, however, will appreciate that the frame  10  may be formed in a “landscape” orientation also well known to users of computer printers and/or oriented and/or sized to allow for multiple frames  10  to be formed from a single sheet of stock  12 .  
         [0027]     The frame  10  is formed by a plurality of die cut and score lines. In  FIG. 1 , relatively long lines interrupted by short breaks, such as a line  20 , represent die cut lines with the solid long lines being cuts extending through the stock  10  and the breaks being uncut stock that easily tears when the frame  10  is removed from the sheet  12 . Dashed lines, such as a line  30 , represent score lines which are continuous cuts that do not extend completely through the sheet  12  and serve to facilitate folding of the frame  10  after the frame  10  has been removed from the sheet  12 , discussed in more detail below.  
         [0028]     The frame  10  is formed by a plurality of die cut and score lines and includes an image portion  16  and a support portion  18 . The image portion  16  and the support portion  18  are separated by the die cut line  20  extending substantially through the vertical center of the sheet  12 . The image portion  16  includes a plurality of die cut lines  22 ,  24 , and  26  adjacent and substantially parallel with respective portions of the edge  14  of the sheet  12  and another die cut line  28  adjacent and substantially parallel to the cut line  20 . The image portion  16  also includes the score line  30  extending between the cut lines  22  and  24 , a score line  32  extending between the cut lines  24  and  26 , a score line  34  extending between the cut lines  22  and  28 , and a score line  36  extending between the cut lines  26  and  28 . The die cut lines  22 ,  24 ,  26 , and  28 , and the score lines  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  define an image area  38  therebetween. The image area  38  is a location wherein a digital image may be printed when the sheet  12  is run through a computer printer (not shown), discussed in more detail below.  
         [0029]     The support portion  18  includes a plurality of score lines  40 ,  42 , and  44  extending between the cut line  20  and an upper portion of the edge  14 . A die cut line  46  extends from the die cut line  20  to a die cut line  48 , which extends to another die cut line  50 . Similarly, a die cut line  52  extends from the cut line  20  to a die cut line  54 , which extends to another die cut line  56 . A score line  58  extends between the cut lines  46  and  50  and a score line  60  extends between the cut lines  52  and  56 .  
         [0030]     The die cut lines  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 , and  56  define a periphery of the frame  10  at which the frame  10  can be separated from a surrounding carrier portion  13  of the sheet  12 . During manufacture of the frame  10 , the die cut lines  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 , and  56  are cut and formed by a die (not shown), which provides a complete cut through the sheet of stock  12  at the solid portions but allows the frame  10  to be run through the printer without separating from the sheet  12 . The score lines  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  58 , and  60  do not extend completely through the sheet  12  and allow the image portion  16  and a support portion  18  to be folded to form the frame  10 .  
         [0031]     After the sheet  12  with the frame  10  has been run through the computer printer, the frame  10  may be separated from the carrier portion  13  of the sheet  12  to form the frame  10 , best seen in  FIGS. 2   a - 4   b . Alternatively, the frame  10  may be separated from the sheet without running the sheet  12  and the frame  10  through the printer. The sheet  12  is separated from the sheet carrier portion  13  by applying pressure to the sheet  12  adjacent the cut lines  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 , and  56  while holding on to the frame  10 . Once the frame  10  is separated from the carrier portion  13 , the frame  10  can be folded along the score lines  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  58 , discussed in more detail below, to form the frame  10 .  
         [0032]     The frame  10  is formed by separating the image portion  16  and a support portion  18  from the sheet  12  along the die cut lines  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 , and  56 . The image portion  16  and a support portion  18  are then separated from each other along the die cut line  20 . The die cut lines  24  and  28  are then separated from the image portion  16 , while the score lines  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  allow respective frame portions  62  to remain attached to the image area  38  and fold or flex with respect to the image area  38 .  
         [0033]     When the support portion  18  is separated from the carrier portion  13 , the cut lines  48  and  54  form respective tabs  64  and  65  at opposite ends of the support portion  18 . The score lines  58  and  60  allow the respective tabs  64  and  65  to remain attached to the support portion  18  and fold or flex with respect to the support portion  18 . The score lines  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  58 , and  60  define a plurality of support sections  66 ,  68 ,  70 , and  72  of the support portion  18 .  
         [0034]     To form the frame  10 , the support sections  66 ,  68 ,  70 , and  72  of the support portion  18  are folded along the score lines  40 ,  42 , and  44 . The sections  66 ,  68 ,  70 , and  72  form a substantially V-shape support, best seen in  FIGS. 3   a - 4   b , to engage with a display surface, such as a desk top, table, or the like, and the sections  66  and  72  extend at an angle to the tabs  64  and  65 , best seen in  FIG. 4   b . The tabs  64  and  65  are folded along the lines  58  and  60  and inserted into a respective aperture formed in the image portion  16  when the score lines  24  and  28  are separated therefrom to attach the support portion  18  to the image portion  16  and thereby form the frame  10 . Either the tab  64  or  65  may be placed in the aperture of the score line  24  or  28 , advantageously making the frame  10  easy to assemble. Depending on the orientation of the image printed in the image area  38 , the frame  10  may be placed with either of the support sections  68  or  70  engaging the display surface (in a landscape orientation), or with both the sections  66  and  68  or the sections  70  and  72  engaging the display surface in the landscape orientation, best seen in  FIG. 3   a , depending on the desired angle of presentation of the image printed on the image area  38 . Alternatively, the frame  10  may be placed with both the support sections  68  and  70  engaging the display surface along the score line  42  (in a portrait orientation), best seen in  FIGS. 3   b  and  4   b . The support portion  18  and the image portion  12  combine to provide a stable display for the frame  10 . The assembled frame  10  preferably fits into a standard greeting card size envelope. The frame  10  in accordance with the present invention can advantageously be folded and displayed after a single pass through a personal computer printer without any cutting or pasting.  
         [0035]     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a sheet of stock  112  for forming an alternative embodiment of a frame  100  in accordance with the present invention is shown. The sheet  112  is defined by a peripheral edge  114  thereof. Preferably the sheet  112  is formed of a magnetic paper stock or the like having magnetic materials and/or properties on a surface (not shown) opposite a printing surface, indicated generally at  112   a  in  FIG. 5 . Preferably, the sheet  112  is sized to a standard paper sheet size, such as 8½ inch by  11  inch paper, 8½ inch by 14 inch paper, A4 paper, and the like, and that can be used with a suitable printer (not shown), such as a commercially available black and white printer or a color printer. For example, the sheet  112  in a single sheet form is particularly suited to the type of commercially available printer used with personal computers in homes and businesses. Alternatively, the sheet  112  can be sized to reduce the amount of waste material at the edge  114 . The sheet  112  may also be provided in continuous feed form for high speed volume printing.  
         [0036]     The frame  100  includes a plurality of die cut lines  116 ,  118 ,  120 , and  122  adjacent and substantially parallel with respective portions of the edge  114  of the sheet  112  that define an image area  124  therebetween. The image area  124  is a location wherein a digital image may be printed when the frame  100  and sheet  112  are run through a computer printer (not shown). The die cut lines  116 ,  118 ,  120 , and  122  define a periphery of the frame  100  at which the frame  100  can be separated from a surrounding carrier portion  126  of the sheet  112 . During manufacture of the frame  100 , the die cut lines  116 ,  118 ,  120 , and  122  are cut and formed by a die (not shown), which provides a complete cut through the sheet of stock  112  at the solid portions but allows the frame  100  to be run through the printer without separating from the sheet  112 . After being run through the printer, the frame  100  is separated from the carrier portion  126  by applying pressure to the sheet  112  adjacent the cut lines  116 ,  118 ,  120 , and  122  while holding on to the frame  100 . Once the frame  100  is separated from the carrier portion  126 , the frame  100  can be attached to a preferably metallic display surface (not shown), such as a refrigerator door outer surface or the like. The surface having magnetic materials and/or properties advantageously allows the frame  100  to be attached to the display surface without the use of a support member.  
         [0037]     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a sheet of stock  132  for forming an alternative embodiment of a frame  130  in accordance with the present invention is shown. The sheet  132  is defined by a peripheral edge  134  thereof. Preferably the sheet  132  is formed of a magnetic paper stock or the like having magnetic materials and/or properties on a surface (not shown) opposite a printing surface, indicated generally at  132   a  in  FIG. 5 . Preferably, the sheet  132  is sized to a standard paper sheet size, such as 8½ inch by 11 inch paper, 8½ inch by 14 inch paper, A4 paper, and the like, and that can be used with a suitable printer (not shown), such as a commercially available black and white printer or a color printer. For example, the sheet  132  in a single sheet form is particularly suited to the type of commercially available printer used with personal computers in homes and businesses. Alternatively, the sheet  132  can be sized to reduce the amount of waste material at the edge  134 . The sheet  132  may also be provided in continuous feed form for high speed volume printing.  
         [0038]     The frame  130  includes a plurality of die cut lines  136 ,  138 ,  140 , and  142  adjacent and substantially parallel with respective portions of the edge  134  of the sheet  132 . The frame  130  also includes a substantially oval die cut line  144 , and perpendicular die cut lines  146  and  148 . The die cut line  144  defines an image area  150 . The cut lines  140 ,  146 , and  148  define an image area  152  therebetween and the cut lines  136 ,  138 ,  140 , and  146  define an image area  154  therebetween. The image areas  150 ,  152 , and  154  are locations wherein a digital image may be printed when the frame  130  and sheet  132  are run through a computer printer (not shown). The die cut lines  136 ,  138 ,  140 , and  142  define a periphery of the frame  130  at which the frame  130  can be separated from a surrounding carrier portion  156  of the sheet  132 . During manufacture of the frame  130 , the die cut lines  136 ,  138 ,  140 ,  142 ,  144 ,  146 , and  148  are cut and formed by a die (not shown), which provides a complete cut through the sheet of stock  132  at the solid portions but allows the frame  130  to be run through the printer without separating from the sheet  132 . After being run through the printer, the image portions  150 ,  152 , and  154  of the frame  130  are separated from the carrier portion  156  by applying pressure to the sheet  132  adjacent the cut lines  136 ,  138 ,  140 ,  142 ,  144 ,  146 , and  148  while holding on to the frame  130 . Once the image portions  150 ,  152 , and  154  of the frame  130  are separated from the carrier portion  156 , the image portions  150 ,  152 , and  154  of the frame  100  can be attached to a preferably metallic display surface (not shown), such as a refrigerator door outer surface or the like. The surface having magnetic materials and/or properties advantageously allows the frame  130  to be attached to the display surface without the use of a support member. Although one image portion is shown in the frame  100  and three image portions are shown in the frame  130 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that any desired number of image portions of any desired shape may be formed from the sheets of stock  112  or  132  while remaining within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0039]     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , there is shown a graphical user interface  201  of a computer program  200  in accordance with the present invention for installation on a personal computer or the like. The computer program  200  includes an imported image  202  to be printed on a layout area  203 . The computer program  200  is utilized to edit the image  202  for printing on the image area  38  of the frame  10 , the image area  116  of the frame  100 , or the image areas  150 ,  152 , and  154  of the frame  130 , as well as on a peripheral edge  38   a , best seen in  FIG. 2   b , of the image area  38  to form an image of a picture frame or the like. The image  202  is edited in the layout area  203  by adding an image  204  for a frame or a matte, which may be selected from a pattern area  206 . The pattern area  206  may be edited and/or selected in a background area  205  and a color change area  207 . The colors of the images  202  and  204  may be edited by selecting from color palette areas  208  and  210 . The image  202  may also be edited by selecting features from a fill area  212  and a gradient setting area  214 . A tools menu  216  allows a user of the computer program  200  to add text, such as from a text edit area  218 , as well as clip art (such as licensed clip art for sports, holidays, pets, or similar) from an icon  216   a . A “one click wonder” area  220  allows a user of the computer program  200  to select from a library including a plurality of predetermined image formats for the images  202  and  204 . The text or clip art images from tools menu  216  may be layered on top of the images  202  and  204 , as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.  
         [0040]     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a method for forming a printed frame, such as the frame  10 ,  100 , or  130  in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally at  300 . In a step  302 , a user opens the computer program  200  and in a step  304 , the user of the computer program  200  obtains an image, such as the image  202 , to be printed on the image area  38 ,  124 ,  150 ,  152 , or  154 , such as from a computer hard drive, a portable storage device, or the like. In a step  306 , the user of the computer program  200  orients the image for printing, such as in a portrait orientation, a landscape orientation, or the like. In a step  308 , the user of the computer program  200  obtains an image for use as a frame (such as on the edges  38   a ), a matte or the like and adds the frame or matte image to the image  202 . The image for the frame may be a digital photograph or the like. In a step  310 , the user of the computer program  200  obtains an image for use as clip art, a border, or the like for decorating the image and adds the clip art or border image to the image  202 . In a step  312 , the user of the computer program  200  enters text to be used in the image area  38 ,  124 ,  150 ,  152 , or  154  to create an edited image  202 . After the text is entered in the step  312 , the edited image  202  is sent in a step  314  to a computer printer (not shown) having a frame  10 ,  100 , or  130  disposed therein. After being printed, the frame  10 ,  100 , or  130  is separated from the respective carrier portions  13 ,  116 , and  136  in a step  316 . If the frame utilized in the step  314  is the frame  10 , then the frame is assembled in a step  318 .  
         [0041]     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the steps shown in the  FIG. 8  and outlined above may be changed in order and, if desired, omitted by the user of the computer program  200 . For example, if no text was to be added to the printed image  202 , the step  312 , could be omitted and, similarly, if no frame was to be added to the printed image  202 , the step  308  could be omitted while remaining within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, depending on the type of frame utilized during the step  314 , the step  318  is omitted if the frame is the frame  100  or the frame  130  while remaining within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0042]     In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.