Abstract:
A display card ( 4 ) comprises of a supporting body or core ( 1 ) with two opposed display faces and a display aperture ( 2 ), protective moans ( 3, 3 ′) arranged on the supporting body ( 1 ); so its to create a recessed seat ( 8 ) in line with the display aperture ( 2 ), and a display object ( 9 ) with two opposed display faces, arranged inside the recessed seat (b) and held therein by securing; means ( 10 ).

Description:
This application claims priority from Italian Patent Application No. MI2001A001897, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 

   The present invention relates in general to a display card for displaying collectible items such as medals, coins, stamps, fluids and the like, and in particular to a display card for displaying a medal representing a sacred image. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Currently, various types of known display cards, containing words and/or images have a window or aperture in which a display object is supported. 
   For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,840 describes a display comprising a card body with a display aperture. The card body has a core layer sandwiched between two protective layers. A self-adhesive tape is applied to a surface of the card body so as to cover the aperture. The object to be displayed is placed in the aperture and thus adheres to the adhesive tape with a clearance in relation to the edge of the aperture. A ring of adhesive material is placed in the clearance so as to secure the object to the edge of the aperture. 
   The production of such a display card is somewhat laborious, complex and thus costly. The card is complex as it has additional elements, such as the adhesive layer to support the object and the adhesive ring that binds the object to the edge of the aperture. The production method is also complex, especially in view of the need to position the adhesive rim around the edge of the object, which is a delicate and precise operation. 
   OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a display card that is practical, inexpensive and simple to produce. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The display card according to the invention comprises a supporting body or core with two opposed display faces and a display aperture. The supporting body is covered or coated by protective means so as to create a recessed seat in register with the display aperture. An adhesive is applied inside this recessed seat. The object to be displayed, having two opposed display faces, is arranged inside the recessed seat and held in place therein by this adhesive. The display card thus consists of a minimum number of components and its production process is simple and quick. 

   
     THE DRAWINGS 
     Further characteristics of the invention shall become clearer from the detailed description that follows referring to an exemplary embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded, perspective schematic view, showing components of the invention at the start of the first step of the display card production process according to the invention; 
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view showing the components at the end of the first step of the display card production process according to the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective schematic view showing a second phase of the display card production process according to the invention; 
       FIG. 2A  is an enlarged cross sectional view, showing the card at the end of the second phase of the display card production process according to the invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective schematic view, as in  FIG. 1 , showing a third phase of the production process of the display card according to the invention; 
       FIG. 3A  is an enlarged cross sectional view, showing the card components in the third phase of the production process of the display card according to the invention; and 
       FIG. 3B  is a cross sectional view showing the card after the third phase of the production process of the display card according to the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   With the aid of the drawings a display card according to the invention and its production method are described. 
     FIG. 1  shows a supporting body or core of the display card, indicated as a whole with the reference number  1 . The core  1  is a plate of an essentially rectangular shape, so as to define two opposed display surfaces which with reference to the figures are the bottom and top surface. 
   The core  1  is preferably made from a material suitable to support printing so that images, wording, distinctive marks and the like can be represented. Card, paper, plastic, etc., can be used as the material for core  1 . 
   The core  1  is preferably produced by die-cutting. Using a die-cutting press, the peripheral outline of the core  1  is cut and inside this an aperture or window  2  is produced. The aperture  2  may have a substantially elliptical shape. 
   After die-cutting, the core  1  is fed to a laminating machine which, by introducing the core into a “pouch”, covers the core  1  with two transparent plastic layers  3 ,  3 ′ by a heat-sealing heat process. 
   The transparent plastic layers  3 ,  3 ′ have a substantially rectangular shape with slightly larger dimensions than core  1 . In this way a card  4  is obtained in which the peripheral parts of the two layers  3 ,  3 ′ are heat-sealed together and the core  1  is sandwiched between the plastic layers  3 ,  3 ′. Therefore, the card has a transparent perimetric frame composed of the edges of the layers  3 ,  3 ′ heat-sealed together. The aperture  2  of the core  1  is covered, respectively, on the top and on the bottom by the layers  3 ,  3 ′ which are also heat-sealed together. 
   In this way the wording and/or images represented on the core  1  are protected from wear and tear by the two transparent plastic layers  3 ,  3 ′ and a card like the one shown in  FIG. 1A  is obtained. 
   With reference to  FIG. 2 , after the heal-scaling process of the transparent plastic layers  3 ,  3 ′, the card  4  is sent to a punching phase, shown in  FIGS. 2 and 2A . The card  4  is placed between a male metal punch  5  and a matrix  6 . The punch  5  has substantially the same configuration of the aperture  2  of the core  1  and the matrix  6  has a recessed seat  7  that has substantially the same configuration of the aperture  2 . Therefore the card  4  is arranged with the aperture  2  of the core  1  in register with the punch  5  and with the recessed seal  7  of the matrix  6 . 
   A cold punching process is then performed, during which the punch  5  is pressed onto the card  4  in the position of the aperture  2  of the core  1 . Hence, the transparent plastic layers  3 ,  3 ′ are compressed and pressed downward to adopt the configuration of the seat  7  of the matrix. Consequently, as shown in  FIG. 2A , at the end of the punching phase, the card  4  has a recessed cup-shaped seat  8 , arranged in the position of the aperture  2 . The bottom surface of the bottom transparent plastic layer  3 ′ has a slight projection towards the outside in the position of the cup-shaped seat  8 . 
   Upon conclusion of the cold punching phase, as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  3 A and  3 B, a final phase is performed to insert the object  9  to be displayed. In this specific case, purely as an example, the object to be displayed is a metal object, such as a medal, the top surface of which may be treated with a transparent enamel or laminated layer to protect it from wear and tear. 
   The medal  9 , for example, may represent a sacred image, such as a Madonna, a saint or another sacred symbol, and has a configuration that generally corresponds to the configuration of the cup-shaped seat  8 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 3A , transparent adhesive  10 , such as a two-component polyurethane based adhesive, is applied to the cup  8 . Subsequently, as shown in  FIG. 3B , the medal  9  is housed in the cup-shaped seat  8  on the transparent adhesive  10 . Consequently, the transparent adhesive  10  expands in the cup  8  to attach to the bottom surface and the side edges of the medal  9  which remains attached to the card  4 . As both the adhesive  10  and the plastic layers  3 ,  3 ′ are transparent, the bottom surface of the medal  9  is also visible from the bottom part of the card  4 . 
   After application of the transparent adhesive  10  and the display object  9 , the display card  4  is completed and ready to be placed on the market. 
   Numerous variations and modifications to details apparent to those skilled in the art, may be made to the present embodiment of the invention, without however departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the attached claims.