Abstract:
A combination postcard picture display is disclosed. The combination postcard picture display includes a postcard panel typically having a photograph or image, a display stand cutout which is detachable from the postcard panel, and a self-supporting display stand which is formable from the display stand cutout to display the photograph or image.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to postcards. More particularly, the present invention relates to a postcard which is capable of being folded into a display stand to display an image or picture on the postcard. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Postcards having pictures of a resort, city or other tourist destination are frequently purchased by vacationers and mailed to friends and family to commemorate a vacation. Typically, a postcard includes a rectangular or otherwise-shaped piece of cardboard or thick paper having a front surface on which is provided an image or photograph of interest and a rear surface on which is provided a writing area for writing the address of the addressee as well as a written message to the addressee. Information about the image or photograph which appears on the front surface of the postcard may also be provided on the rear surface of the postcard. 
   After receiving the postcard typically through the mail, the addressee may wish to display the postcard in some manner in his or her home. Since the postcard is typically a flat sheet of cardboard or paper, the postcard is usually not self-standing. Therefore, the locations around the home in which the postcard may be displayed are limited because the postcard must typically be attached to a magnetized surface such as a refrigerator using magnets, for example, or alternatively, must be leaned against a support and supported on a flat surface such as a mantel. 
   Therefore, a postcard which is capable of being converted into a display stand to display a drawing or photograph on the postcard is needed. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is generally directed to a combination postcard picture display. The combination postcard picture display includes a postcard panel typically having a photograph or image, a display stand cutout which is detachable from the postcard panel, and a self-supporting display stand which is formable from the display stand cutout to display the photograph or image. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the combination postcard picture display according to the present invention, with the display stand cutout removed from the postcard and folded into a display stand; 
       FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the display stand of the combination postcard picture display; 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the display stand of the combination postcard picture display; 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the display stand of the combination postcard picture display; 
       FIG. 5  is a rear view of the display stand of the combination postcard picture display; 
       FIG. 6  is a rear view of the combination postcard picture display, with the display stand cutout incorporated into the postcard; and 
       FIGS. 7-9  illustrate sequential folding of the display stand cutout to form the display stand of the combination postcard picture display according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-6  of the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of the combination postcard picture display according to the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral  1  in  FIG. 6 . The combination postcard picture display  1  includes a postcard panel  2  which may have a generally elongated, rectangular shape, as shown, or may be any desired alternative shape. The postcard panel  2  may be cardboard or any other rigid or semi-rigid paper material which is suitable for postcards and has a rear surface  5  and a front surface  6 . A display stand cutout  3  is provided in the postcard panel  2  and is delineated by a cutout boundary  4  which is provided typically on the rear surface  5  of the postcard panel  2 . When incorporated in the postcard panel  2 , the display stand cutout  3  is preferably generally coplanar with respect to the postcard panel  2 . Address lines and/or insignia  30  may be printed on the rear surface  5  of the display stand cutout  3  or elsewhere on the postcard panel  2  to facilitate addressing the postcard panel  2  to an addressee. 
   As will be hereinafter described, the display stand cutout  3  may be selectively removed from the postcard panel  2  and folded into a display stand  3   a  to display a photograph or image  8  which appears on the front surface  6  of the postcard panel  2 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the postcard panel  2  may be cut along an image boundary  8   a  which surrounds the photograph or image  8  to facilitate placement of a photograph (not illustrated) on the display stand  3   a  for display of the photograph, as will be hereinafter further described. The display stand cutout  3  may be attached to the postcard panel  2  through perforations (not illustrated) which extend along the cutout boundary  4 , or alternatively, may be one continuous piece with the postcard panel  2 . In the latter case, the display stand cutout  3  may be removed from the postcard panel  2  by cutting along the cutout boundary  4  using scissors or other suitable cutting implement (not illustrated). Cutout and folding directions (not illustrated) may be provided on the rear surface  5  of the display stand cutout  3  to assist in folding of the display stand cutout  3  into the display stand  3   a.    
   As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the display stand cutout  3  typically includes a central portion  9  which may have a generally rectangular shape, as shown. The photograph or image  8  typically appears on the front surface  6  of the central portion  9 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . An upper tab  10  is attached to the upper edge of the central portion  9  along a fold line  10   a . Similarly, a lower tab  11  is attached to the lower edge of the central portion  9  along a fold line  11   a.    
   A left folding flap  14 , which typically has a generally rectangular shape, includes a generally triangular bottom portion  15  which is attached to the left edge of the central portion  9  along a fold line  14   a . A generally triangular top portion  16  of the left folding flap  14  is attached to the bottom portion  15  along a diagonal fold line  15   a . A left flap tab  17  is provided at the bottom corner of the left folding flap  14 , and a slit  18  is provided in the left flap tab  17 . 
   A right folding flap  22 , which typically has a generally rectangular shape, includes a generally triangular bottom portion  23  which is attached to the right edge of the central portion  9  along a fold line  22   a . A generally triangular top portion  24  of the right folding flap  22  is attached to the bottom portion  23  along a diagonal fold line  23   a . A bottom flap tab  25  is provided at the bottom corner of the right folding flap  22 , and a bottom slit  26  is provided in the bottom flap tab  25 . A top flap tab  27  is provided at the top corner of the right folding flap  22 , and a top slit  28  is provided in the top flap tab  27 . 
   Referring next to  FIGS. 1-9  of the drawings, in typical use of the invention, the combination postcard picture display  1  is sold, typically in the unfolded configuration illustrated in  FIG. 6 , at retail outlets such as those at a tourist destination, for example. The photograph or image  8  which appears on the front surface  6  of the central portion  9  of the display stand cutout  3  may be that of a scenic attraction or other item or feature of interest at the tourist destination, for example. The purchaser of the combination postcard picture display  1  addresses the combination postcard picture display  1  to an addressee typically by writing the name and address of the addressee on the address insignia  30  which may provided on the rear surface  5  of the right folding flap  22 , illustrated in  FIG. 6 , or elsewhere on the postcard panel  2 . Accordingly, the combination postcard picture display  1  is typically mailed to the addressee in the unfolded configuration illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
   After he or she receives the combination postcard picture display  1  in the mail, the addressee may desire to convert the combination postcard picture display  1  into the free-standing display stand  3   a  in order to display the photograph or image  8  provided on the front surface  6  of the central portion  9  of the display stand  3   a , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the photograph or image  8  may be cut or removed from the display stand cutout  3  along the image boundary  8   a  to facilitate the display of a SEND &amp; BEND (trademark) type specialty picture, for example, or a picture or image of the user&#39;s choice in place of the photograph or image  8 . The combination postcard picture display  1  is converted into the display stand  3   a  by initially removing the display stand cutout  3  from the postcard panel  2 . This is accomplished by either tearing the display stand cutout  3  away from the postcard panel  2  along the perforations (not illustrated) which are spaced along the cutout boundary  4  (in the event that the display stand cutout  3  is attached to the postcard panel  2  by perforations), or cutting the display stand cutout  3  from the postcard panel  2  along the cutout boundary  4  using scissors or other cutting implement (not illustrated). 
   Next, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the upper tab  10  and the lower tab  11  are folded along the fold line  10   a  and fold line  11   a , respectively, toward the rear surface  5  of the central portion  9  of the display stand cutout  3 . The top portion  16  of the left folding flap  14  is then folded along the fold line  15   a , toward the rear surface  5  of the bottom portion  15  of the left folding flap  14 , as indicated by the arrow  19  in  FIG. 7 . Next, the bottom portion  15  of the left folding flap  14  is folded along the fold line  14   a , toward the rear surface  5  of the central portion  9  such that the top portion  16  of the left folding flap  14  extends over the upper tab  10 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 ,  8  and  9 . The bottom portion  23  of the right folding flap  22  is then folded along the fold line  22   a , toward the inwardly-folded left folding flap  14 , and the top portion  24  of the right folding flap  22  is folded along the fold line  23   a , toward the left folding flap  14 . 
   As further illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the slit  18  in the left flap tab  17  of the left folding flap  14  is inserted in the bottom slit  26  in the bottom flap tab  25  of the right folding flap  22  such that the left flap tab  17  and bottom flap tab  25  intersect and are disposed in generally perpendicular relationship to each other, as further illustrated in  FIGS. 2-5 . Finally, as indicated by the arrow  32  in  FIG. 8 , the top slit  28  in the top flap notch  27  of the right folding flap  22  receives the upper edge of the top portion  16  of the left folding flap  14 , to secure the right folding flap  22  against the left folding flap  14 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  5  and  9 . 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , in the folded and free-standing display stand  3   a , the left folding flap  14  and the right folding flap  22  extend from opposite edges of the central portion  9  and interlock with each other at the left flap tab  17  and bottom flap tab  25  to impart a generally triangular configuration to the display stand  3   a . As further illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the central portion  9 , the left folding flap  14  and the right folding flap  22  define a stand interior  7  in the display stand  3   a . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-6 , the rearwardly-extending left folding flap  14  and right folding flap  22  are capable of supporting the display stand  3   a  in a free-standing position on a flat support surface (not illustrated) such as a table, mantle or the like, with the photograph or image  8  displayed on the front surface  6  of the central portion  9 . The left flap tab  17  and bottom flap tab  25  stabilize the rearwardly-leaning display stand  3   a  on the support surface. 
   While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.