Method and computer generated swatch cards for matching colors

A blank is provided for producing color swatches on a color printer or photocopier. A sheet adapted to be fed through the printer or photocopier contains a first set of perforations defining the perimeter of a swatch card. A second set of perforations disposed within the perimeter of the swatch card defines a plurality of openings. The openings are punched out, preferably after color swatches have been printed on the swatch card, in order to enable the viewing of a sample color through the opening for comparison with the color swatches. A third set of perforations is provided in a corner of the swatch card to enable a plurality of swatch cards to be assembled into a reference deck by passing a fastener through holes formed via the third set of perforations. Each sheet can have a plurality of swatch cards laid out therein, with each swatch card containing a plurality of color swatches.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to the selection and matching of computer 
generated colors output by a color printer or photocopier, and more 
particularly to a computer generated swatch card system for printing spot 
colors in a patch format so that they can be easily compared to other 
colors. Typical uses for the swatch cards produced include comparison of 
the printed, computer generated colors with reference or target colors, 
documentation of spot colors for a particular graphic project, and 
communication of colors to other color suppliers or vendors. 
In addition to the common components of text and images, page layouts will 
often contain graphic elements that are to be printed with a specific 
color. On large printing presses, these "spot" colors are printed using 
additional individual plates, each using an ink that makes the color. On 
smaller printers, or in proofing, the spot colors must be simulated using 
a combination of the colorants utilized by the printer. These are usually 
the CMYK "process" inks, i.e., cyan, magenta, yellow and black. While 
certain standard tables exist for the simulation of some industry colors 
using standard ink sets, there is a general problem of finding the correct 
combination of colorant amounts to enable a given printer to match a 
particular spot color. There is a further problem of finding colorant 
amounts to match other targets, beyond those of spot color inks, such as 
colors of textiles and other colored objects. 
A graphic artist or printer operator currently either accepts an 
approximate color match, based on simplistic or inappropriate color models 
for the particular printer in use, or uses a trial and error process to 
find a visual match to a desired spot color. It would be advantageous to 
provide tools that facilitate a person's matching of colors to samples. It 
would be further advantageous to provide a record of color samples that 
pertain to a particular project, such as a graphic printing project, 
advertising campaign, product color scheme, or the like. 
The present invention provides a blank for producing color swatches as well 
as methods for producing and using such blanks, all having the 
aforementioned and additional advantages. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, a blank is provided for producing 
color swatches. The blank comprises a sheet (e.g., paper or plastic) 
adapted to be fed through a color printer or photocopier. A first set of 
perforations is provided in the sheet defining the perimeter of a swatch 
card. A second set of perforations can also be provided. The second set of 
perforations is disposed within the perimeter of the swatch card and 
defines a plurality of openings. The openings appear upon the removal of 
portions of the sheet defined by the second set of perforations. 
The blank can further comprise a third set of perforations in a corner of 
the swatch card for providing a corner opening upon the removal of 
portions of the sheet defined by the third set of perforations. The corner 
opening allows a plurality of swatch cards to be assembled into a 
reference deck by passing a common fastener therethrough. 
In an illustrated embodiment, the sheet has a plurality of swatch cards 
laid out therein. Each of the swatch cards has the first, second and third 
sets of perforations. In particular, an embodiment is illustrated with 
three swatch cards laid out per sheet, wherein the second set of 
perforations in each swatch card defines a series of seven circular 
openings running substantially along a longitudinal center axis of the 
swatch card. 
Although the swatch cards can be any shape, the illustrated embodiment 
depicts them as substantially rectangular in shape. Moreover, although the 
sheet can be any size accommodated by the color printer or copier, it will 
typically be standard letter or A4 size. In the illustrated embodiment, 
the sheet has a length greater than its width and the swatch cards are 
substantially equidistantly spaced along the length. 
Preferably, the swatch cards are laid out on the blank such that the first 
and second sets of perforations are symmetrically arranged. In this 
manner, the blank can be inserted into the printer or photocopier in any 
orientation and still have the printed swatches land properly centered on 
the openings provided by the second set of perforations and extending to 
the edge of the swatch card as defined by the first set of perforations. 
A method is provided for matching a desired color to a computer generated 
color. A plurality of computer generated color swatches is printed on a 
blank form having a first set of perforations defining the perimeter of a 
swatch card. A second set of perforations disposed within the swatch card 
and intersecting portions of the printed swatches can also be provided. 
The swatch card is removed from the blank form along the first set of 
perforations after the color swatches have been printed thereon. Portions 
of the swatch card defined by the second set of perforations, if provided, 
are removed to create openings in the printed swatches. The swatch card is 
laid over a desired color to be matched such that the desired color shows 
through an opening in a printed swatch. In this manner, a comparison of 
the desired color and the printed swatch color can be easily and 
accurately made. Alternatively, the swatch card and color to be matched 
can be placed side-by-side so that the colors on the edge of the swatch 
card can be compared to the adjacent color to be matched. 
The printed swatches are registered on the swatch card such that each 
swatch has an opening therein defined by perforations of the second set. 
The respective perforations of the second set are removed to provide the 
opening in each printed swatch. The swatch card can be provided with a 
third set of perforations defining a corner opening that can be punched 
out of the card. By punching out the corner opening in each of a selected 
set of swatch cards, the selected set can be assembled into a fan deck by 
passing a common fastener through the corner openings in the set of swatch 
cards. 
In the illustrated embodiment, three swatch cards are printed on the form 
and removed along respective first sets of perforations. Each of the 
swatch cards has a plurality of swatches printed thereon. The printed 
swatches are registered on the swatch cards such that each swatch has an 
opening therein defined by perforations of the second set. The respective 
perforations of the second set are removed to provide the openings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 illustrates a blank 10 for producing color swatches on a color 
printer or photocopier. The color swatches are generated by a computer 
using appropriate software, such as the EDOX.TM. document server software 
available from Management Graphics, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn., the 
assignee of the present invention. The blank 10 comprises a sheet of 
paper, plastic or other substrate suitable for feeding through a color 
printer or photocopier. For example, the blank 10 can comprise a letter 
size sheet of 60 pound (162 g/m.sup.2) paper. It should be appreciated 
that other sizes, weights and materials can be used for the blank 10. 
The blank 10 of FIG. 1 is configured to produce three separate swatch cards 
18a, 18b and 18c. Each swatch card is defined by a respective first set of 
perforations 12a, 12b, 12c, which outlines the perimeter of the swatch 
card. A second set of perforations 14 is optionally provided in the sheet 
(e.g., paper sheet) forming blank 10. The second set of perforations is 
disposed within the perimeter of the swatch card and defines a plurality 
of openings (e.g., holes) that can be formed upon the removal of portions 
of the sheet defined by the perforations 14. 
A third set of perforations 16 is optionally provided in a corner of each 
swatch card. The perforations 16 enable a corner opening 17 to be punched 
from each swatch card. The corner openings allow a plurality of swatch 
cards to be assembled into a reference deck 30 illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 
7, by passing a common fastener 32 therethrough. Fastener 32 can comprise, 
for example, a standard brass prong paper fastener. As illustrated in 
FIGS. 6 and 7, the fan deck comprises a plurality of swatch cards 18a 
through 18g. It should be appreciated that any number of swatch cards can 
be assembled into a fan deck. A blank or imprinted cover sheet 22 can 
optionally be provided. 
In order to produce the swatch cards, the blank 10 is passed through a 
color printer or color copier for the printing of color swatches thereon. 
FIG. 4 illustrates the blank 10 after it has been run through the color 
printer or copier, which prints the swatches 20 thereon. As illustrated in 
FIG. 4, the swatches 20 are aligned such that each swatch overlaps a 
different opening defined by perforations 14. In addition, in the 
preferred embodiment, the swatches are printed so that their bottom edges 
21 slightly overlap the respective first set of perforations 12a, 12b, 
12c. In this manner a "full bleed" effect is obtained so that the color 
runs to the very edge of the completed swatch card. This provides a 
convenient way to make color comparisons using the edge of the card. The 
edge of the card is sometimes the preferred place at which to make color 
comparisons, for example, when it is inconvenient or unnecessary to make a 
color comparison using the holes provided by punching out the openings 15 
(FIG. 5). For large areas of color, or for very quick visual comparisons, 
the edge of the card can be used. In this case, it is not necessary to 
form the holes in the swatch card by punching out the openings 15. 
At the time the blank 10 is run through the printer or copier, the openings 
15 have not been formed by punching out the material delineated by 
perforations 14. In the preferred embodiment, the openings 15 are only 
formed by punching out the material along the perforations 14 after the 
blank has been run through the printer or copier. This reduces the 
possibility of paper jams or the like while the swatch colors 20 are being 
printed. 
After the swatch colors 20 have been printed and the blank 10 has been 
output from the color copier or printer, the individual swatch cards 18 
(e.g., 18a, 18b, 18c) can be separated from the blank along the 
perforations 12 (e.g., 12a, 12b, 12c) to form an individual swatch card 18 
as illustrated in FIG. 5. The openings 15 in each of the printed swatches 
are formed by punching along perforations 14. A hole 17 is provided by 
punching out the perforations 16. As indicated above and illustrated in 
FIGS. 6 and 7, the hole 17 is used to form the fan deck 30 by passage of 
the fastener 32 therethrough. 
It is advantageous to perforate the blanks such that the first and second 
sets of perforations are laid out symmetrically on the blank. The purpose 
of a symmetric arrangement is to allow the blank to be inserted into the 
copier or printer in any orientation and still have the printed swatches 
land properly centered on the holes 15 and extending to the edge of the 
swatch card. There are four possible orientations in which the unprinted 
blank can inserted into the copier or printer. These are right side up 
.+-.180.degree. and right side down .+-.180.degree.. Typically, the blank 
will be plain white cardstock, so it may be printed either side up, but 
the pattern of the first and second perforations must be symmetric for the 
printed swatches to land at the proper positions. 
Depending on the exact orientation of the blank when printed, the fastener 
holes 17 defined by perforations 16 will end up in one of the four corners 
of the swatch cards. This is acceptable as long as all of the swatch cards 
are consistent. Thus, the corner perforations 16 do not need to be 
symmetrically laid out since the fan decks can still be assembled with all 
of the swatches oriented in the same direction. However, if desired, two 
diagonally opposing corners (or even all four corners) of each swatch card 
could be perforated. It is noted that in FIG. 6, the orientation of all of 
the swatches is the same, even though the corner of the cards through 
which fastener 32 is inserted is not the same corner where hole 17 is 
illustrated in FIG. 5. 
The stippling in FIGS. 4 and 5 is used to indicate different printed 
colors, without indicating any specific color. As will be appreciated by 
those skilled in the art, the software driving the color printer or copier 
can be used to generate any conceivable range of colors for printing on 
the swatch cards. The colors of the consecutive swatches can be related, 
or totally independent of each other, depending on the final use for the 
swatch cards. Typical uses include the provision of swatches for 
comparison with reference or target colors, documentation of spot colors 
for particular graphic projects, and communication of colors to other 
color suppliers or vendors in order to enable, for example, a printer to 
print an exact custom color generated by the user's computer. By virtue of 
the holes 15, the swatch cards can be conveniently laid on top of a 
printed color or product sample in order to obtain the best match 
possible. Placing the swatches 20 over a product whose color is to be 
matched and viewing the product color through the hole 15 is preferable to 
simply laying a swatch next to the color to be matched, as the visual 
perception is more accurate when the color being matched appears through a 
hole with the computer generated color completely encircling the 
underlying sample color. However, the swatch cards can still be used by 
placing them adjacent to a color to be matched, since the printed swatches 
extend all the way to the edge of the cards. 
It should now be appreciated that the present invention provides a blank 
for producing computer generated color swatches as well as a method for 
matching a desired color to a computer generated color. The swatch cards 
and methods of the present invention utilize a novel blank 10 that can be 
run through a conventional color printer or color copier. 
Although the invention has been described in connection with a specific 
illustrated embodiment, it should be appreciated that numerous adaptations 
and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of 
the invention as set forth in the claims. For example, any number of 
swatch cards can be produced on a blank, and any number of holes can be 
formed by the series of second perforations 14.