Double album display

A double album of photograph display includes two mirror image portions located on opposite sides of a central web. Each mirror image portion is formed with a stiff, rectangular outer cover panel, an intermediate end panel, and a stiff inner cover panel. A packet of photograph mounting sheets is secured to the inside surface of the end panel of each mirror image portion of the base structure. Each of the photograph mounting sheets is capable of mounting at least one photograph. Preferably, pockets are provided in each photograph mounting sheet to accommodate a plurality of photographs in each mounting sheet. Photograph viewing windows are formed through the inner cover panels. Mutually engageable fasteners on each side of the central web may be provided to hold each packet within the confines of its associated outer and inner cover panel and the end panel to which the packet is secured. The album may be used as a freestanding structure whereby photographs in the viewing windows of the inner cover panels are displayed much in the manner of a freestanding frame for a plurality of photographs. When the fasteners are disengaged, the photograph mounting pages within both packets are accessible for viewing concurrently. The album may also be completely folded into a compact, generally rectangular book-like structure and stored in a book case, if desired.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention is a photograph album that is useful for both storing
 and displaying photographs.
 2. Description of the Prior Art
 Conventional photo albums are often constructed in the same manner as a
 book. That is, a photo album is typically comprised of a plurality or even
 a multiplicity of pages upon which photographs are mounted. The photograph
 mounting pages are bound together at a common binding edge between the
 front and back covers. The front and back covers are joined together by a
 spine and the binding edges of the photograph mounting pages are secured
 at the spine.
 Conventional photo albums are quite adequate for storing photographs.
 However, conventional photo albums are not very useful for displaying
 photographs. If one attempts to stand a conventional photo album upright
 resting on the bottom edges of the front and back covers, the album is
 likely to fall over since the front and back covers are normally too close
 together to provide sufficient lateral stability for the album to stand
 upright. On the other hand, if one attempts to provide the necessary
 lateral stability by spreading the outside edges of the front and back
 covers apart from each other, the album is still unstable since the
 outside edges of the photograph mounting pages are then unsupported, and
 tend to buckle. The weight of the photograph mounting pages pulling
 against spine of the album is likely to cause the album to collapse by
 falling in a forward direction. A conventional photo album thereby makes a
 poor freestanding photograph display.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention provides a photo album of unique construction that
 not only serves as an ideal means of storing photographs, but which also
 provides a self supporting, freestanding display for the photographs. A
 user is thereby not limited to the display of only one, two, or three
 photographs as with conventional freestanding picture frames. Quite to the
 contrary, a large number of photographs can be supported in an upright
 display arrangement utilizing the album display structure of the
 invention.
 The photo album of the present invention performs not only the function of
 a conventional photo album, namely the storage of photographs, but also
 serves the function of a freestanding picture frame. Conventional picture
 frames may be formed with one, two, three, or even more frame panels
 within which photographs may be displayed on a piece of furniture, such as
 a desk, shelf, or buffet. However, conventional freestanding picture
 frames can hold only a few photographs at the most. The photo album of the
 present invention provides a stand up display that can exhibit a few
 photographs which are visible all the time, and which holds many more
 photographs which can be viewed at will. Alternatively, the photo album of
 the invention can be completely folded up and stored on a bookshelf or in
 a cabinet like a conventional photo album.
 In one broad aspect the present invention may be considered to be a
 photograph display structure comprising: a flat rectangular base support
 having opposing, mutually parallel, laterally extending edges. The base
 support is folded longitudinally to form a plurality of stiff panels
 joined to each other in articulated fashion by linear hinge connections
 that extend between the opposing laterally extending edges. The plurality
 of panels include: a pair of outer cover panels disposed on opposing sides
 of a central spine, a pair of end panels each having a concealed surface
 and an exposed surface, and which are hinged to said outer cover panels,
 and a pair of inner cover panels hinged to the end panels. The photograph
 display structure also includes a pair of photo mounting packets, each
 packet being secured to the concealed surface of a separate one of the end
 panels. Each packet contains a plurality of photo mounting pages
 therewithin.
 Preferably the end panels are formed as stiff, narrow, elongated strips
 disposed between the outer and inner cover panels. The spine is preferably
 formed as a stiff web disposed between the outer cover panels and having a
 width about equal to the combined widths of the pair of end panels. The
 outer and inner covers are preferably equal in height and are also
 preferably equal in width.
 In a preferred embodiment of the invention the base support is formed of an
 opaque material and rectangular or oval windows are defined in the centers
 of the inside covers. Photographs are located between the inside cover
 panels and the photo mounting packets and display photographs are secured
 to the inside cover panels so that they are visible through the windows in
 the inside cover panels. The display photographs may be secured to the
 inside surface of the inner panels by any conventional means. For example,
 the photographs may be permanently secured in position by backing sheets
 glued to the inside surfaces of the inner cover panels. The photographs
 may also be removably positioned in the inner cover panel windows by
 conventional swivel tabs of the type used to secure pictures in frames.
 Another preferred feature of the invention involves the use of
 interchangeable fasteners located on the inner cover panels and on the
 spine. When engaged, the releaseable and interengageable fasteners hold
 the packets trapped between the inner and outer cover panels in each of
 two mirror image portions of the display.
 In another broad aspect the invention may be considered to be a double
 album photograph display structure comprising: a base support formed in a
 rectangular sheet with mutually parallel top and bottom edges and
 bifurcated into two mirror image portions by a central spine extending
 between the top and bottom edges. Each of the mirror image portions
 includes a stiff, rectangular outer cover panel connected to the spine at
 a hinged connection therewith. The hinged connections extend between the
 top and bottom edges. Each mirror image portion also includes an end panel
 narrower than the outer cover panels and joined thereto by a hinged
 connection that extends between the top and bottom edges. Each mirror
 image portion also includes a stiff, inner cover panel wider than the end
 panel and joined thereto by a hinged connection that extends between the
 top and bottom edges. In this way all of the panels of the base support
 are movable in articulated fashion relative to each other about the hinged
 connections. The photograph display structure also includes a pair of
 photograph packets. Each packet is mounted to a separate one of the end
 panels and each packet has a plurality of photograph mounting sheets
 therewithin for holding a plurality of photographs.
 In still another aspect the invention may be considered to be a photograph
 display album comprising: a base support structure formed in a rectangular
 shape with mutually parallel, laterally extending top and bottom edges.
 The base structure is divided by longitudinally extending hinged
 connections that are perpendicular to and extend between the top and
 bottom edges. The structure thereby forms a central spine, a pair of flat,
 stiff outer cover panels, one on each side of the central spine, a pair of
 end panels each narrower than the outer cover panels and connected to a
 separate one of the outer cover panels, and a pair of flat, stiff inner
 cover panels. The inner cover panels are wider than and joined to a
 separate one of the end panels. The outer cover panels, the end panels and
 the inner cover panels are movable in rotation relative to each other in
 articulated fashion about the hinged connections therebetween. The display
 album is also comprised of a pair of photograph mounting packets. Each
 packet includes a plurality of photograph mounting sheets therewithin.
 Each of the photograph mounting packets is secured to a separate one of
 the end panels.
 The invention may be described with greater clarity and particularity by
 reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT
 FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a photograph display album 10 constructed
 according to the invention. The photograph display album 10 is comprised
 of a base support structure 12 and a pair of photograph mounting packets
 14 and 16. The base support structure 12 is formed in an elongated,
 rectangular shape, as best illustrated in FIG. 4, and has mutually
 parallel, laterally extending top and bottom edges 17 and 18,
 respectfully. The base support structure 12 is formed with a central spine
 20, a pair of flat, stiff, rectangular-shaped outer cover panels 22 and
 24, a pair of stiff, narrow rectangular end panels 26 and 28, each
 narrower than the outer cover panels 22 and 24, and a pair of flat, stiff,
 rectangular-shaped inner cover panels 30 and 32. Each of the end panels 26
 and 28 has a concealed side and an exposed side. The stiff panels 22, 24,
 26, 28, 30, and 32 are delineated from each other by longitudinally
 extending hinged connections 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, and 44.
 The base support structure 12 may be fabricated utilizing thin sheets 46 of
 fabric or plastic which encapsulate therewithin flat, rectangular core
 sections that provide a certain degree of rigidity to the stiff panels,
 such as the rectangular core 48 of the inner cover panel 30, shown in FIG.
 5. The core sections 48 may be formed of fiber board or a stiff sheet of
 plastic.
 As illustrated in FIG. 2, the base support 12 is bifurcated into two mirror
 image portions 50 and 52 by a spine which is formed as a flexible web 20
 disposed between the outer cover panels 22 and 24. The web 20 is disposed
 between the outer cover panels 22 and 24 and has a width about equal to
 the combined width of the pair of end panels 26 and 28. The web 20 extends
 laterally between the outer panels 22 and 24. The longitudinal hinged
 connections 34 and 36 delineate the flexible web 20 from the adjoining
 stiff, rectangular outer cover panels 22 and 24. The outer cover panels 22
 and 24 are thereby located one on each side of the flexible spine 20.
 The end panels 26 and 28 are quite a bit narrower than the outer cover
 panels 22 and 24 and each have a width about half the width of the spine
 20. Each of the end panels 26 and 28 is connected to a separate one of the
 outer cover panels by a hinged connection thereto. Specifically, the end
 panel 26 is connected to the outer cover panel 22 by the longitudinal
 hinge connection 38 that extends between the top edge 17 and the bottom
 edge 18 of the base support structure 12. The longitudinal hinge
 connection 40 connects and provides a delineation between the end panel 28
 and the outer cover panel 24.
 The inner cover panels 30 and 32 are likewise connected to and delineated
 from a separate one of the end panels. Specifically, the inner cover panel
 30 is connected to the end panel 26 by a longitudinal hinged connection 42
 while the inner cover panel 32 is connected to the end panel 28 by the
 longitudinal hinge connection 44. The inner cover panels 30 and 32 are
 equal in width to the width of the outer cover panels 22 and 24.
 Each of the packets 14 and 16 is formed of a plurality of photograph
 mounting pages 56, two of which are visible in FIG. 4. The photograph
 mounting pages 56 are of conventional instruction. For example, each
 photograph mounting page 56 may be formed of two sheets of thin, plastic
 material disposed in face-to-face contact and having mutually congruent
 perimeters, portions of which are heat sealed together to define at least
 one pocket therebetween.
 In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, two plies of thin
 polyethylene plastic form each of the photograph mounting pages 56 and are
 sealed along their top and bottom edges, and along a horizontal line of
 sealing midway between the top edge 17 and bottom edge 18 of the base
 support 12. Each of the photograph mounting pages 56 thereby forms an
 upper and lower pocket to respectively received two different photographs
 therewithin. The pockets are accessible for the insertion and removal of
 photographs through the unsealed portions of the parameters of the
 transparent plies of sheet material forming the mounting pages 56. The
 pockets defined by each of the photograph mounting pages 56 are thereby
 accessible from the edges of the mounting pages 56 remote from the end
 panels to which the mounting pages 56 are attached. Each packet 14 and 16
 may contain, perhaps between about ten and twenty photograph mounting
 pages 56.
 Each of the packets 14 and 16 is secured to a separate one of the end
 panels 26 and 28. More specifically, all of the photograph mounting pages
 56 of the packet 14 are secured to the inwardly facing, concealed side of
 the end panel 26, while all of the photograph mounting pages 56 of the
 packet 16 are secured to the inwardly facing, concealed side of the end
 panel 28.
 As illustrated in the drawing figures, the double album photograph display
 10 of the invention may be utilized in a variety of different ways. In
 FIG. 1 the photograph display structure 10 is shown fully folded with the
 packets 14 and 16 respectively confined within each of the mirror image
 portions 50 and 52 of the base support 12. In this condition the
 photograph display structure 10 may be conveniently stored on a bookshelf
 or in a cabinet. FIG. 2 illustrates the photograph display structure with
 the mirror image portions 50 and 52 opened from each other.
 Preferably, and as in the embodiment illustrated, each of the inner cover
 panels 30 and 32 is formed with a rectangular photograph viewing window 58
 at its center. The photograph viewing window 58 is formed as a rectangular
 opening that extends entirely through the flat structure of each of the
 inner cover panels 30 and 32. As best illustrated in FIG. 5, photographs
 60 and 62 are located between the inner cover panels and the two mounting
 packets. That is, a separate photograph 60 is located between the inner
 cover panel 30 and the packet 14 of photograph mounting pages 56 that is
 secured to the end panel 26 so that the photograph 60 in the inner cover
 panel 30 is visible through the window 58 therethrough. Similarly, the
 photograph 62 that is located between the inner, cover panel 32 and the
 packet 16 that is secured to the end panel 28 is visible through the
 viewing window 58 in the inner cover panel 32.
 Thus, the photographs 60 and 62 may be chosen so as to be indicative of the
 types of photographs located within the packets 14 and 16, respectively.
 For example, the photograph 60 may be a choice photograph of one family
 member. Other photographs of that same family member may be located within
 the photograph packet 14. The photograph 62 may be chosen as one of the
 better photographs of a different family member. Other photographs of that
 same family member may be located within the packet 16.
 FIG. 5 illustrates one manner of mounting the photographs 60 and 62. In the
 embodiment shown in FIG. 5 a rectangular backing sheet 64 is placed
 against the inside surface of the inner cover panel 30 once the photograph
 60 has been positioned in the viewing window 58 thereof. A transparent PVC
 photo protector sheet 63 is located between the photograph 60 and the
 plastic or fabric overlay sheet 46. A spacer strip 67 is disposed about
 the periphery of the photograph pocket to ensure sufficient space for the
 photograph 60 to be inserted and removed from between the protector sheet
 63 and the backing sheet 64. The photograph 60 resides in contact with the
 inside surface of the photo protector sheet 63. The backing sheet 64 is
 glued onto the inside surface of the inner cover member 30 to mount the
 photograph 60 in the viewing window 58 of the inner cover panel 30.
 Preferably there is an opening at one edge between the backing sheet 64
 and the covering sheet 46 to allow insertion and removal of different
 photographs.
 FIG. 5A illustrates an alternative mounting system in which the photograph
 60 is removably mounted on the inside surface of the inner cover panel 30.
 As illustrated in that drawing figure, a front face sheet 65 has been
 glued on top of the outer face of the inner cover panel 30. Small, flat
 blocking tabs 66 are secured by screws 68 to the inside surface of the
 inner cover panel 30 near the center of each side of the rectangular
 window 58 therethrough. The screws 68 are engaged in the stiff fiber board
 or plastic structure of the core 48 of the inner cover panel 30. The
 locking tabs 66 can be rotated about the axes of the screws 68 so as to
 entrap the photograph 60. In this way the photograph 60 may be removably
 held in position with its border in contact with the inside surface of the
 inner cover panel 30, as illustrated in FIG. 5A and in FIG. 6. To remove
 the photograph 60, the locking tabs 66 are merely rotated out of
 registration with the viewing window 58, thus releasing the photograph 60.
 With this system, different photographs may be mounted in the viewing
 windows 58 of the inner cover panels 30 and 32 in place of the photographs
 60 and 62.
 When the double album photograph display structure 10 is utilized in the
 manner illustrated in FIG. 2, it is apparent that the width of the end
 panels 26 and 28 and the connection of the photograph packets 14 and 16 to
 the inside, concealed faces of the end panels 26 and 28 provides a very
 stable, freestanding photograph display structure. Because the photograph
 pages 56 are not attached to the web 20, but rather at locations remote
 from the web 20 and to the end panels 26 and 28, there is no tendency for
 the photographs to pull against the web 20 causing the structure to
 collapse. Quite to the contrary, the attachment of the photograph mounting
 pages 56 at locations remote from the flexible web 20 enhances the
 stability of the display album 10.
 This stability may be enhanced even further by providing the photograph
 display album 10 with four engageable fasteners, such as the string ties
 that form the web fasteners 70 and inner cover fasteners 72 in each of the
 mirror image portions 50 and 52 of the base support structure 12. The web
 fastener string ties 70 are attached to the base structure 12 adjacent
 each of the outer cover panels 22 and 24 at their demarcations with the
 web 20. Corresponding inner cover fastener spring ties 72 are provided on
 each of the inner cover panels 30 and 32 remote from the respective hinge
 connections 42 and 44 that respectively connect the inner cover panels 30
 and 32 to the end panels 26 and 28. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the sets of
 spring ties 70 and 72 in each of the mirror image portions 50 and 52 of
 the base support 12 may be engaged together to hold the photograph packets
 14 and 16 entrapped between their respective inner and outer covers.
 As illustrated in FIG. 2, when the spring tie fasteners 70 and 72 of the
 mirror image portion 50 of the base structure 12 are tied together the
 packet 14 is held entrapped between the inner cover panel 30 and the outer
 cover panel 22. Similarly, when the string ties 70 and 72 of the mirror
 image portion 52 of the base structure 12 are tied together, as
 illustrated in FIG. 2, the photograph packet 16 is entrapped between the
 inner cover panel 32 and the outer cover panel 24. The packets 14 and 16
 are thereby respectively entrapped within stiff rigid confines on each
 side of the web 20 that forms the spine of the photograph display album
 10.
 FIG. 3 illustrates the manner in which photographs on the photograph
 mounting pages 56 may be accessed for viewing. As shown in FIG. 3, the
 spring ties 70 and 72 in the portion 52 of base structure 12 may be untied
 and the inner cover panel 32 may be rotated outwardly relative to the end
 panel 28 about its hinge connection 44 therewith. This provides access to
 the mounting pages 56 of the portion 52 of the base structure 12. Since
 each of the mounting pages 56 in the portion 52 of the base structure 12
 is attached to the inside surface of the end panel 28, the photograph
 mounting pages 56 may be rotated outwardly away from the outer cover panel
 24, which is in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3. The
 photographs on each of the photograph mounting pages 56 may thereupon be
 viewed by a user.
 The photograph display album 10 may also be laid out flat as illustrated in
 FIG. 4 so that photographs on the mounting pages 56 within each of the
 packets 14 and 16 may be viewed at the same time. As illustrated in that
 drawing figure, each of the photograph mounting pages 56 may be swung
 toward or away from its inner cover panel and toward or away from its
 outer cover panel. That is, the photograph mounting pages 56 in the packet
 14 may be rotated about their connections to the end panel 26 toward or
 away from either the outer cover panel 22 or the inner cover panel 30. At
 the same time the photograph mounting pages 56 of the packet 16 may be
 rotated about their connections to the end panel 28 toward or away from
 either the outer cover panel 24 or the inner cover panel 32. It is thus
 apparent that when the double album photograph display 10 of the invention
 is deployed as illustrated in FIG. 4, photographs in the two packets 14
 and 16 can be viewed simultaneously.
 Undoubtedly, numerous variations and modifications of the invention will
 become readily apparent to those familiar with photograph albums. For
 example, many different materials may be utilized for both the base
 structure 12 and the photograph mounting pages 56. Accordingly, the scope
 of the invention should not be construed as limited to this specific
 embodiment depicted and described, but rather as defined in the claims
 appended hereto.