Media embellishing die

A new and improved embellishing die and system and method for embellishing media is provided. The embellishing die includes a first side having a first embellishing surface and a second side having a second embellishing surface. The first and second sides can be on opposite sides of the die. The first and second embellishing surfaces can each include a cutter for cutting the media, or an embossing surface for embossing the media. The first embellishing surface can include an embossing surface for embossing the media and the second embellishing surface can include a cutter for cutting the media. The system can include the embellishing die and a press for pressing media against the media embellishing die to embellish the media.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a system and method of embellishing media, and more particularly to a media embellishing die.

The papercraft and scrapbook industry has become widely popular seeing explosive growth in recent years. Many people have taken up the hobby of keeping mementos and photos in scrapbooks and they wish to personalize their collections using embellished media.

Typical known systems for embellishing media use a press for pressing the media against a die to embellish the media. These systems use a die having an embellishing surface on one side. The press presses the media against the embellishing surface to emboss or cut the media. A single die having only one embellishing surface can only perform one function such as embossing a media. To cut out the embossed media, a different die is required. It is desirable to reduce the cost and complexity of these known systems for embellishing media.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a new and improved embellishing die for embellishing media is provided.

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, the embellishing die includes system includes a first side having a first embellishing surface and a second side having a second embellishing surface. The first and second sides can be on opposite sides of the die.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, the first embellishing surface includes a cutter for cutting the media and the second embellishing surface includes a cutter for cutting the media.

In accordance with a another aspect of the invention the first embellishing surface includes an embossing surface for embossing the media and the second embellishing surface includes an embossing surface for embossing the media.

In accordance with a yet another aspect of the invention the first embellishing surface includes an embossing surface for embossing the media and the second embellishing surface includes a cutter for cutting the media.

In accordance with a another aspect of the invention a system for embellishing media is provided. The system includes a media embellishing die including a first side having a first embellishing surface for embellishing media and a second side having a second embellishing surface for embellishing media, and a press for pressing media against the media embellishing die to embellish the media. The first and second sides can be on opposite sides of the die.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific examples and characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

The term “embellish” as used herein refers to altering the appearance of media by cutting the media and/or by embossing the media. The term “embossing” as used hereinafter refers to forming a three dimensional impression of a template in the media. The template can be a media embellishing die or any three dimensional object capable of embossing the media. The embossing is preferably dry embossing which does not use heat. The media can be any material suitable for embellishing including, but not limited to, paper, cardboard, metal, such as for example metal foil or other thin metals, and plastic.

Referring toFIGS. 1–3, a media embellishing die is shown generally at10. The die10includes a first side12having a first embellishing surface14for embellishing media16. The first embellishing surface14can be an embossing surface for embossing media16with a press as described below. The embossing surface14can include one or more raised portions18extending above an adjacent portion20for creating an impression21in the media16. The embossing surface14can also include one or more recessed portions20, recessed relative to the raised portion18for creating three dimensional texture in the impression21. The impression21formed by the embossing surface14can be a letter, a number, a symbol or any other suitable embossed impression.

The die10also includes a second side24having a second embellishing surface26for embellishing the media16. The second embellishing surface26can be a cutter for cutting media16during a pressing operation as described below. The cutter26can be formed by a raised portion extending from the surrounding die10having an edge28capable of cutting the media16during a pressing operation. The die10can include foam30disposed on the second side24surrounding the cutter26and extending above the die up to the cutter edge28to help prevent cutting a person's fingers when handling the die. An example of the foam30can include, but is not limited to, closed cell polyethylene.

The die10is formed of a rigid material, examples of which include but are not limited to metal such as aluminum or steel, or other rigid materials suitable for forming a die for use in a press116as described below. The first and second embellishing surfaces14,26can be formed by machining or casting the die material, or in any other suitable known manner.

Referring toFIG. 4, a system for embellishing media16is shown generally at100. The system100includes the embellishing die10as described above and a press116having first118and second119press members for applying press forces, shown by arrows120, during pressing. The press116can be a roller press having rollers for press members118,119, or any other known press for pressing the media16against the embellishing die10to embellish the media.

The system100can further include an elastomeric embossing pad122formed of a resilient, that is, elastic material which deforms when the press forces120, are applied during pressing and returns to its original shape when the press forces are removed. The embossing pad122can be placed against the media16and the media can be placed against the embossing surface14when the media is embossed by the embossing surface during pressing.

The system100can further include a platen plate assembly130for distributing the press forces120when the press members118that are not generally planar, such as roller press members, are used in the press116. The platen plate assembly130can include one or more rigid flat portions, such as a first flat portion132and a second flat portion134. The platen plate assembly130is formed of a rigid material, an example of which should not be considered limiting, includes high density polyethylene. The platen plate assembly130can be slightly pliable to be capable of regularly coming into contact with the cutter26without prematurely dulling it.

Referring now toFIGS. 2 and 4, the first side12and second side16can be on opposite sides of the die10. The die10is adapted to be pressed together with the media16between the first118and second119press members which apply the press forces120to press the media against the die. During pressing, the first side12faces one of the first and second press members118,119and the second side14faces the other of the first and second press members118,119.

The first embellishing surface14and second embellishing surface24can both be embossing surfaces14for embossing media, or cutters26for cutting media. The first embellishing surface14can be an embossing surface14and the second embellishing surface24can be a cutter26.

The first and second embellishing surfaces14,24can be coordinated with each other in type and/or orientation and/or location to embellish the same piece of media16in different ways during two different pressings. In one example which should not be considered limiting, the second embellishing surface24can be a cutter26which is aligned with the first embellishing surface which is an embossing surface14as shown by the dashed line36inFIG. 2. The embossing surface14creates an embossed impression21in the media16when the media is pressed against it in a first pressing. Then, in the second pressing, the cutter26cuts outs the embossed impression21to form the embellishment.

Another example of coordinating the first and second embellishing surfaces14,24can include, but is not limited to, using two different embossing surfaces which require different press force characteristics to emboss the media16during first and second pressings to produce an embellishment in a single piece of media. The first embossing surface14can include a different level of detail, such as finer three dimensional detail, than the second embossing surface24which can require different press force characteristics to achieve the best embossing results. Examples of these press force characteristics which can be changed from the first pressing to the second pressing can include, but are not limited to, the magnitude of the press forces120generated against the media16and embellishing die10, the magnitude of the pressure applied to the media16and embellishing die10from the press forces, and the spread of the press forces over the media and embellishing die. One way of creating different press force characteristics in the first and second pressings can include placing different elastomeric embossing pads122having different preselected hardnesses against the media16, and pressing the pad, the media and the embellishing die10in the press116.

Referring toFIG. 5, a method of embellishing media is shown generally at300. The method300includes placing the media16against the first embellishing surface14on a first side12of the media embellishing die10at302. The method300also includes pressing the media16against the first embellishing surface14with the press116at304to embellish the media. The method300also includes lifting the media16from the first embellishing surface14at306and placing the media against the second embellishing surface26on a second side24of the media embellishing die10at308. The embellishing die10can be turned over or the media16can be moved to the second side24of the embellishing die. The method300also includes pressing the media16against the second embellishing surface26with a press116at310to embellish the media. The method300can also include pressing an elastomeric pad122against the media16and the media against the first embellishing surface14with the press116at step304to embellish the media. The method300can also include pressing an elastomeric pad122against the media16and the media against the second embellishing surface24with the press116at step310to embellish the media.

The invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding specification. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.