AN ORNAMENTAL BODY

Abstract: An ornamental body (A) comprises a transparent layer (1) and a metal foil (3) laminated with the transparent layer. A visible image (2) such as scenery or the like is formed upon a laminated surface of the transparent layer or the metal layer by photographic or printing means. The visible image is characterized by its vivid color contrast and stereoscopic appeal.

Description: This invention relates to an ornamental body which is used for various kinds of displays, ornamental frame or the like. More particularly, it can display various photos very vividly in a stereoscopic manner. Conventionally, when observing for example a photographic landscape, it is printed on a sensitive paper. If a large number of such photographic landscapes are required, they are printed by known printing means. In any case, a portion of a photographic image on the sensitive paper is based on a white color paper. Namely, any ordinary photographic paper is of a white color one. When one wishes to print a photograph on a non-white color paper, its printing portion must be white-colored. However, when printing a photographic image on a white color portion, the inconvenience is that a light reflection efficiency is still insufficient, so that a highly verisimilitude or stereoscopic image has not been obtained. To solve such inconvenience, an image is photographed and printed, for example, on a glass or a plastic material, and then the photographed image is reflected by a back illumination. However, its brightness is increased, but a color contrast is unsuitable and unclear. Further, such printing and illumination process needs a large-sized apparatus. Still further, its commercial utilization is limited and production cost is expensive. Because such photograph is usually inserted in a wall body for the purpose of advertising. The GB-A-913 995 describes a graphic representation that comprises a base member having a metallic reflecting surface, an assembly of two or more translucent and identical pictures and an intervening transparent separating layer between each two successive pictures, where said assembly being applied to the reflecting surface of the base member. In this realisation each picture is formed by three superimposed ink layers each printed with an image in a different single primary colour. The FR-A-2 282 383 describes an ornamental tablet consisting of a transparent layer, a painting formed on the transparent layer, a supporting plate and a reflective element being arranged between the transparent layer and the supporting plate. The reflective element is a thin wrinkled aluminium foil, which consist of small irregular aluminium prisms with brilliant bevels, by means of which it is possible to get diffused light reflection in spite of the glossy surface of the foil. Since the reflective element is made as a wrinkled foil, a gap must be kept between the surface of the reflective element and the transparent layer having the painted visible image. The incident light passes through the transparent layer and reflects in overall direction on the brilliant bevels of the irregular prisms of the reflective element. Due to the reflection on the reflective element consisting of irregular prisms and bevels variations of colors and forms of the visible image can be observed in dependence on the angle, at which one is looking on the tablet. The aim of the invention is to provide an ornamental body, in which a visible image has a vivid colour contrast and a stereoscopic appeal. The set aim is solved by the features of claim 1. In a prefered embodiment of the invention the transparent layer is a plastic film. This invention will be further described, by way of embodiments, with reference to the accompany drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a section view of an ornamental body according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing an example of a manufacturing process of this invention. Fig. 3 is a view showing another example of the manufacturing process of this invention. Fig. 4 is a front view showing a visible effect in case the ornamental body of this invention is set in a frame. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the ornamental body which is placed on a coaster by cutting it in a circular form. A preferred embodiment of this invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. In Fig. 1 there is shown an ornamental body A according to this invention, which comprises a transparent plastic film 1 (upper layer), an intermediate photographic layer 2 formed on a rear surface of the transparent plastic film and a metal foil 3 (lower layer) backed and closely fitted with the photographic layer 2. The photographic layer 2 formed on the rear surface of the transparent plastic film 1 may be made by an ordinary photographic means, i.e. development and printing by application of a sensitizer or a normal printing means. However, in either case it is absolutely required to expose a photographic image directly upon a transparent layer. The photographic image must not be exposed on any white color layer. Namely, the transparent layer must be formed by removing any white color. The metal foil 3 backed with the photographic layer 2 is a non-glossy aluminum foil. The aluminum foil as a finished product is provided with a glossy surface on one surface and a non-glossy surface on the other surface. The non-glossy surface is of a diffused reflection property in case of light reflection. According to this embodiment, the non-glossy surface of the aluminum foil is adhered to the photographic film 1 by a suitable adhesive. As described above, a photographic image or picture as a visible image is fitted between the transparent plastic film 1 and the aluminum foil 3. However, such a photographic image or picture may be formed immediately upon the non-glossy surface of the aluminum foil 3 and then laminated with the transparent plastic film 1 or coated with a suitable transparent agent. (Refer to Fig. 3.) A function of the ornamental body according to this invention will now be described. Since a visible image is fitted closely with the non-glossy surface of the aluminum foil 3, an incident light is reflected in an overall direction upon a bright portion or light-reflective portion of the visible image, while the other portion of the visible image is not reflected since the light cannot be transmitted to the aluminum foil 3. As a result, a light contrast of the ornamental body A becomes very vivid. For example, in case of a night view photographic image, a shiningly bright portion can be relieved vividly in a stereoscopic manner. In Fig. 4 there is shown a night view example, in which the ornamental body A is set in a frame 7. In this case, a moon 5 and a window portion of a house 6 is reflected effectively and vividly like an actual night view. Even if the visible image is not a night view, it has a clear color contrast. Accordingly, I can conclude that the ornamental body of this invention has a very vivid visible image, so that its visible appeal is very remarkable. In addition, since it can be produced at a low cost and by simple means and has high durability, it can be applied for various fields.

Claims: An ornamental body consisting of a transparent layer (1), a metal foil (3) and an intermediate photographic layer (2) closely fitted with the metal foil (3), said photographic layer (2) being directly formed upon the surface of the metal foil (3) that faces to the transparent layer (1) or upon the surface of the transparent layer (1) that faces to the metal foil (3), and forming a visible image such as a scenery or the like by exposure of the photographic layer (2), wherein the metal foil (3) is an aluminium foil and the surface of the aluminium foil (3) that faces to the photographic layer (2) is a non-glossy surface having a diffused reflection property. An ornamental body as claimed in claim 1, in which the transparent layer (1) is a plastic film.

Inventors: ARAKAWA, SHINICHIRO
Applicants: ARAKAWA, SHINICHIRO
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B44F1
IPC codes: G09F7, B44F1, B44C3, B44C5, B44F7