INSTANT PHOTOGRAPH-POSTCARD

Abstract: A postcard (40) comprises a plastics backing sheet (1; 41) which is secured to a transparent front sheet (2; 42) so as to define a flat space between them in which is received a photograph (6, 45). Various ways of holding the backing and front sheets together are disclosed. The backing sheet (1; 41) may have a rough or matte outer surface (15, 44) upon which the user can write and stick stamps. Various ways of holding the postcard between the front and backing sheet are disclosed.

Description: INSTANT PHOTOGRAPH-POSTCARD This invention relates to an instant photograph-postcard. Postcards are sent by millions of holiday-makers every year, to friends and relatives to inform them of the enjoyable time being had by the sender. Although there is a huge market in picture postcards these tend to be standard photographs of local places or events of interest. Unfortunately many such postcards do not satisfy the senders personal taste nor can such standard photographs always reflect a sender's personal view and experience at a particular resort visited. Standard postcards, by their nature, cannot include a personal photograph of the sender or anyone else. Accordingly there is a demand for postcards which allow a sender to use a personal photograph. Such a photograph may be of the sender, of a person or persons travelling with the sender or may simply be a photograph taken by the sender of the locality. Such a postcard may capture the experience of the sender within the surroundings of the resort. A more personal greeting. therefore can be sent home portraying familiar faces in the environment they have visited. According to a first aspect the present invention consists in an instant photograph-postcard, comprising a card backing, a photograph and a water-proof cover. The photograph postcard may be used in conjunction with an instant camera of the type produced by the Polaroid company. The invention may be carried out by using a separate postcard 'kit' into which a photograph is framed. The postcard kits could ideally be circulated around holiday resorts. Alternatively an instant camera may be adapted to 5 produce a complete photograph-postcard. According to a second aspect the present invention consists in a postcard comprising a plastics backing, a waterproof cover and fixing means adapted to secure the -_Q cover to the backing enclosing a photograph. Preferably the fixing means comprises adhesive layer provided on an inner face of at least one of the backing and the cover. 15 In a preferred form the adhesive layer is provided covering substantially the whole of the inner face of the cover. 20 Alternatively the adhesive layer may be provided only on a peripheral region of the cover. It will be understood that an adhesive layer may be provided on an inner face of the backing instead of 25 or as well as on the cover. Advantageously the cover may be hinged to the backing. 30 Preferably protective means may be provided to protect the adhesive layer and to prevent the adhesive adhering in an undesired fashion before a photograph is inserted into the postcard. The protective means may comprise a sheet of removable paper. 35 In an alternative embodiment the fixing means may comprise a number of tabs extending from one of the cover and the backing and adapted to be releasably securable to the other of the cover and the backing. Preferably the tabs are provided on one or more edges of the cover and are adapted to engage with corresponding slots in the backing, securing the cover in place relative to the backing and providing protection for a photograph placed between the cover and the backing. Alternatively the tabs may have an adhesive coating by which tabs on the cover may be secured to the backing. Advantageously the cover is hinged to the backing along one edge and one or more tabs are provided on each other edge of the cover. In this embodiment the photograph may be removed from the postcard once it reaches its destination. Preferably the waterproof cover comprises a sheet of flexible plastics film. The film may be sufficiently durable to protect the photograph during passage of the postcard through the postal system. Alternatively the cover may be relatively stiff. The cover may be made of the same material as the backing. In one embodiment the cover may be integral with the backing, a linking portion acting as a hinge. In a preferred form both the cover and backing are made of transparent plastics material. It may be desirable to provide a backing and/or a cover having printed matter thereon, such as a location and name of a country. Alternatively the printed matter may comprise a decorative border. Alternatively at least the backing may be substantially opaque. Printed material in the form of advertisements may be provided on the backing. Such advertisements may render the backing substantially opaque. Preferably such advertisements are arranged such that an address and message written on the backing is clearly legible over the advertisement. In another embodiment the cover may be partially opaque with a transparent window through which the photograph may be viewed. The backing may be provided with a number of apertures located in an upper right hand region. These apertures may be adapted to enable one or more stamps to be affixed to a photograph enclosed within the post card. This may provide a better surface for the stamps to adhere to and may facilitate franking of the stamps. Alternatively the backing may be provided with one or more regions having a surface adapted to facilitate adherence of stamps thereto. The or each region may have a matt surface. Alternatively the surface may be embossed or provided with a series of depressions. Dimensions of the post card may be varied to suit various sizes of photograph prints. Alternatively a standard size of post card could be used and the size of the transparent window in the front cover may be varied. The post cards may be sold in packs. It may be desirable to provide a pack including a pen suitable for writing on the plastics backing. Packs may be sold incorporating other items such as films. Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figures 1 to 5 are schematic cross-sections of a number of embodiments of a •postcard in accordance with the invention; Figures 6 to 9 are schematic perspective views of further modifications; Figures 10 to 12 illustrate how a postcard in accordance with the invention may be used; Figure 13 shows a camera adapted to produce a photograph in a postcard in accordance with the invention; Figure 14 is a schematic perspective view of a postcard enclosing a photograph; Figure 15 shows another postcard in accordance with the invention, and 5 Figure*.16 and 17 show schematically features of detail which may be present on any of the postcards. In the accompanying drawings the depth dimension has been relatively enlarged for the purposes of clarity. Figure 1 illustrates a schematic cross-section of a postcard comprising a plastics backing 1, a waterproof cover 2 having an inner face 3 and an outer face 4. A layer of adhesive 5 is attached to the inner face 3 and a layer of removable protective paper 6 is located over the adhesive layer and between the adhesive layer and the backing. In this embodiment the adhesive layer covers the whole of the inner face of the cover. Also in this embodiment the cover has a downwardly extending flange 7 along one side, the flange having a lip 8 parallel to and spaced from the cover the lip extending under the backing and being sealed thereto. The lip may be sealed to the cover by adhesive or by means of heat sealing or other suitable means. In order to use the postcard the cover 2 and protective paper 6 are lifted away from the backing, a photograph is positioned on the backing, the protective paper 6 is removed exposing the adhesive layer 5 and the cover is then placed over the photograph and backing, being carefully smoothed down to remove wrinkles and air bubbles. An address and suitable message can then be written on an outer face 9 of the backing using a suitable pen (not shown) . The pen should be of a type adapted to write on plastics surfaces and utilizing a waterproof, non-smudging ink. Alternatively a suitable pen may be used to write a message on the reverse of the photograph. A modified postcard is shown in Figure 2. In . this embodiment the cover 2 is the same size as the backing. A plastics strip 10 having upper and lower lips 11 and 12 respectively extends along one side of the postcard. The upper lip 11 is fixed to the outer face 4 of the cover and the lower lip 12 is fixed to the outer face 9 of the backing so that in use the strip 10 acts as a hinge. In the embodiments shown in Figures 3 and 4 the cover is integral with the backing, a U-shaped hinge portion 13 linking the cover to the backing. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3 the adhesive layer is attached to an inner face 14 of the backing rather than to the inner face of the cover. Figure 4 shows the postcard . in use enclosing a photograph 15. As can be seen the dimensions of the postcard are larger than those of the photograph, the adhesive layer securing the cover to the backing around the periphery of the photograph. As shown in Figure 5 a further modification is to provide adhesive only on peripheral regions 16,17 of the cover. This is sufficient to secure the cover to the backing but as the adhesive is only on the peripheral regions adhesive is not applied, in use of the postcard, to an upper photographic surface 18. In this embodiment it is possible to remove the photograph from the postcard, once it has reached its destinations, by separating the cover from the backing in the peripheral region 16. Alternatively the postcard may be cut adjacent an edge 19 of the photograph to release the photograph from the postcard. Further modifications and features are shown in Figures 6 to 9. Whilst these are shown in combination with an integral cover and backing they may of course be utilised in combination with other hinge means. As can be seen in Figure 6 an aperture 20 is provided in the backing. The aperture is adapted to enable stamps (not shown) to be affixed to a rear surface 21 of a photograph enclosed within the postcard. The rear surface of the photograph may provide a surface to which stamps adhere more securely than they would to a glossy plastics surface. Printed matter is also provided on the outer surface of the backing in the form of lines 22 defining a space for writing an address and legends 23 which may include information relating to a resort or country. An alternative means of providing a surface to which stamps can adhere securely is shown in Figure 7. In this case a suitably sized area 24 is provided with a matt surface 25. Alternatively this area could be embossed or provided with a series of grooves to achieve the same effect. As illustrated in Figure 9 a decorative border 26 defining a window 27 and a legend 28 may be printed onto the outer face of the cover. The embodiment shown in Figure 8 utilises alternative fixing means in the form of tabs adapted to be removably engageable in corresponding slots. The cover is hinged to the backing along one longitudinal side 29, and a first longitudinally extending tab 30 projects from the cover on a second longitudinal side 31. Further side tabs 32 are located one each transverse side 33 of the cover. A longitudinal slot 34 is provided in the backing adapted to receive the longitudinal tab and transverse slots 35 are provided in the backing to receive the side tabs 32. The tabs are formed so as to be flexible enough to be bent around the backing and be slid into the corresponding slots. It may be necessary to make the tabs thinner than the cover or to provide weakening lines to ensure that they are sufficiently flexible. Turning now to Figures 10 to 12 these illustrate use of the postcard. In Figure 10 the flexible waterproof plastics cover has been lifted from the backing and the protective paper removed. A dotted line 36 indicates the position in which a photograph should be placed, as shown in Figure 11. In Figure 12 the cover has been smoothed over the photograph securing the photograph in position on the backing. Figure 13 illustrates a camera of the Polaroid type which may be adapted to produce of self developing photograph pre-incorporated into a postcard and Figure 14 shows such a postcard. Figure 15 illustrates another postcard 40 in which a protective member 40 ' comprises a plastics backing sheet 41 welded along three sides of its periphery to a plastics front sheet 42. The member 40' has an aperture 43 at its top edge. The front sheet 42 is transparent, and preferably has a glossy, shiny finish. The backing sheet 41 may be transparent, translucent, or opaque, and has a roughened, or matt, outer surface 44 extending over its entire extent. The matt outer surface of the plastics backing sheet 41 enables it to be written on using a normal ball-point pen, or a pencil, and avoids the need to supply a special pen to write on plastics. The ink is absorbed by the roughened matt surface and dries quickly so that the user does not have to wait minutes before he can be sure that he will not smudge what he has just written. The matt surface also allows a conventional postage stamp to be stuck to it. In order to introduce a photograph 45 in between the front and backing sheets 47 and 43 the user squeezes the top of the protective member 40 * at the positions marked "S" on Figure 15 so as to cause the aperture 43 to spring open. The photograph 45 can then be pushed into the aperture until it is received between the sheets 41 and 42. When the user stops squeezing the top of the protective member it springs back to a substantially flat state in which the aperture 43 is substantially closed. The stiffness and springyness of the member 40" keep it flat. The postcard is smaller than the depth of the member 40' so that upper portions 46 of the sheets 41 and 42 lie against each other when the photograph is in place. The portions 46 may be held together by static electricity, glue, adhesive tape, or any other means. Figure 16 shows the provision of projections 47 on the inner surface of the backing sheet 41. The projections 47 may be stiff or flexible, and may comprise ribs, preferably horizontal ribs. The projections 47 serve to assist in holding the postcard in the protective member. A ledge, flange, or retention projection 48 may be provided on the backing or front sheet at the upper edge of the sheet so as to prevent the photograph from accidentally falling out of the protective member. Figure 17 shows the provision of two opposed retention flanges 49 and 50 which overlap when the protective member is in its unsprung condition. A fold-over flap may be provided on either the front or backing sheet, the flap being folded over to close the aperture. The flap may be held to the other of the backing or front sheet to that on which it is provided by glue, or any other holding means. It will be appreciated that the provision of a matt surface on the backing sheet (which may cover the whole of the area of the backing sheet) , and the features of detail of Figures 16 and 17 are applicable to any of the other embodiments described herein. Whilst the embodiments have been described with reference to a plastics backing it will be realised that a card backing could be utilised as an alternative. Equally a laminate material having a plastics outer surface could also be used for the backing.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A postcard (40) comprising a plastics backing (l',41) , a waterproof cover (2;42) and fixing means (7,10,13) adapted to secure the cover to the backing enclosing a photograph (15;45) . 2. A postcard according to claim 1 in which the fixing means comprises an adhesive layer (5) provided on an inner face of at least one of the cover and backing. 3. A postcard according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the adhesive layer (5) is provided over substantially all of the inner face of the cover (2) . 4. A postcard according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the adhesive layer (5) is provided on only a peripheral region (16,17) of the cover (2) . 5. A postcard according to any one of claims 2 to 4 in which protective means are provided to protect the adhesive layer (5) . 6. A postcard according to claim 5 in which the protective means comprises a sheet of removable paper. 7. A postcard according to claim 1 in which the fixing means comprise a number of tabs (30,32) extending from one of the cover and the backing and adapted to be releasably securable to the other of the backing and the cover. 8. A postcard according to claim 8 in which a number of tabs (30,32) are provided on one or more edges of the cover, the tabs being adapted to engage with corresponding slots (34,35) in the backing. 9. A postcard according to claim 7 in which the or each tab (30,32) extends from the cover and is provided with an adhesive coating by which the tab may be secured to the backing. 10. A postcard according to claim 1 in which the fixing means is releasable allowing a photograph (15,45) enclosed in the postcard to be removed. 11. A postcard according to any preceding claim in which the cover is hinged to the backing. 12. A postcard according to claim 11 in which the cover is integral with the backing, a linking portion (13) acting as a hinge. 13. A postcard according to any preceding claim in which the cover comprises a flexible plastics film. 14. A postcard according to any one of claims 1 to 12 in which the cover is formed of a relatively stiff material. 15. A postcard according to any preceding claim in which the cover is made of a transparent plastics material. 16. A postcard according to any preceding claim in which printed matter (28) is provided on at least one of the cover and the backing. 17. A postcard according to claim 16 in which the cover is provided with a decorative printed border (26) . 18. A postcard according to any preceding claim in which one or more apertures (27) are provided in the backing located and dimensioned as to enable stamps to be affixed to a rear surface of a photograph (15,45) enclosed in the postcard. 19. A postcard according to any one of claims 1 to 17 in which at least one area (24,44) is provided on the backing adapted to provide a suitable surface to which stamps may adhere. 20. A postcard according to claim 19 in which the surface (24,44) is matt. 21. A postcard according to claim 19 in which the surface is embossed. 22. A postcard according to claim 19 in which the or each area (24,44) is provided with a series of grooves. 23. A postcard according to claim 19 in which the surface (24,44) is a roughened surface of the plastics backing (1;41) which is porous to conventional ink from a ball-point pen and can be written upon, the ink drying substantially instantly. 24. A postcard according to any one of claims 19 to 23 in which the surface (24,44) extends over substantially the whole of the backing. 25. A pack containing a number of postcards in accordance with any of the preceding claims. 26. A pack according to claim 25 further containing a pen adapted to write on a plastics surface. 27. A pack according to claim 26 in which the pen utilises a waterproof and non-smudging ink.

Inventors: PIPONIDES CHRIS, PIPONIDES, CHRIS
Applicants: PIPONIDES CHRIS, PIPONIDES, CHRIS
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B42D15
IPC codes: B42D15