PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM

Abstract: The invention relates to photos, photo arrangements and ceremony recording album, having a plurality of pages, which are usually made of cardboards (2), on each one of which photos, photo arrangements and ceremony recordings are alleged, which comprise a front (15), a back cover (16) and a back (19). Said album (21) is made of a plurality of modules (7), each one of which being adapted to comprise a boardcard (2), which is glued on a selfadhesive paper sheet or film (1), said boardcard being adapted to comprise two adjacent sides (3), on each one of which a photo, or a photo composition could be printed. Said modules (7) are glued each one to the other in order to form a pre-album (P) which is covered by a front and a rear cover (15, 16) as well as their back (19) in order to conceive an album as a book both as a page collection and as a compact and robust structure.

Description: PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM ΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛΛ The present invention relates to a photos, photo arrangements and ceremony recordings album, said album being adapted to comprise a plurality of pages, which are usually made of cardboards, on each one of which photos, photo arrangements and ceremony recordings are alleged, which usually comprise a front and a rear cover and a back. Nowadays a simple collection of photos, images and the like, which are realized in the form of different colour and black- white shapes and sizes, doesn't satisfy any people requirements. Furthermore, it seems necessary that new technologies are applied to the albums, also in order to make more simple and easier their consultation. To-day it is possible to transfer, thanks to the digital technology, the images from scanner to PC, creating in such a way more or less sophisticated solutions, compositions, and integrations of photo images coupled to particular effects, such as: gradations, various image colourings in particular points, superimposings of pictures, and so on. One of the modern offers from the photo technology is the possibility to conceive an album at a level of a plurality of cardboard sheets, on each one of which the images are directly printed without any protections between the front pages. Another interesting feature is to realize an album on each page of which, for all album pages, no swelling is allowed in correspondence of the common central line of two adjacent pages. The main problem, which the album according to the invention intends to solve is to conceive an album at the level of a book, which could be formed every time of a pages plurality, each one of which is made of a boardcard where a photo is printed. In addition it could be possible to printed just one photo or image on the sides of two adjacent pages. The structure of the album should be robust, original and no more repeatable if not by its manufacturer. Such a problem is solved by the album according to the invention, characterized in that it is made of a plurality of modules, each one of which being adapted to comprise a boardcard, which is glued on a selphadesive paper sheet or film, said boardcard being adapted to comprise two adjacent sides, on each one of which a photo or a photo composition could be printed, said modules being glued each one to the other in order to form a pre-album, said pre-album being covered by a front and a rear cover as well as a their connection, in order to conceive an album as a book both as a page collection and as compact and robust structure. A further problem, which the album according to the invention intends to solve, is given by the possibility, whenever the album is opened in correspondence of any page of the album, that the adjacent pages are coplanar, i.e. are lying on the same plane. Said problem is solved by the album according to the invention, which is characterized by substantially coplanar maintaining means of two opened sheets of the album, both during the album opening and closing operations. Said and further characteristics should be apparent from the following description and from the alleged drawings, in which: Fig.1 represents a perspective view of a opened boardcard, which is glued on a paper or selfadhesive film sheet; FigJ represents a perspective view of a album modul; FigJ represents a perspective view of a module pile up mask; Fig.4 represents a section view, taken according to line A-A of FigJ; Fig.5 represents a perspective view of a closed "pre-album"; Fig.6 represents a perspective view of a boardcard to glue on the cover connection of the album according to the invention; FigJ represents a section view of the opened album, taken according to a plane perpendicular to the album lengthwise development of the album according to the invention; Figs. 8a, 8b represent two schematic views of the forces, which are acting on the album sheets during opening and closing operations of the album; Fig.9 represents a perspective view of an opened boardcard, which is partially glued on a selfadhesive paper or film; Fig.10 represents a perspective view of a further closed "pre-album"; The album according to the invention is manufactured by means of a gluing operation on a selfadhesive paper sheet or film 1 (FigJ) of a boardcard 2, which comprises two adjacent sides 3, on each one of which photos, photo compositions, images and the like are already printed thanks to the digital technology. It is in practise a boardcard, whose weight in grams is equal to about 160 gr. Indeed a boardcard represents the two sides of two adjacent pages, on which two distinct photos, or two images or just one photo or image, which occupies the entire surface of the two adjacent pages, could be printed. In case two different photos or the like are glued on the selfadehesive sheet, the rule is to realize a surmont 4 of about 0,5 cm., i.e. to overlap 0,5 cm.the left side ot the right photo on the right side ofl the left photo for the reasons, which will be explained later on. After gluing on the selfadhesive sheet the boardcard, which contains the single or double photo or image, the same boardcard is ribbed, i.e. a 2 mm.large groove 6 is obtained, which longitudinally crosses all the boardcard in correspondence of a line, which is parallel to the central line of the two photos and is arranged rightwards about 1 mm. with respect to the central line. The groove 6 should brake off the continuity of the boardcard fibers, allowing in such a way the simple opening and the closing of the album pages. Consequently two adjacent pages could arrange on a substantially coplanar plane during the album consultation. The 1 mm. distance of the groove 6 allows no damage to the photo, which is placed rightwards, avoiding its coming out in correspondence of the surmont area, whereas it could be quite unuseful if just one photo was arranged on the two adjacent pages. At this point, the boardcard, which is arranged on the selfadhesive sheet, is fold thanks to a folding machine, which folds the boardcards in correspondence of their rib, causing in such a way the overlap of the two adjacent parts of the boardcard. Each boardcard, which is fold into two sheets, represents a module 7 (FigJ), i.e. the starting element for the album page shapings. Indeed all the modules, which are duly folded, are arranged one on the other next, according to the prearranged sequence and to the right way for the composition of the album pages. Therefore each album page is the result of the two module overlapping, in such a way that the first part of a module, which comprises a boardcard covered with the selfadhesive paper or film, is overlapped by the second part of the adjacent module. Such an adjacent module is covered itself with a selfadhesive sheet or film. Consequently the album is prearranged to comprise the choosen plurality of pages, each one of which comprises: a) the first boardcard, on which the photo or the image, which were obtained digi- tally or according to any other technology, are printed; b) the selfadhesive sheet or film of the first boardcard; c) the selfadhesive sheet or film of the second boardcard, which will be glued on the sheet or film of the first boardcard; d) the second boardcard, on which the photo or the image was digitally obtained, which is relating to the same album page opposite to the first one, on the same sheet; with the consequence that each album sheet is adapted to reach a weight in grams substantially greater than 320 gr/sm., i.e. comprised into a range of 500-600 gr/sm. Such a weight is something heavier than twice the weight of just one boardcard, as the weight of two selfadhesive sheets or films as well as a rubber solution for gluing two sheets is to be added to such a double weight in grams. In conclusion such a solution conceives a new idea of an album with respect to the traditional solution, as each album sheet was conceived up to now at a level of a support, on which the photos on the two pages of the same sheet were glued. Nowadays the photos are directly printed on the module boardcard obtaining in such a way a sheet made of two boardcards as well as two selfadhesive film or sheets and the rubber solution for the gluing operation. The result is made of a heavy and strong structure with the advantage of meet also commercial and cost requirements. Indeed a quality album, which should contain some tens of photos, can reach 14 cm. thickness and some kilos weight, avoiding to contain hundreds and hundreds photos. The following process is observed: a) the modules which should represent the album are taken one by one, after folding them in such way that each one externally presents the selfadhesive film; b) the first module is arranged on the bottom of a mask 8 (Figs.3,4), which presents in correspondence of the module backs, a stop made of a C-shaped profile 9. In such a way the same curved profile is transferred to the back 10 of the album P. A longitudinally arranged stop 12 allows the same module to be correctly placed in correspondence of its longitudinal development. It should be pointed out that the first module to be arranged on the mask is actually the last album module; c) a jet of rubber solution is sprayed on the external side of the last module selfadhesive film; the rubber solution is made of a synthetic glue thinner for the reasons, which will be explained later on. Indeed a uniform layer is not obtained, but a spot distribution of rubber solution, which is practically sufficient for obtaining a module, also if not perfectly glued on the next one; d) a fiirther last but one module is placed on the so arranged module and a light pressure is exerted in order to allow the external surfaces of two module selfadhesive films adhere each one to the other; e) all the operation is repeated as long as the first album module is placed on the mask, obtaining in such a way the pre-album P (Fig.5); f) the pre-album is cutted by a cutter, which is not represented in the drawings and which is adapted to cut every module 7 removing in such a way the adhesive film contour on each boardcard 3. The pre-album modules couldn't be glued after such an operation in a perfect way in the sense that, for instance, a structure was obtained, which represents something more similar to a concertina than a whole organic structure as far as the album back 10 is concerned. Therefore: - a gauze should be glued with rubber solution in correspondence of the longitudinal development of the back 10 in such a way that said initial album structure could present a substantial resistance to the the stress of the album sheets whenever the album is opened. Indeed the pre-album structure, which was obtained up to now, is already substantially strong, as each sheet is made of two boardcards, to eachone of which a selfadhesive film is applied. In addition on said film a rubber solution is applied in order to glue on it a further film, which belongs to next module, which adheres to the previous module. The gauze applied on the back is therefore substantially soft in the sense that the structure is already substantially rigid. At contrary the structures of the traditional albums provide a substantially rigid gauze on their backs as the various boardcards, which represent the sheets on which photos are glued. Said sheets are not yet rigidly connected each one to the other with the consequence that the whole structure should be strengthened. The album according to the invention provides that gauze, which should be glued to the album back 10 of the glued modules, should be substantially rigid according to the transverse direction , whereas it should be slightly pliable according to the album longitudinal direction. Such a property is easily obtained with the medical gauze; a "flyleaf ", i.e. the first usually black paper is glued with rubber solution on the first module film; - a "handband" is glued around the end of the top and of the bottom of the back 10, which is represented by a grained ribbon 14; - a reinforcement cardboard 17,18 is arranged on the back 19 of the front cover 15 and of the back cover 16 before gluing the cover 15 and 16 on the "flyleaf according the following operations: a) a millboard is taken, which provides a substantial rigidity as well as a substantial elasticity; b) said millboard is folded giving in such a way to its transverse section a substantially L-shape profile, i.e. a profile made of a tract 17, which could cover the back 19 of the cover 15,16 along a transverse extension for about 80- 90% of the back 19 width, whereas a tract 18 of the same millboard is folded in such a way that it could form the L bottom. Said bottom presents a width, which is equal about to 1 cm., which could connect the back 19 to the rear cover 16. The FigJ shows a leather tract 20, which extends from the back 19 so that it can follow upwards the rounded profile of the cover 15, on which it leans without any glue; c) the tract 17 of the cardboard is glued by means of a rubber solution with solvent and not with water (for reasons, which will be explained later on) on the back 19 of the cover, whereas the tract 18 is glued to the tract of the back 19, which is connected to the cover 16; d) at last the cover is glued on the pre-album visually making sure that the front and the back are centred with regard of the "flyleaf. the whole (covers 15,16 as well as the back 19 on the pre-album so that a real album 21 is ready) is closed with the advantage that using rubber solution with solvent and not with water, make substantially reduce the time necessary for glue drying, as well as that the album doesn't require any pressing process, which is required whenever the glue is diluted in water, as the water implies some time for completing its evaporation and in addition ut causes ondulations on the glued surfaces. FigJ shows the album opened in correspondence of about half of its pages and how the album sheets are behaving during the progressive opening or closing operations of the album pages. Indeed the album is leaning on a plane 22 and whenever a sheet 26 of the album is opened (i.e. whenever a sheet 26 is turned from right to left of the album), it arrives to lean on all the sheets, which are weighing on the cover 15. Consequently an action is substantially applied in correspondence of half of its width and is added to the weight of the already opened sheets. The problem is to arrive to maintain coplanar the arrangement of the opened sheets whenever a further sheet is opened (or closed, as it will explained later on). The new sheet exerts on all the opened sheets and theferore on the cover 15 an action, which could be distributed along all the width of the same cover. Such an action could be seen as the resultant of a horizontal component Hi and of a vertical component Vi. FigJ schematically shows what happens just when a further sheet 26 is turned from right to left and arrives to weigh on the other sheets, which lean on the cover 15. The horizontal component Hi slightly slides leftwards in the new position 15' the cover 15 on the plane 22, whereas the vertical component Vi substantially acts in correspondence of the point the leather tract 20, which is connected to the cardboard tract 17. Therefore the component Vi produces by means of an arm bi a moment Mi (Fig.δa), which causes an upward action Fi by means of the tract 18 of the L-shaped boardcard. Such an upward action Fi allows the upward sheet, which is rightwards arranged on the cover 16, to substantially maintain the coplanar position with the last sheet, which is leftwards arranged on the cover 15. In addition whenever a sheet is closed, (i.e. whenever a sheet turns from left to right of the album), it arrives to lean on all the sheets, which are weighing on the cover 16. Consequently an action is substantially applied in correspondence of half of its width and is added to the weight of the already closed sheets. The problem is to arrive also in such a case to maintain coplanar the arrangement of the closed sheets whenever a further sheet is closed. The new sheet exerts on all the opened sheets and theferore on the cover 16 an action, which could be distributed along all the width of the same cover. Such an action could be seen as the resultant of a horizontal component H2 and of a vertical component V2. FigJ schematically shows what happens just when a sheet 26 is turned from left to right and arrives to weigh on the other sheets, which lean on the cover 16. The horizontal component H2 makes slightly slide leftwards in the new position 16' the cover 16 on the plane 22, whereas the vertical component V2 substantially acts in correspondence of the end point the L-shaped tract of the cardboard 18, and causes a moment M2 (Fig.δa), which causes thanks to the rigid property of the boardcard 17 an upward action F2 in correspondence of the point X, which maintains the substantially coplanar position with the last sheet, which is rightwards arranged on the cover 16. The value of the action, which a cardboard sheet exerts on one or on another side of the album, can be easily evaluated taking into account that the weight in grams of a sheet is equal at least to 500-600 gr/sm. The so evaluated weight in grams allows to choose the elastic/rigid properties of the- cardboard, which is adpted to outline the L- shaped tracts 17,18. It is apparent that the substantially coplanar arrangement of the album sheets is due to some factors whenever a page of the album is opened: - at first the action, which is exerted by the substantial weight of each sheet 26; - then the rigidity component of the boardcard tract 17, which component is practically increased by the cover back 19, which is glued to the tract 17, I O whenever the tract 17 was subjected ,to a substantially reduced elastic deformation due to the whole weight of the sheets on the cover 15; - at last the upward action Fi, which is exerted by the boardcard tract 18, which could become substantially rigid thanks to the on it glued leather of the back 19. Due to all these reasons, the action exerted by each album sheet 26, the tract 11,18 of the cardboard, the album back 19, the action Fi represent the substantially coplanar maintaining means of two opened sheets of the album 21 during its progressive opening operation. Indeed the album 21 shows, while its sheets are progressively subject to an opening operation, a progressive raising of the right side of the album in such a way that the coplanar arrangement of two opened sheet is ensured. It is apparent also that whenever the album is progressively closed, i.e. a sheet at a time is turned from leftwards to rightwards, the album behaviour is adapted to maintain the substantially coplanar arrangement of the opened sheets, as the lighter weight, which acts on the cover 15, makes raise the left side of the album with respect to the right one. Therefore the action of each album sheet 26, the tracts 17,18 of the cardboard, the back 19 of the album 21, the action F2 represent the substantially coplanar maintaining means of two opened sheets of the album 21 during its progressive closing operations. A further embodiment of the album according to the invention is represented in Fig.9, which shows a more simple and economical solution with respect to what represented in FigJ. Indeed, whenever time and material costs should be saved, it is possible to provide a sheet 27, which could be made of a selfadhesive paper sheet or film (FigJ). Such a paper or sheet is adapted to cover not all a boardcard 28, but just its right side 29 (therefore about substantially 50% of its whole surface of the boardcard) by exploiting the substantially stronger adhesivity of this paper or sheet with respect to the sheet or film 1, as it will be explained later on. The module 7 becomes now a module where just one side, i.e. the right one, is adapted to be selfadhesive and therefore to glue the left side of the next boardcard assuring in such a way a lower cost of material as well as a lower cost of a new pre- album 32 (Fig.10). On each one of the two adajacent sides photos, photo compositions, images and the like are already printed, as explained before for the first embodiment of the album. The new embodiment provides that: a) also now the modules 31, which should represent the album, are taken one by one after folding them in such a way that each one externally presents the selfadhesive film just in correspondence of the external part of the side 29; b) the first module is arranged on the bottom of a mask 8 (Figs.3,4), which presents in correspondence of the module backs arranged one on one, a stop made of a metal curved profile 9. In such a way the same curved profile is transferred to the album back 10. A longitudinally arranged stop 12 allows the same module to be correctly placed in correspondence of its longitudinal development. It should be pointed out that also now the first module to be arranged on the mask is really the last album module; c) the last module 31 of the album is put on the mask 8, which presents the upward sheet with no selfadhesive paper or film; d) on such last module 31 the last but one module 31 is put, which thanks to the stronger adhesivity of the new paper or film doesn't require any spray of rubber solution with the double advantage: to save time and to avoid all the drawbacks of drying such a syntetic solution; e) all the operations are repeated as long as the first album module is placed on the mask, obtaining in such a way the new closed pre-album 32 (FigJO); f) the pre-album 32 is cutted by a cutter, which is not represented in the drawings and which is adapted to cut every module 31. removing in such a way the selfadhesive film contour on each boardcard 28. A further advantage of the second embodiment of the album according to the invention is represented by the fact that the weight in grams of each page of the album could arrive now to about 400 gr/sm allowing in such a way that the album could contain more pages and therefore more photos with respect to the first embodiment, the whole weight of the album being practically the same as before.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. Photos, photo arrangements and cerimony recording album, said album being adapted to comprise a plurality of pages, which are usually made of cardboards (2), on each one of which photos, photo arrangements and cerimony recordings are alleged, which comprise a front (15), a back cover (16) and a back (19), characterized in that said album (21) is made of a plurality of modules (7), each one of which being adapted to comprise a boardcard (2), which is glued on a selfadhesive paper sheet or film (1), said boardcard being adapted to comprise two adjacent sides (3), on each one of which a photo, or a photo composition could be printed, said modules (7) being glued each one to the other in order to form a pre-album (P), said pre-album being covered by a front and a rear cover (15,16) as well as their back (19) in order to conceive an album as a book both as a page collection and as a compact and robust structure. 2. Album according to Claim 1, characterized by substantially coplanar maintaining means (26,17,18,19,Fι) of two opened sheets (26) of the album (21) during its progressive opening operations. 3. Album according to Claim 1, characterized by substantially coplanar maintaining means (26J7,18J9,F2) of two opened sheets (26) of the album (21) during its progressive closing operations. 4. Album according to Claim 2, characterized in that each sheet (26) exerts during the progressive opening operation of the album a weight on the cover (15) equal to the weight of each sheet (26), with the result of an action (Fi), which allows the upward sheet (26) rightwards arranged on cover (16) to maintain a substantially coplanar position with sheet (26) , which is leftwards arranged on cover (15). 5. Album according to Claim 2, characterized in that each sheet (26) exerts during the progressive closing operation of the album a weight on the cover (16) equal to the weight of each sheet (26), with the result of an action (F2), which allows the upward sheet (26) leftwards arranged on cover (15) to maintain a substantially coplanar position with sheet (26) , which is rightwards arranged on cover (16). 6. Album according to Claim 1, characterized in that two photos or two distinct images, which could be the result of any traditional or sophisticated technology, or just one photo or image, which is adapted to cover the substantial entire surface of the two adjacent sides (3) of the boardcard (2), are adapted to be printed on two adjacent sides of the album. 7. Album according to Claim 3, characterized by a surmont (4) in the case of two distinct photos or images printed on two adjacent sides (3) and by a groove (6), which is provided at a distance of substantially 1 mm. from the central of two adjacent photos or images, in order to brake off the continuity of the boardcard (3) fibers. 8. Album according to the preceeding Claims, characterized in that it is substantially made of a plurality of modules (7), the last one of which represents the starting element for forming the album (21) pages, each one of said modules being adapted to be put one on the next one according to a foreseen sequence and to a right sense for forming the album pages, a mask (8) being provided for transferring a C-shaped stop (9) to the album back (10). 9. Album according to Claim 8, characterized by a pre-album (P), on a back (10) of which a gauze is applied, the structure of said pre-album being substantially robust as each sheet (26) is made of two cardboards (2), on each one of which the selfadhesive film is applied. 10. Album according to Claims 1-9, characterized by a reinforcement cardboard (17,18), which can be L-shaped and which can be glued with the tract (17) to the cover back (19), the tract (18) resulting folded in order to form the L-shaped base and to connect the back ( 19) to the cover (16). 11. A photos, photo arrangement and ceremony recording album, said album being adapted to comprise a plurality of pages (26), which are usually made of cardboards (28), on each obe of which photos, photo arrangement and ceremony recordings are alleged, which usually comprise a front (15) and a rear (16) cover and a back (19), characterized in that a selfadhesive sheet (27) is adapted to cover a substantially 50% of the boardcard (28), i.e. a right side (29) of the cardboard (28) in order to save time and material costs, on the basis of an exploitation of a substantialy stronger adhesivity of the sheet (27) and in order to allow the album contain more photos with respect to the solution claimed in the Claims 1-10, the whole weight of the album being practically the same.

Inventors: TRAMONTINA TULLIO, TRAMONTINA, TULLIO
Applicants: GRAPHISTUDIO S N C DI TRAMONTI, TRAMONTINA TULLIO, GRAPHISTUDIO S.N.C DI TRAMONTINA TULLIO & C., TRAMONTINA, TULLIO
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B42D1
IPC codes: B42D1