Abstract:
Disclosed herein are casket drape articles incorporating a message suitable for display on a casket and further suitable for retaining as a memorial keepsake of a deceased person. Detailed information on various example embodiments of the inventions are provided in the Detailed Description below, and the inventions are defined by the appended claims.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This Application claims the benefit of the U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/515,569 filed Oct. 29, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 

   BACKGROUND 
   The claimed inventions relate generally to ornamentation for burial caskets and coffins, and more particularly to casket drape articles incorporating a message suitable for display on a casket and further suitable for retaining as a memorial keepsake of a deceased person. 
   Memorial services and ceremonies for deceased persons are as old as humanity itself. After a person has passed away, his friends, family and acquaintances may meet together to remember the individual, console one another and bid a final farewell to the departed. In common practice before burial, a viewing may be held to offer a final opportunity to look upon the deceased, usually followed by a graveside service. In both, the casket of an individual is displayed as a focal point in memorial services, with floral displays of well-wishers presented nearby. In some services, particularly if the deceased was a member of a state, a flag may be displayed over the casket, which may later be presented to a family member as a token of the deceased&#39;s services to his country. 
   Following most services, very little is left to take home in the way of objects of remembrance of the deceased. In most cases, the decorations and memorabilia of the services are disposable and/or perishable, with a few minor exceptions in the way of cards, programs and perhaps a guest book. Indeed, an inherent purpose is to leave little reminder of the deceased, perhaps with the purpose of minimizing the grief of loved-ones. Some, however, would prefer to retain objects of remembrance, for example in honor of the deceased. When a loved-one dies, a person may consider the deceased in a new light, and more fully understand and appreciate that person&#39;s character and beneficial acts of her life. A loved-one may wish to more frequently remember the deceased as an act of gratitude, or to make the deceased an exemplar of his own life. 
   Objects of remembrance may be especially scarce if the deceased was a victim of an accident or disaster, or was a traveller, soldier, prisoner or impoverished. Under such circumstances, survivors may wish to create objects of the deceased which they can later possess and treasure in remembrance of the deceased. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY 
   Disclosed herein are casket drape articles incorporating a message suitable for display on a casket and further suitable for retaining as a memorial keepsake of a deceased person. Detailed information on various example embodiments of the inventions are provided in the Detailed Description below, and the inventions are defined by the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows an exemplary casket drape article having squared ends as viewed from its presentation side. 
       FIG. 2  shows another exemplary casket drape article  20  with pointed ends and tassels. 
       FIG. 3  shows a smaller casket drape article suitable for display over an infant-sized casket. 
       FIG. 4  shows the exemplary drape of  FIG. 2  in a resting position over a casket. 
       FIG. 5  shows the reverse or contact side of the article of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a layered structure having two fabric layers and an anti-slip backing that may be used to form a casket drape substrate. 
       FIG. 7  depicts an alternate substrate structure having a presentation layer fashioned from a medium-weight fabric and a contact layer that includes an anti-slip material. 
       FIG. 8  depicts a substrate having a single layer formed of a slip-resistant and non-marring material. 
   

   Reference will now be made in detail to casket drape articles and uses thereof, which may include some more specific embodiments of the claimed inventions, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Disclosed herein are articles of manufacture that may provide a dignified and optionally personalized decoration that maybe later kept as a remembrance of a deceased person. The article may be draped over a casket, coffin or other structure for housing the body of the deceased. (Hereinafter such a structure will be referred to as a casket for simplicity.) Those articles include a substantially planar and flexible substrate having a presentation face and a contact face, the presentation face having a visually attractive condition and the contact face configured to rest on a casket. The substrate may be fashioned from fabric, cloth, films and other flexible materials. The substrate may have a longitudinal axis, which axis may be positioned in relation to a displayed casket such that the article can be draped across the casket on its contact face, as shown generally in  FIG. 4 . In most ceremonies, one long side of a casket is displayed more prominently than the other, for example if the casket is positioned against a wall or other obstructing object. The ends of articles resting across so positioned caskets may be identified as the forward (prominent) end and the rearward (obscured) end, which ends are opposed along the longitudinal axis of the article (ends being not only the edge of the substrate but also a substantial portion thereof.) In other situations, a casket may be displayed with both long sides equally visible, in which case the identification of the article ends may be arbitrary. 
   Incorporated to the forward end of the article is a message, in the forms of words or visual representations, which relates to the deceased person. The message may be located to the article such that the message appears against or near a visible side of the casket, which location may be on the article&#39;s forward end. The message might include generic messages, for example sentiments such as “Loving Mother”, “Our Little Angel”, “Loving Son”, “Loving Daughter” and the like. The message might also include poems, sayings, quotations, alma maters, symbols and other popular representations. Personalized information types might also be included, for example the name of the deceased, vital statistics such as dates of birth or death, insignias, a coats of arm, the names of survivors, and many other personal items of information. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary casket drape article  10  having squared ends is shown as viewed from its presentation side. Article  10  is fashioned from a substrate, a presentation face  11  visible in the drawing. A longitudinal axis marked “X” runs the length of article  10 , which axis may placed substantially crosswise to the longitudinal axis of a casket, as shown in  FIG. 4 . Article  10  includes a forward end  17  and a rearward end  18 , which provide an orientation of positioning for the article. Incorporated in forward end  17  is a message  12 , in this example “Our Loving Dad”. To provide a more finished and refined look, article  10  includes fringes  14  at the end terminations and trim  13  at the sides. 
   Article  10  may be draped across a casket  40  in a resting position, as shown in  FIG. 4 . In the resting position a substantial portion of presentation face  11  is visible to onlookers generally as shown. The exemplary casket  40  includes a forward facing side  43 , generally and prominently visible. Casket  40  also includes a rearward-facing side  44 , not shown, which may be visibly obscured. A lid  41  may be swung upward permitting viewing of the interior of casket  40  from a vantage near the forward facing side  43 —lid  41  being attached by a hinge  42  to the rearward side of casket  40 . Forward end  17  and message  12  are positioned to display the message conveniently to viewers of the forward-facing side of casket  40  while article  10  is in resting position, the message located near or against the facing side of the casket. After use, article  10 , as with other casket drapes, may be retained as a keepsake and displayed on a wall or as a table covering. 
   Casket drape articles may be fashioned in many shapes and forms, as will become clear. In  FIG. 2 , another exemplary casket drape article  20  is depicted with pointed ends. As in the article of  FIG. 1 , article  20  has a presentation face  21 , a forward end  27 , a rearward end  28 , and finishing trim  23 , which in this example is lace. In this example, a message  22  includes the embroidered words “Beloved Mother”. Further in article  20 , the points of ends  27  and  28  are finished with tassels  24 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5 , the reverse side of article  20  of  FIG. 2  is shown, including lace  23  and tassels  24  visible from both sides. A contact face  25  is provided to rest against the surface of a casket. A slip-resistant backing  26  is further applied to article  20 , providing hold or adhesion of the article to the top of the casket, preventing the article from slipping off the potentially smooth surface of the casket top. The length of article  20  is chosen to permit the forward and rearward ends to terminate near the bottom of an adult-sized casket, when the article is in the resting position shown in  FIG. 4 . 
   Now referring to  FIG. 6 , a layered structure is shown which forms the substrate of the article of  FIGS. 2 and 5 . In that example, a presentation layer  61  provides the presentation face  21  of the article, and is formed of a heavyweight and flexible material. The material forming layer  61  may be chosen for its resistance to bunching and wrinkling, and to provide a smooth and relatively stiff support for the subtrate. Materials having a weight suitable for draperies may generally be suitable to form the presentation layer  61 , although it may be desirable to select unpatterned and smooth fabrics accepting to the application of a message  22 , depending on the application method used. A material may optionally be incorporated into the substrate of sufficient weight to withstand air currents and gusts of wind, for example by increasing the weight of the material forming layer  61 . 
   Many materials might be used to provide contact layer  62 . If desired, a lightweight and inexpensive fabric in a neutral color may be chosen, if it is deemed unimportant to improve the unseen contact face. As contact layer  62  may rest and rub against the top of the casket, a non-marring material may be selected to avoid scuffing and scratching the finished surface of the casket. Suitable materials include silk, soft cotton, satins and other soft fabrics, plastic films and even waxed paper products. Contact layer  62  may be fashioned in a similar shape to presentation layer  61 , effectively creating a liner for a casket drape article. 
   The exemplary substrate of  FIG. 6  includes a slip resistant backing layer  63  on a portion of the contact side of the casket drape article. In the example of  FIG. 5 , layer  63  forms the slip-resistant backing  26 , which covers about 18 inches of the length at the center of the contact layer  62  (of which face  25  is visible) along the length of the longitudinal axis. Patterned foam rubber anti-slip matting material, such as that widely available for shelf and drawer liners, makes a good anti-slip backing. Anti-slip films such as hard rubber, or films available from Dycem Limited of Warwick, R.I. may also be advantageously used. Other unmarring anti-slip materials may be likewise be chosen in accordance with adhesion, anti-slip and other characteristics as desired. Any of these materials may be generally used. 
     FIG. 7  depicts an alternate substrate structure that may be used. Presentation layer  70  is fashioned from a medium-weight fabric, providing an attractive background for messages incorporated thereto. Contact layer  72  is fashioned from a slip resistant material, for example vinyl, sheet rubber or other tacky material. A stable filler  71 , for example a quilting batting product, is interposed between layers  70  and  72 , providing body to the substrate structure. A similar structure might omit the filler, provide a heavyweight layer in one of layers  70  or  72 , and utilize a slip-resistant material for contact layer  72  to eliminate the need for a separate slip-resistant backing layer. 
   Many other substrate configurations are possible and may be substituted as desired, provided the functional aspects of the substrate are retained. For example, in  FIG. 8  a substrate is shown having a single layer  80  only, formed of a slip-resistant and non-marring material such as a heavyweight vinyl film. Decoration and a message might be screen printed on that layer, or adhesives might be similarly used to fasten a message thereto. Many materials might be used to form a substrate, including plastic or metallic films, weaves, or pressed filamentary materials such as felt. For luxurious feel or look sheer fabrics, silk or other attractive materials may be used. If it is desired to create a long-lasting article, materials having resistance to aging, ultra-violet exposure and moth resistance may be used, for example acrylic or polyolefin fabrics. Common materials such as polyester might make a relatively inexpensive yet relatively durable compromise. 
   Likewise, many methods of incorporating a message may be used, including printing, embroidery, embossing, thermal transfer, adhesive lettering, stenciling, flocking, an insert to a transparent pocket, or other method depending on the presentation face available. Additionally, although the examples above incorporate a message at one end of the casket drape, a message might be incorporated at both ends of the article, particularly if both ends are to be visible in use. 
   In the examplary casket drapes of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the dimensions of the article are selected to be about 67 inches in length and about 15 inches in width, providing good length and proportion to an adult-sized casket. Shown in  FIG. 3  is an infant-sized casket drape article, being about 38 inches in length and about 8.5 inches in width. Articles for other sized caskets may be fashioned, for example for a child or a large person, by maintaining generally the proportions of the articles described and shown. The disclosed dimensions and proportions, however, need not be rigidly adhered to, and may be varied according to the dictates of style and fashion. 
   For multi-layer substrates, many fastening methods may be used, for example stitching, serging, adhesives, embroidery, tacking, welding or other methods. Additionally, slip-resistant backings may be made thin or alternately tapered to avoid showing a bulge in the presentation surface. Although lace, tassels and trim are specifically shown in the examples, other finishing details may be used, for example braid, embroidery, beads and others. Additionally, findings may also be included, for example grommets or hooks to hang the drape on a wall, or storage findings such as ties, snaps, or buttons. Colors may be selected as desired for the article, however it may be desired to choose warm, tasteful colors to promote warm and dignified impressions. 
   While casket memorial drapes have been described and illustrated in conjunction with a number of specific configurations and methods, those skilled in the art will appreciate that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the principles herein illustrated, described, and claimed. The present invention, as defined by the appended claims, may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The configurations described herein are to be considered in all respects as only illustrative, and not restrictive. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.