Patent Publication Number: US-2007113437-A1

Title: Device for displaying product information

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention is in the field of information displays and, more particularly, in the field of two-sided displays for images and information related to flooring samples.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Presently, it is difficult to convey information to a potential buyer of flooring. Frequently, descriptive information and photographs about flooring samples are presented on a paper display, often in a binder or a catalog. This is problematic for many reasons. The displays can become damaged and dirty from use. The samples and the displays can become disordered, confusing the buyer. The display pages may present pictures of the flooring in use; such pictures are difficult to observe simultaneous with the samples. The large amount of information available to the consumer about each flooring type may necessitate a binder or catalog so large that the task of browsing samples becomes inconvenient or uncomfortable. All of these inconvenience the buyer and make the buying experience unpleasant, leading to poor sales.  
      Presenting descriptive information adjacent to flooring samples also creates problems. Sometimes, information is attached to the back of a sample, requiring the buyer to exert himself in turning over each sample, and making it impossible to view the sample and its information at the same time. Alternately, information is sometimes attached to the front of the sample, which is aesthetically unpleasant and detracts from the desired presentation of the complete sample. Even when information is placed adjacent to the sample, the display has typically been undesirably large, and consequently confusing and inconvenient to compare across samples. Moreover, most informational displays are of a generally poor quality in image. Again, all of these problems detract from the experience of sampling and buying flooring.  
      The field of flooring sales would benefit greatly from a display for information and images related to flooring samples which can be shown near a sample without obscuring it, and which displays useful descriptions and photographs of the sample in use while protecting those descriptions and photographs from damage. Such an improved display would present sufficient information for comparison shopping, but in an indexed form that a buyer can use while browsing large numbers of samples.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is directed to a device for displaying information about a product. The device includes an inner surface having printed information about the product and an outer surface that folds over the inner surface to obscure and protect the inner surface. The outer surface has printed information about the product, and also has an attachment mechanism. The device also includes a notch used by the operator to unfold the device to reveal the inner surface and obscure the outer surface, and to fold the device to obscure the inner surface and reveal the outer surface.  
      As used herein, the term “obscure,” when used in describing states of the inner and outer surfaces, is intended to define a condition in which at least portions of the surface are temporarily prevented from being viewed by the operator. This can occur when the device is folded in half, the inner surface therefore being contained within the device. This can also occur when the device is attached to a rigid surface and subsequently unfolded; the side of the device so attached would therefore be in complete contact with the rigid surface and thus obscured. The term “obscure” may mean, but is not limited to meaning, complete obstruction of one or the other surface. A portion of one surface may remain visible even when the remainder of that surface is obscured, as when underneath a notch, seen through a hole, or when otherwise only partially covered.  
      In one embodiment, there is provided a device for displaying information about flooring. The device is attached near a flooring sample, and includes an inner surface having printed information about flooring including descriptions, dimensions, photographs and vendor contacts; an outer surface having printed information about flooring including descriptions, dimensions, photographs and vendor contacts and further having adhesive strips; and a notch placed at the corner of the device in such a way as to reveal information behind it, said notch used by the operator to unfold the device to reveal the inner surface and obscure the outer surface, and to fold the device to obscure the inner surface and reveal the outer surface.  
      In another embodiment, the device is attached to a rigid sheet, and one or more of these rigid sheets are assembled into a stand for displaying one or more devices simultaneously.  
      The present invention is further directed to a method for displaying information about a product. The method involves showing printed information on an inner surface about a product, and obscuring and protecting the inner surface with an outer surface that folds over the inner surface. The method further involves showing printed information on the outer surface, attaching the device to another surface, and alternately obscuring and revealing the inner surface by respectively folding and unfolding the device.  
      The present invention is further directed to a system for displaying information about a product. The system includes means for showing printed information on an inner surface about a product, and means for obscuring and protecting the inner surface by way of an outer surface that folds over the inner surface. The system further includes means for showing printed information on the outer surface, means for attaching the device to another surface, and means for alternately obscuring and revealing the inner surface by respectively folding and unfolding the device.  
      These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
      In the detailed description of the invention presented below, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:  
       FIG. 1   a  is an oblique view of a device according to the present invention, where the device is partially open and the notch is placed on the right side;  
       FIG. 1   b  shows an oblique view of a device according to the present invention, where the device is partially open and the notch is placed on the left side  
       FIG. 2   a  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 1 , folded to reveal part of the outer surface and to obscure the inner surface except where revealed by the notch  
       FIG. 2   b  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 1 , unfolded to reveal the entire inner surface and to obscure the entire outer surface.  
       FIG. 3  is a back view of the device of  FIG. 1 , showing the attachment mechanism.  
       FIG. 4  is a device according to the present invention placed next to a flooring sample.  
       FIG. 5  is the device of  FIG. 4 , where both the device and a flooring sample are attached to a surface of a rigid sheet, and multiple rigid sheets are assembled into a stand for displaying multiple devices simultaneously.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b,  the device  6  includes an inner surface  8  with information  12  thereon and an outer surface  16  with information  20  thereon. The device  6  may be made of paper, plastic, metal, paperboard, cardboard, thermoplastic sheet material, photo paper, or any other material suitable for the display of information. The inner surface  8  and the outer surface  16  may be formed of the same material, or may be printed on separate material and joined to form a single device. The inner surface  8  need not be a continuous piece of material, but may be assembled to form a single surface from one or more pieces of material, and may contain one or more holes. Likewise the outer surface  16  need not be a continuous piece or material, but may be assembled to form a single surface from one or more pieces of material, and may contain one or more holes. The device  6  may be made of a rigid or a flexible material, and may be protected from sunlight, weather, and wear by a protective coating such as a laminate or a plastic.  
      The printed information  12 ,  20  can refer to a product&#39;s description, photograph, variations, uses, vendor, vendor contact information, dimensions, qualities, price, availability, or any other information useful when reviewing product options. This information can consist of text, numbers, measurements, photographs, pictures, diagrams, charts, and any other means of informational conveyance. An especially useful configuration has the information  20  which is on the outer surface  16  consist of an index of qualities of a product, while the information  12  which is on the inner surface  8  consist of a full disclosure of these qualities. This allows a user to quickly browse across products by reading only the outer surfaces  16 , and then to explore individual products of his selection in greater depth by reading those inner surfaces  8 .  
      The device  6  is folded along fold  24  to obscure the inner surface  8 , except where revealed by the notch  28  in the present embodiment. The fold  24  can be an actual fold in the material of the device  6 , or it may be a hinge or hinging mechanism between two distinct pieces of material which together form the device  6 . The notch  28  can be formed by the removal of a portion of the material which forms the device, as in the present embodiment. Alternately, the notch  28  can be formed by the protrusion of same material, or by the attachment of a tab, tongue, or similar mechanism. The notch can be placed in the lower right hand corner of the device, as in  FIG. 1   a,  or in the lower left hand corner of the device, as in  FIG. 1   b,  or in any other location that allows an operator to fold and unfold the device by use of the notch.  
       FIG. 2   a  shows the device of  FIG. 1   a  folded along fold  24  to reveal part of the outer surface  16  and to obscure the inner surface  8 . In this embodiment, an especially useful and attractive appearance is achieved wherein a portion of the information  12  on the inner surface  8  is positioned behind the notch  28 , so that this information is revealed behind the notch, and remains visible whether the device is folded or unfolded. Only a portion of the outer surface  16  is revealed in this configuration, as the remaining portion of the outer surface forms the unseen back of the device.  
       FIG. 2   b  shows the device of  FIG. 2   a  unfolded along fold  24  to reveal the entire inner surface  8  and to obscure the entire outer surface  16 . The revealed inner surface  8  contains textual information  12  along with an optional photograph  32 . An especially useful embodiment has a photograph  32  of the product being used in an appropriate setting.  
       FIG. 3  shows a back view of the device of  FIG. 1  in an unfolded state. A portion of the outer surface is covered with an adhesive mechanism  36  which may be used to position the device near the product being advertised. The adhesive mechanism  36  can be anything which aids in the attachment of the device to another surface, including, but not limited to, glue, tape, epoxy, hook, loop, staples, nails, magnets, adhesive strips, and rubber cement. Due to the placement of the adhesive mechanism  36 , the device can remain fixed to a surface while being folded and unfolded. The adhesive mechanism  36  thus provides the force which holds the device in place as the operator uses the notch to unfold the device.  
       FIG. 4  shows the device  6  attached to a surface  40 . The device is placed adjacent to a flooring sample  44 . In this position, the user can read the information  20  printed on the outer surface  16 , which relates to the flooring demonstrated by sample  44 . Then, by unfolding the device  6  along fold  24  by lifting at the notch  28 , the user can reveal the information  12  printed on the inner surface  8 , which may include photographs of flooring that can be compared to the sample  44  under simultaneous view.  
       FIG. 5  shows the device  6  and a flooring sample  44  attached to the surface  40  of a rigid sheet  48 . Multiple rigid sheets are attached to a stand  52 . In this configuration, the user can compare the device  6  and its information  20  to other devices and their information, and can also compare the flooring sample  44  to other flooring samples. The stand can present two, three, four or more devices  6 , accompanied by their samples  44  at one time, and may obscure some devices and samples while revealing others. The rigid sheets  48  can be attached to the stand  52  in a way that allows a user to flip through the samples, or the devices and samples may cycle automatically. The devices  6  and samples  44  may be capable of being removed from the stand  52  and from the surface  40 .  
      Having described the invention in detail and by reference to the embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible, including the addition of elements or the rearrangement or combination or one or more elements, without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.