Patent Abstract:
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a page insert having a first transparent sheet, a second transparent sheet and a non-transparent sheet sandwiched between the first and second transparent sheets. At least one of the transparent sheets has an edge, and adjacent the edge at least one of the transparent sheets has at least two different shaped openings therethrough.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for the storage of, photographs on photograph page album inserts within a photograph album. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Photograph albums use a number of different types of page inserts. The page inserts retain the photographs and in turn the page inserts are retained by the binder of the photograph album. Photograph albums can use two types of mechanisms for retaining page inserts therein. One mechanism uses either posts, generally round posts, or openable and closeable rings to retain the photograph album page insert. Another mechanism uses a ribbon or a strap to retain the photograph album page insert. Heretofore, photograph album page inserts which are suitable for use with a photograph album using one of the above-described mechanisms are not suitable for use with a photograph album using the other above-described mechanism. Therefore, photograph album page inserts must be separately manufactured to fit the different types of photograph albums available. This requires that inventory be kept with respect to two separate items and that appropriate amounts of each type of insert, which may not be in equal demand, be produced, ordered and stocked by manufacturers and sellers of photograph album page inserts. Also, those photograph album page inserts which are manufactured to be used with the ribbon-retaining type photograph albums generally require the use of metal retaining clips which the ribbons are threaded through. The clips are held in place by a separate binder, generally of paper or cardboard which must be affixed to the rest of the page insert, which requires additional manufacturing materials and steps. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a photograph album page insert that can be easily manufactured and that can be securely retained in a photograph album using either of the above-described mechanisms of retaining page inserts. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a page insert having a first transparent sheet, a second transparent sheet and a non-transparent sheet sandwiched between the first and second transparent sheets. At least one of the transparent sheets has an edge, and adjacent the edge at least one of the transparent sheets has at least two different shaped openings therethrough. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a page insert having an edge, the edge having disposed adjacent thereto at least two keyhole shaped holes therethrough. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a photograph album page insert securable in a first photograph album, and securable in a second photograph album. The first album includes at least one first securing element, and the second album including at least one second securing element different than the first securing element. The page insert includes at least a first sheet having a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge and a right edge. The page insert also includes a pocket for retaining a photograph therein. The first sheet also has at least one first standardly shaped hole defined therethrough and further has at least one second standardly shaped ribbon slot defined therethrough. The at least one first securing element can securely register with the at least one first standardly shaped hole and the at least one second securing element can securely register with the at least one second standardly shaped ribbon slot. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a photograph album containing a page insert as described above. 
     Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, various features of preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     The detailed description of the invention will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings, where like numerals designate corresponding parts of the figures. The drawings are meant to be generally illustrative of various examples of the present invention, but are merely examples and are not meant to be limiting of the scope of the invention. 
     FIG. 1 depicts a prior art photograph album page insert which is suitable for use in a photograph album which uses rings or posts as a securing element. 
     FIG. 2 depicts a prior art photograph album page insert which is suitable for use in a photograph album which uses a ribbon or strap as a securing element. 
     FIG. 3 depicts one embodiment of a photograph album page insert of the present invention which is suitable for use in a photograph album which uses rings or posts or a ribbon or a strap as a securing element. 
     FIG. 4 depicts another embodiment of a photograph album page insert of the present invention which is suitable for use in a photograph album which uses rings or posts or a ribbon or a strap as a securing element. 
     FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of an opening suitable for use with a page insert of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 depicts three different binder sections of a photograph album page insert suitable for use in a photograph album which uses rings or posts as a securing element. 
     FIG. 7 depicts a photograph album having a plurality of posts as securing elements including the page insert of FIG. 3. 
     FIG. 8 depicts a photograph album having a plurality of rings as securing elements including the page insert of FIG. 3. 
     FIG. 9 depicts a photograph album having a plurality of ribbons as securing elements including the page insert of FIG. 3. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 depicts a prior art photograph album page insert 10 which includes a pocket 12 and a pocket insert 14. A left tab portion 16 includes two holes 18a and 18b which can be used with photograph albums which use either a post or a ring to engage holes 18a and 18b and thereby retain photograph album page inserts therein. 
     FIG. 2 depicts a prior art photograph album page insert 20 which includes a pocket 22 and a pocket insert 24. A left tab portion 26 includes two retaining clips 28a and 28b which can be used with photograph albums which use either a ribbon or a strap to engage retaining clips 28a and 28b and thereby retain photograph album page inserts therein. 
     FIG. 3 depicts one embodiment of a photograph album page insert 30, of the present invention, which includes a pocket 32 and a pocket insert 34. Pocket 32 is formed from first sheet 33 and second sheet 35. A left tab portion 36 includes a first opening 37a having hole portion 38a and slot portion 39a and a second opening 37b having hole portion 38b and slot portion 39b. First and second openings 37a and 37b can engage a securing element in photograph albums which use either a post or a ring, the ring or post engaging hole portions 37a and 37b, or can engage a securing element in photograph albums which use either a ribbon or a strap, the ribbon or strap engaging slot portions 39a and 39b. The ribbon or strap can either fit entirely within slot portions 39a and 39b or can overhang into hole portions 38a and 38b. 
     FIG. 4 depicts another embodiment of a photograph album page insert 40, of the present invention, which includes a pocket 42 and a pocket insert 44. Pocket 42 is formed from first sheet 43 and second sheet 45. A left tab portion 46 includes first openings, holes 48a and 48b, and second openings, slots 49a and 49b. In this particular embodiment, holes 48a and 48b are not continuous with slots 49a and 49b. It is to be understood that slots 49a and 49b can be positioned to the left of, to the right of, above or, as depicted, below holes 48a and 48b. 
     The pockets 32 and 42 of photograph album page inserts 30 and 40 can be formed of various materials which are preferably transparent, but which may be colored or translucent. Such materials include but are not limited to hard plastic, soft plastic, thermoplastic, acetate sheets, and the like. In alternative embodiments, a pocket can be formed from other than two sheets such as first sheets 33 or 43, and second sheets 35 or 45. For example, a first sheet 33 or 43 can be used alone and a pocket can be formed on the sheet which will retain a photograph thereon. The pocket can be formed from slots in the sheets which the corners of photographs can be fit into to be retained therein. In another embodiment, retaining means, such as adhesive corners can be used as pockets to retain photographs on first sheet 33 or 43. 
     In a particular embodiment, sheets 33 and 35 or 43 and 45 can be sealed together to provide a number of pockets which will fit various standard sized photographs such as 3 inches by 5 inches, 4 inches by 6 inches and other sizes as are known in the art. 
     In another particular embodiment, sheets 33 and 35 and 43 and 45 can be attached to each other along a portion of each sheet intermediate between an edge of each sheet and the center of each sheet, for example, along seam 31 and 41 respectively. 
     Particular embodiments of the present invention can use pocket inserts 34 and 44, however, in some embodiments, for example, those in which sheets 33 and 35 or 43 and 45 form pockets, pocket inserts need not be used. Pocket inserts can be made from materials including but not limited to paper, cardboard, plastic and the like. Photographs can be placed on pocket inserts 34 and 44, which in one embodiment, can contain an adhesive or can adhere to the material forming pockets 32 and 42, thereby retaining the photographs placed thereon. Alternatively, pocket inserts 34 and 44 can contain slots which the corners of photographs can be fit into to retain them. In another embodiment, pocket inserts 34 and 44 can be plain sheets, and adhesives or adhesive tape or photograph retaining means, such as adhesive corners can be used to retain photographs thereon. 
     Holes 38a, 38; 48a and 48b; 50, 68a and 68b; 72a and 72b; 74a and 74b; 76a and 76b and 71a, 75 and 79 are depicted as circular, however, other shapes such as squares, triangles, other polygons and combinations thereof are within the scope of the present invention. The size of the holes as set forth above can also vary. Preferably, the holes are of a size which will securely engage a post or ring. In a particular embodiment, the holes are about a quarter of an inch in diameter. Two holes are depicted, however, a single hole or three or more holes are within the scope of the present invention. The holes are preferably disposed on the left side of page inserts 30 and 40. However, the holes can be disposed on the top, bottom or right side of page inserts 30 and 40. In a preferred embodiment, the hole is a standardly shaped hole which will securely engage standard shaped and sized posts or rings and similar securing elements standardly used in photograph albums to secure page inserts thereto. 
     The width of slots 39a, 39b; 49a, 49b; 50b, 50c; 70a, 70b; 74a, 74b; and slots 78a, 78b can vary depending upon the thickness of ribbon or strap they may be used with. Preferably, the above-referenced slots snugly engage a ribbon or strap inserted therein. In a preferred embodiment, the slot is a standardly shaped ribbon slot which will securely engage standard shaped and sized ribbons and straps and similar securing elements standardly used in photograph albums to secure page inserts thereto. In a particular embodiment, the slots are about one sixteenths of an inch in width. Any combination of holes and slots described above which are different from each other comprise at least two different shaped openings. Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 3-6c, the width of the holes 38a, 38; 48a and 48b; 50, 68a and 68b; 72a and 72b; 74a and 74b; 76a and 76b and 71a, 75 and 79 is wider than the width of the slots 39a, 39b; 49a, 49b; 50b, 50c; 70a, 70b; 74a, 74b; and 78a, 78b. 
     FIG. 5 depicts an opening 50a which includes slots 50b and 50c. Opening 50a can be disposed at any point along line a. At one extreme, when opening 50a is at the top of line a only slot 50c remains, when opening 50a is at the bottom of line a only slot 50b remains. When opening 50a is exactly intermediate on line a, slot 50b and 50c are equal, as 50a moves along line a slot 50b and 50c are increased or reduced in size correspondingly. All of these combinations of opening 50a and slots 50b and 50c are defined herein as keyhole shaped holes. Additionally, all combinations of opening 50a and slots 50b and 50c define openings which at least partially overlap thereby defining keyhole shaped holes. That is, a keyhole shaped hole is one wherein an opening overlaps a slot at any point along the longitudinal extent of the slot, wherein the opening has a width wider than that of the slot. In contrast, hole 48a and slot 49a and hole 49b and slot 49b depict openings which do not overlap. 
     FIG. 6 depicts three variant left tab portions 66a, 66b and 66c illustrating various arrangements of holes including: 68a and b and 71a and slots 70a and 70b; 72a and b and 75 and slots 74a and 74b; and 76a and b and 79 and slots 78a and 78b. It is to be understood that these arrangements of holes and slots could be disposed on the right tab, top or bottom portion of a photograph album page insert. 
     FIGS. 7-9 show page insert 30, as described above, disposed in a photograph album 100 including a binder 102 and various page insert securing elements. In FIG. 7 the page insert securing element is a post 104; in FIG. 8 the page insert securing element is a ring 106; and in FIG. 9 the page insert securing element is a ribbon 108. It will be understood that the various page insert securing elements can be employed with the various page inserts 30, 40 and variations thereof described above. 
     The presently disclosed embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1