Source: https://patents.justia.com/patent/20060061086
Timestamp: 2019-12-10 17:39:41
Document Index: 141961362

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 28', 'art 28', 'arts 28', 'art 28', 'art 28', 'art 28', 'art 28']

US Patent Application for Reinforcement member for albums Patent Application (Application #20060061086 issued March 23, 2006) - Justia Patents Search
Justia Patents US Patent Application for Reinforcement member for albums Patent Application (Application #20060061086)
Nov 14, 2005 - Pioneer Photo Albums, Inc.
To assemble the photo album, fasteners 28 are threaded through the holes in the front flap 18, back flap 22 and the sheets 16. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the fastener 28 has two parts. The first fastener part 28a is internally threaded and the second fastener part 28b is externally threaded. The threading of the first and second parts 28a, 28b is configured to enable the first and second part to securely mate when the threading is engaged. In a preferred embodiment, the first fastener part 28a is threaded through one cover and the second fastener part 28b is threaded through the other cover. When engaged, the fastener 28 holds the front cover 12, back cover 14 and any sheets 16 therebetween, together. The present invention should not be limited to the fasteners described herein. It is envisioned that any known fasteners that can hold the photo album sheets between a front cover and a back cover can be used.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a reinforcement member 30 is positioned between the fastener 28 and the flaps 18, 22 to prevent the fastener from damaging or deteriorating the flap. FIG. 2 shows a reinforcement member 30 positioned between the first fastener part 28a and the front cover 12, and another reinforcement member 30 positioned between the second fastener part 28b and the back cover 14. AS shown in FIG. 3, the reinforcement member 30 is preferably positioned flat against the inside surface 32 of either the front cover or the back cover. Holes 34 in the reinforcement member 30 are aligned with holes 26 in the flap and a fastener is threaded through the aligned holes. In the embodiment shown, the enforcement member 30, the photo sheets 16, and the covers 12, 14 all have two holes 34. However, according to the present invention, the enforcement member 30, the photo sheets 16, and the covers 12, 14 can have any number of holes. Furthermore, the enforcement member 30 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is a one-piece structure that is long enough to cover both holes in the cover flap and receive both fasteners. It is envisioned that the enforcement member 30 of the present invention can be in two or more pieces, wherein each piece is large enough to accommodate a single fastener.
As shown in FIG. 2, the front flap cover 20 is pivotably connected to the front flap 18 and the back flap cover 24 is pivotably connected to the back flap 22. After the reinforcement member 30 and fastener 28 have been installed, the front flap cover 20 is folded in the direction F toward the front flap 12 to cover the reinforcement member and the fasteners from view. Similarly, back flap cover 24 is folded in the direction F toward the back flap 14 to cover the reinforcement member and the fasteners from view.
a fastener threaded through the cover; and
a reinforcement member positioned between the fastener and the cover.
2. The album of claim 1 wherein the reinforcement member comprises plastic.
3. The album of claim 1 wherein the reinforcement member comprises a rigid plastic.
4. The album of claim 1 wherein the cover comprises a flap having a first hole and a second hole defined therein, wherein the reinforcement member defines a first hole and a second hole therein, and wherein in an installed configuration, the first hole of the reinforcement member is aligned with the first hole of the flap and the fastener is threaded through the first holes of the flap and the reinforcement member.
5. The album of claim 4, further comprising a second fastener, wherein the second hole of the flap is aligned with the second hole of the reinforcement member and the second fastener is threaded through the second holes of the flap and the reinforcement member.
6. A reinforcement member configured to decrease the wear of a fastener on an album cover.
7. The reinforcement member of claim 4 comprising plastic.
8. An album, comprising:
a front cover having a first flap, the first flap defining a first hole and a second hole spaced apart from the first hole;
a back cover having a second flap, the second flap defining a first hole and a second hole spaced apart from the first hole;
a first fastener configured to be threaded through the first hole of the first flap;
a second fastener mateable with the first fastener configured to be threaded through the first hole in the second flap;
a third fastener configured to be threaded through the second hole of the first flap;
a fourth fastener mateable with the third fastener configured to be threaded through the second hole of the second flap; and
a reinforcement member positioned between the first fastener and the first flap.
9. The album of claim 8 wherein the reinforcement member is positioned between the third fastener and the first flap.
10. The album of claim 9 comprising a second reinforcement member positioned between the second fastener and the second flap.
11. The album of claim 10 wherein the second reinforcement member is positioned between the fourth fastener and the second flap.
12. A method of assembling an album, comprising the steps of:
providing a cover having a flap, a reinforcement member and a fastener wherein the flap and the reinforcement member each define a hole for receiving the fastener;
positioning the reinforcement member between the cover and the fastener such that the hole of the reinforcement member is aligned with the hole of the cover; and
threading the fastener through the holes of the reinforcement member and the cover.
13. A photo album, comprising:
an elongated reinforcement member; and
at least two fasteners passing through the cover and the elongated reinforcement member.
14. The album of claim 1 wherein the album is a photo album.
15. The album of claim 1 wherein the album is a memory book or the like.
16. The album of claim 8 wherein the album is a photo album.
17. The album of claim 8 wherein the album is a memory book or the like.
Publication number: 20060061086
Applicant: Pioneer Photo Albums, Inc. (Chatsworth, CA)
Inventor: Sheldon Plutsky (Chatsworth, CA)
Application Number: 11/273,795
Current U.S. Class: 281/21.100
International Classification: B42D 1/00 (20060101);