Abstract:
A matboard corner sample display system. The system includes a caddy that holds matboard corner samples such that one leg of the matboard is vertical and perpendicular to the outwardly extending second leg. The caddy includes a base, an inner vertical support attached thereto, and an outer vertical support. The inner and outer vertical supports are shaped in an arc and disposed concentrically such that a channel is formed between the inner and outer vertical support. The caddy can be shaped as a closed arc and divided into two sections that are pivotally connected by a hinge. The two sections can be separated by opening the hinge to allow a matboard corner samples in each sections to be positioned without physically interfering.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to organizing and displaying framing matboard samples, and more specifically to a configurable and customizable system for organizing and displaying matboard samples. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    A matboard is a relatively thin, flat piece of material that is used in framing to provide contrast between the article to be framed and the frame, and enhance the aesthetics of the framed piece. Matboards are typically composed of a paper-based material, but may be made from other materials and can also include a decorative covering (such as cloth or a metallic coating). They also may be provided with different surface finishes, patterns or symbols. Paper-based matboards are easy to manufacture with a variety of different face colors and with a variety of different patterns, surface ornamentation, designs and the like. 
         [0003]    Matboards are most commonly used to decorate a framed article, such as a picture, painting, diploma or other article. Aside from aesthetics, matboards also serve a number of functional purposes, such as separating the glass from the artwork. Most of all though, if the correct size and color is chosen, matboards are able to avert the attention of the beholder inwards or towards a key element of the artwork. Accordingly, framers usually keep many different matboard samples of all different colors, textures and designs at hand so that they may appropriately match the matboard to the particular piece being framed. 
         [0004]    With so many different matboard samples, however, it is often difficult to find exactly what matboard is preferred since numerous samples are hard to keep track of and will typically be in a state of disarray. Even if the matboard samples were once organized, they quickly deteriorate into an unorganized mess as framers will look through many different samples before finding the right one, many times not returning the samples to their proper locations. This is due in part to the job being done quickly, but it is mostly because the large number of samples require them to be horizontally or vertically stacked one on top of the other making it difficult to discern the colors of the samples in order to select a desired matboard sample or store the samples in an organized manner. Thus, having stacked, unorganized samples, it is difficult for a framer to find a desired matboard sample with the color and texture that best complements the picture. 
         [0005]    Therefore, what is needed is a design for a matboard display system that allows the matboards to be easily and well organized and provides easy access and viewing of the matboards. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a matboard corner sample display system is provided. The system includes a caddy for holding a plurality of matboard corner samples such that the first leg of the matboard is substantially vertically and perpendicular to the second leg. The caddy includes a base that has a substantially horizontal surface and an inner vertical support attached to the base that is shaped in at least partial arc. The caddy further includes an outer vertical support that is shaped in at least a partial arc and is disposed in a substantially concentric configuration with the inner vertical support such that a channel is formed between the inner vertical support and outer vertical support to accommodate the first leg of a matboard corner sample so that the second leg of the matboard corner sample extends away from inner vertical support. 
         [0007]    In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the caddy of the system can include a closed arc, such as a circle or ellipse. The caddy can be divided into two sections (e.g., halves) which are pivotally connected. Optionally, the two sections can be connected by a hinge configured to enable the two sections to be separated. Preferably, the two caddy sections can be separated so as to allow matboard corner samples in each of the two sections to be positioned anywhere in the channel of the two caddy sections without physically interfering with one another. 
         [0008]    These and other aspects, features, and problems addressed by the invention can be further appreciated with reference to the discussion of certain embodiments and the drawings of such embodiments. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0009]    The foregoing and other features of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description and drawings of illustrative embodiments of the invention in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a matboard corner sample system in a configuration in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the first embodiment of a matboard corner sample system in a further configuration in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  is a top view of the first embodiment of a matboard corner sample system in a further configuration in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3B  is a top view of the first embodiment of a matboard corner sample system in a further configuration in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3C  is a top view of the first embodiment of a matboard corner sample system in a further configuration in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3D  is a top view of the first embodiment of a matboard corner sample system in a further configuration in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a matboard corner sample system in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the second embodiment of a matboard corner sample system in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the second embodiment of a matboard corner sample system in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view a third embodiment of a matboard corner sample system in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]    By way of overview and introduction, the present invention provides a system and apparatus for storing and organizing framing matboards that allows for easy access and selection and a convenient display of the a range of matboard colors and textures. The display system includes a circular or arc-shaped caddy that holds one leg of the matboards in a substantially upright position in a channel and the second leg of the matboard extending radially away from the arc so as to allow the matboards to fan out around circumference of the caddy. 
         [0021]    With reference to the figures,  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a matboard corner sample system  100  in accordance with the present invention. The system  100  includes a circular caddy  110  having a base  114  and a sidewall  112 . Disposed inside the sidewall  112  of the caddy  110  is an inner-wall  120 , illustrated in  FIG. 1  as a cylinder. One leg of the matboards  140  can be held between the inner-wall  120  and sidewall  112  of the caddy  110 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . As discussed below with reference to  FIGS. 4-6 , the caddy  110  is not required to be a closed arc (e.g., a circle or ellipse), but rather can be any arc section (i.e., partial arc). 
         [0022]    The inner-wall  120 , a portion of the top surface of the base  114  and the sidewall  112  form a U-shaped channel in which a leg of the matboards  140  is retained. The distance between the inner-wall  120  and the sidewall  112  is preferably similar to the width of the leg of the matboard  140  retained therein, thus maintaining the sample matboards  140  in a substantially vertical position. In this configuration, the matboards  140  are displayed around the circumference of the caddy  110  with the other leg of the matboard  140  extending radially beyond the sidewall  112 . The radially extending legs of the matboards  140  fan-out around the caddy so as to display the color and texture of each sample. It should be noted that Matboards  140  having legs of varying width can be accommodated by the system in a number of ways. The inner-wall  120  can include a non-uniform shape, such as an oval, in order to vary the distance between the sidewall  112  and the inner-wall  120 , thereby accommodating matboards  140  of varying width. 
         [0023]    The caddy  110  can be placed on a table using the base  114  as a support. Alternatively, the caddy  110  can be placed on or attached to a stand  130  and optional base  150 . Thus, the caddy can be placed on the floor or elevated on a table surface. An optional center-post  170  can be used to hold display sign or other advertisement. Alternatively, the center-post  170  can be located within a hollow center of the inner-wall  120 , thereby defining a further space in which to store product literature, catalogues, or other materials. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  further illustrates a hemispherical division  160  of the system  110  that enables the system  100  to be expanded as illustrated in FIGS.  2  and  3 A- 3 D.  FIG. 2  illustrates the system  100  of  FIG. 1  in an open configuration in which the caddy  110 , inner-wall  120 , stand  130 , and base  150  have been separated about division  160 .  FIG. 2  illustrates the caddy divided in half, however, it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, that the caddy  110  can be divided into nearly any sectional configuration of two or more sections. The two sections of the system  100  can be attached by hinge  180 , which is preferably not visible in the closed configuration of  FIG. 1 . The arms of hinge  180  are preferably long enough to prevent the matboards  140  retained in each hemisphere from obstructing one another. That is, when in the open configuration, the hinge  180  of system  100  provides sufficient clearance to allow a matboard  140  to be positioned at any location of one hemisphere of the caddy  110  without obstructing the movement or view of a matboard  140  in the other hemisphere of the caddy  110 . 
         [0025]      FIGS. 3A  is a top view of the embodiment of the matboard corner sample system illustrated in  FIG. 1  in the closed configuration.  FIGS. 3B and 3C  are top views of the embodiment of the matboard corner sample system of  FIG. 1  as it transitions to the open configuration illustrated in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3D . 
         [0026]    In the open configuration, the system can be abutted against any flat surface such as a wall or a table side. Optionally, the system  100  can include a mounting for hanging or affixing the system  100  to the flat surface. In a further alternative, the two halves of the system  100  can be separated (e.g., via a releasable hinge or by excluding the hinge  180 ) and positioned independently. 
         [0027]    While  FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of the present invention that utilizes a circular caddy  110 ,  FIG. 4  illustrates a further embodiment of a matboard corner sample system  400  having a caddy that is an arc section (i.e., circular section). 
         [0028]    In accordance with the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 4-6 , matboards  440  are retained between an inner support  420  and an outer support  410 . The outer support  410  can include a circular wall, similar to outer wall  112 , or a guide rail (e.g., bar or wire) as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Additional outer supports  412  can be included to provide additional support and guide matboards  440  as they are moved within the caddy display. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the vertical leg of the matboard  440  is retained between inner support  420  and outer support  410 , and the horizontal leg of matboard  440  (i.e., the radially extending leg of matboard  440 ) is supported vertically by outer support  412  so as to support the weight of the matboard  440  extending radially away from the inner support  420 . The vertical leg of matboard  440  extends radially beyond the outer support  410  so as to fan-out and display the texture and color of the matboard  440 . 
         [0029]    The system  400  can include a base  450  and sidewalls  430  which add structural support and rigidity to the system  400 . Additionally, the visible surfaces of the base  450 , sidewalls  430 , and outer surface  422  of the inner support  420  can be utilized as marketing space. For example, advertisements for the framing company or matboard company can be placed on these surfaces to increase brand awareness. Alternatively, promotions, such as sales and specials, can be advertised on these surfaces. 
         [0030]      FIG. 7  illustrates yet a further embodiment of the present invention that includes features of a conventional matboard display system. The system  700  includes a caddy having a caddy base  714  and outer support  710  and  712  around an inner wall  720 . Matboards  740  are retained between the outer supports  710  and  712  and the inner wall  720 . Support bars  716  affix the outer supports  710  and  712  to the caddy base  714  or inner wall  720 . If the support bars  716  extend from the caddy base  714  or inner wall  720 , the support bars  716  can be used to group and further organize the matboards  740 . 
         [0031]    The caddy base  714  can be mounted to a stand  730 . The stand  720  can include a variety of shapes and designs. The stand  730  can include a base  750  that is optionally affixed to wheels  755  for ease of transport and movement. Additionally, a decorative carrying handle  716  can be mounted to the caddy base  714 . 
         [0032]    Additional matboards can be displayed using L-brackets mounted to the system  700 . For example L-bracket  770  is mounted to the top  722  of inner wall  720 . In another example, L-bracket  780  is mounted to the stand  730 . The additional L-brackets allow for storage and display of additional matboards and can be designed to accommodate and enhance the organization of the matboards  740  displayed in the caddy. 
         [0033]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.