Abstract:
A custom display storage system includes storage and display assemblies. The storage assembly includes an album or scrapbook containing pages for mounting graphic works and other generally planar objects. The display assembly includes a display unit joined at the edges with a backing to form a pocket. The display unit includes openings for display of custom character strings as well as graphic images. The backing includes a slot providing access to the pocket. A base sheet having a guide grid for mounting images, including a string of preprinted character units may be slid through the slot and into the pocket in alignment for display via the front display unit openings. Alternatively, the system may include a container for storing three dimensional items as well as graphic works. The custom display storage system may also comprise a kit with a selection of character units and an album or storage container with a variety of display units.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to systems for storage and display. More particularly, it is concerned with a system providing storage for prints and the like and a display for graphic images and custom character strings formed from a selection of character units. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Display devices and systems are well known. One example is referenced in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,398 issued to the applicants on Jul. 6, 1999, which patent is incorporated herein by reference. Such prior art display system comprises a mat having front and back surfaces and a character string opening, a base sheet with a guide grid for mounting a string of preprinted character units, and tape strips for attaching the base sheet to the back surface of the mat. Such display systems are suitable for mounting and displaying graphic images such as pictures, prints and photographs, collectibles such as autographs, stamps, postcards, menus, coins, records and discs, and keepsakes such as newspaper clippings, announcements, programs and pressed flowers in a custom arrangement which may include text as well as images. 
     Such custom display systems are generally employed with a framing assembly, which may also include additional mats and a protective covering such as glass or plastic. Decorative devices such as ribbons, bows and findings may be fastened to the outside of the framing assembly. The framed systems may be wall or easel mounted, or they may be free standing, and two or more display systems may be coupled together. 
     While these systems are particularly well-suited for customized display of a limited number of graphic items and custom character strings, they do not provide easily accessible storage for quantities of additional similar items or of three dimensional items. In order to modify the custom display, it is necessary to disassemble the unit and unfasten the tape strips from the rear surface of the mat. Repeated removal of the base sheet and replacement of the tape is inconvenient and over time it may cause damage to the rear surface of the mat. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a greatly improved custom display storage system which includes a custom display as well as a convenient storage unit for a quantity of additional items. The display may be easily personalized with graphic images and characters according to individual taste, and is specially designed to permit easy modification without damage to the system. 
     Broadly speaking, the system includes a storage assembly and a display assembly. The storage assembly includes an album or scrapbook containing pages for mounting graphic works and other generally planar objects. The display assembly includes a display unit joined at the edges with a backing to form a pocket therebetween. The display unit includes openings for display of custom character strings as well as graphic images. The backing includes a slot providing access to the pocket. 
     A base sheet having a guide grid for mounting images, including a string of preprinted character units, may be slid through the slot and into the pocket. The base sheet is sized to fit snugly within the pocket so that the character string and graphics are aligned for display via the display unit openings without the need for adhesive strips or other fasteners. 
     Alternatively, the system may include a container for storing three dimensional items as well as graphic works. In such embodiments, the top and/or sidewall of the container is constructed with a display assembly to include one or more pockets for receiving a base sheet with images and character units. The custom display and storage system may also comprise a kit including a character assortment corresponding to the alphabet and numerals and an album or storage container with a variety of display unit configurations. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION 
     The principal objects and advantages of the present invention include: providing a custom display storage system; providing such a system which permits display of graphic images as well as text while also providing storage for a quantity of additional graphic images; providing such a system which permits display via display unit openings without the need for fasteners; providing such a system which includes storage for a quantity of three dimensional items; providing such a system which permits easy modification of the display without damage to the system, providing such a system which utilizes individual character units for forming character strings; providing such a system which provides different character unit options; providing such a system which accommodates different lengths of character strings in a character string display unit opening; providing such a system with a display unit including image windows; providing such a system which includes a pocket for receiving a base sheet with prepositioned images and characters; providing such a system which is easy to use without special training, tools or equipment, providing such a system which can produce a wide variety of custom storage displays; providing such a system which accommodates personalized display subject matter, providing such a system which can incorporate one or more personalized images in the display; providing such a system which can be offered as a kit; providing such a system which is well adapted for point-of-purchase sales in retail establishments; providing such a system which can offer a wide range of different character lettering styles, colors and other visual and aesthetic effects; and providing such a system which is economical to manufacture, efficient in operation, capable of a extended usage and particularly well adapted for the purposed usage thereof. 
     Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. 
     The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a custom display and storage album/scrapbook in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a rear plan view of the display assembly depicted in FIG. 1, showing insertion of a display sheet through a slot in the backing and into a pocket in the display unit. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a display sheet showing placement of a graphic image and fractional character unit. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a character subassembly showing a character lining partially peeled away from adhesive on the back of the character unit. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a first modified custom display system having a storage container, with parts broken away to show the structure of display units in the top and installation of a display sheet in the pocket of a display unit. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     I. Custom Display and Storage System 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
     Referring now to the drawings, a custom display and storage system  10  in accordance with the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 and includes a display assembly  12  and a storage assembly  14 . The display assembly  12  includes a display unit  16  coupled at the edges with a backing  18  to form a pocket  20  therebetween for receiving a display sheet  22 . 
     The display unit  16  includes a front surface  24  and a back surface  26  and a window array  28 , including an image window  30  and a character window  32 . A clear synthetic resin glazing  34  is coupled with the display unit back surface  26  by adhesive or other means. Although FIG. 1 depicts a display unit  16  having a generally planar rectangular configuration, with rectangular and oval windows  28 , the configuration of both display unit and windows may be of any suitable geometric shape, and any number of image and character windows  30  and  32  may be provided. It is foreseen that a separate window may be provided for each character in a character string. 
     The display unit  16  may also be constructed in layers in order to permit insertion of additional material such as polyester fiberfill between the front and back surfaces  24  and  26  in order to give a padded appearance. The display unit front surface  24  may be constructed of paper, cloth, synthetic resin, wood or any suitable material and it may be figured with a design. Ribbons, bows or findings may be applied to the front surface  24 . 
     The backing  18  also includes a front surface  36  and a back surface  38 . The front surface  36  is coupled with the display unit back surface  26  at the edges to form the pocket  20 . It is also foreseen that the surfaces may be coupled at one or more intermediate locations to form two or more pockets  20 . 
     The backing  18  is equipped with a slot  40  having a pair of generally transverse end cuts  42  and  44 , which form a flap  46 . FIG. 2 depicts the slot  40  in a generally horizontal orientation. A corresponding slot  40  is provided for access to each pocket  20 , and it is foreseen that more than one slot  40  may be provided for access to a single pocket  20 . Thus, any number of slots may be provided and they may be oriented in any suitable arrangement, such as vertically or diagonally. It is also foreseen that the flap may be omitted and a wider opening may be substituted. 
     The display sheet  22  is sized to be received and frictionally held in place within the pocket  20  and it includes a base sheet  50 , a plurality of character subassemblies  52  and graphic images  54 . The base sheet  50  is of thin, planar construction, including front and back surfaces  56  and  58  surrounded by a perimeter edge  60 . The front surface  56  is imprinted with an image locator grid  62  and a character guide grid  64 . 
     The character guide grid  64  is configured to correspond to the dimensions and locations of the corresponding character window opening  32 . The character grid  64  has a generally rectangular overall configuration with printed lines indicating individual character locations  66  as well as fractional space dividers  68 . The image locator grid  62  is imprinted in accordance with the dimensions of the corresponding image window and with appropriate standard sizes of photographic prints. In this manner, for example, a 4″×6″ rectangular photographic print may be aligned with a 4″×6″ oval image window  30 , without the need for cropping of the print. 
     Each of the character subassemblies  52  includes a character lining  70  mounting a character unit  72  by means of a layer of a releasable adhesive composition  74 . The character units  72  are adapted for peeling away from the lining  70  and fastening in the appropriate character locations  66  by means of the adhesive  74 . Alternatively, the character units  72  and adhesive  74  may be supplied separately, and combined at the time of use. In such embodiments, the adhesive may be in the form of a liquid composition of double-sided tape. The character units  72  are imprinted with letters, numbers or decorative graphic designs, and fractional character units  76  are provided as well. A series of character units  72  is selected and used to form a character string  78 , which may spell an appropriate word indicating a theme, e.g., “STANLEY 2000”. 
     A graphic image  80 , is sized to generally correspond to the image locator grid  62 . The image  80  is mounted on the base sheet  50  by suitable adhesive mounting means  82 , such as a liquid adhesive composition or double-sided tape strip. 
     An album-type storage assembly  14  is depicted in FIG.  1  and includes a front cover formed by the display assembly  12 , a back cover  84  including a facing  86  and a plurality of pages  88 . The pages  88  are fastened together at one end and covered by a spine  90 , which extends between the display assembly  12  and back cover  84 . The display assembly backing  18  and back cover facing  86  are each configured of sufficient width to extend beyond the respective display unit  16  and back cover  84  in order to provide a flyleaf  92  which is folded over and adhered to a first and last album page  88  respectively. The pages  88  may be decorated by imprinting or embossing. 
     FIG. 1 depicts an album having such a book-type binding, however any of a number of alternate bindings may be employed. Those albums permitting removal and replacement of the pages  88 , such as, for example, post, ring and strap-type bindings are particularly preferred. The pages  88  may include pockets for receiving photographs or other memorabilia, or adhesive sheets with plastic cover slips which may be removed by peeling and reattached over an item to be stored. The pages may also be equipped with adhesive corners, for mounting graphic items. 
     The custom display and storage system  10  may be provided as a kit  94  for display and marketing purposes, for example at a retail location in a point-of-purchase display. The kit  94  includes an assortment of individual character units  72  and thematically decorated storage albums  14  having different sizes and configurations of openings  28 . 
     In use, a wide variety of character units  72  as well as fractional units  76  are provided to permit selection and assembly of a personalized character string  78  including names, dates, or other numerical identifiers reflecting a preselected theme, such as a wedding, baby, school, graduation, vacation, anniversary or type of material to be stored, such as railroad memorabilia. The system  10  may be selected based on the window array  28  and overall theme of decoration. The character string  78  is determined, and corresponding character units  72  and one or more graphic images  54  are selected. 
     A user next peels the character units  72  from the liner  70  and adhesively secures them in the character locations  66  within the character guide grid  64  on the display sheet  22 . The character string  78  will generally be centered within the character window  32  and fractional character units  76  may be employed to fill in any remaining space on either side. Depending on the dimensions of the graphic image  54 , it may be cropped in order to achieve general correspondence with the dimensions of the image window  30 , and then fastened within an appropriate image locator grid  62  with an adhesive  82 . 
     The user next aligns the completed display sheet  22  so that the front surface  56  bearing the image  54  and character string  78  faces the backing rear surface  36 . The user then opens the flap  46 , aligns the leading edge of the perimeter  60  of the sheet  22  between the end cuts  42  and  44  and slides the sheet  22  through the slot  40  and into the pocket  20 . In this manner, the sheet  22  is mounted and frictionally held in place between the display unit back surface  26  and the backing front surface  36  with the image  54  and character string  78  aligned for viewing through the windows  30  and  32 . 
     The album storage pages  88  may then be filled, either at once, or over time as items are collected, with additional graphic images and other similar items. At any time the process may be reversed and the display sheet  22  removed and redecorated by removing and replacing the image  54  and/or one or more character units  72 . 
     II. Modified Custom Display and Storage System 
     FIG. 6 depicts a custom display and storage system  110  with a storage assembly  112  in the form of a container having a bottom  114 , upstanding sidewalls  116 , a top  118  and a depending rim  120  defining a storage area  122 . The sidewalls  116  are constructed to include a display assembly  123 , having a display unit  124  coupled around the edges with a backing  126  to form a pocket  134  therebetween for receiving a display sheet  136  as in the album-type storage assembly previously described. 
     The display assembly  123  includes an image window  138  and a character window  140 , with glazing  142 . The backing  126  includes a slot  144  having a pair of vertical end cuts  146  which form a flap  148 . The top  118  may also be constructed in this manner, with the slot  144  located at the center, away from the dependent rim  120 . In that case, two pairs of vertical end cuts  146  and a pair of opposed flaps  148  are provided to permit access to both ends of the pocket from the center slot  144 . It is foreseen that in certain embodiments the top  118  may be of rimless construction to facilitate coupling with one of the sidewalls  116  by a hinge or other means. In such instances the slot  144  may be located adjacent an edge. 
     In use, the modified custom display and storage system is assembled as previously described. Where the image and character windows  138  and  140 , respectively, are located on a container top  118  having a depending rim  120  and a centrally located opening  144 , a pair of display sheets  136  may be installed by sliding each sheet  136  into the pocket  134  from the center toward the end of the top  118 . Where the sidewalls  116  are provided with a plurality of slots  144 , a corresponding number of display sheets  136  may also be employed. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a wide variety of custom display and storage systems can be devised which are within the scope of the present invention. For example, various numbers and configurations of image and character string windows could be formed in the display unit and could assume other geometric shapes, including polygons, diamonds and circles. 
     It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown. 
     What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by letters patent is: