Patent Application
20170340144
The present invention pertains to the field of button display systems, and more specifically to the field of button display systems providing a line of display and storage boxes, albums, and wall frames configured particularly for storage, organization, and presentation of photo nations and other display buttons.
When individuals think about times and moments in their lives that they would like to record and revisit, the events fall into one of two categories. First, there are moments when the individual participates as actor and observer, such as photographing and recording family vacations, high school graduations, weddings and christenings. Second, there are times in which the individual participates as actor and someone else observes and captures the individual in the event such as acting in a community play, competing in a golf tournament, attending a formal dance, running in a marathon or participating in a sports league. In the specific case of sports leagues: one popular way of commemorating a team and its season is by creating a photo button, a pin or magnet backed button bearing a photo of a player in their uniform. While these photo buttons make terrific keepsakes for both players, coaches and admirers, they often are stored in a box or a drawer, ramsackedly arranged and rarely seen again after being placed in the storage area of choice.
The prior art has put forth several designs for memento display devices. Among these are:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,056 to Valentin Garcia describes a memento box including a box structure having a floor, opposing sidewalls, and a lid hinged to one of the sidewalls. The lid covers the top of the box and defines a closed Inferior space within the box. A latch or releasable means is provided to keep the lid in a closed position on the box. A plurality of removable and changeable interfitting partitions form a matrix that is sized to fit within the interior space. The height of the partitions and the matrix is such that when the partitions are placed In the interior space, a book can be stored in the memento box and the interspace within the box above the partitions is at least one halt inch thick to accommodate the book. The memento box includes a pocket for retaining flat sheet mementos such as photographs. Preferably, the pocket includes a transparent cover. The pocket is attached to the inboard side of the lid. The memento box includes a fiat divider plate that is removably but securely disposed on top of the Interfitting partitions thereby closing the compartments formed by the partitions. The size of the compartments formed by the interfitting partitions are changeable to complementary slots in the partitions themselves. The person using the box changes the size of the compartments by removing one partition and interlinking different complementary slots on another partition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,200 to Bruce A. Hehn describes a device for displaying circular objects such as plates, pictures, mirrors and the like on a wail or other supporting structure. A frame formed with a circular shaped central opening has a plurality of spaced lugs extending outwardly from its back surface. An annular shaped retainer ring is formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced ramps which are engageable with the frame lugs for clamping the circular object against the back surface of the frame for visual display of the object through the frame opening. The ramps extend in an angular direction along the side of the retainer ring and provide axial movement of the retainer ring towards the frame when slidably engaged with the lugs to apply a clamping force against the circular object and to permit the mounting of objects of varying thickness on the display device. The ramps are provided with a series of ratchet teeth for locking the retainer ring in an adjustable object clamping position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,718 to Armand W Roy describes a display box comprising a base section having an insert positioned therein, and an article receiving pad assembly secured to the top surface of the insert. The pad assembly comprises a metallic plate secured to the top surface A foam pad having the same peripheral configuration as the metallic plate Is positioned on too of the plate. A fabric layer covers the foam pad and secures the foam pad to the metallic plate, whereby the pad assembly provides a raised pedestal portion in the display box to which an article of jewelry or the like is mountable for attractive viewing and display.
None of these prior art references describe the present invention.
it is an object of the present invention to provide a line of display and storage boxes, albums and wall frames configured particularly for storage, organisation and presentation of photo buttons and other display buttons.
The present invention is a button display system for displaying at least one button for storage, organization, and presentation. The button display system comprises a button display housing and a button retaining mechanism for releasably mounting the button to the button display housing. The button display system enables systematical organization of the at least one button, effectively storing, preserving, and displaying the at least one button.
The present invention, hereinafter referred to as the Button Display System, indicated generally at 10, is a line of display and storage containers 12, wall frames 14, albums 16, and decorative box 18 configured particularly for storage, organization, and presentation of photo buttons and other display buttons 20. The Button Display System 10 enables individuals to systematically organize photo and other display buttons 20, effectively storing, preserving, and displaying them for generations to come. The Button Display System 10 includes variously sized containers 12, wall frames 14, albums 16, and boxes frames 18 to accommodate small to large buttons 20 in small to large quantities.
The Button Display System 10 of the present invention includes a button display housing 22 and a button retaining mechanism 24 for releasably mounting the button 20 to the button display housing 22. In a first embodiment, the button display housing 22 is a tabletop container 26 for displaying the buttons 20 on a tabletop or other surface (not shown). The tabletop container 26 has a base 28 and four side wails perpendicular extending from the base and a lid or cover 30. Preferably the lid 30 is hingedly connected to the base 28 allowing the lid 30 to move from a closed position to an open position and back to the closed position. A clasp or latch 32 can be mounted to the container 26 to releasably secure the lid 30 in the closed position.
The button retaining mechanism 24 of the first embodiment of the Button Display System 10 of the present invention includes a rack 34 positioned within the base 28 of the container 28 The rack 34 is a framework or stand in or on which to hold, hang, or display the buttons 20 for securing or positioning each button 20 in a standing position in distinct rows with the buttons 20 tilted for easy viewing In a preferred embodiment, the rack 34 has three (3) levels for allowing easier viewing of the displayed buttons 20 although more levels or less levels are within the scope of the present invention.
The rack 34 of the button retaining mechanism 24 of the Button Display System 10 of the present invention can be secured, either releasably or fixedly, within the container 26, or simply placed within the container 26 resting on the base 28 within the lateral confines of the four side walls. The rack 34 can also be sized and shaped for extending only up to a top end of the side walls or can be sized and shaped to actually extend above the top end of the side wails, yet still be contained beneath the lid 30.
In a preferred embodiment, the container 28 of the Button Display System 10 of the present invention is preferably constructed from a wood, metal, plastic, cardboard, or other stiff material although constructing the container 26 from a different material is within the scope of the present invention, in addition, preferably, the rack 34 of the button retaining mechanism of the Button Display System 10 is a grate style shelf constructed from a plastic or rubber coated, metal material although constructing the rack 34 from different materials Is within the scope of the present invention.
In a second embodiment, the button display housing 22 of the Button Display System 10 of the present invention is a wall frame 36. A standard way frame 36 accommodates approximately six (2) buttons 20 in two vertical rows of three buttons 20 each. It should be noted that the wall frame 36 of the present invention can be constructed in a variety of shapes and sizes to hold more or less than six (6) buttons 20.
The button retaining mechanism 24 of the second embodiment of the Button Display System 10 of the present invention includes a backing 38 mounted within the wall frame 38 with the backing 38 either constructed from a padded material or a sturdy material. With the padded material the button 20 is releasably secured to the backing 38 using the pin or other connector associated with the button 20. With the sturdy material, the button 20 can be fixedly or releasably secured to the backing 38 using an adhesive substance or mechanism clasp which holds the button 20 on the desired position.
In a third embodiment, the button display housing 22 of the Button Display System 10 of the present invention Includes a folding desktop or tabletop album 40 that accommodates and displays several photo and other display buttons 20 of various sizes. The album 40 has a front cover 42 and a rear cover 44 with at least one page 46 bound between the front cover 42 and the rear cover 44. In a preferred embodiment, the album has a plurality of pages 46 mounted between the front cover 42 and the rear cover 44. The front cover 42 and the rear cover 44 are preferably constructed from a leather, vinyl, or fabric material although constructing the front cover 42 and the rear cover 44 from other materials is within the scope of the present invention.
The button retaining mechanism 24 of the third embodiment of the Button Display System 10 of the present invention includes the button 24 fixedly or releasably secured to the page 46 using an adhesive substance or mechanism clasp which holds the button 20 on the desired position. In the alternative, the button retaining mechanism 24 can include a recess formed in the page(s) 20 for insertion of the button 20 therein such that the button 20 snugly fits within the recess and releasably held in position by friction.
In a fourth embodiment, the batten display housing 22 of the Button Display System 10 of the present Invention includes a round or heart shaped container 48 having a bottom portion 50 and a fop portion 52 hingedly con memo to the bottom portion 50 The top portion 52 and the bottom portion 50 of the container 48 each hold at least a single button 20 with the ability for the buttons 20 to stack upon each other. In addition, an Interior surface of the top portion 52 and the bottom portion 50 each include a padding material 54 covered with a velvet cover. An outside surface of the top portion 52 and the bottom portion 50 are preferably covered with a vinyl or leather material.
The button retaining mechanism 24 of the fourth embodiment of the Button Display System 10 of the present invention includes the button 20 fixedly or releasably secured within the container 48 using an adhesive substance or mechanism clasp which holds the button 20 on the desired position. In the alternative, the button retaining mechanism 24 can simply include positioning the button within 20 the top section 52 and the bottom section 50. Friction or other mechanical means can be used, or not, to releasably secure the button 20 in position.
The Button Display System 10 of the present invention meets the needs of a variety of photo and other display button collectors. Parents may wish to display only a few buttons 20 in a family room, players may wish to display a number of buttons 20 in their bedrooms, and coaches may wish to display buttons 20 from multiple teams over a span of coaching seasons. The Button Display System 10 also is ideally functional for collectors of comical, political, sports themed, and other buttons 20. Durably constructed and finished with high quality and aesthetically attractive materials, the Button Display System 10 will withstand many years of continued use.
Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it is not Intended to be limited thereto and various modifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
This patent application claims priority under 35 USC 119 (e) (1) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/300,181 filed Feb. 26, 2018, of common inventorship herewith entitled, “Button Album,” which is incorporated herein by reference as though the same were set forth in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62300181 | Feb 2016 | US |
