Patent Application
20060043679
Trading cards are a popular way to collect images and information about athletes and celebrities. Unfortunately, many of the trading cards are manufactured in large quantities and are not very unique. Further, existing trading cards do not provide collectors with a behind the scenes look at the manufacturing components used to make popular trading cards.
The present invention is directed to a first trading card that includes a manufacturing component that is used to make a collectible item and a card body that retains the manufacturing component. In one embodiment, the manufacturing component includes a component image that is transferred to the collectible item and the card body includes a card image that is similar to the component image.
In one version, the manufacturing component is embedded into the card body and the card body includes a viewing region for exposing the manufacturing component. Further, the card body can include a first body section and a second body section and the manufacturing component can be positioned between the body sections.
As provided herein, the manufacturing component can be a lithography plate or a press plate that was used to make the collectible item.
The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which:
With this design, in certain embodiments, the first trading card 10 is a one of a kind, unique, collectible trading card that provides a behind the scenes look at an authentic piece of the equipment used to manufacturing of collectible items 16. Further, the first trading card 10 provides a safe way to view the manufacturing component 12 and the manufacturing component 12 is protected by the card body 14.
In one embodiment, the first trading card 10 is generally flat, rectangular shaped and has a length of between 2 and 6 inches, a width of between approximately 1.5 and 4.0 inches, and a thickness of between approximately 0.125 and 0.5 inches. For example, the first trading card 10 can be a standard trading card having a length of approximately 3.5 inches, and a width of approximately 2.5 inches.
As discussed above, the manufacturing component 12 is used in the manufacturing of one or more collectible items 16. For example, the manufacturing component 12 can be a piece of manufacturing memorabilia, such as a lithography plate, (a press plate) or a portion of one of the plates. The manufacturing component 12 can include a component image 18 that has been transferred to the collectible item 16 during the manufacture of the collectible item 16. As non-exclusive examples, the component image 18 can be that of a sports athlete, a celebrity, an entertainer, an image used in a card game, an animated character, an animal or landscape.
The card body 14 fixedly retains the manufacturing component 12. In one embodiment, the manufacturing component 12 is embedded into the card body 16 and the card body 14 includes a viewing region 20 for exposing a portion of the manufacturing component 12, such as the component image 18. For example, the viewing region 20 can be a rectangular shaped opening. Alternatively, for example, the viewing region 20 can be another shape, such as oval, circular, or octagonal shaped.
In one embodiment, the card body 14 includes a first body section 22 and a second body section 24 and the manufacturing component 12 is positioned between the body sections 22, 24. In
In one embodiment, the card body 14 includes card information 26 relating to and/or explaining the manufacturing component 12, the component image 18, and/or the company that manufactures or distributes the first trading card 10.
The design of the collectible item 16 can vary. For example, the collectible item 16 can be a second trading card having a somewhat similar size and shape as the first trading card 10 described above. In one embodiment, the collectible item 16 includes an item image 28 that was transferred to the collectible item 16 with the manufacturing component 12 and that is similar to the component image 18. For example, the item image 28 can have the same size and characteristics as the component image 18. However, the item image 28 can include color.
In this embodiment, the manufacturing component 12 is generally flat, rectangular plate shaped. In one embodiment, the manufacturing component 12 has a length of between 2.5 and 4.5 inches, a width of between approximately 1.5 and 3.5 inches, and a thickness of between approximately 0.1 and 0.3 inches.
Further, in this embodiment, the first body section 22 is generally flat, rectangular plate shaped and includes the viewing region 20. Moreover, in this embodiment, the second body section 24 is generally flat, rectangular plate shaped. In one embodiment, the second body section 24 includes a recessed area 332 that is sized and shaped to receive the manufacturing component 12. Stated another way, the recessed area 332 has a size and shape that corresponds to the size and shape of the manufacturing component 12. With this design, the manufacturing component 12 can be securely sandwiched between the body sections 22, 24 without influencing the overall thickness of the first trading card 10. Alternately, for example, the recessed area 332 can be in the back side of the first body section 22.
In one embodiment, a section retainer 334 secures the body sections 22, 24 together. For example, the section retainer 334 can be an adhesive. Alternatively, the body sections 22, 24 can be laminated together.
It is to be understood that the trading card 10 disclosed herein is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as described in the appended claims.
This Application claims the benefit on U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/604,295, filed on Aug. 25, 2004. The contents of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/604,295 are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60604295 | Aug 2004 | US |
