Patent Application
20150328920
Very unique, artistic designs can be formed by layering generally planar panels, such as paper stock, on top of each other. A unique design can be formed by cutting out portions of each panel and then stacking one on top of the other, so that the cutout portions combine to form a multilayered cutout structure with an aesthetically appealing design.
These multilayered designs can be employed in a variety of different articles, such as children's books, greeting cards, merchandising items such as displays, boxes and the like. Unfortunately, these types of designs tend to be relatively expensive to produce, particularly in limited quantities. Separate individual panels must be cut out and then subsequently aligned and combined together to provide the desired end product. The time required to do this increases the cost significantly.
The present invention is based on the discovery that a multilayer planar cutout structure can be formed by first cutting out two or more separate designs on a single common panel and forming one or more fold lines between the different designs to form smaller subpanels. The multilayer cutout structure is then formed by simply folding the subpanels onto each other at the fold lines. The cutout portions can be formed with a laser cutter or water jet cutter, or can be die cut. The fold lines can be established either before or after cutting.
The fold lines are formed at precise locations to properly align the different cut outs as the subpanels are folded onto each other. Although not required, fold lines may define equally-sized, overlapping panels.
Further, three or more panels can be formed from a single common panel with two or more fold lines and two or more different cutout patterns. The multiple cutout patterns can then be aligned together by folding the different subpanels in an accordion-type manner. This method allows for three or more overlapping designs.
The method of the present invention ensures that the different cutout designs are very precisely aligned, improving product quality and reducing costs.
Further, the top surface and the bottom surface of the common panel can be different colors to provide different effects, when the subpanels are folded on each other. The common panel may be printed with different designs, for example, with different colors, so that the first subpanel will be a first color, the second subpanel a second color and the third subpanel a third color.
The objects and advantages of the present invention will be further appreciated in light of the following detailed description and drawings, in which:
As shown in
The generally planar insert 22 is formed from a single common panel 28, which has a first subpanel 30, a second subpanel 32 and a third subpanel 34, separated from each other by a first fold line 36 and a second fold line 38. In this embodiment, the insert has three separate subpanels, however, common panel 28 could have only two subpanels separated by one fold line, or could have, for example, four subpanels separated by three fold lines, or even more. Further, the common panel and the subpanels are shown as rectangular. But they can be different shapes, such as circular or hexagonal, depending on the desired product. The fold lines are generally lines of weakness which facilitate folding. Usually they are simply pressed into the common panel.
First panel 30 includes first cutout areas 40, leaving a three-dimensional design 41 which, in this case, again is a series of hexagons. Likewise, second panel 32 includes second panel cutout areas 42, which leave a design 43, again hexagonal shapes. And finally, third panel 34 includes third panel cutout 44, leaving design 45. The design 43 in second panel 32 is reverse cut relative to design 41 and 45 in the first and third panels because of the manner it is folded, as described below.
The common panel 28 can be formed from a variety of different materials, which can be cut through to form an ornamental design. In one embodiment, this common panel 28 can be formed from paperboard stock. The thickness is a matter of design choice. It can be simply paper or thicker cardboard stock, depending upon the desired end use and required durability. Further, the product can be formed from plastic materials and the like, assuming they have sufficient rigidity, to provide the desired end product and can be formed with fold lines. Common panel 28 includes a first surface 46, referred to as a “top surface”, and a second surface (not shown), referred to as a “bottom surface”. The top surface 46 and bottom surface may have different colors to provide different appearances after folding the insert together. Further, the individual subpanels can have different colors on either the top surface of the bottom surface, or they can be illustrated, depending, again, upon the desired look of the end product.
To form the insert 22, the designs 41, 43 and 45 of the subpanels 30, 32 and 34, are cut out through the top surface 46, for example, using a laser cutter. The fold lines 36 and 38 can be formed into the cardboard stock, either before or after forming the cutouts 40, 42, 44.
As shown in
Outer member 18 is then placed over this assembly, with the panel 19 of the outer member 18 resting directly on the first panel 30 of overlapped panel 22.
Outer member 18 of lid 14 fits over inner member 20, with the sidewalls 21a-d of the outer member 18 alongside the sidewalls 24a-d of the inner member 20. The respective sidewalls 21a-d and 24a-d are adhered together, trapping the overlapped folded multilayered panel 22 on panel 23 of inner member 20.
The design of the end product is more particularly shown in
As with the embodiment shown in
Likewise,
The multilayered panel 22 can be used as part of a greeting card 80, as shown in
This has been a description of the present invention. The invention itself should only be defined by the appended claims wherein we claim:
