Patent Application
20150027018
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a system for protecting a certificate or diploma and method of producing thereof. More particularly, a protective system for a certificate includes a cost reducing protective package having a visible printed name area when assembled and protected. Specifically, the system of the present invention has a certificate on which a name is printed in the name area visible through an aperture formed in a first panel of a protective cover configured to close about a living hinge and slide into an envelope and transparent sleeve.
2. Background Information
A physical memorialization of educational achievements, such as diploma or certificate, is given to a qualified person who has met certain minimum requirements, such as a course load at a university. These certificates are often personalized for each individual having the recipient's name printed on the certificate. The certificates are sometimes closed within a protective cover embossed with the granting institution's emblem. The protective cover containing the certificate is then separately labeled on the outside of the cover with the recipient's name creating a certificate package. Then, the certificate packages containing the diplomas are handed out to many qualifying individuals at one time, usually at a graduation ceremony. Large graduation ceremonies can easily exceed one hundred people.
For the graduation ceremony coordinator, a problem often arises in assembling the certificate packages. Assembly requires ensuring the printed name on the certificate matches the label on the outside of the cover. This is very time consuming and can still lead to errors which result in individuals receiving the incorrect certificate. Further, it can be difficult to arrange the certificates in the correct alphabetical order without seeing the certificates closed within the cover. Further, not all diploma or certificate recipients actually show up to graduation, thus a problem arises when the recipients walk across the ceremony stage in an order not congruous with the stack of certificates to be awarded.
The present invention addresses these and other issues.
The present invention may provide an award certificate having preprinted names and award status on the certificate protected in a certificate cover having an aperture aligned with the printed name and wrapped in a protective envelope or transparent sleeve. The present invention may further provide a method for a ceremony coordinator to input names or information for each certificate recipient, then the information is transmitted to a certificate system having programmed software to arrange the certificates in a desired order via computer logic, the arranged certificates are then printed. The certificates are then placed or manually installed into the protective cover with the aperture facing upward. This is advantageous over previous methods and devices as the certificate system provides a cost savings for the granting institution in that there is no need to print the recipient's name on a label on the cover and then spend man-hours ensuring the certificates match the label on the cover.
In one aspect, the invention may provide a method of producing a protective certificate package, the method comprising the steps of: providing an electronic certificate system programmed to receive at least one certificate recipient's name via an entry form; inputting at least one certificate recipient name via the entry form into the electronic system; continuing to input certificate recipient names via the entry form until all certificate recipient names have been input into the electronic system; arranging the recipient names in a desired order by the electronic system; and printing a certificate for each recipient from a printing system.
In another aspect, the invention may provide a method of producing a protective certificate package, the method comprising the steps of: providing an electronic certificate system to receive at least one certificate recipient's name via an entry form; inputting at least one certificate recipient name; continuing to input certificate recipient names via the entry form until all certificate recipient names have been input into the electronic system; arranging the recipient names in a desired order by the electronic system; printing a certificate for each recipient from a printing system; and providing a protective certificate cover to receive the certificate, the cover having two panels and a through aperture formed in one of the panels, said cover moveable between open and closed positions.
In yet another aspect, the invention may provide a protective certificate package comprising: a certificate cover including first and second panels that are moveable between an open and a closed position and adapted to receive a certificate atop the second panel; an aperture formed in the first panel; and a certificate having a print area on the certificate.
Another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention provides a protective certificate package comprising: a certificate cover including first and second panels moveable between an open and a closed position and adapted to receive a certificate atop the second panel; and an aperture formed in the first panel adapted to view a print area on the certificate when the cover is in the closed position.
A sample embodiment of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which Applicant contemplates applying the principles, is set forth in the following description, is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.
Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
As shown generally in
With primary reference to
With continued reference to
Cover aperture 56 is a through aperture formed in the first cover panel 14 extending from inner surface 52 to outer surface 54. Cover aperture 56 is bound by a first inner transverse edge 58 spaced apart and generally parallel to second inner transverse edge 59. Cover aperture 56 is also bound by a first inner longitudinal edge 60 spaced apart and generally parallel to second inner longitudinal edge edge 61. Cover aperture 56 aligns with name printing area 42 when certificate 12 has been positioned atop second cover panel segment 16 and the two panels 14, 16 are moved to the closed position about hinge 62 (
With primary reference to
Example methods may be better appreciated with reference to flow diagrams. While for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the illustrated methodologies are shown and described as a series of blocks, it is to be appreciated that the methodologies are not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks can occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from that shown and described. Moreover, less than all the illustrated blocks may be required to implement an example methodology. Blocks may be combined or separated into multiple components. Furthermore, additional and/or alternative methodologies can employ additional, not illustrated blocks.
The manual segment 100B of method 100 begins shortly after electronic segment 100A ends. Manual segment 100B includes the manual installation or assembly of printed certificates 108 into certificate cover by securing certificate to cover and closing the cover 15 ensuring that print area 42 is viewable through cover aperture 56, then placing a closed cover into envelope 18. Then certificates contained within the cover in the envelope may then be shrink wrapped 110 for further protection.
In operation, a user will enter or input informational or identification data into a computer system having program logic configured to identify the informational data. Preferably, the informational or identification data will be a certificate recipient's name, but other data can be substituted instead of the recipient name. Further, the computer system can be isolated within one computer or connected to multiple computers via a computer network. The component system may run on an internet network capable of being remotely accessed from several computers via the computer network or from an internet hosted website. Further, the user uploading the information can be a single person or multiple people. In the preferred embodiment, the informational data is input into a data form.
A certificate system program configured to be executed by the computer system will extract information from the data form. The information extracted permits the data input to be arranged in a manner desirable for an operator. The operator may be the same person as the user, but it is not necessary. Extracted information is preferably the recipient's name. When multiple names are input via the data entry form, the certificate system may put the names in alphabetical order. Certificate system then sends names to a printing system.
Printing system prints one name or one piece of information per certificate. The printing system then prints the remaining names left to be printed from the data entry until all certificates, each containing one name, has been printed. The printing system is a high quality diploma or certificate printing system as ordinarily understood in the art.
The uploading of informational data or extraction of embedded information from the data input form can be controlled by a processor or other logic. “Logic”, as used herein, includes but is not limited to hardware, firmware, software and/or combinations of each to perform a function(s) or an action(s), and/or to cause a function or action from another logic, method, and/or system. For example, based on a desired application or needs, logic may include a software controlled microprocessor, discrete logic like an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmed logic device, a memory device containing instructions, or the like. Logic may include one or more gates, combinations of gates, or other circuit components. Logic may also be fully embodied as software. Where multiple logics are described, it may be possible to incorporate the multiple logics into one physical logic. Similarly, where a single logic is described, it may be possible to distribute that single logic between multiple physical logics.
A person will then manually assemble (the Assembler) the protective certificate package of the present invention. Assembler will take one protective cover 15 and move it to an open position laid flat (
Assembler will then insert the closed cover 15 into envelope 18 such that printed area 42 containing the recipient's name is visible through window 70 along front side. Sealing flap 72 is then sealed to secure cover 15 within envelope 18. Sealed envelope 18 may then be further placed within the transparent sleeve 20 and heat shrunk forming a preferably hermetic sealed certificate package 10. Printed area 42 is viewable when sealed envelope 18 is sealed within transparent sleeve 20. Alternatively, closed cover 15 may be sealed within sleeve 20 without an envelope 18.
The term “certificate” as used throughout the specification, claims, and figures refers to any physical memorialization of achievement, completion, or qualification, including but in no way limited to academic diplomas, acknowledgements of merit, deeds, degrees, testamoniums, photographs, or parchments and the like.
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.
Moreover, the description and illustration of the preferred embodiment of the invention are an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.
