Patent Application
20140117657
This disclosure relates to a system for storing and displaying photographs and mementos. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system whereby a photo book can be coupled to a memento container for display and/or storage.
Photo albums have been in use for many years and there are different styles. One style is the traditional photo albums include a series of rigid pages. Each page includes an adhesive layer and a protective, transparent cover sheet. Photo albums allow users to mount individual photographs upon the pages via the adhesive. Once the photographs are property laid out, the protective sheet is secured over the page.
Another style is the photo books which have dramatically increased in popularity in recent years. Photo books, such as those offered by Snapfish® and Shutterfly®, generally include personal photographs that are imprinted onto the individual pages of the book. Photo books eliminate the need to individually mount physical photographs. Photo books also eliminate the need for rigid adhesive sheets and protective films.
Both the traditional photo albums and the photo books suffer from the drawback that they do not allow personal mementos to be preserved alongside the photographs. Thus, although photographs from a vacation may be saved, all the associated mementos from the vacation (such as maps, tickets, menus, shells and the like) are generally lost.
It is, therefore, an object of the present disclosure to provide a system that can store both photographs and physical mementos.
It is also an object of the present disclosure to provide a container for storing and displaying mementos, while at the same time providing a system for securing a photo book to the container.
Yet another object is to provide a photo book and memento container wherein the photo book can be secured to the container in at least two different orientations.
These and other objects are achieved via a system for organizing and displaying photographs and mementos. The system includes a container with an internal storage area for retaining and displaying personal mementos. The container includes a pivotal cover with retaining straps. The retaining straps are adapted to releasably secure a photo book to the cover of the container. In a first configuration, the photo book is secured in a manner that permits user's to open and review the contents of the photo book. In a second configuration, the photo book is secured in a manner that secures the cover of the photo book in a closed configuration.
Various embodiments of the invention may have none, some, or all of these advantages. Other technical advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art.
For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following descriptions, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The present disclosure relates to a system for organizing and displaying photographs and mementos. The system includes a container with an internal storage area for retaining and displaying personal mementos. The container includes a pivotal cover with retaining straps. The retaining straps are adapted to releasably secure a photo book to the cover of the container. In a first configuration, the photo book is secured in a manner that permits user's to open and review the contents of the photo book. In a second configuration, the photo book is secured in a manner that secures the cover of the photo book in a closed configuration. The details of the present invention, and the manner in which they interrelate, will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
The system 10 includes a container 20. Container 20 is defined by opposing side walls 22 as well and front and rear walls (24 and 26, respectively). The walls (22, 24, and 26) create an internal storage area 28 within the container 20. A plurality of mementos 32 are positioned within storage area 28. Mementos 32 can be, for example, personal keepsakes from vacations or special events. By way of non-limiting example, mementos 32 can comprise articles such as theater tickets, maps, tourist booklets, or other similar souvenirs.
A pair of magnetic closures 36 are positioned within front wall 24 of container 20. A pair of resilient straps 34 are secured within storage area 28 and serve to secure mementos 32 in place. In the preferred embodiment, two cross straps 34 are included. Container 20 includes a cover 38 that is connected to rear wall 26 by way of a hinge 42. Hinge 42 may be a conventional book type hinge or connection. Cover 38 includes an external surface 44 to which the photo book can be secured as noted in more detail hereinafter.
Cover 38 is preferably thick and includes a closure flap 46 at a distal end. More specifically, closure flap 46 is pivotally secured to cover 38 at a location opposite hinge 42. A pair of magnetic closures 48 are positioned within closure flap 46. Closure flap 46 is adapted to be magnetically connected to magnetic closures 36 within front wall 24. This allows cover 38 to be retained in a closed position over storage area 28. A strap 52 is connected to closure flap 46 and functions to assist in releasing the magnetic closures and thereby permit cover 38 to be pivoted to an opened position.
A pair of retaining straps (54 and 56) are secured to the external surface 44 of cover 38. More specifically, an inner strap 54 is secured proximate to hinge 42 and an outer strap 56 is secured adjacent closure flap 46. Each retaining strap (54 and 56) has a first and a second extent. The first extent of each strap extends through the thickness of cover 38. In other words, a length of each strap (54 and 56) is threaded through an opening that extends within cover 38. The second extent of each strap (54 and 56) is then positioned over top of external surface 44 of cover 38. In the preferred embodiment, each strap (54 and 56) is made from an stretchable, elastic material.
System 10 optionally includes a book 58. Book 58 includes a series of internal, flexible pages 66, as well as hard bound front and back covers (62 and 64). A photo or indicia may be imprinted on the front cover 62. Book 58 may be a photo book, such that the individual pages 66 are imprinted with personal photographs. The inner and outer retaining straps (54 and 56) can be selectively secured about back cover 64 of book 58 such that book 58 and container 20 are releasably secured to one another.
In one possible arrangement, the inner and outer straps (54 and 56) are both secured about the back cover 64 of book 58. In this arrangement, book 58 is secured to container 20, but a user is still free to open book 58 and peruse the individual pages 66. In another arrangement, the inner retaining strap 54 is secured over back cover 64 of book 58, but outer retaining strap 56 is secured over front cover 62 of book 58 (note
An alternative embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in
Although this disclosure has been described in terms of certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.
