(19)
(11) EP 1 057 655 A2

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(43) Date of publication:
06.12.2000 Bulletin 2000/49

(21) Application number: 00304616.6

(22) Date of filing: 31.05.2000
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7B42D 15/04
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 01.06.1999 GB 9912726
16.07.1999 GB 9916796

(71) Applicant: Listawood Limited
Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 7RF (GB)

(72) Inventor:
  • Allen, Arthur Norman
    Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE32 2HW (GB)

(74) Representative: Weitzel, David Stanley 
Batchellor, Kirk & Co., 102-108 Clerkenwell Road
London EC1M 5SA
London EC1M 5SA (GB)

   


(54) Cards


(57) A greetings or other card, is disclosed having first and second leaves 2 and 4 lying one over the other. The first leaf 2 id secured to a tab 10 by a peelable adhesive 14. The tab is formed integrally with the second leaf 4.




Description


[0001] This invention relates to greetings or other cards.

[0002] In accordance with the invention there is provided a greetings or other card, having first and second leaves lying one over the other, the first leaf being secured to a tab by a peelable adhesive, the tab being formed integrally with second leaf.

[0003] In one form the tab is joined to the second leaf by a fold.

[0004] The first leaf may be formed of plastics material, the second leaf being formed integrally with a tab which is secured to one face of the first leaf by a peelable adhesive, the fist leaf bearing writing and/or graphics visible from the other face thereof.

[0005] Preferably the second leaf bears writing and/or graphics visible from the face adjacent the first leaf.

[0006] The first leaf may include an underprinted clear plastics layer.

[0007] The clear plastics layer preferably comprises one of the following: rigid mark resist polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene with a mark resist emboss, or polycarbonate.

[0008] The clear plastics layer preferably has a thickness in the range 225 to 500 microns.

[0009] For some applications he first leaf preferably includes a non slip layer.

[0010] The non slip layer may comprise one of the following: soft polypropylene, EDPM foam, natural rubber, dry latex adhesive, plasticised polyvinyl, or polystyrene foam.

[0011] In one construction, the first leaf is secured to the tab by as double sided self adhesive tape having a permanent adhesive on one side and a peelable adhesive on the other.

[0012] The first leaf when separated from the tab may be suitable for use as one of the following; a mouse mat, a coaster, a place mat for a table setting, a fridge magnet, a picture, a calendar.

[0013] The invention also extends to a leaf and tab joined by a fold line, the tab having a peelable adhesive on one face thereof, suitable for use as the said second leaf and tab as claimed in any preceding claim.

[0014] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded pictorial view of a greetings or other card embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross section on arrows II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows an exploded plan view of the card of Figure 1 when unfolded;

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 of another card embodying the invention; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to that of Figure 3, of the embodiment of Figure 4.



[0015] Referring to the drawings, a greetings or other card has two leaves 2 and 4. As is conventional, the leaf 2 has writing and/or graphics, e.g. a greeting and/or design 3, visible from its outside face 6. Also as is conventional the other leaf 4 has a message 7 visible from its inside face 8.

[0016] A tab 10 is formed integrally with the leaf 4 from the kind of card commonly used in the manufacture of greetings cards. The tab 10 and leaf 4 may be die cut and a fold line 12 may be pressed at the same time. The tab/leaf combination is folded along the fold line 12 as illustrated in Figure 1.

[0017] On the outside of the tab 10 (as seen in Figure 1) is adhered a strip 14 of permpeel double sided self adhesive tape. This has a permanent adhesive on one side, by which it is adhered to the tab 10, and peelable adhesive on the other side. To assemble the card, the reverse face of the leaf 2 is adhered to the strip 12 so as to align with the leaf 4 when folded It will be appreciated that the leaf 4 and tab 10 are cut suitably to match the leaf 2 If the leaf 2 has sharp corners, it may be appropriate to make the leaf 2 and the tab 10 by guillotining. However, a separate step, pressing for example, may be necessary to form the fold line 12.

[0018] The separable leaf 2 may have many intended uses, for example: a mouse mat, a coaster for protecting table surfaces from drips from drink containers, a place mat for table settings, a picture, e.g. a photograph mounted for, say, hanging on a wall, a calendar, etc. Some of these examples e.g. a mouse mat, a coaster or a place mat imply a range of conventional sizes. In all examples it is desirable that the separable leaf 2 is thin and not floppy in order to resemble a conventional greetings or other card

[0019] The mouse mat, coaster or place mat can conveniently be made as a laminate illustrated in Figure 2. Here a top layer 18 is a layer of transparent plastics material having a thickness in the range 225 microns to 500 microns. Examples of suitable materials are: rigid mark resist polyvinyl chloride, which is inexpensive an considered environmentally friendly; polypropylene with a mark resist emboss, which is also inexpensive and is softer than PVC; or polycarbonate which although more expensive is also more heat resistant. Polycarbonate would thus be mores suitable for coasters or place mats, PVC or polypropylene for mouse mats.

[0020] The clear layer is underprinted with a design 3 and the layer is laminated to a non slip layer 20 e.g. soft polypropylene, EDPM foam, natural rubber, dry latex adhesive, plasticised polyvinyl, or polystyrene foam. The layers may be adhered together by a double sided self adhesive tape (not shown).

[0021] In an alternative, the design 3 is printed on the layer 20 and the layer 18 is a layer of varnish applied over the design.

[0022] In the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5, the leaf 4 does not overlie the leaf 10 when the card is assembled. Thus the tab 10 and leaf 4 lie unfolded in one plain when the card is closed. Opening the card folds the leaf/tab along the fold line 12. In another embodiment, not illustrated, the fold line is not produced when the card is manufactured, but may be produced by the recipient or the sender of the card or, in some cases may not be necessary. In the latter case the tab/leaf would merely flex when the card is opened.


Claims

1. A greetings or other card, having first and second leaves lying one over the other, the first leaf being secured to a tab by a peelable adhesive, the tab being formed integrally with second leaf.
 
2. A card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tab is joined to the second leaf by a fold.
 
3. A card as claimed in claim 1 or 2, the first leaf being formed of plastics material, the second leaf being formed integrally with a tab which is secured to one face of the first leaf by a peelable adhesive, the fist leaf bearing writing and/or graphics visible from the other face thereof.
 
4. A greetings or other card as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second leaf bears writing and/or graphics visible from the face adjacent the first leaf.
 
5. A card as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first leaf includes an underprinted clear plastics layer.
 
6. A card as claimed in claim 5, wherein the clear plastics layer comprises one of the following: rigid mark resist polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene with a mark resist emboss, or polycarbonate.
 
7. A card as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the clear plastics layer has a thickness in the range 225 to 500 microns.
 
8. A card as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first leaf includes a non slip layer.
 
9. A card as claimed in claim 6, wherein the non slip layer comprises one of the following: soft polypropylene, EDPM foam, natural rubber, dry latex adhesive, plasticised polyvinyl, or polystyrene foam.
 
10. A card as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first leaf is secured to the tab by as double sided self adhesive tape having a permanent adhesive on one side and a peelable adhesive on the other.
 
11. A card as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first leaf when separated from the tab is suitable for use as one of the following; a mouse mat, a coaster, a place mat for a table setting, a fridge magnet, a picture, a calendar.
 
12. A leaf and tab joined by a fold line, the tab having a peelable adhesive on one face thereof, suitable for use as the said second leaf and tab as claimed in any preceding claim.
 




Drawing