Set of items such as stickers or the like and method for manufacturing the set

Abstract

 A set of items such as stickers or the like with very simple packaging and a method for manufacturing the set; the set comprises at least two stickers (2) or card-like elements in general that are superimposed and a supporting frame (3) that runs at least around the stickers; the supporting frame is constituted at least partially by extensions (2a) of the stickers that are mutually assembled and connected to the stickers by means of assisted-separation lines (4); the set of stickers is easy to package because it can be treated as a single unit and the stickers can be used subsequently as individual elements, since they can be separated easily from the supporting frame.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a set of items such as stickers, trading cards or the like with very simple packaging and to a method for manufacturing the set.

[0002] As is known, collectable stickers or card-like elements in general for various uses, if sold in sets, are generally packaged in packaging pouches, usually made of synthetic material. In particular, it is known to package inside products, for example food products, sets of stickers to be collected and used for collection or for skill-based games or other games.

[0003] The packaging of sets of stickers inside pouches entails an additional cost, which is due to the cost of the pouch and to the packaging operation, and such cost is high in relation to the cost of the stickers. Particularly if the set of stickers is a free item given to the buyer of a product, the need to reduce the additional cost required for packaging the set of stickers is particularly felt. On the other hand, placing the set of stickers directly inside the package of the product is not feasible, since the stickers would spread untidily inside the package, leading to poor presentation of the product and of the free stickers.

[0004] Furthermore, if the pouch used to package the stickers is made of synthetic material, as generally occurs, there are also problems linked to the disposal of the pouch, owing to difficulties in recycling these materials.

[0005] The aim of the present invention is to solve the problems described above by providing a set of items such as stickers or the like that considerably simplifies the operations for packaging these items.

[0006] Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a set of items such as stickers or the like that remains compact and tidy without necessarily requiring its insertion in a packaging pouch.

[0007] Another object of the invention is to provide a set of items such as stickers or the like that can be introduced without problems in the packaging container of other products without requiring preliminary packaging in a pouch.

[0008] Another object of the invention is to provide a method for the simple and low-cost manufacture of a set of items according to the invention.

[0009] This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a set of items such as stickers or the like, characterized in that it comprises at least two stickers or card-like elements in general that are superimposed and a supporting frame that runs at least around said stickers, said supporting frame being constituted at least partially by extensions of said stickers that are mutually assembled and connected to said stickers by means of assisted-separation lines.

[0010] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the set of items according to the invention and of the method for manufacturing it, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the set of items according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the set of items according to the invention, with the stickers removed from the supporting frame;

Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of two steps of the method for manufacturing the set of items according to the invention.

[0011] With reference to the figures, the set of items according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises at least two stickers 2 or card-like elements in general, which are superimposed, and a supporting frame 3 that runs at least around the stickers 2. The supporting frame 3 is constituted at least partially by extensions 2a of the stickers 2, which are mutually assembled and are connected to the stickers 2 by means of assisted-separation lines 4.

[0012] More particularly, the supporting frame 3 has a border-like shape owing to the fact that it is composed by the overlap of extensions 2a of the stickers 2, which protrude perimetrically, preferably along all the sides of the stickers 2. The extensions 2a are constituted in practice by perimetric excess portions of the stickers 2 and are separated from the corresponding sticker 2 by at least one cutting line 5, which has at least one discontinuity so as to form at least one bridge 6 that connects the extension 2a to the corresponding sticker 2. Said bridge 6 can tear easily in order to release the sticker 2 from the supporting frame 3.

[0013] In the illustrated embodiment, in which the stickers 2 have a rectangular shape, there is a bridge 6 for each side of the sticker, but the number and position of said bridges for connecting the stickers 2 to the supporting frame 3 can vary according to requirements.

[0014] The supporting frame 3 preferably also comprises a backing sheet 7, which is superimposed on one side on the set of stickers 2 and is assembled with the extensions 2a of the stickers 2.

[0015] Preferably, the backing sheet 7 has a shape that corresponds to a sticker 2 with the corresponding extensions 2a.

[0016] The method for manufacturing the set of items according to the invention is particularly simple, since it is sufficient to produce the stickers 2 or card-like elements in general with their perimetric extensions 2a and stack them, optionally adding the backing sheet 7 at one end of the stack. The various extensions 2a and the optional backing sheet 7 are then mutually assembled, preferably by pasting, as shown in Figure 3. The stack of elements thus assembled, as shown in Figure 4, is then subjected to die-cutting, which forms the cutting lines 5, as shown in Figure 1. It should be noted that the die-cutting affects only the stickers 2 and does not affect the backing sheet 7, if provided.

[0017] In this manner, by virtue of the bridges 6, the stickers 2 remain attached to the supporting frame 3, which prevents them from spreading apart.

[0018] In this condition, the stickers 2 can be packaged easily, requiring times and therefore costs that are distinctly lower than those required by the packaging of individual stickers, or, with even greater advantages, they can be inserted in containers for packaging other products without requiring a packaging container of their own.

[0019] When the stickers 2 are to be used, a slight force is sufficient to tear the bridges 6 and separate them individually from the supporting frame 3, as shown in Figure 2.

[0020] The stickers 2 can be constituted, according to requirements, by collectable stickers, by trading cards of any game, made of printed paper-like material or other material, for example synthetic material, or by card-like backing elements, for example for tattoos or others, in one or more layers, even made of mutually different materials, according to the requirements.

[0021] In practice it has been found that the set of items according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim, since by being preassembled it can be packaged very easily and may not require the use of a packaging pouch.

[0022] In particular, the set of items according to the invention can be introduced directly inside the packaging container of other products without being necessarily placed in a packaging pouch.

[0023] The set of items and the method for manufacturing it thus conceived are susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

[0024] In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

[0025] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI2002A000709 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

[0026] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A set of items such as stickers or the like, characterized in that it comprises at least two stickers or card-like elements in general that are superimposed and a supporting frame that runs at least around said stickers, said supporting frame being constituted at least partially by extensions of said stickers that are mutually assembled and connected to said stickers by means of assisted-separation lines.

2. The set of items according to claim 1, characterized in that said supporting frame has at least one border-shaped portion that surrounds said stickers and is constituted by perimetric extensions of said stickers, said extensions being mutually superimposed and assembled and being connected to the corresponding sticker by means of a cutting line which has at least one discontinuity that forms a tearable bridge for connecting the extension to the corresponding sticker.

3. The set of items according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said extensions are constituted by a perimetric excess portion of said stickers.

4. The set of items according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said extensions are pasted together.

5. The set of items according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said frame has a supporting sheet that is superimposed on one side to said stickers and is assembled to said extensions.

6. The set of items according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said supporting sheet has a shape that corresponds to the shape of a sticker with the corresponding extensions.

7. A method for manufacturing a set of items such as stickers or the like, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: superimposing at least two stickers or card-like elements in general which have perimetric extensions; mutually assembling said perimetric extensions; and die-cutting said stickers in order to form lines for assisted separation from the corresponding assembled extensions.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that said extensions are mutually assembled by pasting.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that said stickers are stacked on a supporting sheet which is assembled to the extensions of said stickers.

10. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stickers are die-cut after the assembly of said extensions of the stickers.

11. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stickers are die-cut after the assembly of said extensions of the stickers and of said supporting sheet and in that the die-cutting affects only said stickers.

Drawing