BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention deals with photographic composite boards, and in particular with a novel method of production and composite laminate structure of photographic composite boards.

Current photographic composite boards are often large and heavy made with rigid materials making it difficult to handle and cumbersome to store when it is not being used. Examples of such composite boards use photgraphs which are pasted, or otherwise adhered, to a pressed fiber board. Various methods of lettering currently used are time consuming. Often the photographic composite boards are unprotected making them susceptible to soiling, discoloration and other damage.

Prior art photographic composite structures are shown, for example, in the patent to Edwards (2,084,579) in which a plurality of pictures are mounted on an album leaf formed of separate sheets which are pasted together. The upper sheet includes spaced pockets or envelopes on the innerface to receive the photographs. The patent to Power (2,936,540) shows another composite board including a back plate, graphics and a series of open areas for the insertion of photographic inserts as well as descriptive material.

Still another patent of interest is shown to Leahy (4,424,637) to a gallery picture frame for securing a plurality of photographs including a mounting panel having an adhesive coated back sheet which removably secures the snapshots to the mounting panel. A frame is provided which may include additional panels for borders around each photograph. The patent to Muzik (4,125,653) shows a graphic photographic laminate which is mounted on a thick mounting base of rigid translucent material and includes a layer of plastic material having pressure-sensitive adhesive coating on both surfaces for permanently bonding the layers. Other prior art patents showing similar structures are those to Lieberman (4,231,833). Lacztyski (4,400,419) and Helinski (4,666,757).

The present invention provides a photographic composite laminated board which is flexible and lightweight which may be rolled up and stored in a storage tube, or displayed in a frame. The laminate structure is formed with lightweight plastic materials which form a laminate structure around the photographs and other suitable decorative or illustative material. The laminate includes a base, or cover member, of transparent plastic having a highly polished back surface and a velvet non-glare front surface, graphics and/or lettering, a masking layer including clear windows forming openings for photographs and descriptive or other graphic material, and a back sheet layer of plastic.

To produce the composite photographic board, the front of the board forms the base layer with the velvet, non-glare surface to the outside. Suitable graphics made photographically are added to the base layer with a film acetate, back coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive. A masking layer is added having clear windows for pictures and descriptive material. The pictures and respective name plates or other descriptive material is added. The composite board is completed by a layer of 4 mil. thick vinyl.

Among the objects of the present invention are the provision of a photographic composite board which is lightweight, flexible and which is easy to mount and store in either a flat or rolled condition; the provision of a composite photographic board which is simple to create with readily avaliable and inexpensive materials and equipment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a photographic composite board of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, the flexible photographic composite board 10 for displaying graphic material, includes a base or cover layer 12 formed of 0.015 gauge transparent plastic having the characteristics of a highly polished inner surface 14 and a velvet non-glare outer surface 16. In the embodiment shown, the photographic composite board 10 represents a series of photographs of students in a school. To identify and add to the aesthetic and decorative features of the board, various decorations and/or graphic descriptions may be provided. For example, a crest 18, which consists of a positive transparent film image made photographically from an original work of art, is included and is attached directly to the inner surface cover layer 12. The crest 18 is preferably made on a film acetate which is back coated with pressure-sensitive material. The composite board 10 includes lettering or other graphics 20 which, in the embodiment shown, are added to the crest area. The letters are also made from pressure-sensitive casted vinyl, and can be made by cutting them in reverse and adhering them directly to the polished inner surface 14 of the base layer 12. The composite board 10 is provided with a masking layer 22 substantially coextensive with the cover layer 12 and having a pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side thereof which is placed over the crest 18 and lettering 20 in interfacial contact with and adhered to the cover layer 12. The masking layer 22 includes clear windows for a series of pictures 24 and name plates 26. The pictures 24 and their respective name plates 26 are placed in the windows and may be temporarily affixed prior to the final laminating step.

The complete composite board is completed using a 4 mil. calendered vinyl backing sheet 28 having pressure-sensitive adhesive placed over the photographs and other graphic material and which is coextensive with the peripheral edges of the cover layer 12.

It will be appreciated that the composite board formed in accordance with the present invention is lightweight and thin, being no more than approximately 20 to 30 mm. in thickness. The transparent plastic surface and vinyl back sheet provide an extremely durable and damage-resistent product which is easily stored in a rolled or flat condition and which can be mounted either directly upon a wall or in a frame.

It will be appreciated that whereas the invention is described in detail, that alterations can be made in keeping with the invention as defined by the following claims.