Display apparatus
A display apparatus is provided for displaying commemorative items such as medallions. The apparatus includes a framework (30) that forms part of an album and one or more capsules (10) for receiving the commemorative items (20). Each capsules (10) has a resiliently deformable rim (16) and is locatable within a smaller aperture (37) in an upper layer (36) of the framework (30) by deforming the rim (16) and passing the rim (16) through the aperture (37) so that the rim (16) seats in a slightly larger aperture (35) in an intermediate layer (34) to be retained between the upper and lower layers (36, 32) of the framework (30).
This invention relates to display systems, and more particularly to display apparatus for displaying commemorative items, such as coins, medallions, tokens, balls or other items.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTIONCollectors of coins and medallions generally display their collections in books, albums and the like. Often, particularly in the case of medallions or other commemorative items issued to commemorate sporting teams, special collector booklets are produced to display the medallions. The booklets usually include one or more pages dedicated to each player or team which is the subject of a medallion. Commemorative items such as coins or medallions are often issued to commemorate both historic and sporting events, and the term commemorative items includes not only coins and medallions, but also items such as miniature baseballs, basketballs, footballs and other items.
The back or front cover of a collectors booklet is generally produced from cardboard and is used to display the commemorative items such as medallions. The medallions have previously been held within the booklet by gluing the medallions to either the front or back cover of the booklet. However, gluing the medallions to the booklet often caused damage to the medallions themselves, and prevented the medallions from being removed from the booklets.
Therefore, the medallions are often displayed in apertures formed in the cover of the booklet. The shape of the apertures is substantially identical to the medallions, and often of a slightly small size such that the medallions are held in place by a friction fit. Friction fitting the medallions to the cover of the booklet allows the medallions to be removed from the booklets to view both sides of the medallion. An advantage of this system is that the medallions are not subject to any damage from glue.
However, there are a number of problems associated with displaying the medallions in the booklet using a friction fit. Firstly, if the apertures are slightly misshaped, too large or damaged it may be difficult to either place or retain the medallions within the cover. If the apertures are too large, the medallions will not be held within the cover and are at risk of being lost.
Another problem associated with displaying medallions using a friction fit is that one side of the medallions is exposed. This side of the medallion may be subject to damage by finger prints or being scratched.
It is desirable to provide an apparatus for displaying medallions which overcomes or alleviates one or more of the above identified problems with present display systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for displaying one or more commemorative items, the apparatus including:
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- a framework including at least one aperture;
- at least one capsule including an item-receiving portion adapted for receiving the commemorative item, and a resiliently deformable rim;
- wherein the capsule is locatable within the aperture by resiliently deforming the rim and passing the rim through the aperture so that the rim is received beneath the perimeter of the aperture with the item-receiving portion of the capsule protruding through the aperture to display the item received in the capsule.
The framework preferably has an upper layer and a lower layer with an aperture provided in at least one of the layers. The size of the aperture is slightly smaller than the resiliently deformable rim of the capsule so that the rim is securely retained between said upper and lower layers after the rim is resiliently deformed and passed through said aperture.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the framework includes an intermediate layer between the upper and lower layers, the intermediate layer including an aperture which is slightly larger than the rim of the capsule whereby the rim seats into the aperture in the intermediate layer.
In one embodiment, an aperture is provided in only one of the upper and lower layers and the other of said upper and lower layers acts to protect one side of the capsule in the framework. In an alternative embodiment, apertures may be provided in both of the upper and lower layers so that the commemorative item in the capsule may be viewed from both sides of the framework. This embodiment is particularly suitable for displaying commemorative items such as miniature balls, part-spherical items or items of other shapes which partly protrude through the lower layer of the framework.
The framework may be produced from a card material, such as cardboard, and preferably forms a part of an album or booklet. The apertures formed in the layers of the framework may be diecut. Preferably, the layers of the framework may be fastened together, for example, by gluing the layers together.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a capsule for displaying a commemorative item, the capsule including an item-receiving portion adapted to receive the commemorative item, and a rim which is resiliently deformable so that the rim can be passed through a smaller aperture in a framework to retain the capsule in the framework.
The item-receiving portion of the capsule preferably includes a base defining a cavity which receives the commemorative item. The item-receiving portion is preferably concave. In one embodiment the cavity may be defined by a flat base and a side wall portion. In another embodiment the cavity may be defined by a curved base, e.g. of part-spherical shape for receiving commemorative item shaped like a miniature ball. The item-receiving portion preferably has a wall portion which extends above the resiliently deformable rim. This wall portion is preferably inclined inwardly to retain the commemorative item in the cavity of the capsule.
The capsule preferably also includes a skirt and the resiliently deformable rim extends outwardly from the skirt. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the skirt is connected to the wall portion of the item-receiving portion by a bridging portion which allows the skirt to flex inwardly to resiliently deform the rim. The capsule may also include a protective cover which encloses the commemorative item within the capsule.
The capsule may be formed from any suitable resilient material, such as a flexible plastics material, which allows the rim of the capsule to be resiliently deformed. Preferably, the capsule is formed from a transparent plastics material so that the upper and lower surfaces of the commemorative item can be seen.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now to
The medallion 20 shown in
The rim 16 preferably protrudes a few millimetres, eg 1-4 mm, outwardly from the skirt 18 to engage with an aperture formed within the framework as shown in
The capsules of
A perspective view of a blank framework 30 which can be assembled to form an album is shown in
The blank framework 30 is assembled into an album 40 as shown in
A capsule 10 located in an aperture 37 in album 40 is shown in
The capsule 10 containing the medallion 10 is now securely received within the diecut aperture 37 in the first layer 36 and can be rotated to the appropriate orientation by grasping the flexible skirt 18 and rotating the capsule 10. The medallion 20 is also held securely within the capsule 10 by the slightly angled annular wall 14 and the engagement of the perimeter of the aperture 37 with the skirt 18 makes it difficult to remove the medallion 20 from the capsule by flexing the skirt 18 and annular wall 14 outwardly, without first removing the capsule 10 from the album 40.
Referring to
The capsule 110 includes an item-receiving portion 111 which has a part-spherical base 112 defining a cavity for receiving the part-spherical commemorative item 120. The capsule also includes a skirt 118 and a resiliently deformable peripheral rim 116 which extends outwardly from the skirt 118 for cooperation with a framework of a commemorative album such as shown in
When the part-spherical commemorative item 120 is fully inserted into the cavity defined by the base 112 of the capsule 110, the upper surface 124 is preferably flush with the surface of the bridging portion 115 of the capsule 110.
The capsule 110 is inserted into the apertures 142, 144, 146 in similar manner to that in which the capsule 10 of
The present invention therefore provides an apparatus for displaying commemorative items, such as medallions in which the medallions are conveniently mounted in capsules that not only provide some protection for the medallions, but also can be readily inserted into the apertures in an album or the like.
It will also be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments described above without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the shape of the capsules and the apertures may vary for different types of commemorative items.
Claims
1. An apparatus for displaying one or more commemorative items, the apparatus including:
- a framework including at least one aperture;
- at least one capsule including an item-receiving portion adapted for receiving the commemorative item and a resiliently deformable rim;
- wherein the capsule is locatable within the aperture by resiliently deforming the rim and passing the rim through the aperture so that the rim is received beneath the perimeter of the aperture with the item-receiving portion of the capsule protruding through the aperture to display the item received in the capsule.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the framework includes an upper layer and a lower layer with an aperture provided in at least one of the layers, the size of the aperture being smaller than the resiliently deformable rim so that the rim is retained between said upper and lower layers after it is resiliently deformed and passed through said aperture.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the framework includes an intermediate layer between said upper and lower layers, the intermediate layer including an aperture which is larger than the rim of the capsule whereby the rim seats into the aperture in the intermediate layer.
4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein an aperture is provided in only one of said upper and lower layers and the other of said upper and lower layers acts to protect one side of the capsule in the framework.
5. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein apertures are provided in both of the upper and lower layers so that the commemorative item in the capsule is visible from both sides of the framework.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the layers of the framework are fastened together.
7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the layers of the framework are made of a card material, such as cardboard.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the layers of the framework are fastened together by glue.
9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the framework forms part of an album or booklet.
10. A capsule for displaying a commemorative item, the capsule including an item-receiving portion adapted to receive the commemorative item, and a rim which is resiliently deformable so that the rim can be passed through a smaller aperture in a framework to retain the capsule in the framework,
11. Capsule according to claim 10 wherein the item-receiving portion includes a base defining a cavity which receives the commemorative item.
12. Capsule according to claim 11 wherein the item-receiving portion is concave.
13. Capsule according to claim 11 wherein the cavity is defined by a flat base and a side wall.
14. Capsule according to claim 11 wherein the cavity is defined by a curved base.
15. Capsule according to claim 13 wherein the base of the item-receiving portion has a wall portion which extends above the resiliently deformable rim.
16. Capsule according to claim 15 wherein the wall portion of the item-receiving portion above the rim is inclined inwardly to assist in retaining the commemorative item securely in the cavity of the capsule.
17. Capsule according to claim 11 wherein the capsule includes a skirt and the resiliently deformable rim extends outwardly from the skirt.
18. Capsule according to claim 17 wherein the skirt is connected to the wall portion by a bridging portion which allows the skirt to flex inwardly to resiliently deform the rim.
19. Capsule according to claim 10 wherein the capsule includes a protective cover which encloses the commemorative item within the capsule.
20. Capsule according to claim 10 wherein the capsule is formed from a flexible plastics material.
21. Capsule according to claim 20 wherein the capsule is formed from a transparent plastics material.
22. Capsule according to claim 10 wherein the items retained in the capsule are selected from coins, medallions, tokens and spherical or part spherical Items such as balls.
23. A method of displaying commemorative items, such as medallions, including the steps of;
- providing a framework Including at least one aperture,
- providing at least one capsule having an item-receiving portion receiving the commemorative item, and a resiliently deformable rim,
- locating the capsule with the medallion in the framework by resiliently deforming the rim and passing the rim through the aperture in the framework so that the rim is received beneath the perimeter of the aperture with the item-receiving portion of the capsule protruding through the aperture to display the item received in the capsule.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 13, 2006
Publication Date: Feb 17, 2011
Inventor: Peter Croxford (Victoria)
Application Number: 11/911,548
International Classification: B65D 90/00 (20060101); A47G 1/12 (20060101); A47G 1/00 (20060101);