This invention relates to packs/sets of picture cards and methods of producing/printing•such.

In accordance with the invention, a plurality of packs of picture cards are provided, the packs being in respect of a range of different general subject matters, and the picture cards for each separate pack being in respect of the same general subject matter while each picture card is in respect of a different specific subject matter, all the picture cards of all the packs having a picture/photograph of its particular specific subject matter on one side and a short written description of its particular specific subject matter on the other side.

Such can for instance be used in an educational or instructional environment as a simple and effective information/teaching aid for a whole range of different general subject matters.

The picture cards are preferably made of a quality board having a weight between 275 and 360 gm/m ² , more preferably between 300 and 345 gm/m ² , and even more preferably about 330 gm/m ² . The thickness of the board is suitably between 300 and 400 microns, more preferably between 350 and 375 microns, and even more preferably about 360 microns. Such a board has "good flick", in other words the corners of the board do not remain

bent after each flick, or indeed after a number of flicks.

The picture cards may be coated on one or both sides with a varnish, suitably either an ultra-violet varnish, a high gloss varnish, or a catalytic varnish. Such a finish gives the cards good smooth surfaces..

The picture cards suitably have between 100 to 130 screen dots per square inch, more preferably between 110 to 125 screen dots per square inch, and even more preferably about 120 screen dots per square inch. Such gives the cards an excellent clarity and sharpness.

The picture cards are advantageously printed on one side sequentially with four primary colours, and on the other side with a single colour (e.g. black) either prior to or after the four colour printing of said one side. Such individual registration leads to full colour picture cards.

Suitably the card is between 70 x 40 mm and 150 x 100 mm in size, more preferably between 85 x 50 mm and 130 x 85 mm, and even more preferably between 100 x 60 mm and 110 x 70 mm. The card may be approximately half postcard size.

The picture/photograph on one side of the card preferably covers at least 85%, and more preferably 90%, of the surface area of said side.

The written description on the other side of the card suitably contains less than 200 words, and more preferably less than 150 words.

The packs and ^' picture cards are suitably made of the same material, whereby the pack gives an indication as to the quality of the picture cards contained therein.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of printing a picture card in two separate runs comprises printing the front face of the card sequentially with four primary colours in one run and printing the rear face of the card with a single colour in the other run either prior to or after printing of the front face.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a method of printing a picture card in a single run comprises printing of the front face of the card sequentially with four primary colours, and printing of the rear face of the card with a single colour in the same run either prior to or after printing of the front face.

Preferably, the printing of the rear face is by perfecting .

In accordance with a yet further aspect of the invention, a method of producing a picture card comprises taking a relatively high resolution photograph of a subject, making up relatively small tolerance separations

of the photograph, one separation for each primary colour present in the photograph, forming a printing plate from .- each separation, and printing a card with the- plates with constant.manual, attention being made to registration and inking procedures of the printing stage.

A card produced in accordance with the invention has high definition and clarity, and is of full colour and excellent quality.

In accordance with a yet further aspect of the invention, a method of producing/assembling packs of picture cards comprises printing one side of a sheet of material (suitably paper) with pictures, printing the other side of the sheet with writing, cutting the sheet to form individual picture cards, collating the individual picture cards into sets, and placing the sets of picture cards into packs.

Suitably the cutting is by means of a guillotine, and the collating is either manual or automatic. The sheet may be printed with the pack design in addition to the picture cards.

Preferably each pack of picture cards is either shrink wrapped or blister packed. Finally, the packs are advantageously stored in boxes.

In accordance with a yet further aspect of the invention, a pack for a set of stacked picture cards comprises a cover member and a sleeve member, the sleeve member .encompassing the set of stacked picture cards, and slidable within the cover member.

Suitably, the sleeve member has at least two flap portions which encompass opposite ends of the set of stacked picture cards. Preferably, the cover member is in tubular form.

Such a pack is easily assembled, and provides simple access to the picture cards . The design of the pack also allows simple printing of such, since both the sleeve and cover member prior to folding (and -if necessary securing for instance by glue) are basically of rectangular shape.

In accordance with a yet further aspect of the invention, a box for storing a plurality of packs of picture cards is provided which is designed, arranged and adaptable to form a display box.

Preferably the box has a top member (and suitably a front member also) which may be folded upon itself to form an upright display member. The top member is advantageously cut along part of its width whereby when the top member is folded, the cut portion forms a part upright extension to the upright display member.

Suitably the box member is formed substantially from a single piece of material.

Advantageously, the box member is formed in a tiered manner in order that at least the upper portion of each pack is visible when the box is in the display mode.

In accordance with a yet further aspect of the invention, a display article for displaying a plurality of picture cards comprises a base member, on which a plurality of adhesive tracks are provided, to which picture cards can be attached.

Suitably, the adhesive tracks are basically invisible, and are made from adhesive of a stay sticky low tack gum (e.g. that used on 3M Post-it TM Note Pads).

The individual picture card display article is extremely simple in design and construction, and is particularly advantageous, in that the picture cards can be positioned at a plurality of different vertical and horizontal positions along each individual adhesive track, and since a plurality of adhesive tracks are provided on each display article, a picture card can in fact be positioned virtually at any point on the display article. The arrangement is also such that a plurality of picture cards can be positioned on the display article as required.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 shows a flow diagram of a first embodiment of method in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 shows a flow diagram of a second embodiment of method in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 3 shows a pack in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 4 shows a box in accordance with the present invention, in a closed position,

Figure 5 shows the box of Figure 4 in an open position,

Figure 6 shows the box of Figure 4 prior to folding and assembly,

Figure 7 shows another box in accordance with the present invention in a perspective view,

Figure 8 shows a side view of the inner box member of the box shown in Figure 7,

Figure 9 shows a first component of the inner box member of Figure 8 in a flat and pre-folded condition,

Figure 10 shows a second component of the inner box member shown in Figure 8 in a flat and pre-folded condition, and

Figure 11 shows a display article in accordance with the present invention.

In Figure 1, a flow diagram shows a method of printing a picture card in two separate runs comprising the steps of printing the front face of the card sequentially with four primary colours in one run (see 54, 56, 58 and 60) and then printing the rear face of the card with a single colour in the other separate run (see 62).

In Figure 2, a flow diagram shows a method of printing the card in a single run comprising the steps of printing the front face of the card sequentially with four primary colours (see 64, 66, 68 and 70) a d then printing the rear face of the card with a single colour (e.g. black) in the same run (see 72) after printing of the front face. Printing of the rear face is by perfecting, in particular by means of the transportation system of printing machine.

The method of producing a picture card by either of the printing methods shown in Figures 1 or 2 comprises taking a relatively high resolution photograph of a subject, making up relatively small tolerance separations of the photograph, one separation for each primary colour present in the photograph, forming a printing plate from each separation, mounting each printing plate on .a cylinder, and printing a card in sheets of 450 x 640 mm in size with the plates with constant manual attention being made to registration and inking procedures/processes of the printing stage.

^' The card has high definition and clarity, and is of full colour and excellent quality. In particular, individual registration leads to full colour which presents a good quality product. The card has first colour definition and clarity.

A method of assembling a pack of these picture cards comprises printing one side of a sheet of paper with pictures, printing the other side of the sheet with writing, cutting by means of a guillotine the sheet to form the individual picture cards, collating either manually or automatically the individual picture cards into sets, placing the sets of picture cards into packs, shrink wrapping or blister packing the packs, and finally storing the packs in boxes. The sheet of paper is also printed with the pack design in addition to the picture cards.

In Figure 3, the pack 10 for a set of stacked picture cards is shown having a tubular cover member 12 and a sleeve member 14, the sleeve member encompassing the set of stacked picture cards, and slidable within the cover member. The sleeve member 14 has two flap portions 16 and 18 which are folded back from the main section 20 of the sleeve member, to encompass opposite ends of the

■stacked picture cards.

The cover member 12 and sleeve member 14 are both formed from basically rectangular shape pieces of material, the cover member 12 being folded and secured (by gluing) to itself to form it's tubular final configuration.

In Figure 4, a box 30 for storing a plurality of packs 10 is shown having a top/front member 32 which can be folded upon itself to form an upright display member 34 (see Figure 5) . The top member 32a is cut (see 36 in Figure 4) along part of it's width, whereby when the top/front member 32 is folded, the cut portion forms a part upright extension (see 38 in Figure 5) to the display member 34.

The box 30 is formed from a single sheet of material as will be seen from Figure 6, both sides, outer base and inner base members (numbered 40,42 and

44 respectively in Figure 6) all lying along the same straight line 46, while the front, outer base, rear and top members (numbered 32b, 42,48 and 32a respectively in Figure 6) all lie along another straight line 50 which is perpendicular to the straight line 46.

The inner base member 44 of the box 30 is also provided along its centre line with an upward dividing extension 52 which co-operate ^' s with a dividing member 53 to form four separate pockets (see

Figure 5) in which a plurality of packs 10 may be displayed. The dividing extension 52 and dividing member 55 each have slots 57 which co-operate to position the dividing extension and dividing member

at right angles to each other, and the dividing member 55 also acts to hold down the inner base member 44 of the box

30.

The outer base member 42 of the box 30 meanwhile is provided with two pairs of slots 59, in which ledge members 61 situated on the end firstly of both the side members 40 and secondly of the inner base member 44 of the box 30, lock the side members 40 and inner base member 44 to the outer base member 42 of the box 30.

In Figure 7, a further box 75 for storing a plurality of packs 10 is shown comprising an outer box member 76, and an inner box member 77. The outer box member 76 has a top/front member 78, which can be folded upon itself to form an upright display member 79. The top member 78 is cut (not shown) along part of its width, whereby the top/front member 78 when folded causes the cut portion to form a part upright extension 80 to the display box 75.

The inner member 77 of the box 75 is shown in Figure 8, having a five tier configuration whereby five rows of packs 10 can be stored in the box 75, in such a manner that a top portion of each pack 10 is in view to a person looking at the display box 75. In particular, the inner member 77 is comprised from two component parts, namely a support portion 81, and a five stepped ledge forming portion 82. The support portion 81 is provided with four pairs of finger extension members 84, which pass through four pairs of holes 83 in the ledge forming portion 82, to position and contain the ledge forming portion 82 in a correct manner within the box 75.

In Figure 9 and 10, the support portion 81 and ledge forming portion 82 are shown in a pre-folded condition, and.in particular in a flat configuration.

Figure 9 shows the support portion 81 with the finger extension members 84, while Figure 10 shows the ledge forming member 82 with a number of holes 83, such that when the component shown in Figure 10 is duly folded along the various fold lines (shown dotted), such holes 83 act as entrances for the finger extensions 84 of the support member 81 (which has itself been folded along the dotted lines shown in Figure 9) , in order to obtain the configuration shown in Figure 8.

Finally, the arrangement shown in Figure 10 is shown at one end with three flap portions 85, which co-operate with the front portion of the display box 75, in order to further contain the inner member 77 within the box arrangement 75.

In Figure 11, a display article in the form of a poster arrangement 86 is shown, comprising a base member in the form of a sheet of white velvet paper, on which a number of invisible adhesive tracks (shown for illustrative purpose at 89) are arranged in a horizontal manner. The adhesive used is a stay sticky low tack gum, and is such that picture cards 88 can be easily attached to the adhesive track to retain the picture card on the poster. The picture cards 88 can be arranged on each track 89 in a number of possible vertical and horizontal positions, and

since there are a plurality of horizontal- tracks, the result is that the picture card can in fact be positioned on the poster 86 virtually at any point.

The top and bottom of the poster are provided with no horizontal adhesive tracks in order to allow printed matter to appear for titles or the like.

The picture cards are made from high quality printing paper which has a flat and smooth surface to facilitate printing in a press, and gloss to produce a more attractive surface, particularly after printing.

Suitably the picture cards have a Parker Print - Surf value of suitably less than 2, more preferably less than 1.4, and most preferably less than 1.0.

The picture cards preferably have a 75% Hunter Gloss reading of preferably between 50 and 90, and most preferably above 70 (in accordance with TAPPI T-480 ts-65),

The picture cards are advantageously made up from a mixture of Northern hardwood and softwood fibres. Alternatively the picture cards are made out of either woodfree papers (defined as having at least 50% and more preferably at least 80% of its paper making fibres

provided by a chemical pulp), or groundwood papers (defined as having at least 20% and more preferably at least 50% of its paper making fibres provided by groundwood pulp). The picture cards made from woodfree paper are suitably coated in an amount of at least 7.5g/m ² , while the picture cards made from other types of paper are preferably coated in an amount of at least 4.5g/m ² .

The picture cards are preferably made from paper material impregnated with a glossing pigment (e.g. coating clay, aluminium hydrate, precipitated calcium carbonate or titanium dioxide) , and/or a thermoplastic binder (such as - protein, carbohydrate, polysaccharide or synthetic type material), and/or an anti-sticking agent (such as sulfonated castor oil, potassuim oleate, calcium stearate or oleic acid) .

Such high bulk gloss papers have uniform density and excellent opacity and brightness characteristics. The gloss coatings exhibit excellent printing characteristics, with good ink hold-out and ink setting times.

The rear of the poster arrangement 86 shown in Figure 11 is provided with an adhesive track (not shown) at the top and bottom such that the poster can be attached for instance to wall. The arrangement is also such that the poster can be easily rolled up and sent through the post, the adhesive on the rear keeping the poster in this rolled condition.