Pop-up gloss card

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a pop-up or three-dimensional gloss card including a substantially flat gloss layer having at least one color chip with a predetermined gloss finish, and a top layer defining at least one window. The top layer is positioned on top of the gloss layer so that the at least one color chip is visible through the at least one window. The gloss card also has an activator that reversibly bends the gloss layer so that the at least one color chip protrudes through the at least one window to exhibit the gloss finish of the color chip.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional gloss card comprising: a substantially flat gloss layer, wherein the gloss layer comprises a plurality of bendable color chips tinted the same color and having different gloss finishes, wherein each color chip has a first edge, a second edge, and a third edge, wherein the first and third edges are opposite to each other and are adjacent to the second edge, wherein the plurality of the bendable color chips are connected to each other at their respective second edges and wherein the plurality of bendable color chips comprises a first color chip adjacent to a second color chip and a third color chip adjacent to the second color chip, wherein the first color chip's third edge is spaced apart from the second color chip's first edge and the second color chip's third edge is spaced apart from the third color chip's first edge; a top layer comprising a plurality of windows, wherein the top layer is positioned on top of the gloss layer so that each of the plurality of color chips is visible through a respective window of the plurality of windows, wherein an activator is adapted to reversibly bend the plurality of the color chips on the gloss layer so that each of the plurality of color chips individually protrudes through the respective window of the plurality of windows to exhibit the gloss finishes of the color chips.

2. The three-dimensional gloss card of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of chips has one of the following finishes: flat/matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss and high gloss.

3. The three-dimensional gloss card of claim 1, wherein the plurality of chips has gloss units within a range from about 0 gloss units to about 100 gloss units at 60°.

4. The three-dimensional gloss card of claim 3, wherein the plurality of chips has a difference in gloss units of about ±5 gloss units.

5. The three-dimensional gloss card of claim 3, wherein the plurality of chips has a difference in gloss units of about ±10 gloss units.

6. The three-dimensional gloss card of claim 3, wherein the plurality of chips has a difference in gloss units of about ±15 gloss units.

7. The three-dimensional gloss card of claim 3, wherein the plurality of chips has a difference in gloss units of about ±20 gloss units.

8. The three-dimensional gloss card of claim 1 further comprising a cover layer attached at one edge to the top layer.

9. The three-dimensional gloss card of claim 8, wherein the cover layer moves to activate the activator to bend the color chips to display the gloss finishes.

10. A method for displaying gloss finishes of color chips comprising the steps of (i) providing a gloss layer having a plurality of bendable color chips tinted the same color and having different gloss finishes under a top layer having a plurality of windows, wherein each color chip has a first edge, a second edge and a third edge, wherein the first and third edges are opposite to each other and are adjacent to the second edge, wherein the plurality of the bendable color chips are connected to each other at their respective second edges and wherein the plurality of bendable color chips comprises a first color chip adjacent to a second color chip and a third color chip adjacent to the second color chip, wherein the first color chip's third edge is spaced apart from the second color chip's first edge and the second color chip's third edge is spaced apart from the third color chip's first edge, and (ii) bending said plurality of color chips to a curved shape so that each of the plurality of the color chips individually protrudes through a respective window of said plurality of windows to exhibit the gloss finishes of said plurality of color chips.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein in step (ii) an activator bends the plurality of color chips.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of chips has one of the following finishes: flat/matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss and high gloss.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of chips has gloss units within a range from about 0 gloss units to about 100 gloss units at 60°.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of chips has a difference in gloss units of about ±5 gloss units.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of chips has a difference in gloss units of about ±10 gloss units.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of chips has a difference in gloss units of about ±15 gloss units.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of chips has a difference in gloss units of about ±20 gloss units.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inventive 3-D gloss card in a flat configuration;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the inventive 3-D gloss card from FIG. 1 in a curve configuration;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the gloss strip layer;

(5) FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the inventive 3-D gloss card from FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 is another embodiment of the inventive 3-D gloss card from FIG. 2; and

(7) FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a conventional method of measuring gloss or finishes of a surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) Referring to FIGS. 1-4, 3-D gloss card 10 comprises a top windowed layer 12 having a number of windows 14 defined thereon and a lower gloss strip layer 16 comprising a plurality of strips 18-26 that are tinted to the same color but having different gloss finishes. In one example, strip 18 represents a high gloss finish; strip 20 represents a semi-gloss finish; strip 22 represents a satin finish; strip 24 represents an eggshell finish; and strip 26 represents a flat finish. However, these strips could be arranged in the reverse order or can be arranged in a different order or in a random order. Also, the strips are illustrated as various shades of gray in order to distinguish them from each other.

(9) While five gloss strips are shown, gloss card 10 may have at least one strip showing one gloss finish up to five or more strips. It is noted that any number of strips can be used. For example, gloss values within a range from 0 to 100 gloss units at 60° can be represented and each strip may have a gloss value that is ±5 or ±10 or ±15 or ±20, etc., gloss units from each other. In one example, the gloss values can range from about 10 to about 50 gloss units, e.g., 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 gloss units. In another example, the gloss values can range from about 5 to about 80 gloss units, e.g., 5, 20, 35, 50, 65 and 80 gloss units. Any gloss values within this range and gloss difference can be used.

(10) Preferably, strips 18-26 are connected together by connectors 27, 28 so that when the connectors 27, 28 are pushed together as shown by arrows 30 in FIG. 3, the strips may buckle, bend or curve to form 3-D surfaces as shown in FIG. 2. Alternatively, strings or yarns 32 can be attached to one connector and when yarns 32 are pulled in direction 34 toward the opposite connector, the strips also buckle, bend or curve.

(11) As shown in FIG. 2, when gloss strips 18-22 buckle, bend or curve upward, these strips protrude through windows 14 on top layer 12 showing the gloss finishes of strips 18-26 as curved surfaces.

(12) In another embodiment, gloss card 10 may have a cover layer 36 attached to top layer 12 at an edge, as shown in FIG. 5. Yarns 32 may be attached to cover layer 36, such that when cover layer 36 is opened or rotated away from top layer 12, cover layer 36 pulls yarns 32 to bend or curve strips 18-26. In this embodiment, the length of the exposed section of yarns 32 should be shorter than the distance along the surfaces of top layer 12 and cover layer 36 between aperture 38 and attachment 40, so that strips 18-26 would buckle when cover layer 36 is opened.

(13) Optionally tab 42, as shown in FIG. 5, is provided on connector 27, so that when tab 42 is pulled in direction of arrow 44, gloss strips 18-26 return to the flatten configuration and yarns 32 pull cover layer 36 closed to cover top layer 12.

(14) Gloss or gloss finish is perceived through specular or angular reflectance, as discussed above and shown in FIG. 6. Objects such as color chips viewed under diffused lights, such as ceiling lights or sun light, do not appear to have gloss. As discussed above, to enhance the appearance of gloss it is necessary to move the color chips and/or light sources. The present inventor had discovered that viewing the color chips with a shape that highlights the gloss thereby making the gloss finishes visible to customers. The highlights are where the illumination source is reflected off the color chips in a specular manner or angular manner. One example of this highlighting shape is the curved or bent surfaces shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. However, any curvature of gloss strips 18-26 can show gloss finishes, including but not limited to concave, convex, parabolic, cubic, quadratic or non-flat shape.

(15) Also, as stated above, the difference in gloss may show a color difference in the same color. One advantage of the present invention is that when color chips tinted to the same color but with different finishes are bent or curved the consumer can visualize the color differences among the various gloss finishes and can expect how the paints with varying finishes may appear on walls and surfaces at home.

(16) An advantage of the present invention is that the inventive 3-D gloss card 10 can be stored flat and the gloss strips 18-26 can bend or curved on demand to show gloss.

(17) While it is apparent that the illustrative embodiments of the invention disclosed herein fulfill the objectives stated above, it is appreciated that numerous modifications and other embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art. Therefore, it will be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and embodiments, which would come within the spirit and scope of the present invention.