EP0335841A2

EP0335841A2 - Album for transparent photografic reproductions, having a lighting device built-in

Info

Publication number: EP0335841A2
Application number: EP89830134A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giovanni Andrea Gazzola
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-03-28
Filing date: 1989-03-24
Publication date: 1989-10-04
Also published as: EP0335841A3; IT8847781A0

Abstract

An album for transparent photographic reproductions, said album comprising a member (12) containing batteries (11) which are capable of supplying power to at least one lamp (20) that is also contained within the member (12) itself; a specular surface sheet member (10) which reflects incoherently the light beam onto the rear part of a transparence diffuser rigid material sheet (9); a positioning or relief member (14) for putting in position said specular surface sheet member (10) at an optimal angle for obtaining the best diffusion of the light beam coming from said at least one lamp (20) towards said transparence diffuser rigid material sheet (9); and a balance-pivoted rigid sheet member (15), on whose top a set of rings 16 is assembled, said rings gathering together a plurality of transparent folders (6, 17, 18) to be put in turn on the illuminated plane consisting of said transparence diffuser rigid material sheet (9) for viewing the photographic material.

Description

This invention relates to an album for transparent photographic reproductions, and having a built-in lighting device.
More exactly, this invention relates to an album folder for transparencies or for photographic reproductions on transparent films, said folder being endowed with a battery-supplied lighting system that makes it possible to observe images without having recourse to a projector or to a lighted stand.
In our time an ever increasing importance is given to the presentation of images having the best aesthetic-emotional impact because of promotional, advertising or commercial aims in general. Indeed, it is well known that graphic plans and the choice of images as regards their synthetic and visual qualities are performed with great care for realizing the so-called "Portfolio" or, more simply, a "Book", i.e., an album that as a whole can transmit with the best quality and clearness all images and information contained in it. To that aim, it might be of use to have recourse to prints on transparent films, said prints being generally considered as the best type of photographic reproduction as regards the visual, emotional and chromatic efficiency. To said aspect the consideration is to be added that professional photographers who generally make use of transparencies are often at a loss in showing them without employing each time a conventional projection system. Sometimes in order to avoid such drawback, illuminated stands are employed which anyway are always bulky even in the case of the various portable embodiments commercially available at the present time.
Accordingly, the present invention suggests a prac tical solution to the problem of viewing the photographic material on a transparent film, said solution consisting in an album which comprises as a whole in itself both the aspect of an image-collecting device and the aspect of a viewer for observing transparent films. Said album in short consists of a folder containing in the region of the handle a lamp (possibly, a halogen lamp), said lamp being provided with a directional parabolic reflector directed onto a reflecting member that is a part of the album body, from which the light rays are reflected onto the rear part of a transparence diffuser rigid sheet; a transparent folder containing the photographic reproduction to be viewed is laid each time on the front side of said sheet. A set of rings which can be opened (as are commonly employed in albums) keeps all folders together, said folders being put in turn in the viewing position by shifting the rigid sheet supporting the gathering rings.
Accordingly, it is a specific object of the present invention an album for transparent photographic reproductions, said album comprising a member containing batteries capable of supplying power to at least one lamp which is also contained in said member; a sheet member having a specular surface which reflects incoherently the light beam onto the rear portion of a rigid sheet which is a transparence diffuser; a positioning or relief member for putting in position the specular surface sheet member at an optimal angle for obtaining the best diffusion of the light beam coming from said at least one lamp towards said transparence diffuser consisting of a rigid material sheet; and a balance-pivoted rigid sheet member on whose top a set of rings is arranged gathering together a plurality of transparent folders to be put in turn onto the illuminated plane which consists of said transparence diffuser rigid material sheet, for viewing said photographic material.
Again according to the present invention,said specular surface sheet is preferably hinged to said transparence diffuser rigid material sheet which is in turn hinged to the battery-containing member.
Further said rings are so positioned that said folders can rotate, pivoting on the rings themselves, from a face of the balance-pivoted rigid sheet on which they are assembled to the other one.
The album according to the present invention may also be provided with a handle member that, more particularly, is positioned before said battery-containing member.
The present invention will be disclosed in the following just for illustrative and not for limitative purposes, according to some preferred embodiments of the same which are illustrated in the Figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the album in the closed position;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the album in the open position; and
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the album during employment of the same.

Observing the figures of the enclosed drawings, it can be remarked that the album according to the present invention comprises a part 1 for holding the same which is made up of a pair of rigid sheet handles; the thickness of the album allows the folders contained in the same to be viewed. Said album can be opened by exerting a pulling action on the cover 2 through the tab 3 which, in the closed position, adheres to the album body through a Velcro or the like.
When the cover 2 is opened, the member 4 that acts as a connection between the bottom 5 and the cover 2 itself, is laid down onto the supporting plane; the refer ence numeral 7 points out the Velcro which, in the closed position, adheres to its counteracting member 8. Now the assembly of sheets 9 and 10 which is hinged at 11 to the member 12 is lifted. Said sheet 9 consists of a transparence diffuser rigid material; it is hinged to the sheet 10 along the line 13; the sheet 10 is made up of a rigid material whose surface is shown in the drawing and is highly reflective but slightly wrinkled, so that it does not reflect coherently the light beam, in order to obtain a better light distribution on the sheet 9. The whole assembly 9-10 will be put in its working position by bringing the sheet 10 into coincidence with the relief 14 which is integral with the bottom 5. The balance-pivoted member 15, which in the closed position keeps lying on the bottom is set free by lifting the assembly 9-10, and it can be lifted perpendicularly; the set of rings 16 is fastened to the top of said plane, said rings performing the function of gathering together the transparent folders 17 containing the material to be viewed; the reference numeral 18 points out one of the folders already in a position for being laid down onto the sheet 9 when such sheet has reached its working position. The batteries 19 are housed inside the member 12, said batteries supplying power to the lamp 20; the battery space can be reached through the door 21.
The sheet 10 rests against the relief 14 on the bottom 5. The lamp 20, which is possibly a halogen lamp and is provided with a directional parabolic reflector, projects a light beam onto the sheet 10, said beam following the path shown in dashed lines 22 impinges on said sheet and from there it is reflected onto the rear part of the sheet 9 which is illuminated uniformly because it is a transparence diffuser. The lamp 20 is housed within the member 12 and is supplied with power by the adjacent batteries 11, said lamp being switched on through the switch 23 which can be reached from the outside. The member 15, oscillating on its hinge 24, allows the folders 17 to be put in turn onto the viewing plane of said sheet 9. More particularly, the Figure shows a folder 18 laid on the plane of the sheet 9 while folders already viewed 6 are in contact with the rear face of the sheet 10, and folders to be viewed 17 are on the opposite side of the balance-pivoted member 15. In order to view the next folder 17, it will be sufficient to shift rearwards the member 15 which will carry with itself the folder 18, said folder being so added to the other ones 6, within the interspace between the sheet 10 and said member 15. At that point, the member 15 will be brought to the position shown in Figure 3; then, the first folder will be lifted from the group of folders 17, and such folder will be laid down onto the viewing position 9 through rotation on the rings 16.
This invention has been disclosed according to some preferred embodiments of the same,but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced in the same without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention for which a priority right is claimed.

Claims

1. An album for transparent photographic reproductions, said album being characterized in that it comprises a member containing batteries capable of supplying power to at least one lamp which is also contained in the member itself; a specular surface sheet member which reflects incoherently the light beam onto the rear part of a transparence diffuser rigid material sheet; a positioning or relief member for putting in position the specular surface sheet member at the optimal angle for obtaining the best diffusion of the light beam coming from said at least one lamp towards the transparence diffuser rigid material sheet; and a balance-pivoted rigid sheet member on whose top a set of rings is assembled, said rings gathering together a plurality of transparent folders to be put in turn onto the illuminated plane consisting of said transparence diffuser rigid material sheet for viewing the photographic matter.

2. An album for transparent photographic reproductions according to claim 1, characterized in that the specular surface sheet member is hinged with the transparence diffuser rigid material sheet, which is in turn hinged to the battery-containing member.

3. An album for transparent photographic reproductions according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said gathering rings are so arranged that folders can rotate as pivoted on the rings themselves from a face of the balance-pivoted rigid sheet on which the rings are assembled to the other face of the same sheet.

4. An album for transparent photographic reproductions according to any one of the preceding claims and characterized in that it is provided with a part for holding the same.