BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to mounting and display devices for collectable items, such as trading cards. The disclosure also relates to methods of using mounting and display devices.

2. Prior Art

Devices for displaying pictures, cards and other generally flat, indicia or image bearing articles are generally known. For example, various structures for mounting and securing such articles are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,224,586 (Abbot et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 2,489,089 (Graff et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,714 (Bruck, Jr.); U.S. Pat. No. 3,846,925 (Busse); U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,112 (Breer); U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,563 (Connor et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,038 (Chang); and U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,275 (Teza et al.). In addition, various particular structures for securing or supporting such articles within a display device are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,306 (Hemgren); U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,594 (Candor); U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,192 (Lloyd); and (U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,123 (Marriotti).

There are a number of challenges which have heretofore not been sufficiently met with prior art devices and methods. One challenge is to provide mounting devices that are relatively low in complexity and relatively low in manufacturing cost, while being durable and providing for easy installation of a collectable card. Other challenges relate to providing a visually effective display of the collectable which securely holds the item without risking damage to it and without detracting from its visual impact.

With particular regard to relatively small, often difficult to manipulate and mount trading cards, another challenge is to provide a mounting device and associated methods that are suitable for mounting a single card while being easy to control and manipulate during installation of the collectable card. A related challenge is to reduce the risk of damage to the collectable during mounting and while the collectable is displayed on the mounting device. Still another challenge is to provide mounting devices that may be utilized for aesthetically pleasing and stable mounting of collectables on a vertical surface, such as a wall, as well as on a horizontal surface, such as a table or shelf. Yet another challenge is to provide mounting devices that provide for display of a collectable in an upright or portrait orientation, with the major dimension vertical, as well as a sideways or landscape orientation, with the major dimension horizontal.

There is thus a need in the art for mounting and display devices and methods of using them, which address the aforementioned problems in the prior art. The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems or needs set forth above, and others.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect, a collectable card mounting device may include a rear wall, a pair of opposed side walls extending in a forward direction from the rear wall with each side wall having an arcuate shape and a retaining lip extending therefrom for engaging a front surface of the collectable card or a clear protective front cover sheet disposed in front of the collectable. The side walls may further include a respective collectable card support member extending from each side wall at an angle thereto and having a collectable card engaging end for engaging a rear surface of the collectable card and to enable mounting of varying thicknesses of collectables and protective sheets, and possibly other stacked components, such as mattes or frames. The rear wall may include a mounting aperture, which may permit mounting on a vertical surface in either a portrait or landscape orientation. The mounting device also provides for mounting of the collectable on a horizontal surface, in either a portrait or landscape orientation.

According to an aspect, the side walls may extend in at least a partial arcuate shape. The arcuate side wall shape provides for unique outward flexing of the side wall and without any substantial deformation or buckling in the rear wall, enabling the rear wall to retain a substantially flat appearance thus providing a desirable look in both wall and shelf mounting modes. The arcuate side wall shape provides a suitable amount of elastic inward retaining forces to be applied by the side walls to the edges of the protective front cover sheet to retain the protective front cover sheet in place without deforming it and without damaging the collectable. The arcuate side wall shape also defines front and back support ridges on the side walls, which may provide stable support and a slightly inclined display angle when the device rests on a horizontal surface in a portrait display orientation. The arcuate side wall shape securely retains the clear protective front cover sheet, which may be sized to extend beyond the width of the mounting device to provide a desired display angle in a landscape display orientation. In the landscape display orientation, the edge of the front cover sheet supports the front of the device and an edge of the rear wall supports the back of the device.

The mounting device configuration also results in an aesthetically desirable display of the collectable in which only minimal components of the mounting device are visible when the collectable is viewed from a head on direction, thus emphasizing, and not detracting from the aesthetic aspects of the collectable. Due in part to the arcuate shape of the side wall, the lateral dimensions of the retaining lips may extend beyond, and thus hide, the lateral dimension of the rear wall and the side walls. Thus, the mounting device does not detract significantly from the visual impact provided by the collectable itself. The components of the mounting device may also provide a unique “floating” effect when the collectable is displayed on a wall.

The dimensions of the protective front cover may be selected to provide for secure retention of the front cover in the mounting device and to engage the side walls. The dimensions of the protective front cover may be slightly larger than those of the collectable such that the collectable does not engage or absorb lateral forces from the mounting device, which could damage the collectable. Rather, the collectable is supported from behind by way of the support members, which may include rounded surfaces to provide sufficient forces to keep the collectable pressed against the protective front cover and secured, while preventing damage to the collectable.

The mounting device may be formed from an extrusion process using a thermoplastic whereby the elements of the mounting device are integrally molded in a simple, relatively inexpensive manufacturing operation.

