Illuminated photo display box

Abstract

A photographic display box is formed as an enclosure with a plurality of display faces and opposing ends. A plurality of photographs are located within the enclosure and between the ends and behind the display faces of the box. Retainers within the box hold the photographs with their longitudinal edges parallel to each other and with their transverse, upper and lower edges flexed in a concave disposition facing outwardly toward the display faces of the box. The photographs are located between transverse upper and lower transparent or translucent panels. Electrical illumination fixtures located in illumination cavities between these panels and the ends of the display box shine upon the concave faces of the photographs through the nonopaque panels with direct illumination.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A display box for displaying at least one opaque sheet of visual material and having at least one display face, at least one sheet retainer for holding said opaque sheet of visual material facing concave outwardly toward said display face relative to a longitudinal axis of alignment of said sheet of visual material, and at least one light source located longitudinally beyond said sheet of visual material and between said sheet of visual material and said display face to thereby illuminate said sheet of visual material.  
     
     
         2 . A display box according to  claim 1  further comprising an enclosure shaped in the form of a rectangular prism and defining sides forming four display faces as aforesaid, and ends extending laterally and transversely between said sides, and four of said sheets of visual material are provided, each of which is rectangular in shape having mutually parallel longitudinal edges and opposing end edges and a retainer is provided for each of said sheets of visual material and which holds said longitudinal edges of said sheets of visual material parallel to each other and at a straight line distance of spaced separation from each other less than the length of said end edges, whereby said end edges of said sheets of visual material are held in a curved condition facing concave outwardly.  
     
     
         3 . A display box according to  claim 2  further comprising a pair of said light sources, one at each of said ends of said an enclosure, and further comprising transverse, nonopaque panels extending between said display faces and all of said end edges of said sheets of visual material.  
     
     
         4 . A display box according to  claim 3  wherein said sheets of visual material are photographs.  
     
     
         5 . A display box according to  claim 3  wherein each of said light sources is comprised of an electrical illumination fixture including at least one electrical light bulb.  
     
     
         6 . A display box according to  claim 2  wherein said retainers hold said sheets of visual material at a uniform arc of curvature throughout their lengths between said ends of said enclosure.  
     
     
         7 . A visual material display box forming an enclosure and having at least one display face and defining orthogonal longitudinal, lateral, and transverse direction for each display face and comprising at each display face: a two-dimensional, opaque display sheet, a display sheet retainer for holding said display sheet behind said display face and for holding at least one end of said display sheet curved concave outwardly relative thereto, and further comprising at least one light source located beyond said at least one end of said at least one display sheet in said longitudinal direction and between said at least one end of said at least one display sheet and said display face in said transverse direction, whereby said light source directly illuminates said display sheet.  
     
     
         8 . A visual material display box according to  claim 7  wherein said display sheet has a rectangular shape and said retainer is comprised of mutually parallel elements that hold said display sheet curved concave outwardly and at a uniform arc of curvature throughout its length.  
     
     
         9 . A visual material display box according to  claim 7  wherein said display sheet has a rectangular shape with longitudinal side edges and lateral top and bottom edges, and said retainer is comprised of elements that hold said longitudinal edges of said display sheet parallel to each other and both ends of said display sheet curved concave outwardly in the same shape.  
     
     
         10 . A visual display box according to  claim 9  further comprising a pair of said light sources, one at each of said ends of said display sheet.  
     
     
         11 . A visual display box according to  claim 9  wherein each of said light sources is comprised of an electrical illumination fixture and a nonopaque panel located between said illumination fixture and said display sheet.  
     
     
         12 . A visual display box according to  claim 11  wherein said nonopaque panel is transparent.  
     
     
         13 . A visual display box according to  claim 11  wherein said nonopaque panel is translucent.  
     
     
         14 . A visual display box according to  claim 7  wherein said opaque display sheet is a photographic print.  
     
     
         15 . A photographic display box comprised of an enclosure having a plurality of display faces and opposing ends, a plurality of opaque photographs each having mutually parallel longitudinal edges and end edges oriented perpendicular to said longitudinal edges and said opaque photographs are located within said enclosure and behind said display faces and have printed display surfaces facing outwardly toward said display faces, photo retainers holding said longitudinal edges of said photographs closely adjacent to said display faces and spaced apart from each other so that the distance between said the photo retainers is less than the length of said edges of said photographs, whereby said display surfaces of said photographs are bowed in a concave outwardly facing orientation, and at least one light source disposed in at least one of said ends of said enclosure beyond said longitudinal edges of said photographs and between said printed display surfaces thereof and said display faces of said enclosure, whereby said light source directly illuminates said printed display surfaces of said photographs.  
     
     
         16 . A photographic display box according to  claim 15  further comprising a pair of said light sources, one located at each of said ends of said enclosure.  
     
     
         17  A photographic display box according to  claim 16  wherein each of said light sources is comprised of an electrically operated light bulb and a flat, nonopaque panel located between said light bulb and said photographs and extending between said photographs and said display faces.