Printing system for generating personalized memorial items, and method for generating such items

Abstract

A funeral home director or other party who wishes to generate a personalized memorial item (for example, a casket display) is provided with stock display sheets, which are most preferably formed of adhesive label sheets having easily peelable/removable precut display sheet print fields. The director is provided with software allowing text and images to be designed, edited, and printed onto the display sheet print fields in a form representing how the director would like such text and images displayed on the memorial item if it was personalized. The printed display sheet print fields may then each be affixed to a corresponding memorial item print field on the memorial item. If the background color of the display sheet print field is coordinated with the background color (or average color) of the stock imagery surrounding the memorial item print field, the display sheet print field will visually “meld into” the memorial item when affixed thereon, thereby making it appear as if the image(s) and text on the display sheet print fields were printed directly on the memorial item print fields.

1 . A method of personalizing a memorial item, the memorial item being one of: 
 (A) a casket panel;    (B) a memorial portrait;    (C) a prayer card;    (D) a funeral program;    (E) a pocket folder;    (F) a funeral register cover;    (G) a memorial candle; and    (H) a crematory urn;    wherein the method comprises the steps of:    a. providing input to a printing system, the input including: 
 (1) an image, and  
 (2) a text string;  
   b. providing to the printing system a display sheet, wherein at least a portion of the display sheet is suitable for affixing on the memorial item;    c. printing at least a portion of the input on the display sheet; and    d. affixing at least a portion of the printed-upon display sheet to the memorial item.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the display sheet has an adhesive backing with a removable backing sheet thereon, whereby the backing sheet is peelable from the display sheet to expose the adhesive backing.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 a. the display sheet includes spaced display sheet print fields which are separately removable from the display sheet, and    b. the image and the text string are each printed on a separate one of the display sheet print fields.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein each display sheet print field has an adhesive backing with a removable backing sheet thereon, whereby each display sheet print field may have its backing sheet peeled therefrom to expose its adhesive backing.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 a. the display sheet includes a display sheet print field which is separately removable from the display sheet;    b. at least a portion of the input is printed on the display sheet print field;    c. the memorial item bears a memorial item print field defining a visibly discrete area having borders sized and shaped complementarily to the borders of the display sheet print field;    d. the display sheet print field is removed from the display sheet and affixed to the memorial item print field of the memorial item, with the borders of the display sheet print field being at least substantially aligned with the borders of the memorial item print field.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the display sheet print field is adhesively affixed to the display sheet.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 a. the memorial item has one or more memorial item print fields defined thereon, each memorial item print field defining a discrete area having visibly discernable borders, and    b. the portion of the display sheet affixed to the memorial item is sized and configured to complementarily fit atop the memorial item print field.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the portion of the display sheet affixed to the memorial item has an adhesive backing.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 a. the display sheet includes display sheet print fields, each being separately removable from the display sheet;    b. at least a portion of the input is printed on two or more of the display sheet print fields;    c. the memorial item bears two or more memorial item print fields, each defining a visibly discrete area having borders sized and shaped complementarily to the borders of one of the display sheet print fields;    d. the printed-upon display sheet print fields are removed from the display sheet and are each affixed to a corresponding one of the memorial item print fields of the memorial item.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the printing system includes a working template, the working template displaying the input in the same arrangement that the input will have when printed on the display sheet, wherein the method further comprises the step of editing the input in the working template by doing at least one of: 
 a. resizing the image on the working template, and    b. repositioning the image with respect to the working template.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising at least one of the steps of: 
 a. folding the display sheet; and    b. stapling the display sheet.    
   
   
       12 . A method of personalizing a memorial item comprising: 
 a. providing a display sheet having an adhesive backing with a removable backing sheet thereon, wherein the display sheet is peelable from the backing sheet to expose the adhesive backing;    b. providing a working template on an electronic processor, the working template allowing user entry of an input including: 
 (1) an image, and  
 (2) a text string;  
 wherein the input is displayed to the user on the working template;  
   e. allowing user editing of the input within the working template;    f. printing the input to the display sheet in the same arrangement in which the input is displayed on the working template;    h. separating from the backing sheet at least the portion of the display sheet bearing the input; and    g. adhesively affixing the separated portion of the display sheet to a memorial item, the memorial item being one of: 
 (1) a casket panel;  
 (2) a memorial portrait;  
 (3) a prayer card;  
 (4) a funeral program;  
 (5) a pocket folder;  
 (6) a funeral register cover;  
 (7) a memorial candle; and  
 (8) a crematory urn.  
   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein: 
 a. the memorial item has one or more memorial item print fields defined thereon, each memorial item print field defining a discrete area having visibly discernable borders, and    b. the separated portions of the display sheet are each affixed to a corresponding one of the memorial item print fields.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein: 
 b. the display sheet includes display sheet print fields which are separately removable from the display sheet, and    a. the memorial item has one or more memorial item print fields defined thereon, each memorial item print field: 
 (1) defining a discrete area having visibly discernable borders, and  
 (2) being sized and shaped to have one of the display sheet print fields complementarily affixed thereon.  
   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein: 
 a. the display sheet includes display sheet print fields which are separately removable from the display sheet, and    b. the image and the text string are each printed on a separate one of the display sheet print fields.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein: 
 a. the display sheet includes a display sheet print field which is removable from the display sheet;    b. at least a portion of the input is printed on the display sheet print field;    c. the memorial item bears a memorial item print field defining a visibly discrete area having borders sized and shaped complementarily to the borders of the display sheet print field;    d. the display sheet print field is removed from the display sheet and affixed on the memorial item print field of the memorial item, with the borders of the display sheet print field being at least substantially aligned with the borders of the memorial item print field.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein: 
 a. the display sheet includes display sheet print fields, each being separately removable from the display sheet;    b. at least a portion of the input is printed on each of two or more of the display sheet print fields;    c. the memorial item bears two or more memorial item print fields, each defining a visibly discrete area having borders sized and shaped complementarily to the borders of one of the display sheet print fields;    d. the printed-upon display sheet print fields are removed from the display sheet and are each affixed on a corresponding one of the memorial item print fields of the memorial item.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of editing the input in the working template by at least one of: 
 a. resizing the image on the working template, and    b. repositioning the image with respect to the working template.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising at least one of the steps of: 
 a. folding the display sheet; and    b. stapling the display sheet.    
   
   
       20 . A method of personalizing a memorial item comprising: 
 a. providing a display sheet having an adhesive backing with a removable backing sheet thereon, wherein the display sheet is peelable from the backing sheet to expose the adhesive backing;    b. providing a working template on an electronic processor, the working template allowing user entry of an input, wherein the input: 
 (1) includes at least an image, and  
 (2) is displayed to the user on the working template;  
   e. allowing user editing of the input within the working template, such editing including at least one of: 
 (1) resizing the image on the working template, and  
 (2) repositioning the image with respect to the working template;  
   f. printing to the display sheet the input displayed to the user on the working template;    h. separating from the backing sheet at least the portion of the display sheet bearing the image input; and    g. adhesively affixing the separated portion of the display sheet to a memorial item, the memorial item being one of: 
 (1) a casket panel;  
 (2) a memorial portrait;  
 (3) a prayer card;  
 (4) a funeral program;  
 (5) a pocket folder;  
 (6) a funeral register cover;  
 (7) a memorial candle; and  
 (8) a crematory urn.  
   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the input further includes a text string.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein: 
 a. the display sheet includes a display sheet print field which is removable from the display sheet;    b. at least a portion of the input is printed on the display sheet print field;    c. the memorial item bears a memorial item print field defining a visibly discrete area having borders sized and shaped complementarily to the borders of the display sheet print field;    d. the display sheet print field is removed from the display sheet and affixed on the memorial item print field of the memorial item, with the borders of the display sheet print field being at least substantially aligned with the borders of the memorial item print field.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein: 
 a. the display sheet includes display sheet print fields, each being separately removable from the display sheet;    b. at least a portion of the input is printed on each of two or more of the display sheet print fields;    c. the memorial item bears two or more memorial item print fields, each defining a visibly discrete area having borders sized and shaped complementarily to the borders of one of the display sheet print fields;    d. the printed-upon display sheet print fields are removed from the display sheet and are each affixed on a corresponding one of the memorial item print fields of the memorial item.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising at least one of the steps of: 
 a. folding the display sheet; and    b. stapling the display sheet.    
   
   
       25 . A method of generating a personalized memorial item comprising: 
 a. displaying on an electronic display a working template;    b. allowing user entry of input to the working template, each input including at least one of: 
 (1) an image, and  
 (2) a text string;  
   c. providing a display sheet to a printing device, the display sheet having an adhesive backing thereon;    d. printing the input from the working template onto the display sheet;    e. providing a memorial item, the memorial item being one of: 
 (1) a casket panel;  
 (2) a memorial portrait;  
 (3) a prayer card;  
 (4) a funeral program;  
 (5) a pocket folder;  
 (6) a funeral register cover;  
 (7) a memorial candle; and  
 (8) a crematory urn;  
 wherein the memorial item bears matter preprinted thereon, the preprinted matter being at least one of text and an image;  
   f. adhering at least a printed-upon portion of the display sheet to the memorial item adjacent to the preprinted matter.