Method and apparatus of decor simulation

Claim 2

Method of simulating the appearance of an article of upholstered furniture comprising, at least the steps of, preparing a form transparency of the outline and shadow aspects of such article of furniture having an opaque region completely surrounding the outline of such article, a substantially transparent portion defining such article and lines of varying density defining the shadows thereof, preparing a design representation to the same scale of a patterned material which could be incorporated in such article of furniture having a color image of such material extending in all directions at least a distance greater than the corresponding dimensions of such substantially transparent region of the form transparency, superimposing such form transparency and design representation one over the other so that the opaque portions of such form transparency masks a portion of such design representation and the design representation completely fills the substantially transparent portion of the form transparency, passing light therethrough to provide a composite image simulating the patterned material incorporated into the article of furniture.

Claim 3

Method defined in claim 1 further comprising passing such light through an optical system to project the resulting composite image on a screen for viewing.

Claim 4

Method defined in claim 1 further comprising printing a photographic reproduction of such composite image for subsequent consideration.

Claim 5

Method defined in claim 1 further comprising, at least the additional steps of, preparing a multiplicity of additional form transparencies to define a library of different articles of furniturE, preparing an additional multiplicity of design representations to define a library of different patterned materials corresponding to available different upholstery fabrics, and selecting one transparency from the form transparency library and one transparency from the library of design representations for superimposing one above the other to provide the desired simulation.

Claim 6

Method defined in claim 1 wherein said step of preparing a form transparency comprises, at least the steps of, photographically printing a plurality of transparencies of differing densities and contrasts and superimposing such plurality of transparencies one over the other to define a composite transparency so that the densities of different portions thereof may be separately controlled.

Claim 7

Method defined in claim 5 wherein said step of printing a plurality of transparencies comprises photographically printing a line or shape transparency on a higher contrast film material and a shading or shadow transparency on a lower contrast film material.

Claim 8

Method of decor simulation comprising at least the steps of photographically printing a line or shape transparency of the outline aspects of a furniture item on a high contrast film material, photographically printing a shading or shadow transparency of the shadow aspects of such furnishing item on a lower contrast film material, photographically printing a negative shadow mask on high contrast, line type photographic material from the line or shape transparency, retouching such negative shadow mask with an opaque retouching medium to eliminate all shadow detail therefrom, printing a positive shadow mask transparency from said negative shadow mask superimposing such line or shape transparency with said shading or shadow transparency and said positive shadow mask transparency to define a composite transparency having separately controlled densities in different portions thereof, preparing a form transparency from said composite transparency, photographically preparing a design transparency to the same scale of a patterned material which could be incorporated into such furnishing item, superimposing such form and design transparencies one over the other and passing light through the superimposed form and design transparencies to provide a composite image simulating the patterned material incorporated into the furnishing item.

Claim 9

Method of decor simulation comprising at least the steps of photographically printing a line or shape transparency of the outline aspects of a furniture item on a high contrast film material, photographically printing a shading or shadow transparency of the shadow aspects of such furnishing item on a lower contrast film material, photographically printing a negative shadow mask on high contrast, line type photographic material from the line or shape transparency, retouching such negative shadow mask with an opaque retouching medium to eliminate all shadow detail therefrom, printing a positive shadow mask transparency from said negative shadow mask superimposing such line or shape transparency with said shading or shadow transparency and said positive shadow mask transparency to define a composite transparency having separately controlled densities in different portions thereof, preparing a form transparency from said composite transparency, photographically preparing a design transparency to the same scale of a patterned material which could be incorporated into such furnishing item, superimposing such form and design transparencies one over the other and passing light through the superimposed form and design transparencies to provide a composite image simulating the patterned material incorporated into the furnishing item.

Claim 10

Method defined in claim 7 further comprising projecting the composite image formed by such form and design transparencies on a screen, and projecting a second image on the same screen in coincidence therewith defined by a background film transparency and such negative shadow mask so as to provide a patterned surround to the composite furnishing item simulation.

Claim 11

Method of decor simulation comprising, at least the steps of, preparing a form transparency of the outline and shadow aspects of an article of furniture, preparing a design representation to the same scale of a patterned upholstery material which could be incorporated in such furnishing item comprising, in turn, photographing a sheet of upholstery fabric with color film material and laterally shifting a portion of the fabric film image so as to provide a mismatch or shift in the patterns thereof and superimposing the form transparency and design representation one over the other with the patterned mismatch line positioned generally across the seating portion of the article of furniture depicted by the form transparency, and passing light through the superimposed transparencies to provide a high realism composite image simulating the patterned material incorporated into the article of furniture.

Claim 12

Method of decor simulation comprising, at least the steps of, preparing a form transparency of the outline and shadow aspects of an article of furniture, preparing a design representation to the same scale of a patterned upholstery material which could be incorporated in such furnishing item comprising, in turn, photographing a sheet of upholstery fabric with color film material and laterally shifting a portion of the fabric film image so as to provide a mismatch or shift in the patterns thereof and superimposing the form transparency and design representation one over the other with the patterned mismatch line positioned generally across the seating portion of the article of furniture depicted by the form transparency, and passing light through the superimposed transparencies to provide a high realism composite image simulating the patterned material incorporated into the article of furniture.

Claim 13

Method defined in claim 9 wherein said step of laterally shifting comprises, in turn, draping said flat piece of fabric material over a frame having the general contours of a bench-like piece of furniture and photographing such draped fabric so as to produce a color film transparency having a generally central portion wherein the fabric pattern appears foreshortened and positioning such foreshortened part of the fabric panel generally across the seating portion of the article of furniture to provide increased realism to the simulation.

Claim 14

Apparatus for producing a simulation of a furnishing item such as a piece of furniture upholstered in a desired fabric comprising, in combination, a form transparency providing only shape and shadow detail of such furnishing item and substantially opaque outside the shape of the item, and a design representation superimposed therewith and provided with the image of the desired patterned material to be associated therewith extending in all directions a distance greater than the corresponding dimension of the form transparency and means for passing light therethrough to provide a composite image simulating the depicted furnishing item incorporating the patterned material.

Claim 15

Apparatus for producing a simulation of a furnishing item such as a piece of furniture upholstered in a desired fabric comprising, in combination, a form transparency providing only shape and shadow detail of such furnishing item and substantially opaque outside the shape of the item, and a design representation superimposed therewith and provided with the image of the desired patterned material to be associated therewith extending in all directions a distance greater than the corresponding dimension of the form transparency and means for passing light therethrough to provide a composite image simulating the depicted furnishing item incorporating the patterned material.

Claim 16

Apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said form transparency comprises a plurality of superimposed photographs shading and line or shape transparencies having different optical densities and contrast ranges so the densities of the details thereof may be independently controlled.

Claim 17

Apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein the opaque portion of said form transparency is defined by a shadow mask of very high contrast film material superimposed with shading and line or shape transparencies.

Claim 18

Apparatus defined in claim 11 further comprising a magazine or library of form transparencies, a magazine or library of design representations and means for selectively positioning any desired one of the form transparencies in alignment with any desired one of the design representations.

Claim 19

Apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said design transparency comprises a color film picture of a flat sheet of fabric.

Claim 20

Apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein said design representation comprises a portion shifted relative to the remaining portion to define a mismatch line adapted to be aligned with the seating portion of the furniture depicted by the form transparency as an aid in increasing the realism of the simulation.

Claim 21

Apparatus for producing a simulation of a furnishing item such as a piece of furniture upholstered in a desired fabric comprising, in combination, a form transparency providing only shape and shadow detail of such furnishing item, a design transparency superimposed therewith and provided with the image of the desired patterned material to be associated therewith such as an upholstery fabric and means for passing light therethrough to provide a composite image simulating the depicted furnishing item incorporating the patterned material wherein said design transparency comprises a color film picture of a sheet of fabric draped over a generally bench-like frame so as to define a generally medial portion whereat the fabric pattern is foreshortened, adapted to be disposed in general alignment with the seating portion of the furniture depicted by the form transparency to increase the realism of the resultant simulation.

Claim 22

Apparatus for producing a simulation of a furnishing item such as a piece of furniture upholstered in a desired fabric comprising, in combination, a form transparency providing only shape and shadow detail of such furnishing item, a design transparency superimposed therewith and provided with the image of the desired patterned material to be associated therewith such as an upholstery fabric and means for passing light therethrough to provide a composite image simulating the depicted furnishing item incorporating the patterned material wherein said design transparency comprises a color film picture of a sheet of fabric draped over a generally bench-like frame so as to define a generally medial portion whereat the fabric pattern is foreshortened, adapted to be disposed in general alignment with the seating portion of the furniture depicted by the form transparency to increase the realism of the resultant simulation.

Claim 23

Apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said form transparency comprises a single photographic transparency printed from a plurality of superimposed photographic transparencies having differing optical densities and contrast ranges so that the densities of the details thereof, and particularly the shadows and shading, may be independently controlled.