For the purpose of this patent application the term "kinetic art" refers to paintings or pictures, prepared on materials which have been shaped in a pleated manner and displayed in 3 dimensions so as to afford the viewer different images dependant upon the viewer's position in relation to the art.
In the 1950's, an artist named Yaacov Agam popularized this art form. Since then there have been numerous variations of Agam's theme including a wide variety of 3 dimensional multiple image artwork. One popular use of this art form has been in specifically constructed roadside billboards. These billboards display different messages to vehicle occupants as vehicles approach the billboard from various angles.
There are various ways artwork may be prepared such as to have the resulting image appear on pleated media in the desired manner. One way, includes taking 2 pictures of the same size (i.e., vertical and horizontal dimensions), cutting each picture into a finite number of vertical elongated segments of the same size. Thereafter, while maintaining the order of the strips to be in the same order as before each picture was segmented, interleave the strips of each picture such that the strip from the first picture is alternated between the strips of the other picture. The resulting image can be taped together then photographically reproduced directly onto plain paper which is subsequently folded into pleats. The width of each pleat corresponding to the width of each vertical segment. Alternatively, a computer user may use a commercial graphic program to manipulate two or more images in a similar manner and produce output which may also be placed on plain paper which is subsequently folded into pleats.
If one chose to use plain paper to produce the finished kinetic artwork, the creation of the folds in the paper can be a tedious manual process. Alternatively, pleated paper may be used, but pleated paper could jam a printer and would not allow many sheets to be easily placed in a feeder slot in a typical ink jet printer. Perforated paper may be used but this could also jam a printer and perforated paper also has the disadvantage of lessening the structural integrity of the paper making it easier to tear along a perforated segment.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,236,365 and 5,407,718 provide examples of patents which describe unique inventions that utilize special paper products to accomplish desired objectives. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,365 an embossed paper is used to simulate a textured surface. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,718 a paper product is described which permits peal-off labels to be produced via a computer printer.