Paint color samples and chips have been and are currently widely used for displaying and depicting to consumers various types and colors of paints for houses, buildings, vehicles, etc. Typically, the samples of representative paints are placed on small paper sheets or swatches and/or are integrated in brochures for depicting to the consumer the available paints or colorants for a particular product. For example, vehicles such as automobiles and trucks as made available by a manufacturer each year are provided in a number of different types and colors of paints.
Samples of these paints are often provided in brochures, which are made available to the consumer by dealers of the particular vehicles. Because dealers are unable to and often do not stock each available vehicle in each available paint, consumers rely on the available paint samples for making a decision as to the desired type and/or color of paint for the vehicle. It can be difficult for an observer to envision the appearance of a vehicle body in a particular type or color of paint by merely viewing the paint sample chip or swatch individually or in a brochure. It is also difficult for an observer to discern whether combinations of colors, or combinations of colors along with other surfaces such as carpeting and/or interior seat coverings, are aesthetically desirable.
More recently, metallic paints and other paints have been developed that change or have a differing appearance relative to the viewing angle and/or the curvature or other shape of the vehicle body. As can be appreciated, it is yet more difficult for a typical consumer to envision the overall appearance of a vehicle body painted with these types of paints with the currently available paint samples.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved means of displaying a representative color sample, as well as other samples representative of the appearance of the surface or other aspects of an object.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds