CA2065784C - Picture frame member with flip-up clip type mounting system for retaining picture and backing board - Google Patents
Picture frame member with flip-up clip type mounting system for retaining picture and backing boardInfo
- Publication number
- CA2065784C CA2065784C CA 2065784 CA2065784A CA2065784C CA 2065784 C CA2065784 C CA 2065784C CA 2065784 CA2065784 CA 2065784 CA 2065784 A CA2065784 A CA 2065784A CA 2065784 C CA2065784 C CA 2065784C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- clip
- picture
- base
- backing board
- support structure
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Abstract
A picture frame member for use in assembling a picture frame incorporates a flip-up type clip for the releasable independent retention of a picture and backing board. Each member consists of an elongate flat base, a clip comprising a generally channel-shaped elongate member having two flanged edges facing the base, a downwardly-biased clip support extending along an edge of the base, and a hinge that links the clip to the clip support. The two flanges of the clip separately grip a picture and a backing board. There may also be provided a separate backing board grip member incorporated into the base. The clip employs an over-centre mount to the clip support, in order to permit the clip to maintain either a flipped-open position or a closed position wherein an increased grip pressure is applied to the backing board in relation to the picture."
Description
CA 0206~784 1997-08-29 PICTURE FRAME I~t~_~ WITH FLIP-UP TYPE M~u.. l~G
SYSTEM FOR RETAINING PICTURE AND R~C~TNG BOARD
Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a picture frame member for releasably engaging a flexible poster or picture that has not been mounted to a rigid backing board.
RA ~kground of the Invention Frames for use with unmounted pictures have typically applied various means to mount the picture within the frame.
It is often desired as well to provide means to allow the easy replacement of the picture, for example where the frame is to be used to hold advertising materials. The term "picture" is used here to denote a relatively thin, flexible sheet bearing any kind of image, including a poster, advertising display, photograph or the like.
Frames for use with small pictures typically integrate a rigid backing board with the frame, but this solution may be impractical in larger frames and doesn't provide the flexibility provided by individual frame members that may be assembled into a frame. Another solution has been to provide a spring-loaded clip to clamp both the backing board and the picture directly to the frame. This type of frame suffers the drawback that it may be difficult to replace the picture, and the clip 7 ~ 4 may also tend to wrinkle the picture, since the force required to grip the backing board is greater than the force required to grip the picture. As well, this approach requires the use of a backing board of essentially the same size as the picture, which restricts the replaceability of pictures to be mounted within the frame.
srief Description of the Invention The present invention is a picture frame element adapted to engage a picture and a rigid picture backing board independently of each other. In its broadest aspect, the invention is a picture frame member comprising: an elongate base having a generally flat upper face adapted to support the backing board and having inner and outer edges facing towards and away from the middle of said picture, respectively; a clip support extending upwardly from said upper face above the plane of the frame; and a picture clip engaged to said clip support. The picture clip has first and second engagement means spaced apart from each other and adapted to grip the picture and backing board, respectively.
In a further aspect of the invention, the clip is pivotally engaged to the clip support partway between first and second ends of said clip, and the clip is provlded with biasing means to bias the clip downwardly CA 0206~784 1997-08-29 towards the backing board. The first and second ends comprise the first and second engagement means, respectively, of the clip and may be adapted to pressingly engage the picture and backing board, respectively.
In a further aspect of the invention, the clip is pivotally engaged to the clip support at a point lying partway between the second end of the clip and the midpoint between the first and second ends of the clip, in order to provide a greater downward force towards the second end of the clip than the first.
The directional references "downwardly" and "upwardly"
as used herein refer to a frame or frame member positioned generally horizontally, with the picture-receiving surface of the frame facing upwardly.
Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a picture frame according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device, with a picture and backing board positioned within the frame member;
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the frame member shown in the open position.
Detailed Description of the Preferred EmboAi - t Referring to figures 1 and 2, a picture frame member 1 comprises a base 2 having a flat upper surface 3 adapted to support a picture backing board 4, and inner and outer sides 5 and 6, respectively, facing the inside and outside of the frame, respectively. A clip support 10 is integral with the back and extends upwardly therefrom. The clip 2~5~8~ ~
.
support has an arm 11 extending towards the inner side of the base 2, terminating in a hinge 12. The hinge 12 comprises a strip of flexible plastic glued to or co-extruded with the clip support. The clip support is fabricated of a resilient material, and biases the arm 11 downwardly.
The hinge 12 is glued to or co-extruded with a clip 13, and comprises an elongate body having the shape generally of an inverted "U", the longitudinal axis of which is parallel to the axis of the base. the clip has inner and outer sides facing the inside and outside of the frame, respectively. The outer side of the clip 13 has a heel 35 at the free margin thereof facing the outside of the frame, the heel 35 facing the outside of the frame. The clip 13 is provided with first and second downwardly depending edges 14 and 15, respectively. The first edge 14 comprises the free edge of the heel 35 and is adapted to pressingly engage the backing board. The inner side of the clip 13 terminates in a pliable contact strip 20 adapted to pressingly engage a picture 21.
The clip 13 is hinged to the clip support 10 at a point adjacent the first edge 14 of the clip. The clip accordingly applies a greater downward pressure on the first edge than the second edge, in order to grip the backing board 3 more firmly than the picture 21.
A backing board engagement member 22 protrudes I
2~573'1 inwardly from the clip support 10 and is integral therewith. The engagement member 22 comprises an elongate "U" shaped channel, the axis of which is parallel to the axis of the base. The channel faces inwardly from the outer edge of the base 2, and has a lower wall formed by a portion of the base 2 and an upper wall formed by a plate 23 extending inwardly from the clip support 10. A flexible, outwardly curved tongue 24 depends downwardly from the free edge of the plate 23, and is adapted to provide a one way engagement of the board 3, wherein the board may be inserted into the channel, but the outward curve of the tongue prevents the easy removal of the board. In use the backing board may be more or less permanently inserted into the frame.
The base, clip support and backing board engagement member may all be formed integrally of a single plastic extrusion.
An adhesive backing 25 is attached to the underside of the base 2 for attachment to a wall or other surface.
Referring to figure 3, the clip 13 may be flipped upwards to replace the picture 21. In the open position illustrated here, the clip support is flexed upwardly, and the clip is held open by the pressure of the first end of the clip exerted against the backing board 3.
When the c1ip has been ~lipped completely open, the heel ~57~
35 maintains it in the open position.
In use, a frame may be assembled by joining together four frame members at their ends, each of which may be bevelled at a 45 degree angle to form an attractive joint between abutting frame members. A picture may be mounted within the frame by flipping open all of the clips, removing the existing picture, and placing a new picture within the frame on top of the existing backing board.
The picture should be smaller than the backing board, leaving a margin of backing board extending beyond the edges of the picture. The margin should be sufficient to allow the picture to be placed in the frame without being engaged by the first edge 14 of the clip. Once the picture has been positioned within the frame, the clips may be snapped back into the closed position. The downward pressure exerted on the clip by the clip support causes the first edge 14 of the clip to engage the board and the second edge 15 to engage the picture. The first edge, being closer to the hinge 12, applies greater pressure than does the second edge. Thus the board is tensioned with sufficient force against the base to hold it firmly in place, while less pressure is applied against the picture to avoid wrinkling or tearing. As well, the relatively long reach between the hinge 12 and the second edge 15 allows various size pictures to be mounted within the same frame without adjustment, and 2~78~ 1 provides a wide decorative exposed face.
The present invention has been described by way of a preferred embodiment thereof. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.
SYSTEM FOR RETAINING PICTURE AND R~C~TNG BOARD
Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a picture frame member for releasably engaging a flexible poster or picture that has not been mounted to a rigid backing board.
RA ~kground of the Invention Frames for use with unmounted pictures have typically applied various means to mount the picture within the frame.
It is often desired as well to provide means to allow the easy replacement of the picture, for example where the frame is to be used to hold advertising materials. The term "picture" is used here to denote a relatively thin, flexible sheet bearing any kind of image, including a poster, advertising display, photograph or the like.
Frames for use with small pictures typically integrate a rigid backing board with the frame, but this solution may be impractical in larger frames and doesn't provide the flexibility provided by individual frame members that may be assembled into a frame. Another solution has been to provide a spring-loaded clip to clamp both the backing board and the picture directly to the frame. This type of frame suffers the drawback that it may be difficult to replace the picture, and the clip 7 ~ 4 may also tend to wrinkle the picture, since the force required to grip the backing board is greater than the force required to grip the picture. As well, this approach requires the use of a backing board of essentially the same size as the picture, which restricts the replaceability of pictures to be mounted within the frame.
srief Description of the Invention The present invention is a picture frame element adapted to engage a picture and a rigid picture backing board independently of each other. In its broadest aspect, the invention is a picture frame member comprising: an elongate base having a generally flat upper face adapted to support the backing board and having inner and outer edges facing towards and away from the middle of said picture, respectively; a clip support extending upwardly from said upper face above the plane of the frame; and a picture clip engaged to said clip support. The picture clip has first and second engagement means spaced apart from each other and adapted to grip the picture and backing board, respectively.
In a further aspect of the invention, the clip is pivotally engaged to the clip support partway between first and second ends of said clip, and the clip is provlded with biasing means to bias the clip downwardly CA 0206~784 1997-08-29 towards the backing board. The first and second ends comprise the first and second engagement means, respectively, of the clip and may be adapted to pressingly engage the picture and backing board, respectively.
In a further aspect of the invention, the clip is pivotally engaged to the clip support at a point lying partway between the second end of the clip and the midpoint between the first and second ends of the clip, in order to provide a greater downward force towards the second end of the clip than the first.
The directional references "downwardly" and "upwardly"
as used herein refer to a frame or frame member positioned generally horizontally, with the picture-receiving surface of the frame facing upwardly.
Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a picture frame according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device, with a picture and backing board positioned within the frame member;
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the frame member shown in the open position.
Detailed Description of the Preferred EmboAi - t Referring to figures 1 and 2, a picture frame member 1 comprises a base 2 having a flat upper surface 3 adapted to support a picture backing board 4, and inner and outer sides 5 and 6, respectively, facing the inside and outside of the frame, respectively. A clip support 10 is integral with the back and extends upwardly therefrom. The clip 2~5~8~ ~
.
support has an arm 11 extending towards the inner side of the base 2, terminating in a hinge 12. The hinge 12 comprises a strip of flexible plastic glued to or co-extruded with the clip support. The clip support is fabricated of a resilient material, and biases the arm 11 downwardly.
The hinge 12 is glued to or co-extruded with a clip 13, and comprises an elongate body having the shape generally of an inverted "U", the longitudinal axis of which is parallel to the axis of the base. the clip has inner and outer sides facing the inside and outside of the frame, respectively. The outer side of the clip 13 has a heel 35 at the free margin thereof facing the outside of the frame, the heel 35 facing the outside of the frame. The clip 13 is provided with first and second downwardly depending edges 14 and 15, respectively. The first edge 14 comprises the free edge of the heel 35 and is adapted to pressingly engage the backing board. The inner side of the clip 13 terminates in a pliable contact strip 20 adapted to pressingly engage a picture 21.
The clip 13 is hinged to the clip support 10 at a point adjacent the first edge 14 of the clip. The clip accordingly applies a greater downward pressure on the first edge than the second edge, in order to grip the backing board 3 more firmly than the picture 21.
A backing board engagement member 22 protrudes I
2~573'1 inwardly from the clip support 10 and is integral therewith. The engagement member 22 comprises an elongate "U" shaped channel, the axis of which is parallel to the axis of the base. The channel faces inwardly from the outer edge of the base 2, and has a lower wall formed by a portion of the base 2 and an upper wall formed by a plate 23 extending inwardly from the clip support 10. A flexible, outwardly curved tongue 24 depends downwardly from the free edge of the plate 23, and is adapted to provide a one way engagement of the board 3, wherein the board may be inserted into the channel, but the outward curve of the tongue prevents the easy removal of the board. In use the backing board may be more or less permanently inserted into the frame.
The base, clip support and backing board engagement member may all be formed integrally of a single plastic extrusion.
An adhesive backing 25 is attached to the underside of the base 2 for attachment to a wall or other surface.
Referring to figure 3, the clip 13 may be flipped upwards to replace the picture 21. In the open position illustrated here, the clip support is flexed upwardly, and the clip is held open by the pressure of the first end of the clip exerted against the backing board 3.
When the c1ip has been ~lipped completely open, the heel ~57~
35 maintains it in the open position.
In use, a frame may be assembled by joining together four frame members at their ends, each of which may be bevelled at a 45 degree angle to form an attractive joint between abutting frame members. A picture may be mounted within the frame by flipping open all of the clips, removing the existing picture, and placing a new picture within the frame on top of the existing backing board.
The picture should be smaller than the backing board, leaving a margin of backing board extending beyond the edges of the picture. The margin should be sufficient to allow the picture to be placed in the frame without being engaged by the first edge 14 of the clip. Once the picture has been positioned within the frame, the clips may be snapped back into the closed position. The downward pressure exerted on the clip by the clip support causes the first edge 14 of the clip to engage the board and the second edge 15 to engage the picture. The first edge, being closer to the hinge 12, applies greater pressure than does the second edge. Thus the board is tensioned with sufficient force against the base to hold it firmly in place, while less pressure is applied against the picture to avoid wrinkling or tearing. As well, the relatively long reach between the hinge 12 and the second edge 15 allows various size pictures to be mounted within the same frame without adjustment, and 2~78~ 1 provides a wide decorative exposed face.
The present invention has been described by way of a preferred embodiment thereof. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.
Claims (5)
1. A member for assembly into a picture frame, said member adapted to independently engage a flexible picture and a picture backing board and comprising:
a) an elongate base defined by a generally flat upper surface and first and second longitudinal sides, said upper surface comprising a backing board support structure;
b) a clip support structure comprising an elongate member extending upwardly from said first longitudinal side of said base and having biasing means to bias a clip engaged thereto downwardly towards said base;
c) a clip engaged to said clip support structure and comprising an elongate generally channel-shaped strip extending generally the length of said base, the sides of which are defined by downwardly-facing first and second flanges adapted to grippingly engage a picture and backing board, respectively, independently of each other;
d) engagement means hinging said clip to said clip support structure at an overcenter position relative to the side edges of said clip, said engagement means having rotation means to permit said clip to rotate from an open position wherein said first flange is elevated from said base for the insertion of a picture and a closed position wherein flanges both press against said base, said clip being engaged to said clip support structure adjacent said second flange such that said second flange is biased towards said base by said clip support structure by a greater amount than said second flange, said overcenter engagement location permitting said clip to alternately maintain either a fully open or a fully closed position.
a) an elongate base defined by a generally flat upper surface and first and second longitudinal sides, said upper surface comprising a backing board support structure;
b) a clip support structure comprising an elongate member extending upwardly from said first longitudinal side of said base and having biasing means to bias a clip engaged thereto downwardly towards said base;
c) a clip engaged to said clip support structure and comprising an elongate generally channel-shaped strip extending generally the length of said base, the sides of which are defined by downwardly-facing first and second flanges adapted to grippingly engage a picture and backing board, respectively, independently of each other;
d) engagement means hinging said clip to said clip support structure at an overcenter position relative to the side edges of said clip, said engagement means having rotation means to permit said clip to rotate from an open position wherein said first flange is elevated from said base for the insertion of a picture and a closed position wherein flanges both press against said base, said clip being engaged to said clip support structure adjacent said second flange such that said second flange is biased towards said base by said clip support structure by a greater amount than said second flange, said overcenter engagement location permitting said clip to alternately maintain either a fully open or a fully closed position.
2. A picture frame member as in claim 1, wherein said engagement means comprises a resilient plastic strip extending the length of and engaged to said clip and clip support.
8(a)
8(a)
3. A picture frame member as claimed in claim 2, wherein said clip support structure is resilient and comprises said biasing means.
4. A picture frame member as claimed in claim 1 wherein there is further provided a backing board grip member, said grip member comprising a U-shaped channel for the insertion of a backing board therein, the longitudinal axis of which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of said base, said channel comprising upper and lower walls, the lower wall being comprised of said base and the upper wall extending from said clip support structure, at least one of said walls having a board engagement element facing the interior of the channel.
5. A picture frame member as claimed in claim 4, wherein said engagement member comprises a flexible tongue depending downwardly from said upper wall.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2065784 CA2065784C (en) | 1992-04-10 | 1992-04-10 | Picture frame member with flip-up clip type mounting system for retaining picture and backing board |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2065784 CA2065784C (en) | 1992-04-10 | 1992-04-10 | Picture frame member with flip-up clip type mounting system for retaining picture and backing board |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2065784A1 CA2065784A1 (en) | 1993-10-11 |
| CA2065784C true CA2065784C (en) | 1998-03-31 |
Family
ID=4149616
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2065784 Expired - Lifetime CA2065784C (en) | 1992-04-10 | 1992-04-10 | Picture frame member with flip-up clip type mounting system for retaining picture and backing board |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2065784C (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8375520B2 (en) | 2008-10-14 | 2013-02-19 | Craft, Inc. a Massachusettes Corporation | Back closure |
-
1992
- 1992-04-10 CA CA 2065784 patent/CA2065784C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2065784A1 (en) | 1993-10-11 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKEX | Expiry |