EP0733254B1 - Folding frame for a poster - Google Patents

Abstract

A folding frame consisting of several polygonally arranged spars (1) for both outdoor and indoor use. Each spar consists of a lower section (2) and an upper section (3) which can be foldably connected together via a pivot (4). A spring component (18) ensures that a poster (13) is firmly clamped between a supporting surface (16) and the free edge region (27) of a cover shank (16) of the upper section (3). When the spar (1) is opened, the line of effect (21) of the spring component(s) passes through the geometrical axis (25) of the pivot (4) so that the upper section (3) is moved further from the unstable neutral position thus attained to snap to either side. Because the supporting surface (12) is far from a supporting surface (33) of the spar (1), the poster is far enough from a wall to which the folding frame may be secured. This also makes it possible to fit lighting behind the poster.

Description

The invention relates to a hinged frame for a poster or other flat element, consisting of several, a polygon-forming spars, each consisting of a lower profile with a contact surface for the poster, a bearing element forming a bearing axis and an upper profile pivotally supported on the bearing element exist, the upper profile is supported by a spring element on the bearing element and the spring element forms a torque closing the upper profile when the frame is closed, that the extended line of action of the spring element passes through the bearing axis when opening and generates an opening torque, and in which the poster with the spar closed is held clamped between the contact surface and the free edge region of the upper profile.

Such a hinged frame is known from DE-A 20 62 466 and EP-A-0 488 940. Such frames preferably consist of four bars arranged at right angles to one another, which together form a square or rectangle. However, frames with more than four corners or bars are also conceivable. However, for the sake of simplicity, a square frame is assumed below, without this being understood as restrictive.

The frame spars are preferably mitred so that this hinged frame does not differ optically from a conventional fixed, ie non-folding frame in use. In contrast to the latter, which is attached to a wall as a unit, the hinged frame in question can be attached to a wall in such a way that all of its spars are in the correct position Assignment individually attached to the wall. In other words, the spars of this hinged frame do not necessarily have to be connected directly or indirectly, for example via a rear wall.

If you open such a frame, i.e. fold up all of its upper profiles, you can place a poster in this open frame. The four upper profiles are then pivoted into their clamping position, preferably one after the other. This makes it much faster to change posters than with conventional frames, which must first be removed from the wall and then opened on the back, whereby opening and closing is usually a lengthy and difficult process. Such a hinged frame can also accommodate a price announcement board in a supermarket or a menu of a restaurant or a similar printed product, even if it only remains in the frame for a short time.

A whole series of requirements are placed on such frames, and this applies in particular when they are installed outdoors. First of all, an unauthorized opening of the frame should not be possible, or at least not readily possible. In addition, the frame should be as tight as possible against the ingress of dirt and moisture, at least in the clamping area. This requirement is also raised because a perfect clamping of the edge areas of the poster also guarantees its flatness.

In the known hinged frame it is criticized in particular that the poster is located almost directly on the frame contact surface, and it is practically not ventilated as a result. At least this can lead to condensation. There is also the fact that due to the special arrangement of the pivot bearing of the spars and their assignment to Line of action of the spring element or elements in the event of unfavorable tolerances or deformation of the frame or its elements, the contact pressure of the upper profile is reduced by the fact that, with spars cut to miter, adjacent miter surfaces lie tightly against one another and, as a result, the free edge area of the upper profile does not is pressed firmly enough against the poster or, if necessary, also a cover of the poster.

It is therefore the task of developing a hinged frame of the type described in such a way that it has fewer disadvantages and in particular a maximum pressure of the free edge area of the upper profile is guaranteed according to the maximum spring force, and that the poster can be ventilated.

To achieve this object, a snap frame according to claim 1 is proposed according to the invention. The subclaims correspond to developments of the invention.

Because in this frame the clamping area for the poster is at a distance determined by the width of the sub-profile from the rear contact surface of the frame, which is achieved by attaching the contact surface to a support strip at the free end of the sub-profile rail, the poster has a wall on which the hinged frame is attached, a sufficiently large distance, which ensures good ventilation. At the same time, it is also ensured that the flatness of the poster is not only ensured by the good ventilation of the frame, but that it is not lost in the event of any deformation despite the spring force goes because such changes in shape caused by high forces or by unfavorable tolerance combinations cannot have an effect on the reduction of the pressing force. This is achieved above all by the special position of the line of action of the spring or springs and the assignment of the pivot bearing to this line of action. In the manner known in snap-action switches, when the upper profile is opened, the line of action of the spring is pivoted in such a way that the initially existing maximum distance of the geometric bearing axis from the line of action of the spring element becomes smaller and smaller until the line of action intersects the geometric bearing axis. Now an unstable intermediate position has been reached. If the upper profile is pivoted even further in the opening sense, the force of the spring or springs can have an effect again, but in the opening sense. As a result, the upper profiles remain in their open position until they are pivoted again in the opposite direction, in which case the line of action is in turn moved through the geometric bearing axis. Because it is ensured in this way that the opened frame can not close itself and in particular the upper pivoted upper profile remains in its open position, you can easily insert the poster in the frame on the wall and then by folding back Hold the upper profiles tight. It is advantageous here if, for example, the lower edge of the poster, which is located on a rigid support or can be assembled together with it, and, if appropriate, also supports a protective cover disk or film with its lower edge in the correct position in a suitable manner can, so that no special alignment with the bars is necessary when closing.

Each spring element loads the cover element towards the outside and towards the wall or the like. As a result, the mitred surfaces of the two elements of the spar are neither with unfavorable tolerance conditions nor with small ones Deformations pressed against each other and therefore a maximum clamping effect is always guaranteed.

A further development of the invention results from claim 5. The thickening mentioned there at the free end of the cover leg, viewed perpendicularly to the plane of the poster, can be quite small because its most important purpose is to ensure that the upper profile is pressed linearly onto the poster or its cover . In particular, if the cover leg is designed in a further embodiment of the invention as a flat bar that runs parallel to the poster plane and a rear abutment bar of the lower profile that can be placed on a wall, the frame protrudes over the plane of the poster or its cover only by the thickness of the cover leg and as a result there is practically no possibility of grasping the cover leg at its free end by hand and pivoting it in the opening direction. The poster is then optimally protected against unauthorized removal. Nevertheless, problem-free opening of the frame can of course be ensured by suitable measures and training despite this protection against abuse. Incidentally, it is also an aesthetic feature that gives the frame a modern appearance.

The invention also relates to a spar from which the hinged frame is composed and this is designed according to the invention in accordance with at least one of claims 1-12. In special cases, you can do without an entire frame and instead hold a poster with only one, in particular, horizontally mounted spar on its upper area. It is then expedient if this spar can be opened and closed quickly and safely in the manner described and if it holds the poster securely in a clamped manner. In addition, the arrangement of the clamping plane at a height distance from that also has an effect Contact surface of the spar on the wall advantageous, so that a sufficiently rigid poster is well ventilated even when using only one spar instead of an entire frame.

Figur 1

einen Querschnitt durch einen Holm mit einem festgeklemmten Plakat;

Figur 2

den gleichen Holm, wobei sich das Oberprofil in der labilen Zwischenstellung befindet; und

Figur 3

den gleichen Holm, wobei sich das Oberprofil in der Öffnungs-Endstellung beindet.

Further configurations as well as the resulting effects and advantages result from the subclaims and the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment, which is shown in the drawing. Show:

Figure 1

a cross section through a spar with a clamped poster;

Figure 2

the same spar, with the upper profile in the unstable intermediate position; and

Figure 3

the same spar, with the upper profile in the open end position.

The hinged frame consists of several bars 1, which are preferably mitred. Preferably, four spars 1 arranged at right angles to each other are provided, the length of which determines the frame length or height. Each spar 1 is constructed from a lower profile 2 and an upper profile 3, these two elements being coupled to one another via a pivot bearing 4. This connection is easily detachable, at least in the exemplary embodiment shown, because there the bearing shell 5, which is approximately semicircular in cross section, only comprises the bar which forms a bearing pin and is circular in cross section only over an angle of approximately 180 °. This bar represents a bearing element 6.

Components of the sub-profile 2 are its rear contact strip 7 and the sub-profile rail 8 which is perpendicular to it, preferably perpendicular to it. In the exemplary embodiment shown, it is provided that the rear The system bar 7 consists of two last parts that are at an obtuse angle to one another, the part of the rear system bar 7 directly adjoining the lower profile rail 8 being able to be fastened, for example, to a wall to which the hinged frame is to be attached, while the outer region 9, which is at a slight angle to this the contact strip 7 merges into a support strip 10 which carries at its free end the strip which is circular in cross section. At the free, upper end of the lower profile rail 8 in the drawing, there is a support bar 11 running transversely or perpendicularly thereto. Its upward-facing surface forms a contact surface 12 for the poster 13 which is to be framed by this frame which can be opened. Because its rigidity is generally too low, a support plate 14 is usually interposed. In addition, in the illustrated embodiment, protection is provided against damage by means of a cover plate 15 or a cover film.

The poster 13 - possibly together with the support plate 14 and the cover plate 15 - is overlapped with the help of a cover leg 16 of the spar 1 at the edge area and pressed firmly against the contact surface 12. In order to bring about a line-shaped contact pressure as possible, there is a thickening 17 on the free end of the cover leg 16, in particular on its underside. The thickening 17 can be made of an elastic element, for example an embedded rubber cord or the like. be formed. In the illustrated embodiment, the poster 13 with the support plate 14 and the cover plate 15 is clamped between these and the support surface 12 by the force of at least one spring element 18, for example a cross-slotted ring, a wire spring or the like. The spring element 18 exerts a compressive force by, on the one hand, in a spring support 19 assigned to the lower profile 2 and, on the other hand, in a spring support 19 assigned to the upper profile 3 Spring support 20 engages. Both spring supports 19 and 20 are formed by half shells with an angle of coverage of approximately 180 °.

The course of the line of action 21 of the spring element 18 is selected so that the latter presses against the lower spring support leg 22 of the spring support 20 when the spar 1 is closed and in this way generates a torque in the direction of the arrow 23, which presses the thickening 17 against the cover plate 15 or the poster 13 causes. This line of action 21 is at a distance 24 from the bearing axis 25 of the pivot bearing 4, whereby the strength of the torque is determined.

When opening the upper profile 3, i.e. with a pivoting movement against arrow 23, the line of action 21 is pivoted through the bearing axis 25. If it runs exactly through the bearing axis 25, the unstable neutral position is reached. If the upper profile 3 is pivoted further in the opening direction, the displacement of the line of action 21 beyond the bearing axis 25 causes a torque counter to the arrow 23, so that the hinged frame then automatically reaches the fully open position according to FIG. 3. The spring end located in the spring support 20 now presses against the upper spring support leg 26.

From the above it is clear that when the bars 1 are closed, the spring elements 18 load the upper profiles 3, so to speak, from the center of the frame to the outside, so that there is no pressure on the miter surfaces if the tolerances are unfavorable or, for example, deformations occur due to the action of heat. As a result, there is always a maximum torque in the direction of the arrow 23 and, consequently, an optimal pressing of the poster 13 against the contact surface 12 via the thickening 17 on the free edge region 27 guaranteed.

The upper profile 3 consists essentially of the already mentioned cover leg 16, which preferably runs approximately parallel to the rear contact strip 7, and the bearing leg 28, which is approximately perpendicular to the cover leg 16 and carries the bearing shell 5 at its free end. The lower and upper profile 2 and 3 are rails, which are preferably made of plastic or aluminum.

On the bearing leg 28 of the upper profile 3 there is a tool insertion slot 29 which is open on the side towards the edge. Viewed from the bearing leg 28, however, it does not extend in the direction of the center of the frame, rather it is to a certain extent superior to the bearing leg 28 according to the drawing. It consists of two strips 30 and 31 arranged at an acute angle, the free end of the upper strip 30 also passing directly at an acute angle into the cover leg 16, which extends beyond the bearing leg 28 due to this profile formation. With the free end of the lower bar 31, a facing bar 32 is connected or made in one piece, which overlaps the pivot bearing 4 on the outside at a distance. However, it does not extend into the plane of the contact surface 33 of the rear contact strip 7, rather it ends approximately in the extension of the slightly inclined outer region 9 of the contact strip 7.

It can be seen from FIG. 3 that the free end of the facing strip 32 engages under the slightly inclined outer region 9 of the rear contact strip 7 when the spar 1 is wide open. If, starting from the illustration according to FIG. 3, the spar 1 is opened a little more, the free end of the facing strip 32 abuts the underside of the outer region 9 of the contact strip 7 and thereby limits the pivoting opening movement. Here, the spring element 18 can still be under tension.

In order to be able to open the spar 1 in the manner described, a suitable tool is inserted into the tool insertion slot 29 and then pressed down in the direction of the arrow 34. The force of the spring element or elements 18 is thereby overcome. After reaching the aforementioned unstable intermediate position, which is shown approximately in FIG. 2, a slight further actuation is sufficient to achieve a snap opening of the spar 1. In the same way, after the neutral position has been overcome, the bar 1 snaps shut when, for example, one presses on the cover leg 16 by hand. Due to the tight contact of the cover leg 16 on the poster 13 or the cover plate 15 and the low height of the thickening 17, opening of the spar 1 by hand, i.e. almost impossible without tools.

If the spar 1, as described several times, rests with its rear contact strip 7, for example on a wall, then the poster 13 has a relatively large distance from this wall. As a result, it is readily possible to provide lighting behind the poster 13 or behind the support plate 14, which in this case can consist of a frosted glass pane, for example. In any case, however, the poster 13 is optimally protected due to the good ventilation, for example if it is to be installed outdoors and the wall becomes damp due to rain or the like.

The cover plate 15 can be angled according to the drawing of Figure 1 at its edges, but at least at its upper and lower edges. The angled edge 34 can take on various protective functions and also contribute to centering and securing the correct position of the poster 13.

Inside the spar 1 there is enough space for accommodation of a corner connector, the two angle legs of which engage in adjacent bars. It is particularly advantageous here to create a receiving groove 37 for an angle leg of such a corner connector with the aid of two inwardly projecting projections 35 and 36.

From the foregoing it is clear that the four spars 1, for example, can be fastened separately to a wall or a vertical surface, the spars 1 not necessarily having to be connected to one another. It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that it is also sufficient if, for example, only two parallel bars 1 are used, between which the poster 13 can then be clamped. In extreme cases, even a single upper spar 1 is sufficient.

Claims (18)

1. A folding frame for a poster (13) or some other planar structure, comprised of several bars (1) forming a polygon, each bar including a profiled lower section (2), a bearing element (6) providing a bearing axis (25), and a profiled upper section (3) pivotally supported on the bearing element (6), said profiled lower section (2) being comprised of an abutment gib (7) and a rail (8) projecting from the abutment gib (7) in particular perpendicularly to, and in the direction of, the poster plane, said rail having at its free end a contact surface (12) for the poster (13), said profiled upper section (3) taking support upon the bearing element (6) by means of a spring element (18) which, with the frame closed, produces a torque closing the profiled upper section (3), with the extended line of action (21) of the spring element (18) passing through the bearing axis (25) as the frame is opened and producing an opening torque, said poster (13) being clampingly held between the contact surface (12) and the free edge area (27) of the profiled upper section (3) with the bar (1) in the closed position, characterized in that both the profiled lower section (2) and the profiled upper section (3) include each a spring rest (19; 20), with the spring rest (19) of the profiled lower section (2) being arranged beneath the contact surface (12) for the poster (13), while the spring rest (20) of the profiled upper section (3) is arranged on the side of the bearing element (6) facing the rail (8) of the profiled lower section.
2. The frame as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, with the bar (1) closed, the line of action (21) of the spring element (18) extends from the spring rest (19) associated with the profiled lower section (2) to an area between the bearing element (6) and a rearward abutment gib (7) of the profiled lower section (2).
3. The frame as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring element (18) bears against the profiled upper section (3) between the bearing element (6) and the rearward abutment surface (33).
4. The frame as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the profiled upper section (3) is substantially comprised of a bearing arm (28) and a covering arm (16) extending in a transverse direction thereto.
5. The frame as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the covering arm (16) has in its free edge area (27) a thickened portion (17) pointing towards the contact surface (12) and forming, in conjunction with a bearing gib (11) on which the contact surface (12) is provided, a clamping device for the poster (13).
6. The frame as claimed in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the covering arm (16) is configured as a flat strip extending parallel to the poster plane or to an abutment gib (7) of the profiled lower section (2) suitable for abutting engagement with a wall or the like.
7. The frame as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the outer edge area of the abutment gib (7) carries the bearing element (6) of the pivot bearing (4) associated with the profiled lower section (2).
8. The frame as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the bearing element (6) associated with the profiled lower section (2) is comprised of a gib of circular cross-section which is arranged at the free end of a support gib (10) which is connected, in particular integrally made, with the outer edge of the abutment gib (7).
9. The frame as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the abutment gib (7) of the profiled lower section (2) includes a slightly slanting outer area (9) merging into the support gib (10).
10. The frame as claimed in claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the bearing element associated with the profiled upper section (3) is comprised of a bearing half shell (5) provided at the end of the bearing arm (28) close to the profiled lower section (2).
11. The frame as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, with the frame closed, the bearing half shell (5) embraces approximately the inward side of the bearing element (6) close to the rail (8) of the profiled lower section.
12. The frame as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that a further shell of in particular equally semicircular cross-section is provided, in particular integrally formed, on the profiled upper section (3) in an approximately mirror-image relationship to the bearing half shell (5) of said section, said further shell forming the spring rest (20) associated with the profiled upper section (3).
13. The frame as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring rest (19) associated with the profiled lower section (2) is formed by a shell standing on edge.
14. The frame as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the profiled upper section (3) has an edge-notched tool insertion slot (29) which is provided in particular on the bearing arm (28) of said section or in its transition area to the covering arm (16).
15. The frame as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the tool insertion slot (29) is formed by two strips (30, 31) arranged at an acute angle to each other, with the free end of the one strip (30) blending directly with the covering arm (16) while the free end of the other strip (31) merges into a facing gib (32) which extends approximately parallel to the bearing arm (28) and whose free end embraces the pivot bearing (4) in a spaced relationship thereto.
16. The frame as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that, with the bar (1) open, the free end of the facing gib (32) extends beneath the slightly slanting outer area (9) of the abutment gib (7), engaging it, where applicable.
17. The frame as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a support plate (14) for the poster (13), said support plate being seatable on the contact surface (12) and being made of a transparent or translucent material, in particular a sheet of milk glass or the like.
18. The frame as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a transparent protective film or protective plate (15) for the poster (13), with at least the upper and lower edges (34) of said plate being angled in the direction of the abutment gib (7).

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