GB2302062A

GB2302062A - Picture album having ribbed connectors received in slotted and grooved spine end blocks

Info

Publication number: GB2302062A
Application number: GB9511860A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mingen Tsai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-06-12
Filing date: 1995-06-12
Publication date: 1997-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 2015-06-12
Also published as: GB2302062B; GB9511860D0

Abstract

The album includes a spine 10 having a block 11 with slots 111 at one end and a block 12 with grooves 121 at the opposite end. Picture holders 40 are mounted on the spine by means of connectors 20 having a longitudinal rib 21 on one side, inserted into the slots and grooves, and a channel-like clamping plate 23 on an opposite side. A cap 30 fastens to end block 11 to hold the connectors 20 in place.

Description

ALBUM ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to albums, and relates more particularly to an album assembly which is comprised of a plurality of double-sided picture holders detachably connected to a mount by a respective connector for holding pictures.

Regular albums are commonly comprised of a cover and a plurality of pocket-designed blank pages fixedly fastened to the inside of the cover for keeping pictures. Because the pocket-designed blank pages are not detachable, it is inconvenient to insert pictures into the pocket-designed blank pages. When inserting pictures into the pocket-designed blank pages, pictures tend to be wrinkled, and the pocket-designed blank pages tend to be torn by pictures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been accomplished to provide an album assembly which eliminates the aforesaid problem. It is one object of the present invention to provide an album assembly which is detachable for easy loading of pictures. It is another object of the present invention to provide an album assembly which is easy to assemble. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a detachable album which can be designed for keeping pictures, stamps, business cards, etc.To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, an album assembly is provided comprised of a mount having a first end block with vertically spaced slots at one end and a second end block with vertically spaced grooves at an opposite end, a plurality of connectors respectively fastened to the mount, each connector having a longitudinal rib at one side inserted through one slot on the first end block into one groove on the second end block and a channel-like clamping plate at an opposite side, an end cap fastened to the first end block to hold the connector in place, and a plurality of picture holders respectively fastened to the channel-like clamping plate of each connector for holding pictures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows an album assembly according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the album assembly shown in Figure 1; Fig. 2A is an enlarged view taken on part A of Figure 2; Fig. 3 is a sectional assembly view of Figure 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional side view in an enlarged scale, showing the connection between the first end block of the mount and the end cap; and Fig. 5 is a sectional top view in an enlarged scale, showing the connection between the end cap and the mount.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to Figure 1, an album assembly in accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a mount 10, and a plurality of picture holder 40 respectively connected to the mount 10 at different elevations by a respective connector 20 for holding pictures.

Referring to Figures 2, 2A, 3, 4, and 5, the mount 10 is made of flat, elongated shape having a first end block 11 and a second end block 12 respectively raised from two opposite ends thereof at the same side, and an end cap 30 fastened to the first end block 11.

The first end block 11 comprises a plurality of vertically spaced slots 111, two retaining grooves 112 on the top and bottom sides thereof, and a springy retainer rod 113 at one side. The end cap 30 comprises a receiving chamber 31, which receives the first end block 11, two ribs 32 on the inside at different elevations respectively fitted into the retaining grooves 112, and a retaining hole 33 at one side, which receives the springy retainer rod 113. The second end block 12 has a plurality of vertically spaced mounting grooves 121 corresponding to the vertically spaced slots 111 on the first end block 11.The connector 20 has an elongated rib 21 at one side inserted through one slot 111 on the first end block 11 of the mount 10 into the corresponding mounting groove 121 on the second end block 12, and a channel-like clamping plate 23 at an opposite side defining a longitudinal mounting groove 231 for mounting the picture holder 40. The picture holder 40 is comprised of a flat base plate having two flat recessed portions 45 and 46 at both sides and two opposite pairs of grooves 41 and 42 for coupling to the channel-like clamping plate 23 of the connector 2. Two window panels 43 and 44 are respectively hinged to the picture holder 40 at two opposite sides and covered on the flat recessed portions 45 and 46 to hold pictures in the flat recessed portions 45 and 46.Each window panel 43 or 44 has a transverse groove 431 or 441, which is connected between the pair of grooves 41 or 42 when the window panel 43 or 44 is closed on the flat recessed portion 45 or 46, and a plurality of raised portions 432 or 442, which stop against the periphery of the longitudinal mounting groove 231 of the channel-like clamping plate 23.

Referring to Figures 3, 4, and 5 again, when the picture holder 40 and the window panels 43 and 44 are fastened to the connector 20 by clamping the two opposite longitudinal end edges of the channel-like clamping plate 23 onto the grooves 41 and 431 and the grooves 42 and 441, the elongated rib 21 of the connector 2 is inserted through one slot 111 on the first end block 11 of the mount 10 into the corresponding mounting groove 121 on the second end block 12, and then the end cap 30 is fastened to the first end block 11 to hold the connector 20 in place.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5 again, by pressing the springy retainer rod 113 to move it out of the retaining hole 33 on the end cap 30, the end end block 30 can be conveniently removed from the first end block 11.

It is to be understood that the drawings are designed for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits and scope of the invention disclosed.

Claims

CLAIM:

1. An album assembly comprising: a mount made of flat, elongated shape having a first end block at one side and a second end block at an opposite end, said first end block comprising a plurality of vertically spaced slots, two retaining grooves at different elevations, and a springy retainer rod at one side; a plurality of connectors respectively fastened to said mount for holding a respective picture holder, each connector having an elongated rib at one side inserted through one slot on said first end block into one mounting groove on said second end block, and a channel-like clamping plate at an opposite side, said channel-like clamping plate having two longitudinal clamping edges;; an end cap fastened to said first end block to hold said connectors in place, said end cap comprising a receiving chamber, which receives said first end block, two ribs on the inside at different elevations respectively fitted into the retaining grooves on said first end block, and a retaining hole at one side, which receives the springy retainer rod of said first end block; and a plurality of picture holders respectively fastened to said connectors for holding pictures, each picture holder comprising a flat base plate having two flat recessed portions at both sides, two window panels respectively hinged to said flat base plate and covered on said flat recessed portions to hold pictures in said flat recessed portions, said window panels each having a transverse groove engaged with one clamping edge of said channel-like clamping plate, and a plurality of raised portions stopped against the inside of said channel-like clamping plate.

2. An album substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.