GB2333956A - Display frame - Google Patents

Abstract

A frame 10 for the mounting and suspension of an article, the frame comprises a plurality of elongate frame members 12,14,16,18 each having two faces and mitred ends fastened together releasably or permanently end to end, each frame member 12,14,16,18 having a longitudinal channel 1 in at least one of its faces configured for engagement with a suspension means, whereby the frame 10 may be suspended.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATG TO FRAME ASSEMBLIES The present invention relates to frames for the mounting and suspension of articles such as pictures, photographs, posters and menus. In particular, the invention relates to frames of various forms, including frames for releasably framing articles, which comprise channels by means of which the frames may be suspended.

There are a large number of ways by which conventional frames may be suspended from a wall or other surface. For example, hard-backed frames may be suspended by a length of string or wire attached to the frame backing from a nail or hook protruding from the wall surface. Alternatively, the nail or hook may engage a notch, hole or recess within the frame itself. In these latter cases the notches or holes tend to be formed at precise locations around the frame and may not allow for changes in orientation of the frame. For example. in a rectangular frame notches will have to be formed in both the long and short frame members to allow for a change from portrait to landscape orientation. When the frame is to be suspended from a recess in the frame, the recess and the hanging means often have a specific form or shape to enable their engagement. This may mean that after production of the frame, the recesses must be applied to the frame members in additional manufacturing steps.

Frames which can be rotated to display different pictures on their obverse and reverse, are well known in the art. It is evident that any suspension structure on the frame will always be visible and it is important for presentation that such structures are not displeasing to the eye. The use of notches or holes, for example, on both sides of the frame would be unsightly.

European Patent No. 0188121 describes frames for releasably framing articles, such as pictures, photographs and posters. A loop of an elastic material is disposed in a continuous recess around the frame formed by the alignment of sub-recesses in each frame member. These frames are suspended either by a hole being drilled part way through the centre of one member allowing the frame to be hung from a nail extending from the wall, or by the engagement of a picture hook with a sub-groove within the continuous recess which contains the elastic material. The need for this sub-groove makes the manufacture of these frames considerably more difficult. The hooks have to be of complex shape to engage the sub-groove. The hooks can slide along the sub-groove to allow the frame to be correctly balanced.

However. if the hook is to be repositioned in a different frame member to allow, for example, an interchange between portrait and landscape orientation, the frame must be partially disassembled before the hook can be removed and replaced in another member. The partial disassembly may also cause the items held within the frame to become detached from the grooves holding them in place. The need for partial disassembly complicates the reversing of the frame as well as any change of orientation.

There is therefore a need for a frame hanging structure which will allow easy reversal or change of orientation of the frame, and which is also undetectable to the eye when the frame is in a suspended state. Also there is a need for the hanging structure not to be restricted to specific forms and shapes of picture hooks or nails but which can be applied to any such suspension means available. Importantly there is a requirement for frames which can be manufactured easily to include a hanging structure without the need for additional manufacturing steps and that this hanging structure can be easily applied to any type of frame such as fixed frames, frames for releasably framing articles, frames manufactured from kits, or frames which allow front loading of articles. In the case of frames for releasably framing articles it is important that the frame does not have to be partially disassembled when rearranging the position or orientation of the frames.

According to the present invention there is provided a frame for mounting and suspension of articles comprising a plurality of elongate frame members having two faces and mitred ends, the mitred end of each frame member abutting to form the frame and retain at least one article to be framed and each frame member having a longitudinal channel in at least one of its faces where the mitred ends of the frame members abut they can be fastened together permanently or releasably. Preferably the longitudinal channels in each of the frame members align to form a continuous channel around the frame. It is preferred that each elongate frame member has a channel in each of its faces and that the longitudinal channels run parallel to the edges of each frame member.

The longitudinal channels in at least one face of each frame member are configured to be engaged with any suitable suspension means such as the head of a nail, or the lug of a picture hook and thus suspend the frame in place. The suspension means can engage at any point along the length of the channels of each frame member. The frame may easily be removed from the suspension means, rotated to change the orientation of the frame and then re-suspended by engagement of the suspension means with the channel of a different frame member.

Preferably a sub-groove is provided in an inner surface of each of the frame members, the sub-grooves aligning to form a continuous groove around the frame's internal perimeter for retaining at least one article to be framed.

The width of the sub-groove may be varied to allow for the forming of a plurality of articles having a relatively small thickness.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the frame members may have mitred ends permanently fastened together at their junctions by pins, adhesive, or any other known means. According to another aspect of the invention the frame members may have mitred ends releasably fastened at their junctions. This may be achieved by the use of resilient members located across each corner of a frame which urge the frame members into contact, (as described in US Patent No. 3990168) or the use of L-shaped corner pieces and a discontinuous metal or plastics cable which runs around the perimeter of the frame of which the ends are fastened in a tensioning device (as disclosed in DE-U-l 947767). However, preferably the frame members are releasably fastened using a means for maintaining the relationship between frame members being disposed in a continuous recess around the frame formed by the alignment of longitudinal sub-recesses in each frame member, the means consisting of a loop of an elastic material the elasticity of which is such that the loop can be stretched around the frame member (as described in EP0188121). Each frame member is thereby urged into contact with its neighbours by the loop thus fastening the members together at their junctions.

Articles can be removed from the frame by pulling at least one of the frame members away from the picture against the tension of the rope.

All frames may be manufactured by a process such as continuous extrusion from materials such as plastics or metal.

The present invention will now be described in greater detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a frame whereby the frame members are fastened together permanently; Figures 2a, 2b and 2c are cross-sectional views along the line A-A' of Figure 1 illustrating various embodiments of the invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a frame whereby the frame members are fastened together releasably; Figure 4 is a front elevation view of Figure 3 partly in section along the line B-B' of Figure 3; and Figures 5a and 5b are cross-sectional views along the line C-C' of Figure 4.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 2c of the drawings, a frame according to one embodiment of the invention is indicated generally at 10 and comprises four frame members 12,14,16,18. Each frame member is provided with a longitudinal channel 1 on at least one of its faces. When the frame members 12,14,16,18 are assembled to form a frame 10 the longitudinal channels 1 in at least one of each of the faces of the frame member align to a continuous channel around the frame. The channels 1 on each frame member are straight and parallel to the edges of the frame members.

Each frame member has two mitred ends 24,26. In forming the frame the mitred ends may be fastened together at their junctions by means such as pins or adhesive. The mitring of the ends of each elongate member is not confined to be at an angle of 45 , but may be varied to any suitable angle to form joints between the various frame members.

Each frame member is also provided with a sub-groove 22 on an inner surface. Assembly of the frame members into a frame 10 causes the individual sub-grooves 22 to become aligned to form a continuous groove around the frame's internal perimeter for retaining articles to be framed. The frame shown in Figure 1 holds a picture 5 but may retain various pictures 6 as shown in Figures 2a and 2c. In manufacturing frame members the width of their sub-grooves may be varied to allow for the framing of a plurality of articles having a relatively small thickness e.g. photographs.

Figure 2a illustrates a cross-section through a frame member which has only one channel 1 cut into one of its faces. The shape and configuration of the channel 1 is such that it can engage any suitable suspension means in use, such as a nail head or the lugs of a picture hook.

Figure 2b shows a cross-section through a frame member which has two channels 1,3 one in each of its faces. This enables the picture frame to be turned around and resuspended to show a different one of the pictures 6 held within recess 22.

In Figure 2c the original sub-groove indicated at 22 is divided into a central large sub-groove 70 and two outer relatively narrow sub-grooves 72,74 by intervening partitions. The channel may be cut into either side of the frame members irrespective of the shape of the sub-groove or the articles held within the frame 10.

The lips 2,4 of the channel 1,3 are such not as to overhang in front of the pictures 6 within the frame 10. They be also of sufficient dimension, in particular thickness, such that they retain their structural integrity when the suspension means are engaged within the channels 1,3 and thus in contact with the lips.

The channel 1,3 drawn in Figures 2a to 2c and the shape of the respective lips 2,4 are simplified. Their shape will obviously be varied slightly to allow for ornamentation or for other structural changes to the frame members.

Importantly the channels 1,3 are not partitioned into sections and do not have sub-channels. The shape of the channels 1,3 obviously will allow for engagement with suspension means but shall not make it difficult to remove the suspension means when taking down the frame from its suspended position or changing the frame orientation.

Figures 3 to 5b illustrate the channel structure within each frame member of the present invention being applied to the preferred form of a frame which can releasably frame articles.

In Figure 3, a frame is indicated generally at 100 and comprises four frame members 112,114,116,118 arranged form a frame around which is stretched a tensible loop 120.

Each frame member is provided with a sub-groove 122 on an inner surface which aligns as discussed previously. Each frame member further includes a continuous sub-recess 127 (as illustrated in Figure 5a) along its outer surface such that an assembly of the members into a frame 100, a continuous recess 128 is formed around the perimeter of the frame. A tensible loop 120 is stretched along the elongate members to urge them into contact with one another at their ends. The loop is of elongate cross-section and each sub-recess 127 has an outwardly facing planar surface to support the inner surface of the loop 120. This arrangement causes each of the joints of the frame 100 to be flexible, allowing the frame to be easily flexed at each of its corners.

Each sub-recess 127 of the frame member comprises a wide portion 132 where the loop 120 is located. The loop is confined in the sub-recess 127, by overhanging lip portions 123 which co-operate to form a narrow entrance slot 134 of width less than that of the loop.

Each frame member 112,114,116,118 has longitudinal channel 101 in at least one of its faces. B hen the members are assembled into a frame 100, the channels in each member join to form a continuous channel around the frame as illustrated in Figure A. Preferably each frame member 112,114,116,118 has a longitudinal channel in each of its two faces, illustrated as 101 and 103.

Suspension means can engage with these channels 101,103 to suspend the picture in place. In the absence of these channels, suspension means could only engage with the sub-recess 127 in which the tensible loop 120 is located.

Although this allows for suspension to occur from any frame member, in order to change the orientation of the suspended frame, the frame 100 must be partially disassembled to free the suspension means from the sub-recess. The presence of channels 101,103 overcomes this problem as the suspension means can either be engaged with or removed from the channels 101,103 without any degree of frame disassembly.

Figures 5a and 5b illustrate how these channels may be incorporated into frame members where the shape of the sub-recess 122 is varied to include, for example to include narrow sub-grooves 172,174 by intervening partitions 178,176.

The cross-section of the elongate members according to any aspect of the invention may vary e.g. to allow for ornamentation but it is preferable that it remains constant except for its mitred ends. The elongate members according to this invention can each be formed in a single continuous extrusion step from metal or plastics or by a simple continuous machining process from wood strip. Alternatively, each elongate member may be formed in a single step by the injection of plastics material. or by the casting of a suitable metal (e.g. Al) into a suitably shaped mould.

The frames 10 and 100 comprise four straight frame members.

However, it will be clear to those skilled in the art, that the frame members may be curved or have bends in them., The frame members may also form a frame other than a rectangular one depending upon the angle at which the ends of the frame are mitred. Thus a hexagonal frame may be produced if six suitable mitred members are brought together. It is also possible to produce both oval and circular frames according to the present invention.

Claims (8)

CLAIMS:

1. A frame for the mounting and suspension of an article, the frame comprising a plurality of elongate frame members each having two faces and mitred ends fastened together releasably or permanently end to end, each frame member having a longitudinal channel in at least one of its faces configured for engagement with a suspension means, whereby the frame may be suspended.

2. A frame according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal channels in frame members align to form a continuous channel around the frame.

3. A frame according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each frame member has a channel in both of its faces.

4. A frame according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the longitudinal channel is parallel to the edges of each frame member.

5. A frame according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each frame member has a groove on an inner surface to form a continuous groove around the frame's internal perimeter.

6. A frame according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the frame members are permanently fastened together by pins or adhesive.

7. A frame according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the frame members are releasably fastened by means for maintaining the relationship between the frame members disposed in a continuous recess around the frame formed by the alignment of longitudinal recesses in each frame member, the means consisting of a loop of elastic material the elasticity of which is such that the loop can be stretched around the frame members.

8. A frame according to claim 1, substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.