US2562590A

US2562590A - Collapsible display holder

Info

Publication number: US2562590A
Application number: US16762A
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael J Viglietta
Original assignee: ROYAL MOUNTERS Inc
Current assignee: ROYAL MOUNTERS Inc
Priority date: 1948-03-24
Filing date: 1948-03-24
Publication date: 1951-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 1968-07-31

Description

July 31, 1951 M. J. vlGLlETTA 2,562,590

"` COLLAPSIBLE DISPLAY HOLDER Filed March 24, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

Patented July 31, 17951 UNITED STAT T GFFICE ooLLAPsIBLE DISPLAY HOLDER Michael J. Viglitta, Elmhurst, N. Y., assignor to Royal Mounters, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationMarch 24, 1948, Serial No. 16,762

Claims.

The present invention relates generally to a display device of the picture frame type embodying a normally raised and collapsible frame.

The invention is directed more particularly to an improved frame adapted to form a raised border or margin when in the display position and to flatten out to substantially a single plane when the device is collapsed for shipping or storing purposes.

It has been found that display devices with three dimensional appearance attract the attention of a greater number of persons than a merely lat type of display device. The appearance of a photograph, a picture and the like placed in the center portion of such a device is considerably enhanced.

The present invention aims to provide a new and improved picture frame type of display device. that has an improved appearance and is sturdier when the frame is in a collapsed or. display position.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved collapsible frame type display device.

Another object is to provide an improved border on a picture frame display device of the collapsible type that lattens substantially into the plane of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved border construction for a picture frame display device adapted to be easily and quickly assembled or collapsed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frame with a border of improved appearance that is readily moved from a flat to a display position.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, orA will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to` herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the-accompanying drawings, forming a part of the speciiication, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view showing the present display device in assembled or display position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a corner of the device in collapsed position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4a through 4d are fragmentary sectional views: showing various formations of frameportions; Y

Fig. 5 is a front view of a corner of adisplay device having a border shown in Fig. 4c; and

Fig. 6' is a front View of the display device (shown in Fig.` 5) in collapsed position illustrating another locking means for holding the frame in display position.

Referring in detail to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings there is shown a display device of the picture frame type comprising a center panel or displayy portion I and a frame 2 around the panel I. The frame 2 is ofthe collapsible type adapted to give a three dimensionall appearance to the display device when in a raised or display position and to flatten into substantially a single plane for storing or shipping. If desired usual support members such as the legs or hanging vtab may be attached to the rear of the device to hold it in display position.

The panel I is shown of a rectangular shape and the frame 2 is preferably comprised of

frame portions

3, 4, 5, 6 along the edges of the center portion I. Each of the frame portions 3, il, 5, t comprises a back section l, 8, 9,. Ill and a margin or, border II, i2, I3, I4 respectively. The center panel I and the. back sections l, 8, 9, l0 are preferably formed from a single sheet of sufficiently sturdy cardboard, paperboard, or other suitable material with score or creases lines I5, I6, il, i8 on the sheet to facilitate the back sectionsV 3, 5, 6 flexing forwardly.

.The borders or margins II, I2, I 3, I d may be partvor continuation ofthe same sheet of cardboard or material from which the back sections andcenter panel I are formed, or may be of a thinner and suitably decorated or imprinted ilexible cardboard or other similar material atttached to a respective back section and the center panel.V The borders are adapted to lie substantially Vilat against the back section when the display device is in the collapsed position and to move or flex outwardly when the back sections are moved forwardly into the display position.

The border may have various shapes depending upon the thickness and lexibilities of the cardboard or material used to make the border, the. manner of attachment to the back section or center panel, or the creasing or scoring of the cardboard or material. Some of the possible shapes are illustrated in Fig. 3 and Figs. la-4d. A preferred form is the gently curved or rounded form shown in Figs. 1-3. As shown, each border or margin of a frame portion is made of a single sheet. of flexible material and attached along an outer portion of a respective back sectionv and. along a portion. of the display' panel I spaced.

from the crease between the back section and the center panel.

The border is attached to the rear area along an outer or marginal edge of a back section, extending around and over the edge of the back section, and is attached to the display portion so that its inner edge is at a location spaced slightly inwardly from the respective frame back section. For a neat appearance the border may be attached to the display portion I by folding under and outwardly a narrow strip of the frame portion and securing it by adhesive, stapling or other suitable means, to the display portion I. This is best illustrated by the cross sectional view of the frame portion 5 in Fig. 3 where the attachment of the border I3 to the back section 9 and the display panel I is shown in detail.

Attaching of the border I3 to the back frame section 9 may be by cementing, stapling, or securing by other suitable means the longitudinal strip 22 of the border I3 along its unexposed or unornamented surface to the rear surface of the outer portion '23 of the back section 9. The border extends around and under the end or outer edge 24 of the back section `9. To effectively attach the border I3 at a distance from the score line I1, the longitudinal strip 25 is folded under or back on the border I3 to give a hinge like effect 26 and fastened by suitable means to an outwardly disposed area 21 of the display portion I. The longitudinal strip 25 is shown parallel to the score line I'I but it could be at a suitable angle, depending upon the particular shape desired in an erected device. On moving a frame back section 9 forwardly along a score line I'I the distance between the outer edge 24 of the back section and fold 26 of the border tends to shorten, forcing the border I3 to flex or curve. The other frame sections are similar and the foregoing description applies to their construction, arrangement and operation.

At the corners of the device the adjacent borders overlap when in display position, the end of one border labutting against the surface of an adjacent border to provide a continuous frame surface. This is preferably accomplished by having the end of one border extend past the fold of the other, as shown in Fig. 2, wherein the lower border I4 extends to the score line I'I of the adjacent back section 9 and the side border I3 extends up to the fold 2B of the lower border I4. On the bending of the back sections along the respective score lines the borders flex into a curved shape and the end 29 of the shortened border I3 extends over the surface of the adjacent border I4. This end 29 is preferably cut or formed to t the contours of the surface of the adjacent border when in display position so that it will substantially abut along the entire width of the surface. The end 30 of the adjacent or overlapped border extends past the end 29 when in display position and is cut to permit the tab I9 to be inserted in the slot 20 formed in the back section I0. As illustrated in Fig. 2 this end is also cut in a curve.

The frame portions are held in display position by retaining or locking means at the ends of the back sections. Complementary elements on adjacent ends at the corner of the device interlock where the frame portions are raised to the display or assembled position securely holding the frames.

Since the construction of the retaining means at each of the corners of the display device is similar a description of one will suffice for all.

The locking means, shown in Fig. 2', comprises a tab I9 on the edge of back section 9 and a slot 20 through the adjacent back section I0. The tab I9 is a continuation of and in the same plane as the cardboard sheet comprising the back section and is xedly secured thereto. On assembling the device into display position the frame portions f2 'are bent at an angle to the display portions I and the tab I 9 fitted into the slot 20 to retain the frame in the display position. The lower edge 2I abuts evenly against the surface of the adjacent back section I0. With each of the corners interlocked in the above manner the back sections will be retained in an angular position to the display panel.

No particular type of locking means is necessary to hold the frame in display as long as it securely holds the back sections together. Another type that may be. used is the tongue and sleeve arrangement shown in Fig. 6.

Although the rounded or curved form of the border has been described other types or shapes of borders may be used, some of which are illustrated in Fig. 4. In Fig. 4a the back section may be folded back along the score line 33 to form a border 34 and attached to the panel by a strip similar to 25 formed by folding along the score line 35. In Fig. 4b the strip 34a is not folded back Iand is attached to the panel at a distance from the crease 35a between the back section and the panel. In Fig. 4c a thin iiexible cardboard is used with the strip 36 attached at a distance from the crease line 3l. In Fig. 4d the back section is folded along the score line 33h to form a border 34h and is attached in the same manner as the embodiment in Fig. 4a. The border has an intermediate score line 38 along which the border 34D exes or bends to form a square shape when in display position. These embodiments are only illustrative of the numerous shapes and forms the borders may have in utilizing the principles of this invention.

In each embodiment the abutting end or ends of the borders or margins should have the same contour or curve as the surface against which it abuts.

The invention is not limited to a device of a quadrilateral shape but may be used on a display device having an odd or even number of sides such as a triangular shape or hexagonal shape.

It will be seen that the present invention provides a relatively simple collapsible picture frame type of display device embodying a new and improved frame that may be readily and easily erected to display position or collapsed to the storing position. The device is of sturdy construction and its simplicity of parts and general arrangement results in a device which may be inexpensively manufactured and readily and easily erected or collapsed without requiring the use of relatively complicated flaps, tags or the like. It will further be seen that the device may have large wide frames that are sturdy and strong both in the display position or storing position and also present a neat and pleasing appearance when in the display position. When in the storing or shipping position the ornamented margins are'less likely to become creased or other' wise damaged to render the device objectionable for use. Y

As various changes may be made in the form', construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A display device of the class described com prising a central panel with collapsible border portions, each of said border portions including a back portion hingedly connecting with said central panel, a front portion foldably connecting with said central panel and with said back portion having each fold thereof spaced from said hinge connection, the width of said front portion intermediate its foldable connections being substantially equal to the combined distances from one fold to said hinge connection and from the latter to said other fold, whereby said back portion and front portion lie substantially along each other when the border portions are in collapsed condition and said front portion bulges outwardly when the border portions are in erected display condition.

2. A display device of the class described comprising a central panel with collapsible border portions, each of said border portions including a back portion hingedly connecting with said central panel, a front portion foldably connecting with said central panel and with said back portion having one fold thereof spaced inwardly from said hinge connection and the other spaced outwardly from said hinge connection, the width of said front portion intermediate its foldable connections being substantially7 equal to the combined distances from the inwardly spaced fold to said hinge connection and from the latter to said outwardly spaced fold, whereby said back portion and front portion lie substantially parallel with each other when the border portions are in collapsed condition and said front portion is spaced from the back portion when the border portions are in erected display condition, and complementary means carried by adjacent border portions for co-operating to retain them in an erected display condition.

3. A display device of the class described comprising a panel surrounded by a plurality of collapsible border portions, each of said border portions including a back portion hingedly connecting with said panel, a front portion foldably connecting with said panel and with said back portion having each fold thereof spaced from said hinge connection, the width of said front portion intermediate its folds being substantially equal to the sum of the distances from one fold to said hinge connection and from the latter to said other fold, whereby said back portion and front portion and panel lie substantially in a single plane when the border portions are in collapsed condition and said front portion is spaced away from the back portion and above said panel when the border portions are in erected display condition.

4. A display device of the class described comprising a panel with a plurality of collapsible border portions, each of said border portions including a back portion integral with and hingedly connecting with said panel, a front portion of thinner material than said panel and back portion foldably secured to said panel and to said back portion and having each fold thereof spaced from said hinge connection, the width of said front portion intermediate its folds being substantially equal to the sum of the distances from one fold to said hinge connection and from the latter to said other fold, whereby said back portion and front portion and panel lie substantially in a single plane when the border portions are in collapsed condition and said front portion is spaced away from the back portion and above said panel when the border portions are in erected display condition.

5. A display device of the class described comprising a central panel with collapsible border portions, each of said border portions including a back portion integral with and hingedly connecting with said central panel, a front portion integral with said back. portion and foldably connecting with said central panel and with said back portion having each fold thereof spaced from said hinge connection, the width of said front portion intermediate its foldable connections being substantially equal to the combined distances from one fold to said hinge connection and from the latter to said other fold, whereby said back portion and front portion lie substantially along each other when the border portions are in collapsed condition and said front portion bulges outwardly vwhen the border portions are in erected display condition.

MICHAEL J. VIGLIETTA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 796,310 Fisher Aug. 1, 1905 1,223,409 McMillan Apr. 24, 191'7 1,450,190 Sonn Apr. 3, 1923 1,528,361 Bashwiner Mar. 3, 1925 2,352,436 Horr June 27, 1944 2,395,369 Burr ,Feb. 19, 1946 2,407,431 Madsen Sept. 10, 1946 2,408,532 Roach Oct. 1, 1946 2,427,420 Rhodes Sept. 16, 1947