WO1997001978A1

WO1997001978A1 - An article display device

Info

Publication number: WO1997001978A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/001635
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Lionel Morgan
Original assignee: Grants Of Dalvey, Limited
Priority date: 1995-07-06
Filing date: 1996-07-08
Publication date: 1997-01-23
Also published as: GB2302805A; GB9513786D0

Abstract

An article display device (1), typically a picture frame, comprising a casing (2, 3) and a stabilising leg (5) carried by the casing (2, 3) which is movable between an inoperative position retracted into the casing and an operative position extending from the casing. The casing is preferably formed of two casing parts (2, 3) hinged together for movement between an open display position and a closed position.

Description

An Article Display Device

Technical Field

This invention relates to an article display device of the kind comprising a casing for mounting an article to be displayed and a stabilising leg carried by the casing for movement between an operative position for supporting the casing on a support surface in a standing article displaying position and an inoperative position. In particular, but not exclusively, the article display device comprises a picture frame, preferably having hinged casing parts.

Background Art

In a known article display device of the kind referred to which comprises a picture frame, the casing is generally flat and carries a picture to be viewed and the stabilising leg is hinged to the back of the casing for movement between the operative position, in which it projects from the back of the casing, and the inoperative position in which it is folded flat against the back of the casing.

Disclosure of the Invention

The present invention seeks to provide a novel type of article display device having a casing into which a stabilising leg can be retracted, so as to be substantially out of sight, when the display device is not in an article - displaying position.

According to the present invention there is provided an article display device of the kind referred to, characterised in that the stabilising leg is slidably retracted into the casing in its inoperative position and extends from the casing in its operative position.

Suitably the leg is of a fixed length and is slidably mounted in the casing to move between its operative and inoperative positions. An alternative arrangement however, would be for the leg to be adjustable telescopically between said two positions.

Preferably the stabilising leg is substantially fully retracted into the casing in its inoperative position.

Preferably the device includes retaining means for releasibly retaining the stabilising leg in its inoperative position and in at least one operative position projecting from the casing. The retaining means could comprise a resilient catch engageable with catch engaging means, such as indents, on the stabilising leg in its operative and inoperative positions or a screw-threaded member (e.g. a thumb screw) for clamping the leg in the position required.

Preferably the casing comprises two casing parts or halves hinged together for movement between an article- enclosing closed position and an article-displaying open position. Conveniently the casing parts have a curved periphery, typically being circular in shape. In this latter case, when the casing parts are in the open position, the device will be supported in its article-displaying position on a support surface by substantially point contact of each casing part on the support surface and by contact of the stabilising leg in its operative position on the support surface. It is also possible for a separate stabilising leg to be provided for each casing part, although only a single stabilising leg is required to provide a three-point contact sufficient for supporting the frame in the standing position (which may be vertical or inclined to the vertical). Suitably the device includes a flexible strap for releasibly retaining the two casing parts in the closed position.

Brief Description of the Drawings

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with particular reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are views from the front and rear, respectively,.of one embodiment of an article display device according to the invention in the form of a hinged picture frame shown in an open condition supported on a support surface with a stabilising leg shown in an extended operative position;

Figures 3 and 4 are views from the front and rear, respectively, of the hinged picture frame of Figures 1 and 2 in a closed position and with its stabilizing leg in a retracted, inoperative position;

Figures 5 and 6 are opposite side views of the hinged picture frame in its closed position with its stabilising leg in the retracted, inoperative position;

Figure 7 is an exploded view of the component parts of the hinged picture frame; and

Figures 8 and 9 are schematic sectional views through one of the hinged picture frame halves showing the stabilising leg, respectively, in a retracted inoperative position and in an extended, operative position, and

Figures 10 and 11 are schematic sectional views through one of hinged picture frame halves of an alternative embodiment of an article display device according to the invention showing a stabilising leg, respectively, in a retracted, inoperative position and in an extended, operative position.

Best Modes for Carring Out the Invention

Figures 1 to 9 of the drawings show one embodiment of a travel photographic or picture frame 1 comprising two circular casing parts or halves 2 and 3 hinged together by means of a hinge 4 for movement between an open position (see Figures 1 and 2) and a closed position (see Figures 3 to 6). The frame 1 can be supported in a standing position when the casing halves 2 and 3 are in the open position by a stabilising leg 5 in an extended, operative position (see Figures 1,2 and 9) .

Each casing half 2(3) has a dish-shaped metallic liner 2a (3a) positioned within an outer shell 2b (3b). A foam insert 2c (3c) is arranged inside the liner 2a (3a) on top of which a PVC or glass piece 2d (3d) is positioned. The piece 2d (3d) and foam insert 2c (3c) are retained in position by a metal retainer ring 2e (3e) having angularly spaced apart recesses 2f (3f) in its outer periphery. An inner wall of the metallic liner 2a (3a) has inwardly extending projections 2h (3h) similarly angularly spaced apart as the recesses 2f (3f). The retainer ring 2e (3e) is normally positioned so that the projections 2h (3h) prevent it from being removed. However the ring can be turned to align the recesses 2f (3f) with the projections 2h (3h) to enable the ring 2e (3e) to be removed. When the retainer ring 2e (3e) is removed, the glass piece 2c (3c) can also be removed together with any display item 2j (3j), such as a photograph or other picture, retained beneath the retaining ring 2e (3e) either directly beneath the ring (as shown in Figure 7) or beneath the glass piece 2c (3c). The metallic liners 2a and 3a have hinge parts 2k and 3k, respectively, which are connected by a large pin 6 to provide the hinge 4. The outer shells 2b and 3b are fixed to the metallic liners 2a and 3a, respectively, and are provided with recesses 21 and 31, respectively, in their peripheries which surround the hinge parts 2k and 3k, respectively.

An opening 7 is formed in the shell 3b through which the stabilising leg 5 projects when the latter is in its extended position. An outwardly projecting stud 8 is fitted to a central region of the shell 3b. The shell 2b has a centrally positioned, inwardly extending recess 9 in its outer surface of which a badge 10 is received. On opposite sides of the recess 9, outwardly extending studs 11 and 12 are fitted to the shell 2b.

The stabilising leg 5 is slidably received in a guide 13 fixed to the rear side of the liner 3a for movement between an inner, fully retracted position (see Figure 8) located in the space formed between the liner 3a and the shell 3b and a fully extended position (see Figure 9) in which the leg extends through the opening 7. The leg 5 has two sets of indents, generally designated 14 and 15, along its length, each indent of a set being shaped to receive a catch 16 at the end of a resilient arm 17 of the guide 13. When the catch 16 is received in one of the indents, the leg 5 is releasibly retained in position. Depending which one of the set of indents 15 is engaged by the catch 16 the extended position of the leg 5 can be adjusted. Similarly, by selection of the indents of the indent set 14 engaged by the catch 16, the inner retracted position of the leg 5 can be adjusted. A finger nail engaging recess 18 at the outer end of the leg 5 is provided to facilitate moving the leg 5 when it is in its inner retracted position.

A flexible strap 20, typically made of leather, is provided for retaining the frame 1 in its closed position. The strap 20, shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, has five holes 21-25 spaced apart along its length and three longitudinal cuts 26-28, cut 26 extending from hole 21 towards hole 22, cut 27 joining holes 22 and 23 and cut 28 joining holes 24 and 25. The strap 20 is movably retained on the frame 1 by the stud 8 projecting through the slot formed by the holes 22 and 23 and the connecting cut 27 and by the stud 11 projecting through the slot formed by the holes 24 and 25 and the connecting cut 28. In the open position of the frame (see Figure 2), the studs 8 and 11 are received in the holes 22 and 24, respectively, at one end of the slots partly defined by these holes. In the closed position of the frame 1 (see Figures 3-6), the strap is moved to the left (when viewing Figure 2) so that the studs 8 and 11 are moved along their respective slots in the straps 20 until they are received in the holes 23 and 25, respectively. With the casing halves 2 and 3 hinged together the stud 12 can ^• then be pressed into the slot formed by the hole 21 and connected cut 26 so that the stud

12 is received in the hole 21. The strap 20 thus retains the frame 1 in its closed position.

In an alternative embodiment shown in Figures 10 and 11 (in which parts similar to those in the previously described embodiment have the same reference numerals), a stabilising leg 30 of fixed length is slidably received in the casing half 3 and is secured in any selected position between its fully retracted and fully extended positions by means of a screw threaded member 31. In one simple arrangement, the stud of the previous embodiment can be formed as a thumb screw 32 which frictionally locks the leg 30 in a channel provided in a sleeve 33 concealed in the casing part 3 when the thumb screw 32 is tightened into the sleeve 33 but which releases the leg 30 for sliding movement into or out of the casing part 3, when the thumb screw 32 is loosened in the sleeve. The thumb screw 32 can be captive in the sleeve and could, for example, be turned clock-wise to lock the leg in a chosen position and turned anti clock¬ wise to release the leg for retraction into, or extension from the casing part.

Conveniently the leg 30 is captive in the sleeve 33 (e.g. by providing a projection (not shown) on the proximal end of the leg) and conveniently the distal end of the leg 30 exhibits an enlarged head 34 to provide a finger-nail engaging projection. The screw-threaded member 31, thumb screw 32 and sleeve 33 can be of brass and the leg 30 can be a stainless steel rod of circular cross-section capped with a brass head 34 at its distal end.

Although the invention is primarily concerned with a two part frame in which the frame parts are hinged together for movement between open and closed positions, the invention is also intended to cover other constructions provided with one or more movable stabilising legs, including a frame having a single frame part. The invention device is also intended to cover display devices other than picture or photograph frames. For example , the invention is intended to embrace a travel clock having hinged casing parts and a stabilising leg or legs.

Claims

1. An article display device (1) comprising a casing (2,3) for mounting an article to be displayed and a stabilising leg (5) carried by the casing (2,3) for movement between an operative position for supporting the casing on a support surface in a standing article-displaying position and an inoperative position, characterised in that the stabilising leg (5) is slidably retracted into the casing (2,3) in its inoperative position and extends from the casing in its operative position.

2. An article display device according to claim 1, characterised in that the leg (5) is of a fixed length and is slidably mounted in the casing to move between its operative and inoperative positions.

3. An article display device according to claim 1, characterised in that the leg (5) is adjustable telescopically between its operative and inoperative positions.

4. An article display device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the stabilising leg (5) is substantially fully retracted into the casing (2,3) in its inoperative position.

5. An article display device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the device includes retaining means (13;31-33) for releasibly retaining the stabilising leg (5) in its inoperative position and in at least one operative position projecting from the casing (2,3).

6. An article display device according to claim 5, characterised in that the retaining means comprises a resilient catch (13) engageable with catch engaging means (14,15) on the stabilising leg in its operative and inoperative positions.

7. An article display device according to claim 6, characterised in that said catch engaging means (14,15) comprise indents.

8. An article display device according to claim 5, characterised in that the retaining means (31-33) is screw¬ threaded and acts to clamp the leg (5) in a set position in the casing.

9. An article display device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the casing comprises two casing parts (2,3) hinged together for movement between an article-enclosing closed position and an article-displaying open position.

10. An article display device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the casing parts (2,3) have a curved, e.g. circular, periphery.

11. An article display device according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that a separate stabilising leg is provided for each casing part.

12. An article display device according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that said stabilising leg (5) is carried by one only of said two casing parts (2,3).

13. An article display device according to any of claims 9 to 12, including a flexible strap (20) for releasibly retaining the two casing parts (2,3) in the closed position.