WO2003011083A1

WO2003011083A1 - A frame

Info

Publication number: WO2003011083A1
Application number: PCT/SE2002/001069
Authority: WO
Inventors: Per SETÄLÄ; Jörgen KARLSSON
Original assignee: Setaelae Per; Karlsson Joergen
Priority date: 2001-08-02
Filing date: 2002-06-04
Publication date: 2003-02-13
Also published as: SE518846C2; SE0102651L; SE0102651D0

Abstract

A frame is constructed from profiled elements having a profile (1) that includes a first leg (12) which forms a front side of the frame, wherein th einner edge part (14) of the profile forms a bearing surface for the edge of the object (4) to be framed, wherein clamping elements (3, 5, 82) are provided for clamping the object (4) in the frame. The profile includes a leg arrangement (13), which is generally perpendicular to the front leg (12). There are provided a number of blocks (3) which each has a slot (33) that is complementary to the leg arrangement (13). A fastener (70) is provided for joining respective blocks (3) to the leg arrangement (13) at a chosen position along said arrangement. A support plate (5) can be connected to the block (3) so as to have an edge part (55) that collars-in over the bearing edge (14) of the edge leg (12) at a distance therefrom. Each clamping element includes a spring means (82) that acts between the collaring edge portion (54) of the plate (5) and the bearing edge (23) of the front leg.

Description

A FRAME

The present invention relates to a frame for framing an object that has an extensive surface area, such as a mirror or a picture, optionally together with a protective glass sheet.

Known in practice are frames which include a plurality of frame members whose mutually adjacent ends are joined together with the aid of corner joints to form the frame, wherein said frame members comprise lengths of profiled elements that have a cross-sectional profile which includes a leg that forms a front side of the frame, wherein the inner edge portion of said leg forms a stop abutment for the edge of the object to be framed, and wherein fastener elements are provided for securing the object to the first profiled leg. The profiled elements are cut into lengths that correspond to the respective lengths of the edges of said object, whereafter the frame members are placed in position and joined together and the sheet of glass and the back piece are placed against the abutment stop surfaces of the frame and fastened thereto.

For reasons of stability, it is preferred to produce the profiled members from a metal or metal alloy, although there is then the risk of the edges of a mirror or a glass sheet being damaged as it is placed in the frame, if the glass sheet is positioned in the close proximity of abutment surfaces that guide the position of said sheet in the plane.

Accordingly, one object ofthe present invention is to provide a frame, which in addition to being readily manufactured in desired sizes enables the object concerned to be framed both safely and with the minimum of damage risk.

This object is achieved with a frame constructed in accordance with the invention.

The inventive frame is defined in the accompanying Claim 1.

Further embodiments of the inventive frame will be apparent from the accompanying dependent Claims.

The invention is based on the concept of constructing the frame side members from profiled elements that include a first leg which forms a front side of the frame, wherein the profile also includes a leg arrangement which extends generally perpendicular to the front leg and which extends in the longitudinal direction of the profile. Blocks which include a slot that fits onto the leg arrangement can be mounted on said arrangement and displaced therealong into a chosen position. A fastener, in particular a screw, is screwed through the block into engagement with the leg arrangement, therewith anchoring the block to the profiled element. The block carries a support plate which collars or bridges over the bearing edge of the profile. The support plate is mounted on the block subsequent lo the object having been placed inwardly of the blocks on the bearing edge of the frame. Spring devices can then be fitted between the bearing plate and the object. The support plates may include a through-penetrating hole in their collar-like part, to receive a corresponding anchoring element on the associated spring device. A block with a support plate, which is anchored to the frame by means of a fastener device then enables convenient fastening of a frame suspension line, in the absence of such a spring device.

The slot in the block may be undercut and the leg arrangement may include a pair of separate legs which together have an outer profile corresponding to the profile of the slot. The block legs defined by the slot provided in said block may be elastically flexible so that said block legs will snap firmly onto the leg arrangement when pressed down against said arrangement. Alternatively, or additionally, the legs of the leg arrangement may be elastically flexible so as to bend towards each other when a block is snapped thereonto.

The corner joining element of the frame may consist of two blocks whose ends are cut at an angle of 45° to the longitudinal axis of the slot and which connect to form corner joining angles that include holes which receive fasteners screwed between the legs of the leg arrangement so as to fasten the corner element thereto.

The invention will now be described with reference to an exemplifying embodiment.

In addition to achieving the aforesaid object, the invention also provides other advantages that will be apparent to the person skilled in this art and that will also be evident from the following description, the drawings and the accompanying Claims.

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a corner portion of an inventive frame structure. Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional view taken on the line II-II in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view taken on the line III-III in Fig. 2.

Straight profiled frame elements are mitred and joined together by means of respective joining elements 2 to form a respective corner of a rectangular frame. The profiled elements have a profile 1 that is illustrated in Fig. 2 and includes a leg 12, which forms the front side of the frame. In addition, the profile includes a leg 11, which extends generally perpendicular to the leg 12 and which in the illustrated case consists of a U-profiled element 11 formed integrally with the front leg 12 and forming a rigid rectangular hollow profile. A leg arrangement 13 extends generally perpendicular to the front leg 12, away from the front side of the frame. A block 3, suitably made of a soft plastic material, includes a longitudinally extending slot 33 whose cross-sectional shape is complementary to the shape ofthe leg arrangement 13 and receives said arrangement. The leg arrangement 13 includes two generally parallel separate legs 14, of which at least one includes a bead 15 that engages in a corresponding undercut or recess 34 in the slotted wall ofthe block 3.

In the Fig. 2 illustration, both legs 14 include a bead at their free ends. In the case of a more preferred embodiment, a bead 15 is provided solely adjacent the block leg 31, preferably in the proximity of its free end portion.

The block 3 is formed so as to lie closely adjacent without clearance in respect of the profiled leg 11, when fitted.

A plate 5, which is parallel with the front leg 12, rests on the side of the block distal from the leg 12. The plate 5 has a countersunk bore 51, which is aligned with a bore 35 in the block 3. A screw 70 has a threaded stem 72, which extends through the bore 35 and engages between the legs 14, causing the legs to bend outwardly from each other and to be brought into engagement with the slotted walls of the block 3, wherewith the screw head 71 is received in the countersink 51 and secures the plate 5 firmly to the block 3.

The front leg 12 has inwardly of the block 3 a bearing edge, which receives a glass sheet 41, a motif 42 and a back piece 43, which together form a rectangular surface-extended object to be framed. The plate 5 has a free edge-portion 54, which collars out in a cantilever fashion beyond the side surface 37 of the block 3, said edge portion 54 forming together with the bearing edge 23 a bearing groove for supporting the object 4. The so-called collaring, or overbridging portion 54 has a through-penetrating opening 55 which is shown to receive a guide pin 81 centrally mounted on a bell-shaped leaf spring 82 whose legs 83 tension the edge portion ofthe object 4 against the bearing edge 23.

In the absence of the spring 82, the bore 55 is exposed, therewith enabling one end of a frame suspension line (not shown) to be attached in the bore 55.

The legs 31, 32 ofthe block 3 may be elastically flexible. Alternatively, or additionally, the legs 14 may be elastically flexible so as to enable the block 3 to be snapped firmly onto the leg arrangement 13 and moved along said arrangement to a desired position, in which the block, and possibly the plate 5, is/are secured with the aid of screw 70.

The comer joining elements 2 may, in principle, consist of two mitred blocks (3) which are joined together to form the illustrated angled structure. The comer joining element 2 may thus be snapped firmly in position and then fixated at the leg arrangements 13 with the aid of fixating screws which extend through associated holes 35 and engage between the legs 14 ofthe leg arrangement.

After joining the side members 10 of the frame together with the aid of the comer joining elements 2, so that said elements 2 and the snapped-on blocks 3 define a rectangular opening whose size corresponds to the size of the object 4, the object 4 is placed down on the bearing surface 23 of the front leg 12, wherewith the block 3 forms an impact dampening means with respect to movement of the object 4 in its plane. A plate 5 is then mounted on the blocks 3 and the screws 70 are fitted to fixate the plate 5 to the block 3 and to join the block 3 to the leg arrangement 13. A frame suspension line can be attached at two opposing plates 5, by threading the line through said holes 55 and, e.g., knotting the line to form an anchoring loop at respective ends. At remaining blocks, a spring 82 is snapped-in between the collaring portion 54 ofthe plate and the edge ofthe object.

The work involved in framing an object can be quickly carried out in a simple and safe manner, in respect of frames of different sizes. The frames can be delivered in the form of constmction kits consisting of frame side members that have been cut to predetermined lengths, for instance to different lengths applicable to standard frame formats. It will be understood that the frame side members can be delivered in the form of profiled members that can be cut to appropriate lengths for a desired frame size.

Claims

1. A frame for framing a surface extended object (4), such as a mirror or a motif covered with a sheet of glass, and a back piece, wherein the frame includes a plurality of frame members (10) which are joined together at their mutually adjacent ends with comer joints to form said frame, wherein the frame members are formed by lengths of a profiled element that has a profile (1) which includes a first leg (12) that forms a front side of the frame, and a leg arrangement (13) which extends generally perpendicular to the first leg (12) and that includes two generally parallel, separated legs (14), wherein the inner edge portion (23) of the first leg forms a bearing surface for the edge of the object (4), wherein clamping elements (3, 5, 82) are provided for clamping the object (4) in the frame; in that a plurality of blocks (3) are provided, each having a slot (33), wherein a fastener (70) is provided for connecting a respective block (3) to said leg arrangement (13) in a chosen position along said arrangement, wherein a support plate (5) is connectable to said block (3) in a manner to have an edge portion (55) which collars-in over the bearing surface (23) at a distance therefrom, wherein each clamping element includes a spring means (82) which acts between the collaring edge portion (54) of the plate (5) and the bearing edge (23) of the fixed leg, characterised in that the slot (33) is complementary to the leg arrangement (13); in that the leg arrangement is received in the slot (33) of respective blocks; in that a fastener extends through the opening (51, 35) in the plate (5) and a respective block (3) and also in between the legs (14) of the leg arrangement (13) and into engagement with said legs (14) so as to cause the legs of the leg arrangement to bend elastically outwards into engagement with the legs (31, 32) defined by the slot (33) in said block and therewith to axially clamp together the plate (5), the block (3) and the leg arrangement (13).

2. A frame according to Claim 1, characterised in that the support plate has an opening (54) through its collaring portion (54); and in that the spring (82) has an assembly pin (81) that is received in the opening (55).

3. A frame according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the support plate has in its collaring portion an opening (55) in which a frame suspension line can be attached.

4. A frame according to any one of Claims 1-3, characterised in that at least one ofthe mutually opposite sides of the legs (14) has a projection (15) which engages in a corresponding recess or aperture in the slotted wall of said block; and in that the block leg (31) and/or the leg (14) carrying the projection (15) is elastically bendable to enable the block (3) to be snapped elastically onto the leg arrangement in a direction transversely to the longitudinal direction of said leg arrangement.

5. A frame according to any one of Claims 1-4, characterised in that the block (3) is comprised of a plastic material, which functions as an impact dampening means in respect ofthe object (4).

6. A frame according to any one of Claims 1-5, characterised in that each ofthe comer joins (2) comprises two mutually joined blocks that have been mitred at right angles and that include longitudinal slots whose profiles correspond to the outer cross-sectional profile of the leg arrangement (13).