Patent Application
20170273478
The invention generally relates to frames for pictures, artwork, photographs and the like, and more particularly relates to systems and methods for frame structure, construction, mounting, and display.
Frames provide a decorative edging to a picture, such as artwork, photographs, prints, and other display items. Picture and artwork frames may include a profiled or moulded edge, which may provide a traditional, contemporary, modern, or other stylized edge to a displayed picture or other item. The frames may be formed of wood, metal, plastic or other materials. Outward shapes of the frames may vary, for example, rectangular, oval or other shape is possible.
Conventional picture frames include a frame which has a rabbet groove formed on the inside edge at the rear into which the picture, as well as any overlaid glass or plastic plate, passe-partout (i.e., mat(s)), stretcher and/or back panel or other backing, can be inserted and held in place by retainers connected to the rear of the frame. The rabbet groove must accommodate the picture, as well as other items, whether the picture is a single flat panel, a stretcher and canvas, or other form. In use for display, the rabbet of the frame forms a lip extending over the picture, and groove walls that surround the picture.
Mounting of pictures, such as artworks, photographs, and the like, in a frame has conventionally required a number of steps. Those steps include forming the frame with the rabbet groove sufficient to accommodate the picture, any stretcher or other media substrate, passe-partout, glass, backing panel, and similar items, inserting the picture and any other items into the backside of the frame, positioning the picture and items in the rabbet groove to outwardly appear desirably centered, and fastening retainers to the rear of the assembly and frame. Streamline of these assembly steps would be desirable, particularly for mass-produced framed pictures.
One particularly popular type of frame, providing a particularly stylish way to display canvas art mounted on a stretcher assembly, is known as a “floater” frame. The floater frame creates the illusion that the picture is floating within the frame. A conventional floater frame is an L-shaped (in cross section) frame in which artwork mounted on a stretcher is centered in the L-shape to give the artwork a floating appearance within the frame. Although the conventional floater frame is desirable for display of pictures, additional steps required for mounting include forming the stretcher, placing the canvas or other media on the stretcher, and forming the L-shape of the frame of sufficient depth to accommodate the stretcher and media in a desirable float arrangement. These additional steps, coupled with complexities of forming the L-shape frame of proper proportions to accommodate variably sized stretcher and media substrates and centering of the stretcher or other media in the frame for floating appearance, have made mass-production impractical.
It would, therefore, be a significant improvement in the art and technology to provide frame systems and methods for front and suspended mounting of pictures, artwork and other items of various types and proportions of media substrates.
An embodiment of the invention is a system for framing an artwork substrate. The system includes a shoulder, a rib, and a spacer connected to the shoulder and the rib.
Another embodiment of the invention is a method of framing an artwork substrate. The method includes extruding a length of frame comprised of a shoulder, a rib, and a spacer connected to the shoulder and the rib, cutting the length of frame to segments for forming a frame enclosure, connecting the segments to form the enclosure, positing an adhesive on an upper surface of the rib, and placing the artwork substrate on the rib selectively positioned within the shoulder of the frame enclosure.
Yet another embodiment of the invention is a system for framing an artwork substrate. The system includes an enclosure formed of a frame having a profile comprising a shoulder, a rib, and a spacer connected to the shoulder and the rib. The artwork substrate is attachable to the rib, with the shoulder surrounding the artwork substrate.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which:
The following description refers to certain specific embodiments; however, the specific embodiments are merely illustrative and variations and changes may be made in the embodiments without diverting from the broad scope encompassed by the disclosure.
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The upstanding shoulder 106 is connected at a bottom edge of the shoulder 106 (rearward edge in the view of
The frame 102 of the system 100 may be unitary segments of U-shaped profile 104 for forming sides of the frame 102, such as by joining the unitary segments in an enclosed shape of sides. For example, four sides may be joined by mitered ends to form a rectangle, three sides may be joined by mitered ends to form a triangle, or other shape is possible with extensions of the unitary segments. Alternately, each segment may be formed of more than one piece and built to form the U-shaped profile 104. For example, two or more pieces, such as separate shoulder 106, spacer 108 and/or rib 110 or otherwise, may be separately joined in configuration to form the U-shaped profile 104.
In certain embodiments, the U-shaped profile 104 (or separate pieces of build-up of the U-shaped profile 104) of the frame 102 may be an extruded length. The extruded length may be cut to form sides, as applicable, or bent or otherwise formed as edge. In certain other embodiments, the U-shaped profile 104 (or separate pieces of build-up of the U-shaped profile 104) may be molded in desired frame shape or as side portions of frame shape. The molded shape may itself form the frame in a desired edge shape for accommodating a picture.
In operation, the frame shape, or if segmented, joined segments forming the frame shape, provide edging for framing a picture. The picture may include a backing panel, a stretcher with canvas, rigid painted or printable substrate, or other media substrate. The media substrate is placed with edges near the shoulders 106 sufficient that the media substrate sits mounted on the rib 110 formed by the frame 102. The rib 110 may include an adhesive, double sided tape, or other adherent for maintaining the media substrate in place atop the rib 110. Depending on desired display of the picture, the media substrate in place atop the rib 110 may include a gap or distance between the edges and the shoulders 106. Additionally, height size of the rib 110 in relation to height size of the shoulder 106 may be varied to yield a desired display of the picture, as well as to accommodate particulars of substrate. Sizing of the frame 102 is possible for a variety of shapes and types of media substrate, as well as for desired display effects.
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The frame 102 includes the shoulder 106 connected to the rib 110 by the spacer 108 (not shown in detail) separating the shoulder 106 and the rib 110 by the distance 108a. The distance 108a may be selected for the particular frame 102 based on configuration of the frame 102 and the desired appearance of the artwork in the frame 102 and any effects, such as, for example, box frame in which the artwork substrate 302 appears to extend by edges thereof to the shoulder 106 of the frame 102, floater frame in which the artwork substrate 302 appears offset by edges from the shoulder 106 of the frame 102, or other. The distance 110a may similarly be selected for the particular frame 102 based on configuration of the frame 102 and desired appearance of the artwork in the frame 102, such as, for example, the shoulder 106 may outwardly extend beyond the artwork substrate 302 when placed on the rib 110, the shoulder 106 may extend flush with the surface of the artwork substrate 302 when placed on the rib 110, or otherwise as desired.
Referring to
The lengths from moulding 402 are cut 404, for example, at angles, in segments of length to form a desired frame. For example, three, four, five or other number of segments may be cut 404 in order to obtain desired segment lengths and angles for forming a completed frame of desired shape. The segments are joined 406, for example, via the angles, to form the frame. Joining 406 of segments may be, for example, by glue, V-nails, staples, or other mechanism, to securely fix the segments in relation to other segments of the frame.
An artwork substrate, such as a rigid media panel, board, stretcher and canvas, or other, is adhered 408 to the rib of the formed frame. Glue, double sided tape, or other adherent is situated on the rib. The artwork substrate is positioned within the frame on the rib. The adherent connects the artwork substrate in desired relation to the frame, for example, with shoulder of the frame abutting edges of the substrate, with the shoulder of the frame offset (e.g., a gap) from the edges of the substrate, or as otherwise desired.
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In certain non-exclusive alternatives, the systems and methods are incorporated, in whole or part, as a service or product. In other non-exclusive alternatives, the systems and methods are incorporated, in whole or part, in or with a turn-key product or service, or a sale, rental, or other application or scheme. Although particular units, modules, or other elements are illustrated as unitary (or not) in the embodiments, it is contemplated that certain of those units, modules or other elements may be included in whole or part as features that interact with or incorporate other units, modules or elements (including, for example, third party parts or elements) or that are combined in whole or part with other units, modules or elements.
In the foregoing, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, however, that various modifications, substitutions, deletions, and additions can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications substitutions, deletions, and additions are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. Any benefits, advantages, or solutions to problems that may have been described above with regard to specific embodiments, as well as device(s), connection(s), step(s) and element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced, are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or element.
