Claims
- 1. A frame for a non-rigid paster and the like, comprising:
- an edge support for an edge of said poster, said edge support extending substanially the length of the poster edge and including a back plate extending the length thereof and a substanially C-shaped member interconnected therewith and extending from the plane defined by said back plate having a first leg and a second leg, said second leg extending toward said back plate to define a gap between the terminus of said second leg and said back plate for the purpose of receiving the respective edge of said poster; and
- at least one fastening element associated with said edge support for fastening said poster edge thereto, said at least one fastening element having first and second legs and being substanially C-shaped to overlay the C-shaped member of said edge support and engage therewith with a snap fit, the second leg of said fastening element extending beyond the terminus of the second leg of said C-shaped member and toward said back plate to press the poster edge against said back plate to thereby fasten the same.
- 2. The frame as defined in claim 1, wherein the engagement of said fastening element to said C-shaped member of said edge support includes inwardly directed engagement cams at the ends of said first and second legs of said C-shaped fastening element, the engagement cam of said first leg being adapted to engage by means of a snap fit the terminus of the first leg of said C-shaped member, and the engagement cam of said second leg of said fastening element being adapted to engage by means of a snap fit the terminus of said second leg of said C-shaped member.
- 3. The frame as defined in claim 1, wherein at least two edge supports are provided, one for the top edge of said poster and one for the bottom edge.
- 4. The frame as defined in claim 1, wherein the first leg of the C-shaped member of said edge support is connected to the outer edge terminus of said back plate.
- 5. The frame as defined in claim 1, wherein a flange is provided on said C-shaped member of said edge support substantially parallel to the first and second legs thereof and connected to the outer edge terminus of said back plate.
- 6. The frame as defined in claim 2, wherein a fastening element is provided at each end of said edge support.
- 7. The frame as defined in claim 6, wherein the outer end of each fastening element is provided with a wall closing the end thereof.
- 8. The frame as defined in claim 1, which further comprises an edge support for each side edge of said poster.
- 9. The frame as defined in claim 8, wherein the fastening elements comprise elbow-shaped cornerfastening elements which engage with the ends of adjacent edge supports and fasten the corners of said poster to adjacent edge supports.
- 10. The frame as defined in claim 9, wherein an elbow-shaped corner fastening element is provided at each corner of said poster to engage with adjacent ends of adjacent edge supports.
- 11. The frame as defined in claim 7, wherein a cut-out is provided in the engagement cam of the leg of said fastening element which engages the corner between said back plate and said first leg of the C-shaped member of said edge support, said cut-out being adjacent to said end wall, and said frame further including a picture hanging wire in the form of a continuous loop passing through the cavity defined by the C-shaped edge support and exiting at the ends thereof at the cut-outs in said fastening element.
- 12. The frame as defined in claim 1, wherein the engagement of said fastening element to the edge support includes a longitudinal socket and a longitudinal rib fitted therein associated with each of said first and second legs of said fastening element and said C-shaped member of said edge support.
- 13. The frame as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second legs of said C-shaped member of said edge support include a longitudinally extending concave depression and said first and second legs of said fastening element include complementary curvatures which engage therewith to provide a resilient engagement between said fastening element and said edge support.
- 14. The frame as defined in claim 1, wherein said edge supports are formed of plastic extrusions and said fastening elements are formed of injection molded plastic.
- 15. The frame as defined in claim 1, which further includes a wall fastening device having an elongated member securable to a wall and an elongated leg extending therefrom releasably engageable with said edge support supporting the edge of said poster.
- 16. The frame as defined in claim 15, wherein an elongated socket is provided in said edge support for receiving said elongated leg of said wall fastening device.
- 17. The frame as defined in claim 16, wherein the aperture of said elongated socket is formed with a narrowed resilient gap defined between the terminus of the first leg of the C-shaped member of said edge support and the outer edge terminus of said back plate.
- 18. The frame as defined in claim 17, wherein the end of the leg of said wall fastening device is expanded so that upon insertion into the elongated socket of said edge support it is gripped by the narrowed resilient gap of the aperture thereof.
- 19. The frame as defined in claim 1, wherein the inside diameter of said C-shaped fastening element is slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the C-shaped member of said edge support.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part application of my earlier filed application Ser. No. 712,124, filed Mar. 15, 1985, entitled "PICTURE FRAME".
The present invention relates generally to a picture frame for framing pictures and, more particularly, it relates to such a picture frame for the inexpensive framing of posters or prints and the like so as to present an aesthetically pleasing and yet very inexpensively framed picture.
In my earlier filed application identified above, I have described a picture frame which is very inexpensive and so easy to assemble that any one can do so with aesthetic and precise results. Basically, the picture frame of my earlier application comprises side members which engage with and hold the side edges of a picture and its protective coverings and elbow-shaped cornerpieces which engage the adjacent ends of adjacent side members to mask and conceal these ends an perpendicularly align the side members. The side members are formed of extruded plastic so that the ends may be cut to the length required for the picture to be framed and, because of the concealment thereof by the cornerpieces, little regard need be given to the accuracy or exactness of the end cut of the side members. Each cornerpiece is adapted to engage with and clamp onto the adjacent ends of adjacent side members by the exertion of a downward force on the cornerpiece in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the picture so that inadvertent distortion or misalignment of the picture frame and/or the parts being framed does not occur. This picture frame, although it is inexpensive and easy to assemble, is primarily adapted for the framing of pictures which include front and back protective coverings and supports such as the picture glass and a semi-stiff or rigid backing, respectively. Such protective coverings for the picture, being relatively stiff and unyielding, serve the purpose of maintaining the picture in a flat or planar attitude. The frame in such a case merely supports the various elements constituting the picture, i.e. the picture and its protective coverings, and holds the same together.
However, there is a certain class of pictures for which the use of a picture glass or other transparent covering and a semi-rigid backing is too extravagant in relation to the picture itself. Such pictures are in the form of posters, which tend to be relatively large, and prints. Artistic decor utilizing posters and large prints has come into vogue in recent years. Where such poster-type pictures are inexpensive, it is often times not worthwhile to provide the same with a glass covering and a semi-rigid backing together with a frame for the entire assembly, since these various extra elements often cost far in excess of the cost of the original poster to be framed. Thus, on many occasions, one sees attractive poster-like pictures which are tacked or otherwise fastened to a wall for the purpose of exhibiting the picture and maintaining it flat. Such securement of a poster-like picture to a wall not only causes damage to the wall but very often tends to be unsightly in that tacks or tape or some other objects are utilized in fastening the picture to the wall.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a picture frame for a poster-like picture wherein no support elements or structure are utilized with the picture other than the picture frame itself, which is of simple and inexpensive construction.
This object, as well as others which will hereinafter become apparent, is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by the provision of a picture frame for poster-like pictures which includes at least a top picture edge support, a bottom picture edge support, and fastening elements which fasten the respective edges of the poster-like picture to the top and bottom supports. Each picture edge support includes a flat back plate which extends substantially the length of the edge of the picture being framed and a substantially C-shaped portion or member one leg of which is connected to the outer edge of the back plate while the other leg extends downwardly toward the flat back plate to define a gap between the terminus thereof and the back plate. The picture edge support is preferably formed of extruded plastic. The fastening elements are also generally C-shaped and resiliently engage around the generally C-shaped member of the edge support with the inside leg extending into the gap between the terminus of the inside leg of the C-shaped member and the flat back plate so as to press the edge of the poster-like picture inserted into the gap against the back plate of the edge support. The invention also contemplates the provision of edge supports for each side edge of the poster-like picture wherein the fastening elements are in the form of elbow-shaped cornerpieces which engage the adjacent ends of adjacent edge supports so as to secure or fasten the poster-like picture to the flat back plates of the supports at the corners of the picture.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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712124 |
Mar 1985 |
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Patent Grant
4669209
