Patent Application
20080190001
The invention relates generally to the field of water-resistant frames, and specifically to a reusable and transparent device to temporarily frame and hang pictures or written material for use in wet environments such as a bathroom shower or outside window.
The present invention relates to temporary frames for hanging pictures or written material in wet environments. In many instances, there is a desire to hang pictures of children, artwork, or printed materials in a shower. It may also be desirable to frame written materials in the shower to help prepare for a meeting, test, or the like. Similarly, it may also be desired to frame and hang pictures or written materials on another potentially wet surface such as a bathroom mirror or an outside window. Thus, there is a need for a product which meets the need for easily hanging and/or framing pictures and written materials on surface that may be or become wet, is attractive, and is of relatively low cost.
Even though existing designs may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present version of the invention. These designs are exemplified by the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,468, “Closure Arrangement for Reclosable Bag and Method Thereof,” issued to Tomic, et al. on Mar. 9, 1999 teaches a flexible bag having male and female profiles cooperatively arranged to inhibit interlock-blockage caused by small substances. The female profile includes first and second opposing legs, each of which has a securing head at an extended end, a base adapted for attachment to the first panel section of the bag, and a neck between the securing head and the base. At least one of the first and second legs has a plurality of portions removed to form a first series of breaks. The portions removed include the securing head and the neck. The male profile is adapted for attachment to the second panel section of the bag and is arranged to interlock with the first and second legs. A method of constructing and using the bag are also described.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,839, “Display Device with Plastic Laminate and Frame,” issued to Heikkila, Unto A. on Jun. 9, 1998 teaches an advertising device or sign that has a plastic frame with a front that contains advertising. The advertisement is on a plastic laminate with holes around its periphery that engage pins on the back of the frame. The back further has receptacles that engage a holder that forms an optional pocket. The optional pocket contains items that can be handed out or mailed. The frames can be joined together to form a larger display than can be accommodated on a single frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,566, “Profile Sealing Flange,” issued to Schreiter, Michael E. on May 13, 1997 teaches a profile sealing strip for providing a resealable closure including a lateral flange, a sealant layer, and a closure portion. The lateral flange has first and second sections each having a length, an outer surface, and an inner surface. A plurality of ribs extends along the length of the outer surfaces in which adjacent ribs form a channel therebetween. The closure portion includes a closure means and a base. The base of the closure portion is disposed between and connected to the first and second sections of the lateral flange. The closure means protrudes beyond the inner surfaces of the first and second sections of the lateral flange. The sealant layer has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the sealant layer is adjacent the first section of the lateral flange and connected to outer segments of the ribs. The second portion of the sealant layer is adjacent the second section of the lateral flange and connected to outer segments of the ribs. Corresponding mating profile sealing strips are then attached to a package by a heat-sealing process which provides the package with a reclosable seal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,700, “Waterproof Art,” issued to Hudson, Robert L. on Jul. 4, 1995 teaches a sealed aperture is formed in a laminated assembly by prepunching a central sheet such as a paper art print to form a first aperture and then laminating the art print between two sheets of laminating film to form a laminated assembly in which the two films are fused together in the aperture to form a single film in the form of a disc. A second aperture is then punched through the disc having a smaller diameter than the film aperture such that a sealed border remains between the second aperture and the first aperture.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,552, “Photo Display Method and Apparatus,” issued to Fritz, Wayne L. on Jun. 28, 1994 teaches a set of pockets, each having a back sheet and one or more front sheets, each constructed of a flexible, moisture-resistant material and connected to form a plurality of pockets, each sized to accept a photographic print. Each photographic print is slid into the pocket, resulting in the pocket substantially enclosing, displaying, protecting, and supporting the print in substantially coplanar relation to prints supported in other pockets. The pocket has a front sheet of a translucent material to allow viewing of prints enclosed therein. Also provided are a plurality of connection devices which will allow two or more sets of pockets to be connected for display purposes.
As used herein, the term “picture” will be defined as including any flat object that can be inserted within the device, including but not limited to photographs, drawings, written documents, or any other relatively flat object to be displayed. That is, “picture” should not be interpreted only as a photograph or drawing.
The present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus that substantially fulfills this need. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful, and unobvious combination of component elements with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the present invention, references are made in the text hereof to embodiments of a temporary picture cover. It should nevertheless be understood that no limitations on the scope of the invention are thereby intended. One of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that modifications such as the size, materials, shape, form, assembly, and use are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Some of these possible modifications are mentioned in the following description. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure, or manner.
It should be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, the term “substantially” or “approximately” as used herein may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related and means about or roughly rather than an accurate quantification.
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular, to
In the embodiment shown, picture cover 100 is made up nearly entirely of clear or colored (tinted) transparent plastic, and picture 50 can be any flat object that can be viewed as defined supra. In addition, in an alternate embodiment, the back panel (not shown; as discussed in detail infra) could alternately be colored or at least partially opaque and front panel 120 (as discussed in detail infra) clear to allow viewing of picture 50, forming a colored frame around picture 50.
As can be seen in
Referring again to
Suction cups 110 can be secured to picture cover 100 by any means known in the art. In the embodiment shown, suction cups 110 have a post (not shown) extending therefrom and through picture cover 100 at holes 115. The posts are then locked in place relative to picture cover 100. In an alternate embodiment of picture cover 100, the posts extend only through back panel 130, with the suction cup securing member (discussed in detail infra) between front and back panels 120, 130. This construction, however, requires the cup securing member to be emplaced therebetween before front panel 120 is sealed to back panel 130 as described infra.
Front and back panels 120, 130 are sealed together around their periphery as indicated at 108 by any known means in sealing plastic art. This line of sealing is referred to as an “outer sealing line 108.” Inward of outer sealing line 108 is another sealing line 109, referred to “inner sealing line 109.” Outer sealing line 108 and inner sealing line 109 form inner space 55 (see also
Referring again to
In another embodiment, sealing member 140 is a zipper, but further includes a visual signal in the form of colored plastic visual indicator strip 143 secured to lower edge 138 of upper section 132 of back panel 130 and extends the full width of picture cover 100. In the embodiment shown, sealing member is positioned above lower edge 138 of upper section 132 so as to form flap 139, which extends free of the other elements, enabling the user to grip it and pull upper section 132 of back panel 130 free of lower section 134, visual indicator strip 143 being positioned on flap 139 to facilitate observing of the location of flap 139. It should also be understood that although the embodiment shown has sealing member 140 positioned horizontally, sealing member 140 could alternately be positioned vertically or any other orientation, including non-linearly.
Suction cups 110 are only one embodiment of a securing member. In alternate embodiments of picture cover 100, securing members can alternately be a hook-and-latch mechanism (i.e., Velcro®)), adhesive tape, a rope or string, nails, screws, hooks, and combinations thereof. These securing members can be used to secure picture cover 100 directly to a surface or used to suspend picture cover from another object, e.g., a Shower Caddy®.
While the picture cover has been shown and described with respect to several embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is to be understood that the same is not limited thereto. Many of the details referred to herein are given as examples, and the invention is of such scope to encompass many variations and modifications thereof as known to a person of ordinary skill in the art, and it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the details shown and described herein, but rather cover all such changes and modifications obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art.
