U.S. patent application number 10/546972 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-22 for frame.
Invention is credited to Toshihiko Seo.
Application Number | 20060130385 10/546972 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32923350 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060130385 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Seo; Toshihiko |
June 22, 2006 |
Frame
Abstract
A frame for receiving photographs, calligraphy or the like has a
core panel using a lightweight board as the core material and a
sheet-like cover circumferentially covering the outer periphery of
the core panel. A cutout portion for insertion, through which a
photograph or the like is inserted from a side, is provided in a
front face of the covering sheet such that one side of the cutout
portion is in contact with an edge of the lightweight board. On the
sheet-like cover are provided parallel creases used for the
circumferential covering and cover-fixing member for detachably
fixing the covering state. A cutout window slightly smaller than a
work piece is provided in a front face of the sheet-like cover. The
front face of the sheet-like cover is laid over and united with the
front face of the core panel.
Inventors: |
Seo; Toshihiko; (Aichi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CLARK & BRODY
1090 VERMONT AVENUE, NW
SUITE 250
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Family ID: |
32923350 |
Appl. No.: |
10/546972 |
Filed: |
February 20, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
February 20, 2004 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP04/01998 |
371 Date: |
August 26, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
40/788 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09F 1/12 20130101; A47G
1/0633 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
040/788 |
International
Class: |
A47G 1/06 20060101
A47G001/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 27, 2003 |
JP |
2003-50647 |
Claims
1. A frame characterized by comprising a structure assembled with a
thick sheet-like material made of plastic or paper and a
lightweight board incorporating honeycomb-like structure, the
assembled structure being a combination of a thick rectangular core
panel A and a sheet-like cover B which covers around the outer
surface of the core panel A, the core panel A having a core
lightweight board 1 to be covered around with a thick covering
sheet 2, therein a cutout 3 is provided on a front face 2a and one
side of the cutout 3 is connected to one edge of the lightweight
board 1 so that a photograph, painting, calligraphy or the like can
be inserted into the front face 2a, the sheet-like cover B
comprising four parallel creases a which make it easy to fold and
cover around the aforementioned core panel A, a cover fixing means
to freely fix the covering condition and a cutout window 12 which
is slightly smaller than the size of the aforementioned objects to
be placed on a front face 11.
2. A frame of claim 1 characterized in that the front face 11 of
the sheet-like cover B is overlapped on the front face 2a of the
core panel A.
3. A frame of claim 1 characterized in that rear panels 14, 14 are
symmetrically provided on both sides of the front face 11 of the
sheet-like cover B and as a cover fixing means, a plurality of
projections 15 are provided on one end of a rear face member 14 and
a plurality of cut portions 16 are also provided on the other end
of the other rear face member 14 so that the core panel A can be
covered with the sheet-like cover B.
4. A frame of claim 3 characterized in that each facing edge of the
projections 15 and cut portions 16 are preferably cut down
slantwise so that the connection face forms an undercut slope
b.
5. A frame of claim 1 characterized in that a plurality of pull-up
hooks 18 for hanging the frame on the wall are preferably provided
on a certain area of the rear face member 14 of the sheet-like
cover B.
6. A frame of claim 1 characterized in that an insertion board C is
inserted into an insertion slit 3a of the cutout portion 3 and a
photograph or other objects can be attached on the insertion board
C.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention is directed to a frame to be assembled with a
thick sheet-like material made of plastic or paper and a
lightweight board incorporating a honeycomb-like structure, for
freely changing objects such as photographs, painting, calligraphy
or the like.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] FIGS. 8 and 9 show a conventional simplified frame which is
used to display a photograph.
[0003] A simplified frame 200 in the drawings has a combinational
structure of a main wooden frame 51 and a thick cardboard frame
52.
[0004] The main wooden frame 51 has a structure comprising
rectangular plywood 51a slightly larger than the size of a
photograph D, which is reinforced with a crosspiece 51b from
behind. The thick cardboard frame 52 has a structure comprising a
cutout window 52a slightly smaller than the size of the photograph
D to be set in the center of the thick rectangular cardboard.
[0005] Two-sided adhesive sheet 53 is attached on a rear face of
the thick cardboard frame 52.
[0006] FIG. 9 describes how to use the simplified frame 200. First
of all, the photograph D is firmly placed on the top face of the
main wooden frame 51, and then press the thick cardboard frame 52
with a peeled exfoliate paper of the two-sided adhesive sheet 53
upon the edge of the photograph D so that the outer surface of the
thick cardboard frame 52 is firmly fixed on the edge of the main
frame with the adherence. Thus, attaching the photograph to the
simplified frame 200 and assembling the frame can be completed with
such simple operation.
[0007] Instead of the two-sided adhesive sheet 53, a tube of
adhesive agent can also be applied on the back side of the thick
cardboard frame 52.
[0008] As shown in FIG. 9, a ring-shaped metal 54 is screwed into
the main frame 51 so that a string can be put through and the frame
can be hung on the wall.
[0009] The conventional simplified frame 200 comprising the
above-referenced structure is often used as a disposable frame
since the adherence of the two-sided adhesive sheet 53 will
actually become bad or the contact face will be damaged even if the
thick cardboard frame 52 can be removed from the main frame 51 for
replacing the photograph with another one.
[0010] Therefore, there is still room for improvement in the
conventional frame from the viewpoint of replacement cost of the
frame, wasteful use of resources, waste disposal issue or the
like.
[0011] Also, at least only a piece of photograph can be put into a
frame, and a thick painting, writing card or the like cannot be set
in the frame.
[0012] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a user-friendly and more convenient frame having materials
which are plastic or thick sheets of paper together with
lightweight board comprising honeycomb-like structure, enabling
objects such as photographs, paintings, calligraphy or the like to
be freely changed, and also plural pieces of other photographs to
be set in the frame if needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] To solve the aforementioned problems, the frame in this
invention is characterized by comprising a structure assembled with
a thick sheet-like material made of plastic or paper and a
lightweight board incorporating honeycomb-like structure, the
assembled structure being a combination of a thick rectangular core
panel A and a sheet-like cover B which covers around the outer
surface of the core panel A, the core panel A having a core
lightweight board 1 to be covered around with a thick covering
sheet 2, therein a cutout 3 is provided on a front face 2a and one
side of the cutout 3 is connected to one edge of the lightweight
board 1 so that a photograph, painting, calligraphy or the like can
be inserted into the front face 2a, the sheet-like cover B
comprising four parallel creases a which make it easy to fold and
cover around the aforementioned core panel A, a cover fixing means
to freely fix the covering condition and a cutout window 12 which
is slightly smaller than the size of the aforementioned objects to
be placed on a front face 11.
[0014] And the frame in this invention is also characterized in
that the front face 11 of the sheet-like cover B is overlapped on
the front face 2a of the core panel A.
[0015] Furthermore, the inventive frame is characterized in that
rear panels 14, 14 are symmetrically provided on both sides of the
front face 11 of the sheet-like cover B and as a cover fixing
means, a plurality of projections 15 are provided on one end of a
rear face member 14 and a plurality of cut portions 16 are also
provided on the other end of the other rear face member 14 so that
the core panel A can be covered with the sheet-like cover B.
[0016] Each facing edge of the projections 15 and cut portions 16
are preferably cut down slantwise so that the connection face forms
an undercut slope b.
[0017] And a plurality of pull-up hooks 18 for hanging the frame on
the wall are preferably provided on a certain area of the rear face
member 14 of the sheet-like cover B.
[0018] Also, an insertion board C is inserted into an insertion
slit 3a of the cutout portion 3 so that the photograph or other
objects can be attached on the insertion board C.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is an oblique perspective view of a front face of a
frame as one embodiment of this invention.
[0020] FIG. 2 is an oblique perspective view of the back side of
the frame of FIG. 1.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the FIG. 1
along the line X-X.
[0022] FIG. 4 is an oblique perspective view of the embodiment
showing a sheet-like cover which is spread over.
[0023] FIG. 5 is an oblique perspective view of the embodiment
showing a front face of a core panel.
[0024] FIG. 6 is an oblique perspective view of an insertion
board.
[0025] FIG. 7 partially shows a vertical cross-sectional view of
FIG. 2 along the line Y-Y.
[0026] FIG. 8 is a conventional embodiment showing a front face of
a simplified frame.
[0027] FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view along the line Z-Z
of FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] One embodiment in this invention will be described here
according to FIGS. 1 to 7.
[0029] FIG. 1 is an oblique perspective view of a front face of the
inventive frame 100. FIG. 2 is an oblique perspective view of the
back side of the inventive frame 100. FIG. 3 is a vertical
cross-sectional view along the line X-X of FIG. 1.
[0030] FIG. 4 is an oblique perspective view of rear side of a
sheet-like cover B which is spread over. FIG. 5 is an oblique
perspective view of the front face of a core panel A.
[0031] FIG. 6 is an oblique perspective view of an insertion board.
FIG. 7 is a portion of a vertical cross-sectional view along the
line Y-Y of FIG. 2.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 1, a frame 100 has a structure of thick
rectangular panel in which outer periphery of a core panel A as
shown in FIG. 5 is longitudinally covered with a rectangular
sheet-like cover B as shown in FIG. 4.
[0033] The core panel A, as shown in FIG. 5, comprises a core
material of paper-made honeycomb board (lightweight board) 1 which
is slightly smaller than the size of the frame 100, and the outer
periphery of the core panel A is circumferentially covered with a
thick covering sheet 2 made of plastic or paper, and pasted
together.
[0034] Instead of the honeycomb board, a foamed plastic board or
the like can also be used.
[0035] A cutout portion 3 for inserting a photograph D is provided
on a front face 2a of the covering sheet 2 to be overlapped on the
front side of the honeycomb board 1, and one end of the cutout
portion 3 is connected to the edge of the honeycomb board 1.
[0036] Also, a cut portion 4 is provided on a front face of the
honeycomb board 1 so that the photograph D can easily be inserted
into and removed from the frame 100 with fingers.
[0037] Instead of the photograph D, a painting, calligraphy,
writing card or the like can also be placed into the frame.
[0038] A rectangular sheet-like cover B as shown in a development
view of FIG. 4 is also made of plastic, paper or synthetic paper. A
mid section corresponding to a front face 11 of the sheet-like
cover B is overlapped with the front face of the core panel A.
[0039] The front face 11 of the sheet-like cover B comprises a
cutout window 12 which is smaller than the size of the photograph D
so that the outer circumference of the front face 11 becomes a
frame panel.
[0040] The front face 11 is attached to the front face of the core
panel A with an adhesive agent, thus, the pasted section of the
core panel A and the sheet-like cover B are combined into one.
[0041] Side wall members 13, 13 are connected to both sides of the
front face 11 of the sheet-like cover B in a longitudinal direction
through parallel creases a, a so that the side wall members 13, 13
overlap with the side members of the core panel A.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 2, each side wall member 13 is connected to
a rear face member 14 through each crease a so that each rear face
member 14 is engaged in the center of the rear side of the core
panel A.
[0043] And as shown in FIG. 2, each rear face member 14 comprises a
cover fixing means to fix the core panel A to be covered around
with the sheet-like cover B.
[0044] The cover fixing means in this embodiment has a
combinational structure in which a projection 15 provided on the
end of one rear face member 14 is engaged with a cut portion 16
provided on the end of the other real face member.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 4, the cover fixing means in this invention
includes three projections and three cut portions to be engaged
together.
[0046] Each projection and cut portion is formed to be hexagonal
shape so that each pair of the projection and cut portion is firmly
engaged. The shape of the projection and cut portion can also be
other shapes such as trapezoid, round shape or the like.
[0047] And as shown in FIG. 7, each engaged face of the projection
15 and cut portion 16 is cut down slantwise so that the connection
face forms an undercut slope b.
[0048] Also, as shown in FIG. 4, a two-sided adhesive sheet 17 to
be attached on the rear face of the core panel A is provided on the
rear face 14 of the undercut slope b. However, only if the cover
fixing function is fully effective, the aforementioned side face
will not necessarily form into the slope b.
[0049] Instead of the combination of the projection 15 and cut
portion 16, the cover fixing means also includes other methods,
that is, a velvet fastener (trade name: Velcro i.e. hook and loop
fastener) or the like is provided on both rear face members
14,14.
[0050] Pull-up hooks 18, 18 to put a string (not described in the
figure) through for hanging the frame 100 on the wall are
symmetrically provided on the corner area of each rear face member
14. A hole c is provided on the pull-up hook to lace a string
through.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 6, an insertion board C is made of a
rectangular paper board which is slightly smaller than the size of
the cutout portion 3 provided on the front face 2a of the covering
sheet 2.
[0052] A tab 19 is projected on one end of the insertion board C
through a crease d so that the tab 19 can easily be inserted into
and removed from the cutout portion 3.
[0053] Or, as shown in FIG. 6, a tape 22 can be attached to the
insertion board C as a separate "tab" instead of the aforesaid tab
19.
[0054] As shown in FIG. 6, the photograph D (or other objects) is
placed on the insertion board C, and at this time the photograph D
(or other objects) should be placed closely to one end of the
insertion board C.
[0055] A tape 20 is a two-sided adhesive tape to firmly fix the
aforesaid condition of the photograph D (or other objects) to be
placed on the insertion board C. Or, the photograph D and the
insertion board C can be fixed by using a single-sided adhesive
tape 21 as shown in FIG. 6.
[0056] The following describes how to use the frame 100.
[0057] The frame 100 is sold as an assembled structure as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2. In this condition, the back of the front face 11 of
the sheet-like cover B is fixed on the front face 2a of the core
panel A as described above and also as indicated by imaginary line
in FIG. 4.
[0058] In other words, the sheet-like cover B is united with the
core panel A through this adhesive area.
[0059] In order to place the photograph D into the frame 100, first
of all turn over the frame 100 as shown in FIG. 2.
[0060] Then pull up the left rear face member 14 so that the
projection 15 engaged with the cut portion 16 forming a undercut
slope b (as shown in FIG. 7) can easily be separated from the cut
portion 16.
[0061] As shown in FIG. 4, open the rear face members 14, 14
sideways like the outside back cover of the book is open so that an
insertion slit 3a of the cutout portion 3 appears on the edge of
the side face of the core panel A.
[0062] Then as shown in FIG. 6, pick up the tab 19 with fingers and
fully insert the insertion board C with the photograph D into the
insertion slit 3a, thus, the photograph D will be completely
received in the frame 100.
[0063] After placing the photograph D into the frame 100, fold the
left rear face member 14 back to the original position like the
outside back cover of the book is closed, and then press the
projection 15 against the cut portion 16 until the projection 15
can be engaged with the cut portion 16 forming a undercut slope b
by using the elasticity of the sheet-like cover B, thus, the outer
circumference of the core panel A is covered around with the
sheet-like cover B so that the frame 100 is firmly assembled as
shown in FIG. 2.
[0064] Finally, pull upward two of the four-corner hooks 18 along
the crease b as shown in FIG. 2 according to a vertical or
horizontal direction of the frame 100 to be hung on the wall, and
put the string through the hole c of the hook 18 before
hanging.
[0065] If it is necessary to replace the photograph D with another
photograph, painting, calligraphy, writing card or the like, then
open the left rear face member 14 sideways, and pull out the
insertion board C with the photograph D from the insertion cutout
portion 3.
[0066] At this time, the hook 19 or tape 22 provided on the
insertion board C as well as the cut portion 4 provided on the
honeycomb board 1 make it easy to pull and insert the insertion
board C.
[0067] Also, the depth (thickness) of the cutout portion 3 can
easily be adjusted by changing the thickness of the covering sheet
2.
[0068] Therefore, plural pieces of other photographs, thick writing
card, painting or the like can also be put into the cutout portion
3.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0069] Compared to the conventional simplified frames or the like,
the inventive frame as described above produces the following
practical effect.
[0070] (a) Other photographs or the like can easily and quickly be
replaced as many times as needed although it is difficult or
sometimes impossible to replace the photograph in the conventional
simplified frames and which is often disposed of.
[0071] (b) Therefore, it is possible to greatly alleviate the
problems such as high expense and wasteful use of resources that
the conventional simplified frames have.
[0072] (c) The depth of the insertion slit to insert the photograph
or the like can easily be adjusted so that plural pieces of other
photographs can be inserted together or a thick painting, writing
card or the like can also be placed into the inventive frame
although only one piece of photograph can be placed in the
conventional frame.
[0073] (d) Hanging hooks incorporated in the inventive frame can
reduce cost and time for hanging the frame on the wall.
[0074] (e) Only changing the size of the cutout window provided on
the sheet-like cover makes it possible to place the various sizes
of photographs into the frame.
* * * * *