Picture Frame Assembly

Abstract

A two-piece picture frame assembly for securing and displaying an image-carrying sheet between inner and outer framing members of the assembly. Tabs of the resilient inner member are removably held in interlocking engagement beneath lugs of the outer member.

Description

This invention relates to picture frames for removably securing and displaying image-carrying sheets such as paintings, photographs, and the like.

Picture frame assemblies comprising two or more interlocking members are known in the prior art. However, these assemblies suffer from one or more serious disadvantages which have prevented their being completely suited to their intended purpose. For example, prior art assemblies have required retaining devices such as separate clips, hooks, tapes, nails or screws to hold all members of the assembly together. In prior art frames which need no separate retaining devices, it is necessary to use a screwdriver or other tool to assemble and to disassemble the frame.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a two-piece picture frame assembly which can be readily assembled and disassembled without using separate retaining clips, hooks, screws, or other fastening means.

It is a related object of the present invention to provide a picture frame assembly which is easily put together and taken apart manually, without need for tools or other instruments.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for hanging a picture frame with its rear face flat against a supporting wall, thereby making the frame useful for groupings several such frames.

It is another object of this invention to provide a high quality picture frame assembly which is inexpensive to manufacture since machining operations are unnecessary. In the preferred emboidment described herein, injection molded plastic parts are used.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification in conjunction with the drawing, in which I have described one specific emboidment of my invention by way of example, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front of a picture frame of the invention as it appears in actual use holding a picture for display purposes;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rear of the picture frame shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2, showing a picture secured in place between the two members of the frame, and showing the interlock between corresponding tab and lug;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of FIG. 2, also showing a picture secured in place between the two members of the frame;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the outer framing member of the picture frame which includes a lug, and of a portion of the inner framing member which includes a tab; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the inner framing member which includes a fossa extending between front and rear wall surfaces.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 5, there is shown a picture frame 20 of the invention comprising two members -- a larger, outer framing member 21 and a smaller, skeletal inner framing member 22. A flat, image-carrying sheet 23 such as a painting or a photograph is held firmly between the two members of the assembly. The image carried by this sheet 23 can be viewed through an opening 24 in the outer member 21.

In the preferred embodiment shown, both the inner and outer members 21 and 22 are made of injection molded plastic. Metal, wood, and other resilient substances are also suitable materials for these members. The exterior surfaces 25 of the outer member 21 are provided with a decorative coating. The outer member 21 is formed with several horizontally extending flange elements 26 which provide stable support surfaces 27 for the sheet 23. The assembly secures sheets 23 in display disposition by holding them firmly between the skeletal inner frame member 22 and support surfaces 27 of the outer framing member 21. The inner framing member 22 is retained securely in place by several tabs or tab means 23 which extend outwardly from an outer marginal edge of the inner framing member 22. The tabs 28 interlock beneath corresponding lugs or lug means 29 directed inwardly from the outer framing member 21. Since the inner member is made of a resilient material, the tabs 28 interlock beneath the lugs 29 merely by pressing the inner frame 22 into place within the outer frame 21 so that each tab 28 frictionally overrides the corresponding lug 29 and seats therebeneath.

The inner framing member 22 is also formed with several shallow depressions or fossas 31 extending between the front 32 and rear 30 wall surfaces of the inner member 22. At the rear wall surface 30 each fossa 31 is bounded by a series of notches 33 which are useful for hanging the frame assembly 20 from a post imbedded in a wall support surface.

With multiple notches 33 available for insertion of the post, a notch is chosen which will balance any unevenness in weight distribution and thereby maintain the assembly 20 in a level disposition when it is hung against a supporting wall.

The fossas 31 will accommodate the entire length of short posts, thus keeping the rear wall 30 of the frame flat against the wall support surface. At the front wall surface 32 of the inner member 22, each fossa 31 includes an aperture 34 much larger than the notches 33. Each fossa 31 thus comprises a finger access means to facilitate gripping of the inner framing member 22, for easy separation from engagement with the outer framing member 21. The tab 28 of the inner member 22 readily overrides or slides past the lug 29 of the outer member 21 because of the resiliency of the inner member 22.

Many variations and modifications of the preferred embodiment described above can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the outer framing member 21 can be formed from practically any durable substance and the inner framing member 22 can be made from any resilient material. The multiple notches described herein are replaceable by a single centrally located notch so long as care is taken to balance the weight of the assembly on either side of the notch. Other modifications will occur to those skilled in the art, and it is my intention to cover any such changes that may reasonably be embraced by the following claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. In a frame assembly for securing an image-portraying sheet in a display disposition for viewing thereof, and including

an outer framing member having horizontally extending flange elements for support of said sheet thereon, and defining an opening through which an image carried on said sheet is viewed, and

a skeletal inner framing member dimensioned to fit within said outer framing member and to overlie said flange elements thereof to abut said image-portraying sheet interposed between said outer and said inner framing members,

the improvement comprising, in combination, tab means extending outwardly from an outer marginal edge of said inner framing member, and lug means directed inwardly of said outer framing member at positions corresponding with and opposed to said tab means on said inner framing member,

whereby, upon resiliently deforming said inner framing member momentarily to displace said tab means inwardly, said inner framing member is positionable within said outer framing member in an attitude such that said tab means of said inner framing member underlie said lug means of said outer framing member and interlock therewith to retain said inner and outer framing member intercoupled in interlocking engagement; and

wherein said skeletal, inner framing member includes spaced front and rear wall surfaces,

said inner framing member being formed with a fossa extending between said front and rear wall surfaces of said inner framing member, said fossa defining a notch at the rear surface and an aperture larger than said notch at the front surface of said inner framing member,

whereby, in suspending said frame assembly from a post imbedded in a supporting wall, said fossa accommodates said post to enable said framing assembly to lie flat against the supporting wall;

said fossa constituting finger access means to facilitate gripping of said inner framing member, thereby to aid in removal thereof from said ounter framing member.

2. In a frame assembly for securing an image-portraying sheet in a display disposition for viewing thereof, and including

an outer framing member of molded plastic and having horizontally extending flange elments for support of said sheet thereon, and defining an opening through which an image carried on said sheet is viewed, and

a skeletal inner framing member of molded plastic dimensioned to fit within said outer framing member and to overlie said flange elements thereof to abut said image-portraying sheet interposed between said outer and said inner framing members,

the improvement comprising, in combination, tab means extending outwardly from an outer marginal edge of said inner framing member, and lug means directed inwardly of said outer framing member at positions corresponding with and opposed to said tab on said inner framing member;

whereby, upon resiliently deforming said inner framing member momentarily to displace said tab means inwardly, said inner framing member is positionable within said outer framing member in an attitude such that said tab means of said inner framing member underlie said lug means of said outer framing member and interlock therewith to retain said inner and outer framing members intercoupled in interlocking engagement.