Picture frame and corner bracket assembly
First Claim
1. Components for constructing a picture frame, said components comprising:
- a plurality of frame sections for being assembled into a picture frame in which two of said frame sections are adapted to be oriented at an angle to form a corner of the assembled frame at the adjacent ends of the two sections, each said frame section having an end portion at each end containing material that is deformable under the imposition of a localized force, each said frame section end portion defining a channel opening rearwardly when the frame section is assembled with the other frame sections to form the frame, said channel extending from the end of said frame section along said frame section end portion, each said frame section end portion further defining a cavity communicating with said channel and an adjacent deformable bearing surface comprising said deformable material; and
a bracket adapted to be disposed within the channels of said two frame sections when oriented to form a corner of the assembled frame, said bracket having two legs disposed at an angle substantially identical to the angle formed by said two frame sections at said frame corner, each said bracket leg having a first portion adapted to be received in one of said frame section channels, each said bracket leg having a second portion with an engaging member for being received in one of said frame section cavities, said engaging member defining an engaging wall to engage said frame section deformable bearing surface, said frame section bearing surface and said bracket engaging wall being oriented at angles relative to the length of the frame section whereby, when the bracket legs are aligned in registry with the channels of said two frame sections disposed to form the corner of the assembled frame, relative movement between the bracket and the frame sections can be effected to dispose the bracket within the channels and to cause the engaging wall of each bracket leg to deform the associated frame section bearing surface and force the two frame sections together at the corner.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Picture frame components include frame sections each having a channel and communicating cavity that are open at the rear of the frame. At least a region of each frame section adjacent the cavity is deformable and defines a deformable bearing surface. At each frame corner a bracket is provided to hold two adjoining frame sections together. The bracket has two legs with an engaging member on each leg that presents an engaging wall for being received in the frame section cavity and for engaging the deformable region of the frame section. Either the engaging wall or bearing surface, or both, are angled relative to the frame section length. The bracket is inserted in the channels of the adjoining frame sections and each frame section bearing surface is deformed by the engaging wall as the frame sections are forced tightly together.
55 Citations
6 Claims
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1. Components for constructing a picture frame, said components comprising:
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a plurality of frame sections for being assembled into a picture frame in which two of said frame sections are adapted to be oriented at an angle to form a corner of the assembled frame at the adjacent ends of the two sections, each said frame section having an end portion at each end containing material that is deformable under the imposition of a localized force, each said frame section end portion defining a channel opening rearwardly when the frame section is assembled with the other frame sections to form the frame, said channel extending from the end of said frame section along said frame section end portion, each said frame section end portion further defining a cavity communicating with said channel and an adjacent deformable bearing surface comprising said deformable material; and a bracket adapted to be disposed within the channels of said two frame sections when oriented to form a corner of the assembled frame, said bracket having two legs disposed at an angle substantially identical to the angle formed by said two frame sections at said frame corner, each said bracket leg having a first portion adapted to be received in one of said frame section channels, each said bracket leg having a second portion with an engaging member for being received in one of said frame section cavities, said engaging member defining an engaging wall to engage said frame section deformable bearing surface, said frame section bearing surface and said bracket engaging wall being oriented at angles relative to the length of the frame section whereby, when the bracket legs are aligned in registry with the channels of said two frame sections disposed to form the corner of the assembled frame, relative movement between the bracket and the frame sections can be effected to dispose the bracket within the channels and to cause the engaging wall of each bracket leg to deform the associated frame section bearing surface and force the two frame sections together at the corner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A corner construction in an assembled picture frame wherein frame sections are engaged end-to-end to enclose a predetermined area to form the frame with a forwardly facing front and a rearwardly facing back and wherein said frame sections have matching mitered ends at each corner of the frame, said construction comprising:
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each said frame section containing at least a region of material that is deformable under the imposition of a localized force, each said frame section having an end portion at each end defining a rearwardly opening channel entending forwardly into the depth of the frame section from the rear of the frame and communicating with a similar channel in the adjoining frame section, each said frame section defining a cavity that is open to the rear of the frame at said region of deformable material and that communicates with said channel, each said frame section further defining a deformable bearing surface comprising said deformable material adjacent said cavity; and a bracket having two legs disposed at an angle substantially identical to the angle formed by said two adjoining frame sections at said frame corner, said bracket being disposed within the channels of the two adjoining frame sections at the corner of the assembled frame, said bracket having a top margin and a bottom margin with said bracket bottom margin disposed in said channels forwardly of said bracket top margin, each said bracket leg having an engaging member received in one of said frame section cavities, said engaging member having an engaging wall defining a toothed engaging face that is engaged with said frame section deformable bearing surface, said toothed engaging face facing away from the end of the bracket leg and being inclined at an angle along the height of the bracket from the bracket top to the bracket bottom so as to dispose said engaging face closer to said frame corner with increasing distance from said bracket bottom whereby the two frame sections are forced together at the corner.
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6. A corner bracket for a corner construction in an assembled picture frame wherein frame sections are engaged end-to-end to enclose a predetermined area to form the frame with a forwardly facing front and a rearwardly facing back, wherein said frame sections have matching mitered ends at each corner of the frame, wherein each said frame section contains at least a region of material that is deformable under the imposition of a localized force, wherein each said frame section has an end portion at each end defining a rearwardly opening channel extending forwardly into the depth of the frame section from the rear of the frame and communicating with a similar channel in the adjoining frame section, wherein each said frame section defines a cavity that is open to the rear of the frame at said region of deformable material and that is in communication with said channel, and wherein each said frame section further defines a deformable bearing surface comprising said deformable material adjacent said cavity, said bracket comprising:
a generally rigid member having two legs disposed at an angle substantially identical to the angle formed by said two adjoining frame sections at said frame corner, said bracket having a top margin and a bottom margin, said bracket being adapted to be disposed within the channels of the two adjoining frame sections at the corner of the assembled frame with said bracket bottom margin disposed in said channels forwardly of said bracket top margin, each said bracket leg having an engaging member for being received in one of said frame section cavities, each said engaging member having an engaging wall defining a toothed engaging face facing away from the end of the bracket leg and which is adapted to engage said frame section deformable bearing surface, said toothed engaging face being inclined at an angle along the height of the bracket from the bracket top to the bracket bottom whereby, when said bracket is disposed within said frame section channels, said engaging face is closer to said frame corner with increasing distance from said bracket bottom to force the two frame sections together at the corner.
Specification