Display frame assembly

• US 4,590,696 A
• Filed: 12/18/1984
• Issued: 05/27/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GUIDOBONI, LAERTE, 23, VIA MEZZOFANTI, BOLOGNA, ITALY
• Original Assignee: Frank Squitieri
• Inventors: Squitieri, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hakomaki, James
• Application Number:
  US06/683,232
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 40/152, 40/152.1, 40/156, 40/160, 40/159, 40/155, 40/158, 40/1
• US Class Current: 40/792
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/0605 made from extruded or moulded profiles, e.g. of plastic or metal
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/162 Picture members for connection to a conventional wall hook or nail

Abstract

A display frame assembly for mounting, framing and hanging objects of visual interest such as paintings, prints and especially phonograph record album covers, includes a frame element, the outer surrounding walls of which not only define the centrally disposed display opening but also carry frame-reinforcing ribs projecting rearwardly and substantially perpendicularly from their rear surfaces. The reinforcing ribs are positioned and extend to form, together with the rear surface lip of the frame between the display opening and the ribs, a nest into which the object to be framed may be fittingly inserted. A plurality of spring retaining clips are provided which are to be mounted adjustably and tensionedly on the reinforcing ribs of the frame; a portion of each clip, when mounted, extends inwardly across a portion of the framed object, which is thus held firmly against the rear surface lip of the frame. A mounting bracket is also provided, the mounting bracket and the frame element having mating complementary coupling means so that, when pressed together and the mounting bracket hung on a nail or picture hook on the wall, the frame member is supported firmly yet removably.

Claims

1. Frame assembly for mounting, framing and displaying a framable object of visual interest, which comprises:

frame means comprising continuous walls and a centrally disposed display opening surrounded by and defined by said continuous walls; and

frame-reinforcing rib means projecting rearwardly from, and substantially perpendicular to, the rear surface of said continuous walls of said frame means, said rib means being positioned and generally extending along a path intermediate between the inner and outer edges of said continuous walls of said frame means, so that a nest, formed by and comprising the inner walls of said frame-reinforcing rib means and the rear surface portion of said continuous walls of said frame means extending between said rib means and said centrally disposed display opening, is provided, said nest fittingly accommodating the framable object.

2. Frame assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said frame means and rib means are formed as a molded plastic integral unit.

3. Frame assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein said molded plastic integral unit is formed from medium impact styrene.

4. Frame assembly in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of resilient retaining clip means to be fastened individually adjustably, tensionedly and removably on said reinforcing rib means of said frame means, said retaining clip means each having a portion extending from its attachment inwardly to overlay and hold a portion of the framed object firmly against said rear surface lip of said walls.

5. Frame assembly in accordance with claim 4, wherein said resilient retaining clip means are formed with U-shaped channels at each end, and said reinforcing rib means of said frame means are formed with a plurality of gaps at spaced intervals, said gaps being dimensioned so that the terminal ends of said frame rib means created by said gaps may accommodate removably said U-shaped channels of said retaining clips in slidable, adjustable tensioned engagement.

6. Frame assembly in accordance with claim 4, wherein said resilient retaining clip means are each molded from medium impact styrene.

7. Frame assembly in accordance with claim 5, wherein said frame means is rectangular in shape and said gaps in said rib reinforcing means are positioned in the four corners where said rib means would otherwise meet at right angles.

8. Frame assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said nest, formed by said inner walls of said rib means and said rear surface of said frame walls, is of substantially square shape and dimensioned for a phonograph record album cover to be fittingly inserted therein.

9. Frame assembly in accordance with claim 4, wherein said frame-reinforcing ribs project rearwardly from said rear surface of said frame walls for a distance of not less than 0.5 inch to provide sufficient depth to said nest for accommodating the thickness of both the object to be framed and said retaining clip means.

10. Frame assembly in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

mounting bracket means to be secured to the wall on which the framed object is to be hung, said frame means and said mounting bracket means having mutually mating complementary coupling means so that, when pressed together to engage said coupling means, said mounting bracket means holds said frame means removably in secure supportive frictional relationship on the wall.

11. Frame assembly in accordance with claim 10, wherein said mounting bracket means has a lower ledge positioned so that, when said mounting bracket means is secured to the wall and has said frame means frictionally secured by said complementary mating coupling means, a portion of said reinforcing rib means of said frame means overlies and is supportively held by said lower ledge.

12. Frame assembly in accordance with claim 10, wherein said frame means carries said complementary mating coupling means in the form of at least one receiving socket while said mounting bracket means carries said complementary mating coupling means in the form of at least one projection.

13. Frame assembly in accordance with claim 4, wherein said reinforcing rib means of said frame means are formed with a plurality of gaps at spaced intervals, the terminal ends of said frame rib means created by said gap, being shaped into U-shaped channels to accommodate the insertion of the ends of said resilient retaining clip means into slidable adjustable tensioned engagement.

14. Frame assembly for mounting, framing and hanging on a wall a framable object of visual interest, which comprises:

frame means comprising continuous walls and a centrally disposed display opening surrounded by and defined by said continuous walls;

frame-reinforcing rib means projecting rearwardly from, and substantially perpendicular to, the rear surface of said continuous walls of said frame means, said rib means being positioned and generally extending along a path intermediate between the inner and outer edges of said continuous walls of said frame means, so that a nest, formed by and comprising the inner walls of said frame-reinforcing rib means and the rear surface portion of said continuous walls of said frame means extending between said rib means and said centrally disposed display opening, is provided, said nest fittingly accommodating the framable object;

a plurality of resilient retaining clip means to be attached individually, adjustably, tensionedly and removably on said frame-reinforcing rib means, each of said retaining clip means having a portion extending from the attachment portion of said retaining clip means inwardly to overlay and hold a portion of the framable object firmly against said rear surface portion of said continuous walls of said frame means; and

mounting bracket means to be secured to the wall on which the framable object is to be hung, said frame means and said mounting bracket means having mutually mating complementary coupling means so that, when pressed together to engage said mutually mating coupling means, said mounting bracket means holds said frame means removably in secure supportive relationship on the wall.

15. A method of mounting, framing and hanging on a wall an object of visual interest capable of being framed, using a frame assembly which comprises;

a frame member comprising continuous walls and a centrally disposed display opening surrounded by and defined by said continuous walls;

frame-reinforcing rib means projecting rearwardly from, and substantially perpendicular to, the rear surface of said continuous walls of said frame member, said rib means extending along a course intermediate between the inner and outer edges of said continuous walls and forming a nest within said rib means and backed by the rear surface portion of said continuous walls extending between said rib means and said centrally disposed display opening;

a plurality of resilient retaining clip means to be attached individually, adjustably, tensionedly and removably on said reinforcing rib means of said frame member, each of said retaining clip means having a portion which extends inwardly from the attachment portion of said clip means to overlay and hold a portion of the object capable of being framed firmly against said rear surface portion of said continuous walls; and

mounting bracket means having coupling means for engagement with complementary mating coupling means on said frame member, said method comprising the steps of;

(a) inserting the object capable of being framed into said nest;

(b) attaching each of said retaining clip means to said reinforcing rib means so that said inwardly extending portion of each of said clip means overlies and bears against the rear surface of the object capable of being framed;

(c) pressing said frame member against said mounting bracket means so that both said complementary coupling means are cooperatively and frictionally engaged; and

(d) securing said mounting bracket to a wall by conventional means.

16. The method according to claim 15, which comprises, when replacement of the framed object is desired, the further steps of:

(e) removing said mounting bracket coupled to said frame member from the wall;

(f) detaching said retaining clip means from said reinforcing rib means;

(g) removing the framed object from said nest; and

(h) repeating steps (a), (b) and (d) with the new object to be framed.

17. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the order of said steps is:

(c), (a), (b) and (d).

18. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the order of said steps is:

(d), (a), (b) and (c).