Frame

• US 5,189,820 A
• Filed: 09/10/1990
• Issued: 03/02/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Takeo Komamura
• Original Assignee: Takeo Komamura
• Inventors: Komamura, Takeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bonifanti, J.
• Application Number:
  US07/580,222
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 40/156, 40/154, 40/152, 40/152.1, 40/611, 40/574-576, 40/603, 40/647, 40/107, 40/155
• US Class Current: 40/782
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/0611 the profiles having clamping action; Elongated clips
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0012 frames therefor

Abstract

A frame, including a plurality of frame elements 1 and at least one connecting corner element 5 on which the frame elements 1 are mounted in intersected relation, is provided to form a readily accessed enclosure to accommodate therein an article, a glass plate to allow viewing of the article, a backing plate at the rear and an illumination louver. At least one of the frame elements 1 is mounted to the connecting corner element 5 for relative angular movement therebetween, to facilitate easy opening of the enclosure and access to the space defined therein.

Claims

1. A frame, comprising:

a plurality of elongate frame elements each of a respective predetermined length; and

at least one connecting corner element, having intersecting sides formed to be shorter than said frame elements, to which sides said frame elements are respectively mounted angularly with respect to each other, said sides defining with said frame elements means for engaging therewith in a manner permitting relative angular movement therebetween,

wherein at least one of said frame elements is mounted to a corresponding side of said at least one connecting corner element for said angular movement relative thereto about a direction parallel to said corresponding side, and

each side of said at least one connecting corner element comprises a side plate having a lower end formed with a convex shaft section.

2. The frame according to claim 1, wherein:

said side plate of said connecting corner element comprises a leaf spring.

3. The frame according to claim 1, further comprising:

a step between said convex shaft section and said side plate of said at least one connecting corner element.

4. A frame, comprising:

a plurality of elongate frame elements each of a respective predetermined length; and

at least one connecting corner element, having intersecting sides formed to be shorter than said frame elements, to which sides said frame elements are respectively mounted angularly with respect to each other, said sides defining with said frame elements means for engaging therewith in a manner permitting relative angular movement therebetween,

wherein at least one of said frame elements is mounted to a corresponding side of said at least one connecting corner element for said angular movement relative thereto about a direction parallel to said corresponding side, and

said at least one connecting corner element has a convex shaft section which is mounted to a concave bearing section of the frame element for relative angular movement therebetween.

5. A frame comprising:

a plurality of elongate frame elements each of a respective predetermined length; and

at least one connecting corner element, having intersecting sides formed to be shorter than said frame elements, to which sides said frame elements are respectively mounted angularly with respect to each other, said sides defining with said frame elements means for engaging therewith in a manner permitting relative angular movement therebetween,

wherein at least one of said frame elements is mounted to a corresponding side of said at least one connecting corner element for said angular movement relative thereto about a direction parallel to said corresponding side,

each of said frame elements is divided into first and second portions by a corresponding one of a plurality of intermediate partitions, said first portion being formed to define a first space for holding a front-face peripheral edge of an article to e accommodated, and said second portion being formed to define a second space in which said connecting corner element is fitted, and

said at least one connecting corner element has a convex shaft section, and said corresponding intermediate partition is curved concentrically with respect to a center of curvature of said concave bearing section.

6. A frame, comprising:

a plurality of frame elements; and

at least one connecting element to which said frame elements are mounted angularly with respect to each other, said connecting element having a convex bearing section,

wherein at least one of said frame elements is mounted to said at least one connecting element for relative angular movement,

wherein a space is provided in the frame element into which said connecting element is fitted, a lower end of said space having an inward flange with a concave bearing section provided therein, whereby relative angular movement between said at least one connecting element and a corresponding frame element is enabled by cooperation between said convex and concave bearing sections thereof, and

wherein each of the frame elements has obliquely cut end faces, wherein said flange has both ends cut out and said flange is provided with a step with respect to a side plate.

7. A frame, comprising:

a plurality of elongate frame elements each of a respective predetermined length;

at least one connecting corner element, having intersecting sides formed to be shorter than said frame elements, to which sides said frame elements are respectively mounted angularly with respect to each other, said sides defining with said frame elements means for engaging therewith in a manner permitting relative angular movement therebetween,

an angular-movement stoppage section provided at an angular-movement sliding surface between said at least one connecting corner element and a frame element engaged therewith;

a tongue-like spring provided on the angular-movement sliding surface of said at least one connecting corner element, and wherein said angular-movement engaging section is formed at a forward end of said tongue-like spring,

wherein at least one of said frame elements is mounted to a corresponding side of said at least one connecting corner element for said angular movement relative thereto about a direction parallel to said corresponding side.

8. The frame according to claim 7, wherein:

said tongue-like spring can be pushed into an interior of said at least one connecting corner element.

9. A frame, comprising:

a plurality of frame elements;

at least one connecting element to which said frame elements are mounted angularly with respect to each other, wherein at least one of said frame elements defines with said at least one correcting element a means for enabling relative angular movement therebetween and is mounted to said at least one connecting element for said relative angular movement, wherein each of said frame elements is divided into two portions by a corresponding one of a plurality of intermediate partitions, one of said two portions defining a space for holding a front-face peripheral edge of an article to be accommodated, and the other portion defining a space in which said at least one connecting element is fitted; and

a spring at an upper face of said intermediate partition of the frame element at a location between said intermediate partition and a front-face engaging section formed at an upper edge of said intermediate partition, wherein said spring pushes a rear-face peripheral edge portion of the article to be accommodated resting on said intermediate partition, while the frame element is moved to its closed position, to bring said rear-face peripheral edge section into close contact with said front-face engaging section of the frame element.

10. A frame, comprising:

a plurality of elongate frame elements each of a respective predetermined length; and

at least one connecting corner element, having intersecting sides formed to be shorter than said frame elements, to which sides said frame elements are respectively mounted angularly to each other,

wherein at least one of said frame elements is mounted to a corresponding side of said at least one connecting corner element for angular movement relative thereto, and

one of said frame elements is mounted to said at least one connecting corner element in an immovable manner.

11. A frame, comprising:

a plurality of frame elements;

at least one connecting element to which said frame elements are mounted angularly with respect to each other, wherein a least one of said frame elements defines with said connecting element a means for enabling relative angular movement therebetween and is mounted to said at least one connecting element for said angular movement, wherein another one of said frame elements is mounted to said at least one connecting element in an angularly immovable manner; and

a cap which is mounted to an end of a space in the angularly movable frame element, said space being provided for holding said article to be accommodated.

12. A frame, comprising:

a plurality of elongate frame elements each of a respective predetermined length; and

at least one connecting corner element, having intersecting sides formed to be shorter than said frame elements, to which sides said frame elements are respectively mounted angularly with respect to each other, said sides defining with said frame elements means for engaging therewith in a manner permitting relative angular movement therebetween,

wherein at least one of said frame elements is mounted to a corresponding side of said at least one connecting corner element for said angular movement relative thereto about a direction parallel to said corresponding side, and

said at least one connecting corner element has a connection engaging section, a side plate and an angular-movement stoppage section which are arranged on intersecting lines said angular-movement stoppage section being formed integrally with a triangular reinforcing plate.