Frame

• US 5,701,697 A
• Filed: 03/13/1995
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• 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): Silbermann, Joanne
• Application Number:
  US08/403,167
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 40/156, 40/154, 40/152, 40/152.1, 40/155, 40/107, 40/574, 40/575, 40/576, 40/603, 40/611, 40/647
• US Class Current: 40/791
• 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 frame elements, each including an intermediate partition formed longitudinally along a side surface of a frame element side plate, a front engaging section extending over the intermediate partition and formed along an upper edge of said side plate and defining a predetermined interval provided with respect to said intermediate partition for accommodating an object to be contained, and an engaging pawl provided at a front end of said intermediate partition; and

a plurality of connecting elements each cooperating with two of said frame elements to define said frame, each connecting element including a frame element fitting section and an angular-movement stoppage section provided orthogonally to the frame element fitting section, the angular-movement stoppage section being formed for engaging with an engaging pawl provided at a front end of the intermediate partition of a cooperating frame element to hold said cooperating frame element in an engaged position with respect to the corresponding connecting element.

2. A frame according to claim 1, wherein:

an upper portion of the intermediate partition of each frame element is convexly curved.

3. A frame according to claim 1, wherein:

the angular-movement stoppage section of each connecting element is formed to extend from a connecting element side plate to a lower end of an angular-movement sliding contact surface.

4. A frame according to claim 1, wherein:

a connection engaging inclined surface is provided on one of each frame element and a cooperating connecting element, and a connection engaging section is also provided on the other one of said cooperating frame element and connecting element to be slidably in contact with said connection engaging inclined surface, so that said one cooperating frame element is allowed to move longitudinally with respect to said one connecting element cooperating therewith as said one cooperating frame element rotates against said one cooperating connecting element.