Picture frame and hanger

• US 6,962,016 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2003
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James F. Meyer
• Original Assignee: James F. Meyer
• Inventors: Meyer, James F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoge, Gary C.
• Application Number:
  US10/676,653
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 407/57, 407/61, 407/64, 407/00
• US Class Current: 40/757
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/0605 made from extruded or moulded profiles, e.g. of plastic or metal
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/1606 comprising a wall member cooperating with a corresponding picture member

Abstract

A picture frame and hanger bar together provide a picture hanging system that requires a single hanger bar in addition to the picture frame itself. The picture frame hanger has a wall mounting surface that during use is affixed to the wall or other vertical surface and the picture frame is provided with a downwardly facing skid member that is recessed within a pocket in the rear of the picture frame. The hanger bar is provided with an upwardly facing ramp surface that is canted downwardly proceeding toward the wall so that when the skid on the picture frame engages the canted surface, the picture frame will slide rearwardly toward the wall on the canted surface so as to press the picture frame against the wall by the force of gravity. The hanger bar preferably applies pressure to a backer board positioned behind the picture or other graphic article for holding it in a flat condition.

Claims

1. The combination of a picture frame and hanger for hanging the picture frame from a vertical member such as a wall comprising,

a picture frame having a front surface and a rear surface,

the rear surface of the picture frame has a forwardly extending, rearwardly opening recess therein of a predetermined size,

a downwardly facing skid within the recess and connected to the picture frame,

a hanger bar for supporting the picture frame, said bar having a rearwardly facing wall mounting surface adapted to be affixed to the wall to hold the picture frame in place on the wall and the hanger bar being sized to fit within the predetermined size of the recess,

an upwardly facing canted ramp surface that comprises at least a portion of the hanger bar,

the ramp surface is canted downwardly proceeding toward the wall mounting surface of the hanger bar and is aligned below the skid during use so as to be engaged by the skid on the picture frame for forcing the picture frame under the influence of gravity toward the wall and

the picture frame has a transparent sheet member and a backer board supported therein,

the backer board has a horizontally disposed rearwardly facing beveled surface proximate a lower edge thereof,

the picture frame includes a lower horizontally disposed frame member having a downwardly extending upwardly opening slot therein and the beveled surface is positioned to engage a portion of the slot such that the engagement between the slot and the backer board together with the force of gravity acting on the backer board forces the backer board toward the transparent sheet for compressing a graphic article located therebetween.

2. The combination of a picture frame and a hanger therefore comprising, a picture frame for flattening graphic sheet material that is held between a transparent sheet and a backer board supported thereby, said picture frame having a front and a rear surface, the frame includes a downwardly facing slot therein holding an upper edge of the graphic sheet material, the sheet and the backer board therein

a hanger member having a ramp surface thereon, said ramp surface being inclined downwardly toward the rear surface of the picture frame when the picture frame is supporting thereon,

the hanger member having a front surface abutting the backer board for applying forward pressure to a rear surface portion of the backer board that extends downwardly out of the slot in the frame when the picture frame is placed thereon so as to force the backer board toward the transparent sheet material thereby compressing the graphic sheet material.

3. The combination of a picture frame and a hanger therefore comprising,

a picture frame for flattening graphic sheet material that is held between a transparent sheet and a backer board supported thereby, said picture frame having a front and a rear surface,

a hanger member having a ramp surface thereon, said ramp surface being inclined downwardly toward the rear surface of the picture frame when the picture frame is supporting thereon,

the hanger member having a front surface for applying forward pressure to the backer board when the picture frame is placed thereon so as to force the backer board toward the transparent sheet material thereby compressing the graphic sheet material and

a thickness (A) of the hanger member is greater than a thickness (B) of the picture frame from said rear surface to a slot therein holding the transparent sheet material, the graphic sheet and the backer board,

such that pressure is applied to the backer board by the hanger member due to the force of gravity acting on the picture frame.

4. The frame and hanger of claim 3 wherein the frame includes a horizontal top frame member, a pair of vertical side frame members and a horizontally disposed bottom frame member and a support member comprising a downwardly facing surface as a part of the top horizontal frame member.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the support member is inclined downwardly proceeding toward a rear surface of the picture frame.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein the support member comprises a tab that extends downwardly from the top horizontal frame member of the picture frame.

7. The combination of a picture frame and a hanger therefore comprising,

a picture frame for flattening graphic sheet material that is held between a transparent sheet and a backer board supported thereby,

said picture frame having a front and a rear surface,

a hanger member having a ramp surface thereon, said ramp surface being inclined downwardly toward the rear surface of the picture frame when the picture frame is supporting thereon,

the hanger member having a front surface for applying forward pressure to the backer board when the picture frame is placed thereon so as to force the backer board toward the transparent sheet material thereby compressing the graphic sheet material and

the backer board has at least one beveled edge engaged with a portion of a slot for holding the backer board and the engagement between the backer board and said portion of the slot compresses the graphic sheet material.

8. The combination of a picture frame and a hanger therefore comprising,

a picture frame for flattening graphic sheet material that is held between a transparent sheet and a backer board supported thereby,

said picture frame having a front and a rear surface, a hanger member having a ramp surface thereon,

said ramp surface being inclined downwardly toward the rear surface of the picture frame when the picture frame is supporting thereon,

the hanger member having a front surface for applying forward pressure to the backer board when the picture frame is placed thereon so as to force the backer board toward the transparent sheet material thereby compressing the graphic sheet material and

the picture frame has a rear surface with a pocket therein that is constructed and arranged to accommodate the hanger member therewithin and

the frame has a downwardly facing supporting element that is located proximate an upper end of the pocket for engaging the hanger member.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the frame has a supporting element for engaging the hanger bar, and said supporting element is proximate an upper horizontally extending frame element for suspending the picture frame from the hanger bar.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the supporting element is a downwardly facing edge of the picture frame or a tab connected thereto.