Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~2~32591
B~CKGROUND OF THE ;I;NVENTl: ON
This invention relates to a picture frame and a
picture frame assembly, in particular, a one-piece picture
frame made from a suitably-foldable material for framing
material to be framed wherein the ~ater.ial to be framed
comprises at least one flat, planar object~
In the past, there have been many foldable frames
made ~rom ~oldable material. However, many oE those frames
had pictures p~e-prin*ed on the front surface of the back
piece of the frame, or had the object to be framed.adhered
to the front surface of the back piece of the picture
frame.
.Moreover~ the prior art picture frames were
e.ither too simple in that they did not provide a suitable
! 15 . frame .into which the material to be framed could be inserted.
Rather, the material to be framed was merely placed Oll
the frame and attached to the frame. Such frames were
not suitable Eor Eraminy combined material comprising the
object to be :Eramed, such as a picture, photograph or
postcard, plus a suitable v~ewing sheet over the object to
be framed through which the object to be framed could be
viewed, a suitable backing material and perhaps even
matting.
On the other hand, other of the prior art
picture frames were too complicated to be easily and
~;2825~
l cheaply manufactured and to be readily used. This is
because many of,these prior art picture frames utilized a
plurality of intricate tabs and tab receiving areas. As
a consequence t the picture frame required too many cuts,
folds and insertions.
Also, none of the prior art provt,ded a suitable
frame incorporating as part of the frame a supporting
means to support the frame on, for example, a desk top.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention
to overcome at least some of the disadvantages of the
prior art by provlding an inexpensive, easily manufactured
and easily-Poldable alternative picture frame to the prior
', art plcture frames.
; 15 Accordingl~ in one o~ its broad aspects, this
invention resides :in a one-piece~ picture frame made from
suitably-foldable mater.ial, for framing material to be
framed which comprises at least one flat, planar object
to be framed~ comprising: a front piece having a plurality
of sides and having at least one viewing opening there-
through; an,ed~e piece foldably exkending from each
respective side of the front piece; a back piece foldably
extending from each respective edge piece, wherein each
back piece has'a back,edge; wherein the frame is foldable
around the material to be framed such that: the edge
i .
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1 pieces form side ~aces extending in the same di.rection and
substantially at right angle$ to the front pi.ece; the back
pieces form back faces extending inwardly from.the respec-
tive side faces; an open channel is formed between each
back face and the front piece; the depth of each channel
is substantially the same as the depth of the material to
be ~ramed; and the material to be framed is positioned
within the fxame by posit;on~ng a respective outer edge
of the material to be framed ~ithin the respective channel~
Accordingly, in another of this broad aspect,
this invention resides in providing a picture frame as
described above but further comprising a backing member
and a supporting member foldably extending as part of the
frame from one of the back pieces of the frame~
! 15 Accordinglv, in another oE its broad aspects,
this invention resldes in providing a picture :Erame
assembly compris:ing: ~a~ material to be frame.d, comprising
at least one :Elat~ planar object to be Eramed; suitable
viewing sheet over the object to be ramed; and suitable
backing material under kh0 object to be framed comprising
a first and a second backing sheet; and ~b) a one piece
picture frame made from suitably-foldable material, com-
prising: a front piece having a plurality of sides and
having at least one viewing opening therethrough; an edge
piece foldably extending from each. respective side of the
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1 front piece; a back. piece foldably extending from each
respective edge pi.ece, wherein each. back piece has a back
edge; a backing member having a first part and a second
part, each part having a first edye and a second edge;
and a supporting member compri$ing a plurality of adjacent,
foldably-connected parts, and having a first edge and a
second edge; wh.erein the first part of the backing member
is foldably connected at the ~irst edge thereof to one
back piece at the back edge thereof; a first part of the
supporting member is foldably connected at the first edge
of the supporting member to the first part of the backing
member, at the second edge thereof; a second part of the
supporting ~lember is foldably connected at the second
. edge of supporting member to the second part of the back-
; 15 ing member at the ~irst edge thereof; wherein each of the
parts of the supporting member has a bottom edge, and the
bottom edge oE at least one of the parts of the supporting
member is formed so as to provide at least one support
point ~or supporting the p~.cture frame; wherein the frame
;'s ~olded ~round the material to be ~ramed such that: the
edge pieces form side faces extending in the same direction
and substantially at right angles to the front piece; the
back pieces form back faces extending inwardly from the
respecti,ve si,de faces; an open channel is formed between
each back face and the front piecei the depth of each
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1 channel is substanti.ally the same as the depth of the
mate.rial ta be framed; the mater,ial to be framed is
pos~tioned within the frame by positioning a respective
~uter edge of th.e mater~al to be framed within the
re~pective ch.annel; the first and second edges of the
supporting member are proxi.mate each.other such. that the
supporting member is generally normal to the backing
member; th.e viewi.ng sheet i$ w~thin the respective chan-
nels; the first backing sheet adhered to the first and
second parts of the backin~ member; and the second backing
sheet is pos~ti,oned within the respective channels and
adjacent to the.back pieces, and has an opening for receiv-
ing the first backing sheet.
Further aspects oE the in~ention will become
1 15 apparent upon .readin~ oE the ~ollowin~ detailed description
: and the draw:~ngs whlch. illus-trate the inventi.on and
embodiment.s o~ the .i.nvention.
BRIE~ DESCR:CPTION OF TEIE. DR~INGS
In the drawings:
E'i~ure 1 is a schematic~ ~ront vi.ew of an embodi,-
ment of the picture ~rame of this invention in i.ts un~olded
state;
Figure 2 is a schematic perspecti.ve ~i,e~ of. an
embodiment of the picture of thi,s Lnvention in its folded
state;
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1 282S9~l
1 Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along the
line A-A in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a ~artial cross-sectional view of the
picture frame in its folded state and of the picture frame
assembly of the i.nvention,
Figure 5 is a partial cross~sectional view of
the picture frame in its folded state and of the pi:cture
frame assembly of.the invention;
. Figure 6 is schematic, front view of a further
embodiment of the picture frame of this invention in its
unfolded state;
F.~gure ~ is a schematic back view of an embodi-
ment of the picture frame of this invention in its folded
' state;
! lS Figure 8 is a schematic front view of an embodi-
ment of the picture frame in its un:Eolded state;
. Fi~ure 9 is a partial ~ront view of an embodi~
merlt o~ the picture ~rame in its unfolded state;
Figure 10 is a perspective back view of an
embodiment of the picture frame assembly;
P'igure 11. is.a perspective back view of an
embodiment o~ the picture frame assembly;
~igure 12 is a partial front view of an embodi-
ment of the picture frame in its unfolded state;
Figure 13 is a partial~ front view of an embodi-
ment of the picture frame in its unfolded state; and
1282S91
1 Figure 14 i~.a parti.al~-,f,ront Yiew of an embodi.-
ment o~ the picture frame i:n ~ts unfolded state.
DETAIL DE~CRIPTION OF THE INYENTION
AND PREFERRED E~B'OD'IMENTS''THE-REOF
The picture frame of this-invention i.s a one-
p~ece ~rame that is made from any su;,tably-foldable material.
Preferred material is corrugated cardboard, cardboard,
Bristol board or heavy paper.
The picture frame a-ssembly of this invention
comprises the picture frame of the invention in assembly
with the material to be framed.
With reference to Figure 1, a preferred embodi~
ment of the picture ~rame 20 can be seen in its pre-
assemblied or pre-folded state. The dimensions illustrated
; 15 ~.n Fig-.re 1, and all other figures, are not the actual
d~mens~ons but are shown only for the purposes of illus-
tration.
The picture frame 20 comprises a ~ront piece 22
which has a plurality of sides~ as requi.red for any
particulax framing application~ Preferred numbers of
sides include three, five, six, eight, ten or twelve sides.
': However~ the most preferred number of sides is four as
shown in Figure 1. In Fi~ure 1, there are sides 22A, 22B,
22C and 22D.
The front piece 20 has a viewing opening 70
. through the front face 20~ The viewing opening 70 is for
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1 exposing to view the object to be framed. The viewing
open~ng can be of any desired shape o.r size that fits
within the front face 22, Preferable viewing openings
are c~rcular, oval, square or rectangular. There can be
more than one viewing opening so as to provi,de exposure
to view of more than one place in the front face 20~
Edge pieces 24A, 24B, 24C and 24D extend from
the respective sides of the front piece 22.
Back pieces 26A,-26B, 26C and 26D extend from
. the respective edge pieces 24,
In order to construct the frame 20, a piece of
the suitably-foldable material is cut, either by hand or
by any suitable automated means such as a stamp~ into the
general shape shown in Figure 1. The cut pi~ture frame
20 ~s th~n ~olded along the dotted lines shown in Figure 1.
Pre~erabl~, the ~rame 20 is sco.red along the dotted lines
be~'ore Eolcling.
In order to put the frame 20 into its folded
state, the edge pieces 24 are folded downwardly from the
front piece 22 at substant.tally right angles to the back
piece 22 to ~orm side faces 24. A11 side pieces 24 are
~olded in the same direction.
The back pieces 26 are all folded inwardly from
the side faces 24 to form back faces 26. Preferably~ but
not necessarily~ each si,de edge ~for example 26A-l in
Figure 2~ of each. back piece '~for example 26A~ abuts
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~282S9g~
1 against the adjacent side edge (26B-l) of the adjacent
back.piece 26B. Preferably, the abutment is as shown in
Figure 2 at 28, that is, for a four-sided back piece 22,
the respective side edges 26A-1 and 26B-l are cut at a
45 angle.
- In order that the side edges 26A-1 and 26B-l
abut in this fashion; it is necessary that the respective
back pieces 26~ and 26B have similar shapes. Conversely,
so long as the side edges of the back faces 26 are abutted
rather than overlapped, the provision of similar shapes
for the front pieces 26 will permit such an aesthetic
appearance.
For a more aesthetically pleasing front face 22,
. as best seen in Fi~ure 6, when the viewing opening is in
! 15 the shape of a polygon, such as a rectangle, as defined
by the ed~es oE the viewin~ opening, extending from those
edges o~ the viewing opening can be underturn pieces 72.
The underturn pieces 72 can be turned or folded under
the front piece 22 during assembly. This provides a
folded edge to be exposed to vi.ew in the front area of the
~rame 20, rather than simply a cut edge.
A feature oE this invention is that open channels
30 are formed between each respect~ve back face 26 and the
front p~ece 22. This is be~t ~een in ~i~ure 3
_g _
~2~32591
1 When in use, the channels 30 are used to hold the
material to be framed in the proper position within the
frame 20. By reference to Figure 4, it can b~ seen that
the edge 32D of the material to be Eramed 34 has been
inserted within the channel 30D.
In Figure 4, the material to be framed 34 is a
single, flat, planar object. Usually, the object to be
; framed would be, one or more of,-a picture, photograph, postcard
or whatever the user desired.
In Figure S, the material to be framed comprises
the object to be framed (picture, photograph, postcard or
similar object) plus a suitable viewing sheet 36, such as
a glass or plastic plate, which is placed over the object
to be framed 34 so as to allow a ~iewer to view the object
lS to be framed but at the same time protect the object to be
framed Erom possible damage. ~lso shown in F~gure 5 is a
suitable baclcing sheet or backing material 38 which can be
cardboard, corxugated cardboaxd, ~elt or other suitable
material.
Also shown in Figure 5 is a matting 40.
It will be noted that -the edges of the various
object to be framed 34, viewing shee-t 36, backing sheet
38 and ma-tting 40 need not, but may, extend all the way
into the respective channels 30 so as to abut against the
respective edge piece 24. ~lso, in the embodiment shown
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1 in Figure 5, where there is some material above the object
to be framed 34 such as a viewing sheet 36, it is not
necessary that the edges 32 of the object to be framed 34
be within the respective channels 30. All that is
necessary is that the respective outer edges 32 of the
combined material to be framed be within the respective
channel 30. The combined material to be framed should be
taken to mean the object to be framed by itself or with
any of the various materials noted above, namely viewing
sheet 36, backing sheet 38 and matting 40. Preferably
the backing material 38 should extend into the channels
30 at least as far as any other of the materials so as to
provide a suitable support within the channels 30.
The depth o~ each of the channels 30 should be
taken to mean the d.istance rom the bottom ace 44 of the
front piece 22 to the upper ~aces 42 of the back faces 26
(shown as Dc in Fi~ure 3). Pre~erably, the depth, Dc, of
the channels 30, is substantially the same as the depth
of the material to be framed as shown as Dm in Figures 4
and 5.
When the depths, Dc, of the channels 30 are sub-
stantially the same as the depth of the material to be
framed, Dm, the material to be framed can be more readily
secured within the rame 20.
Preferably, each of the back faces 26 of the
frame 20 is substantially parallel to the front piece 22
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1 when the frame 20 has been folded and is readly for use or
is in use.
In order to keep the frame 20 in its folded
position (Figure 2), the material to be framed, whether
it is simply the object to be framed 34 or any combination
of the object to be framed 3~ and a viewing sheet 36,
backing sheet 38 and matting 40 is positioned within the
: frame 20 a~d the frame 20 is appropriately folded around
; the material to be framed. The upper face 42 of the back
pieces 26 are then adhered to the lower face of the material
to be framed as generall~ shown at 46D on Figures 4 and 5.
The back pieces 26 can be adhered by any suitable means,
for example, sticky tape, glue or adhesive. The suitable
. meaIIs ~6 can be pre-appli.ed to the back pieces 26 before
use by the person who uses the frame 20 as a frame, or
the suitable means ~6 can be applied during the framing
opera tiOII itself.
I~ the front ~ace 22 has under pieces 72, the
channels 30 are created between the under pieces 72 and
the back pieces 26. Accordingly, the depth~ Dc, of the
channels 30 should be measured from the lower face of the
respective under pieces 72 to the top face ~2 of the
respective back pieces 26.
In a further embodiment, if the material to be
framed includes backing material, the backing material
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can be cut so as to ~orm a flap 50 as shown in Figure 7.
Flap 50 can be opened b~ turning it back so as to permit
insertion and withdrawal of the object to ~e framed 34
withi n the picture frame 20~
In order to obtain a particularly pleasing
f;nished frame 20, it is possible to wrap the frame 20
with decorative paper so that the exposed faces of the
~rame 20 have a pleasing appearance.
The invention is particularly useful when it is
~sed in combination with an object to be framed 34, a
suitable viewiny sheet 36 and a suitable backing sheet 38.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention
as best shown in E'igure 8, the frame 20 also comprises a
backing member 80 having a first paxt 82 and a second
~! 15 part 84~ each part 82, 84 having a first edge 82A, 84A
and a second ed~e 82B, 84B. X'he Erame 20 also comprises
a supporting membe~ 90 having a plurality of adjacent,
~oldably~connected parts. The supporting member 90 has
a first edge 90A and a second edge 90B. Preferably, the
20 supporting member 90 has two parts 92, 94 as best seen
in Figure 8 or three parts 92, 96 and 94 as best seen in
Figure 9.
The first part 82 of the backing member 80 is
foldably connected at the first edge 82A thereof to one
25 of the back pieces 26 (26B in Figure 8) at the back edge
100 thereof.
~2~;2S~
1 The firs~ part 92 of the supporting member 90 is
foldably connecte.d at the first edge 90A of the supporting
member 90 to th.e first part 82 of the backing member 80
at the second edge 82B thereof~
The second part 94 of the supporting member 90 is
foldably connected at the second edge 90B of the support-
ing member 90 to the second part 84 of the backing member
80 at the first edge 84A thereof.
It is possible to have additional parts of the
supporting member 90 foldably connected between the first
part 92 and second part 94, such as a third part 96 as
shown in Figure 9~
Each. o:E the parts 92 r .94 and 96, and any other
parts, of the supporting member 90 has a bottom edge 92C,
94C and.96C. ~he bot:tom.edge of at least one of the parts
92, 94 and 96 of th.e supporting member 90 is formed so as
to provide at l~ast one support po~nt for supporting the
picture ~rame 20 such. as shown ~n Figure 10.
Xn the embodiments illustrated in the Fi~ures,
the bottom ed~es 92C, 94C and 96C of each of the parts 92
94 and 96 is a whole line of points for supporting the
picture frame 20. However~ it is possible that only one
point on only one of the edges could support the picture
frame 20.
The supporting member 90 is used to support the
picture frame 20 b~ folding the various edges such that the
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~L28Z59~
1 first edge 90A and the second edge 90B of the supporting
member 90 are brought proximate to each other. Firstly, the
edges 90A and 90B may be very close to each other, if there
; are only two parts, so that the first part 92 and the
second part 94 can be touching each other. This results
in the supporting member 90 being generally normal to the
backing member 80 as generally shown in Figure 10.
Secondly, there can be a separation 102
between the edges 90A and 90B ~as shown in Figure 11) so
that there is some spacing between the parts 92 and 94.
The added spacing helps to provide an additional stability
to the supporting member 90 so that there is less chance
that the supporting member 90 will be folded back out of
i its position at right angles to the backing member 80.
! 15 Preferably, when the frame 20 is assembled, the
first part ~2 and ~he second part 84 of the.backing member
~0 are adhered, b~ any su.~table r~leans, for example glue,
tape or adhesive r to a .Eirst backing sheet 104. A second
backiny sheet 106 is pos~tioned w:;thin the respective
channels 30 of the frame 20 and adjacent to the back
pieces 26. The second backing sheet 106 has an opening
for receiving the Eirst backing sheet 104.
Pre:Eerably, the size and shape of the opening
in the second backing sheet 106 are substantially the
same size and shape as those of the first backing sheet 104
so that when the fi~st backing sheet 104 is inserted into
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~282~91
1 the opening in the second backin~ shRet 106 th.e fi~st
backing sheet 104 (and thereby the backing member 80~ will
be kept in place by the snug fit. However, it is possible
that the size and shape o~ th.e ~rst b~cking sheet 104
are smaller than those of the second backing sheet 106~
In this s~tuation however, the f~rst backing sheet 104 is
not kept as securely in place~
The first backing sheet 104 is received in the-
opening in the second backing.sheet 106 by-pushing the
backing member 80 and the ~irst backing sheet.104 .into the
opening. To remove the first backing sheet 104 from the
opening, the user can use the supporting member gO to pull
the first backing sheet 104 away from the opening. Thus~
the object to be Eramed can be replaced by mov~ng the
first backing sheet 104 from the open.ing.
Pre~erably, the size and shape o~ the opening in
the second bac]cin~ sheet .lO6 are substantially the same as
the size and shape o:~ the surface deined by the back
ed~es 110 o~ the back.Eaces 26 (as shown in Figure 11~.
Pre~erabl~r the size and shape of the backing
member 80 are substantially the same as the size and shape
of the first backing sheet 104. In this regard, the size
and shape of the backlng member 80 should be understood
as including the size and shape of any spacing 112 (see
Figure 11) between the flrst part 82 and the second part 84
of the backing member 80~
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~282591
1 The second backing sheet 106 may be adhered, by
any suitable means, to the back pieces 26 as generally
shown i.n Figure 5 at 46D.
Preferably, each of the back pieces 26 lies in
a plane that is substantially parallel to the front pieces
22
The picture ~rame 20 of the invention can be
formed into a picture ~rame assembly by including with. -.
any combination of the embodiments of the picture frame
20 described above, a suitable backing material, whether
the ~irst backing sheet 104 and the second backing sheet
106 or a separate backing material, and a suitable viewing
sheet over the object to be ramed.
, In a preferred embodiment~ the supporting member
! 15 90 is generally triangu:La.r ~n shape ~Figures 8, 9 and 10
and first part 92 o:E the supportin~ member 90 has the
same size and shape as the size and shape of a second
part 9~ o the supporting member 90 and that shape is
generally tr:iangular.
In another embodiment, each of the first part
92 and the second part 94 of the supporting member 90 has
a first and a second edge 92~, 92B and 94A, 94B,
respectively. In one embodiment~ the irst and second
edges of each part 92 and 94 are substantially parallel
as typically sho~n in Figure 11.
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1 In another embodiment, as best shown in Figures
12 and 13, each of the Eirst part 92 and the second part
94 of the supporting member 90 are generally quadrilateral
in shape, The size and shape of the first part 92 are
preferably substantially the same as the size and shape
of the second part 94. Also, the bottom,edges 92C, 94C
of each of the first part 92 and second part 94 are longer
than the respective edges 92D, 94D opposite to the bottom
edges 92C, 94C.
In a preferred embodimentl the second edye 92B
o~ the first part 92 of the'supporting member 90 is the
same edge as the first edge 94A of the second part 94 of
the supporting member 90. Also, the first and second
, edges 92A, 92B of the first pa.rt 92 are opposite sides of
! 15 the first part 92 ~igure 12~ and.the.first and second
ed~es 94A, 94B o:E the second part 94 are opposite sides
of the second part 94 (Figu.re 12).
In alte:rnative embodiments~ the first and second
edges 92~, 92B of the f.irst part 92 are adjacent sides of
the first part 92 ~as typically seen in Figures 13 and 14
and the first and second edges 94A, 94B of the second
part 94 are adjacent sides of the second part 94 (as
typically seen in Figures 13 and 14)~
As will be apparent to a person skilled in the
art, many of the descri.bed features of the invention can
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, -18~
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1 be included in any part.icular embodiment so that the
particular features can be selected and used in combination
depending on the particular application~
Although the disclosure describes and illustrates
preferred embodiments o~ the invention, it is to be under-
stood that the invention is not restricted to these
particular embodiments,
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