Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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This lnvention relates to a standoff for picture
frames, particularly useful for metallic or plastic picture
frames in which the frame members are extruded channels
having sharp corners.
BACKGROUND OF TH~ INV~NTION
Picture framing is a rapidly growing industry
which has been aided and abetted by the development of
extruded metallic or plastic frame members which can be cut
to any desired length and connected together at the corners
by suitable corner connectors. A common feature of such
frame members is a generally C-shaped channel extending the
length of the frame member with a pair of reentrant flanges
separated by a gap. The corner connector is usually
positioned within the channels of meeting frame members
with access to appropriate fastening or tightening means
being provided through the aforementioned gap.
The metallic and plastic frame members presently
ln use usually have sharp ed8es or corners which can mar
the surface of a wall when a picture is being hung or when
it is moved, perhaps during dusting or cleaning.
Furthermore, when a picture hangs directly against or close
to a wall there is little or no sir circulation behind the
picture. Research has shown that air circulation is
essentisl in prolonging the life of paintings, pictures,
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prints, documents, photographs, etcetera and thus it is
important to space a picture or painting away from a wall
surface.
With solid frames of plastic or wood a spacer or
standoff can be used to move the frame out from the wall,
the spacer being in the shape of a button, dimple or foot,
approximately 3 mm in height, with an adhesive back for
attachment to the frame. These spacers do have definite
shortcomings in that the adhesive prematurely dissolves,
causing the spacer to fall off leaving the frame
contaminated with a tacky dirt-collecting film which, if
unnoticed, could soil the wall. In addition, the height of
about 3 mm i5 much less than the recommended height of 10-
15 mm. Such spacers are even less effective with extruded
metallic or plastic frames because of the gap between the
flanges at the rear and the fact that the flanges usually
do not provide enough surface for proper adhesion of a
spacer of the aforementioned variety.
SUMMAR~ OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the problems of
the prior art by providing a standoff or spacer
specifically designed for use wi~h picture frame members
having C-shaped channels opening to the rear thereof. The
standoff of this invention may be in~ection molded or it
may be extruded and cut to length.
The standoff of this invention includes a central
wall-engaging portion and a pair of flexible leg portions
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connected to the wall-engaging portion. Each leg portion
carries a hook portion which in use i9 engageable with an
adjacent flange of the frame member channel. When the hook
portions are engaged with the respective flanges the leg
portions of the standoff will project rearwardly of the
frame with the wall-engaging portion being spaced
rearwardly of the frame.
One might place a standoff of the present
invention only at the bottom of a picture frame so as to
space the bottom out from the wall, especially if the
attachment points for the plcture-hanging wire or cord are
intermediate the vertical extent of the frame. If the
attachment points are at the top one might want to position
a standoff ad~acent each corner of the frame.
The standoff may be molded or extruded from a
plastic or rubber material, preferably one having non-skid
and non-marring properties, 80 that the standoffs will keep
the picture stationary, even during dusting, and 80 that it
will not mar the wall when the picture is being moved or
rehung.
Standoffs may be produced in different heights or
configurations to suit different hanging conditions or
frame profiles. One might wish, for example to have upper
standoffs of a greater height than lower standoffs to
achieve an optimum han8in8 angle.
Standoffs of the same height may be applied at
the top and bottom of the frame, providing the illusion of
the frame floating in front of the wall rather than resting
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against the wall. This provides a more pleasing appearance
for the art contained in the frame.
Additional features of the present invention will
be described hereinbelow and with reference to the
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION _ THE DRAWINGS
FIGURE I shows an end view of a first embodiment
molded standoff in accordance with this invention.
FIGURE 2 shows a bottom view of the standoff of
Figure 1.
FIGURE 3 shows the standoff of Figure 1 in
position in a picture frame member.
FIGURE 4 shows in an exploded view the way in
which the first embodiment is used.
FIGURE 5 shows a side view of ~ typical hung
frame using standoffs in accordance with this invention.
FIGURE 6 shows an end view and FIGURE 7 shows a
side view of a second embodiment extruded standoff in
accordance with this invention.
FIGURES 8 and 9 show end and side views of a
third embodiment extruded standoff in accordance with this
lnvention.
FIGURE 10 shows the embodiment of Figures 8 and 9
in use.
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DESCRIPTIOII OF THE PR13Fl~RRED EMBODIMENTS
Figures 1 and 2 show the first embodiment molded
standoff 10 of the present invention. The standoff 10 may
be injection molded of a ~;uitable plastic or rubber
material, selected to have non-skid and non-marring
properties.
Figures 1 and 2 show the ~tandoff 10 in its as-
molded (and purchased) condition while Figure 3 shows it in
it~ as-u~ed condition.
As seen in Figure 1 the standoff 10 has a central
wall-engaging portion 12 having a transversely convex outer
surface 14 and a peripheral, rectangular depending skirt
16. As seen in bottom view 2 the skirt 16 has side wall
portions 18, end wall portions 20 and a central transverse
rib 22.
Extending outwardly from the central portion 12
are flexible leg portions 24, each ~oined to the central
portion 12 by a living hinge 26 at the ~unction of the
outer surface 14 and the skirt side wall portion 18. At
20 the free end each leg portion 24 has an enlarged section 28
in which there is located an outwardly opening groove 30
running parallel to the side wall portion 18. Outboard of
the groove each enlarged portion 28 has a downwardly
bevelled surface 32.
Figure 3 shows a frame member 34 in cross-
section, the frame member supporting a picture 36 and
having an extruded profile including a rearwardly opening
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C-shaped channel section defined by side walls 38, inne~
wall 40 and reentrant flanges 42 separated by a gap or
space 44.
With reference to Figures 3 and 4 the method of
using the standoff of the invention with a frame member 34
will be illustrated and described.
As shown in Figure 4 one starts with the standoff
in its as-molded configuration with the leg portions
extending away from the central portion. The leg portions
24 are then pinched inwardly as shown by the arrows A so
that each leg portion rotates about its living hinge 26
until the inner surface of each leg abuts the outer surface
of the adjacent skirt side wall 18. The enlarged portions
28 may then be pushed into the gap 44 (arrow B) until the
bevelled ~urfaces 32 engage the adjacent flanges 42.
Continued inward movement cams the enlarged portions 28
toward each other until the grooves 30 encounter the
flanges 42 at which point the enlarged portions 28 spring
outwardly with each groove 30 embracing an ad~acent flange
42 as shown in Figure 3. The leg portions 24 are forced
outward by the ~kirt side walls 18 to maintain the grooves
30 and flanges 42 in locking engagement. The standoff is
now locked in position and it will space the picture 36
away from the wall 46 by the distance between the outer
surface 14 and the flange 42.
The width of the wall-engaging portion 12 and the
length of the leg portions 24 can be determined for
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production purposes by observing the different
configurations of frames on the market and designing the
standoff accordingly. Several different sizes of standoff
could be provided with the customer choosing on the basis
of the distance that the frame is to be positioned outward
from the wall (typically about 1 cm) and the si~e of the
gap 44 between the flanges 42.
In Figure 5 the picture frame 48 has standoffs 10
located adjacent each corner, at each end of the upper and
lower frame members. The frame is attached to the wall by
a wire 50 engaging a wall-mounted hook 52. By using four
standoffs of equal height the frame is spaced from the wall
by the desired distance and it is parallel to the wall. If
the upper standoffs are longer than the lower standoffs
then the frame would be held at a fixed angle relative to
the wall, facing downwards. This attitude would be
desirable for artwork which is hung fairly high on the
wall.
Figures 6 and 7 show another embodiment of the
invention, the standoff 60 being particularly suited for
manufacture by extrusion techniques. The standoff 60 has a
wall-engaging portion 62 with a convexly curved transverse
outer surface 64 and generally rectangular side walls 66
depending therefrom. A transverse bottom wall 68 extends
between the side walls 66. Since the standoff 60 is to be
extruded its ends are open, as shown. A flexible leg
portion 70 depends from each side wall 66, being an
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extension thereof, and has an inwardly enlarged portion 72
at the free end thereof. Each enlarged portion 72 has an
outwardly facing groove 74 therein and outboard (or
downwards) of the groove there is a downwardly and inwardly
bevelled surface 76.
The embodiment of Figures S and 7 is used in
essentiallr the same manner as the first embodiment with
the exception that is is not necessary to initially orient
the leg portions 70 for entry into the gap 44. One can
hold the standoff by gripping the walls 66, insert it into
the gap 44 so that contact of the surfaces 76 against the
flanges 42 will cam the enlarged portions 72 inwardly, and
then release the standoff when the grooves 74 encounter the
flanges 42 allowing the leg portions 70 to spring back so
that the grooves are engaged with the flanges to hold the
standoff in position.
Figures 8 and 9 show a third embodiment of this
invention, the standoff 80 being also adapted for
manufacture by extrusion techniques. The standoff 80 has a
wall-engaging portion 82 with a convexly curved transverse
outer portion 84 and flexible leg portions 86 depending
therefrom, the leg portions being parallel to each other.
At the free end of each leg portion 86 a strai8ht shoulder
88 extends outwardly, each shoulder having a flat upper
surface 90. A flexlble end wall 92 connects the free ends
of the shoulders, the end wall 92 having outer arcuate
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portions 94 curving downwardly and inwardly to a short
straight central wall portion 96.
In use (Figure 10) the leg portions 86 may be
squeezed to reduce the width of the standoff 80
sufficiently so that it can be forced between the gap 44
until the shoulders 88 pass the flanges 42. Release of the
leg portions 86 allows the standoff 80 to resume its shape
of Figure 8 with the upper surface 90 of each shoulder
being positioned against the inner surface of the adjacent
flange 42. Preferably the height K (Fig. 8) is equal to or
slightly greater than the distance from the wall 40 to the
inner surface of the flanges 42 90 that the standoff will
be wedged in position and will not move in an unwanted
manner,
If standoffs in accordance with this invention
are to be positioned on frame members prior to assembly of
the frame they may be slid into the channel of the
appropriate member from the open end thereof with the
flanges of the frame member engaging the grooves 30, 74 or
the shoulders 88 as the case might be.
The standoffs of the present invention offer an
optimum spacing for a frame from a wall they are
essentially permanent as they will not fall off; they can
be installed on either a completed frame or they can be
installed prior to fabrication they will not mar a wall
and they stabili~e the rame relative to the wall,
particularly during cleaning; and they are both inexpensive
and easy to install.
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The present invention provides a standoff for a
picture frame that meets all requirements of the homeowner
or art gallery. Modifications to the invention are within
the skill of a designer without departing from the spirit
of the invention and hence the ~cope of protection to be
afforded the invention is to be determined from the
appended claims.
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