Picture frame having adjustable decorative element

Abstract

A picture frame is provided with a rotary decorative body that is rotatably mounted on a main portion of the frame. The rotational axis of rotary decorative body runs parallel to the respective frame side. The rotary decorative body is mounted at its two ends on respective support arms that are connected to the main portion. The support arms may be attached rigidly or pivotably. The rotary decorative body may have an outer surface of any design, and it may be provided with an interior light source.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §§119 and/or 365 to Patent Application Serial No. 100543634 filed in Germany on Nov. 2, 2000, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0002] The invention relates to a picture frame having a picture enclosed by four frame members and at least one support for a decorative element attached to a frame member.

[0003] In many cases there exists an aesthetic cross-effect between a picture and the picture frame receiving the picture. At least a stylistic or color harmony between the picture frame and the picture is achieved in most cases. To this end, even the buyer or the owner of the picture has an additional aesthetic design possibility, which is not only limited to the choice of the picture frame, but in addition also to the choice of one or more supports for decorative elements attached to the picture frame.

[0004] On a known picture frame of the type mentioned in the beginning, these supports for a decorative element consist of elongated bodies, e.g. strip-shaped, which are respectively fastened to a frame member. However, subsequent alterations of the support for the decorative element is not possible—particularly the replacement of the support is at least difficult.

[0005] It is the object of the invention to design a picture frame of the type mentioned in the beginning in such a manner that diverse additional possibilities in design are provided.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention in that the support for a decorative element is a rotary decorative body, which is mounted to the frame member and which runs essentially parallel to the respective frame member.

[0007] The rotatable mounting of the rotary decorative body makes possible to selectively turn different sides of the rotary decorative body toward the observer whereby said sides may be of different design in color and graphics. For example, one side of the rotary decorative body may be in the color of gold and the opposite side may be designed in silver whereby diverse possibilities of aesthetic design are made available by turning the body. Depending on the respectively selected turned position of the rotary decorative body, there are achieved completely different color and aesthetic effects, which have a direct influence on the observer as well as on the picture itself

[0008] It is also possible to provide the rotary decorative body with patterns, diagonally or straight-running color strips, or color patterns, or pictorial representations, for example, in harmony with the respective picture or in a selected contrast thereto, or as an illustrative expansion of the picture.

[0009] The artistic design possibility provided thereby for the user or the observer of the picture may cause complimentary effects in regard to color, graphic effects or the pictorial representation. Pictorial representations on the rotary decorative body may be a copy of the picture itself whereby it is continued in a corresponding manner or they may alter the pictorial representation. Blending of all these design possibilities is conceivable.

[0010] A rotary decorative body is arranged preferably on two frame members opposite to one another. Additionally, it is also possible to arrange a rotary decorative body to three or all four frame members. The effect and the design possibilities are correspondingly increased and expanded.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rotary decorative body is mounted at its two ends to a support arm that is connected to the picture frame.

[0012] Instead, it is also possible that the rotary decorative body is mounted on a support arm that is connected to the picture frame whereby said support arm extends through a slot to a bearing on the inside of the rotary decorative body. Support arms, on which ends the rotary decorative body is mounted, may not be necessary in this case, which is technically favorable and aesthetically attractive, particularly in the arrangement whereby rotary decorative bodies are disposed at all four frame members.

[0013] The support arms may be rigidly attached to the picture frame. Instead, it is also practical in the development of the design possibilities that the arms on the picture frame are able to swivel about a swivel axis running parallel to the rotational axis of the rotary decorative body. The rotary decorative body may be pivoted away from an arrangement that is lateral and adjacent to the respective frame member and pivoted toward an arrangement in front of said frame member and even past the bordering edge of the picture, which results in very diverse design possibilities.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate like elements and in which:

[0015] FIG. 1 shows a picture frame in a front view having a laterally arranged rotary decorative body.

[0016] FIG. 2 shows the picture frame according to FIG. 1 in a top view.

[0017] FIGS. 3-5 show diverse embodiments of rotary decorative bodies on a respective picture frame.

[0018] FIGS. 6-9 show each a partial top view of diverse designs of the support arms onto which a rotary decorative body is mounted.

[0019] FIGS. 10 and 11 show a picture frame with a rotary decorative body illuminated from the inside.

[0020] FIGS. 12-15 show horizontal cross sections through diverse rotary decorative bodies illuminated from the inside.

[0021] FIGS. 16a)-16k) show respective cross-sectional shapes of rotary decorative bodies.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The picture frame illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 encloses a picture 1, e.g. a painting, a print or a photography and said picture frame has four frame members 2, 3, 4, and 5, which are connected to one another in form of a mitered frame.

[0023] Two rotary decorative bodies 6 are laterally arranged adjacent to the vertical frame members 2 and 3 whereby said rotary decorative bodies are designed as cylinders in the embodiment example according to FIG. 1, which extend along the entire length of the respective neighboring frame member 2 or 4. The two rotary decorative bodies are rotatably mounted at their two ends to a respective support ram 7 connected to the picture frame. Each support arm 7 is provided with a bearing, for instance a pivot pin 8, for the rotary decorative body 6, and the support arms 7 are attached to respective swivel bearings 9 at the end of the respective horizontal frame member 3 or 5.

[0024] The outer surface of the rotary decorative body 6 may be designed in any fashion in reference to color and graphics, and it offers thereby a large spectrum of artistic design possibilities, which may be oriented in the above-described manner to the representation of the picture 1.

[0025] In the configuration according to FIG. 3, there are four rotary decorative bodies 6 arranged at all four sides of the picture 1. Each rotary decorative body 6 is rotatably mounted on a support arm 10 that is connected to said picture frame whereby said support arm extends through a slot 11 (indicated only on the right in FIG. 1) to a bearing 12 on the inside of the rotary decorative body 6.

[0026] In the embodiment example according to FIG. 4, there are two rotary decorative bodies 6 and 6′ mounted, which are aligned with one another and which are disposed at the left side, parallel to the frame member 2, and whereby said two rotary decorative bodies may be rotated, independently :from one another, and whereby they are rotatably connected to one another via the axle 13 for this purpose.

[0027] On the right side of FIG. 4 is shown that the rotary decorative body 6 may be designed shorter than the respective frame member 4. The pivot pins 8′ of the support arms 7 are correspondingly lengthened.

[0028] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment wherein the two rotary decorative bodies 6 and 6′ may be axially adjustable in the way of a telescope to vary the effective length of the element defined by the two bodies. Thus, the two bodies are aligned with one another, rotatably mounted as a unit, and oriented parallel to the frame member 2. The fitting to varying frame sizes is thereby possible in a simple manner,

[0029] The swivel bearing of the support arms 7 is indicated in FIG. 6. FIG. 7 shows an embodiment wherein each support arm 7′ consists of two telescoping arm halves 7a and 7b that may be adjusted in the longitudinal direction of the arms so that a longitudinal adjustment possibility is provided for the arm 7′ itself.

[0030] In FIG. 8 is indicated that the swivable arm 7 may be selectively locked at any one of several swivel positions in any suitable manner.

[0031] While the cylinder-shaped rotary decorative body 6 is rotatable about its longitudinal axis in the presently shown preferred embodiments, it is shown in FIG. 9 that the rotary decorative body 6 (cylindrical-shaped here also) mounted on the swivel arms 7 can be swiveled about a rotational axis that is offset from, and extends parallel to, the longitudinal center axis, and whereby said rotational axis may be selected to be adjustable on the rotary decorative body 6 as well. For example, FIG. 9 depicts the body 6 being rotatable about an offset axle 8a. By shifting the axle, e.g., along a notched slot 20, the location of the axle can be adjusted, e.g., to location 8b.

[0032] In the example according to FIG. 10, the rotary decorative body 6 contains an elongated internal light source 13, e.g. a fluorescent tube, which extends essentially along the entire length of the rotary decorative body 6. The rotary decorative body 6, which contains at least one such light source, is at least partially translucent or transparent.

[0033] As a modification thereof, the rotary decorative body 6 in the example according to FIG. 11 contains a plurality of internal light sources 14 arranged at a distance to one another, which may also be adjusted relative to one another in any suitable manner as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 11.

[0034] Instead of the transparent embodiment of the rotary decorative body 6—or in addition thereto—it may also be proposed that said rotary decorative body 6 is provided with at least one light-emitting opening, e.g. at least one light-emitting slot 15, running longitudinally and extending along a part of an outer periphery of the cylindrical rotary decorative body, as shown in the embodiments according to FIGS. 12 and 13, respectively. That slot may also be shut whereby there is a flap 16 provided that may be closed and opened (FIG. 12), or a circumferentially movable slide cover 17 provided as shown in the example in FIG. 13. The amount of emitting light may be changed thereby especially for the illumination of picture 1.

[0035] In the embodiment according to FIG. 14, there are a plurality of light-emitting openings provided on the rotary decorative body 6, e.g. light-emitting slots 15 or holes, which may also be of varying size at different sides of the rotary decorative body 6, as illustrated, so that diverse light effects are created by rotation of said rotary decorative body.

[0036] Diverse illumination effects may be achieved in cooperation with the rotation of the rotary decorative body 6 and through the design of light-emitting slots explained in only a few embodiment examples. The illumination may be in the form of a line or a spot, for example.

[0037] In the example according to FIG. 15 it is shown that the rotary decorative body 6 is comprised of two concentric cylinders 6a, b that may be rotated independently from one another and whereby at least the outer cylinder 6a is at least partially transparent. Very different effects in design may be achieved by changing the relative turned positions of the two cylinders 6a and 6b.

[0038] In FIGS. 16a-16k there are shown numerous example of diverse cross-sectional designs of rotary decorative bodies 6a-6k, which deviate from the above-described cylindrical design. The cross-sectional design possibilities shown in the examples in FIG. 16 are not exhaustive of the many possible shapes which the decorative bodies may assume. Aside from the rotary decorative bodies shown in FIGS. 16a-16k consisting of noncircular or polygonal bodies, there are additional design possibilities conceivable particularly in combination with the described illumination possibilities and design, possibilities in different colors.

[0039] Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that additions, deletions, modifications, and substitutions not specifically described may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A picture frame including four frame members bordering a space for receiving a picture, and at least one rotary decorative body mounted to a respective one of the frame members for rotation relative thereto about an axis extending substantially parallel to the respective frame member.

2. The picture frame according to claim 1, wherein there are two of the rotary decorative bodies mounted on respective frame members arranged opposite to one another.

3. The picture frame according to claim 1, wherein there are more than two of the rotary decorative bodies mounted on respective frame members.

4. The picture frame according to claim 1, wherein said rotary decorative body is mounted at its two ends to a respective support arm that is connected to the respective frame member.

5. The picture frame according to claim 4, wherein said support arms are rigidly attached to the respective frame member.

6. The picture frame according to claim 1, wherein said at least one rotary decorative body is mounted on a support arm connected to the picture frame, wherein said support arm extends through a slot formed in said at least one decorative rotary body for connection with a bearing situated inside of said rotary decorative body.

7. The picture frame according to claim 4, wherein said support arms are mounted to be swiveled about a swivel axis running parallel to the rotational axis of said at least one rotary decorative body.

8. The picture frame according to claim 7, wherein said support arm is lockable in any one of selective positions of adjustment upon being swiveled relative to the respective frame member.

9. The picture frame according to claim 4, wherein each support arm comprises two arm halves adjustable relative to one another in the longitudinal direction of said respective support arm.

10. The picture frame according to claim 1, wherein said at least one rotary decorative body is of cylindrical shape.

11. The picture frame according to claim 10, wherein the axis of rotation coincides with a longitudinal center axis of the cylindrical decorative body.

12. The picture frame according to claim 10, wherein the axis of rotation is offset from, and substantially parallel to, a longitudinal center axis of the cylindrical decorative body.

13. The picture frame according to claim 1, wherein there are two of the rotary decorative bodies, the bodies being aligned with one another and extending parallel to the respective frame member.

14. The picture frame according to claim 13, wherein said two rotary decorative bodies are arranged in telescoping relationship and are axially adjustable relative to one another.

15. The picture frame according to claim 1, wherein said at least one rotary decorative body contains at least one internal light source and is at least partially translucent or transparent.

16. The picture frame according to claim 15, wherein the elongated light source extends essentially along the entire length of said at least one rotary decorative body.

17. The picture frame according to claim 15, wherein said at least one rotary decorative body contains a plurality of internal light sources arranged at a distance to one another.

18. The picture frame according to claim 17, wherein said light sources are adjustable relative to one another.

19. The picture frame according to claim 15, wherein said at least one rotary decorative body contains at least one light-emitting opening.

20. The picture frame according to claim 19, wherein said at least one rotary decorative body has at least one light-emitting slot oriented longitudinally.

21. The picture frame according to claim 10, wherein said at least one rotary decorative body comprises two concentric cylinders that are rotatable relative to one another.

22. The picture frame according to claim 1, wherein said at least one rotary decorative body has a noncircular cross sectional shape.

23. The picture frame according to claim 22, wherein said at least one rotary decorative body has a polygonal cross sectional shape.