Temporary, re-positionable, removable framing device

Abstract

A framing device having a face sheet with a temporary adhesive on one surface thereof to facilitate removing and re-positioning the framing device. The device may include pre-printed graphics or graphics may be applied by the user.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES

The application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/625,445, filed on Nov. 5, 2004, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a framing device for photographs, certificates, artwork, etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are a wide variety of frames available for photographs, certificates and other memorabilia that people desire to display. Such framing devices may be relatively rigid or flexible. Such flexible framing devices may have pre-printed graphics on the border thereof and may be provided with a stand or other means for displaying the frame. It is also known to utilize a magnetic backing on various types of framing devices so as to permit their display on refrigerators, appliances and other magnetic surfaces. One obvious limitation of magnetic-backed frames is the limited number of places such a frame can be displayed.

What is desired is a temporary, re-positionable, removable framing device for photographs, certificates, etc., that can be applied to virtually any surface and removed and repositioned repeatedly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes various drawbacks associated with prior art framing devices. This is accomplished by providing a flexible frame material having a temporary adhesive on the back thereof which permits the frame to be releasably secured to a wide variety of surfaces including, but not limited to, wood, metal, glass, paper, cloth, stainless steel, wallpaper, and painted surfaces. Because there are no nails or other fasteners used with the frame, the surface to which the frame is affixed is not defaced or otherwise damaged.

A further advantage of the framing device of the present invention is that it can be manufactured with preprinted graphics in the frame border area or it can be provided with a blank surface that is adaptable to receive graphics printed thereon for customized uses. For example, a sheet of the adhesive-backed frame material can be fed through a computer printer and graphics can be customized for printing on the frame by the user. As a further example, if the frame of the present invention was intended to be used to display a baby picture, graphics relating to babies could be applied to the frame. Alternatively, if the photograph or other certificate or memorabilia to be displayed was for a particular occasion or event, then appropriate graphics and/or text could be applied to the frame by a printer.

As an additional advantage, the framing device of the present invention can be die cut from sheet stock material in a manner that provides a number of frames cut from the same sheet of paper, to thereby maximize the use of the frame material.

To the extent the framing device is used as a promotional item, it could potentially be packaged with a variety of products and contain preprinted graphics relating to the product and/or supplier thereof.

The temporary adhesive on the back surface of the face sheet material serves the dual functions of removably adhering the framing device to a desired surface, as well as adhering the edge of the picture to the framing device itself.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a framing device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank sheet of the framing device stock material die cut.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the sheet material shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a framing device 10 of the present invention. The upper left hand corner of the framing device 10 is shown curled forward to reveal the adhesive backing 12. In addition, the framing device 10 is shown with a photograph 14 positioned therein and indicia 16 on the border area. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the indicia 16 may be preprinted on the framing device 10 or, alternatively, can be printed on by the consumer or user of the device. Additionally, it will be appreciated that the framing device 10 of the present invention can be used for the display of photographs, certificates, artwork, and/or any other item a person may desire to display in a frame.

With reference to FIG. 3, there is shown a cross-sectional view of the portion of FIG. 1 taken along lines 3-3 thereof. What is shown is a cross-section of the frame with the face stock material 18 and the adhesive backing 12 thereon. Also shown is the outer perimeter 15 of photograph 14 which is being displayed. The thickness of each layer 12, 15 and 18 are exaggerated fro the sake of illustration. The temporary adhesive 12 allows the outer perimeter of the picture or other item being displayed to be releasably secured to the frame 10. This is also shown in phantom in FIG. 1. Thus, the frame can be reused with a number of different pictures or other items to be displayed until such time as the temporary adhesive loses sufficient tackiness to perform its intended purpose.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary sheet 21 of the frame material die cut to provide several different frame sizes from a single sheet of stock material. In the particular example shown, the sheet can provide a frame for an 8×10 item 20, a 4×6 item 22, a 2×4 item 24 and a coupon 26 or other solid piece in the center. Other combinations of frames, etc., are also contemplated. With this manner of die cutting the stock material, a very efficient use is achieved with little or no waste. Also advantageous is the fact that various sized framing devices of the present invention can be provided using a single sheet of stock material. While the sheet material 21 is shown die cut in a rectangular fashion with various sized framing devices cut therein, it should be appreciated that other shapes of framing devices can be die cut from a sheet material, including, circular, oval, diamond or other shapes.

FIG. 4 shows a side edge view of the sheet stock material of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 shows a surface sheet 28 and a backing/release sheet 30 separated by the releasable temporary adhesive 12. The thickness of each layer 12, 28 and 30 are exaggerated for the sake of illustration. Sheets of this stock material (uncut) are available from DCM of Cincinnati, Ohio. Alternatively, the stock material may be in roll form prior to die cutting. One suitable temporary adhesive is available from DCM under the trade name MagikStick. The face stock material may be of any desired thickness, but is advantageously an 8-point material. Moreover, the face stock may be high gloss, semi-gloss, coated or uncoated, direct thermal, EDP, latex impregnated, or thermal transfer material. It may also be paper, plastic or tag stock. These are all well known in the art and are advantageous for different purposes and uses of the framing device of the present invention.

Although specific reference has been made to the MagikStick temporary adhesive product of DCM, and the various face stock materials that can be utilized with such an adhesive, those details are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to such specifics. Moreover, it is contemplated that the present invention encompasses various face stock materials and temporary adhesive products that, together, result in a temporary, re-positionable, removable framing device.

While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of various preferred embodiments and while these embodiments has been described in some detail, it is not the intention of the Applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The various features of the invention may be used alone or in numerous combinations depending on the needs and preferences of the user. This has been a description of the present invention, along with the preferred methods of practicing the present invention as currently known.

Claims

1. A framing device comprising:

a face sheet defining a frame border; and

a temporary adhesive on one side of said face sheet.

2. The framing device of claim 1 wherein said temporary adhesive renders the framing device temporary, re-positionable, and removable.

3. The framing device of claim 1 wherein said frame border is configured in a shape selected from the group consisting of rectangular, oval, circular, and diamond-shaped.

4. The framing device of claim 1 wherein said frame border contains preprinted graphics.

5. The framing device of claim 1 wherein said frame border has no preprinted graphics.

6. The framing device of claim 1 wherein said face sheet is made of a material selected from the group consisting of paper, plastic, and tag stock.

7. The framing device of claim 1 wherein said face sheet is made of a paper material selected from the group consisting of high gloss, semi-gloss, coated, uncoated, direct thermal, EDP, latex impregnated, and thermal transfer.

8. A sheet of framing devices comprising:

a face sheet defining more than one frame border in concentric orientation; and

a temporary adhesive on one side of said face sheet.

9. The sheet of framing devices of claim 8 wherein said temporary adhesive renders the framing devices temporary, re-positionable, and removable.

10. The sheet of framing devices of claim 8 wherein each of said frame borders is configured in a shape selected from the group consisting of rectangular, oval, circular, and diamond-shaped.

11. The sheet of framing devices of claim 8 wherein each of said frame borders contains preprinted graphics.

12. The sheet of framing devices of claim 8 wherein each of said frame borders has no preprinted graphics.

13. The sheet of framing devices of claim 8 wherein said face sheet is made of material selected from the group consisting of paper, plastic, and tag stock.

14. The sheet of framing devices of claim 8 wherein said face sheet is made from a paper material selected from the group consisting of high gloss, semi-gloss, coated, uncoated, direct thermal, EDP, latex impregnated, and thermal transfer.