PHOTOGRAPH RETENTION ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A photograph retention assembly, for holding one or more photographs, includes a retention member that includes a pair of opposed retention fingers. The retention fingers are moveable between an open configuration to receive one or more photographs therebetween and a closed configuration to retain the one or more photographs therebetween. Each retention finger includes a corresponding arm. Movement of one arm relative to the other arm moves the fingers between the open and closed configurations. The photograph retention assembly also includes a mount member that has an engagement formation. The engagement formation is cooperable with at least one arm to selectively secure the retention member and the mount member to one another.

Description

This invention relates to a photograph retention assembly for holding one or more photographs.

It is known to provide a conventional photograph album that comprises a cover inside which is mounted a series of discrete pockets. A user can insert a photograph into each pocket. In this way the conventional album provides protection to the photographs, and assists in readily viewing the photographs.

However, one drawback with such conventional photograph albums is the time-consuming and laborious manner in which it is necessary to prepare the album for use by inserting an individual photograph into each discrete pocket.

There is, therefore, a need for an improved arrangement for holding one or more photographs which is easier to prepare for use.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a photograph retention assembly, for holding one or more photographs, comprising:

• • a retention member including a pair of opposed retention fingers moveable between an open configuration to receive one or more photographs therebetween and a closed configuration to retain the one or more photographs therebetween, each retention finger including a corresponding arm, movement of one arm relative to the other arm moving the fingers between the open and closed configurations; and
  • a mount member including an engagement formation cooperable with at least one arm to selectively secure the retention member and the mount member to one another.

The provision of a retention member allows a user to prepare the retention assembly for use, i.e. to load it with a plurality of photographs, in a single operation with the photographs immediately ready to view.

Meanwhile cooperation between the retention member and the engagement formation allows ready securing of the or each photograph to the mount member so as to permit easy storage of the photographs and/or the provision of protection.

Optionally the retention fingers are biased towards the closed configuration. Biasing the retention fingers towards the closed configuration applies a gripping force to the or each photograph lying between the retention fingers so as to retain the or each photograph therebetween.

Preferably the retention fingers are interconnected by a resiliently deformable connection limb, the connection limb biasing the retention fingers towards the closed configuration.

Such an arrangement provides a desired degree of biasing towards the closed configuration while retaining one finger relative to the other.

The retention fingers, corresponding arms, and the connection limb may be integrally formed with one another in a unitary body. Integrally forming these elements in a unitary body assists in the ready manufacture of the retention member, e.g. by extrusion.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the mount member engagement formation is cooperable with both arms to selectively secure the retention member and the mount member to one another. Having a mount member engagement formation that is cooperable with both arms improves the extent to which the retention member and the mount member are secured to one another and helps to maintain the retention member in a desired orientation relative to the mount member.

Preferably cooperation of the arms with the mount member engagement formation further urges the retention fingers towards the closed configuration. Such further urging increases the gripping force applied by the retention fingers to the or each photograph lying therebetween to reduce the likelihood of one or more photographs becoming separated from the retention member.

Optionally each arm is resiliently deformable and the mount member engagement formation forces the arms further away from one another than their relative positions while the retention fingers are in the closed configuration. Such an arrangement utilises the resilience of each arm to further urge the retention fingers towards the closed configuration.

Each arm may include an arm engagement formation that is mutually cooperable with the mount member engagement formation to selectively engage the retention member with the mount member.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention each arm includes a protruding formation and the mount member engagement formation includes a pair of corresponding recess formations, each recess formation receiving the corresponding protruding formation.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the mount member engagement formation has a circular cross-sectional shape and each arm extends more than one quarter of the way around opposing sides of the engagement formation.

The foregoing arrangements selectively secure the retention member with the mount member while providing a user with a ready means of separating the retention member from the mount member to allow loading of photographs into the retention member.

Preferably the mount member includes first and second wings, each wing extending on one side of the engagement formation. The inclusion of such wings protects the retention member during use and further inhibits, to a desired extent, separation of the retention member from the mount member.

Optionally the mount member is fixedly secured to a cover. The inclusion of a cover allows the photograph retention assembly to provide a desired degree of protection to the or each photograph.

There now follows a brief description of preferred embodiments of the invention, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows an elevational view of a photograph retention assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 2(a) to 2(d) illustrate schematically part of a sequence of loading photographs into the photograph retention assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of a photograph retention assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the photograph retention assembly shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows an isometric view of a retention member shown in FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 shows an isometric view of a mount member shown in FIGS. 3 and 4; and

FIG. 7 shows an elevational view of the retention member and mount member shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 in cooperation with one another.

A photograph retention assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10.

The retention assembly 10 includes a retention mernber 12 that has a pair of opposed retention fingers 14 which are moveable between an open configuration to receive a plurality of photographs 16, as shown in FIG. 2(b), and a closed configuration to retain the plurality of photographs 16 therebetween, as shown in FIG. 2(d).

Each retention finger 14 includes a corresponding arm 18.

The retention fingers 14 are biased towards the closed position and, in the particular embodiment shown, are interconnected by a resiliently deformable connection limb 20 which provides the desired biasing.

In the embodiment shown, the retention fingers 14, corresponding arms 18 and the connection limb 20 are integrally formed with one another in a unitary body 22. The unitary body 22 and corresponding elements may be extruded from a plastics material, and a resiliently deformable plastics material in particular.

The retention assembly 10 also includes a mount member 24 that has an engagement formation 26. In the embodiment shown the mount member engagement formation 26 is cooperable with both arms 18 to selectively secure the retention member 12 and the mount member 24 to one another.

Each arm 18 is resiliently deformable and the mount member engagement formation 26 forces the arms further away from one another (as shown in FIG. 1) than their relative positions while the retention fingers 14 are in the closed configuration (as shown in FIG. 2(d).

Each arm 18 includes an arm engagement formation 28 in the form of a protruding formation 30, and the mount member engagement formation 26 includes a pair of recess formations 32.

Each protruding formation 30 is mutually cooperable with the corresponding recess formation 32, and in particular each recess formation 32 receives the corresponding protruding formation 30 to selectively engage the retention member 12 with the mount member 24.

The mount member 24 is fixedly secured to a cover 34. As shown, the cover 34 may include a spine 36 and a pair of leaves 38 each of which is foldable relative to the spine 36.

To prepare the photograph retention assembly 10 for use, a user takes a retention member 12 lying in an inactive configuration (as shown in FIG. 2(a)) and presses the arms 18 towards one another to move the retention fingers 14 into an open configuration (as shown in FIG. 2(b)).

The user is then able to load a plurality of photographs 16 between the retention fingers 14, as shown in FIG. 2(c).

The biasing provided by the connection limb 20 urges the retention fingers 14 towards one another and grips the photographs 16 therebetween, as shown in FIG. 2(d).

The user then engages the retention member 12 with the mount member 24. This is achieved by abutting the arms 18 of the retention member 12 against the engagement formation 26 of the mount member 24 and forcing the arms 18 away from one another by continuing, to drive the retention member 12 towards the engagement formation 26.

Each protruding formation 30 is received in a corresponding recess formation 32 and the resilience of the, arms 18 maintains the protruding formations 30 in engagement with the engagement formation 26.

In addition, the resilience of the arms 18 further urges the retention fingers 14 towards one another to further increase the gripping force applied to the photographs 16 lying therebetween.

If desired the, user can remove one or more of the photographs 16 by reversing the aforementioned sequence. The user can also add one or more photographs by repeating the corresponding steps of the said sequence.

A photograph retention assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 50.

The second photograph retention assembly 50 shares a number of features with the first photograph retention assembly 10 and these are designated using the same reference numerals.

The second photograph retention assembly 50 differs from the first photograph retention assembly 10 in that it includes a second retention member 52 and a second mount member 54, each of which has a different cross-sectional shape to the corresponding members 14, 24 in the first photograph retention assembly 10.

The second retention member 52 includes a pair of arms 18 each of which extends more than one quarter of the way around opposing sides of the engagement formation 26 of the second mount member 54.

The second mount member 54 includes first and second wings 56, 58. The first wing 56 extends on one side of the engagement formation 26 and the second wing 58 extends on the other side of the engagement formation 26. Each wing 56, 58 protects the retention member 52 and further inhibits separation of the retention member 52 from the mount member 54, as shown in FIG. 7 (photographs 16 omitted for clarity).

The cover 60 of the second photograph retention assembly 50 is also different from the first cover 34 in order to accommodate the aforementioned first and second wings 56, 58. In particular, in the second cover 60 the spine 36 and each leaf 38 is separated by a leaf insert 62 which corresponds in size to the associated wing 56, 58. The inclusion of such leaf inserts 62 allows the second cover 60 to articulate about the wings 56, 58, as may be desired by a user during use.

A user prepares the second photograph retention assembly 50 for use in an identical manner to the first photograph retention assembly 10.

The user may also easily remove or add photographs from the second photograph retention assembly 50 in a similar manner as described above in connection with the first photograph retention assembly 10.

Claims

1. A photograph retention assembly, for holding one or more photographs, comprising:

a retention member including a pair of opposed retention fingers moveable between an open configuration to receive one or more photographs therebetween and a closed configuration to retain the one or more photographs therebetween, each retention finger including a corresponding arm, movement of one arm relative to the other arm moving the fingers between the open and closed configurations; and

a mount member including an engagement formation cooperable with at least one arm to selectively secure the retention member and the mount member to one another.

2. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 1 wherein the retention fingers are biased towards the closed configuration.

3. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 2 wherein the retention fingers are interconnected by a resiliently deformable connection limb, the connection limb biasing the retention fingers towards the closed configuration.

4. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 3 wherein the retention fingers, corresponding arms, and the connection limb are integrally formed with one another in a unitary body.

5. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 1 wherein the mount member engagement formation is cooperable with both arms to selectively secure the retention member and the mount member to one another.

6. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 5 wherein cooperation of the arms with the mount member engagement formation further urges the retention fingers towards the closed configuration.

7. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 6 wherein each arm is resiliently deformable and the mount member engagement formation forces the arms further away from one another than their relative positions while the retention fingers are in the closed configuration.

8. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 5 wherein each ann includes an arm engagement formation that is mutually cooperable with the mount member engagement formation to selectively engage the retention member with the mount member.

9. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 8 wherein each arm includes a protruding formation and the mount member engagement formation includes a pair of corresponding recess formations, each recess formation receiving the corresponding protruding formation.

10. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 8 wherein the mount member engagement formation has a circular cross-sectional shape and each arm extends more than one quarter of the way around opposing sides of the engagement formation.

11. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 8 wherein the mount member includes first and second wings, each wing extending on one side of the engagement formation.

12. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 1 wherein the mount member is fixedly secured to a cover.

13. (canceled)

14. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 6 wherein each arm includes an arm engagement formation that is mutually cooperable with the mount member engagement formation to selectively engage the retention member with the mount member.

15. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 7 wherein each arm includes an arm engagement formation that is mutually cooperable with the mount member engagement formation to selectively engage the retention member with the mount member.

16. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 9 wherein the mount member includes first and second wings, each wing extending on one side of the engagement formation.

17. A photograph retention assembly according to claim 10 wherein the mount member includes first and second wings, each wing extending on one side of the engagement formation.