MULTI-LEVEL PICTURE FRAME
A multi-level picture frame configured for providing a plurality of alternative display options for an article is provided. The frame comprises a back face; a tiered front face; an outer face; and a stepped inner face including a first stepped surface and a second stepped surface. The first stepped surface defines a first picture frame opening and the second stepped surface defines a second picture frame opening. First and second channels are defined in the first stepped surface, and a third channel is defined in the second stepped surface. A removable portion of the frame is selectively releasable from a remaining portion of the frame so that the article can be inserted into one of the first, second and third channels and positioned in the respective picture frame opening.
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The present invention is directed to a multi-level picture frame configured for providing a plurality of alternative display options for an article; in particular, the frame includes a stepped inner face having three channels defined therein, wherein each of the channels are adapted to receive the article, and wherein a portion of frame is removable to allow the article to be inserted into one of the channels.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA traditional picture frame generally includes a rectangular frame portion typically constructed of wood, plastic, metal or glass. The rearward face of the frame is notched so as to secure the articles meant to be displayed within the frame. Typically, this notch has a depth sufficient enough to support a number of articles including a sheet of glass or plastic to protect the underlying artwork or photograph to be displayed, a border of matting to add a further decorative frame element to the artwork or photograph, the actual artwork or photograph, and finally an backing panel typically comprising a panel of cardboard or thin plywood. Each of these layers is held in place within the frame through use of clips or staples secured within the inner surface of the frame such that a portion of the clip or staple overlaps with the backing panel.
A second type of decorative hanging involves the use of a shadow box frame. Shadow box frames are constructed similarly to traditional frames, but include the addition of a side spacer to increase the depth of the sides of the frame and thus the depth of the display area. This increased depth allows for the display of thicker and/or three dimensional objects which may not be possible using traditional frames. However, the actual frame is constructed and the displaying of articles is the same whether the frame is a traditional frame or a shadow box frame in that the interior diameter edge of the frame has a lip which functions to support and contain the articles, with a backing panel used to secure the articles within the interior of the frame through use of clips and staples.
While each of the above-referenced types of frames are sufficient for displaying items in a desired format, each of these types of frames are not interchangeable with one another. Therefore, if for instance someone has a picture in a traditional picture frame and he wants to change its display format to a shadow box configuration, he must separately purchase a shadow box assembly in order to achieve this display. This is inconvenient and may discourage the desired change in format.
As such, there is a need for a frame assembly which provides the ability to assemble the frame and chosen display article in multiple display options, without the need for multiple types of frames. There is a further need to provide these features in an assembly that does not require the use of tools, or the bending of clips or staples to secure the displayed articles within the assembled frame. The present invention addresses these and other needs.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn general, the present invention is directed to a multi-level frame configured for providing a plurality of alternative display options for an article. In one aspect, the frame comprises a back face, a tiered front face, an outer face, and a stepped inner face including a first stepped surface and a second stepped surface. The first stepped surface defines a first picture opening and the second stepped surface defines a second picture opening. First and second channels are defined in the first stepped surface, and a third channel is defined in the second stepped surface. A removable portion of the frame is selectively releasable from a remaining portion of the frame so that the article can be inserted into one of the first, second and third channels and positioned in the respective picture opening. The multiple channels support the interchangeable arrangement of display articles including, but not limited to glass, matting, artwork or photographs, and stiffening or backing panels. These channels further obviate the need to provide clips or stables as the articles are secured within the confines of the channel and are not merely resting against a lip of the frame.
To ease construction of the frame assembly and provide for interchangeability of the displayed articles, e.g. swapping photographs or artwork as the seasons change, a removable portion of the frame is selectively releasable from a remaining portion of the frame. Thus, the framer can remove the removable portion of the frame, slide display articles out of, or into, the channels to create the desired display, then reconnect the removable portion to the remaining portion to reconstruct a completed frame.
Additional embodiments of the frame of the present invention include provision of a recess within the front face of the frame between the inner and outer faces. This recess enables the frame to create a shadow box effect wherein the frame elements themselves form the frame and side spacers in one unit thereby easing creation and assembly of a shadow box frame.
In another aspect, the frame may include at least three frame members, each of the at least three frame members being interconnectable with the other two frame members to define a picture opening. Each of the at least three frame members including a back face, a tiered front face, an outer face, and a stepped inner face. The stepped inner face includes a first step surface and a second step surface. First and second channels are defined in the first stepped surface, and a third channel is defined in the second stepped surface. One of the at least three frame members is a releasable frame member that is configured for being released from the other two frame members so that the article can be inserted into one of the first, second and third channels and positioned in the picture opening. The releasable frame member is configured for thereafter being reconnected to the other two frame members to form the frame.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will in part become apparent to those in the practice of the invention, when considered with the attached figures.
The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, wherein like reference numerals are employed to indicate like parts in the various views, and wherein:
Referring to the drawings in detail, and specifically to
As best seen in
Frame 10 may further include a removable frame member that is selectively releasable from a remaining portion of frame 10 so that the article may be inserted into, or removed from, any one of channels 34, 36, 38 and positioned within picture frame opening 12. The removable frame member may be any of frame members 14, 16, 18, 20. For example, removable frame member may be first frame member 14a that is releasably secured to respective ends of adjacent frame members 16, 20, wherein frame members 16, 18, 20 are the remaining portion of frame 10. Removable frame member 14a is configured for being released from the remaining portion of the frame to permit access to channels 34, 36, 38 defined in stepped inner face 24. In order to remove frame member 14a, the fasteners holding frame member 14a to bracket 45b (and therefore frame members 16, 20) are removed so that frame member 14a can be disconnected from frame members 16, 18, 20.
In another aspect, instead of using one or more brackets 45 to removably attach frame member 14b, as best seen in
With continued reference to
As best seen in
Inner face 24 is configured to define a plurality of channels, wherein one aspect of the present invention includes at least three channels 34, 36, 38. As best seen in
In another aspect of the present invention, as shown in
Providing a plurality of planes 64, 66, 68 enable multiple display possibilities using the tiered picture frame of the present invention.
As best seen in
It is further envisioned, for each of the display scenarios shown and described in
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain aspects thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the aspects contained herein.
All features disclosed in the specification, including the claims, abstract, and drawings, and all the steps in any method or process disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in the specification, including the claims, abstract, and drawings, can be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
Claims
1. A multi-level picture frame configured for providing a plurality of alternative display options for an article, the frame comprising:
- a back face;
- a tiered front face;
- an outer face; and
- a stepped inner face including a first stepped surface and a second stepped surface, the first stepped surface defining a first picture frame opening and the second stepped surface defining a second picture frame opening,
- wherein first and second channels are defined in the first stepped surface,
- wherein a third channel is defined in the second stepped surface, and
- wherein a removable portion of the frame is selectively releasable from a remaining portion of the frame so that the article can be inserted into one of the first, second and third channels and positioned in the respective picture frame opening.
2. The frame according to claim 1 wherein the second picture frame opening is greater than the first picture frame opening.
3. The frame according to claim 1 wherein the removable portion of the frame is selectively releasably connected to the remaining portion of the frame by at least one of a screw, a nail, a cam lock, a magnet, dowel/hole joint, post/snap connector, post/clip connector, and hook-and-loop fastener.
4. The frame according to claim 1 wherein the removable portion of the frame is selectively releasably connected to the remaining portion of the frame by a bracket.
5. The frame according to claim 4 wherein the bracket is positioned between the article and the frame.
6. The frame according to claim 1 wherein the tiered front face further includes a recess between the third channel and the second channel.
7. The frame according to claim 1 wherein the distance between the first and second channels is different than the distance between the second and third channels.
8. The frame according to claim 7 wherein the distance between the first and second channels is greater than the distance between the second and third channels.
9. The frame according to claim 1 wherein a cross-section of the frame is generally J-shaped.
10. The frame according to claim 1 wherein the frame is rectangular shaped.
11. A multi-level picture frame configured for providing a plurality of alternative display options for an article, the frame comprising:
- at least three frame members, each of the at least three frame members being interconnectable with the other two frame members to define a picture frame opening,
- each of the at least three frame members include a back face, a tiered front face, an outer face, and a stepped inner face, the stepped inner face including a first step surface and a second step surface,
- wherein first and second channels are defined in the first stepped surface,
- wherein a third channel is defined in the second stepped surface, and
- wherein one of the at least three frame members is a removable frame member that is configured for being released from the other two frame members so that the article can be inserted into one of the first, second and third channels and positioned in the picture frame opening, the removable frame member configured for thereafter being reconnected to the other two frame members to form the frame.
12. The frame according to claim 11 wherein the removable frame member is releasably connected to the other two frame members by at least one of a bracket, a screw, a nail, a cam lock, a magnet, dowel/hole joint, post/snap connector, post/clip connector, and hook-and-loop fastener.
13. The frame according to claim 11 wherein the tiered front face further includes a recess between the third channel and the second channel.
14. The frame according to claim 11 wherein the distance between the first and second channels is different than the distance between the second and third channels.
15. The frame according to claim 14 wherein the distance between the first and second channels is greater than the distance between the second and third channels.
16. The frame according to claim 11 wherein the picture frame opening defined by the second stepped surface is greater than the picture frame opening defined by the first stepped surface.
17. The frame according to claim 11 wherein a cross-section of the at least three frame members is generally J-shaped.
18. The frame according to claim 11 wherein the at least three frame members includes a first frame member, a second frame member, a third frame member, and a fourth frame member, and wherein the first, second, third, and fourth frame members are interconnectable to form a rectangular or square frame.
19. The frame according to claim 18 wherein the first frame member is parallel with the third frame member, the second frame member is parallel with the fourth frame member, wherein the second frame member is connected to the first and third frame members, and wherein the fourth frame member is releasably connected to the first and third frame members.
20. The frame according to claim 19 wherein the fourth frame member is releasably connected to the first and third frame members by at least one of a screw, a nail, a cam lock, a magnet, dowel/hole joint, post/snap connector, post/clip connector, and hook-and-loop fastener.
21. The frame according to claim 18 wherein the fourth frame member is releasably connected to the first and third frame members by a first bracket, and wherein the second frame member is connected to the first and third frame members by a second bracket.
22. The frame according to claim 18 wherein a cross-section of the first frame member, the second frame member, the third frame member, and the fourth frame member is generally J-shaped.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 15, 2013
Publication Date: Sep 18, 2014
Applicant: FUJIFILM North America Corporation (Valhalla, NY)
Inventor: John Placko (Westwood, NJ)
Application Number: 13/835,511
International Classification: A47G 1/06 (20060101);