Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Picture frame – Picture retainer
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-18
2003-10-21
Silbermann, Joanne (Department: 3611)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Picture frame
Picture retainer
C040S759000, C040S762000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06634127
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a picture frame with a frame and clamps for securing the parts inserted into the frame, such as a pane of glass, a picture, a rear wall, etc.
Securing the parts which have been inserted into a picture frame by mean of clamps, photocorners, elastic clips or the like is known. These known attachment mechanisms however have the disadvantage that they, like, for example, photocorners which must be driven into the frame, are difficult to handle, easily slip, like, for example, spring clips, or do not exert a sufficient clamping action on the inserted parts, or can only be poorly adapted, when for example the total thickness of the inserted parts is changed, for example by inserting or removing a mount.
Therefore the object of the invention is to make available a picture frame with clamps which on the one hand exerts a very good holding action on the inserted parts and on the other hand has high flexibility with respect to the total thickness of the inserted parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the invention, on the inside of the frame side there are recesses into which the clamps can be inserted with their projection. The spring clip then elastically adjoins the back of the rear inserted parts, for example the rear wall, by which at the same time the bridge which lies on the side which is opposite with respect to the projection is pressed against the frame. Since the intensity of the spring force of the spring clip or the spring path can be easily influenced by the corresponding configuration of the spring clip or the clamp, the attachment possibility for the parts in the picture frame is extremely adaptable.
To prevent slippage of the clamp transversely to the frame side and thus to prevent the clamps from coming loose from the picture frame, in one preferred embodiment of the invention it can be provided that the clamps on the end of the bridge have another projection which can be inserted into the recess on the back of the frame. Shifting or slipping of the clamp transversely to the side can be made largely impossible by the additional projection which fits into a recess.
To achieve this, it can be provided alternatively or additionally that on the end of the spring clip there is a projection which can be inserted into a recess on the back of the rear wall. The latter embodiment has the additional advantage that the frame sides are connected via the clamps transversely to the lengthwise extension of the sides by form-fit to the rear wall. This is especially advantageous if the frame sides are very long and thin and thus could be easily bent to the outside; this is prevented by the aforementioned embodiment of the invention.
To facilitate insertion or removal of the clamps, in a development of the invention it can be provided that the spring clip has an extension as a handle.
Furthermore, in a development of the invention it can be provided that there is an opening in the spring clip and/or in the bridge and/or in the extension of the spring clip. The opening, or if there are several openings, one of the openings, can be used for example to hang the picture frame on a nail. When there is an opening in the spring clip or in its extension, a tool, for example, a screwdriver, can be inserted into the opening in order to bend up the spring clip to remove the clamp so that the projection is pushed out of the recess on the inside of the frame side and the clamp can thus be removed.
The recesses on the frame and on the rear wall can be produced in different ways. Thus it is possible to mill grooves into the back of the frame and optionally the rear wall, the grooves running over the entire length, or they can also have a shorter length. It is also possible to make the recesses as holes or punchouts.
Since relatively high clamping forces are possible by the attachment of the clamps to the frame as claimed in the invention even at different total thicknesses of the inserted parts, in one preferred embodiment of the invention it can be provided that there is a stand which can be clamped between a spring clip and the rear inserted part.
Other advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject matter of the other dependent claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2368054 (1945-01-01), Viglietta
patent: 3686783 (1972-08-01), Levy
patent: 4805325 (1989-02-01), Cassard
patent: 4974351 (1990-12-01), Ghislanzoni
patent: 5335434 (1994-08-01), Shultz et al.
patent: 5815971 (1998-10-01), Rothe et al.
patent: 0 433 246 (1991-06-01), None
Silbermann Joanne
Young & Thompson
LandOfFree
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