Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Picture frame – Picture retainer
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-14
2003-04-29
Miller, William L. (Department: 3677)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Picture frame
Picture retainer
C040S647000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06553705
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a changeable frame for supporting flat surfaced items such as pictures, posters, placards or the like with frame border strips which form the borders of the changeable frame, whereby the frame border strips each includes a base profile member, a pivot element pivotally mounted via a pivot mounting to the base profile member, and a cover member that extends over the pivot element as a cover and, in a closed position in which an item is retained by the frame border strips in the changeable frame, partially extends over the item and resiliently biases an item retaining element against the item.
Changeable frames of the type noted above are conventionally known and are a preferred application for advertising and marketing purposes. Such changeable frames offer the advantage over other conventional changeable frame configurations that they permit an exchange of the item retained in the changeable frame via a simple hand grip action. In this connection, as can be readily imagined, the pivot elements and the cover member covering these pivot elements are snapped outwardly out of the plane of the frame such that the item retained on the frame is released and can subsequently be removed out of the front of the frame. A new item such as, for example, an advertising placard, a new brochure, or the like can now be installed in the changeable frame in the same manner and can be clamped in the changeable frame via return movements of the pivot elements and the cover member to their closed item retaining positions.
A frame of the type noted is described, for example, in DE 298 09 261. The changeable frame described in that prior art reference comprises three functional components—namely, a base profile member, a pivot element, and a frame border strip and is characterized by the fact that the frame border strip functions as a resiliently biasing member. According to this prior art reference, the noted functional components can be elaborated as separate components and, for the assembly of the frame border strip therewith, the components can be interconnectable with one another by, for example, friction fit elements. Alternatively, the components can be elaborated in an already assembled condition. This can be accomplished, for example, by coextrusion, whereby film hinge connections can be provided, for example, in the connection areas of the functional components.
The changeable frames of the type just described, particularly in their elaboration in a manner in which the frame border strips are comprised of separate finished components releasably interconnectable with one another to form a frame, suffer from the disadvantage that, in connection with a frame opening pivot movement of the pivot element and the respective frame border strip which covers the pivot element, it cannot be precluded that there occurs an overpivot movement or, in other words, a pivot movement of the components beyond the predetermined frame opening pivot travel paths of these components. In the event of an overpivot movement, it can occur that the individual components, which are releasably interconnected to one another to form the frame border strip, separate from one another such that the border of the frame must be constantly re-assembled by repeat interconnection of the individual components to one another.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention offers a solution to the challenge of providing a changeable frame of the type hereinbefore noted which reliably prevents an overpivot movement of the pivoting components of the changeable frame beyond their predetermined frame opening positions. To furnish this solution, the pivot hinge assembly pivotally interconnecting the base profile member and the pivot element of the changeable frame of the present invention preferably includes a stop element, which prevents an overpivot movement.
A stop element of the type comprised in the changeable frame of the present invention presents an especially simple and very effective solution for preventing an overpivot movement beyond the maximum predetermined pivot movement, which terminates at a predetermined frame opening position. This solution also ensures, in the event that the frame border strip is comprised of releasably interconnectable pieces, that the pivot and cover elements cannot come loose from the base profile member due to an overpivot movement.
In accordance with one feature of the changeable frame of the present invention, the pivot arrangement between the base profile member and the pivot element advantageously comprises a fulcrum and a follower portion, whereby the fulcrum includes an arcuate convex outer surface portion and the follower portion includes an arcuate concave surface portion dimensioned in correspondence with, and operable to move in following movement along, the arcuate convex outer surface portion of the fulcrum.
The just described configuration of the pivot arrangement represents a simple pivot connection that ensures the reliably guided pivot movement that is required in the pivoting of the pivot element. The follower portion engages and follows with its arcuate concave surface portion the arcuate convex outer surface portion of the fulcrum and a gliding relative movement between the arcuate concave surface portion and the arcuate convex outer surface portion occurs. This pivot arrangement serves at the same time as the pivot axis for a pivot movement of the pivot element between the two pivot movement end positions—namely, the one end position corresponding to the closed item retaining position of the frame border strip and the other end position corresponding to the open item releasing position of the frame border strip. In connection with such a pivot arrangement, an offset in the arcuate convex outer surface portion of the fulcrum can advantageously serve as a stop surface for contacting a counter stop surface formed by a transverse end portion which extends radially inwardly from the arcuate concave surface portion of the pivot element. The arcuate convex outer surface portion of the fulcrum has a reduced radius relative to the next following arcuate outer surface portion of the fulcrum such that the transition between the two arcuate outer surface portions forms the offset and the arcuate concave surface portion of the pivot element is guided along the reduced radius arcuate convex outer surface portion of the fulcrum during the pivot movement until the counter stop surface on the transverse end portion contacts the offset, whereupon further pivoting of the pivot element is prevented.
One can achieve a still higher assurance that an overpivot movement of the pivot element will be prevented if another portion of the fulcrum opposite to the offset is configured as a projecting outer surface portion operable as a second stop surface for contacting a second counter stop surface formed at another end of the follower portion of the pivot element, whereby the locations of the second stop surface and the second counter stop surface are selected such they contact one another at the maximum predetermined pivot travel extent of the pivot element at the same time as the stop surface and the counter stop surface contact one another. The pivot element thus contacts the two respective stop surfaces with its two ends so that an overpivot movement of the pivot element can be reliably prevented even in the event of large pivot opening movement forces.
The fulcrum can be formed on the base profile member and the follower portion can be formed on the pivot element although an opposite arrangement can also be configured—that is, the follower portion can be formed on the base profile member and the fulcrum can be formed on the pivot element.
It is further recommended, in connection with the changeable frame of the present invention, that the cover member itself is connected to the base profile member at a pivot location, whereby a stop surface is provided on the base profile member which is contacted by a counter stop surface formed on the cove
Geiberger Christoph
Schwarz Michael
Becker R W
Miller William L.
R W Becker & Associates
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