Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Picture frame – Support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-05
2001-04-10
Melius, Terry Lee (Department: 3628)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Picture frame
Support
C040S727000, C040S761000, C040S606040, C248S121000, C248S473000, C248S495000, C248S125200, C248S125700, C160S135000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212810
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS, IF ANY
None
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of picture frames and the display thereof, and more particularly to the display of a plurality of picture frames along the length of a vertical pole. In its most preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to a pole system for displaying picture frames along a pole coupled to but spaced apart from the vertical surface of an office furniture panel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A large number of systems are known for displaying paintings, photographs and the like, and in recent years a large number of styles of picture frames have been manufactured and sold in many price categories and for many different display environments. Frames may be placed on a table, shelf, desk, or other horizontal surface, or frames may be hung on a vertical surface, such as a wall. For picture frames hung on a wall, the back of the frame is typically equipped with a wire, a circular opening on a tab or sawtooth shaped bracket, and a nail or other hanger is secured in the wall. The frame attachment component engages the wall component to suspend the frame at a desired location. With the frame wires and the sawtooth plates mentioned above, frame alignment is accomplished by moving the frame laterally, while with the tab attachment component on the back of the frame, alignment is automatic as the wall component comes to rest at the top center of the opening.
It is also known that a grouping of picture frames may be located on a vertical wall surface. One such system includes a wire rod mounted vertically on a wall, with four wire hooks fixed on the rod. each hook engages the bottom edge of a frame. This system is not adjustable with respect to hook or frame locations, and the rod is not supplied with any fastening means other than one which will secure the rod to a flat, vertical surface.
In recent years, a number of new work environments have appeared in offices, especially with the development of office furniture panels or “systems furniture” as those products are known in that art. Systems furniture is comprised of a plurality of reconfigurable vertical panels, which are typically arranged end to end and in perpendicular orientations to define individual workstations or cubicles.
While systems furniture provides great space efficiency, the resultant workstations are typically smaller than the offices which they replace and have less horizontal and vertical surfaces for the display of pictures or other aesthetic enhancements. Furthermore, with the ever-increasing use of computers, printers, and other technological marvels, less and less space is available for a worker to personalize a cubicle or add a calming effect by displaying pictures of family, favorite places, paintings or other art objects. Pinning or taping pictures to corkboards or to the decorative skins of systems furniture is frequently done, but the result is generally not aesthetically pleasing.
A system for displaying a plurality of picture frames which would be useful with systems furniture and in other home and office environments would represent a significant advance in the art.
FEATURES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary feature of the present invention is to provide a pole system for displaying picture frames which is widely adaptable to a variety of end use applications.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a pole system for displaying picture frames which may be used in cubicles or work spaces of offices, including cubicles or work stations defined by panels of systems furniture.
A different feature of the present invention is to provide a pole system for displaying picture frames in which the vertical spacing between the frames may be readily adjusted, preferably without the need for specialized tools or skills.
A further feature of the present invention is to provide a pole system for displaying picture frames in which the pole may be easily broken down into smaller lengths for ease of packaging and shipping and which may be easily and quickly assembled without specialized tools or skills.
A still further feature of the present invention is to provide a pole system for displaying picture frames which may be attached and/or detached easily and quickly from furniture panels without damaging the panels and without specialized tools or skills.
How these and other features of the present invention are accomplished will be described in the following detailed description of the preferred and alternate embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the FIGURES. Generally, however, the features are accomplished using an elongate, preferably cylindrical pole, having a length selected for a particular application. The pole is preferably of the type which includes an interior elastic cord and pole sections which telescope with one another so that the pole may be compactly stored and shipped. The pole includes attachment members for coupling the pole in a desired orientation, usually a vertical orientation. In the illustrated and preferred embodiment, the attachment members include brackets adapted to engage the top and bottom of system furniture panels. Sliding elements are provided for the pole, each of which includes a hook for receivably supporting a picture frame. In the preferred embodiment the sliding members are elongate plates which have a circular opening on either end. The plates are made from spring steel or other resilient material and are bent into an arcuate position to allow both openings to slide along the pole. When the sliding element is located at the desired place, the plate is released and the spring forces of the plate hold it in that location. The picture frame, which may include a wire tab, hole or sawtooth bracket on its rear side is then coupled to the hook of the sliding element. Other ways in which the objects of the present invention are accomplished will be described in the following portions of the specification, or will become apparent to those skilled in the art after they have read this specification and comprehend its teachings. Such other ways are deemed to fall within the scope of this invention if they fall within the scope of the claims which follow.
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Home Accents Today, Dec. 1998, p. 7 (photo display).
Chop Andrea
Foley & Lardner
Intercraft Company
Melius Terry Lee
LandOfFree
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