Abstract:
The frame assembly for mounting a picture, painting, photograph or the like includes: a generally rectangular frame having an inwardly extending rear end flange; a backing board having a border or perimeter and being constructed and arranged to be received within the frame; at least two retainers slidably mounted on the backing board and being movable from a position not engaging the rear end flange of the frame and within the border of the backing board to a rear end flange engaging position where a hook of the retainer at a first end of the retainer is positioned beyond the border of the backing board and in front of the rear end flange for holding the backing board in the frame of the frame assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a picture frame assembly and a retainer for holding a backing board for a picture or photograph in a frame. 
     More specifically, the present invention relates to a picture frame assembly including a retainer which is slidably mounted on a specifically constructed backing board, between a frame engaging position and a non-frame engaging position. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Heretofore, a number of different picture frame assemblies and retainers for use therein, have been proposed. Examples of these previously proposed picture frame assembles and retainers for use therein are disclosed in the following U.S. and foreign patents. 
     
       
         
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 U.S. Pat. No.: 
                 PATENTEE 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 2,581,843 
                 Edwards 
               
               
                 3,899,844 
                 Munn 
               
               
                 3,952,437 
                 Mitchell 
               
               
                 3,965,601 
                 Nielsen 
               
               
                 3,973,343 
                 Tolfsen 
               
               
                 4,037,342 
                 Bott 
               
               
                 4,045,898 
                 Reinhardt 
               
               
                 4,063,378 
                 Burke 
               
               
                 4,129,953 
                 Eckert 
               
               
                 4,142,726 
                 Anderson 
               
               
                 4,176,481 
                 Sawyer 
               
               
                 4,177,950 
                 Tushner, et al. 
               
               
                 4,368,584 
                 Logan 
               
               
                 4,349,974 
                 Rapayelian 
               
               
                 4,356,648 
                 Beauliu 
               
               
                 4,391,053 
                 Anthony 
               
               
                 4,510,707 
                 Girard 
               
               
                 4,516,342 
                 Reim 
               
               
                 4,590,696 
                 Squitieri 
               
               
                 4,707,937 
                 Astolfi 
               
               
                 4,712,761 
                 Wassell 
               
               
                 4,802,294 
                 Baus 
               
               
                 4,998,363 
                 Vilims 
               
               
                 5,109,619 
                 Noggle 
               
               
                 5,659,990 
                 Henneman et al. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 GERMAN PATENT PUBLICATIONS 
               
             
          
           
               
                 German Patent Pub. No.: 
                 PATENTEE 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 2,225,940 
                 Rumland 
               
               
                 2,637,144 
                 Grünecker et al. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 UNITED KINGDOM PATENT PUBLICATIONS 
               
             
          
           
               
                 U.K Patent Specification No.: 
                 PATENTEE 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 2,057,870 
                 Schafheutle 
               
               
                 2,095,990 
                 Skinner et al. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention there is a frame assembly for mounting a picture, painting, photograph or the like including: a generally rectangular frame having an inwardly extending rear end flange; a backing board having a border or perimeter and being constructed and arranged to be received within the frame; at least two retainers slidably mounted on the backing board and being movable from a position not engaging the rear end flange of the frame and within the border of the backing board to a rear end flange engaging position where a hook of the retainer at a first end of the retainer is positioned beyond the border of the backing board and in front of the rear end flange for holding the backing board in the frame of the frame assembly. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a back plan view of the picture frame assembly of the present invention and shows one of four retainers in a non-frame engaging position. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the backing board without retainers mounted thereon. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the frame backing board and retainer and is taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view, similar to the view shown in FIG. 3, but showing the retainer alone. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated therein, a back plan view of picture frame assembly  10  which is constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. As shown, the picture frame assembly  10  includes a generally rectangular frame  12 , a picture backing board  14 , and four retainers  16 ,  16 A. 
     As shown, each retainer  16 ,  16 A is slidable laterally from an outward engaging position, shown by the retainer  16  in FIG. 1, where a short end flange or hook  18  of the retainer  16  engages behind a rear end flange  20  of the frame  12 , and to a non-engaging position, as shown by the retainers  16 A in FIG.  1 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2 the backing board  14  is provided on each side edge with at least one notch  22  and then inwardly spaced from the notch  22  across a leg  23  of backing board  14  is an opening  24 . Preferably, the notch  22  is generally rectangular in shape as is the opening  24  generally rectangular in shape. The notch  22  and the opening  24  facilitate mounting and sliding of the retainer  16  on the backing board  14 . 
     As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each retainer  16  is a generally elongate, metal or plastic piece having an inner plate portion  32  and a spaced outer plate portion  34 . 
     As shown, the outer plate portion  34  is continuous and has an outer engaging surface  36  which can be defined by a roughened area or as shown in the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of closely spaced parallel ribs  38 , which will enable one to engage the retainer with a finger or a thumb for sliding it back and forth from the non-engaging position shown by retainers  16 A to the frame engaging position shown by retainer  16 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the inner plate portion  32  is shorter than the outer plate portion  34  and is connected to the outer plate portion by a wall or webbing  40 . 
     The inner short plate portion  32  extends from the wall  40  for roughly 35% of its length to an outer end  42  where the short end flange or hook  18  extends a short distance toward the outer plate portion  34 . Note that an outer end  44  of the outer plate portion does not extend laterally as far as the outer end  42  of the inner plate portion  32  thereby to form a mouth or opening  46  which enables the hook  18  to extend behind (in front of) the rear end flange  20  of the frame  12 . 
     A space  47  is formed between the wall  40 , the hook  18 , an inner surface  48  of the inner plate portion  32  and an inner surface  50  of the outer plate portion  34  for receiving a part of the rear end flange  20 . A lateral or transverse rib  52  on the inner surface  48  limits or marks the extent of movement of the retainer  16 ,  16 A against the rear end flange  20 . 
     The shorter inner plate portion  32  extends for roughly 65% of its length inwardly from the wall  40  to an inner end  54  which is spaced by a gap or space  55  from an outer end  56  of an L-shaped wall  58  that extends inwardly through a first leg  60  from the inner surface  50  of the outer plate portion  34  to a second leg  62  that extends parallel to the outer plate portion  34  and in line with the inner plate portion to the outer end  56 . 
     The space  55  between the ends  54  and  56  enables the retainer  16 , to be mounted about the leg  23  of the backing board  14  which is received in a space  66  defined between the inner surface  50  of the outer plate portion  34 , the wall  40 , the leg  60 , the leg  62  and the inner plate portion  32 . 
     In use, the inner plate portion  32  of the retainer  16  can be pulled back by engaging the outer end  54  and pulling the inner plate portion  32  so as to widen the gap or space  55  between the end  54  of inner plate portion  32  and the end  56  of the L-shaped wall  58 , thereby to facilitate insertion of the leg  23  into the space  66  and of the inner plate portion  32  on the inside of the leg  23  of the backing board  14 . The leg  62  of the L-shaped wall  58  is about the same size, but slightly smaller than the opening  24  and snaps into the opening  24  as the retainer  16  is moved inwardly of the backing board  14 . The retainer  16  can now be pushed laterally toward the outer edge of the backing board  14  thereby to position the L-shaped wall  58 , e.g., leg  62 , around the leg  23  of material of the backing board  14  between the opening  24  and the notch or slot  22 . Then the hook  18  at the outer end of the inner plate portion  32  is positioned to engage the flange  20  of the frame  12 , as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     It will be noted that the width of the leg  23  in the backing board  14  is less than the width of the space  47  thereby to permit sliding movement of the retainer  16  from an inner non-frame engaging position, shown at  16 A to an outer frame-engaging position, shown at  16 . 
     It will be apparent that when the retainer  16  is moved to the outer flange engaging position, the hook  18  is in position to engage the rear flange  20  of the frame  12  thereby to hold the backing board  14  within the frame  12  and as a result hold a picture in the frame  12 . 
     In one preferred embodiment of the picture frame assembly  10  of the present invention and of the retainer  16 ,  16 A used therewith, the notch  22  was approximately ⅝ inch long or wide and approximately ⅜ inch deep into the edge of the board. 
     The webbing  23  was approximately ⅜ inch wide and approximately ⅝ inch long. The opening  24  was approximately ⅝ inch long or wide with a depth of approximately ⅜ inch. 
     As for the retainer  16 , the outer plate portion  34  has a length of approximately 1⅜ inches, and the inner plate portion  32  has a length of approximately ¾ inch. The distance between the plate portions  32  and  34  is approximately ⅛ inch. The length of the end flange or hook  18  is approximately ⅛ inch. The distance between the wall  40  and the leg  60  of the L-shaped wall  58  is approximately ¾ inch. 
     The length of the leg  62  of the L-shaped wall  58  is approximately ¼ inch, and the gap or space  55  is approximately {fraction (1/16)} inch prior to the bending of the outer plate portion  34  for flexing the ends  54  and  56  away from each other. 
     From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the picture frame assembly  10  of the present invention and the retainer  16 ,  16 A for use therewith, have a number of advantages, some of which have been described above and others of which are inherent in the assembly  10  and the retainer  16 ,  16 A. 
     The retainer  16  being accurately located and secured to the rigid back member or board  14  positively engages the frame  12 . This added frame support effectively eliminates the frame distortion that is common to metal frames of narrow/contemporary profile design. 
     Furthermore, the use of the retainer  16 , coupled with the use of a resilient securing and void filling material, allows the back member or board  14  to be located flush with the rear edge of the frame  12 . This results in an improved “finished” appearance, similar to upscale frames featuring a “dust shield” used to conceal unfinished framing components and construction details. 
     Also, it will be understood that modifications can be made to the frame assembly  10  and to the retainer  16 ,  16   a  used therewith, without departing from the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention only is to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims.