Abstract:
A tail including a malleable cord and an elastomeric material surrounding the cord wherein the tail is adapted for connection to an object.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/488,661 filed Jul. 21, 2003. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable.  
       APPENDIX  
       [0003]     Not Applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0005]     This invention relates generally to frames and, more particularly, to a frame with an attached tail comprised of a malleable cord that holds its shape, such as a malleable metal, surrounded by an elastomeric material.  
         [0006]     2. Related Art  
         [0007]     It is generally known to display images, such as photographs, pictures, posters, etc. by mounting them in picture frames. It is also generally known to mount a picture frame on a wall by hanging the picture frame on a hook or other appendage attached to the wall. Freestanding picture frames are also generally known today and are supported on a planar surface with the aid of the frame itself or a post attached to the back of the frame.  
         [0008]     For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,127 (the “&#39;127 patent”) issued to Bauer in 2003 discloses a picture frame which includes an opening in the back of the picture frame to facilitate hanging the picture frame on a wall. The &#39;127 patent discloses hanging the picture frame on a nail or hook driven into the wall.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,948 (the “&#39;948 patent”) issued to Szarata in 2003 discloses a system for hanging picture frames. The hanging system has at least one hanger which is attachable to a picture frame. The hanger has at least one holding mechanism for a hanging cord by which the picture frame can be hung on the hanging cord.  
         [0010]     While this prior art does disclose picture frames and hanging systems, none of this prior art discloses a picture frame, which by virtue of a new tail can be attached to virtually any object, made into a freestanding base, or twisted and manipulated to sit or hang anywhere.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     An aspect of the present invention is to provide a frame that includes a tail having a malleable cord surrounded by an elastomeric material. The tail may be attached to virtually any object, made into a freestanding base, or twisted and manipulated to sit or hang anywhere. The tail may be conveniently manipulated by all persons, and the frame stays where it is placed.  
         [0012]     Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a tail having a malleable cord surrounded by elastomeric material which attaches to almost any object, including but not limited, to a frame, a mirror, a remote control, a stuffed animal, a book holder, a paper holder a flashlight, a lighter and a light.  
         [0013]     Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a tail having a malleable cord surrounded by an elastomeric material that includes a connector.  
         [0014]     In accordance with one or more of the above aspects of the invention, there is provided a frame including a tail having a malleable material, such as a bendable metal, surrounded by an elastomeric material. In one embodiment, the tail is manipulated to hang from virtually any object including a ledge or a rod. In another embodiment, the tail is manipulated into a freestanding base which supports the frame. In an alternative embodiment, the tail may be attached to virtually any object including but not limited to a mirror, a remote control, a stuffed animal, a book holder, a paper holder a flashlight, a lighter and a light. In this embodiment, the tail may be attached to virtually any object, made into a freestanding base, or twisted and manipulated to sit or hang anywhere.  
         [0015]     These aspects are merely illustrative of the innumerable aspects associated with the present invention and should not be deemed as limiting in any manner. These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the referenced drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate the embodiments of the present invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates the various ways in which the tail attached to the frame may be bent or manipulated to form a base for the frame; and to hang the frame from the tail by twisting the tail around a rod, and to hang the frame by draping the tail from a shelf.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  illustrates one frame variation and the tail twisted to form a base for the frame.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  illustrates several possible frame variations including etched or molded decorations and messages on the frame.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  illustrates the composition of the tail including a malleable cord surrounded by an elastomeric material.  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  illustrates the tail which may be attached to virtually any object. The illustration includes a cut-away of the tail revealing the malleable cord surrounded by an elastomeric material.  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  illustrates one manner of attaching the tail to the frame in which the tail attaches to a cross-shaped extension of the frame on the back of the frame  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  illustrates another manner of attaching the tail to the frame in which the tail attaches to a cross-shaped extension of the frame on the bottom of the frame  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  illustrates another manner of attaching the frame and tail in which the tail is attached to the frame through a molded extension of the frame.  
         [0025]      FIG. 9  illustrates another manner of attaching the tail to the frame in which the tail is slipped through an extruded hole in the frame.  
         [0026]      FIG. 10  illustrates yet another manner of attaching the tail to the frame by encapsulating the malleable cord of the tail in the molded plastic frame.  
         [0027]      FIG. 11  illustrates the tail comprising a jigsaw connector.  
         [0028]      FIG. 12  illustrates one embodiment of the present invention in which the tail is twisted into a base to support the frame.  
         [0029]      FIG. 13  illustrates another embodiment of the present invention in which the tail is twisted into a base to support the frame and into the shape of a heart.  
         [0030]      FIG. 14  illustrates another embodiment of the present invention in which the tail is twisted into a base to support the frame and the frame includes a lighting apparatus.  
         [0031]      FIG. 15  illustrates another embodiment of the present invention in which the tail is wrapped around a floral arrangement. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0032]     In the following detailed description numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. For example, the invention is not limited in scope to the particular type of industry application depicted. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention.  
         [0033]     As shown in  FIGS. 1-15 , the preferred embodiment of the present invention generally includes a frame  10  attached with a tail  12 . The frame  10  may be constructed of practically any rigid material, including, but not limited to, plastic, wood, metal, polycarbonate, or plastic-like material. However, in the preferred embodiment, the frame  10  is preferably constructed of a clear polycarbonate material. In the preferred embodiment, the frame has at least one visual display area  14 . The visual display area  14  may contain practically any desired visual image, including but not limited to a picture, a photograph, a poster, or a mirror. The frame  10  may be constructed in practically any shape and with practically any design. However, in the preferred embodiment, the frame  10  is constructed in the shape of a rectangle. In a further preferred embodiment, the rectangular picture frame  10  may be provided with a cavity, and the cavity may be filled with a colored non-toxic liquid. This type of picture frame is sold under the name “Pictails” by St. Anthony&#39;s Hospital, located in St. Louis, Mo.  
         [0034]     The tail  12  comprises a malleable cord  16  surrounded by practically any elastomeric material  18 , including but not limited to, plastic, foam, rubber, neoprene rubber, or gel. The elastomeric material  18  may be tacky, adhesive or sticky to resist slippage. The malleable cord  16  may be composed of virtually any malleable material, including but not limited to a bendable metal, a wire, or a hay bailing wire. The malleable cord  16  may also be composed of one or more readily malleable wires. One end of the tail  12  is preferably attached to an end cap  20 . The end cap  20  may be constructed of practically any rigid material, including, but not limited to, plastic or plastic-like material. The other end of the tail is preferably attached to a connector  22 . The connector  22  may be constructed of practically any rigid material including, but not limited to, plastic or plastic-like material. In another embodiment, the malleable cord  16  is folded back to create a blunt end portion of the malleable cord  16 .  
         [0035]     In the preferred embodiment, the tail  12  comprises a wire surrounded by rubber which is preferably tacky to resist slippage. In the preferred embodiment, the preferred rubber is Empilon 700 series thermoplastic rubber, and may be obtained from Hotai Industrial Co. Ltd. The tail  12  may be in practically any length, diameter, and color. The tail  12  may be twisted into practically any shape, including but not limited to, a spiral, a circle, a heart, a rectangle, a square, a curved line, and a straight line. The tail  12  may be twisted into a base to support the frame  10  alone. The tail  12  may be twisted into virtually any shape to provide the base for the frame  10 , including but not limited to a spiral, a loop, an L-shape, a U-shape, or a heart shape. The tail  12  may also be wrapped around practically any object, including but not limited to, a bed frame, a vase, a floral arrangement, a pole, a rod, a ledge. In the preferred embodiment, the tacky rubber provides adherence to the object.  
         [0036]     The tail  12  may be attached to the frame  10  by virtually any means of attachment. In the preferred embodiment, the tail  12  is fixedly attached to the frame  10  via a cross-shaped extension  24  of the frame  10 . In particular, the plastic connector  22  attached to one end of the tail  12  is preferably fixedly attached to the cross-shaped extension  24  of the frame  10 . In another embodiment, the tail  12  is removably attached to the frame  10  via the cross-shaped extension  24  of the frame. In yet another embodiment, the tail  12  is removably attached to the frame  10  via a molded extension  26  of the frame  10 . In another embodiment, the tail  12  is removably attached to the frame  10  via a hole  28  in the frame  10 . In another embodiment, the tail  12  fixedly attached to the frame  10  by encapsulating the malleable cord  16  of the tail  12  in the frame  10 .  
         [0037]     In another embodiment, the tail  12  may be attached to virtually any object, including but not limited to: a mirror, a remote control, a stuffed animal, a book holder, a paper holder a flashlight, a lighter and a light. The tail  12  may be attached to the object by virtually any means of attachment. In one embodiment, the tail  12  may be fixedly attached with the object via an injection mold. In another embodiment, the tail  12  may be removably attached with the object via a hole  28  in the object.  
         [0038]     In another embodiment, the tail  12  may comprise an interlocking connector  30 . The interlocking connector  30  may be attached to virtually any object including but not limited to: a frame, a mirror, a remote control, a stuffed animal, a book holder, a paper holder a flashlight, a lighter and a light.  
         [0039]     In another embodiment, the frame  10  may comprise a lighting apparatus  32 . The lighting apparatus  32  illuminates the frame  10  or area surrounding the frame  10 . The lighting apparatus  32  may be practically any apparatus which illuminates an area.  
         [0040]     In another embodiment, the frame  10  may be constructed of a clear plastic which contains a liquid. The liquid may be clear or virtually any color.  
         [0041]     In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the several advantages of the invention are achieved and attained.  
         [0042]     The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.  
         [0043]     As various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.