DISPLAY DEVICE

Abstract: The invention provides a display device (99) comprising a generally flat body member (1) that has a visually transparent viewing section. On the rear surface of the body member (1) are two functionally separate elements (2, 3). The first element (2) provides support for a photograph (4) to be displayed through the visually transparent section of the body member (1). The second element (3) attaches to any suitable surface to support the display device, and any photograph (4) the first element (2) may be supporting.

Description: DISPLAY DEVICE This invention relates to display devices such as those that can be used to display a photograph, or the like, simply , quickly and inexpensively Photographs are often displayed from within frames Conventional frames often comprise a number of components including a frame, a piece of glass or plastic, a backing board or retention device, several clips or pins that hold the whole unit together and a stand Placing a photograph in a conventional frame, or changing the photograph that is displayed in one can be a difficult and/or time consuming process In an attempt to overcome the problems of these conventional type frames other types of frames have been created, one style uses the forces of magnetic attraction to eliminate the need for clips or pins in the construction of a frame Often these magnetic frames consist of two or more, separate parts including that of a body member (front section), from which the picture is viewed and that of a retaining member (rear section) which is used to hold the photo in place Magnetic forces eliminate the need for clips or pins by drawing the front and rear sections together, the photograph or picture being sandwiched between these two parts This style of magnetic frame is not without its drawbacks Firstly, it can be a frustrating process to accurately position a photo in the frame before the magnetic forces close the frame Secondly, once the frame is closed the photograph can be subjected to unnecessary pressures on its surfaces particularly its edges where the photo is gripped by the frame This unnecessary pressure can damage a photograph, especially on the sensitive picture side Upon removal from such frames it has been found that the top surface of a photograph can become de-laminated, part of its surface remaining stuck to the front section where it was subject to unnecessary pressures from the framing unit There is therefore a need for a photo frame that will allow a person to simply and quickly mount a photograph without complication and that once mounted does not put any unnecessary pressure on the photograph In addition to these problems is the emerging trend of placing photographs in all manner of locations, such places include the kitchen and the office In these locations horizontal surfaces (such as the office desk) are regularly in use and so photographs are necessaπly being placed on vertical surfaces Unfortunately traditional frames are not well suited to being mounted on vertical surfaces such as the draws of filing cabinets and the like In these locations photos are often mounted by having a piece of adhesive tape stuck onto the photo and the vertical surface that the photo is being attached to When replacing or moving a photo that has been mounted by a piece of tape the old piece of tape is often removed and this process itself can cause damage to the surface of the photograph. Pins are sometimes used to attach a photo to a vertical surface but these can also damage the photo by leaving holes and marks on the photos surface. Magnets are sometimes used to hold the photo in place on a metallic surface but these can also leave a mark when they have been used to hold a photo in place. Without a cover a photo is relatively unprotected and it remains exposed to the elements and conditions of the environment in which it is located. When a photo is left exposed like this it may curl up due to it's exposure to the elements, and as a result it may be more easily dislodged or damaged by a passer-by. A photo is more likely to be dislodged from a vertical surface if it is not securely attached or has curled up and is no longer lying flat against the surface. Traditional photo frames, because of their many parts (frame, retention unit and stand) and their relative bulk (they are not thin) are not well suited to framing or displaying a photo from a vertical surface in a busy environment such as an office. A final problem is that of cost, often a photo frame consists of two or more separate parts, each individual component in a photo frame adds to its cost as does each step in manufacturing the separate components of a photo frame. A reduction in the number of components that make up a frame and/or the number of manufacturing steps that are required to produce a frame will result in a reduction in the cost of producing a frame. In a situation where a photo is to be framed on a vertical surface the surface itself can be utilised and so eliminate the need to have the additional expense of a retention device with the frame. There is therefore the need for a photo frame that can simply and quickly mount a photo on a vertical surface, and once mounted can protect the photo, and when required provide for the simple removal or repositining of the photo and frame without placing unnecessary pressure on the photograph or without causing damage to the photo. It is the object of the present invention to overcome, or substantially ameliorate, the above mentioned disadvantages by the provision of a display device that can quickly, simply and inexpensively frame a photograph, or the like, on a vertical surface, such as filing cabinet where traditional frames are not well suited for use. In addition it is the object of the present invention to use the surface, that the frame is being attached to. to do away with the need or cost of having a backing or retention device. It is also the objective of this invention to eliminate the need to place any unnecessary pressure on, or damage the delicate surface, of the photograph that is on display. The present invention provides a display device comprising a generally flat body member, having a first element on the rear surface, and in addition a functionally separate second element on the rear surface, the body member having a visually transparent section, the first element being adapted to provide support for a photograph or the like that can be displayed and viewed through the visually transparent section of the body member, the second element being adapted to attach the displav device to a suitable surface, the resultant attachment being of sufficient strength to support, at the very least, the display device and any photograph or the like that it mav be supporting via the first element To assist with understanding the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings Illustration will be by way of example only with reference to 5 the accompanying drawings FIG 1 is a front view of one example of the display device according to this invention FIG 2 is a cross section approximately on line I-I in FIG 1 FIG 3 is an enlarged and detailed cross section of the first element of the device as 0 shown in FIG 2 FIG 4 is a perspective view of the device when in use on a filing cabinet FIG 5 is a cross section approximately on line II-II in FIG 4 FIG 6 is a front perspective of a version of the device when it has a framing layer applied to its surface 5 FIG 7 is a cross section view of a version of the device when the first element of the device has an inwardly sloping ledge to support the photograph FIG 8 is an enlarged and detailed cross section of the first element of the device as shown in FIG 7 FIG 9 is a rear view of a version of the device wherein the first element consists of one 0 stπp and the second element consists of three separate strips wherein all four separate pieces are constructed of strips of the same magnetic material Referring now to the drawing there is shown an example of a display device according to ^ the present invention as illustrated in FIG 1 Referring to FIG 1 and FIG 2 the displav device (99) therein shown comprises a transparent body member ( 1 ) a first element (2) that provides support for a photograph (4) and a second element (3) that can support the device (99) and the photograph (4) when it is attached to a suitable surface FIG 2 & FIG 3 show that the thickness of the first element (2) and the second element (3) need only exceed the thickness of the photograph (4) to eliminate any unnecessary pressure on the surface of the photograph. FIG 2 and FIG 3 show that the first element provides a ledge to support the photograph, its own weight keeping it in place, with out the need for any unnecessary pressure being places on the surface of the photograph. FIG 4 shows one use of such a device, that is to display a photo on a suitably flat surface such as that of a filing cabinet ( 10), in an application such as this the second element (3) would preferably be made of a magnetic material, and as such would allow the display device to be attached, detached, reattached, moved and removed, as desired, from the metallic surface of the filing cabinet. FIG 5 shows that when in use the first element (2) provides support for the photo (4) and that the second element (3) attaches to the flat surface of the filing cabinet (10) and supports the display device (99). FIG 5 shows that when the first element (2) and the second element (3) are of roughly equal thickness the display device (99) will remain parallel to the surface that it is adhered, attached or attracted to. FIG 5 shows that unnecessary pressure on the photo (4) has been eliminated. FIG 4 and FIG 5 show that by having the device (99) able to attach itself to a suitable surface ( 10) it eliminates the need to provide a backing board or retention element with the display device. The photograph (4) is supported by the first element (2), should the photograph topple forward the body member will stop it falling, should the photo topple backwards the surface that display device is attached to will stop the photograph falling. Eliminating the need for a backing board creates economies of time and cost in framing and mounting a photograph or the like. FIG 6 shows a version of the device (99) with a masking or framing layer (5) printed on the surface of the body member ( 1 ), this can be effective in masking from view, when viewed from the front, the first element and the second element, such a masking or framing layer can dramatically enhance the look and appeal of the display device when used for displaying photographs and the like. FIG 7 shows a version of the device (99) where the first element (2.1 ) has an inwardly sloping edge, running the length of element, which as FIG 8 shows can be used to support a photograph (4). The first element can be constructed of many different shapes in its capacity of supporting a photograph or the like. FIG 9 shows another version of the device (99) wherein there are four separate strips (3 2) and (2 2) on the rear surface of the body member ( 1 ) When these four strips are of the same material, such as magnet impregnated plastic stπps, they can simultaneously preform the functions of both the first element (2 2), supporting a photograph (4) or the like, and the second element (3 2) & (2.2), attaching and supporting the displav device (99) and a photo In this particular embodiment, FIG 9, the lower stπp (2 2) preforms simultaneously the functions of both the first and second element The other three stπps (3 2) preform the role of the second element only The above mentioned illustrations only outline, by way of example, a few of the possible embodiments of such an invention, many different versions are possible within the scope of this invention In the display device ( 1 ) of this invention the body member may be made of different mateπals These may include πgid, semi-πgid, resilient or flexible mateπals In one form of the invention the body member would be made of a transparent mateπal such as glass or plastic Preferably the body member would be made of clear plastic being approximately 2mm to 3mm in thickness. In another form of the invention the body member ( 1 ) and first element (2) can be moulded from the same mateπal and therefore remove from the manufacture and assembly procedure the need to attach one or more pieces to create the first element Additionally or alternatively the body member ( 1 ) may be provided with a peπpheral band to create a framing or masking effect A framing effect may be created by having a layer or layers of paint or ink or the like pπnted and/or painted on the front and/or rear surface (5) of the bodv member around a visually transparent section of the body member In addition or alternatively a separate framing or masking element may be attached to the front and/or rear of the body member, such a framing or masking element mav be attached to the body member by a vaπety of means including an adhesive Any such framing or masking should, at least, leave a viewing portion that is visually transparent between the front and rear surface of the body member The first element (2) mav be constructed in any convenient shape such that it is capable of supporting a photograph, or the like, that may come to rest upon it. when the bodv member is in a vertical, or near vertical position Preferably the first element would provide an edge, outstanding from the body member ( 1 ), of approximately 0.6mm to 0.8mm thickness, this edge being at right angles to the body member. An edge that is at a right angle to the body member would, when the display device is attached to a vertical surface, provide a horizontal platform for the bottom edge of a photograph or the like to rest upon, when resting upon its bottom edge there is no unnecessary pressure on the surface of the photograph. In another embodiment the first element can function effectively with a number of different profiles including a sloping ledge or a channel. The first element may consist of one or more separate pieces that separately or together can support a photograph or the like. Preferably this would consist of a single stπp running along a significant length of the body member. The first element may be constructed of any suitable material including plastic, foam, velcro, metal, magnet, magnetic material, plastic, rubber, wood, paper, adhesive or any combination of materials such that it is capable of supporting the photograph or the like that it has resting upon or within it. The second element may be constructed from any suitable material including plastic, foam, velcro, metal, magnet, magnetic material, plastic, rubber, wood, paper, adhesive or any combination of materials such that it is capable of attaching the invention to a suitable flat surface and such that it is capable of supporting the display device and any photograph or the like that it is displaying. The material of the second element would be determined by the type of surface chosen to attach the display device to. For example, for attachment to metallic surfaces a magnetic material may be used to construct the second element, for attachment to a cork surface a spiked metal material may be used to construct the second element, for attachment to glass a pressure sensitive repositionable contact adhesive may be used to construct the second element. The second element may be constructed in any convenient shape such that it provides sufficient contact area to enable it to attach itself to any suitable surface that the display device is being placed upon and that the resulting bond is of sufficient strength to support the display device and any photograph, or the like, that it may display. Preferably the second element would be constructed of a magnetic material that would allow the device to be removably attached, to any suitable flat magnetisable surface such as that of a filing cabinet door or the like, without damage to the photo, display device or surface. Additionally or alternatively the second element may be constructed of foamed plastic, of approximately 0.6mm to 0.8mm in thickness, having one face adhered to the rear surface of the body member and the other face coated with a pressure sensitive, repositionable contact adhesive protected by a release sheet, having such a mateπal will allow the device to be attached to any suitably flat surface such as a wall or door The second element may consist of one or several separate pieces that separately or together can support the display device and any photograph or the like that it may be supporting and displaying The first element and the second element can be constructed to be any thickness such that they can at least preform their specified functions Preferably the first element and second element would have the same thickness and that this would be mexcess of the thickness of photograph or the like that is being displayed from the display device The first element and the second element are free to be located anywhere on the rear surface of the body member such that they can at least preform their required functions and do not eliminate a visually transparent section from the body member In the display device of the invention the first and second elements preform two distinctly separate functions, the first element supports the photograph or the like, the second element supports the display device and any photograph the first element may be supporting, in certain embodiments of this display device a single piece of mateπal on the rear surface of the body member can, preform both functions simultaneously, a single stπp of magnetic mateπal can create a stπp that will support and attach the display device to a suitable surface (the second elements function) and provide a ledge for a photograph to rest upon (the first elements function) Many different surfaces are able to have this display device attached to them, this is possible as a result of the range of mateπals that are available to construct and preform the required function of the second element In use the display device of the invention may be employed as a picture frame device to frame photographs Additionally or alternatively the device may be used to display office safetv instructions, recipes, point of sale information, postcards or the like Finally, it is to be understood that the inventive concept in any of its aspects can be incorporated in many other vaπations and constructions so that the generality of the preceding descπption is not superseded by the particulaπty of the drawings Vaπous alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into vaπous constructions and arrangements of the elements and parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS 1 A display device compπsing a generally flat body member, having a first element on the rear surface, and in addition a functionally separate second element on the rear surface, the body member having a visually transparent section, the first element being adapted to provide support for a photograph or the like that can be displayed and viewed through the visually transparent section of the body member, the second element being adapted to attach the display device to a suitable surface, the resultant attachment being of sufficient strength to support, at the very least, the display device and any photograph or the like that it may be supporting via the first element 2 A display device according to claim 1 wherein the body member compπses of a visually transparent mateπal such as clear plastic or glass 3 A display device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the body member is provided with a peπpheral band to create a framing effect or a partial masking effect around or through the visually transparent section of the body member 4 A display device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the first element being of any shape and/or configuration such that it is capable of supporting a photograph or the like that is resting upon it 5 A display device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the first element may consist of one single, or several separate pieces that individually or in combination support a photograph or the like 6 A display device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the first element is constructed of any mateπal or combination of mateπals such that it is capable of supporting a photograph or the like that is resting upon it, this mateπal or combination of mateπals is not required to be the same as that of the body member or the second element 7 A display device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the second element is constructed of any mateπal or combination of mateπals such that it is capable of supporting the display device and any photograph or the like that is being supported via the first element, this mateπal or combination of mateπals is not required to be the same as that of the bodv member or the first element 8 A display device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the second element may consist of one or several separate pieces that individually or in combination can produce a bond, between itself and any suitable surface that the display device is being attached to. such that the bond is of sufficient strength to support the display device and any photograph or the like that it is displaying 9 A display device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the first and second elements are functionally separate but physically the same, wherein the part of the display device that is preforming the function of the first element, supporting a photograph or the like, is in addiϋon preforming the function of the second element, of attaching and supporting the display device, and any photograph or the like it may be displaying. 10 A display device substantially as descπbed with reference to the drawings

Inventors: CRAIGIE IAN, CRAIGIE, IAN
Applicants: CRAIGIE IAN, CRAIGIE, IAN
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A47G1
IPC codes: A47G1, G09F1