Abstract:
The present invention concerns a display frame and base which provides for easily alternating the orientation of the display frame with respect to the base between a horizontal display format and a vertical display format, and which frame suggests the illusion of depth of a displayed image. The base, additionally, provides a substantially upright broad front face suitable for presentation of graphic or textual information.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention is directed to a display frame which may alternatively be mounted in either a horizontal display configuration or a vertical display configuration, including a base having a front face suitable for presentation of graphic or textual information, and which frame suggests the illusion of depth of a displayed image object.  
           [0003]    2. Objects and Summary of the Invention  
           [0004]    The present invention is directed to a display frame including curved front and rear walls, a viewing aperture and a base having a front surface suitable for display of textual or graphic information. The orientation of the display frame upon the base may be alternated between vertical and horizontal display formats by means of removable mounting pegs which attach to the walls of the display frame at predetermined locations.  
           [0005]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a display frame removably mounted to a base for easily alternating the orientation of the frame with respect to the base between a horizontal display format and a vertical display format.  
           [0006]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a display frame which suggests the illusion of depth of a displayed image.  
           [0007]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a base having a substantially upright broad front face suitable for presentation of graphic or textual information.  
           [0008]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simply constructed, frame for display of various popular size photographs and similarly sized images.  
           [0009]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a display frame and base which are relatively inexpensive to fabricate.  
           [0010]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive display frame and base suitable for use as advertising and mass marketing vehicles. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention in the horizontal display format configuration.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a second preferred embodiment the present invention in the vertical display format configuration.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a side view of a first preferred embodiment the present invention in the horizontal display format configuration.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a side view of a second preferred embodiment the present invention in the vertical display format configuration.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of a second preferred embodiment the present invention in the vertical display format configuration.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the base of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a perspective detail view of the vertical display configuration mounting peg of the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is a perspective detail view of the horizontal display configuration mounting peg of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the base of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 10A is a front view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention in the horizontal display format configuration.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 10B is a front view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention in the vertical display format configuration.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the FIG. 10A embodiment taken along line  11 - 11  of FIG. 10A.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the FIG. 10B embodiment taken along line  12 - 12  of FIG. 10B. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]    Referring to FIGS. 1 through 12, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described.  
         [0025]    With respect to FIG. 1 a front perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present 3D Illusion Frame  10  invention is shown in a horizontal display configuration. The display frame housing  20  includes a curved front wall  22  which surrounds a viewing aperture  28  through which an image object  90  may be viewed. Joined to front wall  22  along one edge is a first rear wall  24 , and joined to wall  22  along an opposite edge is a second rear wall  26 . Display frame housing  20  is supported upon base  30  by two mounting pegs  70 . Base  30  includes a front surface  32  upon which textual or graphic material  40  may optionally be displayed. Front surface  32  extends substantially across the width of base  30 , and forms a predetermined acute angle from the vertical, which tilts front surface  32  a predetermined angle away from a viewer facing the front wall  22  of display frame housing  20 .  
         [0026]    Display frame housing  20  may alternatively be repositioned in a vertical display configuration, as shown in FIG. 2. The display frame housing  20  may easily be reconfigured between horizontal and vertical configuration, as will be discussed below.  
         [0027]    Referring to FIGS. 1, 3,  6 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 A and  11 , a first embodiment of the 3D Illusion Frame  10  includes display frame  20  in a horizontal configuration removably attached to base  30  by two first mounting pegs  70 . With particular reference to FIG. 8, pegs  70  include an upper portion  74  of predetermined diameter and a lower portion  76  having a predetermined diameter smaller than the diameter of portion  74 , and further having a different predetermined cross-sectional shape and size. A shoulder  72  is formed at the junction of upper portion  74  and lower portion  76  of peg  70 . Upper portion  74  of peg  70  includes projection  80  which forms curved mating surface  84 . The curvature of surface  84  is adapted to be complimentary to the shape or curvature of the outer surface  50  of the second rear wall  26  of display frame  20 . Pin  86  extends from mating surface  84  and is adapted to snugly, but removably engage positioning holes  36 ,  38  formed in wall  26 . The upper portion  74  of peg  70  includes lip  82  and groove  88  which are adapted to removably engage the edge of wall  26 . Display frame  20  is assembled to first mounting pegs  70  by placing the edge of rear wall  26  into groove  88  and rotating display frame  20  about the edge of wall  26  relative to peg  70  so as to engage pin  86  in one of the positioning holes  36 ,  38 . By reversing this operation, frame  20  may be disassembled from first mounting pegs  70 . Pin  86  and positioning holes  36 ,  38  have complimentary shape and size to engage snugly, but removably.  
         [0028]    Further referring to FIGS. 1, 3,  6 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 A and  11 , the lower portion  76  of each of first mounting pegs  70  is received in sockets  54 ,  56  formed in the top surface  34  of base  30 . Sockets  54 ,  56  are adapted to be complimentary to the shape and size of lower portion  76  of each peg  70 . Each of pegs  70  is inserted into sockets  54 ,  56  until peg shoulder  72  contacts the top surface  34  of base  30 . The intersection of the long axis of first mounting peg  70  and the chord of the curvature of mating surface  84  forms a first predetermined acute angle, and when inserted into base  30 , the long axis of peg  70  forms a second predetermined acute angle from the vertical, which angles together tilt the display frame  20  a third predetermined angle away from a viewer facing its front wall  22 .  
         [0029]    Referring to FIGS. 2, 4,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  9 ,  10 B and  12 , a second embodiment of the 3D Illusion Frame  10  includes display frame  20  placed in a vertical configuration, and removably attached to base  30  by two second mounting pegs  58 . With particular reference to FIG. 7, each second mounting peg  58  includes an upper portion  62  of predetermined diameter, preferably of a cylindrical shape, and a lower portion  64  having a predetermined diameter smaller than that of portion  62  and further having a different predetermined cross-sectional shape and size. A shoulder  60  is formed at the junction of upper portion  62  and lower portion  64  of peg  58 . Upper portion  62  of each second mounting peg  58  includes slot  66  having floor  68  which is adapted to compliment the shape and thickness of the first rear wall  24  and the second rear wall  26  of display frame  20  in order to receive either of these two rear walls. Slot  66  of peg  58  is sized and configured to snugly, but removably engage the first inner surface  46 , second inner surface  48 , first outer surface  50 , and second outer surface  52  of rear walls  24 ,  26 , respectively. Display frame housing  20  is mounted on second pegs  58  by inserting a curved edge of rear wall  24  or rear wall  26  into slot  66  until the floor  68  is contacted. By reversing this operation, frame  20  may be disassembled from second mounting pegs  58 .  
         [0030]    Further referring to FIGS. 2, 4,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  9 ,  10 B and  12 , the lower portion  64  of each of second mounting pegs  58  is received in sockets  54 ,  56  formed in the top surface  34  of base  30 . Sockets  54 ,  56  are adapted to conform to the shape and size of lower portion  64  of peg  58 , which is admitted into either of sockets  54 ,  56  until peg shoulder  60  contacts the top surface  34  of base  30 . When inserted into base  30 , the long axis of each peg  58  forms a predetermined acute angle from the vertical, which tilts the display frame  20  a predetermined angle away from a viewer facing its front wall  22 .  
         [0031]    Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, display frame  20  includes an image object  90 , typically a photograph or graphic selected by the user. Optionally, the image object  90  may be enclosed in a transparent or translucent holder having a front leaf  92  and a rear leaf  94 . With particular reference to FIG. 11, the image object  90  may be positioned in a forward position within frame  20  so as to essentially conform with the inner surface  42  of front wall  22 . Alternatively, and with particular reference to FIG. 12, the image object  90  may be positioned in a rearward position within frame  20  so as to essentially conform with the inner surfaces  46 ,  48  of rear walls  24 ,  26 , respectively. When viewed through viewing aperture  28  with the image object  90  in a rearward position within frame  20  a visual suggestion of depth may be perceived. As has been described herein, the display frame  20  may be positioned on base  30  to display an image object  90  in either a horizontal format or a vertical format at the discretion of the user, and the display frame  20  may easily be alternated between the horizontal format configuration or the vertical format configuration as required by the format of the image object  90 .  
         [0032]    The 3D Illusion Frame  10  is preferably fabricated of plastic, however any material having the required strength and rigidity may be used.  
         [0033]    It will be understood by one skilled in the art that sockets  54 ,  56  and lower portion  76  of first mounting peg  70 , and the lower portion  64  of second mounting peg  58 , may each be keyed so as to admit mounting pegs  58 ,  70  in only selected orientations. It will also be understood by one skilled in the art that second mounting peg  58  and first mounting peg  70  may be fabricated as a single integrated structure combining both functions of supporting display frame  20  in the horizontal and in the vertical orientations, and further that the two peg mounting configuration may be replaced by a single structure. It will further be understood by one skilled in the art that walls  22 ,  24 ,  26  need not be curved, but may be planar, and that walls  24 ,  26  may be extended to form a single wall. It will additionally be appreciated by one skilled in the art that walls  22 ,  24  and walls  22 ,  26  need not be joined along a common edge, but may each be joined to an intervening structure to increase the distance between walls  22 ,  24  and walls  22 ,  26 , respectively.  
         [0034]    It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations as they are outlined within the description above and within the claims appended hereto. While the preferred embodiments and application of the invention have been described, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the objects and features of the present invention are only limited as set forth in the claims appended hereto.