Abstract:
An apparatus and method for displaying an item such as a vinyl record album on a wall. The apparatus includes first and second parts ( 6, 4 ) pivotably mounted to one another, one part including a window through which the item to be displayed may be viewed, one part including a catch element ( 18 ) for limiting relative rotation of the two parts, and one part including a hook or screw for mounting the apparatus on a wall.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for displaying an item, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to apparatus and methods for playing vinyl music records on a wall. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     Vinyl music records are traditionally held in a paper or cardboard sleeve or wallet when not in use so as to prevent the record from becoming scratched, dirty, or otherwise damaged. The record sleeves are generally provided with artwork which is appropriate to the music contained on the record. Very often the design of the record sleeve will be of sufficient artistic quality to warrant its display, perhaps on a wall. However, whilst artwork in general has a history of being framed for display on a wall, the traditional frames used for this purpose do not lend themselves to being quickly opened for ready access to the artwork held therein. In the case of a record sleeve, it will of course be understood that access to the sleeve is necessary on a frequent basis in order to allow the record held within the sleeve to be used. Accordingly, the displaying of a record sleeve with a traditional picture framing system has been unsatisfactory for those users also wishing to listen to the music contained on the record held within the sleeve being displayed. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a means by which a record sleeve may be displayed whilst allowing ready access to the record held within the sleeve. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A first aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for displaying an item, the apparatus comprising first and second parts pivotally mounted to one another; wherein one part comprises a window through which an item to be displayed may be viewed, one part comprises a catch element for limiting relative rotation of the two parts, and one part comprises means for mounting the apparatus to a wall. 
     Ideally, the apparatus further comprises means for releasably retaining the two parts rotated into abutment with one another. The releasable retaining means may comprise a resiliently deformable clip. Also, one of said two parts may comprise means for pressing an item, located between the two parts, against the other one of said two parts. The pressing means may comprise a resiliently deformable element extending from one of said parts towards the other of said parts. The pressing means is preferably cut and bent from the material of one of said parts. 
     The catch element is preferably arranged to prevent the two parts from rotating more than 90° relative to one another. More preferably, the catch element is arranged to prevent the two parts from rotating more than 45° relative to one another. Yet more preferably, the catch element is arranged to prevent the two parts from rotating more than 30° relative to one another. Ideally, the catch element is arranged to prevent the two parts from rotating more than 15° relative to one another. 
     A second aspect of the present invention provides a record sleeve display apparatus as recited above. 
     A third aspect of the present invention provides a method of using any of the apparatus recited above, the method comprising the step of placing a music record sleeve between said two parts of said apparatus. Furthermore, the apparatus is ideally mounted to a wall. 
     An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a display apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the display apparatus arranged in a closed configuration; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the display apparatus arranged in an open configuration; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the display apparatus arranged in a closed configuration and holding a record sleeve; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the display apparatus arranged in an open configuration with a record sleeve partially removed therefrom; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of the front of a backboard of the display apparatus; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the backboard of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view of the rear of the backboard shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the backboard of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of the front of a window of the display apparatus; 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of the window of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a plan view of the rear of the window shown in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a bottom view of the window of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a plan view of the front of a frame of the display apparatus; 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of the frame of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a plan view of the rear of the frame shown in  FIG. 14 ; and 
         FIG. 17  is a bottom view of the frame of  FIG. 14 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A display apparatus  2  is shown in the accompanying drawings which is specifically designed for holding a vinyl music record so that a record sleeve associated with the record may be conveniently mounted to a wall. Although the display apparatus  2  is for displaying a record sleeve, the size and shape of the apparatus  2  may be modified so as to allow the display of some other item such as, for example, a compact disc or associated sleeve. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , it will be seen that the display apparatus  2  comprises three major components. These three components are a backboard  4 , a window  6 , and a frame  8 . In the assembled display apparatus  2 , the window  6  is secured within the frame  8  and these two components are pivotally connected to the backboard  4 . More specifically, the bottom edge  10  of the backboard  4  is pivotally connected to the bottom edge  12  of the window  6 . The pivotal connection is provided by two generally cylindrically shaped pins  14  extending from either side of the window  6 . The pins  14  are each locatable in a recess  16  provided in the bottom edge  10  of the backboard  4 . The backboard  4  and the assembly of the window  6  and frame  8  may be thereby moved between open and closed configurations as will be explained in greater detail below. 
     The window  6  further comprises a catch element  18  which limits the extent by which the backboard  4  and the window may be rotated apart from one another. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, two catch elements  18  are provided on either side of the window  6 . However, it will be understood that a single catch element  18  may be used. In the assembled display apparatus  2 , each catch element  18  extends from the rear of the window  6  to the rear of the backboard  4 . In the embodiment shown, this is facilitated by means of an aperture  20  in the backboard  4  through which a catch element  18  may pass. It will be understood that the catch element  18  is curved or hooked in an appropriate fashion so as to loop about the rear of the backboard  4  and thereby abut the rear of the backboard  4  when the backboard  4  and window  6  are rotated to a predetermined extent away from each other. Specifically, the catch element is arranged to allow the window  6  to rotate forward by no more than 15°. In use, this feature prevents the window  6  from falling forwards in a dangerous fashion when the display apparatus  2  is mounted on a wall. 
     The precise design of the backboard  4 , window  6  and frame  8  will be apparent to the skilled person from the various views shown in  FIGS. 6 to 17  of the accompanying drawings. With reference to  FIG. 11 , it will be seen that each catch element  18  has a sloping surface  48  for looping about the rear surface of the backboard  4 . The sloping surface  48  is arranged at an acute angle to the window  6  which is equal to the acute angle between the window  6  and the backboard  4  when the display apparatus  2  is in the open configuration. A large contact area between the catch element  18  and the backboard  4  is thereby provided. 
     A locating ridge  23  extends to the rear of the secondary frame  22  along the bottom and side edges thereof. The ridge  23  is sized and shaped so as to receive an item to be displayed such as a record sleeve. The size of the ridge  23  is ideally such that the record sleeve received therein is prevented from sliding excessively from side to side. 
     It will be understood from the accompanying drawings that the pins  14  and catch elements  18  extend from, and may be integral with, a perimeter secondary frame  22  to which a pane of glass  24  is secured. The aesthetic appearance of the secondary frame  22  is improved by means of the primary frame  8  which is shaped and sized so as to cover the secondary frame  22  and the perimeter of the backboard  4 . The arrangement is such that, when the display apparatus  2  is in the closed configuration, only the frame  8  and glass  24  is visible. 
     The window  6  and frame  8  may be secured to one another by any suitable means. For example, the frame  8  may be clipped to the secondary frame  22  of the window  6  by means of resiliently sprung clips. Alternatively, the window  6  and frame  8  may be secured to one another by means of an appropriate adhesive. Ideally, the frame  8  is releasably secured to the window  6  so that it may be readily replaced with a frame  8  having a different aesthetic appearance. Frames of different shapes, colours, textures and materials, for example, can then be used with the same window  6  and backboard  4 . 
     The top edge  26  of the backboard  4  and the top edge  28  of the frame  8  are provided with clip elements  30 ,  32  which engage with one another when the display apparatus  2  is located in the closed configuration. The inter-engagement of the clip elements  30 ,  32  prevents the display apparatus  2  from opening accidentally. The clip elements  30 ,  32  are selectively releasable from one another so as to allow the display apparatus  2  to be moved from the closed configuration to the open configuration. Any suitable catch or latch mechanism may be used for the clip elements  30 ,  32 . It will however be understood as being desirable to provide clip elements  30 ,  32  which are resiliently sprung so as to be snap fitted into engagement with one another in response to the display apparatus being moved to the closed configuration. Ideally, the clip elements  30 ,  32  are such that the display apparatus  2  cannot then be moved from the closed configuration without a user actively disengaging said elements  30 ,  32 . 
     The backboard  4  comprises a perimeter ridge  34  in which the recesses  16 , apertures  20  and backboard clip element  30  are located. The perimeter ridge  34  is sized and shaped so as to receive the ridge  23  of the secondary frame  22 . Restriction of undesirable movement of the item to be displayed is assisted by means of one or more resiliently sprung fingers cut from the backboard  4 . In the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, there are four such fingers  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42 . These fingers are bent to the front of the backboard  4  so that, in the closed configuration, they tend to press an item to be displayed against the glass  24  of the window  6 . This not only tends to prevent the item being displayed from moving in an undesirable fashion, but also provides a better quality of display. The resilient flexible character of the fingers also allows the display apparatus to readily accommodate record sleeves of different thicknesses. 
     It will be understood that the backboard  4  should be manufactured from an appropriate material if the fingers  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42  are to be fabricated by cutting and bending elements from the backboard  4 . 
     If necessary, one or more spacer elements  44  may be provided to the rear of the backboard  4  to assist in ensuring that the display apparatus  2  mounts correctly on a wall without damage to either the wall or the display apparatus. The or each spacer element also assists in preventing the display apparatus  2  from twisting, rotating or sliding relative to a wall on which it is mounted. The or each spacer element  44  may be of a rubber material. 
     The rear of the backboard  4  is also provided with suitable means  46  for attaching the display apparatus  2  to a wall. In the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, an aperture is provided for this purpose which may receive a picture hook, screw or other projection extending from a wall. Alternatively, the backboard  4  may be provided with a screw or other projection (rather than an aperture) for hooking onto a wall. 
     It will further be seen from the accompanying drawings that the backboard  4  is provided with a circular cut-out  48 . This feature assists in reducing the overall weight of the display apparatus  2  and can assist when removing an item from the display apparatus  2  in the event that the item becomes stuck. The cut-out  48  also allows the rear of a record sleeve to be read (or otherwise viewed) without having to remove the sleeve from the apparatus  2 . 
     In use, the display apparatus  2  is mounted to a wall by means of the aperture  46 . The window  6  and frame  8  may be unlatched from the top edge  26  of the backboard  4  through operation of the clips elements  30 ,  32 . The window  6  and frame  8  may then be rotated downwardly about the bottom edge  10  of the backboard  4  so that the top edges  26 ,  28  of the backboard  4  and frame  8  become spaced from one another. The rotation of the window  6  and frame  8  is limited by engagement of the catch elements  18  (specifically the sloping surface  18   a  of each catch element  18 ) with the backboard  4 . This restricted rotation prevents the window  6  and frame  8  from unsafely swinging in a downward direction in a manner which may cause injury. 
     With the display apparatus  2  located in an open configuration, a record and record sleeve may be conveniently placed in or removed from the interior of the display apparatus  2 . The apparatus  2  may then be moved back to the closed configuration. 
     The present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment described above. Other arrangements and suitable materials will be apparent to a reader skilled in the art.