Abstract:
An elongated extruded snap frame member for biasedly removably capturing a display graphic for support and display thereof. The frame member comprises an elongated extruded frame receiving panel, an elongated strip of securement material applied to the frame panel at the time of extrusion and an articulable housing comprised of a cover and a plurality of articulable legs co-extruded with one another and connected to one another by a flexible web of material. A further flexible web of material connects the cover to a portion of the articulable housing, the further web of flexible material providing an axis of rotation for the cover when the cover is biasedly rotated onto the display graphic.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to frame members for utilization as a graphic display tool, and more particularly to a frame and assembly thereof, utilizable with multiple hinge points to provide a range of bias on a graphic thereattached. 
   2. Prior Art 
   Graphic display frames have been utilized by the merchandising industry for many years. Those frames comprise rails which are assembled around a backer board or a graphic sheet which may be as thick as a backer board. Patents on such frames may be seen for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,512,094, 4,512,095 or 4,523,400. As an example of that prior art, their limitations include difficulty in the attachment of the backer board to the elongated rails during assembly. Other concerns of the prior art include limitations where the graphic sheet and/or backer board have to be a particular thickness. In other words, there is a particular defined space in the frame rail which limits the graphic sheet and/or backer board to one thickness, and it can not be thinner or thicker. 
   It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a frame rail assembly which can be initially manufactured using a range of backer board thicknesses and/or graphic displays thereon. This is made possible because of an assembly that utilizes adhesion rather than the rail geometry to hold the backer board or graphic (in the case of no backer board being utilized) in place. 
   It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide an extruded frame rail which may be utilized with minimal assembly requirements because of the built-in co-extruded spring and the tape that is applied to the rail at the time of extrusion. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention comprises a snap frame assembly comprised of multiple snap frame members, which are attached to a backer board or graphic display (in the absence of a backer board) using adhesive. This assembly process allows for the initial manufacture of the frame with a range of backer board or graphic display thicknesses. 
   An elongated extruded snap frame member comprises an elongated linear frame panel having a co-extruded third leg perpendicular thereto. The frame panel and third leg comprise a portion of an elongated housing comprising an open-channel of generally “T”-shape in cross section, the open channel being defined by a first flange and a spaced apart second flange parallel with a bridging member. The bridging member has one elongated side thereof attached to a portion of the third leg, the bridging member having a second elongated edge connected to a third flange. 
   A generally “J”-shaped cover is co-extruded with the third flange, having a co-extruded web of flexible material comprising a living hinge therebetween. A first leg extends generally perpendicularly from an inner side of the J-shaped cover and is hingedly coupled by a flexible web with a center hinge leg which center hinge leg is also flexibly coupled by a flexible web, to the distal end of the third leg. 
   The first leg, the third leg, and the center (second) hinge leg are all pivotable with respect to one another, each leg being connected by the flexible web of material comprising an elongated joint or living hinge therebetween. 
   The J-shaped cover member has a distal edge with a distal leg angularly disposed thereon. The distal leg has an elongated distalmost edge comprised of flexible material thereon, which edge provides resilience and gripping power thereat, when the cover is in engagement with a graphic display discussed hereinbelow. 
   The elongated snap frame is preferably formed by a co-extrusion of rigid and flexible plastic material. The securement material, which is applied at the same time as the extrusion process, may for example comprise an adhesive or a tape or a multi-layer of adhesive and a flexible strip cover thereon. 
   Upon extrusion of a desired elongated length of the snap frame and application of the securement material, the rails are ready to be cut to size in preparation for receiving a graphic display or preferably a backer board thereon. Such backer board may be secured to the adhesive material on the upper or face side of the frame panel. A graphic display sheet may be placed upon the uppermost or face surface of the backer board so as to present that display to a viewing public. 
   Rotation of the cover and particularly the distal edge, towards the graphic display and backer board placed on the elongated extruded frame panel, effects bending of the three webs of flexure material, its axes of rotation consisting of the web of flexible material between the proximal end of the J-shaped cover and the third flange. The first leg and the center hinge leg, during that cover rotation, move from a generally perpendicular configuration to a generally planar configuration with flexure at its juncture of the webs of flexible material connectively co-extruded therebetween. The center hinge leg flexes with respect to the third leg at its juncture of webbed flexible material therebetween, so as to come into a generally parallel relationship therebetween. This simultaneous counter rotational motion of the first leg, the center hinge leg and the proximal portion of the “J” shaped cover about a three point hinge arrangement effects a biased motion of the cover and thus a cover bias against a graphic sheet and backer board placed on the frame panel. That bias may be different depending upon the thickness of any graphic or backer board, or upon a dimension of the center leg. 
   That center or hinge leg has a critical transverse width, the size of which effects the aggressiveness of the “snap” and effects the forces that make the J-shaped cover want to rotate beyond the “outer plane” of the backer board, thus applying the bias pressure onto that graphic when that cover has been moved in the direction of that graphic. 
   An assembly of snap frame members may be cut on the diagonal at their respective ends, and a juncture piece disposed within the T-shaped housing channel to provide “corner-wise” connectivity to the assembly for a full rectilinear enclosure for a backer board and graphic therewithin. 
   The invention thus comprises an elongated extruded snap frame for biasedly, removably capturing a display graphic for support and display thereof, comprising an elongated extruded frame receiving panel, an elongated strip of securement material applied to the frame panel, an articulable housing comprised of a cover and a plurality of articulable legs co-extruded with one another and connected to one another by a flexible web of material. A further flexible web of material connects the cover to a portion of the articulable housing, the further web of flexible material providing an axis of rotation for the cover when the cover is biasedly rotated onto the display graphic. The legs may be rotated with respect to one another from a generally perpendicular configuration to a generally parallel configuration. The cover may have an elongated distal leg thereon with an elongated co-extruded compressible edge for biasing against the display graphic. The housing may include a “T” shaped slot for providing connection means between adjacent snap frame members. A backer board may be adhesively attachable to the securement material on the frame panel. The graphic display is preferably arranged upon the backer board. The compressible edge of the distal leg has a biased closed position beyond a plane of the graphic display. 
   The invention also comprises a method of displaying a graphic display sheet comprising one or more of the following steps including: extruding a plastic frame panel from a plastic extrusion machine; co-extruding an articulable, biasable housing along with the frame panel; applying a securement means onto the frame panel co-extensively therewith; cutting the frame panels to the desired size and attaching a backer board and display sheet onto the securement means on the frame panel; and rotating the articulable, biasable housing about a flexible web of material so as to bias a distal portion of the housing onto the display sheet. The method may include: rotating a plurality of interconnected legs about a pair of flexible web hinges from a non-parallel configuration to generally parallel configuration. The biasable housing may include a plurality of interconnected legs. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when viewed in conjunction with the following drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an end view of a snap frame as it is extruded from an extrusion machine; 
       FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  showing the snap frame with a backer board applied to its adhesive material on the frame panel; 
       FIG. 2A  is a view similar to  FIG. 2 , with a graphic sheet disposed upon the upper or facia surface of the backer panel; 
       FIG. 3  is an end view of the snap frame, the backer board, and the graphic sheet thereon, with the “J” shaped cover having been pivoted around its axis of rotation, the over now biased against that graphic sheet; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a rectilinear assembly of snap frame members with a backer board and graphic display positioned therewithin; 
       FIG. 5  is an edge view of a rectilinear assembly of snap frame members in their “open” backer board and graphic sheet receiving configuration; and 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view, similar to that shown in  FIG. 4 , with the snap frame members having their respective covers all pressed downwardly onto their respective portions of the graphic display. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to  FIG. 6 , there is shown the present invention which comprises a snap frame assembly  10 , comprised of multiple snap frame members  12 , shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  2 A and  3  collectively having a backer board  14  and/or graphic display  16  thereon, shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  2 A and  3 . 
   An elongated extruded snap frame member  12 , as shown in an end view in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  2 A and  3 , comprises an elongated linear frame panel  18  having a co-extruded stationary third leg  20  perpendicular thereto. The frame panel  18  and the third leg  20  comprise a portion of an elongated, hollow housing  22 , which also comprises an open-channel  24  of generally “T”-shape in cross section, the open channel  24  being defined by a first flange  26  and a spaced-apart second flange  28 , both parallel with an elongated, housing-reinforcing bridging member  30 . The bridging member  30  has one elongated side  32  thereof attached to a portion of the third leg  20 , the bridging member  30  having a second elongated edge  34  connected to a third flange  36 . 
   A generally “J”-shaped cover  40  is co-extruded with the third flange  36 , having a co-extruded first web of flexible material  42  comprising a living hinge therebetween. A first leg  44  extends generally perpendicularly from an inner side  46  of the J-shaped cover  40 , and is hingedly coupled by a second flexible web  48  with a center hinge leg  50 , and which center hinge leg  50  is also flexibly coupled at its other (second end) by a third flexible web  52 , to the distal end of the stationary third leg  20 , as represented in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  2 A and  3 . 
   The first leg  44 , the third leg  20 , and the center (second) hinge leg  50  are all pivotable with respect to one another, as represented by arrows a, b and c, in  FIG. 2A , each leg  44 ,  20  and  50  being connected by their respective flexible webs of material  42 ,  48  and  52 , comprising a trio of elongated joints or living hinges therebetween. 
   The J-shaped cover member  40  has a distal edge  54  with a distal leg  56  angularly disposed thereon, as represented in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  2 A, and  3 . The distal leg  56  has an elongated distalmost edge  58  comprised of flexible compressible material thereon, which edge  58  provides resilience and gripping power thereat, when the cover  40  is in engagement with a graphic display sheet  16 , represented for example, in  FIG. 2A , discussed hereinbelow. 
   The elongated snap frame member  12  is preferably manufactured as a one piece co-extrusion, incorporating the flexible hinges along with the rigid material. A layer of securement material  64  is applied to the snap frame member. The securement material  64  is applied to an upper planar portion  68  of the extruded elongated frame panel  18  as the extrusion of the elongated snap frame member  12  occurs. The securement material  64 , may for example, comprise an adhesive or a tape or a multi-layer of adhesive and a removable flexible strip cover thereon. 
   Upon extrusion of a desired length of the snap frame member  12  and application of the securement material  64 , the snap frame member  12  are ready to be cut to size in preparation for receiving a graphic display  16  or preferably a backer board  14  thereon. Such backer board  14  may be secured to the adhesive material  64  on the upper or face side of the frame panel  18 . A graphic display sheet  16  may be placed upon the uppermost or face surface of the backer board  14  so as to present that display  16  to a viewing public. 
   Rotation of the cover  40  and particularly the distal edge  54  towards the graphic display  16  and backer board  14  placed on the elongated extruded frame panel  18 , as represented in  FIG. 3 , effects bending of the three webs of flexure material  42 ,  48  and  52 , its axis of rotation of the cover consisting of the first web of flexible material  42  between the proximal end of the J-shaped cover  40  and the third flange  36 . The first leg  44  and the center (second) hinge leg  50 , during that cover  40  rotation, move from a generally planar configuration as represented in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  2 A, to a “U”-shaped configuration with flexure at its juncture of the webs of flexible material  48  and  52  connectively co-extruded therebetween, as represented in  FIG. 3 . The center hinge leg  50  flexes with respect to the third leg  20  at its juncture of webbed flexible material  52  therebetween, so as to ultimately come into a generally parallel relationship when the edge material  58  presses against a graphic display  16 , as represented in  FIG. 3 . This simultaneous counter rotational motion of the first leg  44  as indicated by arrow “A” in  FIG. 1 , with respect to the rotation of the center or second leg  50  rotating in the direction of arrow “C” in  FIG. 2A , wherein the center hinge leg  50  and the proximal portion of the “J” shaped cover,  40  pivot about a three point hinge arrangement  42 ,  48  and  52  to effect a biased “closing” motion of the cover  40  and thus a cover bias against a graphic sheet  16  and backer board  14  placed on the frame panel  18 . Those first and second legs  44  and  50  thus go from a generally parallel relationship with one another and from a generally perpendicular relationship with the third leg  20  as represented in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  2 A in a cover  40  “open” orientation to a generally parallel relationship between all three legs  44 ,  50  and  20 , as represented in  FIG. 3 , with a cover  40  in a “closed-biased” orientation. The “transverse” length of the middle or second leg  50  thus has a significant factor in the amount bias that the cover  40  exerts upon any graphic  16 . By increasing the (transverse) length of that middle leg  50 , the bias by the cover  40  may be increased correspondingly. 
   The center or hinge leg  50  thus has a critical transverse width (or length as depicted from the elevational views of the drawings), the size of which not only effecting the bias but also effects the aggressiveness of the “snap” and effects the forces that make the J-shaped cover  40  want to rotate beyond the “outer plane” “P” of the backer board  14 , shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , thus applying the bias pressure onto that graphic  16  when that cover  40  has been moved in the direction of that graphic  16 . 
   An assembly of snap frame members  12  may be cut on the diagonal at their respective ends, and an “L” shaped connective juncture piece, not shown for clarity, may be disposed within the T-shaped housing channel  24  to provide “corner-wise” connectivity to the snap frame assembly  10  for a full rectilinear enclosure for a backer board and graphic therewithin, as represented in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6 .