Abstract:
An elongated abuttable snap frame arrangement for biasably, removably, capturing a display graphic support and for display thereof, the arrangement comprising: an elongated base panel, an elongated cover that is flexibly attached to the base panel at its upper edge, and an elongated hinge member flexibly attached to the elongated base panel and the elongated cover, the cover able to rotate from a parallel closed position to a generally perpendicular open position without interfering with adjacent objects or other abutting snap frame arrangements.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to frame members, and in particular, a frame assembly thereof, that utilizes multiple hinge points to provide a range of motion between open and closed positions and apply a bias on a graphic. 
     2. Discussion of Prior Art 
     Front loading 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 backboard. Patents on such frames may be seen for example 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 elongated rails to the backer board during assembly. Other concerns of the prior art include limitations in which the graphic sheet and 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 cannot be thinner or thicker. 
     Front loading graphic display frames also have a problem that multiple frames cannot be permanently attached where the corner edge of their base rails are adjacent to one another in a touching relationship, or their covers would interfere with the adjacent frame or structure. When these graphic frame assemblies open, such as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,654,026, the covers extend beyond the back edge of their elongated base. This needed space requirement prevents such a pivoting graphic display frame from being able to be abutted directly against an adjacent graphic display frame or directly against a fixture of some sort. 
     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 an extruded frame rail which may receive a display by the opening of a cover thereof, without that cover portion pivoting too far over and interfering with or being interfered with, by an adjacent fixture or further extruded frame rail. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises a space saving snap frame assembly comprised of multiple abuttable space saving snap frame members. Each abuttable frame member comprises an elongated extrusion having an elongated base panel thereon. A thin layer of securement material such as adhesive may be applied to an upper and/or a lower side of the base panel during the extrusion operation. The elongated base panel includes an elongated distal edge along one side thereof. The elongated base panel includes a first flange along an elongated proximal edge thereof. An elongated first stationary wall extends at a right angle from the upper side of the elongated base panel and a close spaced-apart distance from the elongated first flange. A bridging member extends from a midpoint of the first stationary wall rearwardly, to a second stationary wall. The second stationary wall is “L” shaped in cross-section, and has a forwardly directed second flange thereon. The first flange and the second flange lie in a common plane and are spaced apart so as to define a gap therebetween. An open channel is thus defined between the first flange, the second flange, and the bridging member extending between the first wall and the second wall. The second wall has an elongated upper edge which is unitary with a “J” shaped elongated cover. The second wall and the elongated “J” shaped cover are unitarily attached to one another by a first elongated web of flexible material. The location of this elongated web of flexible material permits abuttable frame members to be placed next to one another or to fixed objects without the need for leaving any space between them. 
     The first wall has an elongated upper edge which is attached unitarily to the lower side of an elongated first hinge leg. The elongated “J” shaped cover has a second leg extending perpendicularly inwardly therefrom, adjacent to the location of the first web of flexible material. The elongated distalmost edge of the second leg is flexibly connected to the uppermost elongation edge of the first hinge leg by a commonly extruded flexible web of material unitarily arranged therebetween. 
     The elongated “J” shaped cover has an elongated distalmost edge which has an elongated distal leg extending there from. The distal leg has an elongated distalmost edge of preferably soft gripping material coextruded therewith. 
     The elongated “J” shaped cover, when it is in its open and “display receiving” orientation is in generally vertical (parallel) (common plane) alignment with the second wall of the frame member, the second wall extending perpendicularly away from the plane of the base panel at the proximalmost or rear edge thereof. In other words, the cover does not open or rotate beyond the plane of the second wall. 
     The backer board is attached to a layer of securement material on the upper surface of the base panel, thus providing a surface for supporting a planar display. 
     When it is desired to retain some sort of planar display onto the upper side of the backer board panel, the elongated “J” shaped cover is manually caused to pivot downwardly, so as to effect the elongated distalmost edge thereon into biased contact with that display member. During that pivoting motion of the “J” shaped cover down radially, it pivots about its first web of flexible material, which material extends between the elongated edges of the “J” shaped cover and the upper edge of the second wall. The second hinge leg thus is pivoted in a clockwise orientation, inasmuch as it is fixedly attached to the inner side of the “J” shaped cover. That second hinge leg, being flexibly connected via an elongated flexible web of material, to the upper elongated edge of the first hinge leg, pivots that first hinge leg counterclockwise about its elongated web of flexible material by which it is attached, to the upper elongated edge of the first wall. Thus, the “J” shaped cover pivots from a generally perpendicular orientation to the base panel, into an orientation which is generally parallel thereto. The second hinge leg, is best pivoted, from a generally horizontal and parallel orientation with respect to the base panel into an orientation which is perpendicular to the base panel. The first hinge leg is pivoted about its elongated flexible web of material to which it is attached to the upper elongated edge of the first wall, by about 90°, so as to reside at an 8 o&#39;clock orientation as opposed to its 11 o&#39;clock orientation. 
     Thus the elongated intermediate second web of flexible material is snapped into an orientation closer to the bridging member between the first wall and the second wall from a position of being spaced further away. That snapping orientation effects the biasing of the elongated distalmost edge of the “J” shaped cover onto a display panel between that elongated distalmost edge and the base panel or a backer panel thereon. 
     The elongated open channel between the first flange and the second flange and the bridging member extending between the elongated first wall and the second wall defines a receiving space for an “L” shaped corner bracket so as to permit multiple frame members to be attached at their corners to provide a rectilinear assembly therearound, if desired. 
     The invention thus comprises an elongated abuttable space-saving snap frame arrangement for biasably, removably, capturing a display graphic for support and display thereof comprising: an elongated extruded base panel; an elongated first wall arranged perpendicular to the base panel; an elongated proximalmost second wall; an elongated cover flexibly attached by an elongated flexible web to an upper edge of the second wall, the elongated cover having an elongated connecting leg extending perpendicularly inwardly therefrom, adjacent the upper edge of the second wall; an elongated first hinge leg flexibly connected by an elongated flexible web, to a distal edge of the elongated leg extending from the elongated cover, the elongated first hinge leg also flexibly connected by an elongated flexible web, to an upper edge of the first wall, where movement of the elongated cover effects rotation of the elongated hinge leg. The elongated second wall and the elongated cover are preferably co-planar when the elongated cover is in a full open orientation. The elongated first wall and the elongated second wall are connected by an elongated bridge member. The elongated first hinge leg is caused to rotate towards the elongated bridge member when the elongated cover is rotated towards the elongated base panel. The elongated first wall has an elongated first flange thereadjacent and the elongated second wall has an elongated first flange thereadjacent, the elongated first and second flanges being spaced apart in a common plane with the elongated base panel. The elongated cover has an elongated “J” shaped distal leg thereon. The elongated “J” shaped distal leg preferably has an elongated, display-engaging, soft distal edge thereon. The elongated first hinge leg pivots away from the elongated second wall when the elongated cover is pivoted upwardly away from the elongated base panel. The elongated base panel may have an elongated layer of adhesive deposited on an upper side thereof. The elongated cover and the elongated base panel are in general parallel alignment when the cover is in its closed orientation. The elongated cover is preferably limited to a non-obstructing, “full-open orientation” pivot of 90 degrees about the elongated flexible web to which it is connected to the elongated second wall. The inwardly extending elongated connecting leg attached to the elongated cover effects a snap bias onto the elongated first hinge leg effecting a snap rotation thereof. The elongated second wall and the elongated cover are arranged to preferably lie generally in the same plane when the elongated cover is in a full open orientation. The elongated cover may also extend beyond the plane of the second wall when the elongated cover is in a full open orientation. 
     The invention also comprises a method of retaining a display panel within an openable frame member, with the openable frame member being in abuttable contact with a fixture or another abuttable frame member, comprising: extruding an elongated base panel having an upper surface with a first wall extending perpendicularly therefrom, and a second wall connected to and spaced apart from the first wall, the second wall having a rearmost vertical plane; co-extruding a cover so as to be flexibly attached to the second wall by a flexible web, the first wall and the cover being connected to one another by a flexibly attached first leg connected to the first wall and a second leg connected to an inside portion of the cover, the cover in it&#39;s openmost “display-receiving” or “display-removal” configuration needing to extend no further than the rearmost vertical plane of the second wall; closing the cover against a display panel by pivoting the cover about the flexible web by which it is attached to the second wall, by rotating the first leg and the second leg in directions counter to one another. The first wall and the second wall are preferably connected by a bridging member extending there between. The first leg is preferably connected to the first wall by a flexible web extending there between, and wherein the first leg is also connected to the second leg by flexible web extending therebetween. The method preferably includes biasing a distal edge of the cover against the display panel during the counter rotation of the first leg with respect to the second leg. The method may also include the step of rotating the first leg between a pair of spaced apart flexible webs so as to effect opening or closing of the cover away from or onto a display panel disposed on the base panel. 
    
    
     
       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 edge view of a frame member in its openmost orientation; 
         FIG. 2  is an edge view of the frame member shown in  FIG. 1  with the elongated “J” shaped cover in a fully closed or biased orientation with respect to the base panel; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the frame member shown in  FIG. 1 , with miter cuts, in its closed orientation; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the frame member shown in  FIG. 3 , in an open orientation; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a pair of portable frame assemblies in abuttable contact with their individual frame members each shown in the open orientation; 
         FIG. 6  is an edge view of the pair of abuttable frame assemblies shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the pair of portable frame assemblies similar to that shown in  FIG. 5 , with their individual frame member shown in a closed orientation; 
         FIG. 8  is an edge view of the pair of the abuttable frame assemblies shown in  FIG. 7 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an “L” shaped corner bracket utilized to connect adjacent frame members into a 90° configuration thereafter; 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail and particularly to  FIGS. 5 and 7 , there is shown a pair assemblies of the present invention, which as shown comprises two space saving snap frame assemblies  20  shown in their open display receiving and their closed display-biased orientation respectively. The frame assembly  20  is comprised of multiple space saving, abuttable, snap frame members  22 , shown open in  FIG. 1 , and shown as closed in  FIG. 2 , connected into a four sided structure, as best represented open in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , and as closed assemblies in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
     Each abuttable frame member  22 , represented in an end view in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and in a perspective view in  FIGS. 3 and 4  comprises an elongated extrusion having an elongated base panel  24  thereon. A thin layer of securement material  26  such as adhesive may be applied to it on an upper side  28  of the base panel  24  during the manufacturing extrusion operation. The elongated base panel  24  includes an elongated distal edge  30  along one elongated side edge thereof, as represented in  FIGS. 1-4 . The elongated base panel  24  includes a forwardly directed first flange  32  along an elongated proximal edge  34  thereof, shown as “L” shaped on the lower left in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . An elongated first stationary wall  36  extends at a right angle from the upper side  28  of the elongated base panel  24  and a close spaced-apart distance from an elongated second flange  38 . A bridging panel member  40  extends from a midpoint of the first stationary wall  36  rearwardly, to a second stationary wall  42 . The second stationary wall  42  and flange  32  are of “L” shape in cross-section, as may be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and the forwardly directed first flange  32  faces towards the second flange  38 . The second flange  38  and the first flange  32  thus lie in a common plane “P” and are spaced apart so as to define a gap “G” therebetween. An open channel “O” is thus defined between the first flange  32 , the second flange  38 , and the bridging member  40  extending between the first wall  36  and the second wall  42 , as may be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The second wall  42  has an elongated upper edge  46  which is unitary with a “J” shaped elongated cover  48 . The second wall  46  and the elongated “J” shaped cover  48  are unitarily attached to one another by a hinge means, such as for example, a co-extruded first web  50  of flexible material. 
     The first wall  36  has an elongated upper edge  52  which is attached unitarily to the lower side  54  of an elongated first hinge leg  56 , by a hinge means, such as, for example, an elongated flexible web of material  55 . In one preferred embodiment, the elongated first hinge leg  56  may itself be of rigid material, and in a further preferred embodiment, the elongated first leg  56  itself, may be extruded of soft or resilient and flexible material. 
     The elongated “J” shaped cover  48  has a second or “connecting” leg  58  extending perpendicularly inwardly therefrom as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , adjacent to the location of the first web of flexible material  50 . The elongated distalmost edge  60  of the second or connecting leg  58  is flexibly connected to the uppermost elongated edge  62  of the first leg  56  by a hinge means such as for example, a commonly extruded flexible web of material  64  unitarily arranged therebetween, as best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The elongated “J” shaped cover  48  has an elongated distalmost edge  66  which has an elongated distal leg  68  extending therefrom. The distal leg  68  has an elongated distalmost edge  70  of for example, a preferably soft gripping material coextruded therewith, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The elongated “J” shaped cover  48 , when it is in its open and “display receiving” orientation, as represented best in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , is not open any further than the generally vertical plane “V”, of the second wall  42  of the frame member  22 , the plane “V” of the second wall  42  extending perpendicularly away from the plane “P” of the base panel  24  at the proximalmost or rear edge  34  thereof, as represented in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The backer board “B” may be attached to a layer of securement material  26  applied directly thereto, or onto the upper surface of the base panel  24 , thus providing a surface for supporting a planar display “D”. 
     When it is desired to retain some sort of planar display “D” onto the upper side  28  of the backer board “B”, as represented in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the elongated “J” shaped cover  48  is manually caused to pivot downwardly, or clockwise to the right as indicated by the arrow “R”, as shown in  FIG. 1 , so as to effect the elongated distalmost edge  70  thereon into biased contact with that display member “D” placed onto a backer board “BB”, as represented in  FIG. 2 . During that pivoting motion of the “J” shaped cover downwardly and radially, (clockwise as represented in  FIG. 1 ), it pivots about its elongated axis or first web of flexible material  50 , which material extends between the elongated edges of the “J” shaped cover  48  and the upper edge  46  of the second wall  42 . The second hinge leg  58  thus is also pivoted in a clockwise orientation, as represented in the end view shown in  FIG. 1 , inasmuch as it is fixedly attached to the inner side of the “J” shaped cover  48 . That second hinge leg  58 , being flexibly connected via an elongated flexible web of material  64 , to the upper elongated edge  62  of the first hinge leg  56 , pivots that first hinge leg  56  counterclockwise (axially about its longitudinal axis “X”, as represented in  FIG. 4 , and as also represented by arrow “CC” in  FIG. 1 ) about its elongated web of flexible material  55 , by which it is attached to the upper elongated edge  52  of the first wall  36 . Thus, the “J” shaped cover  48  pivots from a generally perpendicular orientation to the base panel  24 , as represented in  FIG. 1 , into an orientation which is generally parallel thereto, as represented in  FIG. 2 . The second hinge leg  58 , is pivoted, from a generally horizontal and parallel orientation with respect to the base panel  24  (as represented in  FIG. 1 ) into an orientation which is perpendicular to the base panel  24  (as represented in  FIG. 2 ). The first hinge leg  56  is pivotable about its elongated flexible web of material  55  to which it is attached to the upper elongated edge  52  of the first wall  36 , by about 90°, so as to reside at a generally 8 o&#39;clock orientation, shown in  FIG. 2 , as opposed to its 11 o&#39;clock orientation, as represented in  FIG. 1 . 
     Thus the elongated intermediate second web of flexible material  64  is snapped into an orientation closer to the bridging member  40  between the first wall  36  and the second wall  42 , as represented in  FIG. 4 , from a position of being spaced further away, as represented in  FIG. 1 . That snapping orientation effects the biasing of the elongated distalmost edge  70  of the “J” shaped cover  48  onto a display panel “D” between that elongated distalmost edge  70  and the base panel  24 , or a backer board “B” thereon, as may be seen in  FIG. 2 . 
     The elongated open channel “O” between the first flange  32  and the second flange  38  and the bridge  40  extending between the elongated first wall  36  and the second wall  42  defines a receiving space for an “L” shaped corner bracket  75 , shown in  FIG. 9 , so as to permit multiple frame members  22  to be attached at their corners  77  to provide a rectilinear frame assembly/ies  20  therearound, if desired, as represented in  FIGS. 5 and 6  in the frame assembly display-receiving orientation, and the frame assembly  20  in the frame assembly display orientation, represented in  FIG. 7 . 
     An abuttable frame member  22  is shown in  FIG. 1 , in close abutting contact with an exemplary fixture  80 , wherein the elongated cover  48  is in its openmost orientation. This presentation represents the ability of the elongated cover of  48  to be fully open while in this embodiment, extending no further than in close planar alignment with the vertical plane “V” of the of the second wall  42 , which could also comprise the plane of the inside surface of the fixture  80 , while the cover  48  could, if desired, and while not in abutting contact with another structure, be spread open beyond the plane “V”. That movable frame member  22  is shown in its closed orientation in  FIG. 2  wherein its second wall  42  is still in abuttable contact with an adjacent fixture  80 .  FIG. 5 , shows a plurality of frame members  22  put together as a pair of frame assemblies  20  in abuttable contact with one another in a perspective representation thereof  FIG. 6  shows those frame assemblies of  FIG. 5 , in an edge view, wherein the elongated covers  48  are shown open, and back-to-back with one another, and in non-interfering abuttable contact therewith. 
       FIG. 7  represents those two frame assemblies  20  shown in perspective view in  FIG. 5 , wherein the elongated covers  48  of each frame assembly  20  are now closed so as to retain a display piece “D”.  FIG. 8  shows those two frame members  20  from  FIG. 7 , in edgewise representation, thus showing the space-saving abuttability of the frame members  22  of the present invention.