Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5016374?dq=6985872
Timestamp: 2017-08-21 05:35:30
Document Index: 101471715

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72']

Patent US5016374 - Buildable device including modular frame assembly - Google Patents
The present invention relates to a device for receiving essentially planar products, preferably graphic products, which includes two or several frames. Each frame can receive two such products and is formed by four frame members with a longitudinal first flange and a second flange located at one longitudinal...http://www.google.com/patents/US5016374?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5016374 - Buildable device including modular frame assembly
Publication number US5016374 A
Application number US 07/399,510
PCT number PCT/SE1988/000171
Also published as CA1301423C, DE3855845D1, DE3855845T2, EP0438387A1, EP0438387B1, WO1988008186A1
Publication number 07399510, 399510, PCT/1988/171, PCT/SE/1988/000171, PCT/SE/1988/00171, PCT/SE/88/000171, PCT/SE/88/00171, PCT/SE1988/000171, PCT/SE1988/00171, PCT/SE1988000171, PCT/SE198800171, PCT/SE88/000171, PCT/SE88/00171, PCT/SE88000171, PCT/SE8800171, US 5016374 A, US 5016374A, US-A-5016374, US5016374 A, US5016374A
Inventors Carl-Otto Engstrom
Original Assignee Ahlberg & Co. Ab
Buildable device including modular frame assembly
US 5016374 A
The present invention relates to a device for receiving essentially planar products, preferably graphic products, which includes two or several frames. Each frame can receive two such products and is formed by four frame members with a longitudinal first flange and a second flange located at one longitudinal narrow side of the first flange. A product inserted into the frame engages the first flanges of the four frame members with its one side and abuts the other flanges with its side edges. The frames are sidewardly hingedly interconnected by means of band-shaped hinges, these band-shaped hinges being designed with two ends and provided with a resilient folding or bending at each end, which is arranged to be received and/or restrained between two opposing walls defining a space in a respective frame member.
1. An assembly for mounting and displaying suitably dimensioned planar elements, said assembly including a plurality of frame members which are formed by profiled mouldings, each said molded frame member being defined by first and second longitudinal flanges, said first flange being arranged at right angles to said second flange in a T-shaped configuration, said first flange having two opposed wide flat surfaces and two opposed relatively narrower surfaces, said relatively wide flat surfaces and said relatively narrower surfaces each being substantially perpendicular to said second flange, wherein said second flange is located adjacent said relatively narrower surfaces of said first flange, each said frame being constructed to receive a planar element between opposed pairs of said frame members, wherein at least two said frame members in a said assembly are located adjacent each other with the said second flange of a frame member of one being in substantially face to face relationship with the said second flange of a frame member of the other, and wherein said assembly further includes band-shaped hinges between said face to face second flanges to releasably and hingedly secure together said adjacent frame members, said band-shaped hinges each having a pair of ends with resilient bent up portions adapted to engage a said frame member, and wherein frame assembly has up of four said frame members arranged as a rectangle with the outermost surface of said second flanges of each of said up to four frame members defining the perimeter of said rectangle, the innermost surface of said second flanges of each of said up to four frame members defining an engaging surface for a suitably dimensioned said planar element, and the flat surfaces of the first flanges of said up to four frame members forming a surface against which a planar element may be mounted.
8. An assembly according to claim 7, wherein the band-shaped hinges are in the form of band-sections, preferably made of thin spring-steel, in that said band-section at each end is provided with a first bending, which, together with the end of the band-section, defines a first band part preferably arranged at an angle corresponding to the angle between said longitudinal third flange and said second flange, and having a length corresponding to, or slightly exceeding, the distance between said third longitudinal flange and said first flange, that said band-section is provided with a second bending at a distance from said first bending that substantially corresponds to the height of the third longitudinal flange, the bending having been made in a way that the band-section substantially follows the contour of the cross-section of the third longitudinal flange, said second bending preferably being 180°, and that the bent parts located at each end of the band-section project in opposing directions relatively the intermediate, flat, central main part of the band-section.
In FIG. 10 a second preferred embodiment according to the invention is shown. In this embodiment the longitudinal second flanges 22 of the profiled moulding have been provided with a longitudinal edge or flange 29 in conjunction to its free, outer edge. This edge 29 is arranged at an angle to said second flange 22 and in the same direction as the first flange 21. The angle between the flange 22 and the edge 29 is preferably a right angle. Together with the flanges 21 these edges 29 define a space with opposing walls wherein the ends of a band-shaped hinge can be received and restrained. These longitudinal edges 29 furthermore also can be used to hold a picture in the frame member in the same way as the flanges 35 shown in FIG. 9. A suitable embodiment of a band-shaped hinge for use together with the profiled mouldings according to FIG. 10 is shown in an unstressed, dismounted condition in FIG. 11. This band-shaped hinge 70 is made of a piece of a band of thin spring steel. The band is at each end provided with a first bending 71 that defines a first band part 72 in conjunction with the respective end of the band. This first band part 72 has a length corresponding to or somewhat exceeding the distance between the flange 22 and the edge 29 and is bent in an angle to the adjacent part of the piece of the band corresponding to the angle between the edge 29 and the flange 22, which normally is a right angle. The piece of band is further provided with a second bending 73 at each end at a distance from the first bending 71 corresponding to the height of the longitudinal edge 29 and being oriented in the opposite direction to the first bending 71, this second bending 72 being designed in a way that the part of the piece of band being located adjacent to the bending 73 substantially follows the cross-section contour of the edge 29. In the normal case the bending is made to 180°. The bendings made at each end of the band piece in this way are oriented in the same way, clock-wise or counter-clock-wise, relatively the center of the piece of band, i.e., they project to opposite sides relatively to a plane coinciding with the central, planar part of the piece of band. The band-shaped hinge can advantageously be provided with an additional, third small bending 74 at each end of the piece of the band at a distance from the second bending 73 corresponding to the height of the outer side of the longitudinal edge 29. When the band-shaped hinge is mounted, the band part 72 is pressed down into the space between the flange 21 and the edge 29 to the position which is shown in FIG. 10. Since the length of the band part 72 corresponds to, or somewhat exceeds, the distance between the flange 21 and the edge 29 this part 72 will be effectively locked into position in this space. The third bending 74 serves as an indication for the bending of the hinge around the corner between the flange 22 and the edge 29 on the respective profiled moulding and co-operates to hold the band-shaped hinge in position. Since the band-shaped hinge 70 in this embodiment is locked and effectively held in position in addition to being made of spring-steel, it may be sufficient to only use two separate hinges per side. In this case the edges 29 also can be used to hold pictures and similar and an extra safeguard is obtained for the band-shaped hinge since a picture inserted between the flange 21 and the edge 29 further will prevent the band part 72 from coming loose.
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U.S. Classification 40/605, 52/715, 24/458, 160/135, 52/239
Cooperative Classification Y10T24/44026, G09F15/0068
Owner name: AHLBERG & CO. AB, SWEDEN
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:ENGSTROM, CARL-OTTO;REEL/FRAME:005135/0238
Owner name: ODC EXHIBIT SYSTEMS LTD., #109 - 3551 VIKING WAY,
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:AHLBERG & CO. AB;REEL/FRAME:005559/0472
Owner name: XIBITA LTD.
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:ODC EXHIBIT SYSTEMS LTD.;REEL/FRAME:005699/0421