Abstract:
A stacking modular frame system, assembled on a surface such as a table-top as opposed to being wall-mounted, with the individual frames interconnecting in three-dimensional form horizontally, vertically, or in combination. The structure is supported by long or short caps, which also top the structure to create stability. The caps and the frame fronts and backs all have corresponding notches that fit, each piece into the other, in a perpendicular fashion, thereby building the structure. Beginning with the caps, the structure can be built up multiple levels with multiple frames, each stacking perpendicularly on the previous, and can be built outwardly in the same fashion. The photo is centered naturally within the notches in the separate frame front and back pieces.

Description:
BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to photograph frames, specifically for framing multiple photos simultaneously and for sitting on table-tops as opposed to being wall-mounted. 
     BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
     Although several photograph frames exist that exhibit multiple photos simultaneously, most are unchangeable, or very limited, in their formation possibilities. This limitation restricts the user to a fixed number of photos, or a limited structure for photos. Even if growth is possible within a frame structure, there have been dimensional limitations. 
     The chain-link method used in U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,127, granted to George Buzzard, only allows the chain of frames to grow in one direction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,618, granted to George F. Lyman, has a hinge connecting only two photos, and the angle can be adjusted up to 360 degrees. 
     The three-dimensional features of U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,496, to Bernard Cohen, does not allow the actual structure to change, but only to place photos closer or further from the viewer within the unchanged structure. 
     The clip-connections used in U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,938, to Harold M Belmuth, et. al., allow the frame structure to grow, but only two-dimensionally, mounted flat against a wall. U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,240, to Kent Zilliox, allows the same type of flexibility, with puzzle-shape pieces, but again only two-dimensionally, mounted flat against a wall. U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,863, granted to Fitzgerald Harvey uses slots to attach the frames in this two-dimensional manner, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,152, to Robert H. C. M. Daenen, creates another method with a hanger/holder for connecting various non-related frames, for an eclectic, hodgepodge effect. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,419, to Gerald Traill, provides a decorative support to suspend a variety of different frames, again mounted flat against a wall. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides a modular photograph frame system with unlimited growth potential, with front and back pieces to sandwich photos between, built on supporting caps which also top the structure for stability, allowing three-dimensional construction, with tremendous flexibility in configuration and size. The system is built on surfaces as opposed to being wall-mounted. Fronts and backs are rectangular, and intersect with the notches perpendicularly with similar notches on the caps or on other frame pieces to connect the pieces as the structure is built. Injection molding provides a recessed indenture in the front and back piece, exactly alike, to place the photo within, and small dimples to gently snap the pieces together, and rounded comers on all right angles. The front pieces are clear plastic, and the back pieces and caps are the same clear plastic, but are also found in colored plastic, wood and metal, for a variety of presentation and decorating options. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     Several objects and advantages of the current invention are: 
     (a) to allow the structure to change from time to time, as the photographs exhibited may also be changed; 
     (b) to provide a very simple connecting mechanism, simultaneously centering the photograph in the frame without the need for additional tools. One advantage of this object is that it is simple to use, and enjoyable for the user to explore the different possible construction options to exhibit photos; 
     (c) to allow photos of horizontal or vertical exposure to be placed in the structure simultaneously, without limitation to one or the other; 
     (d) to provide a picture frame system that is pleasing to the eye, with the interlocking portion of the frame and the supports a part of the overall design and appearance; 
     (e) to allow photos to be viewed from all sides of a structure as it is built on a surface such as a table-top, or at minimum, two perpendicular sides of a structure. 
    
    
     Keeping these objectives in mind, the present invention takes the form of a stacking modular frame system, with the individual frames interconnecting in three-dimensional form horizontally, vertically, or in combination. The stack is supported by long or short caps, which also top the structure to create stability. The caps and the frame fronts and backs all have corresponding notches that fit, each piece into the other, in a perpendicular fashion, thereby building the structure. The photo is centered naturally within the notches in the frame front and back pieces. Further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description and drawings provided. 
     FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a basic 4-frame system, displaying only horizontal photos, clearly showing how the photograph is placed in the frame. 
     FIG. 2 shows a separated view of the basic 4-frame system, displaying only vertical photos. 
     FIG. 3 shows a separated view of the basic 4-frame system combining horizontal and vertical photos. 
     FIG. 4 shows a separated view of a basic 8-frame system, combining vertical and horizontal photos. 
     FIG. 5 shows a separated view of a small vertical photo accordion structure. 
     FIG. 6 shows a separated view of a larger, combination vertical and horizontal photo accordion structure. 
     FIG. 7 shows a variation with a recessed area for the photo, and curved corners. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is in plastic, either cut or manufactured by injection molding. Additional embodiments of the present invention are in fine hardwoods or metal, with the Clear front pieces remaining in plastic. 
     As in FIG. 1, the front piece  104  is Clear, to view the photo placed within the system. The back piece  105  is Color, although one embodiment is to have the back piece  105  also Clear, thereby giving the illusion of having the photos suspended within the structure, and also allowing for two photos to be placed, back to back, between the Front  104  and Back  105  pieces. This usage will double the number of photos that can be displayed. For simplicity, all operations are discussed with Clear front  104  and Color back  105  pieces. 
     Caps are provided in short and long lengths, the selection of which allows vertical or horizontal photos to be displayed. 
     The caps are approximately twice the width of the Clear fronts and the Color backs, which are the same width, making minimal allowances for the width of the photograph sandwiched between the Clear fronts and Color backs. 
     The notches on all pieces are roughly to ½″, deep enough only to align the photo, which fits between the notches on the Clear fronts and Color backs. The dimensions of the Clear fronts and Color backs then, are roughly ½″ larger on all four sides than the photograph intended for use. 
     In the alternative manufacturing method of injection molding, as in FIG. 7, a slight recession is created in the back piece, within which the photo can be placed. The front piece has a like protrusion, so that when the front piece is placed on the back piece, as in FIG. 7E, the photo is secure and the pieces do not slide. There are also slight dimples approximately in the center of each edge of the indenture, allowing the user to gently snap the pieces together, shown in FIG.  7 D. Due to the indenture, the notches in this method are roughly ¼″ deep on all pieces, and used only to create the structure, not to align the photo. 
     This manufacturing method also creates rounded corners on all of the pieces, both external corners and internal notches. 
     Operation—FIG. 1 
     In FIG. 1, two long caps  100  are placed with the notches  101  facing up, intersecting perpendicularly with the notches  102  and  103 , on the Clear fronts  104  and the Color backs  105 , respectively, with photos sandwiched between them. 
     Clear fronts  106  and Color backs  107  are then aligned with horizontal photo  108  sandwiched between, in similar fashion, and intersecting with the notches  109  and  110  perpendicularly on the notches  111  and  112  on the Clear fronts  104  and Color backs  105 , respectively, beneath them. 
     Two long caps  113  are placed with the notches  114  facing down, intersecting perpendicularly with the notches  115  and  116  in the Clear fronts  106  and Color backs  107  beneath them, completing the structure. 
     In structures such as this which display only horizontal photos, only long caps are used. 
     FIG. 2 
     In FIG. 2, two short caps  200  are placed with the notches  201  facing up, intersecting perpendicularly with the notches  203  and  204 , on the Clear fronts  205  and the Color backs  206 , respectively, which are aligned with the vertical photos placed between them. 
     Clear fronts  207  and Color backs  208  are then aligned with vertical photo  209  placed between them in similar fashion, and intersecting with the notches  210  and  211  perpendicularly on the notches  212  and  213  on the Clear fronts  205  and Color backs  206 , respectively, beneath them. 
     Two short caps  214  are placed with the notches  215  facing down, intersecting perpendicularly with the notches  216  and  217  beneath them, completing the structure. 
     In structures such as this which display only vertical photos, only short caps are used. 
     FIG. 3 
     To combine horizontal and vertical photos, FIG. 3 shows two short caps  300  placed with the notches  301  facing up, intersecting perpendicularly with the notches  302  and  303  on the Clear fronts  304  and Color backs  305 , respectively, which are aligned with the horizontal photo  306  placed between them. 
     Clear fronts  307  and Color backs  308  are then aligned with vertical photos placed between them in similar fashion, and intersecting with the notches  309  and  310  perpendicularly on the notches  311  and  312  on the Clear fronts  304  and Color backs  305 , respectively, beneath them. 
     Two long caps  313  are placed with the notches  314  facing down, intersecting perpendicularly with the notches  315  and  316  on the Clear fronts  307  and Color backs  308  beneath them, completing the structure. 
     FIG. 4 
     To build a larger structure, also combining vertical and horizontal photos, FIG. 4 shows two long caps  401  placed with the notches  402  facing up, intersecting perpendicularly with the notches  403  and  404  on the Clear fronts  405  and Color backs  406 , respectively, which are aligned with the vertical photo  400  placed between them. 
     Clear fronts  407  and Color backs  408  are then aligned with horizontal photos placed between them in similar fashion, and intersecting notches  409  and  410  perpendicularly with notches  411  and  412  on the Clear fronts  405  and Color backs  406 , respectively, beneath them. 
     Clear fronts  413  and Color backs  414  are then aligned with vertical photos placed between them in similar fashion, and intersecting notches  415  and  416  perpendicularly with notches  417  and  418  on the Clear fronts  407  and Color backs  408 , respectively, beneath them. 
     Clear fronts  419  and Color backs  420  are then aligned with horizontal photos placed between them in similar fashion, and intersecting notches  421  and  422  perpendicularly with notches  423  and  424  on the Clear fronts  413  and Color backs  414 , respectively, beneath them. 
     Two short caps  425  are placed with the notches  426  facing down, intersecting perpendicularly with the notches  427  and  428  on the Clear fronts  419  and Color backs  420  beneath them, completing the structure. 
     FIG. 5 
     For the accordion structure for vertical photos, FIG. 5 shows two short caps  500  placed with the notches  501  facing up, intersecting perpendicularly with the notches  502  and  503  on the Clear fronts  504  and Color backs  505 , respectively, which are aligned with the vertical photo  506  placed between them. 
     This construction shows three photographs, placed in an off-center, parallel manner, spaced with two short caps  500  below. 
     Two short caps  507  are placed with the notches  508  facing down, intersecting perpendicularly with the notches  509  and  510  on the Clear fronts  504  and Color backs  505  beneath them, completing the structure. 
     In structures such as this which display only vertical photos, only short caps are used. 
     FIG. 6 
     For the larger accordion structure combining vertical and horizontal photos, FIG. 6 shows three long caps  600  placed with the notches  601  facing up, intersecting perpendicularly with the notches  602  and  603  on the Clear fronts  604  and Color backs  605 , respectively, which are aligned with the vertical photo  606  placed between them. 
     This construction shows four photographs, placed in an off-center, parallel manner, spaced with three long caps  600  below as the basis for the remainder of the structure. 
     Three horizontal photos are placed between three Clear fronts  607  and Color backs  608 , and are placed with the notches  609  and  610  fitting perpendicularly into the notches  611  and  612  of the Clear fronts  604  and Color backs  605  beneath them. 
     Two short caps  613  are placed with the notches  614  facing down, intersecting perpendicularly with the notches  615  and  616  on the Clear fronts  607  and Color backs  608  beneath them, completing the structure. 
     FIGS. 7A-7E 
     The injection molding manufacturing method creates a back piece  700  and front piece  701  of identical shape, as in FIG.  7 A and FIG.  7 B. FIG. 7A shows an indenture  702 , for the photo to fit within. FIG. 7B shows the reverse side of the same indenture  703 , as a protrusion. The two pieces, with the photo placed in the indenture, fit together, thereby holding the photo in place. Note that all corners are rounded. 
     In FIG. 7C, a horizontal view of the front piece  704  and back piece  705  is seen. 
     In FIG. 7D, an enlarged view of part of FIG. 7C, small dimples are shown, which hold the pieces gently together while constructing. At the end of the indenture  706 , a small indented dimple  708  is shown. When the piece  709  is placed within the piece  710  below, the protrusion  711  snaps gently into place with the protruded dimple  712 . These dimples are on all four sides of the indenture, roughly in the center of each side. 
     In FIG. 7E, the two pieces are shown together, with the small space  713  for the photograph indicated. 
     While the Operations described above are some basic configurations of the structural options, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the present invention, but rather as an exemplification of possible structures. 
     For example, structures can be created using multiples of the basic 4-frame system, in any variety of ways, only limited by the imagination of the user. While FIG. 4 shows a basic 8-frame system, which is double the basic 4-frame system viewed in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 , this basic 8-frame system can also be multiplied over and over again, and built in numerous configurations. 
     The advantages are: 
     The present invention can be built and rebuilt over and over again, in many different forms, to accommodate the user&#39;s desires in exhibiting photos; 
     The present invention can simultaneously exhibit horizontal and vertical photos, or exhibit photos of the same layout; 
     The present invention allows the photos to be used without glue, thereby leaving the photos undamaged when they are removed from the system; 
     The present invention can grow to accommodate as many photos as the user desires, and can then be broken down into multiple, smaller sets to be placed in different rooms of the user&#39;s home or office, easily and at will; 
     No tools are needed to create the structure—it is completely self-contained with the exception of the photos themselves. 
     The scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.