Abstract:
A framing device having a face sheet with a temporary adhesive on one surface thereof to facilitate removing and re-positioning the framing device. The device may include pre-printed graphics or graphics may be applied by the user.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES  
       [0001]     The application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/625,445, filed on Nov. 5, 2004, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a framing device for photographs, certificates, artwork, etc.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     There are a wide variety of frames available for photographs, certificates and other memorabilia that people desire to display. Such framing devices may be relatively rigid or flexible. Such flexible framing devices may have pre-printed graphics on the border thereof and may be provided with a stand or other means for displaying the frame. It is also known to utilize a magnetic backing on various types of framing devices so as to permit their display on refrigerators, appliances and other magnetic surfaces. One obvious limitation of magnetic-backed frames is the limited number of places such a frame can be displayed.  
         [0004]     What is desired is a temporary, re-positionable, removable framing device for photographs, certificates, etc., that can be applied to virtually any surface and removed and repositioned repeatedly.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention overcomes various drawbacks associated with prior art framing devices. This is accomplished by providing a flexible frame material having a temporary adhesive on the back thereof which permits the frame to be releasably secured to a wide variety of surfaces including, but not limited to, wood, metal, glass, paper, cloth, stainless steel, wallpaper, and painted surfaces. Because there are no nails or other fasteners used with the frame, the surface to which the frame is affixed is not defaced or otherwise damaged.  
         [0006]     A further advantage of the framing device of the present invention is that it can be manufactured with preprinted graphics in the frame border area or it can be provided with a blank surface that is adaptable to receive graphics printed thereon for customized uses. For example, a sheet of the adhesive-backed frame material can be fed through a computer printer and graphics can be customized for printing on the frame by the user. As a further example, if the frame of the present invention was intended to be used to display a baby picture, graphics relating to babies could be applied to the frame. Alternatively, if the photograph or other certificate or memorabilia to be displayed was for a particular occasion or event, then appropriate graphics and/or text could be applied to the frame by a printer.  
         [0007]     As an additional advantage, the framing device of the present invention can be die cut from sheet stock material in a manner that provides a number of frames cut from the same sheet of paper, to thereby maximize the use of the frame material.  
         [0008]     To the extent the framing device is used as a promotional item, it could potentially be packaged with a variety of products and contain preprinted graphics relating to the product and/or supplier thereof.  
         [0009]     The temporary adhesive on the back surface of the face sheet material serves the dual functions of removably adhering the framing device to a desired surface, as well as adhering the edge of the picture to the framing device itself.  
         [0010]     These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of one embodiment of a framing device of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of a blank sheet of the framing device stock material die cut.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the sheet material shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  shows a framing device  10  of the present invention. The upper left hand corner of the framing device  10  is shown curled forward to reveal the adhesive backing  12 . In addition, the framing device  10  is shown with a photograph  14  positioned therein and indicia  16  on the border area. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the indicia  16  may be preprinted on the framing device  10  or, alternatively, can be printed on by the consumer or user of the device. Additionally, it will be appreciated that the framing device  10  of the present invention can be used for the display of photographs, certificates, artwork, and/or any other item a person may desire to display in a frame.  
         [0016]     With reference to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a cross-sectional view of the portion of  FIG. 1  taken along lines  3 - 3  thereof. What is shown is a cross-section of the frame with the face stock material  18  and the adhesive backing  12  thereon. Also shown is the outer perimeter  15  of photograph  14  which is being displayed. The thickness of each layer  12 ,  15  and  18  are exaggerated fro the sake of illustration. The temporary adhesive  12  allows the outer perimeter of the picture or other item being displayed to be releasably secured to the frame  10 . This is also shown in phantom in  FIG. 1 . Thus, the frame can be reused with a number of different pictures or other items to be displayed until such time as the temporary adhesive loses sufficient tackiness to perform its intended purpose.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  shows an exemplary sheet  21  of the frame material die cut to provide several different frame sizes from a single sheet of stock material. In the particular example shown, the sheet can provide a frame for an 8×10 item  20 , a 4×6 item  22 , a 2×4 item  24  and a coupon  26  or other solid piece in the center. Other combinations of frames, etc., are also contemplated. With this manner of die cutting the stock material, a very efficient use is achieved with little or no waste. Also advantageous is the fact that various sized framing devices of the present invention can be provided using a single sheet of stock material. While the sheet material  21  is shown die cut in a rectangular fashion with various sized framing devices cut therein, it should be appreciated that other shapes of framing devices can be die cut from a sheet material, including, circular, oval, diamond or other shapes.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  shows a side edge view of the sheet stock material of  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 4  shows a surface sheet  28  and a backing/release sheet  30  separated by the releasable temporary adhesive  12 . The thickness of each layer  12 ,  28  and  30  are exaggerated for the sake of illustration. Sheets of this stock material (uncut) are available from DCM of Cincinnati, Ohio. Alternatively, the stock material may be in roll form prior to die cutting. One suitable temporary adhesive is available from DCM under the trade name MagikStick. The face stock material may be of any desired thickness, but is advantageously an 8-point material. Moreover, the face stock may be high gloss, semi-gloss, coated or uncoated, direct thermal, EDP, latex impregnated, or thermal transfer material. It may also be paper, plastic or tag stock. These are all well known in the art and are advantageous for different purposes and uses of the framing device of the present invention.  
         [0019]     Although specific reference has been made to the MagikStick temporary adhesive product of DCM, and the various face stock materials that can be utilized with such an adhesive, those details are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to such specifics. Moreover, it is contemplated that the present invention encompasses various face stock materials and temporary adhesive products that, together, result in a temporary, re-positionable, removable framing device.  
         [0020]     While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of various preferred embodiments and while these embodiments has been described in some detail, it is not the intention of the Applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The various features of the invention may be used alone or in numerous combinations depending on the needs and preferences of the user. This has been a description of the present invention, along with the preferred methods of practicing the present invention as currently known.