Abstract:
The picture frame has a transparent front and back panel with integrated friction clamps that interact to close the frame around a picture, or has a transparent folded outer glazing that holds an inside assembly around a picture. The frictional clamp and the folded outer glazing and inside assembly allow the frame to be opened and the picture to be replaced. A hanging-bumper device protrudes from the back of the frame either as an integral component of the back panel, outer glazing, or inside assembly, or as a removable attachment.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a picture frame for displaying or storing art and documents. More specifically, the invention is a transparent picture frame that comprises only two integrate parts, which allows for viewing the front and back of artwork and/or documents, and also allows for easily replacing such contents.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     There exists an extensive array of picture frames, involving a multitude of designs and components, including molding, glazing, matting, mounting, points, hangers, glue, tape, wires, D-rings, eyelets, backing, wall bumpers, etc. These myriad elements add to typical framing expenses, especially when archival materials are involved, and are often out-of-step with the aesthetics of contemporary artwork. Another typical drawback of common wall framing techniques is that they are permanent, and do not allow for easy updating and rotating of framed art. Most existing frames allow for only frontal viewing. There is a long felt need for an innovative frame that reduces all of the complexity of traditional frames into as few as two interlocking, easily reopened, largely transparent panels allowing for a cost-effective, high-visual-impact dual-display system that is easy to assemble, ready to hang, and can provide archival quality storage.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Objectives of this invention are to create a picture frame that is simple to assemble, two-sided-displaying, distinct in appearance, ready to hang, and easy to replace its contents. Accordingly, this invention creates a transparent picture frame that reduces the number of integrate parts to as few as two, allows for simple assembling, allows for displaying the front and back of artwork and/or documents, and also allows for easily replacing its contents.  
         [0004]     Broadly, the present invention comprises a two-part frame member with transparent cover, which holds the artwork/documents. The transparent cover may be the front and back panel of the frame. The transparent cover may also be affixed separately to the frame members. Alternatively, the transparent cover may form a sleeve or a folder outer glazing.  
         [0005]     This invention can also be described as a two-part transparent frame with the integrated means for holding the contents in place. In one of the embodiments, this invention provides a picture frame that has a transparent front and back parts with integrated frictional members that interlock to close the frame around a picture. In another embodiment, this invention provides a transparent folded outer glazing that holds an inside assembly around a picture. The frictional members and the folded outer glazing and inside assembly allow the frame to be easily opened and the picture to be replaced.  
         [0006]     In particular, the frame of this invention comprises a front part, a back part, and a means for affixing the two parts to provide a space accommodating a displaying content. The frame can comprise a transparent folded outer glazing into which fits a two-piece inside assembly that accommodates a picture. This invention further discloses means for affixing, which comprise an inner frictional member affixed to one part of the frame and an outer friction member affixed to the other part.  
         [0007]     In some embodiments, the frame may further comprise a hanging member affixed to the back part, the folded glazing, the inside assembly or as a removable attachment. In some embodiments, the frame may further comprise a device that keeps the open end of the folded outer glazing shut, and a dovetailing system that keeps the two parts of the inside assembly together.  
         [0008]     In all the embodiments, this invention reduces the complexity of traditional frames to as few as two interlocking, easily reopened, largely transparent parts with a distinct design and appearance. This invention provides a cost-effective, high-visual-impact display system that is easy to assemble and ready to hang. This invention can be used to display artworks/documentation or provide archival quality storage for such contents. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is of a front panel, including frontal and cross-sectional views.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is of a back panel, including rear and cross-sectional views.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is of a two-panel frame, including unassembled and assembled cross-sectional views.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is of sample panel frame variations, including enlarged cross-sectional views of a section of two- and four-piece assemblies.  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is of a front panel and glazing for a four-piece assembly, including frontal and cross-sectional views.  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is of a back panel and middle ledge for a four-piece assembly, including frontal and cross-sectional views.  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is of a four-piece panel frame, including cross-sectional, unassembled and assembled views.  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is of a four-piece panel frame, including exploded and frontal views of a section.  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is of sample frame shape variations, including frontal views.  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is of sample standing frame configurations, including three-dimensional views.  
         [0019]      FIG. 11  is of a three-piece folded frame, including an unfolded, folded, unassembled, assembled, frontal, rear, and enlarged cross-sectional views.  
         [0020]      FIG. 12  is of sample folded frame variations, including enlarged cross-sectional views of a section.  
         [0021]      FIG. 13  is of sample outer-glazing variations, including unfolded and folded views.  
         [0022]      FIG. 14  is of unfolded outer-glazing configurations for cutting from a standard piece of sheet plastic.  
         [0023]      FIG. 15  is of sample bumper configurations, including rear views of folded outer glazings and inside assemblies.  
         [0024]      FIG. 16  is of sample label-holder variations, including views of unfolded and folded label holders and rear views of folded outer glazings and inside assemblies.  
         [0025]      FIG. 17  is of an inside assembly for a folded frame, including unassembled frontal, rear and cross-sectional views, and an assembled cross-sectional view.  
         [0026]      FIG. 18  is of a dove-tailed inside assembly for a folded frame, including unassembled frontal, rear and cross-sectional views, and an assembled cross-sectional view.  
         [0027]      FIG. 19  is of a landscape-oriented, eight-piece folded frame, including exploded frontal views.  
         [0028]      FIG. 20  is of a landscape-oriented, eight-piece folded frame, including exploded rear views.  
         [0029]      FIG. 21  is of an attached hanging-bumper device, including an enlarged and exploded view.  
         [0030]      FIG. 22  is of sample independent hanging-bumper devices, including enlarged, frontal, and cross-sectional views of hanging-bumper devices, and cross-sectional views of outer-glazing hanging-bumper-device holes and middle-ledge indentations.  
         [0031]      FIG. 23  is of sample attached bumpers, including enlarged, frontal, and cross-sectional views of bumpers, and cross-sectional views of sample outer-glazing bumper holes and middle-ledge configurations.  
         [0032]      FIG. 24  is of a snapped bumper and snapped hanging-bumper device, including enlarged and cross-sectional views of the bumper and hanging-bumper device, and exploded views of a middle-ledge point of attachment.  
         [0033]      FIG. 25  is of a rotating hanging-bumper device, including frontal, rear, side, and three-dimensional views of a sample hanging-bumper device.  
         [0034]      FIG. 26  is of a rotating hanging-bumper device, including cross-sectional views of an assembled hanging-bumper device, and enlarged frontal and rear views of a middle-ledge point of attachment.  
         [0035]      FIG. 27  is of sample folded outer-glazing closure devices, including cross-sectional and exploded views of two configurations.  
         [0036]      FIG. 28  is of a folded outer-glazing closure device, including enlarged, cross-sectional and assembled views.  
         [0037]      FIG. 29  is of sample standing folded outer glazings, including frontal views. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0038]     While the present invention can be embodied in various forms, the figures shown here portray preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered exemplary, but not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.  
         [0039]      FIG. 1  shows frontal and cross-sectional views of the front panel  1 , and illustrates how front-facing content  5  fits under the panel. All of the features of this preferred embodiment are made from injection-molded plastic, so that each panel is all of one piece. The front-facing content  5  can be any two-dimensional content, including images, documents, etc. The front panel  1  is one solid piece that includes a front glazing  2 , an inner friction clamp  3 , and an outer perimeter  4 . The front glazing  2  is transparent, making the front-facing content  5  visible. The inner friction clamp  3  serves three functions of securing the front panel  1  to the back panel  6  in  FIG. 2 , holding the front-facing content  5  in place, and providing a space that separates the front-facing content  5  from the front glazing  2 . The side of inner friction clamp  3  that faces the content  5  can be either smooth or textured to provide an illusion that the edge of the front-facing content  5  is deckled or otherwise textured. The outer perimeter  4  of the front panel  1  is flush with the front glazing  2 . The outer perimeter  4  provides an illusion of molding. If the outer perimeter  4  is transparent, it allows for an illusion that the front-facing content  5  is floating.  
         [0040]      FIG. 2  shows rear and cross-sectional views of the back panel  6 , and illustrates how contents  5  and  12  fit on the back panel  6 . The back-facing content  12  can be artwork or documents for viewing from the back of the frame. The back panel  6  is one solid piece that includes an outer friction clamp  7 , a middle ledge  8 , a back glazing  9 , and four hanging-bumper devices  10 . The inner friction clamp  3  of the front panel  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1  secures into the outer friction clamp  7 . The contents  5  and  12  rest on the middle ledge  8 , which can be opaque or transparent. The middle ledge  8  also provides a space that separates the back-facing content  12  from the back glazing  9 . The back glazing  9  is transparent, making the back-facing content  12  visible. Four hanging-bumper devices  10  are centered on each dimension of the frame outside of the exterior perimeter of the back glazing  9  to not block the viewing of the back-facing content  12 . The hanging-bumper devices  10  allow the frame to be hung in any of four orientations from a wall using a standard picture hook or nail. The hanging-bumper devices  10  have a hanging-bumper-device slot  11 , as shown in greater detail in  FIG. 21 . The picture frame is hung from the upper-most hanging-bumper device  10 , depending on the orientation of the front-facing content  5 . To hang the picture frame, the hanging-bumper-device slot  11  of the upper-most hanging-bumper device  10  is placed onto the end of a nail or hook that protrudes from a wall. The hanging-bumper devices  10  also create a space between the wall and the frame to reduce the potential for mold growth, condensation, insect infestation, and dust collection. As a result, the hanging-bumper devices  10  eliminate the need for bumpers, which are commonly placed at the bottom of a picture frame to prevent the frame from being in direct contact with the wall.  
         [0041]      FIG. 3  shows cross-sectional views of how the front panel  1 , the back panel  6 , and the contents  5  and  12  are assembled and ready to hang as a single unit. The picture frame is easily assembled in the following manner. First, the back panel  6  is placed face-up on a horizontal surface. Then, the back-facing content  12  is placed face-down onto the middle ledge  8  so that all four corners of the content  12  fit within the outer friction clamp  7 . Then, the front-facing content  5  is placed face-up directly on top of the back-facing content  12 . Then, the front panel  1  is centered face-up on top of the back panel  6  and gentle pressure is applied so that the inner friction clamp  3  is secured into the outer friction clamp  7 .  
         [0042]     The enlarged section of the assembled two-panel frame  13  illustrated in  FIG. 4  shows how the inner friction clamp  3  touches the front-facing content  5  along its edges with minimum pressure to allow shrinkage and expansion with changing temperature and humidity, and to maintain overall archival quality storage. The pressure between inner friction clamp  3  and outer friction clamp  7  holds the front panel  1  and the back panel  6  together to create the assembled two-panel frame  13 . Finally, the assembled frame  13  is lifted vertically and oriented properly depending upon the orientation of the front-facing content  5 , and hung using the uppermost hanging-bumper device  10  at that orientation. To open the assembled frame  13 , or to remove or exchange the contents  5  or  12 , simply reverse this process by taking the assembled frame  13  off the wall, placing it onto a horizontal surface, separating the panels  1  and  6  using one&#39;s fingers along the edge of the picture frame, and proceeding as above.  
         [0043]      FIG. 4  shows that the assembled two-panel frame  13  can have a squared outermost edge, beveled outermost edge  15 , rounded outermost edge  16 , or any other shape or texture or combination thereof for its outermost edge. The thickness of each feature and the entire thickness of the assembled frame  13  can differ in various models of the frame.  FIG. 4  illustrates how there can be an additional thickness or layer  17  over the outer perimeter  4  and the inner friction clamp  3  on the surface of the front panel  1  in order to enhance the three-dimensional illusion of traditional molding and to hide any sink mark that may be caused by the extra thickness of the inner friction clamp  3 . The inner edge of this additional thickness, which would be aligned with the inner edge of the inner friction clamp  3  can be curved or squared or any other shape.  
         [0044]     The method for securing the inner friction clamp  3  to the outer friction clamp  7  can vary.  FIG. 4  shows how an undercut snap fit  14  can be used to provide additional, but barely visible means to secure the front and back panels  1  and  6 . The undercut snap fit  14  is a small bead or lip protruding around the entire rear-most outside corner of the inner friction clamp  3 , which snaps or zips into an equivalently sized groove on the interior side of the outer friction clamp  7 . The front and back panels  1  and  6  can be entirely separate or joined and hinged along one edge. The front and back panels  1  and  6  can slide into each other using grooved tracking, glides or channels. Various additional devices can be used to secure panels  1  and  6  to each other, including clips, latches, tethers, bands, magnets, flexible membranes, elastic bands, cords, lips, pins, snaps, bolts or other features.  
         [0045]      FIG. 4  illustrates how the functionality of the assembled two-panel frame  13  can be reversed, wherein the back panel  6  snaps into the front panel  1  rather than vice versa, as illustrated by the overhang friction clamp  21 .  FIG. 4  also provides enlarged cross-sectional views of variations of a four-piece panel frame  22 . The four-piece frame includes separate components for the front glazing  2 , outer perimeter  4 , middle ledge  8 , and back glazing  9 . The front glazing  2  can be glued, welded or otherwise affixed to the outer perimeter  4 , and the back glazing  9  can be similarly affixed to the middle ledge  8 , so that the final product can appear to the end user as two pieces.  
         [0046]      FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 6 , and  FIG. 7  provide more detail to the four-piece panel frame  22  that is illustrated in the enlarged cross-section in  FIG. 4 . In this four-piece panel frame, the front and back glazings  2  and  9  are on the outside of the frame, enabling flush front and back surfaces, except for the protrusion of the hanging-bumper devices. In this version, the front and back glazings  2  and  9  can be made from pre-fabricated plastic or glass or other transparent sheeting.  FIG. 5  shows the two parts of the front panel  1 , which include standard-sheet front glazing  2  that is glued or otherwise affixed to injection-molded, cast, extruded or otherwise manufactured outer-perimeter  4 .  FIG. 6  shows the middle-ledge  8 , which in this version is a separate piece of molded material that incorporates the hanging-bumper devices  10  and slots  11 , and does not need to be transparent, as well as the back glazing  9 , which is a transparent, flat glazing sheet with four banging-bumper-device holes  20  cut into it. The middle ledge  8  and back glazing  9  can be affixed together to form the back panel  6 , or can be held together by the pressure of the hanging-bumper devices  10  on the hanging-bumper-device holes  24  if the hanging-bumper devices  10  are slightly angled or offset.  FIG. 7  shows how the four pieces fit together, along with the front- and back-facing contents  5  and  12 . The hanging-bumper devices  10  also serve as finger holds to pop the back panel  6  into and out of the front panel  1 .  
         [0047]      FIG. 8  shows partial exploded and frontal views of a four-piece panel frame variation where the front and back glazings  2  and  9  are held in place by external lips  26  and  28 , creating front and back surfaces that are not flush, unlike the version shown in  FIGS. 5, 6 , and  7 , but rather create an elevated outer perimeter  4  that resembles traditional picture frame molding in appearance. The front glazing  2  and back glazing  9  are separate sheets of clear plastic, glass, or other transparent sheeting that are glued or otherwise affixed to the front- and back-glazing lips,  28  and  26  respectively. The front panel  1  is created by joining the front glazing  2  to the outer perimeter  4  at the front-glazing lip  28 . The back panel  6  is created by joining the back glazing  9  to the middle ledge  8  at the back-glazing lip  26 . The assembled front panel  1  and assembled back panel  6  appear and function like traditional moldings during manufacture, because in this variation the glazings are attached as part of an assembly process to form the two panels. The short rounded end  25  of the middle ledge  8  fits into the slight inner groove  27  in the outer perimeter  4 . The middle-ledge outer lip  30  presses onto the outer groove  29  of the outer perimeter  4 . The contrary pressures of these fittings secure the assembled back panel  6  into the assembled front panel  1 . The hanging slots  11 , which are not shown in  FIG. 8 , on the middle ledge  8  double as finger holds for pulling the assembled back panel  6  out of the assembled front panel  1 . To fit the back panel  6  into the front panel  1 , one of the short rounded ends  25  is put into the inner groove  27  of the assembled front panel  1 , and then the assembled back panel  6  can be bent slightly so that its other short rounded end  25  can be placed into the inner groove  27  on the other end of the assembled front panel  1 . The partial frontal view in the lower portion of  FIG. 8  shows four parallel lines that follow the contour of the front-facing content  5  are visible. These four visible rectangular lines are in contrast to the two visible rectangular lines created by the inner friction clamp  3  of the one-piece version of the front panel  1  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . These four visible rectangular lines are created by two features that are in front of the front-facing content  5 , including the front glazing lip  28  and inner friction clamp  3 , which holds the front-facing content  5  in place, and two features that are in back of the front facing content  5 , but also slightly larger in dimension and hence visible, including inner groove  27  on the shorter end of the outer perimeter  4  and outer groove  29  on the longer end of the outer perimeter  4 .  
         [0048]     The entire invention can be produced using a wide variety of materials, methods, colors, textures, sizes, patterns and shapes. For example, the entire frame can be molded as two pieces in archival, acid-free, ultra-violet-light-protected acrylic. The outer perimeter  4 , outer friction clamp  7 , and middle ledge  8  can be cast in metal or other materials, while only the glazing windows  2  and  9  are made from a transparent content. If other or multiple materials are used instead of injection molding, then the various elements could need to be glued or otherwise joined together. This invention can be used to frame any kind, size, thickness, shape, or material of two-dimensional or relief work, ranging from small snapshots to large works of several square feet in area, and is particularly well-suited for inkjet prints, because the front and back glazing  2  and  9  do not touch the ink within sizeable windows. Single or multiple contents such as  5  and  12 , and even additional layers can be held within the frame. The gap between the inner friction clamp  3  and the middle ledge  8  can vary in thickness to accommodate different thicknesses of contents. The middle ledge  8  can be of different widths to accommodate various sizes of back-facing content  12 .  
         [0049]     In order for the visibility of the contents  5  and  12  and illusion of float, the entire frame can be made of transparent materials, and a frosted or opaque finish can be applied to the rear-most outside surface of the back panel  6 , extending from the edge of the frame to the interior edge of the middle ledge  8 , including or not including the hanging-bumper devices  10 . Such finishing can provide the dramatic illusion of a frame in any range of colors, patters, textures, widths and depths. Traditional molding can also be attached to the assembled frame  13 . The different features of the frame can be of different shapes, textures and materials. For example,  FIG. 9  illustrates how the outer edges of the outer perimeter  4  and outer friction clamp  7  could be round, ovular, wavy, or any other shape, while the front and back glazing  2  and  9  as well as the inner edge of the friction clamps  3  and  7  could be rectangular, or vice versa. The surface of the front panel  1  can be flat or curved to create lenses or magnification effects.  
         [0050]      FIG. 10  shows variations of how the frame can also be manufactured without hanging-bumper devices  10 , but rather can be configured for standing on a table top or other horizontal surface. For example, the front and back panels  1  and  6  could have a curvature along a single axis, enabling the assembled frame  13  to stand on either of two ends. Multiple front and back panels  1  and  6  could be joined and hinged along one edge to create an angled version of a multi-panel, two-sided standing frame. A variety of mechanisms can be used to join any number of frames, including a strip of flexible material or hinge or other device.  
         [0051]      FIG. 11  illustrates a sample three-piece folded frame  23 , including the outer glazing  35 , front spacer  31 , and middle ledge  8 .  FIG. 11  shows the shape of one variation of an unfolded outer glazing  35 , which is folded along folding line  36  to form the folded outer glazing  37 . The rectangular outer glazing  35  can be folded along the shorter width of the rectangle as illustrated in  FIG. 11  or along the longer length of the rectangle. Triangular, semicircular, and other shaped folded outer glazings are also possible. The back side of this sample folded outer glazing  37  has four hanging-bumper-device holes  24  that create a fixed position into which the hanging-bumper devices  10  can slide or be fastened. The rounded profile of this version of the hanging-bumper devices  10  facilitate the inside assembly  34  being snapped into place and held firmly by the folded outer glazing  37 . The front spacer  31  and middle ledge  8  combine to form the inside assembly  34 . The inside assembly  34  holds in place the front- and back-facing contents  5  and  12 .  FIG. 11  illustrates frontal and rear views  38  and  39  of the assembled three-piece frame with the front- and back-facing contents  5  and  12  in place.  
         [0052]     Instead of being folded along one edge, the outer glazing can consist of two panels that are hinged, or that slide into each other using grooved tracking, glides or channels. Various additional devices can be used to secure the outer glazing to each other and to the inside assembly  34 , including clips, latches, tethers, bands, magnets, flexible membranes, elastic bands, cords, lips, pins, snaps, bolts or other features.  
         [0053]      FIG. 12  is of sample folded frame  23  variations, including enlarged cross-sectional views of a section.  FIG. 12  illustrates various profiles of hanging-bumper devices  10  that can be attached or separate from the middle ledge  8 . Independent hanging-bumper devices  10  can be glued or otherwise affixed to the folded outer glazing  37  using orientation notches  43  to ensure they are properly placed.  FIG. 12  shows various configurations for joining the middle ledge  8  and front spacer  31 , including various front-spacer and middle-ledge outer lips  32  and  33  that help secure the front spacer  31  to the middle ledge  8 , and that create space for the front- and back-facing contents  5  and  12 .  
         [0054]      FIG. 13  shows two variations of outer glazing  35 , including unfolded and folded views. Outer glazing  35 P when folded along fold line  36 P creates a portrait-oriented folded outer glazing  37 P wherein the vertical dimension is greater than the horizontal dimension. Outer glazing  35 L when folded along fold line  36 L creates a landscape-oriented folded outer glazing  37 L wherein the horizontal dimension is greater than the vertical dimension. The folded frames  23  are hung with the fold lines  36  in the uppermost position to avoid dust, water, and other elements from coming into contact with the inside assembly  34  or with the front- and back-facing contents  5  and  12 .  FIG. 13  shows that the outer-glazing hanging-bumper-device hole  24  is always in the uppermost position, closest to the fold line  36  when a separate hanging-bumper device  10  is attached to the outer glazing  35 . The three other holes on the back of the folded outer glazing  37  are the outer-glazing bumper holes  40 . The three outer-glazing bumper holes  40  position the inside assembly  34  and allow the middle-ledge bumpers  41  to protrude from the back of the outer glazing to create a space between the folded outer glazing  37  and the hanging wall. Multiple unfolded portrait-oriented outer glazings  35 P and unfolded landscape-oriented outer glazings  35 L can be cut in different configurations from standard size sheets of plastic with little or no wasted material as illustrated in  FIG. 14 .  
         [0055]      FIG. 15  is illustrates a sample variety of bumper configurations, including rear views of folded landscape- and portrait-oriented outer glazings  37 L and  37 P and middle ledges  8  with attached middle-ledge bumpers  41 . The middle-ledge bumpers  41  and hanging-bumper devices  10  can be shaped identically and fit into identically shaped outer-glazing bumper holes  40 . The middle-ledge bumpers  41  can also be shaped in any variety of ways differently from the hanging-bumper device  10 , as in the examples of middle-ledge bumpers  41 A and  41 B, which fit into outer-glazing bumper holes  40 A and  40 B, respectively. When the middle-ledge bumpers  41  and hanging-bumper device  10  are shaped differently, an outer-glazing hanging-bumper-device hole  24  that is shaped differently from the outer-glazing bumper holes  40  is necessary. A folded frame  23  can have any number of middle-ledge bumpers  41  and outer-glazing bumper holes  40 , and these features can be placed at various positions in the frame as illustrated in  FIG. 15 .  
         [0056]      FIG. 16  illustrates sample folded label holder  45  frame accessories, including unfolded and folded frontal views, as well as rear views of unassembled inside assemblies  34  and folded outer glazings  37 , and rear views of assembled folded frames  39 . The label holder can be cut or molded or otherwise manufactured from a sheet of transparent material in multiple shapes and folded along any of several variations of label-holder fold lines  44 . A label printed on paper or other material indicating the title, artist or other descriptions of the front-facing contents  5  can be inserted between the panels of the folded label holder  45 . The folded label holder  45  can be hung from one or more middle-ledge bumpers  41  by inserting the bumper or bumpers into the label-holder hanging hole or holes  51 . The middle-ledge bumpers  41  and label-holder hanging holes  51  can be shaped and configured so that the folded label holder can be contained within the dimensions of the folded frame  23  for shipping, either within or outside of the folded outer glazing  37 , or hung from the bottom or other middle-ledge bumpers  41 , or hung directly onto a wall.  
         [0057]      FIG. 17  shows frontal, rear, cross-sectional, and assembled views of the inside assembly  34  of a folded frame  23 . The inside assembly  34  is made up of a front spacer  31  and middle ledge  8 . The front spacer  31  separates the front-facing content  5  from the outer glazing  35 . The front spacer  31  is secured to the middle ledge  8  by the front-spacer outer lip  32  that fits onto a middle-ledge outer lip  33 . The front- and back-facing contents  5  and  12  are secured within this inside assembly  34 , which is inserted between the folded outer glazing  37  as illustrated in  FIG. 14 . The front spacer  31  can be secured to the middle ledge  8  by a wide variety of interlocking configurations involving dovetails, lips, walls, ledges, snaps, hooks, sliding channels, and other friction or displacement arrangements.  
         [0058]      FIG. 18  is of a sample dove-tailed inside assembly  34  for a folded frame  23 , including frontal, rear, unassembled, and assembled cross-sectional views. Dovetailing more securely holds the front- and back-facing contents  5  and  12  within the inside assembly  34  by more firmly attaching the front spacer  31  to the middle ledge  8  than does an arrangement including only outer lips  32  and  33  as illustrated in  FIG. 17 . The dovetail tabs  46  fit into dovetail slots  48  to prevent the front spacer  31  from drooping towards the center of the frame. The under-hold tabs  47  fit into the under-hold holes  49  to prevent the front spacer  31  and middle ledge  8  from separating when the inside assembly  34  is removed from the confines of the folded outer glazing  37 . The under-hold-slot lip layer  53 , which can be created using a cam or shut off, keeps the under-hold tab  47  in place. The under-holds and dovetails can be positioned anywhere around the perimeter of the inside-assembly  34  and can alternate in any order. The dovetail and under-hold tabs  46  and  47  and their corresponding holes  48  and  49  can be parts of either the front spacer  31  or middle ledge  8 . The tabs  46  and  47  can be flush or raised from the surface of the front spacer  31  or middle ledge  8  in order to guide the placement of the front- and back-facing contents  5  and  12 .  FIG. 18  also illustrates a middle-ledge configuration that includes three middle-ledge bumpers  41  and an indentation  50  that is found in the location of where a separate hanging-bumper device  10  attaches to the outer glazing  35 .  FIG. 17 , in contrast, shows four similarly shaped hanging-bumper devices  10  that are attached to the middle ledge  8 .  
         [0059]      FIG. 19  and  FIG. 20  provide frontal and rear exploded views, respectively, of a sample landscape-oriented eight-piece folded frame  23 . The eight pieces of this frame include a landscape-oriented folded outer glazing  37 L, a front spacer  31 , a middle ledge  8 , an outer-glazing closure device  60 , and four rotating hanging-bumper devices  61 . The rotating banging-bumper devices  61  in this example are inserted through the outer-glazing bumper holes  40  and attach to the middle ledge  8  using the rotating hanging-bumper point-of-attachments  63 . This configuration joins the back of the folded outer glazing  37 L to the inside assembly  34  by rotating the rotating hanging-bumper devices  61  a clockwise quarter-turn. The outer-glazing closure device  60  prevents the front and back of the folded outer glazing  37 L from opening beyond the width of the inside assembly  34  at the open end of the folded outer glazing  37 L. The outer-glazing closure device  60  is inserted through the front- and back-outer-glazing closure holes  61 A and  61 B from the front of the folded outer glazing  37 L. The assembled folded frame  23  can be easily reopened by turning the rotating hanging-bumper devices  61  counter-clockwise a quarter turn, and removing outer-glazing closure device  60  from the outer-glazing closure holes  61 A and  61 B.  
         [0060]      FIG. 21  provides a detailed view of a hanging-bumper device  10  that is attached to a portion of the back panel  6 , and illustrates the geometry of the hanging-bumper device  10  by exploding its features into a rear-most lip layer  18 , slot layer  19 , and middle-ledge hole  20 . These three features of the hanging-bumper device  10  are all of one piece when the back panel  6  is created by injection molding, and are shown as separate layers in  FIG. 21  only for the purpose of illustration. The hanging-bumper-device slot  11  is cut into the rear-most lip layer  18  of the hanging-bumper device  10 . The hanging-bumper device  10  is intended to be used with a nail or hook that has been inserted into a wall at an angle. The part of the nail or hook that protrudes from the wall catches onto the hanging-bumper-device slot  11  of the lip layer  18  of the hanging-bumper device  10 . The protruding nail or hook enters the opening in the slot layer  19  of the hanging-bumper device  10 , which is behind the lip layer  18 , and can continue into the middle-ledge hole  20 , which is cut through the entire thickness of the middle ledge  8  of the back panel  6 . The flat portions of the lower edge of the slot layer  19  on either side of the opening, make it easy to find the opening when hanging the picture frame  13  on the wall. The three-dimensional configuration of the hanging-bumper device  10  is such that it prevents an angularly inserted nail or hook from slipping from its angle. It performs this function with inversely aligned and stepped shapes, which are illustrated in  FIG. 21  as the negative (open) triangular hanging-bumper-device slot  11  of the lip layer  18  and the positive (closed) triangle that protrudes into the otherwise rectangular middle-ledge hole  20 . The nail or hook can only fully enter the slot layer  19  under the hanging-bumper-device slot  11  at an angle, because of the step-aligned, three-dimensional, inverse relationship of the positive (closed) triangle to the negative (open) triangle. By retaining the angularity of the nail or hook, the design of the hanging-bumper device  10  aids the long-term stability of the picture frame as hung on the wall. The three-dimensional configuration of the hanging-bumper device  10  also prevents the angled nail or hook from touching or damaging contents  5  and  12 . The hanging-bumper devices  10  can be of different shapes and sizes and can utilize hanging slots  11  of varying shapes and sizes, in addition to the triangular shape that is illustrated in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 21 . Beveled and curved examples of the hanging-bumper device  10  are illustrated in  FIG. 4 . If the banging-bumper device  10  is manufactured with no middle-ledge hole  20 , it can be joined to the back panel  6  with glue or by another method. The hanging-bumper device  10  can also have lips, slots and holes of different shapes, angles, curvatures, sizes, and materials. On larger frames, there can be two or more hanging-bumper devices  10  on each dimension for a total of eight or more hanging-bumper devices  10 .  
         [0061]      FIG. 22  shows two samples of hanging-bumper devices  10  that are not of one piece with the middle ledge  8 , but rather, are glued, welded, or otherwise attached to the back of the folded outer glazing  37 . The orientation notches  43  ensure that the hanging-bumper-device slot  11  opens downward to accept a picture hook from the proper position. Various indented and debossed areas of the middle ledge  8  as in examples  42  and  50  provide additional space for the picture hook while protecting the front- and back-facing contents  5  and  12  from puncture. The indented and debossed areas of the middle ledge  8  as in examples  42  and  50  also enable logos and other cosmetic marks to be seen from the back of the folded frame  23 . The two examples of hanging-bumper devices  10  in  FIG. 22  show different shapes incorporating hanging-bumper-device slots  11 , hanging-bumper-device lip layers  18 , debossed features  50  and  52 , and an embossed feature  42 .  
         [0062]      FIG. 23  shows a sample variety of middle-ledge bumper  41  shapes, including cross-sectional views of middle-ledge  8  configurations and outer-glazing bumper holes  40 . These bumper features can range from a simple cylindrical shape as in bumper  41 A to any number of shapes as in  41 B through  41 G. In these examples, various elevations are portrayed for a given set of cosmetic features numbered  54  through  59 , which mimic the sample shapes of the hanging-bumper devices illustrated in  FIG. 22  in order to provide symmetry to the look of the back of the assembled folded frame  23 . The middle-ledge bumpers  41 B through  41 F all look identical from a frontal view even if made from transparent material despite the varied elevations in their configurations. Middle-ledge bumper  41 G is an example that is partially hollowed out from the bottom under cosmetic feature  59 , which would not be visible if opaque material is used. Other areas of these middle-ledge bumper variations can also be hollowed out to aid in their manufacture.  
         [0063]      FIG. 24  shows exploded, rear, cross-sectional, unassembled and assembled views of a snap hanging-bumper device  64  and a band-shell hanging-bumper device  66 . These variations to the bumper and hanging-bumper devices involve a snap  65  that attaches the snap hanging-bumper device  64  to the middle ledge  8  by snapping into a middle-ledge counter-bore hole  67 . A reverse taper  70  at the base of the snap hanging-bumper device  64  provides friction that secures the back of the folded outer glazing  37  against the middle ledge  8 . The middle-ledge positioning tab  68  facilitates the location of the outer-glazing bumper holes  40  (not shown in  FIG. 24 ) and the outer-glazing hanging-bumper-device hole  24  for properly positioning the inside assembly  34  between the folded outer glazing  37 . The band-shell hanging-bumper device  66  is glued or otherwise affixed to the outer-glazing hanging-bumper-device hole  24 . An orientation tab  69  properly positions the band-shell hanging-bumper-device bumper  66  onto the outer-glazing hanging-bumper-device hole  24 . These snap hanging-bumper device  64  and band-shell hanging-bumper-device  71  appear identical from the back of the assembled folded frame  23 , even though their shapes and functions are different, and even if they are made of entirely transparent material. The overall effect of these features is to provide a symmetrical appearance from the back of the assembled folded frame  23 .  
         [0064]      FIG. 25  shows frontal, rear, cross-sectional and various three-dimensional views of a sample rotating hanging-bumper device  62 . The back of the rotating hanging-bumper device  62 B is seen from the back of the assembled folded frame  23  and can largely hide or reveal the hanging-bumper device slot  11  that accepts a picture hook or nail for hanging the frame on a wall.  FIG. 25  illustrates that the back of the rotating hanging-bumper device  62  can have a variety of cosmetic features and shapes. The front of the rotating hanging-bumper device  62 A has several functional features, including two rotating tabs  74 , two friction pins  73 , and a rotating boss  72  in the center.  
         [0065]      FIG. 26  illustrates how the functional features on the front of the rotating hanging-bumper device  62 A secure the outer glazing  37  to the middle ledge  8 .  FIG. 26  shows points of attachment  63  on the middle ledge  8  for the rotating hanging-bumper device  62 .  FIG. 26  also shows cross-sectional views of a rotating hanging-bumper device  62  assembled onto the folded outer glazing  37  and middle ledge  8 . The rotating tabs  74  enter the middle-ledge rotating-tab holes  77 . The friction pins  73  rub against the middle-ledge friction ramps  75 , preventing the fully rotated rotating hanging-bumper device  62  from rotating unless it is intentionally turned counter-clockwise to re-open the assembled folded frame  23 . The rotation boss  72  sits in the middle-ledge boss hole  76 , orienting the turning action and providing a strong point for holding the weight of the frame when hung. The outer perimeter of the rotating hanging-bumper device  62  is larger than the diameter of the outer-glazing bumper holes  40 , which enables the hanging-bumper device  62  to hold the folded outer-glazing  37  securely against the middle ledge  8 .  
         [0066]      FIG. 27  and  FIG. 28  show two samples of folded outer-glazing closure devices  60 , including cross-sectional and exploded views of three configurations.  FIG. 27  shows how an outer-glazing closure device  60  can be inserted into a single outer-glazing closure device hole  61 A from the front of the folded outer glazing  37 , and can hook into elements of either the front spacer  31  or the middle ledge  8 .  FIG. 27  shows examples of an outer-glazing closure device  60  hooking into a front-spacer under-hold hole  49  and into a hollowed-out middle-ledge dovetail  46 . By securing the front of the folded outer glazing  37  to the inside assembly  34 , the outer-glazing closure device  60  prevents the front of the outer glazing from opening at its unfolded end.  FIG. 28 . shows another version of an outer-glazing closure device  60 , which is inserted into outer-glazing closure device holes  61 A and  61 B in both the front and back panels of the folded outer glazing  37 . The outer-glazing closure device  60  is held in place by features at both of its ends that are wider than the diameters of the outer-glazing closure-device holes  61 A and  61 B, including a closure-device head  78  on one end and two closure-device prongs  79  with nubs on the other end. The two-pronged outer-glazing closure device  60  prevents the folded outer glazing  37  from opening at its unfolded end either in front or in back beyond the width necessary to accommodate the inside assembly  34 .  
         [0067]      FIG. 29  shows two samples of standing outer glazings  80 . The standing outer glazing  80  can stand on any horizontal surface through the use of a tail base  81 . The tail base  81  can be created with a second fold to the outer glazing, or with a hinge or other device that secures the base to the outer glazing.  
                                             LIST OF FEATURES                                    Front panel    1           Front glazing    2           Inner friction clamp    3           Outer perimeter    4           Front-facing content    5           Back panel    6           Outer friction clamp    7           Middle ledge    8           Back glazing    9           Hanging-bumper device   10           Hanging-bumper-device slot   11           Back-facing content   12           Assembled frame   13           Undercut snap fit   14           Beveled outermost edge   15           Rounded outermost edge   16           Additional thickness or layer   17           Hanging-bumper-device lip layer   18           Hanging-bumper-device slot layer   19           Hanging-bumper-device shut-off hole   20           Overhang friction clamp   21           Four-piece panel frame   22           Folded frame   23           Outer-glazing hanging-bumper-device hole   24           Short rounded end   25           Back-glazing lip   26           Inner groove   27           Front-glazing lip   28           Outer groove   29           Back-panel outer lip   30           Front spacer   31           Front-spacer outer lip   32           Middle-ledge outer lip   33           Inside assembly   34           Outer glazing   35           Outer glazing (portrait orientation)   35P           Outer glazing (landscape orientation)   35L           Outer-glazing fold line   36           Outer-glazing fold line (portrait)   36P           Outer-glazing fold line (landscape)   36L           Outer glazing folded   37           Outer glazing folded (portrait)   37P           Outer glazing folded (landscape)   37L           Folded frame (front)   38           Folded frame (back)   39           Outer-glazing bumper holes   40           Middle-ledge bumpers   41           Middle-ledge circle indentation   42           Hanging-bumper-device orientation notches   43           Label-holder fold line   44           Label holder folded   45           Dovetail   46           Under-hold tab   47           Dovetail slot   48           Under-hold hole   49           Middle-ledge eyecon feature   50           Label-holder hanging hole   51           Hanging-bumper-device sclera   52           Middle-ledge under-hold-slot lip layer   53           Middle-ledge bumper lower lid   54           Middle-ledge bumper sclera   55           Middle-ledge bumper outer U   56           Middle-ledge bumper inner U   57           Middle-ledge bumper center O   58           Middle-ledge bumper upper lid   59           Outer-glazing closure device   60           Outer-glazing closure-device hole (front)   61A           Outer-glazing closure-device hole (back)   61B           Rotating hanging-bumper device   62           Rotating hanging-bumper device (front)   62A           Rotating hanging-bumper device (back)   62B           Rotating bumper point-of-attachment   63           Rotating bumper point-of-attachment (front)   63A           Rotating bumper point-of-attachment (back)   63B           Snap hanging-bumper device   64           Hanging-bumper-device snap   65           Band-shell hanging-bumper device   66           Middle-ledge counter-bore hole   67           Middle-ledge positioning tab   68           Band-shell hanger positioning tab   69           Reverse taper   70           Assembled band-shell bumper   71           Rotation boss   72           Friction pin   73           Rotating tab   74           Friction ramp   75           Boss hole   76           Rotating-tab hole   77           Closure-device head   78           Closure-device prongs   79           Standing outer glazing   80           Tail base   81