Abstract:
A frame assembly comprising a frame having a front and a panel to receive at least one piece of art, the panel having a front face having at least one first engagement member affixed thereon; and, at least one second engagement member adapted to be secured to a rear surface of a piece of art, wherein the first and second engagement members comprise male and female engagement members. A framed piece of art and a method or removably affixing one or more pieces or art to a frame is also provided.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This application relates to an improved method of affixing art such as photographs, paintings, lithographs, or three-dimensional art forms to a frame. The art may be framed in the conventional manner prior to being mounted o an additional frame using the methods and assemblies set out herein.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Conventionally, paintings or the like is framed by several means. For example, a painting may be mounted on a hard backing member and then hung from a wall. Alternately, it may be affixed directly to a frame such as by staples. Alternately, it may be removable affixed to a frame by inserting it between a sheet of glass and a backing member wherein the backing member and the sheet of glass are secured together by the frame.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     In accordance with the instant invention, there is provided a frame assembly and method for producing a collage of pieces of art that are affixed to a frame and preferably removably fixed to a frame.  
         [0004]     In accordance with the instant invention, there is also provided a frame assembly and method for removably fixing to a frame at least one piece of art.  
         [0005]     In accordance with the instant invention, there is also provided frame assembly comprising:  
         [0006]     (a) a frame having a front and a panel to receive at least one piece of art, the panel having a front face having at least one first engagement member affixed thereon; and,  
         [0007]     (b) at least one second engagement member adapted to be secured to a rear surface of a piece of art,  
         [0008]     wherein the first and second engagement members comprise male and female engagement members.  
         [0009]     In one embodiment, the first and second engagement members comprise male and female engagement members and the male and female engagement members are removably engagable.  
         [0010]     In another embodiment, the male and female engagement members comprise magnets,  
         [0011]     In another embodiment, the male and female engagement members comprise an adhesive member and a surface adapted to receive the adhesive member.  
         [0012]     In another embodiment, the male and female engagement members comprise adhesive members.  
         [0013]     In another embodiment, the male and female engagement members comprise Velcro.  
         [0014]     In another embodiment, the frame is adapted such that the at least one piece of art may be inserted from the front.  
         [0015]     In another embodiment, the front is open.  
         [0016]     In another embodiment, the front face has a plurality of first engagement members affixed thereon at various positions to define a series of preset positions to receive a piece of art whereby a plurality of pieces of art can be removably affixed thereon.  
         [0017]     In another embodiment, the frame assembly further comprises alignment members provided on the frame and the piece of art, the frame having an alignment member associated with at least some of the first engagement members to thereby assist a person to mount the piece of art at at least some of preset positions on the panel.  
         [0018]     In accordance with the instant invention, there is also provided a framed piece of art comprising:  
         [0019]     (a) a frame having a front and a panel to receive at least one piece of art, the panel having a front face having at least one first engagement member affixed thereon; and,  
         [0020]     (b) at least one piece of art having at least one second engagement member secured to a rear surface thereof,  
         [0021]     wherein the first and second engagement members comprise male and female engagement members  
         [0022]     In one embodiment, the first and second engagement members comprise male and female engagement members and the male and female engagement members are removably engagable.  
         [0023]     In another embodiment, the male and female engagement members comprise magnets,  
         [0024]     In another embodiment, the male and female engagement members comprise an adhesive member and a surface adapted to receive the adhesive member.  
         [0025]     In another embodiment, the male and female engagement members comprise adhesive members.  
         [0026]     In another embodiment, the male and female engagement members comprise Velcro.  
         [0027]     In another embodiment, the frame is adapted such that the at least one piece of art may be inserted from the front.  
         [0028]     In another embodiment, the front is open.  
         [0029]     In another embodiment, a plurality of pieces of art are removable affixed to the front face of the panel.  
         [0030]     In another embodiment, the front face has a plurality of first engagement members affixed thereon at various positions to define a series of preset positions to receive the piece of art whereby a plurality of pieces of art can be removably affixed thereon.  
         [0031]     In another embodiment, the framed piece of art further comprises alignment members provided on the frame and the piece of art, the frame having an alignment member associated with at least some of the first engagement members to thereby assist a person to mount the piece of art at at least some of preset positions on the panel.  
         [0032]     In accordance with the instant invention, there is also provided a method of affixing a piece of art to a frame comprising:  
         [0033]     (a) providing a frame having a front and a panel to the at least one piece of art, the panel having a front face having at least one first engagement member affixed thereon;  
         [0034]     (b) securing at least one second engagement member to a rear surface of the piece of art;  
         [0035]     (c) inserting the piece of art into the frame through the front of the frame; and,  
         [0036]     (d) bringing first and second engagement members into contact whereby the piece of art is secured to the fame.  
         [0037]     In one embodiment, the first and second engagement members comprise male and female engagement members and step (d) comprises bringing male and female engagement members into contact whereby the piece of art is removably attached to the fame.  
         [0038]     In another embodiment, the method further comprises:  
         [0039]     (a) securing at least one second engagement member to a rear surface of a second piece of art;  
         [0040]     (b) inserting the second piece of art into the frame through the front of the frame; and,  
         [0041]     (c) bringing first and second engagement members into contact whereby the second one piece of art is secured to the fame  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0042]     These and other advantages of the instant invention will be more fully and completely understood in accordance with the following description of the preferred embodiments of the assembly in which:  
         [0043]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a picture and frame in an unassembled form in accordance with the instant invention;  
         [0044]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the picture and frame of  FIG. 1  in an assembled form;  
         [0045]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a picture and frame in an unassembled form in accordance with the instant invention;  
         [0046]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the picture and frame of  FIG. 3  in an assembled form;  
         [0047]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a picture and frame in an unassembled form in accordance with the instant invention;  
         [0048]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment showing a plurality of pictures and a frame in an unassembled form in accordance with the instant invention;  
         [0049]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the pictures and frame of  FIG. 6  in an assembled form;  
         [0050]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment showing a plurality of pictures and a frame in an unassembled form in accordance with the instant invention;  
         [0051]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the pictures and frame of  FIG. 8  in an assembled form;  
         [0052]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment showing a plurality of pictures and a frame in an unassembled form in accordance with the instant invention;  
         [0053]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the pictures and frame of  FIG. 10  in an assembled form;  
         [0054]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment showing a plurality of pictures and a frame in an unassembled form in accordance with the instant invention;  
         [0055]      FIG. 13  is a cross section through the embodiment of  FIG. 12  showing members of the assembly connected together;  
         [0056]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment showing a plurality of pictures and a frame in an unassembled form in accordance with the instant invention;  
         [0057]      FIG. 14   a  is an enlargement of the male and female engagement members shown in  FIG. 14 ;  
         [0058]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment showing a plurality of pictures and a frame in an unassembled form in accordance with the instant invention;  
         [0059]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the pictures and frame of  FIG. 15  in an assembled form;  
         [0060]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment showing a plurality of pictures and a frame in an unassembled form in accordance with the instant invention;  
         [0061]      FIG. 18  is a perspective view of the pictures and frame of  FIG. 17  in an assembled form;  
         [0062]      FIG. 19  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment showing a plurality of pictures and a frame in an unassembled form in accordance with the instant invention; and,  
         [0063]      FIG. 20  is a perspective view of the pictures and frame of  FIG. 19  in an assembled form.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0064]     A simplified perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the instant invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 1 a  piece of art  1  is mounted to a stretcher frame  2  into which four magnets  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6  are recessed and affixed. The picture frame  7  incorporates a backer board  8  onto the rear surface of which four magnets  9 ,  10 ,  11 , and  12  are affixed. When the piece or art  1  mounted on the stretcher frame  2  is brought into intimate contact with the backer board  8 , the magnets  3  and  9 ,  4  and  10 ,  5  and  11 , and  6  and  12  respectively form an attractive force which holds the art  1  mounted on the stretcher frame  2  onto the backer board  8  thereby mounting the art piece  1  in the desired location in relation to the picture frame  7  as shown in  FIG. 2 . Optionally, two plastic corners  13  and  14  can be used to assist the alignment of the stretcher frame  2  within the picture frame  7  during assembly and be subsequently removed if a space  15  is desired between the art  1  mounted on the stretcher frame  2  and the picture frame  7 .  
         [0065]     A simplified perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the instant invention is shown in  FIG. 3 . In  FIG. 3 a  piece of art  16  is wrapped around a stretcher frame  17  into which four pieces of adhesive  18 ,  19 ,  20  and  21  are mounted in recesses in the stretcher frame  17 . The recessed adhesives  18 ,  19 ,  20 , and  21  are brought into intimate contact with the raised portions  22 ,  23 ,  24 , and  25  of the backer board  26  to which the picture frame  27  is affixed. The recessed sections into which adhesives  18 ,  19 ,  20 , and  21  are affixed serve to locate the stretcher frame  17  in relation to the backer board  26  during assembly thereby ensuring that the art piece  16  is in the desired position relative to the picture frame  27  as shown in  FIG. 4  and a gap  28  may thereby be created if desired. The adhesive shown in  FIG. 3  may be a pressure sensitive adhesive from which a protective layer has been removed to facilitate the art mounting process. Alternately, the adhesive shown in  FIG. 3  may be a pressure sensitive tape from which a protective layer has been removed to facilitate the art mounting process. Alternately, the adhesive shown in  FIG. 3  may be a Velcro or another similar two component fastening system wherein on element will be mounted in the recesses within the frame and the other will be mounted on the protrusions on the backer. Alternately, the frame may incorporate the protrusions and the backer board can be recessed.  
         [0066]     A simplified perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the instant invention is shown in  FIG. 5 . In  FIG. 5 a  piece of art  29  is wrapped around a stretcher frame  30  onto the rear of which four pieces of Velcro  31 ,  32 ,  33  and  34  are affixed. The Velcro pieces  31 ,  32 ,  33 , and  34  are brought into intimate contact with their second component elements  35 ,  36 ,  37 , and  38  which are affixed to a backer board  39  to which the picture frame  40  is affixed. The position of two locating members  41  and  42  affixed to the stretcher frame  30  correspond the positions of locating member receiving holes  43  and  44  in the backer board  39  so that the location of the art  29  can be maintained in relationship to the picture frame  40 . Alternately, the Velcro shown in  FIG. 5  may be a pressure sensitive tape from which a protective layer has been removed to facilitate the art mounting process. Alternately, the Velcro shown in  FIG. 5  may be another two component fastening system or other permanent or semi permanent one or two component adhesive system. Alternately, the Velcro shown in  FIG. 5  may be a pressure sensitive adhesive from which a protective layer has been removed to facilitate the art mounting process. It is also possible to employ a plurality of locating members which may originate from the stretcher frame  30 , from the backer board  39 , or a combination thereof.  
         [0067]     A simplified perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the instant invention is shown in  FIG. 6 . In  FIG. 6  four pieces of art  45 ,  46 ,  47 , and  48  are each individually mounted onto separate rigid substrates  49 ,  50 ,  51 , and  52  respectively. A square magnet  53 ,  54 ,  55 , and  56  is mounted to the back of each of the rigid substrates  49 ,  50 ,  51 , and  52 . A series of metal plates  56 a,  57 ,  58 , and  59  are mounted onto the rear face of the backer board  60  and square locating holes  61 ,  62 ,  63 , and  64  are cut into the backer board  60  so that the position of the rigid substrates  49 ,  50 ,  51 , and  52  relative to the frame  69  is controlled by the mounting position of the square magnets  53 ,  54 ,  55 , and  56  and their mechanical interaction with square locating holes  61 ,  62 ,  63 , and  64  cut into the backer board  60 . The magnetic attraction between the square magnets  53 ,  54 ,  55 , and  56  and the metal plates  56 ,  57 ,  58 , and  59  serves to mount the rigid substrates  49 ,  50 ,  51 , and  52  to which the art pieces  45 ,  46 ,  47 , and  48  are each individually mounted. An assembled view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6  is shown in  FIG. 7 . It is understood that the magnet shapes and their corresponding alignment holes could be triangular, octagonal, oval or any other shape which would facilitate a fixed rotational alignment. It is also understood that a plurality of magnets and recesses could also be employed to accomplish this task.  
         [0068]     A simplified perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the instant invention is shown in  FIG. 8 . In  FIG. 8 , four pieces of art  65 ,  66 ,  67 , and  68  are each individually mounted onto separate stretcher frames  70 ,  71 ,  72 , and  73  respectively. A series of four square magnets  74 ,  75 ,  76 , and  77  are mounted onto the back of the stretcher frame  70 . A series of four square magnets  78 ,  79 ,  80 , and  81  are mounted to the back of the stretcher frame  71 . A series of four square magnets  82 ,  83 ,  84 , and  85  are mounted to the back of the stretcher frame  72 . A series of four square magnets  86 ,  87 ,  88 , and  89  are mounted to the back of the stretcher frame  73 . A series of magnets  90 ,  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94 ,  95 ,  96 ,  97 ,  98 ,  99 ,  100 ,  101 ,  102 ,  103 ,  104 , and  105  are mounted flush with the face of and into the backer board  107  to which the picture frame  108  is mounted. The series of magnets  90 ,  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94 ,  95 ,  96 ,  97 ,  98 ,  99 ,  100 ,  101 ,  102 ,  103 ,  104 ,  105 , and  106  are therefore not visible to an observer but are positioned form an array which has the same geometric spacing as the magnets  75 ,  76 ,  77 ,  78 ,  79 ,  80 ,  81 ,  82 ,  83 ,  84 ,  85 ,  86 ,  87 ,  88 , and  89  which are mounted onto separate stretcher frames  70 ,  71 ,  72 , and  73  onto which the four individual pieces of art  65 ,  66 ,  67 , and  68  are each individually mounted thereby allowing the four individual pieces of art  65 ,  66 ,  67 , and  68  to be mounted into the frame with no tools as shown assembled in  FIG. 9 . This aspect of the invention allows the frames to be shipped separately from the images thereby allowing a company specializing in art pieces to provide the art to a given retailer from one location while supplying frames from one or more manufacturers who specialize in frame manufacture. This aspect of the invention also affords the customer the opportunity to choose different combinations of images to place in a given frame.  FIG. 10  shows the same elements as  FIG. 8  with the addition of two rail members  109  and  110  affixed to the picture frame  108  to provide a means of mounting a backer  107  by inserting it into and thereby mounting it against end stops  111  and  112 . The backer  107  may be of different colored or different textured or differently imaged backers or a combination thereof this allowing a given frame  108  to appear visually different when combined with different backers  107 . This allows a small stock of frames and backers to be maintained by a retailer yet allows the customer a wide range of choices in that the customer can quickly assemble the art piece or pieces of their choice with the backer and frame of their choice. It is also understood that all of the processes and mechanisms described within this patent for assembling the backer and frame could also be used to mount photographs held within photograph frames into which or onto which magnets or other attachment or engagement members are affixed.  
         [0069]      FIG. 11  shows an assembly of  FIG. 9 .  
         [0070]      FIG. 12  shows a series of deformable mounting and alignment members  127 ,  128 ,  129 , and  130  mounted onto the frame  135  as well as a series of holes  131 ,  132 ,  333 , and  134  created in the backer  136  to receive the deformable mounting and alignment members. The frame  135  can thereby be removable affixed to the backer  136 . In a similar manner the frames or rigid substrates  137 , 138 ,  139  and  140  to which the art images  141 ,  142 ,  142 ,  144  are affixed also incorporate a series of deformable mounting and alignment members  141  and the backer  137  incorporates a series of holes  142  to receive the deformable mounting and alignment members  141 . Thus, a variety of different art images  141 ,  142 ,  143 ,  144  can be mounted to a variety of different backers  136  which can in turn be mounted to a series of different frames  135  by the customer at the point of purchase.  
         [0071]      FIG. 13  shows a top view of a portion of  FIG. 12  wherein the frame  135  is mounted to the backer  136  by means of the deformable mounting and alignment members  125 , and the holes  126 . Similarly, the art image  141  is affixed to the rigid substrate  137  which incorporates the deformable mounting and alignment members  125  which connect to holes  126  in the backer  136 . It is understood that these mounting techniques may be inter-combined with stretcher frames or other means of mounting the art images.  
         [0072]      FIG. 14  shows a series of rigid mounting members  121 ,  122 ,  123 , and  124  mounted onto the frame  120  as well as a series of shaped holes  116 ,  117 ,  118  and  119  created in the backer  115  to receive the mounting members  121 ,  122 ,  123 , and  124 . An enlarged view of the rigid mounting member  121  and the mounting hole  116  are shown in  FIG. 14   a.  The geometry of the rigid mounting member  121  and the mounting hole  116  are such that the lower portion  155  of the hole  116  is large enough to allow the head  158  of the rigid mounting members  121  to pass through while the upper portion  156  of the hole  116  is only slightly larger than the base  157  of the rigid mounting member  121  thereby aligning and mounting the frame in the desired position when it is inserted and laterally translated in the direction  159 . Using a similar principle, an art image such as  145 ,  146 ,  147  or  148  affixed to their respective rigid substrates can be affixed to the backer  115  by means of a series of rigid mounting members  153  which interact with a matrix of shaped holes  154 . This allows a small stock of frames and backers to be maintained by a retailer yet allows the customer a wide range of choices in that the customer can quickly assemble the art piece or pieces of their choice with the backer and frame of their choice. It is recognized that the rigid mounting members may be affixed to the backer board or that any inter-combination of positions for the rigid mounting members and the holes may be used to accomplish this aspect of the invention. It is also understood that a combination of hooks and holes may also be employed to embody this aspect of the invention.  
         [0073]      FIGS. 15, 16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19  and  20  demonstrate various combinations of different sized images and differently shaped backers and frames onto which a collage of images may be assembled. In this manner and by the means described within this disclosure, a customer may removably affix art, photographic, sculpture or other elements onto a backer and affix said backer removably to a frame. The combination of the alignment elements with a permanent adhesive will also allow the customer to create a permanent mounting of the art, photographic, sculpture or other elements of their choice onto a backer and said backer onto a frame.