Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to extruded component assembly for biasably holding a panel display such as a poster gripping assembly against a wall or from an overhead suspension arrangement, and comprises a continuation-in-part application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/848,651, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/440,923, filed May 19, 2003 which is a continuation-in-part application of commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/820,069, filed Mar. 28, 2001, 20 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,678,982 issued 20 Jan. 2004 each of which are incorporated by reference herein, in its entirety.  
         [0003]     2. Prior Art  
         [0004]     Poster gripping assemblies have been known in the field, for a number of years. One such instance is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,152 to Seely et. al. which shows a tamper proof poster display arrangement. This display arrangement has an outer cover portion with certain defined angles which make it difficult to open the cover from its base. An “opener tool” is required for that. The cover and the base portions are independently extruded and have a hinge relationship which requires a difficult “slide together” assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,959 to Palmer et. al. discloses a gripper extrusion arrangement wherein a front cover portion and a rear panel portion are separately extruded and mated together in another complicated hinge assembly. Inadvertent sliding between the front cover portion and the rear panel portion is prevented by a rather complicated discontinuity formed in the front panel which mates with a slot or the like in the rear panel. This requires further operations and unnecessary manufacturing costs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,575 to Ivansson et. al. shows a frame corner assembly wherein adjacent sides of a frame are held together with a rather complicated bracket arrangement. The cover portions and rear panel portions are individually extruded and are snapped together. Alignment of the ends of these multiple component arrangements lead to inaccurate end mis-aligned corner sections. U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,496 to Tanaka shows a sign frame with corner arrangements for attaching sides of that frame together. Mitered alignment of the corners is avoided by a corner insert which is somewhat more expensive to manufacture and adds a further step in that procedure.  
         [0005]     It is an object of the present invention, to provide a frame display poster gripping assembly which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.  
         [0006]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a poster gripping assembly which may be utilized in a poster-holding configuration by itself or in a frame construction of rectilinear configuration for one or two sided displays.  
         [0007]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a poster gripping assembly which simplifies the manufacturing operation over the prior art.  
         [0008]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a poster gripping apparatus with a unique multi-curved biasing arrangement which may be readily assembled and/or re-configured with a front plate to permit adjustment of its bias.  
         [0009]     It is yet still a further object of the present invention to provide a poster gripping assembly which may be assembled into a rectilinear frame construction with accuracy and simplicity while minimizing the likelihood of defects as may be associated with the prior art.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The present invention comprises a poster/display gripping assembly of elongated extruded components for gripping planar objects. One such primary component of this gripping assembly is an elongated, arcuate front plate having a front or forward side and a rearward or backside. The other primary component of this gripping assembly comprises an elongated carrier frame on which the front plate is mounted.  
         [0011]     One such embodiment of this gripping assembly includes a front plate component with a curved upper edge and an angled lower edge extend rearwardly from the front plate. The curved upper edge has a “J”-shaped flange which defines a first upper channel therewithin. The J-shaped edge has an elongated lip extending parallel, along an inner side thereof. An elongated guide flange is arranged parallel to the elongated lip on the inner side of the curved upper edge of the elongated front plate. An elongated L-shaped finger extends off the rear side of the elongated front plate, adjacent the lower edge thereof. The elongated L-shaped finger is spaced apart from the lower curved wall on the rear side of the elongated front plate extending from the lower edge thereof. The elongated L-shaped finger and the lower curved wall define a foot-engaging lower channel between them.  
         [0012]     A further embodiment of the front plate component of the assembly comprises an elongated flat front plate with a front side and a rear or back side, and also having an upper edge and a lower edge. The upper edge of the elongated flat front plate has an elongated wall member extending rearwardly therefrom. The wall member is arranged perpendicularly to the elongated flat front plate. The elongated wall member has a distal edge defined by an elongated J-shaped flange which defines an elongated upper channel therewithin. An elongated lip extends parallel to the upper channel on an inner side portion of the wall member. An elongated guide wall extends on an inner side of the wall member in parallel relationship and spaced apart from the elongated lip adjacent the J-shaped edge. An elongated L-shaped finger extends from the inner side of the elongated flap front plate adjacent a lower edge thereof. An elongated lower J-shaped curved wall extends along a lower most portion of the inner edge of the elongated flat front plate and is spaced apart from the elongated L-shaped finger. A foot-engaging lower channel is defined by the space between the elongated L-shaped finger and the elongated J-shaped curved wall adjacent the lower edge of the elongated flat front plate. An elongated bulbous edge is arranged on the lowermost portion of the elongated flat front plate in this embodiment.  
         [0013]     A first embodiment of the elongated carrier frame or internal gripping component of the compound assembly of the present invention is comprised of an elongated slightly curved backing plate having an upper edge and a lower edge. An elongated bridging portion extends along a forward side of the elongated upper edge of the elongated backing plate. The elongated bridging portion has an elongated forward edge which comprises a portion of a front housing. The front housing has a lower portion defined by a J-shaped lower wall. An elongated lip extends along the inner side of the elongated bridge portion to define an elongated T-shaped volume between the elongated lip and the J-shaped lower edge of the front housing. An elongated support tab extends forwardly from the front face of the front housing. An elongated arm extends angularly upwardly from the upper side of the elongated tab, to support a commonly extruded rearwardly extending J-shaped branch at a distal end, thereof. The elongated tab extending from a mid portion of the front housing has a forward edge which defines a commonly extruded, elongated living hinge. The living hinge is co-extruded with a double curved (somewhat sinusoidal) housing plate of somewhat S-shaped in cross-sectional configuration. The upper edge of the curved housing plate is co-extruded with the living hinge and attached thereto to the elongated tab and front housing. The double curved housing plate has a lower edge with an elongated gripper pad extending off of a lower portion facing rearwardly thereon. The double curved housing plate has a lower edge with an elongated extending leg thereat. The extended leg has an elongated curved connection thereon which is connected to an elongated planar securement foot thereat. The elongated double curved housing plate is arranged to be pivotable about the elongated living hinge between the hinge and the upper edge of the double curved housing plate.  
         [0014]     A further embodiment of the elongated carrier frame portion of the present invention comprises a generally elongated, rectangularly shaped, hollow, extruded housing having a backside onto which an adhesive layer of material is attached. The elongated housing has a front side with an elongated tab extending therefrom. The elongated tab has an upper portion on which an elongated arm is angularly arranged. The elongated angular arm has an upper edge with a rearwardly directed J-shaped elongated carrier branch extending thereon. The elongated tab has a forwardly directed distalmost edge having an elongated living hinge commonly extruded therewith. A double curved housing plate of generally S-shaped in cross section, has an upper end which is co-extruded with the living hinge attached to the elongated tab. The double curved housing plate has a lower edge on which an elongated gripper pad is arranged on a rearward side thereof. An elongated leg extends forwardly from the elongated lower edge of the double curved housing plate and has an elongated curved connector extending between the extending leg and an elongated, planar securement foot arranged thereon in a manner similar to the aforementioned embodiment.  
         [0015]     A further embodiment of the generally carrier frame of the present invention comprises a central, generally H-shaped double channel housing arranged to support a first and a second double curved housing plate for grasping and displaying two sided panels, if desired. The double channel housing comprises a first and a second generally rectangularly shaped extrusion each having a closed, spaced-apart flange between which is defined the elongated double channel. The first (outer) side of each side of the double channel housing has an elongated tab extending therefrom. An elongated arm extends upwardly from the elongated tab on the first side on each side of the double sided housing and an elongated branch extends with a J-shaped rearwardly extending rearwardly with respect to the first and second housing portions thereof. The elongated tab, as with the other aforementioned embodiments, has an elongated living hinge distally running therealong, which living hinge is attached to the upper edge of a double curved housing plate. The first and second double curved housing plates each have an elongated lower edge with an elongated gripper pad arranged thereon. An extended leg is arranged from the respective forward sides of the lower edge of the elongated first and second double curved housing plate. A curved connector is arranged at the forward edge of each of the respective elongated legs and secures an elongated planar securement foot thereon. The elongated carrier frame of the present embodiment with its second double curved housing plate on the opposite side thereof, comprises a mirror image of the first double curved housing plate with its appropriately correspondingly directed elongated arm and elongated tab with its respective living hinge arranged therewith.  
         [0016]     One snap frame display assembly contemplated by the present invention comprises the elongated backing plate and associated elongated front housing with its double curved housing plate therewith, slidingly mated with the elongated flat front plate so as to provide an articulable biasable combination for holding a planar sheet between the elongated gripper pad at the lower edge of the double curved housing plate and a lower edge of the backing plate. The elongated edge of the J-shaped branch extending from the elongated arm is slidably mated within the first upper channel of the elongated flat front plate. That upper channel is found within the J-shaped edge on the wall member extending rearwardly from that elongated flat front plate. The elongated planar securement foot extending from the extended leg of the lower edge of the double curved housing plate is arranged to pivotably mate within the lower channel of the elongated flat front plate, that lower channel defined by the elongated L-shaped finger and the elongated lower curved wall arranged on the inner side of rear side of that flat front plate. Such assembly of the components is accomplished by sliding respective smaller J-shaped components of the carrier frame into the elongated openings created by the larger J-shaped channels of the housing plate.  
         [0017]     A further combination assembly combination of the present invention is contemplated with the generally retangularly shaped elongated housing having its front side thereof being slidably mated with the elongated double curved front housing plate arrangement identified hereinabove. The elongated upper channel defined by the J-shaped edge at the rearward side of the elongated curved upper edge of the elongated curved front housing plate slidably receives the elongated J-shaped distal portion of the elongated carrier frame front branch disposed on the elongated arm on the upper side of the tab on the front side of the rectangular housing. The elongated planar securement foot extending from front side of the extended leg on the lower edge of the double curved housing plate slidably mates with the lower channel at the rearward side of the elongated curved front plate which lower channel is defined by the elongated L-shaped finger and the elongated lower J-shaped curved wall at the rearward side along the lower edge thereof.  
         [0018]     A further embodiment of the snap frame assembly invention includes the elongated carrier frame of the present invention is contemplated by the aforementioned use of the elongated retangularly-shaped, adhesively backed housing slidably engaged with the elongated flat front plate wherein the elongated carrier frame front branch and its distalmost J-shaped elongated portion slidably mates with the upper channel within the J-shaped edge of the wall member of the elongated flat front plate. The elongated planar securement foot arranged on the distal edge of the extended leg on the elongated lower edge of the double curved housing plate is arranged so as to provide a rearwardly biasable action to the elongated gripping pad arranged on the lower edge of the elongated double curved housing plate.  
         [0019]     A further embodiment of the snap frame assembly construction of the present invention comprises the elongated carrier frame of generally double channel housing of H-shape in cross section, having a first double curved housing plate and a second double curve housing plate extending off in mirror image fashion from each outer side face of the double channel housing, each double curve housing plate slidably engaged with elongated curved front plates slidably received within their uppermost channels by the J-shaped distalmost portions on the elongated arms extending from the elongated tabs extending from mid-portions of the housings with the respective elongated planar securement feet arranged within the lower channels of each respective double curved housing plate and their respective elongated L-shaped fingers and elongated lower curved walls adjacent the inner directed sides along the lower edge thereof for pinching one or two sided display panels therebetween.  
         [0020]     A still further embodiment of the snap frame assembly of the present invention contemplates the elongated carrier frame as aforementioned here in the slidable combination with the generally H-shaped double channel housing having a mirror image of respective first and second double curved housing plates extending oppositely therefrom in sliding engagement with the elongated flat front plates therewith. The J-shaped distalmost portions of the elongated arms extending from the elongated tabs on the outwardly directed sides of each first and second housing portions engaging the upper channels of each respective elongated flat front plates in a mirror image of one another, where respective elongated planar securement feet are arranged within the lower channels of those elongated flat front plates to provide a pitching from opposite sides thereof of any planar member supported between the opposed elongated gripping pads on the lowermost edge of the respective double curved housing plates.  
         [0021]     The frame assemblies of the aforementioned embodiments are all mateable with joinery components of corner assemblies. Those corner assemblies may be comprised of a corner angle with a generally square shaped corner upper cover, and a generally square shaped lower corner backing. Each corner cover and backing is spaced on the upper and lower sides of the corner angle. The extended portions of the corner angle mate with the respective central openings defined by the housings of the elongated carrier frames so as to permit the assembly of a rectangular housing display.  
         [0022]     Thus there has been shown a unique combination of components for assembly a rectilinear housing for displaying a planar panel either against a wall for one sided viewing thereof, or supported from an overhead support system thus permitting two sided planar display arrangements. Such display arrangements are readily changeable and adaptable as such display arrangements require by the pivotable lifting of the lower edges of either the elongated flat front plate or the lowermost edge of the elongated curved front plate which permits the biasing and un-biasing of the articulable double curved housing plates against such a display.  
         [0023]     The invention thus comprises a snap frame assembly for engagably supporting a planar display panel, comprising an elongated extruded carrier frame having an elongated housing with a central opening therein, an elongated extruded front plate slidably mounted on an elongated rigid member extending from the housing and an elongated pivotable member flexibly attached to the housing by an elongated commonly extruded hinge. The front plate has an upper channel member which rotatively pivots on an arm extending from the housing and a lower channel member which pivots together with a curved housing plate which comprises a portion of the housing of the carrier frame. The elongated housing of the carrier frame may have a pair of central openings. The central openings are arranged to receive a corner angle to support a pair of assembled carrier frames and a pair of front plates. The curved housing plate preferably has a sinusoidal configuration thereto. The housing plate is connected to said housing by a living hinge therebetween. The curved housing plate has a lower edge with a planar foot thereon, that planar foot being pivotable in the lower channel of the cover plate. The housing may have an elongated strip of adhesive on a back portion thereof to permit the assembly to be attached to a wall surface. The housing may have a pair of spaced apart flanges which define an elongated opening for an overhead support to enter. The front plate has a lowermost edge which is spaced apart from the planar display panel to permit manual pivotable moving of the front plate away from the play panel. The housing may include a pair of curved housing plates pivotably supported thereon. The curved housing plates may be pivotable independent of one another.  
         [0024]     The invention also comprises a snap frame assembly for engagably supporting a planar display panel, comprising an elongated extruded carrier frame having an elongated housing arrangement with a pair of elongated central openings therein, a pair of elongated extruded front plates each slidably mounted on a respective elongated rigid member extending respectively from the housing arrangement and an elongated pivotable member flexibly attached to each respective housing by an elongated commonly extruded hinge, wherein the front plates each have an upper channel member which rotatively pivots on a respective arm extending from the housing and each have a lower channel member which pivots together with a respective curved housing plate which comprises a portion of said respective housing of said carrier frame. The planar display panel may be a two sided display.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]     The objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent, when view in conjunction with the following drawings in which:  
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is an end view of an elongated curved front plate component of the frame assembly of the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is an end view of an elongated flat front plate component of the frame assembly of the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is an end view of the embodiment of an elongated carrier frame having a curvilinear back plate and a single, articulable, double-curved housing plate for biased support of a front plate thereon;  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is an end view of an elongated carrier frame having a generally rectangular carrier frame housing with a single, articulable double curved housing plate arranged on a front side thereof;  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is an end view of an elongated carrier frame having a first and a second double curved housing plate in a mirror like orientation supported on a double channeled housing of generally H-shape;  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  is an end view of the elongated carrier frame of  FIG. 3  articularbly supporting the elongated flat front plate slidably arranged thereon, which is shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  is an end view of the rectangular carrier frame housing shown in  FIG. 4  in slidable combination with the elongated curved front plate shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  is an end view of the rectangular carrier frame housing slidably shown in  FIG. 4 , in slidable engagement with the elongated flat front plate as shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0034]      FIG. 9  is an end view of the snap frame assembly comprising the elongated H-shaped carrier frame shown in  FIG. 5  in slidable combination with a pair of elongated curved front plates as represented in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0035]      FIG. 10  is an end view of the snap frame assembly comprising the elongated H-shaped carrier frame as shown in  FIG. 5  in slidable combination with a pair of elongated flat front plates as represented in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0036]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of a corner assembly which is utilized to mate the frame assemblies together to form a corner; and  
         [0037]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view with portions in section showing a planar display arranged with a corner assembly and a pair of adjacent adjoining elongated frame assembly portions connected to that corner assembly all of which are insertably received and biasably support a rectilinear planar display.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0038]     Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to  FIG. 6 , there is shown the present invention which comprises a poster/display gripping assembly  20  of elongated extruded components for gripping planar objects  22  (display panels), one sided (or two sided, as may be evidenced in  FIGS. 9 and 10 ). One such primary component of this gripping assembly is an elongated, arcuate front plate  24 , shown for example, in  FIG. 1  and a flat front plate  25  in cross-section, each having a front or forward side  26  and a rearward or backside  28 . The other primary component of this gripping assembly comprises an elongated carrier frame  30 ,  32  and  34 , shown as examples in  FIGS. 3, 4  and  5 , respectively, on which one (or two) of the front plates  24  and/or  25  is/are mounted.  
         [0039]     One such embodiment of this gripping assembly  20  includes the front plate  24 , shown in  FIG. 1 , with a curved upper edge  36  and an angled lower edge  38  extending rearwardly from the front plate  24 . The curved upper edge  36  has a “J”-shaped edge  40  which defines a first upper channel  42  therewithin. The J-shaped edge  40  has an elongated locking lip  44  extending parallel to the channel  42 , along an inner side thereof. An elongated guide flange  46  is arranged parallel to the elongated lip  44  on the inner side of the curved upper edge of the elongated front plate  24 . An elongated L-shaped finger  48  extends off the rear side of the elongated curved front plate  24 , adjacent the lower edge  49  thereof. The elongated L-shaped finger  48  is spaced apart from the lower curved wall  38  on the rear side  28  of the elongated curved front plate  24  extending from the lower edge thereof. The elongated L-shaped finger  8  and the lower curved wall  38  define a foot-engaging lower channel  50  between them.  
         [0040]     A further embodiment of the front plate component of the assembly comprises the elongated flat front plate  26  with a front side  26  and a rear or back side  28 , and also having an upper edge  52  and a lower edge  54 . The upper edge  52  of the elongated flat front plate  25  has an elongated wall member  56  extending rearwardly therefrom, as represented in  FIG. 2 . The wall member  56  is arranged perpendicularly to the elongated flat front plate  26 . The elongated wall member  56  has a distal edge defined by an elongated J-shaped flange  58  which defines an elongated upper channel  60  therewithin. An elongated alignment lip  62  extends parallel to the upper channel  60  on an inner side portion of the wall member  56 . An elongated slippage preventing guide wall  64  extends on an inner side of the wall member  56  in parallel relationship and spaced apart from the elongated lip  62  adjacent the J-shaped flange  58 . An elongated, channel forming L-shaped finger  66  extends from the inner side of the elongated flap front plate  26  adjacent the lower edge  54  thereof. An elongated, lower channel-forming J-shaped curved wall  68  extends along the lowermost portion of the lower edge  54  of the elongated flat front plate  25  and is spaced apart from the elongated L-shaped finger  66 . A foot-engaging lower channel  70  is thus defined by the space between the elongated L-shaped finger  66  and the elongated J-shaped curved wall  68  adjacent the lower edge  54  of the elongated flat front plate  25 . An elongated finger manipulable bulbous edge  72  is arranged on the lowermost portion of the elongated flat front plate  25  in this embodiment.  
         [0041]     A first embodiment of the elongated carrier frame  30  or internal gripping component of the compound assembly of the present invention is comprised of an elongated slightly curved backing plate  74  having an upper edge  76  and a lower edge  78 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . An elongated bridging portion  80  extends along a forward side of the elongated upper edge  76  of the elongated backing plate  74 . The elongated bridging portion  80  has an elongated forward edge  82  which comprises a portion of a front housing  84 . The front housing  84  has a lower portion defined by a J-shaped lower wall  86 . An elongated lip  88  extends along the inner side of the elongated bridge portion  80  to define an elongated T-shaped volume  90  between the elongated lip  88  and the J-shaped lower edge  86  of the front housing  84 . An elongated support tab  92  extends forwardly from the front face of the front housing  84 . An elongated arm  94  extends angularly upwardly from the upper side of the elongated tab  92 , to support a commonly extruded rearwardly extending J-shaped branch  96  at a distal end thereof. The elongated tab  92  extending from a mid portion of the front housing  84  has a forward edge which defines a commonly extruded, elongated living hinge  98 . The living hinge  98  is co-extruded with a double curved (somewhat sinusoidal) housing plate  100  of somewhat S-shaped in cross-sectional configuration. The upper edge of the curved housing plate  100  is co-extruded with the living hinge  98  and attached thereto to the elongated tab  92  and the front housing  84 . The double curved housing plate  100  has a lower edge  102  with an elongated gripper pad  104  extending off of a lower portion facing rearwardly thereon as shown in cross section in  FIG. 3 . The double curved housing plate  100  has its lower edge  102  with an elongated extending leg  106  extending forwardly therefrom. The extended leg  106  has an elongated curved connection  108  thereon which is connected to an elongated planar securement foot  110  thereat. The elongated double curved housing plate  100  is arranged to be pivotable about the elongated living hinge  98 .  
         [0042]     A further embodiment of the elongated carrier frame portion  32  of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 4 , which is comprised of a generally elongated, rectangularly-shaped, extruded housing  112  having a central opening or central channel  115 , a backside  114  onto which a layer of adhesive material  116  may be attached. The elongated housing  112  has a front side  118  with an elongated tab  120  extending therefrom. The elongated tab  120  has an upper portion on which an elongated arm  122  is angularly arranged. The elongated angular arm  122  has an upper edge  124  with a rearwardly directed J-shaped elongated carrier branch  126  extending thereon. The elongated tab  120  has a forwardly directed distalmost edge having an elongated living hinge  128  commonly extruded therewith. A double curved housing plate  130  of generally S-shaped in cross section, has an upper end  132  which is co-extruded with the living hinge  128  co-extruded with the elongated tab  120 . The double curved housing plate  130  has a lower edge  134  on which an elongated gripper pad  136  is arranged on a rearward side thereof, as may be seen in cross-section in  FIG. 4 . An elongated leg  138  extends forwardly from the elongated lower edge  134  of the double curved housing plate  130  and has an elongated curved connector  140  extending between the extending leg  138  and an elongated, planar securement foot  142  arranged thereon in a manner similar to the aforementioned embodiment.  
         [0043]     A further embodiment of the generally carrier frame  34  of the present invention comprises a central, generally H-shaped double channel housing  144  arranged to support a first and a second double curved housing plate  146  and  148 . The double channel housing  144  comprises a first and a second generally rectangularly shaped extrusion  150  and  152 , each having a closed, spaced-apart flange  154  between which is defined the central elongated double opening or channel  156 . The first (outer) side of each side of the double channel housing  150  and  152  has an elongated tab  158  and  160  extending therefrom. An elongated arm  162  and  164  extends upwardly from the respective elongated tab  158  and  160  on the first side on each side of the double channel housing  144  and an elongated J shaped, rearwardly extending carrier branch extends  166  and  168  with respect to the first and second housing portions  150  and  152  thereof. The elongated tab  158  and  160 , as with the other aforementioned embodiments, each has an elongated living hinge  170  and  172  distally running therealong, which living hinges  170  and  172  are each respectively attached to an upper edge of a respective double curved housing plate  146  and  148 . The first and second double curved housing plates  146  and  148  each have an elongated lower edge  174  with an arrangement of opposed elongated gripper pad  176  and  178  arranged thereon, as represented in  FIG. 5 , in cross-section. An extended leg  180  and  182  is arranged from the respective forward sides of the lower edge  174  of the elongated first and second double curved housing plates  146  and  148 . A curved connector  184  is arranged at the forward edge of each of the respective elongated legs  184  and secures an elongated planar securement foot  186  thereon. The elongated carrier frame  34  of the present embodiment with its second double curved housing plate  148  on the opposite side thereof, comprises a mirror image of the first double curved housing plate  146  with its appropriately correspondingly directed elongated arm  164  and elongated tab  160  with its respective living hinge  172  arranged therewith.  
         [0044]     One snap frame display assembly  20  contemplated by the present invention comprises the elongated backing plate  30  and associated elongated front housing  84  with its double curved housing plate  100  therewith, slidingly mated with the elongated flat front plate  25 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , so as to provide a articulable biasable combination for holding a planar sheet  22  between the elongated gripper pad  104  at the lower edge  102  of the double curved housing plate  100  and the forwardly angled lower edge  78  of the backing plate  74 . The elongated edge of the J-shaped branch  96  extending from the elongated arm  94  is slidably mated within the first upper channel  60  of the elongated flat front plate  25 . That upper channel  60  is found within the J-shaped edge  58  on the wall member  56  extending rearwardly from that elongated flat front plate  96 . The elongated planar securement foot  110  extending from the extended leg  106  of the lower edge of the double curved housing plate  100  is arranged to pivotably mate within the lower channel  70  of the elongated flat front plate  25 , that lower channel  70  defined by the elongated L-shaped finger  66  and the elongated lower curved wall  68  arranged on the rear side of that flat front plate  25 . Such assembly of the components is accomplished by sliding respective smaller J-shaped components  96  of the carrier frame  30  into the elongated openings created by the larger J-shaped channels  60  and the foot  110  into the lower channel  70  of the housing plate.  
         [0045]     A further combination assembly combination  32  and  24  of the present invention shown in  FIG. 7  is contemplated with the generally retangularly shaped elongated housing  112  as shown in  FIG. 4 , having its front side thereof being slidably mated with the elongated curved front housing plate  24  identified hereinabove and shown in  FIG. 1 . The elongated upper channel  42  defined by the J-shaped edge  40  at the rearward side of the elongated curved upper edge  36  of the elongated curved front housing plate  24  slidably receives the elongated J-shaped distal portion  126  of the elongated carrier frame front branch  124  disposed on the elongated arm  122  on the upper side of the tab  122  on the front side of the rectangular housing  112 . The elongated planar securement foot  142  extending from front side of the extended leg  138  on the lower edge  134  of the double curved housing plate  130  slidably mates with the lower channel  50  at the rearward side of the elongated curved front plate  26  which lower channel  50  is defined by the elongated L-shaped finger  48  and the elongated lower J-shaped curved wall  38 , at the rearward side along the lower edge thereof as shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0046]     A further embodiment of the snap frame assembly  20  invention includes the elongated carrier frame  32  of the present invention is contemplated by the aforementioned use of the elongated retangularly-shaped, adhesively backed housing  112  shown in  FIG. 4 , slidably engaged with the elongated flat front plate  25 , represented in  FIG. 2 , in combination as shown in  FIG. 8 , wherein the elongated carrier frame front branch  122  and its distalmost J-shaped elongated portion  126  slidably mates with the upper channel  60  within the J-shaped edge  58  of the wall member  56  of the elongated flat front plate  25 . The pivotable elongated planar securement foot  142  arranged on the distal edge of the extended leg  138  on the elongated lower edge  134  of the double curved housing plate  130  is arranged so as to provide a rearwardly biasable action to the elongated gripping pad  136  arranged on the lower edge  134  of the elongated double curved housing plate  130 .  
         [0047]     A further embodiment of the snap frame assembly construction  20  of the present invention comprises the elongated carrier frame  34  of generally double channel housing  144  of H-shape in cross section, shown in  FIG. 5 , having its first double curved housing plate  146  and its second double curve housing plate  148  extending off in mirror image fashion from each outer side face of the double channel housing  144 , each double curve housing plate slidably  146  and  148  combinably engaged, as shown in  FIG. 9 , with a pair of elongated curved front plates  24 , originally shown in  FIG. 1 , being now shown as slidably received within their respective uppermost channels  42  by the J-shaped distalmost portions  166  and  168  on the elongated arms extending from the elongated tabs  158  and  160  extending from mid-portions of the double channel housing  144  with the respective elongated planar securement feet  186  arranged within the lower channels  50  of each respective double curved housing plate  24  and their respective elongated L-shaped fingers  60  and elongated lower curved walls  38  adjacent the inner directed sides along the lower edge thereof.  
         [0048]     A still further embodiment of the snap frame assembly  20  of the present invention contemplates the elongated generally H-shaped carrier frame  34  as aforementioned here and shown by itself in  FIG. 5 , having a mirror image of respective first and second double curved housing plates  146  and  148  extending oppositely therefrom in sliding engagement with their respective elongated flat front plates  25  therewith, shown by itself in  FIG. 2 , is now shown as such a combination assembly in  FIG. 10 . The J-shaped distalmost portions  168  of the elongated arms  162  and  164  extending from the elongated tabs  158  and  160  on the outwardly directed sides of each first and second housing portions  150  and  152  engaging the upper channels  60  of each of the respective elongated flat front plates  25  being arranged in a mirror image of one another as shown in  FIG. 10 . The respective elongated planar securement feet  186  are arranged within the lower channels  70  of those elongated flat front plates  25  to provide a pinching from opposite sides thereof of any planar member  22  supported between the opposed elongated gripping pads  176  and  178  on the lowermost edge of the respective double curved housing plates  146  and  148 . Such assembly  20  may also be supported by an overhead support  190  having a lower end arranged within the channels  156  within the housing  144 .  
         [0049]     The frame assemblies of the aforementioned embodiments are all mateable with joinery components of corner assemblies  191 , as represented in an “exploded” view in  FIG. 11 , to form, if desired, a rectilinear assembly as represented by a frame corner shown in  FIG. 12 . Those corner assemblies  191  may be comprised of a corner angle  194  with a generally square shaped corner upper cover  196 , and a generally square shaped lower corner backing  198 . Each corner cover  196  and backing  198  is spaced on the upper and lower sides of the corner angle  194 . The extended distal portions  200  and  202  of the corner angle  194  mate with the respective central openings  90 ,  115  and  156 , defined by the housings of the elongated carrier frames  84 ,  112  and  144  so as to permit the intermating of the corner angles  194  within the central openings  90 ,  115  and  156 , thus assembling an exemplary rectangular housing display  210 .  
         [0050]     The rectangular housing display  210 , a portion of which is shown in  FIG. 12 , may be placed with adhesive backing, against a wall structure, otr a pair of the displays  210  may be placed back-to-back, to provide a two sided display, (not shown for clarity). The corner cover  196 , when placed onto adjacent curved cover plates  24 , permits the display  210  to be manufactured without miter cuts on the respective ends of the plates  24 , for easier assembly by the end user.  
         [0051]     Thus there has been shown a unique combination of components for assembly a rectilinear housing for displaying a planar panel either against a wall for one sided viewing thereof, or supported from an overhead support system  190  thus permitting readily supportable and display-changeable two sided (mirror images) planar display arrangements. Such display arrangements are readily changeable and adaptable as such display arrangements require by the pivotable lifting of the lower edges  72  of either the elongated flat front plate  25  or the lowermost edge  49  of the elongated curved front plate  24  which permits the biasing and un-biasing of the articulable double curved housing plates  100 ,  130 ,  146  and  148  against such a display  22 .

Technology Category: g