GB2559609A

GB2559609A - Picture frame

Info

Publication number: GB2559609A
Application number: GB1702322.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Felton Roger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-02-13
Filing date: 2017-02-13
Publication date: 2018-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 2037-02-13
Also published as: GB201702322D0; GB2559609B

Abstract

A picture frame system has four laminar blanks (figure 1) which when assembled together (figure 3C) form the sides of a frame. Each blank includes parallel edges 8, 10 and includes a box portion 13 to be erected into a hollow profile having a rectangular cavity or cross-section. Each blank when assembled includes a slot 27 into which an adjacent blank may be slid. Each blank has a diagonal edge 34 at one end and further incorporates a flap 14 to be received in a slot 30 in order to create a frame with a mitered corner. Strips of laminar material (40, figure 2D, not shown) may be slid into the cavity defined by each assembled blank, the strips sized such that they sit diagonally across the rectangular cavity. An advantage of the invention is that provision of separate blanks allows the frame to be easily posted, due to the relatively small size of each individual blank.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Picture frame

Abstract Title: Picture frame with sides formed from four blanks (57) A picture frame system has four laminar blanks (figure 1) which when assembled together (figure 3C) form the sides of a frame. Each blank includes parallel edges 8, 10 and includes a box portion 13 to be erected into a hollow profile having a rectangular cavity or cross-section. Each blank when assembled includes a slot 27 into which an adjacent blank may be slid. Each blank has a diagonal edge 34 at one end and further incorporates a flap 14 to be received in a slot 30 in order to create a frame with a mitered corner. Strips of laminar material (40, figure 2D, not shown) may be slid into the cavity defined by each assembled blank, the strips sized such that they sit diagonally across the rectangular cavity. An advantage of the invention is that provision of separate blanks allows the frame to be easily posted, due to the relatively small size of each individual blank.

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PICTURE FRAMES

Technical Field [0001] The present invention relates to box frames that can be assembled from a flat blank and used to frame artwork, pictures or the like.

Background Art [0002] Picture frames made from cardboard blanks have been described, for example, in US 2841 896 (Fujikawa) 3 Dec 1957. Existing designs suffer from various problems. The frame is typically of a fixed size and aspect ratio, whereas frames of various dimensions may be required. Folded card frames also lack structural rigidity. Such a frame is too large to be posted even in flat form. This type of frame is also expensive to produce due to the size of the blank and complexity of the cutting tool required.

[0003] A box frame is a deep frame into which, for example, a stretched canvas on a wooden frame can be inserted. A few mm clearance between the outer mouldings of the frame and the canvas is required so that the art can be inserted and removed and repositioned.

Summary of invention [0004] The present invention, as defined in the appended claims, provides a modular framing system which allows moulding sections to be made from blanks that are supplied flat and which have pop up box sections to create an outer frame and provides structural rigidity, preferably with the insertion of stiffeners. The moulding sections can be cut to length providing greater versatility than existing products. In a preferred embodiment the sections have at least four predefined lengths offering 16 different square, portrait or landscape standard frame dimensions. With a modicum of dexterity virtually any dimension can be achieved.

[0005] The moulding sections are preferably designed so that they can be joined to form mitred corners by the provision of flaps that fit into diagonal slots in an adjacent section. Preferably the assembled frame is held together by means of double-sided glue tabs, which have permanent adhesive on a side that is adapted to hold the overlapping sections and a semipermanent adhesive on an upper face that can be used to attach artwork. Other features of the framing system will be described in more detail in the detail description.

[0006] The user is able to cut the blanks to the required length with a simple straight cut (i.e. using scissors or board cutter or scalpel) to the square end of the piece, so that a frame can be made within minutes. It is preferred to offer several additional predefined fixed lengths to which the section can be cut in order to match the pre-cut diagonal slots.

[0007] Openings centred on the predefined fixed lengths to receive a panel pin or nail head are provided in a strip that forms the base of the box section so that, in use, the finished frame will seat flush with the wall and hang true.

[0008] The blanks can be made of paper, card or plastic material that can be cut, scored and creased.

[0009] Other design features of the blank are defined in the appended claims. Description of Drawings [0010] In order that the invention may be well understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

[0011] Figure 1 shows a blank for creating one side moulding section of a picture frame;

[0012] Figure 2A-D shows a series of diagrams illustrating how a box section can be “popped-up” in use;

[0013] Figures 3A - 3C shows a series of diagrams to show how two pieces of moulding section are interconnected; and [0014] Figure 4A and 4B shows a plan view of a completed frame.

Description of an Embodiment.

[0015] The basic building block for the frame is an elongate blank as shown in Figure 1. Four pieces of blank are required for a frame. The pieces are supplied in sets of fixed length and can be cut to size. In the embodiment described the product is configured to allow for four section lengths (the supplied length and three shorter lengths each requiring part of the square end of the blank to be cut away) but for shorter or longer blanks fewer or more predefined cutting positions can be offered. Each piece forms a moulding section that forms one side of a finished frame creating both an outer rectangular box section with a hollow cavity, and an inner flat mat portion onto which the art to be framed can be placed and retained in position using a non-permanent side of double-sided glue tabs which hold the frame together and will be described in more detail later.

[0016] Each blank piece has the configuration shown in Figure 1. The blank 2 has two ends 4, 6 and parallel long sides 8, 10 and is made of paper, card or thin plastics material capable of being scored, creased and folded flat on itself. In the remainder of this description card is referred to, but it will be appreciated that any laminar material having the required properties can be employed.

[0017] One end 4 is cut square and the other mitred end 6 is shaped as described later. The square end can be cut down by means of a square cut parallel to the end. The predefined cutting positions can be marked on the card by means of small nicks 7 at the edge 8 and adjacent a first fold line. Use of nicks is preferred to print markings as this avoids an additional printing operation. In this embodiment the blank is designed for four optional lengths but it will be appreciated that the number of options can readily be changed.

[0018] The blank 2 is divided into a mat portion12 adjacent an inner free long side 8, and a profile portion 13 that creates the rectangular box section. The mat portion terminates in an inner flap 14 adjacent the free long side 8.

[0019] The profile portion is made up of strips defining the four faces of the box section: a base stripl6, two upstanding side strips 18, 20 separated by an upper face strip 22. Each face is defined by a strip of card. In the embodiment illustrated the box section is square so each face strip has an equal width. However it will be appreciated that rectangular box section profiles are also possible in which the upstanding sides are broader or narrower than the width of the base and upper face strips.

[0020] The other outer long side 10 of the blank 2 adjoins an outer flap 24. The outer flap 24 and face strips 18, 20, 22 are separated by pre-creased or scored fold lines 26. The base strip 16 lies in the same plane as the mat portion 12 and is not visually separated. The flap 24 is folded over towards the adjacent strip 20 so that its underside can be glued down onto the card strip that is to form the base 16 of the profile as best seen in Figure 2B. As shown in Figure 2A the blank is supplied flat. The flap 24 can be secured by glue dots. The flap is not secured in a region adjacent the square end 4 in order to leave a narrow slot 27 between the flap 24 and the base strip 16 just sufficient to allow an edge of the mitred end 6 of the card of another blank to slide into the slot as it is manoeuvred into position. A slot length of no more than twice the depth of the box section is typically sufficient.

[0021] Within the strip that is to form the base 16 of box section, holes 28 are punched. In this embodiment four spaced holes are provided to correspond to the four predefined length options. A first hole 28a lies in the centre of the completed frame side if the blank has not been cut. The other holes are positioned so that one or other of them will be at the centre of the side of the completed frame if the blank has been cut down by cutting parallel to square end 4 at predefined positions. These holes are intended to receive a head of a fixing nail or screw that projects from a wall in order to hang the frame. Since the holes are provided in all blank pieces a finished frame can be hung in any orientation. The frame will sit flat against the wall because the nail head will go into the box frame cavity.

[0022] The three pre-defined cutting positions are marked by nicks 7 cut into the edge of the side 8 of the mat section where they will not be visible in the finished frame because they will be covered by the art. The nicks extend at right angles to the side 8 and allow a user with a straight edge to draw a cutting line joining a pair of nicks 7. This line will be parallel to the square end and can be used as a cutting guide.

[0023] A series of four spaced diagonal slots 30 are pre-cut into the inner flap 14 extending at 45° to the free long side 8 of the blank piece. These slots are designed to receive a flap of an adjacent moulding section made from a similar blank piece. Since in this embodiment the piece is designed to create a section with three different optional lengths, there are three slots. More slots can be provided to give a greater range of length options in longer blanks. The user could also cut a parallel slot at the required location if using a non-standard length.

[0024] The shaping of the other end 6 of the blank piece will now be described. The end 32 of the flap 14 is cut square and parallel to the other end 4.

This square edge merges with a diagonal edge 34 extending at 45° to the free long side 8. The edge 34 extends to an inner crease line 26 between the base strip 16 and the first upstanding side strip 18. At the end of the strip 18 there is formed a projecting tab 36. A score or crease line 38 parallel to the end 4 is formed between the tab 36 and first upstanding side strip 18.The end of the upper face strip 22 is also a diagonal cut in the opposite direction so that, when the face is in its final position, the edge will sit above and parallel to the diagonally cut edge 34 beneath it. Finally, the ends of the second upstanding side strip 20 and the outer flap 24 are cut square to the outer long side 10.

[0025] The tab 36 is designed to be tucked inside the box section where it will be held in place without the need for adhesive.

[0026] In addition to four blank pieces as described above, a set of four free elongate strips 40 is provided. These strips have a width corresponding to the diagonal of the rectangular box section profile so that, once that section has been erected or “popped up”, a strip 40 cut to the required length can be inserted into a resulting cavity created in the profile as shown in Figure 2D in order to brace it and prevent it collapsing back into its supplied flat configuration. The bracing strip should be placed with its upper edge in the corner of the box section between phases 18 and 22 in order to resist the tendency of the box section to revert back to its folded position.

Assembly of a frame [0027] Each of the four required moulding sections is created from an individual blank piece that has been cut across the end 4 to be the required length if necessary. Once cut the profile portions are erected or “popped up” as shown in Figure 2, brace strips 40 are inserted as required.

[0028] Figure 3 illustrates how adjacent sections A and B are interconnected to create a mitred corner of a frame once they have been popped up and braced. At the end 6 of section B the inner flap 14 is slid into a matching slot 30 in section A. Section B can then be rotated so that the flap 36 can be received inside the box section of section A. As this happens, the edge 34 will move into the slot 27 so that the upper face 22 of section B can move over the upper face 22 of section A. The square end of the second, outer upstanding face of section B comes into contact with corresponding face of the box section in the adjacent section A. Figure 3B and 3C show a completed corner. When the corner is complete only a diagonal line across both the box section and the mat portion is visible to the user. At the outer edge the folded-in flap 36 conceals any gap at the end of the box section giving a neat outer appearance.

[0029] The next section is then added to the frame in the same way, and then the final section inserted. Until the final corner is assembled, it will be necessary to leave a little rotational flexibility in the other corners to allow the final mitre to be assembled. Once all the corners joined the frame can be fully squared up. Figure 4A shows a top plan view of a completed frame as shown. In order to hold the ends of the flaps 14 into their slots 30 and also to enable mounting of an art work, double-sided glue tabs 42 are attached to each inner corner of flaps 14 across the overlaps. Such glue tabs are commercially available and have a foam central layer with adhesive on each face protected by a removable covering. For this application the tabs with permanent adhesive on one face and semipermanent or low-tack adhesive on the other face are used. The face with permanent adhesive is used to secure the corners of the frame. The art can then be placed on top and held in place by the semi-permanent adhesive on the other faces of the tabs. Semi-permanent adhesive allows the art to be repositioned or replaced as desired. The frame can be hung using an appropriate central hole 28 in the uppermost section.

[0030] Figure 4B shows how the frame sections overlap with the square ends at the rear. In this figure it can be seen how the diagonal edge of one box section passes through the slot 27.

[0031] The lengths of the blanks are preferably 0.33m or 0.45m. The smaller blanks are sized to be capable of being posted in packages of 3 frame kits. Suitable card thicknesses are 270 to 350 g/m². Larger sizes can, of course, be created depending on available card size. Plastics lamina such as PVC or other bendable substrates can be used instead of card.

[0032] The frames can be provided in any colour or pattern effect.

[0033] The assembly of the frame to the required size requires, at most, only a simple straight cut using scissors or board cutter or scalpel and some easy manipulation to “pop up” the sections and assemble them together within a few minutes.

Claims

1. A picture framing system comprising a kit of four laminar blanks adapted to form the sides of a frame; each blank having first and second ends (4, 6) with elongate parallel edges extending between the ends; each blank having a flattened box portion (13) along an outer edge capable of being erected into a hollow profile having a rectangular cavity.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flattened box portion is created by folding the blank along parallel crease lines (26) and securing an outer flap (24) onto the blank leaving an open slot (27) adjacent the first end into which an edge of an adjacent blank can be slid.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second end of each blank has a diagonal edge (34) extending inwardly away from its box portion and each blank has a flap (14) along its inner edge (10) in which at least one diagonal slot (30) is cut in order to receive an end of a flap of another blank in order to create a mitred corner of the frame.

4. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein a plurality of slots (30) are provided to allow a blank to be cut at first end (4) to a corresponding number of pre-defined lengths by means of a square cut.

5. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein predefined cutting positions are marked on the blank.

6. As claimed in claim four, wherein the marks are nicks in the inner edge (10).

7. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each blank has a creased tab (36) projecting from its second end (6) at the position of an outer upstanding side of an erected box section.

8. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein strips of laminar material are provided having a width such that they can be slid into the cavity and sit diagonally across it.

9. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one blank has at least one hole (28) in that part of the blank which part forms a base of its erected profile portion.

26 01 18

GB 1702322.7

1-10

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: Claims searched:

9. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one blank has at least one hole (28) in a base of its box section.

10. A system as claimed in anyone ofthe preceding claims, wherein the blanks are made of paper or card or plastics material.

26 01 18

Amendments to claims have been filed as follows

Claims

1. A picture framing system comprising a kit of four separate laminar blanks of paper, card or plastic, each adapted to form one side of a frame and together define a mat for mounting of an art work ; each blank having first and second ends (4, 6) with elongate parallel inner and outer edges extending between the ends; each blank having a flat profile portion (13) along the outer edge which is capable of being erected into a hollow four-sided profile having a rectangular cavity defined only by the blank itself.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow profile of the profile portion is created by folding the blank along parallel crease lines (26) and securing an outer flap (24) onto the blank leaving an open slot (27) between the flap and the blank adjacent the first end into which an edge of an adjacent blank can be slid.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second end of each blank has a diagonal edge (34) extending inwardly away from its profile portion and each blank has a flap (14) along its inner edge (10) in which at least one diagonal slit (30) is provided in order to receive an end of a flap of another blank in order to create a mitred corner of the frame.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein a plurality of diagonal slits (30) are provided.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein predefined cutting positions are marked on the blank.

6. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cutting positions are marked by nicks in the inner edge (10).

7. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each blank has a creased tab (36) projecting from its second end (6) at the position of an outer upstanding side when the profile portion has been erected.

8. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein strips of laminar material are provided having a width such that they can be slid into the cavity of an erected profile portion and sit diagonally across it.