GB2324034A

GB2324034A - Display frame

Info

Publication number: GB2324034A
Application number: GB9707111A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John David Woolard; Stephen Barry Martin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-04-08
Filing date: 1997-04-08
Publication date: 1998-10-14
Also published as: GB9707111D0

Abstract

A frame is disclosed for displaying a flat exhibit such as a picture. The frame comprises a first flat sheet 10 forming the back of the frame, a second flat sheet 12 adhered to the first sheet and having a cut-out 22 extending to one edge of the second sheet for retaining the exhibit, and a third flat sheet 14 adhered to the second flat sheet such that the second sheet acts as a spacer between the first and third sheet. The third sheet 14 has a window of smaller area than the cut-out in the second sheet through which the exhibit may be viewed.

Description

DISPLAY FRAME The invention relates to a frame for displaying a flat exhibit such as a photograph, a print or a mirror.

According to the present invention, there is provided a frame for displaying a flat exhibit comprising a first flat sheet forming the back of the frame, a second flat sheet adhered to the first sheet and having a U-shaped cut-out extending to one edge of the second sheet for retaining the exhibit, and a third flat sheet a adhered to the second flat sheet such that the second sheet acts as a spacer between the first and third sheet, the third sheet having a window of smaller area than the cut-out in the second sheet through which the exhibit may be viewed. For clarity, the three sheets will herein the referred to as the back, the spacer and the front sheets, respectively.

Conveniently, all three sheets may be formed of a heavy card but alternatively one of more of them may be formed of a plastics material.

The spacer sheet may be cut out of the same blank as one of the front and back sheets and connected to the other sheet by a fold line. This ensures accurate alignment between spacer sheet and the other sheet to which it is to be adhered. If desired all three sheets may be formed from a common blank but this is not preferred as it requires the fold line cuts to be made from opposite sides of the blank and it may also require printing on both sides of the blank.

The spacer sheet is of a greater thickness than the exhibit item and as a result the latter may readily be slid into the pocket formed within the frame by the U-shaped cut out in the spaced sheet through the gap in the edge of the frame created by the open end of the U-shaped cut out.

To give the appearance of a glazed frame, it is possible to place a sheet of transparent plastics material in front of the exhibit within the pocket in the frame.

The window in the front sheet will surround and frame the exhibit and it can be formed in any desired shape, oval and rectangular windows being commonly used when displaying photographs. The window can however be of a more complicated outline if desired so that it is possible to form windows with keyhole, port hole or any other required outline.

The back sheet can if desired be formed integrally with a fold-out leg to permit the frame to rest on a horizontal surface and/or with fold-out hanging flaps having a hole to allow the frame to be hung on a nail on a wall.

The dimensions of the frame are not important and it can be made to any desired size to suit the dimensions of the item being exhibited. The weight of the card or stiffness of the plastics material used will be selected to suit the dimensions of the exhibit.

The front sheet can be decorated using conventional printing techniques by applying inks directly to the sheet, for example by silk screen printing, but it is preferred to adhere a pre-printed sheet to the front sheet of the frame.

The advantage of the invention is that it allows items such as pictures and mirrors to be framed inexpensively, but in an attractive and secure manner. Frames of the invention can be provided as a flat pack consisting of three sheets for assembly by the end user and can be made sufficiently inexpensively for free distribution as promotional and advertising material.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank from which a display frame of the invention may be assembled, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a display frame assembled from the blank shown in Figure 1.

The display frame of the preferred embodiment of the invention is formed of card and comprises a back sheet 10, a spacer sheet 12 and a front sheet 14. The back sheet 10 and the spacer sheet 14 are connected to one another by a fold line 26 parallel to one of the longer edges of the frame.

The back sheet 10 is formed with a fold-out leg 16 and two fold-out hanging flaps 18 and 20 each of which has a hole to enable the frame to be hung on a wall from a nail.

The two hanging flaps 18 and 20 allow the frame to be hung in portrait or landscape orientation and the leg 16 extends to a corner so that the frame may be stood on a horizontal surface with its longer edges either vertical or horizontal.

The spacer sheet 12 is formed with a U-shaped cut out 22 large enough to receive the exhibit to be displayed and the front sheet 14 has a viewing window 24 that overlies the exhibit when the frame is assembled.

To make up the frame from the blank shown in Figure 1, first the spacer sheet is folded about the fold line 26 to overlie the back sheet and it is glued to the back sheet 10 but not to the fold-out leg 16 or flaps 18, 20. Next, the front sheet is glued to the spacer sheet 12 to form the finished frame shown in Figure 2 in which the spacer sheet 12 is sandwiched between the back sheet 10 and the front sheet 14.

The item to be exhibited, which may be a picture, a print, or a mirror can be inserted into the pocket formed between the front and back sheets 10 and 14 by the U-shaped cut-out 22 in the spacer sheet. Because the U-shaped cut-out 22 extends to one edge of the frame, a gap is formed through which the exhibit can be slid into position. As the window 24 is smaller than the exhibit, the latter remains captured between the front and back sheets 10 and 14 and can be viewed through the window 24.

A sheet of transparent plastics material may be inserted into the pocket in front of the exhibit to give a glazed appearance to the frame.

The front face of the front sheet 14 can be printed or painted but it is more convenient to adhere a separately formed printed sheet to the front of the frame. Such a sheet can be adhered before or after the window 24 has been cut out of the front sheet 14.

The front, spacer and back sheets are all preferably formed of card, but it is alternatively possible for one or all of them to be formed of a plastics material.

It will be clear that the sheets 10 and 12 need not be connected to one another as all three sheet 10, 12 and 14 may be initially separate, all connected to one another or the spacer sheet 12 may be connected only to the front sheet 14. The fold line 26 or lines need not lie parallel to a longer edge of the frame and may instead lie along one of the shorter edges.

Forming the front sheet 14 from card allows a great deal of latitude in the design of the window in that as well as rectangular and oval windows other more fancy shapes may be adopted.

Claims

ClAIMS

1. A frame for displaying a flat exhibit comprising a first flat sheet forming the back of the frame, a second flat sheet adhered to the first sheet and having a U-shaped cut-out extending to one edge of the second sheet for retaining the exhibit, and a third flat sheet adhered to the second flat sheet such that the second sheet acts as a spacer between the first and third sheet, the third sheet having a window of smaller area than the cut-out in the second sheet through which the exhibit may be viewed.

2. A frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the three sheets is formed of a heavy card.

3. A frame as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the three sheets is formed of a plastics material.

4. A frame as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the spacer sheet is cut out of the same blank as one of the front and back sheets and connected to the other sheet by a fold line.

5. A frame as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the back sheet is formed integrally with a fold-out leg to permit the frame to rest on a horizontal surface and/or with fold-out hanging flaps having a hole to allow the frame to be hung on a nail on a wall.

6. A frame as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the front sheet is decorated by adhering a pre-printed sheet to the front face of the sheet.

7. A frame for displaying a flat exhibit constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.