US2814896A - Picture frame - Google Patents

Description

GYO FUJIKAWA Dec. 3, 11957 PICTURE FRAME Filed June 29', 1955 J r 2 Sheets-Shae 1 o h'q'lkamcg INVENTOR.

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Dec. 3, 1957 GYO FUJIKAWA PICTURE FRAME '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1955 FIG. 6

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United States Patent PICTURE FRAME Gyo Fujikawa, New York, N. Y. Application June 29, 1955, Serial No. 518,737 7 Claims. (Cl. 40-155) This invention relates to a picture frame and particularly :to such a frame that is made from a cardboard blank that may if desired also carry the picture that is to be framed in the frame.

In advertising and promotional work it is quite common to provide framed pictures that are made from cardboard and with the border edges of the cardboard so formed that they may be folded to form a raised frame about the picture area. In such prior framed pictures, it has been necessary to secure the folded frame elements in position either by means of staples or adhesive, and this has been considered to be objectionable in many instances. In view of the foregoing it is the primary object of the present invention to enable such framed pictures to be produced from a single sheet of cardboard or the like without the necessity for employing adhesive or fastening devices such as staples, and another and more specific object of the invention is to provide a device of the aforesaid character which may be folded and assembled from its fiat form merely through the use of securing tabs which hold the parts firmly in the desired relationship.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment, of the present invention and the principles thereof, and What I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a framed picture embodying the features of the invention and shown in its fully erected or assembled form;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the lines 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the lines 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan or face view of a cardboard blank embodying the features of the invention and from which the assembled framed picture of Fig. 1 may be produced;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating one of the first steps in the erection or assembly of the frame;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating one of the subsequent steps in the assembly of the frame; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary rear elevational views of one corner of the fully assembled frame showing further steps in assembling and locking the securing tabs.

For purposes of disclosure the invention is illustrated as embodied in a picture frame 20 that is shown in Figs. 1 to 3 in its fully erected or assembled form, and made from a blank 120, Fig. 4. The blank 120 is made from a single sheet of cardboard or the like, and when fully erected or assembled as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a rectangular picture area 21 is provided that is bordered by a frame having top and bottom frame elements 22T and 22B and having side frame elements 22L and 22R. These frame elements are so formed and related as to give the appearance of mitered corner joints 23, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Under and in accordance with the present invention the picture area 21 and all of the border or side frame elements are provided from a single sheet of cardboard, and while the picture area may serve as a mounting surface to receive an independent picture printed on paper or the like, this area may be advantageously used as a base surface upon which the desired picture is directly printed by known processes.

In providing picture frame 20 of Fig. 1, a blank is formed from cardboard or like material in the shape and relationship shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, and as shown in Fig. 4 the picture area 21 is illustrated as being defined by dot dash lines as at 121. About the side edges of the picture area 121, the cardboard material is extended in a normal or uncreased relationship to fold lines 25L and 25R that are spaced outwardly from a parallel to the vertical side edges of the picture area, while at the top the uncre'ased body portion of the blank is extended to a horizontal fold line 2ST that is parallel to a space upwardly from the upper edge of the picture area 21, and at its lower edge the uncreased area extends to a lower fold line 25B. The areas between the fold lines 25 and the lines 121 constitute border areas over which the frame elements 22 are formed as will be described.

The fold lines 25L and 25R and the fold lines 2ST and 25B define the outer extremities of the frame 20, and these fold lines serve to join multiple panel extensions to the main body of the blank in such a way that these extensions may be folded to provide the several frame elements 22. Thus the upper fold line 2ST serves to join a narrow side panel 26T to the upper edge of the main body of the blank, and beyond this side panel 26T a somewhat larger or wider face panel 27T is joined by a fold line 2ST. At the other edge of the face panel 27T, a securing panel 29T is joined by means of a fold line 30T. At opposite ends, the side panel 26T has closure tabs 31T that are tapered along one edge as shown in Fig. 4 and these tabs 31T are joined to the said panel by fold lines 32T. At opposite ends of the securing panel 29T, relatively long tapered securing tabs 33T are provided and these tabs are secured to the ends of the securing panel 29T by fold lines 34T. It will be observed that the fold lines 32T and 34T are in each instance formed as continuations of the fold lines 25L and 25R, and this is important in the assembly of the frame 20, as will become apparent hereinafter.

Along the lower edge of the main body of the blank a similar multiple panel extension is provided in what amounts to a reverse relationship and the corresponding elements of this lower series of panels and tabs are identified in Fig. 4 by the same reference characters using the sufiix B in each instance rather than the suffix T.

Along the opposite sides of the main body of the blank as defined by the fold lines 25L and 25R similar sets of panels and tabs are arranged to afford multiple panel extensions, and the specific form thereof will be described with respect to those panels and tabs that are ass0- ciated with the left hand side of the main body of the blank. Thus, the fold line 25L serves to connect a side panel 26L to the main body of the blank, the ends of this side panel being formed as oontinuations of the top and bottom fold lines 2ST and 2513. The outer edge of the side panel 26L i's defined by a fold line 28L which serves to connect a face panel 27L to the side panel 26L. The ends of the face panel 27L are formed in what may be termed a mitered relationship in that they are disposed at an angle of to the fold lines 2ST and 25B, and these mitered ends are identified as ends 127L in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The outer edge of the face panel 27L is w defined by a fold line 30L which connects the face panel 27L with a securing panel 29L and this securing panel 29L has relatively long tapered securing tabs 33L ex tended from the ends thereof and connected thereto by transverse fold lines 34L. Intermediate the ends thereof the tabs 33L have transverse fold lines 35L to facilitate assembly of the frame. The fold lines 341. are parallel to the fold lines 251 and 253, but since the mitered ends 127L are formed in the manner shown in Fig. 4, the two fold lines 34L are spaced from each other at a distance that is equal to the spacing between the top and bottom edges of the picture area 21.

In this respect it should be noted that the several panels 27 are of equal width and that this width is just slightly greater than the distance between the fold lines 25 and the adjacent edge of the picture area 21 so as to allow for the angular positioning of the face panels 27 in the final assembly of the frame.

The panel and tab arrangement on the right hand side of the main body of the blank is the same as that above described with respect to the left hand side of the blank, and the various elements are identified by some reference characters using the suffix R instead of the suffix L.

In the border area between the upper fold line 2ST and the upper edge of the picture area 21, a plurality of openings 36 are formed in the blank, these openings being concealed when the frame 20 is assembled and serving as a simple and convenient means for hanging the picture frame on a wall or the like.

The several securing tabs 33 are arranged to be passed through suitable openings in the main body of the blank to effect assembly of the frame 20, and for this purpose a plurality of slits identified generally as slits 40, 41 and 42 are provided in specific locations and relationships as will be described. Thus two of such slits 40 are provided in and along each of the fold lines 25L and 25R, as will be evident in Fig. 4- of the drawings. The upper slits 40TL and 40TR are so disposed that their lower ends are directly opposite horizontal extensions of the upper border line 121; these slits extend upwardly for a distance substantially equal to the base width of the securing tabs 3ST. Similarly the lower two slots 40BL and 40 BR are disposed so that their upper ends are located opposite horizontal extensions of the lower border line 121, and these lower slots 40BL and 40BR extend downwardly for a distance substantially equal to the base width of the tabs 3313.

The slits 41 are all of a length equal to the base width of the tabs 33L and 33R, and these slits are disposed in alignment with and at opposite ends of the upper and lower border lines 121 of the picture area, and each such slit 41 has one end located at the related corner of the picture area 21. Thus the slit 41TL extends to the left from the upper left corner of the area 21, the slit 41TR extends to the right from the upper right corner of the area 21, the slit 41BL extends to the left from the lower left corner of the area 21, and the slit 41BR extends to the right from the lower right corner of the area 21.

The slits 42 are parallel to the corresponding slits 41 and are spaced therefrom in such a distance that after a tab 33B or 3.3T has been passed through its slit 40, as shown in Fig. 7, such tab 33B or 33T may be extended flat along the rear face of the border portion and will be disposed in the space between the related slits 41 and 42. The slits 42 are, however, spaced from the adjacent main fold line 25B or 2ST, and with this arrangement the related tab 33L or 33R, after insertion through the related slit 41, may be extended across the tab 33B or 33T and may then be bent slightly along the lines 35L and 35R, as shown in Fig. 7, and then inserted at their end into the related slit 42, thereby to lock the tab 3313 or 33T firmly against the back of the assembly.

As above pointed out, the blank 120 may be produced with a printed picture in the picture area thereof, and the blank may be packed and shipped in the flat condition shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Then when the user is to erect or assemble the picture, the several side frame elements are formed by folding the several multiple panel extensions into a hollow form in which the assembly or securing panel 29 is disposed in a concealed position within the hollow frame element, and in the course of this folding and assembly operation in respect to the several side frame elements, the ends of the side frame elements are anchored in their folded or assembled relationship through manipulation of the several securing flaps 33, and the corner edges of the hollow end frame elements are closed by locating the closure flaps 31T and 3113 so that they extend into the ends of the adjacent hollow side frame elements.

The folding and securing operations are performed in what might be termed a predetermined sequence in that the bottom and top frame elements 22B and 22T are first folded and secured in position, and thereafter the other side frame elements 22L and 22R are folded and secured in position as will be described.

The folding and securing operation with respect to the top and bottom frame elements 221 and 22B are substantially the same, and the several operations that are required will be described in detail with respect to the bottom frame elements 2213. Thus the bottom frame element 22B is folded into its assembled form by folding the several panels along fold lines 25B, 28B and 3013, thus to form these panels into substantially the relationship shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and in this relationship it will be noted that the securing panel 293 is located beneath the face panel 27B. The securing tabs 33B are then bent or folded downwardly along the lines 3413 so as to be perpendicular to the securing panel 29B, and the ends of these tabs are then inserted through the slits 40BL and 40BR. The tabs 33BL and 33BR are drawn to their fullest extent through these slits so as to thereby position the securing panel 29B fiat against the related border portion of the blank, and when this has been done, the uniform and continuous edge formed along and by the fold line 30B is located at the lower border line 121 of the picture area 21.

The upper frame element 22T is then folded and secured in position in the menner just described with respect to the lower frame elements.

The two side frame elements 22L and 22R are then folded to their desired form and are secured in position, and since these operations are substantially the same in respect to both of these side frame elements, the operations required will be described in detail only with respect to the formation of the side frame element 22L. Thus the side frame element 22L is formed by folding the left hand multiple panel extension along the fold lines 25L, 28L and 30L and this locates the securing panel 29L underneath face panel 27L in the general relationship shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. When this has been done, the two securing tabs 33L are bent along the fold lines 34L so as to extend downwardly at right angles with respect to the securing panel 29L. The ends of the tabs 33L are then inserted into the slits 41TL and 41BL, and at this point in the operation, the left hand closure flaps 31T and 31B are bent into such positions that they extend into the frame element 22L. In other words, these closure flaps are located so as to bear against the inner face of the side panel 26L as will be evident in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The tabs 33L are then drawn downwardly through the slits to their fullest extent, thus to engage the edge portion of the frame element 22L with the blank at the left hand border 121 of the picture area. When this has been done, the mitered edges 127L extend downwardly and inwardly at an angle along the upper face of the face panels 27B and 27T and this gives the appearance of a mitered corner joint in the frame.

After all of the tabs 33 have been inserted, as above described, the tabs are interlocked in a flat relationship on and against the back of the frame as shown in detail in Fig. 7 of the drawings. Thus, with respect to the particular corner section that is illustrated in Fig. 7, the tab 33B is bent into position against the back of the frame and in this position it extends between the two slits 41BL and 42BL. The tab 33L is then bent toward a flat position wherein it extends across the tab 33B, and the end portion of the tab 33L is bent along the line 35L, as shown in Fig. 7, and is inserted through the slot 42BL so that it assumes what may be termed a locking position, as shown in Fig. 8, and the tab 33L in turn acts to hold the tab 33B in a flat, locked position.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the present invention enables a picture frame made of cardboard or like material to be folded and secured in its assembled relationship without the necessity for using staples or adhesive. Moreover the locking tab arrangement that is afforded in the picture frame of the present invention is simple in character and is adapted to be manipulated readily and easily in the erection of the picture frame.

Thus, while I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, and have described the same as applied to rectangular frames, the same theory and arrangement of locking tabs may be applied to other polygonal shapes, and it will be evident that changes and modifications may be made therein by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A carboard picture frame structure, adapted for assembly by folding and interlocking of tabs, and comprising, in its unassembled form, a one piece blank made from cardboard and providing a rectangular picture area with border areas of equal width formed about and in an uncreased and rigid relation to said picture area, four sets of multiple panel extensions connected along main mold lines to the outer edges of the respective border areas and foldable to form a hollow frame about said picture area and overlying said border areas, each of said multiple panel extensions including a narrow assembly panel adapted to be folded to a concealed position within such hollow frame, each of said assembly panels having elongated securing tabs extended from its opposite ends and connected thereto along fold lines, two oppositely positioned ones of said main fold lines having slits formed therein to receive certain of said securing flaps, and said border areas having two parallel slits formed therein adjacent each corner of the blank to receive the other securing flaps.

2. A carboard picture frame structure adapted for assembly by folding and interlocking of tabs, and comprising, in its unassembled form, a one piece blank made from cardboard and providing a rectangular picture area with border areas of equal width formed about and in an uncreased and rigid relation to said picture area, four sets of multiple panel extensions connected along main fold lines to the outer edges of the respective border areas and foldable to form a hollow frame about said picture area and overlying said border areas, each of said multiple panel extensions including a narrow assembly panel adapted to be folded to a concealed position within such hollow frame, each of said assembly panels having elongated securing tabs extended from its opposite ends and connected thereto along fold lines, two oppositely positioned ones of said main fold lines having slits formed therein adjacent to each corner of said picture area to receive certain of said securing flaps, said border areas having a slit formed therein adjacent each corner of the blank to receive the other securing flaps, and a locking slit formed in said border areas adjacent and in parallel spaced relation to one of the aforesaid slits at each corner whereby a tab passing through such one of the aforesaid slits may be extended over the other tab at such corner and inserted into the related locking slit to hold such other tab flat against the back of the border area.

3. A cardboard picture frame structure adapted for assembly by folding and interlocking of tabs, and comprising, in its unassembled form, a one piece blank made from cardboard and providing a rectangular picture area with border areas of equal width formed about and in an uncreased and rigid relation to said picture area, four sets of multiple panel extensions connected along main fold lines to the outer edges of the respective border areas and foldable to form a hollow frame about said picture area and overlying said border areas, each of said multiple panel extensions including a narrow assembly panel adapted to be folded to a concealed position within such hollow frame, each of said assembly panels having elongated securing tabs extended from its opposite ends and connected thereto along fold lines, said blank having a pair of right angularly related slits formed therein adjacent each corner to receive the respective securing flaps, and said border areas having a plurality of slits formed therein with one such slit disposed parallel and in spaced relation to one of the slits of each of the foregoing pairs to receive and lock the end of one tab at each corner of the frame.

4. A cardboard picture frame structure adapted for assembly by folding and interlocking of tabs, and comprising, in its unassembled form, a one piece blank made from cardboard and providing a rectangular picture area with border areas of equal width formed about and in an uncreased and rigid relation to said picture area, four multiple panel extensions connected along main fold lines tothe outer edges of said border areas at the respective sides of said blank, each of said multiple panel extensions comprising a narrow side panel that is joined as aforesaid by a fold line to the related border area of the blank, a wider face panel connected by a fold line to the related side panel, and a narrow assembly panel connected by a fold line to the related face panel, each of said assembly panels having elongated securing tabs extended from its opposite ends and connected thereto along fold lines, the face panels of two oppositely located extensions having the ends thereof formed in a mitered relation such that the assembly panels thereof are of a length equal to the length of the adjacent side of said picture area, the main fold lines joining the side panels of said two extensions to said border areas having slits formed therein to receive the securing flaps of the other extensions, and said border areas having two parallel slits formed therein adjacent each corner of the blank to receive the securing flaps of the other extensions.

5. A cardboard picture frame adapted for assembly by folding and interlocking of tabs, and comprising, in its unassembled form, a one piece blank made from cardboard and providing a rectangular picture area with border areas of equal Width formed about and in an uncreased and rigid relation to said picture area, a first pair of multiple panel extensions connected along fold lines to the outer edges of said border areas at two opposite sides of said blank, and a second pair of multiple panel extensions connected along fold lines to the outer edges of said border areas at the other two opposite sides of said blank, each of said multiple panel extensions comprising a narrow side panel that is joined as aforesaid by a fold line to the related border area of the blank, a wider face panel connected by a fold line to the related side panel, and a narrow assembly panel connected by a fold line to the related face panel, each of said assembly panels having elongated securing tabs extended from its opposite ends and connected thereto along fold lines, the face panels of a first one of said pairs having the ends thereof formed in a mitered relation such that the assembly panels of said first pair are of a length equal to the length of the adjacent side of said picture area, the fold lines joining the side panels of said first pair to said border areas having slits formed therein to receive the securing I flaps of saidfirst pair, and said borderarea's having two parallel slits formed therein adjacent each corner of the blank to receive the securing fiaps of the second pair of panels:

6. A" cardboard picture frame adapted for assembly by folding and interlocking of tabs, and comprising, in its unassernbled form, a one piece blank made from cardboard and providinga rectangular picture area with border areas of equal width formed about and in an uncreased and rigid relation to said picture area, a first pair of multiple panel extensions connected along fold lines to the outer edges of said border areas at two opposite sides of said blank, and a second pair of multiple panel extensions connected along fold lines to the outer edges of said border areas at the other two opposite sides of said blank, each of said multiple panel extensions comprising a'narrow side panel that is joined as aforesaid by a fold line to the related border area of the blank, a wider face panel connected by a fold line to the related side panel, and a narrow assembly panel connected'by a fold line to the related face panel, saidpanel extensions being foldable to provide fora hollow frame surrounding said picture area and overlying said border areas, closure flaps at the ends of certain of said side panels for closing the corners of the frame, each of said assembly panels having elongated securing tabs extending from its opposite ends and connected thereto along fold lines, the face panels of a first one of said pairs having the. ends thereof formed in a mitered relation such that the assembly panels of said first pair are of a length equal to the adjacent side of said picture area, the fold lines joiningthe sidepanels of said first pair to said border areas having slits formed therein toreceive the securing flaps of said first pair, and

said border areas having two parallel slits-formed-therein adjacent each corner of the blank to receive the securing flaps of the second pair of panels. I

7. A cardboard picture frame structure adapted for assembly by folding and interlocking of tabs, and-comprising, in its unassembled form, a one piece blank made from cardboard and providing a polygonal picture area with border areas of equal width formed about and in an uncreased and rigid relation to said picture area, sets of multiple panel extensions connected respectively along main fold lines to the outer edges of the respective border areas and foldable to form a hollow frame about said picture area and overlying said border areas, eachof said multiple panel extensions including a narrow assembly panel adapted to be folded to a concealed position within such hollow frame, each of said assembly panels having elongated securing tabs extended from its opposite ends and connected thereto along fold lines, said blankhaving a pair of right angularly related slits formed therein adjacent each corner to receive the respective securing flaps, and said border areas having a plurality ofother slits formed therein with one such other slit disposed parallel and in spaced relation to one of the slits of each of the foregoing pairs to receive and-lock the end of one tab at each corner of the frame.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 796,310 Fisher Aug. 1, 1905 2,181,827 Zimmerman Nov; 2 8, 1939 2,562,590 Viglietta July 31, 1951

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