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(11) | EP 1 050 254 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Photograph frame assembly with a slidable and rotatable supporting member |
| (57) A photograph frame assembly includes a photograph frame (20), a back plate (30) secured
to the photograph frame (20), and a supporting member (S) which is retained on the
back plate (30) by means of a retainer (70). The back plate (30) has three interconnected
sides (301, 302) which are arranged as a U-shape, and a slide slot unit, which is
formed therethrough and which has an enlarged portion. The retainer (70) extends through
the slide slot unit in the back plate (30) to couple with the supporting member (S),
thereby retaining the supporting member (S) on the back plate (30). The supporting
member (S) supports the back plate (30) in an inclined position, and can be folded
on the back plate (30). The retainer (70) is capable of moving along the slide slot
unit in the back plate (30), and of rotating within the enlarged portion of the slide
slot unit so that the retainer (70) can be moved to any position in the slide slot
unit, thereby aligning a selected one of the three interconnected sides (301, 302)
of the back plate (30) with a horizontal bottom side (S2) of the supporting member
(S). |
[0001] This invention relates to a photograph frame assembly with a supporting member for supporting a photograph frame in an inclined position, more particularly to a rectangular photograph frame assembly which has a slidable and rotatable supporting member that can be adjusted to contact a selected one of three sides of a photograph frame with a support, such as a desk top, when supporting the photograph frame.
2. Field of the Related Art
[0002] Referring to Fig. 1, a conventional photograph frame assembly is shown to include a rectangular photograph frame 10, a back plate 11, a hinge unit 12, and a supporting member 13. The supporting member 13 is mounted rotatably on a rear side surface of the back plate 11 by means of the hinge unit 12, and has a V-shaped lower end portion, which includes an inclined first side 131 and an inclined second side 132. The photograph frame 10 and the back plate 11 can be supported by the supporting member 23 in a first position shown in Fig. 1, where a short side 112 of the back plate 11 is aligned with the inclined first side 131 of the supporting member 13, or a second position shown in Fig. 2, where a long side 113 of the back plate 11 is aligned with the inclined second side 132 of the supporting member 13. When the aforesaid conventional photograph frame is supported on a desk, only two choices can be effected on the relative positions between the supporting member 3 and the back plate 11, thereby failing to satisfy the needs of the user.
[0003] The object of this invention is to provide a rectangular photograph frame assembly with a slidable and rotatable supporting member, which can be adjusted to contact a selected one of three sides of a photograph frame with a support, such as a desk top, when supporting the frame.
[0004] According to this invention, a photograph frame assembly includes a photograph frame, a back plate secured to the photograph frame, and a supporting member which is retained on the back plate by means of a retainer. The back plate has three interconnected sides which are arranged as a U-shape, and a slide slot unit, which is formed therethrough and which has an enlarged portion. The retainer extends through the slide slot unit in the back plate to couple with the supporting member, thereby retaining the supporting member on the back plate. The supporting member supports the back plate in an inclined position, and can be folded on the back plate. If desired, the retainer is capable of moving along the slide slot unit in the back plate, and of rotating within the enlarged portion of the slide slot unit to align a selected one of three interconnected sides of the back plate with a horizontal bottom side of the supporting member.
[0005] Other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate two relative positions of a supporting member and a back plate of a conventional photograph frame assembly;
Fig. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a photograph frame assembly according to this invention;
Fig. 4 is a partly exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment;
Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment;
Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred embodiment;
Fig. 7 is a schematic view illustrating how a retainer is rotated within an enlarged end portion of a large slide slot in a back plate of the preferred embodiment;
Figs. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate three relative positions between a supporting member and the back plate of the preferred embodiment; and
Fig. 11 illustrates how the supporting member is folded on the back plate.
[0006] Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the preferred embodiment of a photograph frame assembly according to this invention is shown. The assembly includes a rectangular photograph frame 20, a rectangular back plate 30, and a supporting member (S), which consists of a triangular plate 40, an annular fixed element 50, and a movable element 60. The supporting member (S) is retained on the back plate 30 by means of a retainer 70. The fixed element 50 and the movable element 60 are unitary, and are made of plastic.
[0007] The back plate 30 has two parallel straight first sides 301, and a straight second side 302, which is connected perpendicularly to the first sides 301 at two ends thereof. The first and second sides 301, 302 are arranged as a U-shape. In this embodiment, the first sides 301 are longer than the second side 302. A slide slot unit is formed through the back plate 30, and includes a closed small slide slot 31 and a closed large slide slot 32 that extend in a direction parallel to the first sides 301 of the back plate 30. The large slide slot 32 is formed in a front side surface of the back plate 30, and has a uniform-width portion 33 and an enlarged end portion 34, which is sized to permit rotation of the retainer 70 therein, as shown in Fig. 7. The uniform-width portion 33 is defined by two parallel side walls 35. The small slide slot 31 is formed in a rear side surface of the back plate 30, and has a width and length that are smaller than those of the large slide slot 32. Furthermore, the small slide slot 31 is located in and communicated with the large slide slot 32, and extends into the enlarged end portion 34 of the large slide slot 32.
[0008] The supporting member (S) has a coupling upper end portion (S1) and a horizontal bottom side (S2), and supports the back plate 30 in an inclined position.
[0009] The retainer 70 extends through the slide slot unit in the back plate 30 to couple with the coupling upper end portion (S1) of the supporting member (S), and is capable of moving in the slide slot unit and rotating within the enlarged end portion 34 of the large slide slot 32 to align a selected one of the first and second sides 301, 302 of the back plate 30 with the horizontal bottom side (S2) of the supporting member (S).
[0010] Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, the retainer 70 includes a plate body 70' and a screw 71. The plate body 70' has two opposite long sides 701, 701', and a generally rectangular insert 702 with two opposite short sides 703. Two opposed blocking arms 74 extend respectively and integrally from two opposite sides of the insert 702, and are located respectively at two end portions of the long side 701'. The long side 701 has two ends, which are connected respectively and perpendicularly to the short sides 703. The distances between the long sides 701 and 701' and between the short sides 703 are slightly smaller than the width of the uniform-width portion 33 of the large slide slot 31 in the back plate 30.
[0011] The retainer 70 is movable between a first position shown in Fig. 8 and a second position shown in Fig. 9 or 10. When the retainer 70 is located at the first position, the insert 702 is inserted into the uniform-width portion 33 of the large slide slot 31 in such a manner that the short sides 703 of the insert 702 abut respectively against the side walls 35 of the uniform-width portion 33 of the large slide slot 32. In this situation, the blocking arms 74 are located within the enlarged end portion 34 of the large slide slot 31 to prevent the retainer 70 from moving entirely into the uniform-width portion 33 of the large slide slot 31. As such, the horizontal bottom side (S2) of the supporting member (S) is aligned with the second side 302 of the back plate 30.
[0012] When the retainer 70 is located at the second position, the retainer 70 is engaged entirely within the uniform-width portion 33 of the large slide slot 31. In this situation, the long sides 701, 701' abut respectively against the side walls 35 of the uniform-width portion 33 of the large slide slot 31. As such, the horizontal bottom side (S2) of the supporting member (S) can be aligned with a selected one of the first sides 301 of the back plate 30 by adjusting the relative position between the long sides 701, 701' of the retainer 70.
[0013] Referring to Figs. 5, 6 and 11, the plate body 70' has a rear side surface which is formed with a generally semicircular groove 72, and a front side surface, which is formed with a fastener hole 73 and which is communicated with the generally semicircular groove 72 in the rear side surface of the plate body 70'.
[0014] The triangular plate 40 has a flat front side surface 401, a flat rear side surface 402, an accommodating hole 41 formed through an upper end portion of the plate 40, and an inclined abutment surface 42. The abutment surface 42 is at an angle to the flat front and rear side surfaces 401, 402, and abuts against the rear side surface of the back plate 30.
[0015] The fixed element 50 is adhered into the accommodating hole 41 in the triangular plate 40, and has a central hole 51 formed therethrough, and an inclined abutment surface 52, which abuts against the rear side surface of the back plate 30 and which is flush with the inclined abutment surface 42 of the triangular plate 40. In the central hole 51, two opposed horizontal upper projections 53, and two opposed horizontal lower projections 54 are formed on the fixed element 50. The lower projections 54 are located under the upper projections 53, respectively.
[0017] The rear section 61 extends slidably into the central hole 51 in the fixed element 50, and has twovertical side surfaces each of which has a retaining slot 611. The retaining slots 611 receive respectively and slidably the upper projections 53 of the fixed element 50 therein to retain the movable element 60 on the fixed element 50. Two spaced-apart legs 612 protrude integrally and downwardly from two opposite sides of a rear end portion of the rear section 61.
[0018] The disk 62 is formed integrally with a front end portion of the rear section 61, and abuts against the rear side surface of the back plate 30 at a periphery of the disk 62.
[0019] The front section 63 is formed integrally with the disk 62 at a rear end portion thereof, and has a generally semicircular-cross-sectioned front end portion 631 and a front end surface which is formed with a threaded hole 64 (see Fig. 4).
[0020] The screw 71 extends rotatably through the fastener hole 73 and the generally semicircular hole 72 of the plate body 70' and the small and large slide slots 31, 32 in the back plate 30 to engage the threaded hole 64 in the front section 63 of the movable element 60, thereby retaining the movable element 60 on the back plate 30. Because the distance between the disk 62 and the plate body 70' is longer than the depth of the small slide slot 31, the retainer 70 can slide and rotate in the small and large slide slots 31, 32 in the back plate 30.
[0021] Referring to Fig. 11, the supporting member (S) can be turned from a supporting position shown in phantom lines, where the back plate 30 is supported in an inclined position, to a folded position shown in solid lines.
[0022] To position the supporting member (S) on the back plate 30, the lower projections 54 of the fixed element 50 are movable relative to the back plate 30 between a first position shown in phantom lines, where the lower projections 54 abut respectively against the rear faces of the legs 612 of the movable element 60 to locate the supporting member (S) at the supporting position, and a second position, where the lower projections 54 abut respectively against the front faces of the legs 612 of the movable element 60 to locate the supporting member (S) at the folded position. The lower projections 54 of the fixed elements 50 and the legs 612 of the movable elements constitute a positioning device, which locates the supporting member (S) at either of the supporting position and the folded position.
[0023] Since the fixed element 50 and the movable element 60 are made of plastic, the upper projections 53 of the fixed element 50 can be easily inserted into the retaining slots 611 in the movable element 60 to couple the fixed element 50 and the movable element 60 together, and the lower projections 54 of the fixed element 50 can be moved between the first position behind the legs 612 of the movable elements 60 and the second position in front of the legs 612 of the movable elements 60.
the backplate (30) having two parallel straight first sides (301), a straight second side (302) connected perpendicularly to the first sides (301) at two ends thereof in such a manner that the first and second sides (301, 302) are arranged as a U-shape, a front side surface (401) which is secured to the photograph frame (20), a rear side surface (402), and a slide slot unit, which is formed through the back plate (30) and which extends in a direction parallel to one of the first and second sides (301, 302) of the back plate (30), the slide slot unit having an enlarged portion;
the supporting member (S) having a coupling upper end portion (S1) and a horizontal bottom side (S2) and located at a supporting position to support the back plate (30) in an inclined position, the supporting member (S) being movable to a folded position inwhich the supporting member (S) is folded on the back plate (30) ;
a retainer (70) extending through the slide slot unit in the back plate (30) to couple with the coupling upper end portion (S1) of the supporting member (S) to retain the supporting member (S) on the back plate (30), the retainer (70) being movable within the slide slot unit in the back plate (30) and rotating within the enlarged portion of the slide slot unit so that the retainer (70) can be moved to any position in the slide slot unit, thereby aligning a selected one of the first and second sides of the back plate (30) with the horizontal bottom side (S2) of the supporting member (S); and
a positioning device for positioning the supporting member (S) relative to the back plate (30).
a unitary annular plastic fixed element (50) secured within the accommodating hole (41) in the triangular plate (40) and having a central hole (51) formed through the fixed element (50), two opposed horizontal upper projection formed in the central hole (51), and two opposed horizontal lower projections (54) formed in the central hole (51) under the upper projections (53); and
a unitary plastic movable element (60) including
a rear section (61) extending slidably into the central hole (51) in the fixed element (50) and having two vertical side surfaces,
two retaining slots (611) which are formed respectively in the side surfaces of the rear section (61) to receive respectively and slidably the upper projections (53) of the fixed element (50) therein,
two spaced-apart legs (612) protruding integrally and downwardly from two opposite sides of a rear end portion of the rear section (61), each of the legs (612) having a front face and a rear face which is opposite to the front face,
a middle disk (62) formed integrally with a front end portion of the rear section (61) and abutting against the rear side surface (402) of the back plate (30) at a periphery of the disk (62); and
a front section (63) formed integrally with the disk (62) at a rear end portion thereof and having a generally semicircular-cross-sectioned front end portion (631) which engages fittingly the semicircular groove (72) in the retainer (70), and a front end surface in which the threaded hole (64) is formed, the screw (71) extending through the fastener hole (73) and the generally semicircular hole (72) in the plate body (70') and the large and small slide slots (32, 31) in the back plate (30) to engage the threaded hole (64) in the front section (63), thereby retaining the movable element (60) on the back plate (30) ;
the lower projections (54) of the fixed element (50) being movable relative to the back plate (30) between a first position, where the lower projections (54) of the fixed element (50) abut respectively against the rear faces of the legs (612) of the movable element (60) to locate the supporting member (S) at the supporting position, and a second position, where the lower projections (54) of the fixed element (50) abut respectively against the front faces of the legs (612) of the movable element (60) to locate the supporting member (S) at the folded position, the lower projections (54) of the fixed element (50) and the legs (612) of the movable element (60) constituting the positioning device.