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US 10,307,000 B2Granted
Quick exchange image frame assembly and related methods
AssigneeQik, LLC
InventorJay B. Ward
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure include an image frame assembly including a frame portion defining a viewing window and a backing panel attached to a back of the frame portion. The backing panel includes a hinge portion that rotatably couples the backing panel to the frame portion to allow the frame portion to rotate relative to the backing panel about an axis extending parallel to and proximate to an upper edge of the backing panel, a body portion extending from the hinge portion and configured to cover at least portion of a viewing window of the frame portion, and a plurality of biased members extending from the planar portion and toward the frame portion.
Claims20
An image frame assembly comprising:
- a frame portion defining a viewing window;
- and
- a backing panel attached to a back of the frame portion, the backing panel being a single body of material and comprising:
- a hinge portion that rotatably couples the backing panel to the frame portion to allow the frame portion to rotate relative to the backing panel about an axis extending parallel to and proximate to an upper edge of the backing panel, wherein the hinge portion comprises an upper segment of the backing panel folded along a folding line toward an inner surface of the backing panel that faces the frame portion;
- wall attachment means located on the hinge portion of the backing panel, wherein when the wall attachment means attaches the image frame assembly to a wall the image frame assembly comprises an open position and a closed position, wherein:
- when in the open position, the backing panel is positioned adjacent to, and parallel with, the wall and a lower member of the frame portion is rotated about the axis to a position away from the backing panel to provide an access to an interior of the image frame;
- and
- when in the closed position, the backing panel is positioned adjacent to, and parallel with, the wall and the lower member of the frame portion is rotated about the axis to a position proximate the backing panel so that the frame portion is parallel with the backing panel;
- a body portion extending from the hinge portion and having an area that at least partially fits within the viewing window defined by the frame portion when the image frame assembly is in the closed position;
- and
- a plurality of biased members extending from the body portion and toward the viewing window when the image frame assembly is in the closed position.
8 more elements
An image frame assembly comprising:
- a frame portion defining a viewing window;
- a transparent panel disposed within the viewing window of the frame portion;
- and
- a backing panel attached to the frame portion and having an area that at least partially fits within the viewing window, the backing panel being a single body of material and comprising:
- a hinge portion that rotatably couples the backing panel to the frame portion to allow the frame portion and the transparent panel to rotate relative to the backing panel, wherein the hinge portion comprises an upper segment of the backing panel folded along a folding line toward an inner surface of the backing panel that faces the frame portion;
- and
- wall attachment means located on the hinge portion of the backing panel, wherein when the wall attachment means attaches the image frame assembly to a wall the image frame assembly comprises an open position and a closed position, wherein:
- when in the open position, the backing panel is positioned adjacent to, and parallel with, the wall and a lower member of the frame portion is rotated to a position away from the backing panel to provide an access to an interior of the image frame;
- and
- when in the closed position, the backing panel is positioned adjacent to, and parallel with, the wall and the lower member of the frame portion is rotated to a position proximate the backing panel so that the frame portion is parallel with the backing panel.
7 more elements
A method of making an image frame assembly, the method comprising:
- forming a frame portion defining a viewing window;
- forming a plurality of biased members in a body portion of a backing panel of the image frame assembly;
- forming a hinge portion on the backing panel, wherein the hinge portion comprises an upper segment of the backing panel folded along a folding line toward an inner surface of the backing panel that faces the frame portion;
- and
- coupling the upper segment of the hinge portion of the backing panel to the frame portion while leaving the body portion of the backing panel unattached from the frame assembly to create an open position and a closed position of the image frame assembly when the image frame assembly is attached to a wall, wherein:
- when in the open position, the backing panel is positioned adjacent to, and parallel with, the wall and a lower member of the frame portion is rotated to a position away from the backing panel to provide an access to an interior of the image frame;
- and
- when in the closed position, the backing panel is positioned adjacent to, and parallel with, the wall and the lower member of the frame portion is rotated to a position proximate the backing panel so that the frame portion is parallel with the backing panel.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.