Display frame for photographs and the like and typically credit card-sized

Abstract

A credit card-size plastics display frame defines a front rectangular opening and coplanar side grooves peripherally around this opening for receiving a photograph and a protective window in front thereof, the window being usable as a template to cut an appropriately sized photograph from a standard size picture for insertion in the display frame. The photograph and the window are installed in the frame by front loading through the rectangular opening. The rear wall of the frame defines panels which can be selectively, and reversibly, folded back to form a foot member to allow the frame to stand on a horizontal surface. A diamond-shaped cutout is defined in the rear wall to allow the display frame to be hung on a wall with a nail and to facilitate the removal of the photograph and window from the frame. The display frame is characterized by its universal credit card dimensions, the snap fit front loading mounting of the photograph and window, the reversibly extendible support stands, by the diamond-shaped cutout, and the window which also acts as a template to down-size a standard picture to the required dimensions for the display frame.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A display frame for displaying a sheet-like article, comprising frame means integrally molded in one piece and including front and rear wall means joined together in a slightly spaced apart relationship such that said frame means is substantially thin, said front wall means defining front opening means, attachment means extending inwardly from said front wall means and in a plane thereof for retaining the article on said display frame, said attachment means extending at a forwardmost limit of said frame means, said opening means allowing at least part of the article to be viewed when mounted to said display frame, said front and rear wall means having substantially identical outside dimensions of a length of 86 mm±5 mm and a width of 54 mm±5 mm.  
     
     
         2 . A display frame as defined in    claim 1   , wherein said frame means is of substantially rectangular outline and is adapted to be inserted in credit card-type receiving pockets, said attachment means extending only a short distance from said front wall means, said opening means and said attachment means cooperating for allowing the article to be removably mounted to said display frame by front-loading thereof through said front opening means.  
     
     
         3 . A display frame as defined in    claim 2   , wherein said front wall means comprise front frame-shaped rim means, and wherein said attachment means comprise lip means projecting inwardly from said rim means, whereby the article during insertion through said opening means is adapted to be snapped into engagement behind said lip means.  
     
     
         4 . A display frame as defined in    claim 3   , wherein said lip means are convexly curved and extend between inner corners of said rim means such that a substantially rectangular sheet-like article having corners and at least partly flexible edges therebetween is adapted to be front-loaded into position in said display frame through said opening means with its corners being substantially unobstructingly insertable through said inner corners while its edges are snapped into engagement behind said curved lip means.  
     
     
         5 . A display frame as defined in    claim 1   , wherein said rear wall means defines an opening for allowing the article to be pushed out of said display frame forwardly through said opening means, and wherein said rear wall means is provided at least with one leg means adapted to be reversibly displaced between an inoperative position wherein said leg means is substantially parallel to said rear wall means and an operative position wherein said leg means extends at an angle with respect to said rear wall means for allowing said display frame to be supported at an angle on a horizontal surface.  
     
     
         6 . A display frame as defined in    claim 1   , further comprising template means for use in cutting down to appropriate size a sheet-like article means, said template means including a substantially transparent sheet means for allowing the article to be viewed when the article means has been cut down to size and which is adapted to double as a protective window engageable behind said attachment means and in front of the article.  
     
     
         7 . A display frame for displaying a sheet-like article, comprising attachment means for retaining the article on said display frame, front opening means at a front side of said display frame and including corners, said front opening means allowing at least part of the article to be viewed when mounted to said display frame, said attachment means comprising curved lip means projecting inwardly in said opening means and substantially in a plane thereof, said lip means extending between said corners of said opening means, said front opening means and said attachment means cooperating for allowing the article to be mounted to said display frame by front-loading thereof through said front opening means with edges of the article extending behind said lip means.  
     
     
         8 . A display frame as defined in    claim 7   , wherein said display frame comprises rear wall means and front frame-shaped rim means, and wherein said lip means project inwardly from said rim means, whereby the article during insertion through said opening means is adapted to be removably snapped into engagement behind said lip means.  
     
     
         9 . A display frame as defined in    claim 8   , wherein said lip means are convexly curved and extend between inner corners of said rim means such that a substantially rectangular sheet-like article having corners and at least partly flexible edges therebetween is adapted to be front-loaded into position in said display frame through said opening means with the corners of the rectangular sheet-like article being substantially unobstructingly insertable through said inner corners while edges of the rectangular sheet-like article are snapped into engagement behind said lip means.  
     
     
         10 . A display frame as defined in    claim 8   , wherein said rear wall means defines an opening for allowing the article to be pushed out of said display frame forwardly through said opening means.  
     
     
         11 . A display frame as defined in    claim 8   , wherein said rear wall means is provided at least with one leg means adapted to be reversibly displaced between an inoperative position wherein said leg means is substantially parallel to said rear wall means and an operative position wherein said leg means extends at an angle with respect to said rear wall means for allowing said display frame to be supported at an angle on a horizontal surface.  
     
     
         12 . A display frame as defined in    claim 11   , wherein said display frame is of rectangular shape with at least a pair of said leg means being provided for two adjacent sides thereof for allowing said display frame to be supported along a selected one of a long and a short orientation thereof.  
     
     
         13 . A display frame as defined in    claim 11   , wherein said leg means are pivotally mounted to said rear wall means by way of hinge means integral to said rear wall means and to said leg means and defined by at least one slot means defined in said rear wall means.  
     
     
         14 . A display frame as defined in    claim 8   , further comprising template means for use in cutting down to appropriate size a sheet-like article means, said template means including a substantially transparent sheet means for allowing the article to be viewed when the article means has been cut down to size and which is adapted to double as a protective window engageable behind said lip means and in front of the article.  
     
     
         15 . A display frame as defined in    claim 7   , wherein said display frame has a length of 86 mm±5 mm and a width of 54 mm±5 mm.  
     
     
         16 . A display frame for displaying a sheet-like article, comprising attachment means for retaining the article on said display frame, viewing means for allowing at least part of the article to be viewed when mounted to said display frame, and template means adapted to define limits of the article when cut from a second larger article such that the article is of dimensions appropriate for installation in said display frame.  
     
     
         17 . A display frame as defined in    claim 16   , wherein said template means comprise a substantially transparent sheet means for allowing the article to be viewed when the second larger article has been cut down to size and which is adapted to double as a protective window secured to said display frame by said attachment means and in front of the article.  
     
     
         18 . A display frame for displaying a sheet-like article, comprising attachment means for retaining the article on said display frame, viewing means for allowing at least part of the article to be viewed when mounted to said display frame, and at least one support stand pivotally connected to a rear wall of said display frame along a first pivot axis, said support stand being reversibly pivotable between an inoperative retracted position wherein said support stand is substantially parallel to said rear wall and an operative extended stand position wherein said support stand extends at an angle with respect to said rear wall for allowing said display frame to be supported on a substantially horizontal support surface, said support stand having lock means adapted upon pivot of said support stand from said inoperative retracted position to said operative extended stand position thereof to displace relative to said first pivot axis, wherein in said operative extended stand position, said lock means engage one of said rear wall and said sheet-like article to retain said support stand in said operative extended stand position.  
     
     
         19 . A display frame as defined in    claim 18   , wherein said lock means is pivotally displaceable about a second pivot axis which is, in turn, pivotally displaceable with respect to said first pivot axis.  
     
     
         20 . A display frame as defined in    claim 19   , wherein said support stand includes a proximal end portion which pivots about said first pivot axis, and a distal end portion which pivots about both said first and second pivot axes, said lock means being connected to said distal end portion and extends on the opposite side of said second pivot axis, whereby during a first phase of a displacement of said support stand from said inoperative retracted position to said operative extended stand position, said lock means is pivoted about said first pivot axis, in a second phase, about said second pivot axis and then at a certain time in said second phase, a resiliency of said support stand urges said lock means against one of said rear wall and said sheet-like article.  
     
     
         21 . A display frame as defined in    claim 18   , wherein said support stand is formed by cutout means defined in said rear wall, whereby said support stand is disposed in the plane of said rear wall when displaced to said inoperative retracted position thereof, and whereby said lock means contact said sheet-like article when said support stand is pivoted to said operative extended stand position thereof.  
     
     
         22 . A display frame as defined in    claim 18   , wherein at least a pair of said support stands are symmetrically disposed with respect to a median axis of said display frame for allowing a selected one of said support stand to support said display frame onto the substantially horizontal support surface in a first orientation of said display frame, and for allowing both said support stands to be displaced to said operative extended stand position thereof such that said display frame may be disposed on the substantially horizontal support surface in a second orientation rotated by 90 degrees with respect to said first orientation.