Frame assembly for attachment to a commercially available picture frame

Abstract

The present invention provides frame assembly devices for attachment to a commercially available picture frame that allows for the quick and easy insertion or removal of an item of display in the picture frame. The present invention also provides a method for adapting an assembled commercially available picture frame to allow display materials to be quickly and easily inserted and removed from the picture frame.

1 . A frame assembly for attachment to a commercially available picture frame that allows for the easy replacement of an item for display within said picture frame, said frame assembly comprising: 
 (a) an upper frame assembly member, a lower frame assembly member, and opposing side frame assembly members, each of said frame assembly members having a horizontal flange and a vertical flange, said horizontal and vertical flanges connected at a right angle, each of said horizontal flanges having an upper face and a lower face, each of said vertical flanges having an inner face and an outer face;    (b) a back cover hingeably connected to one frame assembly member, said back cover having a front side and a rear side, said hingeable connection allowing said back cover to be opened and closed.    
   
   
       2 . A frame assembly according to  claim 1  wherein a compressible material is affixed to said front side of said back cover, said compressible material having an exposed face and an opposed face that is affixed to said front side of said back cover, said compressible material and said back cover having a combined thickness equal to or greater than the depth of said vertical flange.  
   
   
       3 . A frame assembly according to  claim 2  wherein said exposed face of said compressible material is covered with a decorative material.  
   
   
       4 . A frame assembly according to  claim 3  wherein said decorative material is selected from the group consisting of fabric, plastic, metal, wood, paint, or paper or two or more of these materials.  
   
   
       5 . A frame assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said back cover is provided with one or more tabs that are affixed to or form part of said rear surface of said back cover, said tabs extending beyond a perimetric edge of said back cover such that when said back cover is in a closed position each of said tabs rests on an upper face of a horizontal flange of a frame member.  
   
   
       6 . A frame assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said frame assembly further comprises means for fastening said back cover in a closed position, said fastening means also allowing said back cover to be opened.  
   
   
       7 . A frame assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said means for fastening is a hinged fastener.  
   
   
       8 . A frame assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said frame assembly further comprises means for hanging said frame on a wall, said means being affixed to an upper face of a horizontal flange of one or more frame assembly member.  
   
   
       9 . A frame assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said frame assembly members are made of a material selected from the group consisting of metal, a plastic material, a composite material, a carbon fiber material or wood.  
   
   
       10 . A frame assembly for attachment to a commercially available picture frame that allows for the easy replacement of an item for display within said picture frame, said frame assembly comprising: 
 (a) an upper frame assembly member, a lower frame assembly member, and opposing side frame assembly members, at least two of said frame assembly members having a horizontal flange and each of said frame assembly members having a vertical flange, said horizontal and vertical flanges connected at a right angle, each of said horizontal flanges having an upper face and a lower face, each of said vertical flanges having an inner face and an outer face;    (b) a back cover hingeably connected to one frame assembly member, said back cover having a front side and a rear side, said hingeable connection allowing said back cover to be opened and closed.    
   
   
       11 . A frame assembly for attachment to a commercially available picture frame that allows for the easy replacement of an item for display within said picture frame, said frame assembly comprising: 
 (a) an upper frame assembly member, a lower frame assembly member, and opposing side frame assembly members, each of said frame assembly members having a horizontal flange and at least two of said frame assembly members having a vertical flange, said horizontal and vertical flanges connected at a right angle, each of said horizontal flanges having an upper face and a lower face, each of said vertical flanges having an inner face and an outer face;    (b) a back cover hingeably connected to one frame assembly member, said back cover having a front side and a rear side, said hingeable connection allowing said back cover to be opened and closed.    
   
   
       12 . A method for adapting an assembled commercially available picture frame to allow display materials to be easily and quickly inserted and removed from said picture frame, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing an assembled commercially available picture frame, said picture frame comprising an upper picture frame member, a lower picture frame member and opposing side picture frame members, said picture frame having a rear frame face, said rear frame face having an inner edge, said rear frame face having a recess along said inner edge, said recess having a depth and a width, said recess further having a vertical face and a horizontal face;    (b) providing a transparent panel sized to fit within the recess in said rear frame face, said panel being supported by said horizontal face of said recess;    (c) providing a frame assembly, said frame assembly comprising an upper frame assembly member, a lower frame assembly member, opposing side frame assembly members, each of said frame assembly members having a horizontal flange and a vertical flange, said horizontal and vertical flanges being connected at a right angle, said horizontal flange have an upper face and a lower face, said vertical flange having an inner face and an outer face, said vertical flange having a depth dimension that is less than the depth of said recess in said picture frame, said frame assembly further having a back cover hingeably connected to one frame member, said back cover having a front side and a rear side, said hingeable connection allowing said back cover to be opened and closed;    (d) mating said frame assembly with said picture frame such that each lower face of each horizontal flange rests on said rear frame face of said picture frame, and the outer face of each of said vertical flanges is positioned adjacent to said vertical face of said recess;    (e) affixing said frame assembly to said picture frame by fastening means.