Device for and method of holding and displaying sheet articles

Abstract

A display device includes a foam panel resiliently bendable from a generally planar configuration to an arcuate configuration, a sheet article, such as a picture, including a base sheet bearing an image to be displayed, and an adhesive carrier for adhering the base sheet in surface area contact with the foam panel. The base sheet is non-stretchable to hold and maintain the foam panel in the arcuate configuration, thereby enabling viewing of the image in curved form. A frame of a resilient foam material may peripherally surround the foam panel in the generally planar configuration with an interchangeable, compression fit. The foam panel self-conforms to any irregularities on a support surface against which the foam panel is directly mounted.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A front-loading display device, comprising:
 a frame consisting of a resilient foam material having generally planar, interior wall surfaces bounding an interior opening that extends along a loading direction from a front to a rear of the frame, the interior wall surfaces extending along mutually parallel planes along the loading direction, the interior opening having interior peripheral dimensions; and   an assembly including a generally planar sheet article bearing an image to be displayed, and a light-transmissive, generally planar, front cover overlying the image, the cover having exterior peripheral dimensions greater than the interior peripheral dimensions of the interior opening, the sheet article being freely inserted through the front of the frame along the loading direction into the interior opening, the front cover also being inserted through the front of the frame along the loading direction into the interior opening until the front cover is compression fit solely by the interior wall surfaces and is held in the interior opening solely by the interior wall surfaces at a periphery of the front cover, and the image being surrounded by the frame and visible through the front cover.   
     
     
         2 . The front-loading display device of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly includes a generally planar back panel behind the sheet article. 
     
     
         3 . The front-loading display device of  claim 2 , wherein the back panel is constituted of a flexible, water-resistant, non-laminated, foam material. 
     
     
         4 . The front-loading display device of  claim 3 , wherein the back panel is adhered to the sheet article. 
     
     
         5 . The front-loading display device of  claim 1 , and an adhesive strip for mounting the device to a generally upright, rear support surface at the rear of the frame, and wherein the sheet article is freely inserted through the front of the frame along the loading direction into the interior opening while the display device is mounted to the generally upright, rear support surface. 
     
     
         6 . The front-loading display device of  claim 5 , wherein the adhesive strip is mounted between the frame and the generally upright, rear support surface. 
     
     
         7 . The front-loading display device of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is interchangeably mounted with another frame. 
     
     
         8 . The front-loading display device of  claim 1 , wherein the frame is an inner matting frame; and further comprising an outer frame of a rigid material and framing the inner matting frame. 
     
     
         9 . The front-loading display device of  claim 1 , and a laminate of a rigid material adhered on an outer surface of the frame. 
     
     
         10 . A front-loading display device, comprising:
 an outer frame;   an inner matting frame framed by the outer frame and consisting of a resilient foam material having generally planar, interior wall surfaces bounding an interior opening that extends along a loading direction from a front to a rear of the inner frame, the interior wall surfaces extending along mutually parallel planes along the loading direction, the interior opening having interior peripheral dimensions, the inner frame further having outer surfaces facing the front of the inner frame;   a laminate of a material more rigid than the inner frame and laminated to the outer surfaces of the inner frame; and   an assembly including a generally planar sheet article bearing an image to be displayed, and a light-transmissive, generally planar, front cover overlying the image, the cover having exterior peripheral dimensions greater than the interior peripheral dimensions of the interior opening, the sheet article being freely inserted through the front of the inner frame along the loading direction into the interior opening, the front cover also being inserted through the front of the inner frame along the loading direction into the interior opening until the front cover is compression fit solely by the interior wall surfaces and is held in the interior opening solely by the interior wall surfaces at a periphery of the front cover, and the image being surrounded by the inner frame and visible through the front cover.   
     
     
         11 . The front-loading display device of  claim 10 , wherein the outer frame is made of a rigid material. 
     
     
         12 . The front-loading display device of  claim 10 , wherein the laminate is made of a plastic material. 
     
     
         13 . The front-loading display device of  claim 10 , and a generally planar back panel behind the sheet article. 
     
     
         14 . The front-loading display device of  claim 10 , and an adhesive strip for mounting the device to a generally upright, rear support surface, and wherein the sheet article is freely inserted through the front of the inner frame along the loading direction into the interior opening while the display device is mounted to the generally upright, rear support surface.