picture frames

Abstract

Picture frame (1) comprising a picture glass (3; 3a) made of a plastic and enclosed in a one-piece picture frame base frame (2; 2a) made of a plastic, wherein the picture frame base frame (2; 2a) is produced in layers in the thickness direction (22) and has a groove (5; 5a) with a U-shaped cross section for receiving the picture glass (3; 3a), wherein U-legs (15, 16; 15a; 16a) of the U-shaped receiving groove encompass an edge section (14; 14a) of the picture glass (3; 3a), characterized in that the U-legs (15, 16; 15a; 16a) are integrally connected to the picture glass (3; 3a) made of a plastic.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a picture frame comprising a picture glass made of plastic and enclosed in a one-piece picture frame base frame made of plastic, wherein the picture frame base frame is produced in layers in the thickness direction and has a groove which is U-shaped in cross section for receiving the picture glass, wherein U-legs of the U-shaped receiving groove encompass an edge section of the picture glass.

[0002] Picture frames are known from JP 2003 88 455 A, US 5 400 533 A, DE 20 2011 001 632 U1, DE 102 39 663 A1 and EP 3 750 692 A1.

[0003] Picture frames are known in use that are constructed in three parts and comprise a base frame, a back panel, and a picture glass. The picture glass rests against one side of the base frame, i.e., the back panel, and is held in place by the back panel.

[0004] From CN 205457694 U a two-part picture frame with a relief is known, both parts being manufactured by 3D printing.

[0005] The invention is based on the object of creating a picture frame of the type mentioned above, in which the picture glass and the picture frame base frame form a structural unit.

[0006] According to the invention, the object is achieved in that the U-legs are integrally connected to the picture glass made of a plastic.

[0007] This is particularly advantageous for picture frame base frames which are made of a plastic and which are intended to receive a picture glass which is made of a plastic.

[0008] A picture glass within the meaning of this invention can be any transparent, preferably plate-shaped element in the wavelength range of visible light that is suitable for use with a picture frame. The picture glass is made of a plastic material such as so-called acrylic glass.

[0009] The picture frame base is made of a plastic, preferably biodegradable. Plastics, especially thermoplastics, are particularly well-suited for 3D printing.

[0010] By using a biodegradable plastic, a sustainable picture frame is created.

[0011] By inserting the picture glass into the U-shaped receiving groove, it is advantageously ensured that the picture glass is held securely in the picture frame base. In a picture frame according to the invention, the picture frame base and the picture glass thus form a single structural unit.

[0012] The receiving groove, which is U-shaped in cross-section, comprises a base leg that connects the two U-legs. It is understood that the U-legs can be thicker than they are long. Preferably, the U-legs extend perpendicular to the base leg, and the inner sides of the U-legs are parallel to each other.

[0013] Soiling of the picture glass when inserting a picture, for example through fingerprints, is prevented by the fact that the picture glass does not have to be touched and inserted into the picture frame base frame as is known from the prior art and held in the picture frame by a picture frame back panel. The U-legs are particularly rigid.

[0014] Preferably, the distance from the inside of the U-legs corresponds to a maximum of the thickness of the picture glass.

[0015] The receiving groove, which is U-shaped in cross section, is expediently designed as a circumferential groove extending over an inner side of the picture frame base frame, wherein receiving groove sections extending over opposite inner side sections are preferably designed identically in cross section.

[0016] The U-shaped legs of the circumferential receiving groove completely encompass the edge areas of the picture glass. Because the receiving groove extends circumferentially around the inside of the picture frame base, a closed grooved ring is formed, with a receiving groove opening extending across one side of the ring.

[0017] The fact that opposite inner side sections have receiving groove sections that are identically designed makes production particularly simple.

[0018] It is understood that identically designed receiving groove sections that extend across two opposite inner side sections may differ from receiving groove sections that extend across two other, opposite inner side sections. This may be the case, for example, with a rectangular picture frame. It is also understood that the circumferential receiving groove may have interruptions, i.e., areas where no or only one U-shaped leg is provided in the cross-section. This advantageously allows for material savings during production.

[0019] In one embodiment of the invention, the receiving groove, which is U-shaped in cross-section, is designed as a circumferential groove extending across an inner side of the picture frame base frame. U-shaped legs of groove sections extending across opposite inner side sections have a locking groove on one side of the picture, which is designed to receive a locking means of a picture frame back panel. The picture frame back panel secures a picture inserted into the picture frame against falling out. The locking means can, for example, have pivotable locking arms that are pivoted into the locking groove to secure the picture frame back panel.

[0020] It is understood that the picture frame backing may include a means by which the picture frame can be attached to a wall or placed on a surface such as a table.

[0021] In a further embodiment of the invention, a first U-leg of the U-shaped receiving groove arranged on a visible side is longer than a second U-leg of the U-shaped receiving groove arranged on a picture side of the picture glass, wherein an outer side of the first U-leg forms a visible side region of the picture frame base frame.

[0022] The viewing side of the picture frame or picture glass is the side that a person looking at a picture in the picture frame looks at.

[0023] The picture side of the picture glass is facing away from the visible side and is the side against which a picture inserted into the picture frame rests.

[0024] When the picture frame is used as intended, a visible side area is an area that is visible to a person looking at the picture frame and can, for example, be designed as a design area.

[0025] It's conceivable that the picture frame could be designed as a so-called frameless picture frame, meaning it has a very narrow base frame. This advantageously creates a particularly compact picture frame.

[0026] The one-piece picture frame base frame is advantageously manufactured using an additive manufacturing process, in particular 3D printing. The assembly of individual components to form the picture frame base frame is advantageously not required. The picture frame according to the invention is therefore particularly easy to customize.

[0027] In one embodiment of the invention, the picture frame base frame is manufactured layer by layer in the thickness direction from a visible side to a back side. During production, which is preferably carried out using an additive process such as 3D printing, the picture frame base frame is produced layer by layer in the thickness direction and in strips within each layer. Advantageously, the picture glass can already be incorporated into the picture frame base frame during production in order to be surrounded by a material from which the picture frame base frame is made by forming the second U-leg to form the receiving groove.

[0028] In a further embodiment of the invention, the receiving groove is formed as an undercut in the thickness direction of the picture frame base frame. Because the U-shaped legs preferably extend perpendicularly or with a perpendicular directional component to a thickness direction of the picture frame base frame, an undercut is formed as viewed in the thickness direction. Such an undercut, which forms the receiving groove and into which the picture glass is inserted, cannot be produced using a conventional manufacturing process for plastic picture frames, such as injection molding. Advantageously, a one-piece picture frame is created, which cannot be produced using methods known from the prior art.

[0029] In a further embodiment of the invention, the picture glass is designed as a stiffening element that increases the torsional rigidity of the picture frame base frame. Advantageously, a picture frame can be created that has a delicate base frame, i.e., is frameless, yet is sufficiently stable for its intended use.

[0030] It goes without saying that the picture glass can also increase the bending strength of the picture frame base frame.

[0031] In one embodiment of the invention, the picture frame base frame has a hollow space into which a support frame is preferably inserted. This advantageously allows for a manufacturing process to be accelerated, particularly when the picture frame is manufactured using an additive process such as 3D printing. At the same time, material savings are possible.

[0032] By inserting a support frame into the cavity, a lightweight, highly rigid picture frame is advantageously created. The support frame can, for example, comprise interconnected rod-shaped support elements, which are connected to the inside of the cavity by rod ends.

[0033] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings relating to the exemplary embodiments. They show: Fig. 1 An embodiment of a picture frame according to the invention in several views, Fig. 2 Exemplary process steps of an additive manufacturing process for producing the embodiment according to Fig. 1.

[0034] One in Fig. 1a in an exploded view and in Fig. 1b and Fig. 1c, a rectangular picture frame 1 shown schematically in cross-section comprises a one-piece picture frame base frame 2 3D-printed from plastic, a picture glass 3 formed from so-called acrylic glass and, in this embodiment, a 3D-printed picture frame back panel 4.

[0035] The picture frame base frame 2 has a circumferential U-shaped cross-section and in Fig. 1b and Fig. 1c, which extends over an inner side 6 of the picture frame base frame 2 across four picture frame base frame sides 7, 8. Receiving groove sections 9 of the circumferential receiving groove 5, which extend over opposite inner side sections 11, are identical in cross-section. Receiving groove sections 10 of the circumferential receiving groove 5, which extend over opposite inner side sections 12, are also identical in cross-section. The receiving groove sections 9 and 10 are designed differently from one another in this exemplary embodiment.

[0036] In the Fig. 1b (section AA from Fig. 1a)) and Fig. 1c (section BB from Fig. 1a)) the picture glass 3 is inserted into the receiving groove sections 9, 10 of the circumferential receiving groove 5.

[0037] The advantage is that a particularly compact picture frame is created.

[0038] In this embodiment, one end face of the picture glass 3 is located on a base leg 13 of the Fig. 1b and an edge section 14 of the picture glass 3 is encompassed by two U-legs 15, 16, wherein a first 15 of the two U-legs is longer than a second 16 of the two U-legs 15, 16.

[0039] It is conceivable that the picture glass 3 does not rest against the base leg 13, but rather a gap is formed between the base leg 13 and the picture glass 3.

[0040] An outer side 17 of the first U-leg 15 forms a visible side area of a visible side 18. The second U-leg 16 is thicker than the first leg 15 and has a locking groove 19 with a triangular cross section, which is used to receive a Fig. 1 not shown locking means of the picture frame back wall 4.

[0041] One end face of the picture glass 3 lies against a base leg 13 of the Fig. 1c and an edge section 14 of the picture glass 3 is encompassed by two U-legs 15, 16, wherein a first 15 of the two U-legs is longer than a second 16 of the two U-legs 15, 16. The base leg 13 of the U-leg 13 runs partially obliquely to the two U-legs 15, 16, so that the picture glass 3 only rests against the picture glass in a contact area 20.

[0042] When the picture frame base frame 2 is manufactured using 3D printing, the contact area 20 forms a stop against which the picture glass 3 rests during production for its correct positioning in the picture frame base frame 2. Because the contact area 20 is provided on opposite inner side sections 12, particularly precise positioning is possible.

[0043] The picture frame base frame 2 also has a cavity 21 extending in the circumferential direction of the picture frame base frame 2.

[0044] It will now Fig. 2 where identical or equivalent parts are identified by the same reference number as in Fig. 1 and the relevant reference number is preceded by the letter a.

[0045] One in Fig. The picture frame base frame 2a, shown schematically in cross-section in section in FIG. 2a, is finished by 3D printing, in which additive manufacturing takes place layer by layer in the thickness direction (arrow 22) from a visible side 18a to a rear side 23, to such an extent that a first leg 15a and a base leg 13a of a receiving groove section 9a are fully formed. A picture glass 3a, shown in section in cross-section, rests against the base leg 13a.

[0046] The picture glass 3a is only inserted into the picture frame base frame 2a after the base leg 13a has been formed, that is, when a top side of the picture glass and the base leg are aligned as shown in Fig. 2a are flush.

[0047] During the further production of the picture frame base frame 2a, the picture glass 3a is reprinted in such a way that the base leg 13a is completely and the second leg 16a is partially as in Fig. 2b shown schematically in cross section.

[0048] A material connection is formed between the picture glass 3a and an inner side of the leg 16.

[0049] To complete the picture frame base frame 2a, the second leg 16a is 3D printed in such a way that the Fig. 2c shown in cross section and from Fig. 1b known final configuration, in which a locking groove 19a is introduced into the second leg 16a, is achieved.

[0050] Although in Fig. 2c, it is conceivable that a cavity 21a extends into the base leg 13a. This is shown, for example, Fig. 1c.

Claims

[1] Picture frame (1) comprising a picture glass (3; 3a) made of plastic and enclosed in a one-piece picture frame base frame (2; 2a) made of plastic, wherein the picture frame base frame (2; 2a) is produced in layers in the thickness direction (22) and has a groove (5; 5a) with a U-shaped cross section for receiving the picture glass (3; 3a), wherein U-legs (15, 16; 15a; 16a) of the U-shaped receiving groove encompass an edge section (14; 14a) of the picture glass (3; 3a), characterized by that the U-legs (15, 16; 15a; 16a) are integrally connected to the picture glass (3; 3a) made of a plastic. [2] Picture frame according to claim 1, characterized bythat the receiving groove (5; 5a) which is U-shaped in cross section is designed as a circumferential groove extending over an inner side (6; 6a) of the picture frame base frame (2; 2a), wherein receiving groove sections (9, 10; 9a) extending over opposite inner side sections (11, 12; 11a) are preferably of identical cross-section. [3] Picture frame according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by in that the receiving groove (5; 5a) which is U-shaped in cross section is designed as a circumferential groove extending over an inner side (6; 6a) of the picture frame base frame (2; 2a), wherein U-legs (16; 16a) of receiving groove sections (9; 9a) extending over opposite inner side sections (11; 11a) have on one picture side (18; 18a) a locking groove (19; 19a) which is designed to receive a locking means of a picture frame rear wall (4). [4] Picture frame according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized bythat a first U-leg (15; 15a) of the U-shaped receiving groove (5; 5a) arranged on a visible side is longer than a second U-leg (16) of the U-shaped receiving groove (5; 5a) arranged on a picture side of the picture glass (3; 3a), wherein an outer side (17; 17a) of the first U-leg (15; 15a) forms a visible side region of the picture frame base frame (2; 2a). [5] Picture frame according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the one-piece picture frame base frame (2; 2a) is produced by an additive manufacturing process, in particular is 3D printed. [6] Picture frame according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the picture frame base frame (2; 2a) is manufactured in layers in the thickness direction (22) from a visible side (18; 18a) to a back side (23). [7] Picture frame according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized bythat the receiving groove (5; 5a) is designed as an undercut in the thickness direction (22) of the picture frame base frame (2; 2a). [8] Picture frame according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that the picture frame base frame (2; 2a) is made of a plastic which is preferably biodegradable. [9] Picture frame according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that the picture glass (3; 3a) is designed as a stiffening means which increases a torsional stiffness of the picture frame base frame (2; 2a). [10] Picture frame according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by that the picture frame base frame (2; 2a) has a cavity (21; 21a) into which a support frame is preferably introduced.

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