System for mounting a covering upon a frame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10189299-B2
Application number	US-201615265417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2016
Priority date	Jul 21, 2015
Publication date	Jan 29, 2019
Grant date	Jan 29, 2019

Abstract

A system for mounting a covering (e.g., a fabric material) upon a frame is constructed from a plurality of elongated frame parts. Each frame part has two mitered ends and a channel formed therein. The related mounting method includes the steps of: (a) using a jig to hold the fabric material against the frame; (b) inserting a plurality of retaining splines within respective channels so as to capture the fabric material within the channels between one retaining spline and a corresponding floor of the channel, whereby a plurality of corner pleats are formed; and (c) using a tool to invert each corner pleat into a corner joint formed between respective adjacent frame parts so as to form an internal fold at each corner of the frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A frame for maintaining a region of a fabric piece in a substantially planar state, comprising:
a plurality of rails, each of said rails having a geometrical profile extended in a linear direction, said rails each having a first end face and a second end face, and
a plurality of corner pieces, each of said corner pieces including a slot formed partially through said corner piece at a miter angle, wherein the plurality of corner pieces exclusively define all corners of the frame and are separate parts relative to the plurality of rails, each slot being defined and formed only in a respective corner piece and not in the plurality of rails.

2. The frame of claim 1 , wherein the number of rails is equal to the number of corner pieces.

3. The frame of claim 1 , wherein the rails are made of wood.

4. The frame of claim 1 , wherein the corner pieces are formed of a polymer composition.

5. The frame of claim 1 , wherein each of said first end faces and each of said second end faces is apertured by at least one recess.

6. The frame of claim 5 , wherein said recess is a blind recess.

7. The frame of claim 5 , wherein said recess is a groove formed along the length of said rails.

8. The frame of claim 5 , wherein said corner piece includes a plurality of extensions, said extensions protruding from two neighboring sides of said corner piece.

9. The frame of claim 8 , wherein each recess is a blind recess and wherein said extensions in said corner pieces are shaped and scaled to be compatibly and fittingly engaged with said blind recesses.

10. The frame of claim 8 , wherein said extensions are integrally formed with said corner pieces.

11. The frame of claim 8 , wherein said plurality of extensions includes a plurality of extensions upon each of two neighboring sides of each of said corner pieces.

12. The frame of claim 11 , wherein said frame includes four of said rails and four of said corner pieces, in which each of said corner pieces is fittingly engaged with two of said rails.

13. The frame of claim 11 , wherein said frame includes four of said rails and four of said corner pieces, in which each of said rails is fittingly engaged with two of said corner pieces.

14. A frame for maintaining a region of a fabric piece in a substantially planar state, comprising:
a plurality of rails, each of said rails having a geometrical profile extended in a linear direction, said rails each having a first end face and a second end face, and
a plurality of corner pieces, each of said corner pieces including a slot formed partially through said corner piece at a miter angle,
wherein said slot formed partially through said corner piece at a miter angle is sufficiently deep to receive a pleat of surplus fabric formed when two areas of said fabric piece are turned along a seams at right angles to one another into an upright condition departing from the primary plane establishing the planar state of said fabric piece.

15. The frame of claim 14 , in which said upright condition locates said two areas of said fabric in planes perpendicular to said primary plane establishing said planar state of said fabric piece.

16. A molded corner system for use in conjunction with a compatible set of wooden rails, including:
a plurality of substantially identical corner subsystems, each of said substantially identical corner subsystems including a corner piece, each of said corner pieces including two adjacent and substantially perpendicular faces, each of said aid corner pieces including a slot formed partially through said corner piece at a miter angle.

17. The molded corner system of claim 16 , wherein each corner system includes a plurality of parts.

18. The molded corner system of claim 16 , wherein each corner system includes a corner piece and a corner cap.

19. The molded corner system of claim 16 , wherein each corner system includes a corner piece, a corner cap, and a bumper.

20. The molded corner system of claim 19 , wherein the bumper is formed of a resilient material.

21. The molded corner system of claim 19 , wherein each corner cap includes a hole formed therein.

22. A frame for maintaining a region of a fabric piece in a substantially planar state, comprising:
a plurality of rails, each of said rails having a geometrical profile extended in a linear direction, said rails each having a first end face and a second end face, and
a plurality of splines equal in number to the number of rails, each of said splines having a geometrical profile extended in a linear direction, each of said splines having a first end face and a second end face,
each spline and rail combination including interfitting features such that upon insertion of the spine into the rail, the fabric piece is entrapped between a raised elongate protrusion and a corresponding elongate recess,
said frame defining a major plane having four sides and furthermore including a plurality of corner slots, each of said corner slots including a slot formed partially through a corner at a miter angle, the plurality of corner slots being formed substantially at an angle of 45 degrees to each side of said frame that define a respective corner, each of said plurality of corner slots being open along an exterior of the frame and being of sufficient dimension to receive a pleat of fabric.

23. The frame of claim 22 , wherein the frame includes a set of discrete corner pieces formed independently from the splines and rails.

24. The frame of claim 23 , wherein the corner pieces are formed of a thermoplastic polymer.

25. The frame of claim 22 , wherein the slots are formed by the relief of regions of said end faces of said rails.

26. The frame of claim 22 , wherein the corner slot is open at a location where two respective sides of the frame come together and is open along a front face of the frame, each corner slot being formed along a plane that is perpendicular to the major plane of the frame.

27. A method of applying a covering over a frame resulting in the covering being maintained in a tensioned state, wherein the frame is constructed from a plurality of elongated frame parts, each frame part having two mitered ends and a channel formed therein, the method comprising the steps of:
using a jig to hold the covering against the frame;
inserting a plurality of retaining splines within respective channels so as to capture the covering within the channels between one retaining spline and a corresponding floor of the channel, whereby a plurality of corner pleats are formed; and
using a tool to invert each corner pleat into a corner joint formed between respective adjacent frame parts so as to form an internal fold at each corner of the frame.

28. The method of claim 27 , further including the step of entraining the covering about a pin that protrudes outwardly from one face of the elongated frame part.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the jig includes a jig table on which the frame and the covering and a pivotable jig fence that has a contoured holding face for contacting and holding the covering on the frame while leaving the channel exposed for receiving one respective retaining spline.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the jig includes a support structure having a region of free space formed therein that receives at least a portion of the pivotable jig fence when the ji

Assignees

• Tracer Imaging Llc

Inventors

• Spiro Steven M
• Daniell Stephen S
• Petroulas Theodore
• Dowd Paul
• Kelly Ryan
• Poepping Bennet Otto
• Skeuse Kevin
• Searfoss Erol
• Fernandez Jack

Classifications

• D06C3/08

  by frames or like apparatus · CPC title

• B44D3/18

  Boards or sheets with surfaces prepared for painting or drawing pictures; Stretching frames for canvases · CPC title

• B44D3/185 Primary

  Stretching frames for canvases · CPC title