Hinged picture frame member

Abstract

A hinged member consists of two parts joined by a first living hinge. An upstanding nib on one of the parts is in turn joined to the other part via a strip-like rigid panel. The panel is in turn joined along its side edges by second and third living hinges. Elasticity of the living hinges provides a biassing force for urging the parts towards a closed position. The member may be arranged to form a picture hanger or a picture frame element or a hinge for joining two substrates.

1 . An elongate extruded hinge member comprising: 
 first and second hinge components joined by a first living hinge;    an elongate fin extending from said first hinge component parallel to and displaced from said first living hinge;    a rigid strip-like panel joining said fin and said second hinge component thereby forming an interior space defined by said first and second hinge components and said fin, said panel and fin meeting when said hinged member is closed at an acute angle;    said first and second hinge components and said panel arranged to co-operate to create a biassing force exerted by the flex of said second hinge component and the resiliency and elasticity of at least one of first, second and third living hinges, to urge the first and second hinge components together.    
     
     
         2 . A hinge member as defined in    claim 1   , wherein said fin and said panel are arranged for rotating through a common plane, wherein an over-center mode of operation may be attained for maintaining said first and second hinge components in either of a fully open or fully closed position.  
     
     
         3 . A hinged member as defined in    claim 1   , further comprising anchoring means on said first and second hinged components, for fastening a substrate to each of said first and second hinge components.  
     
     
         4 . An elongate hinge member as defined in    claim 1   , comprising a picture frame member for assembly into either a polygonal picture frame or for use as a strip-like banner hanger, said first hinge component comprising flat base for supportive engagement against a picture and said second hinge component comprising an openable cover member for gripping a picture between said base and cover member.  
     
     
         5 . A hinge member as defined in    claim 4   , wherein said fin comprises a wall-like stop for engaging and positioning a picture within said hinged member.  
     
     
         6 . A hinge member as defined in    claim 1   , wherein said second hinge component includes a leg portion for contacting said first hinge component which joins with said panel at an acute upward angle when said hinge components converge.  
     
     
         7 . A hinge member as defined in    claim 1   , comprising a single extrusion or a single co-extrusion.  
     
     
         8 . A hinge member as defined in    claim 1   , wherein said first, second and third living hinge means are resilient and elastic to absorb compressive forces exerted by said panel by stretching or compression.  
     
     
         9 . A hinge member as defined in    claim 4   , further comprising a backing board gripper channel, comprising of pair of channel walls spaced apart by a bridging member, said channel opening towards an elongate side of said base.  
     
     
         10 . A hinge member as defined in    claim 9   , wherein a first of said walls is formed by said base.  
     
     
         11 . A hinge member as defined in    claim 4   , further comprising a second cover member, wall member and panel all as defined in    claim 4   , disposed on a second, opposed side of said base for gripping a second poster to form a two-sided picture frame member.  
     
     
         12 . A hinge member as defined in    claim 11   , further comprised of a second elongate generally flat base, said base and said second base being spaced apart by a bridging member, said bases defining a channel therebetween for gripping a backing board, said front piece and said second front piece being associated with said base and second base respectively.  
     
     
         13 . A picture frame comprised of a plurality of elongate frame members as defined in    claim 4   , arranged in a polygon.