Picture storage protection unit

Abstract

A picture storage protection apparatus with a protective sheet sized to cover at least the exposed portion of the stored pictures in a picture storage compartment or a picture display pocket to protect the pictures against exposure damage. The sheet is capable of being inserted into at least one picture storage compartment and/or a picture display pocket. A picture storage protection apparatus with a protective flap adapted to extend over stored pictures in a picture storage compartment and/or a picture display pocket to protect the stored or displayed pictures against exposure damage. The picture storage compartment is attached to a picture frame or a picture display pocket.

1 . A picture storage protection apparatus comprising:
 a. a picture frame having a picture receptacle adapted to receive at least one picture therein with at least a portion of said at least one picture having a first major surface exposed; and   b. a protective sheet sized to cover at least a portion of the first major surface of said at least one picture against exposure damage when said protective sheet is mounted in said at least one picture receptacle substantially parallel with the first major surface.   
   
   
       2 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle comprises a picture storage compartment. 
   
   
       3 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the sheet is a material having at least one of the properties of ultra-violet light blocking, splash blocking and anti-glare. 
   
   
       4 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein an exposed surface of the sheet is the same color as a rear of the storage compartment. 
   
   
       5 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein at least one surface of the sheet is capable of bearing indicia related to the contents of the picture storage compartment. 
   
   
       6 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a label mounted to at least one surface of the protective sheet. 
   
   
       7 . A picture storage protection apparatus comprising:
 a. a picture frame having a picture receptacle mounted to the picture frame;   b. a protective flap having a first end adapted to extend over at least one picture in said receptacle for protecting said at least one picture against exposure damage.   
   
   
       8 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the protective flap is formed of a material capable of folding over pictures in the receptacle. 
   
   
       9 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the protective flap is formed of a material having at least one of the properties of ultra-violet light blocking, splash blocking and anti-glare. 
   
   
       10 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the picture receptacle comprises a picture display pocket attached to the picture frame, and a picture storage compartment attached to the picture display pocket. 
   
   
       11 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first end of the protective flap is adapted to extend over pictures in the picture storage compartment, and a second end of the protective flap is attached to a rear of the picture display pocket. 
   
   
       12 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the second end of the protective flap is pivotably mounted to a rear of the picture display pocket by at least one hinge. 
   
   
       13 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a closure device holding the first end of the protective flap closed against the picture storage compartment. 
   
   
       14 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the closure device comprises elastic bands attached to sidewalls of the picture storage compartment. 
   
   
       15 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the closure device comprises at least one snap on the flap with a corresponding mating snap on the outside of the picture storage compartment. 
   
   
       16 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one memory label mounted to a rear of said at least one picture storage compartment for recording the contents of said at least one picture storage compartment. 
   
   
       17 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the second end of the protective flap is removably attached to the rear of the picture display pocket through at least one snap with a corresponding mating snap on an outside of the picture display pocket. 
   
   
       18 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first end of the protective flap is adapted to extend over pictures in the picture display pocket, and the second end of the protective flap is attached to a rear of the picture storage compartment. 
   
   
       19 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the second end of the protective flap is pivotably mounted to a rear of the picture storage compartment by at least one hinge. 
   
   
       20 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a closure device holding the first end of the protective flap against the picture display compartment. 
   
   
       21 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the closure device comprises at least one snap with a corresponding mating snap on an outside of the picture display pocket. 
   
   
       22 . The picture storage protection apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the second end of the protective flap is removably attached to the rear of the picture storage compartment through at least one snap with a corresponding mating snap on an outside of the picture storage compartment.