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US4991328A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Structures formed from joined elements

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1989-04-28
•
Granted: 1991-02-12
•
Expires: 2009-04-28
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Abstract

Abstract Devices for the display of photographs and other items constructed from a plurality of generally flat, plate-like elements joined together by one or more elastic bands. The bands extend out beyond the outside surfaces of the assembled structures, and serve as bumpers for the unit, insulating the unit from contact with the surface upon which it is placed. In a preferred embodiment a solid structure of a plurality of similarly-sized plates is formed. In an alternative embodiment, the plates are connected to form a hollow structure.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jean-Pierre Rousseau
  • 👤 Nicolai Canetti

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 09:15
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09F; G09F1/00; G09F1/10; G09F1/12; A; A47; A47G; A47G1/00; A47G1/06; A47G1/0638; A47G1/14; A47G2001/145; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T24/00; Y10T24/14; Y10T24/1402; Y10T24/1408

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 192 words
A display structure, comprising first and second plates, each of said plates having front and rear faces bounded by a plurality of side edges forming corners therebetween about peripheries of said plates, at least one of said faces on each of said plates being planar and adapted to be placed in a generally-abutting relation with the planar face of said other plate with the side edges of said plates being generally aligned; combination elastomeric bumper and tension means in the form of loops located at said corners embracing and surrounding the aligned portions of each of said plates about said corners, said loops maintaining said plates in compressive alignment and projecting outside and beyond the plate surfaces about the entirety of their lengths; and means located on the edges of at least one of said plates to retain said loops in the aligned portions-embracing and surrounding positions, said means comprising grooves in the aligned edges of at least one of said plates to accommodate a portion of said loops, said grooves having a depth less than a diameter of said loops when said loops are maintaining said plates in said compressive alignment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 192 words
A display structure, comprising first and second plates, each of said plates having front and rear faces bounded by a plurality of side edges forming corners therebetween about peripheries of said plates, at least one of said faces on each of said plates being planar and adapted to be placed in a generally-abutting relation with the planar face of said other plate with the side edges of said plates being generally aligned; combination elastomeric bumper and tension means in the form of loops located at said corners embracing and surrounding the aligned portions of each of said plates about said corners, said loops maintaining said plates in compressive alignment and projecting outside and beyond the plate surfaces about the entirety of their lengths; and means located on the edges of at least one of said plates to retain said loops in the aligned portions-embracing and surrounding positions, said means comprising grooves in the aligned edges of at least one of said plates to accommodate a portion of said loops, said grooves having a depth less than a diameter of said loops when said loops are maintaining said plates in said compressive alignment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said second plate is of a slightly lesser size than said first plate, said groove extending across the edges of said first plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 26 words
The structure of claim 2, wherein said second plate is sized to avoid an overlay of the edges thereof with said grooves in said first plate.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US916208A Cited
US1052906A Cited
US3676944A Cited
US3958352A Cited
US4028832A Cited
US4103446A Cited
US4211023A Cited
US4736538A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-02-11 1994-08-13 1995-02-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-02-11 1998-08-13 1999-02-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-02-11 2002-08-13 2003-02-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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