EP1065959B1

EP1065959B1 - Arrangement comprising cells open in opposite directions and use of such an arrangement

Info

Publication number: EP1065959B1
Application number: EP99910397A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jyrki Tarpio
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-03-26
Filing date: 1999-03-23
Publication date: 2004-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 2019-03-23
Also published as: FI107227B; FI980680A; FI980680A0; AU2936799A; ATE257663T1; EP1065959A1; DE69914188D1; WO1999048406A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a structure which is formed especially out of one or more manufactured sheets of fibrous material or plastic material. Furhter, the invention relates to the use of the structure. A structure formed in accordance with the invention is produced from one or more sheets which have a grid, or something corresponding to a grid, folded to, or by other means formed to the sheets, and in which a portion of the grid squares has been formed into projecting parts (101-108, 121-130) by cutting, and in which the grid squares are folded to form a honeycomb structure in such a way that the squares in one or more of the vertical rows (s, p; v, t) form one or more of the vertical front walls (14, 32) and back walls (12, 16, 34), as well as the horizontal walls (11, 13, 15, 31, 33, 35) of the honeycomb structure. Additionally, projecting parts (101-108, 121-130) in the vertical rows (a, a1) are attached against other squares of the structure's blank and these rows (a, a1) form the vertical side walls of the honeycomb structure. A structure formed in accordance with the invention is used as a piece of furniture or storage structure.

Description

The present invention relates to a structure which is formed especially out of one or more manufactured sheets of fibrous material or plastic material, which has a grid, or something corresponding to a grid, folded to, or by other means formed to the sheet, and in which a portion of the grid squares have been formed into projecting parts by cutting, and in which the grid squares are folded to form a honeycomb structure.

At present, there are different kinds of conventional furniture structures which are produced and manufactured out of fibrous or plastic material honeycomb board (mainly corrugated cardboard). This furniture is generally composed of several separate pieces which can be attached to each other in different ways when the furniture is being set up. Thus, the established furniture structure is relatively difficult to assemble and dismantle. Additionally, individual pieces may get lost, broken or bent when dismantling and moving the structure from one place to another. Poor stability and rigidity are sometimes problems with furniture that is assembled from different individual pieces.

US 2 049 231 discloses a collapsible display device made of a foldable blank and a front panel co-acting therewith.

There is a known method for producing boxes, or parts of boxes, or something corresponding to these, out of a laminar blank made of fibrous material. These boxes are individual units but they do not form an entity, such as a piece of furniture, or a corresponding structure.

The present invention seeks to provide a structure in which the disadvantages associated with present day structures, in particular furniture structures formed from honeycomb board, will be eliminated. In particular, the invention seeks to provide a structure and piece of furniture ready for use. Further, the invention seeks to provide a structure and piece of furniture which is conveniently collapsible for transport or moving, simple in its structure, advantageous to produce, easy to dispose of, and lightweight.

The object of the invention is accomplished by means of a structure and its use, the characteristics of which are presented in the claims.

In a structure formed in accordance with the invention, adjacent honeycomb cells unfold in opposing directions, and one or more rows of vertical squares form the front vertical wall and back vertical wall, as well as the horizontal walls of the honeycomb structure, and in other vertical rows, projecting parts are attached against the other squares of the structure's blank and these rows form the vertical side walls of the honeycomb structure. This kind of structure can be advantageously produced and is produced as a unit which is immediately ready for use and does not require assembling. Additionally, it is a lightweight structure. A further advantage of the invention is that the folding application of the structure enables it to be set in several different lengths and shapes. Adjacent and overlapping honeycomb cells unfold in opposing directions when the structure is opened to its basic position. Because the cells unfold in opposing directions, the structure can either be made to be rigid on all three coordinates, x,y and z, or it can be hinged in one direction, on one coordinate.

The structure is advantageously manufactured out of honeycomb board material, such as coated corrugated cardboard or polypropylene honeycomb cell or other corresponding material, which can be treated/folded in a creasing process, thus it can easily be disposed of, for example, by burning.

In one advantageous application of the invention, the squares of the grid on the blank of the structure are cut in such a way that every second square on every second vertical row is cut to form a projecting part, and so that in folding the blank to form the structure, these cut projecting parts are set against an adjacent square or squares and attached to them. The projecting parts make the structure more solid.

A grid formed in accordance with the invention is advantageously formed so that it has at least three vertical rows and at least five horizontal rows. Alternatively, the grid can be formed so that it has at least three horizontal rows and at least five vertical rows. The number of rows is not otherwise limited, rather the intended use, size and shape of the structure, as well as other factors determine the number of rows which is desired and suitable for the purpose.

An advantageous structure formed in accordance with the invention has a honeycomb structure in order to produce squares which are folded in such a way that every second square on the bottom horizontal row form the first horizontal wall of the furniture structure, the corresponding squares on the next row up form the vertical front wall and vertical back wall of the honeycomb structure. The corresponding squares of the following horizontal row form the following horizontal wall of the honeycomb structure, the squares of the following horizontal row form the following vertical front wall or back wall and the squares of the following horizontal row form a horizontal wall which corresponds to the first horizontal wall. The pattern is repeated in the same way for the following rows and in this way a honeycomb structure is formed in which a portion of the honeycomb cells unfold into one direction and the other honeycomb cells unfold in a direction opposite to that of the first portion when the structure is in its basic position. Thus, adjacent or overlapping honeycomb cells always unfold in directions opposite to one another, and this direction is alternating.

In a further embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the squares on the grid are of equal size, thus forming a level structure.

In other embodiments of the invention, at least a portion of the squares on the grid vary in size.

A structure formed in accordance with the invention can be used as a piece of furniture or for storage. As a piece of furniture, the structure can, for example, be used to store things in or as a piece of furniture in a room, as store shelving or for display purposes.

Next, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 illustrates a certain blank, viewed from above, for producing a certain furniture structure in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 illustrates a furniture structure produced from a blank formed in accordance with Figure 1, as viewed from the side,

Figure 3 illustrates another certain blank, viewed from above, for producing another certain furniture structure in accordance with the invention,

Figure 4 illustrates a furniture structure produced from a blank formed in accordance with Figure 3, as viewed from the side,

Figure 5 illustrates a third certain blank, viewed from above, for producing a furniture structure in accordance with the invention, and Figures 6-8 illustrate certain other embodiments of furniture structures formed in accordance with the invention, as viewed from the side.

Structures formed in accordance with the figures, and the pieces of furniture they form, are produced from one or more sheets of pre-formed blank. The material used is fibrous or plastic material suited for the purpose. The size and shape of the sheet can vary in the desired way in different embodiments of the invention.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 5, a grid or something corresponding to a grid, is formed to the blank by folding, or other method. The dotted lines in the figures indicate that both sides have been folded. Projecting parts 101-108, 121-131, have been formed in some squares on the grid by cutting. In embodiments formed in accordance with Figures 1-4, the squares on the grid are folded to form a honeycomb structure in such a way that the squares in every second vertical row on the grid v, t (in Fig. 1), or s, p (in Fig. 3) form the

vertical front walls

14,32, 36, and

vertical back walls

12, 16, 34, and

horizontal walls

11, 13, 15, 31, 33, 35. The size and number of squares in the grid and the number of vertical and horizontal rows in the grid can be different in different embodiments, and the size of the squares can also vary in the desired way in the same furniture structure.

The squares are cut in such a way that every second square in every second vertical row a1, a is cut to form a projecting part 101-108, 121-131, and when folding the blank to the shape the piece of furniture, the cut projecting parts are set against an adjacent square or

adjacent squares

2, 4, 6 and 22, 24, 26 and attached to them with, for example, glue. The squares in these rows, a1, a form the vertical side walls of the honeycomb structure. In a rigid structure, some of the projecting parts are glued to

squares

11, 13, 15, 31, 33, 35 of the adjacent vertical rows. The cuts are made in the first vertical row a1 and bottom horizontal row b1 and in every second vertical row a and every second horizontal row b of the blank grid. Cuts are also made in the last vertical row and in the top horizontal row. In the grid, the dimensions for a are the same as for a1, and the dimensions for b are the same as for b1.

Figure 5 illustrates different shapes of cuts made in the blank to form different projecting parts. The shape of the cuts and projecting parts can vary considerably in different embodiments of the invention. The primary consideration is that there be a projecting part at the point in question which is attached to the adjacent square with glue, or other known means.

To produce a honeycomb structure, the squares have been folded by creasing them so that every

second square

11, 31, on the bottom horizontal row b1 forms the first horizontal wall of the furniture structure, the

corresponding squares

12, 32 in the next row to the bottom m form the vertical front wall 32 or vertical back wall 12 of the honeycomb structure, the

corresponding squares

13,33 in the next row form the following horizontal wall of the honeycomb structure,

squares

14, 34 of the next row form the following vertical front wall 14 or vertical back wall 34, and the

squares

15, 35 of the next row form a horizontal wall which corresponds to the first horizontal wall. The pattern is repeated in the following rows in a corresponding way and a honeycomb structure is made in which a portion of the honeycomb cells unfold in one direction, while the other honeycomb cells unfold in a direction opposite to that of the first portion.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a rigid honeycomb blank and rigid furniture structure formed from the blank in question. In the rigid honeycomb, the dimensions for j, q, and r are not dependent on the dimensions of a or a1. They may be greater, smaller or the same as those of a or a1. The same is true of dimensions for t and v. In the rigid honeycomb, rigidity is attained by gluing a projecting part or parts to an adjacent square in such a way that the vertical seam between them can function as a hinge. The rigid honeycomb can be produced from one whole blank unit.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the blank with the hinged honeycomb and the furniture structure formed from it, in which the vertical seams function as hinges. The projecting parts are glued in such a way that they facilitate the vertical seams' functioning as hinges. In this embodiment, dimensions for h, l, m are not dependent on the dimension for a, in other words, they may be smaller, just as big or bigger than a. In order that the honeycomb may be folded up, dimensions for p-s must be as big as or bigger than a. When the furniture structure is folded up, the honeycombs go inside one another and form a compact structure which is easy to transport.

Figure 6 presents a rigid honeycomb furniture structure. The figure shows by illustration that the width and/or height of individual honeycomb cells can vary. Figure 7 illustrates another hinged honeycomb furniture piece made from the structure.

An embodiment formed in accordance with Figure 8 concerns a combination of a rigid and hinged honeycomb. As the figure shows, in the same piece of furniture, some of the honeycombs can be hinged to adjacent honeycomb cells, and some can be rigidly attached in other honeycomb cells.

The invention is not limited to the advantageous embodiments set forth in this patent application. The invention is versatile and its form can vary within the frames of the idea of the invention put forth in the claims.

Claims

A structure used as a structure of furniture, for storing, shelving or display purposes, which structure is formed especially out of one or more manufactured sheets of fibrous material or plastic material, which has a grid folded to or by other means formed to the sheet, and in which a portion of the grid squares has been formed into protecting parts (101-108, 121-131) by cutting, and in which the grid squares are folded to form a honeycomb structure, characterized in that the grid is formed such that it comprises at least three vertical rows and five horizontal rows, and in that adjacent honeycomb cells open in opposing directions, in that one or more squares in vertical rows (s, p, v, t) form one or more of the vertical front wall (14, 32, 36), vertical back wall (12, 16, 34) and horizontal rows (11, 13, 15, 31, 33, 35) of the honeycomb structure, and in that the every second square in every second vertical row (a, a1) is cut to form projecting parts (101-108, 121-131), which are attached against the other squares of the structure's blank, and every other square of these rows (a, a1) form the vertical side walls of the honeycomb structure.
A structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the squares which form the honeycomb structure are folded such that every second square (11, 31) on the bottom horizontal row (b1) are as the first horizontal wall of the structure, the corresponding squares (12, 32) on the next horizontal row up are as the honeycomb structure's first vertical front wall (32) or back wall (12), the squares (13, 33) on the following horizontal row are as the next horizontal wall of the honeycomb structure, the squares (14, 34) of the following horizontal row are as the next vertical front wall (14) or back wall (34), and the squares (15, 35) of the following horizontal row form a horizontal row which corresponds to the first horizontal wall, and the structure continues in the desired way.
A structure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least a portion of the squares on the grid are equal in size.
A structure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least a portion of the squares on the grid are different sizes.
A structure as claimed in any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that there are cuts in the first vertical row (a1) and bottom horizontal row (b1) and in the last vertical row and top horizontal row of the grid on the blank.
A structure as claimed in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that at least a portion of the vertical folds are as a hinge, in which case adjacent honeycomb cells are arranged so that they fold inside one another, at least partially, and the structure is able to be folded up.