GB1562282A - Collapsible screen - Google Patents

Description

(54) COLLAPSIBLE SCREEN (71) We, LASTONET PRODUCTS LIMITED, a British company, of Carn Brea, Redruth, Cornwall, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following state ment:- This invention relates to collapsible screens, with particular, but not exclusive, reference to collapsible reflectors for use in photography.

Portable reflectors are frequently used by professional and serious amateur photographers for the purpose of modifying the distribution of light with which a subject is illuminated, for example for the purpose of lightening soft shadows, illuminating the dark side of a subject when lit by a single light source or sunlight, or softening the lighting of a subject in portraiture.

Known reflectors used by professional photographers usually consist of large panels covered with light reflecting material.

If collapsible, such panels are generally in the form of umbrella-like structures which, although portable, tend to be both bulky and expensive.

An object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible screen which when not in use can be collapsed to a conveniently portable size, and which is of essentially simple and inexpensive construction.

According to the invention there is provided a collapsible screen comprising a circular sheet of flexible material supported in tension by a flexible resilient continuous hoop having a circular shape when the screen is erected, screen being collapsible by relative twisting of diametrically opposite sides of the hoop to form symmetrical loops which can be superimposed by folding of the twisted hoop.

By superimposing the loops formed by the twisting of the hoop the screen can be collapsed into an area which is much smaller than that of the screen when fully extended-in practice an area about three times smaller than the area of the screen when in use.

The hoop may be of spring steel strip or plastics strip, and is preferably inserted in a continuous peripheral pocket or hem formed in or attached to the sheet.

A pouch or receptacle is preferably provided for holding the collapsed screen when folded.

The sheet of flexible material would be reflective, such as aluminised fabric, where the screen is for use as a portable reflector, for example in photographic applications.

The sheet may be synthetic fabric, cotton, plastics coated fabric, plastics sheet, or laminated plastics sheet, stretch fabric, or any other suitable flexible material.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying purely diagrammatic drawings, not to scale, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a screen according to one embodiment of the invention, in its extended or deployed condition; Figures 2 to 4 are perspective views illustrating successive stages in the collapsing of the screen shown in Figure 1, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a pouch used to contain the collapsed and folded screen.

Referring to the drawings, a collapsible reflective screen for use in photography comprises a flat spring steel circular hoop 1 formed from spring steel strip 4mm wide and lmm thick with a diameter of 21 inches, the hoop being housed in a continuous tubular peripheral pocket or hem 2 formed in or attached to the edge of a circular sheet 3 of flexible, woven fabric material 21 inches in diameter. The sheet 3 is maintained in tension by the resilient peripheral hoop 1.

The fabric material of the sheet~3 would in the case of a reflector normally be white, but could have a reflective surface to give any desired photographic effect, for example a gold surface to give a warm tone. The fabric may be of nylon or polyester, cotton, or blends of cotton and synthetic fibre. The sheet 3 may alternatively be of plastics material, foil or plastics- or foil-coated fabric.

The screen is made by cutting the fabric to the required diameter and then sewing onto the periphery of the fabric a tube or hem 2 of the same fabric cut on the bias and forming a peripheral pocket around the entire periphery of the sheet for accommodating the flexibly resilient hoop. The flat spring steel strip forming the eventual hoop 1 is inserted into the hem through a hole and after insertion the two ends of the spring are joined together by a metal or plastics clip, by soldering or by riveting.

The fabric tube is sewn over at the location of the joint to enclose the resulting hoop completely.

To fold the screen for storage, diametrically opposite sides of the hoop 1 are grasped in the two hands (Figure 2) and twisted relatively to each other (Figure 3) to form two symmetrical loops in a "figure of 8" configuration. These two loops are then superimposed by folding of the twisted hoop (Figure 4), the resulting folded screen consisting of two superimposed loops of a diameter of substantially one-third the diameter of the hoop 1 in the fully extended screen. When thus folded the collapsed screen can be inserted in a specially designed compact pouch 4 (Figure 4) which may be carried in an existing photographic accessory bag. The pouch 4 is closed by means of a sliding clasp fastener 5, or alternatively by means of press studs, or buttons.

The collapsible screen when used as a reflector may be manufactured in different sizes for different user's needs. Typical sizes in addition to the 21 inch diameter screen referred to above would be screens having diameters of 15 inches, 30 inches and 60 inches.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A collapsible screen comprising a circular sheet of flexible material supported in tension by a flexible resilient continuous hoop having a circular shape when the screen is erected, the screen being collapsible by relative twisting of diametrically opposite sides of the hoop to form symmetrical loops which can be superimposed by folding of the twisted hoop.

2. A collapsible screen as claimed in Claim 1, in which the hoop is of spring steel strip or plastics strip.

3. A collapsible screen as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the hoop is inserted in a continuous peripheral pocket or hem formed in or attached to the sheet.

4. A collapsible screen as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, including a pouch or receptacle capable of holding the collapsed screen when folded.

5. A collapsible screen according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the sheet is of reflective material.

6. A collapsible screen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the sheet is of synthetic fabric, cotton or plastics coated fabric, plastics sheet, stretch fabric, or laminated plastics sheet.

7. A collapsible screen substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The fabric material of the sheet~3 would in the case of a reflector normally be white, but could have a reflective surface to give any desired photographic effect, for example a gold surface to give a warm tone. The fabric may be of nylon or polyester, cotton, or blends of cotton and synthetic fibre. The sheet 3 may alternatively be of plastics material, foil or plastics- or foil-coated fabric. The screen is made by cutting the fabric to the required diameter and then sewing onto the periphery of the fabric a tube or hem 2 of the same fabric cut on the bias and forming a peripheral pocket around the entire periphery of the sheet for accommodating the flexibly resilient hoop. The flat spring steel strip forming the eventual hoop 1 is inserted into the hem through a hole and after insertion the two ends of the spring are joined together by a metal or plastics clip, by soldering or by riveting. The fabric tube is sewn over at the location of the joint to enclose the resulting hoop completely. To fold the screen for storage, diametrically opposite sides of the hoop 1 are grasped in the two hands (Figure 2) and twisted relatively to each other (Figure 3) to form two symmetrical loops in a "figure of 8" configuration. These two loops are then superimposed by folding of the twisted hoop (Figure 4), the resulting folded screen consisting of two superimposed loops of a diameter of substantially one-third the diameter of the hoop 1 in the fully extended screen. When thus folded the collapsed screen can be inserted in a specially designed compact pouch 4 (Figure 4) which may be carried in an existing photographic accessory bag. The pouch 4 is closed by means of a sliding clasp fastener 5, or alternatively by means of press studs, or buttons. The collapsible screen when used as a reflector may be manufactured in different sizes for different user's needs. Typical sizes in addition to the 21 inch diameter screen referred to above would be screens having diameters of 15 inches, 30 inches and 60 inches. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A collapsible screen comprising a circular sheet of flexible material supported in tension by a flexible resilient continuous hoop having a circular shape when the screen is erected, the screen being collapsible by relative twisting of diametrically opposite sides of the hoop to form symmetrical loops which can be superimposed by folding of the twisted hoop.

2. A collapsible screen as claimed in Claim 1, in which the hoop is of spring steel strip or plastics strip.

3. A collapsible screen as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the hoop is inserted in a continuous peripheral pocket or hem formed in or attached to the sheet.

4. A collapsible screen as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, including a pouch or receptacle capable of holding the collapsed screen when folded.

5. A collapsible screen according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the sheet is of reflective material.

6. A collapsible screen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the sheet is of synthetic fabric, cotton or plastics coated fabric, plastics sheet, stretch fabric, or laminated plastics sheet.

7. A collapsible screen substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.