GB2272790A

GB2272790A - Support structure.

Info

Publication number: GB2272790A
Application number: GB9223862A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Thomas Jordan
Original assignee: OMAVALE Ltd
Current assignee: OMAVALE Ltd
Priority date: 1992-11-13
Filing date: 1992-11-13
Publication date: 1994-05-25
Also published as: GB9223862D0

Abstract

A support structure for assembly from sheet material employing a tab and slot arrangement comprising at least one tab 32 and at least one slot 34 for connecting respective parts of one blank or a pair of blanks. The tab 32 comprises a neck portion 60 and a head portion 62 extending laterally on each side of the neck portion and the slot 34 comprises a holding portion 64 corresponding to the neck portion and at least one wing portion 66 extending from the holding portion. Interconnection of said respective parts is accomplished by insertion of said neck and head portions through said holding and wing portions. In the interconnected state the neck portion is held in the holding portion and the head portion is misaligned with its corresponding wing portion so as to inhibit withdrawal of the tab from the slot. The sheet material may have a plurality of weakening lines (30, Figure 2) for assembly of the support structure, and a further performed weakening line (36) for folding to reduce bulk for transportation. The sheet material may include a skirt blank (12) for tab-and-slot attachment to the upright support structure. Further, the sheet material may include slots for tab attachment of triangular section structures (Figures 9 and 10). <IMAGE>

Description

SUPPORT STRUCTURES MADE FROM SHEET MATERIAL, AND SHEET MATERIAL BLANKS THEREFOR The invention relates to support structures for assembly from sheet material.

Support structures that can be assembled from sheet material have many varied applications. One particularly useful application is for display stands and the like, especially temporary structures which it is desirable to be able to transport relatively easily. By supplying the elements for a display structure flat, they can be transported flat and erected on site. This avoids problems with transportation of bulky display units. Once the temporary placement is over, the units can either be dismantled for subsequent use or, because of the relatively cheap material from which they are made, disposed of and new structures bought for subsequent use.

The present invention provides an improved support structure for assembly from sheet material.

The disclosed specific embodiments incorporate features that have a number of separate advantages over prior art flat pack support structures. In accordance with the various aspects of the invention, any of these features can be utilised alone or in combination with other features of the specific embodiments.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a support structure for assembly from sheet material employing a tab and slot arrangement comprising at least one tab and at least one slot for connecting respective parts of at least one blank or a pair of said blanks, wherein the tab comprises a neck portion and a head portion extending laterally on each side of the neck portion and the slot comprises a holding portion corresponding to the neck portion and at least one wing portion extending from the neck portion and arranged so that interconnection of said respective parts is accomplished by insertion of said neck and head portions through said holding and wing portions, and so that in the interconnected state the neck portion is held in the holding portion and a head portion is misaligned with its corresponding wing portion so as to inhibit.withdrawal of the tab from the slot.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided a support structure for assembly from sheet material employing a tab and slot arrangement comprising at least one tab and at least one slot for connecting respective parts of at least one blank or a pair of said blanks, wherein the tab comprises a neck portion and a head portion extending laterally on each side of the neck portion and the slot comprises a holding portion corresponding to the neck portion and at least one wing portion extending from the neck portion and arranged during interconnection of said respective parts when naturally orthogonal the head portion of the tab will only pass through the slot when deformed from the position if naturally takes with the neck portion held in the corresponding holding portion of the slot so that when the tab is secured in the slot the head portion inhibits orthogonal withdrawal.

In accordance with a third aspect of the invention there is provided a support structure for assembly from resilient sheet material comprising at least one blank having a plurality of preformed weakening lines for assembly of the support structure means for maintaining the support structure in a desired configuration and at least one further preformed weakening line other than those for assembly for facilitating folding to reduce bulk of the blank during transportation.

In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a free standing upright support structure for assembly from sheet material comprising an upright blank for forming an upright and having a plurality of preformed weakening lines corresponding to vertical edges of the upright and a tab and slot arrangement for maintaining the upright in a desired configuration, and at least one skirt blank having tabs for insertion into corresponding slots in the assembled upright, to form a skirt attached to and surrounding the upright and for contacting the ground to hold the support structure stable against toppling.

In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a support structure for assembly from resilient sheet material comprising at least one blank having a plurality of preformed weakening lines for providing a plurality of faces in the assembled structure, at least one said face of the structure having a ring of at least six slots for insertion of corresponding tabs on three edges of a triangular section structure in plural orientations.

The tab and slot arrangement defined in the first or second aspect of the present invention can be utilised in combination with the third, fourth and fifth aspects of the invention.

The invention also provides a foldable blank, or set of blanks, made of sheet material and configured for forming a support structure according to any of the above-defined first to fifth aspects of the invention.

The tab and slot arrangement can be utilised to interconnect complementary parts of a single blank forming a support structure or can be used to connect complementary parts of separate blanks.

In the second of these uses, the tab and slot arrangements can be used to build a modular support structure which may comprise uprights, horizontal struts, strengthening struts, etc. The holding portion of the slot preferably corresponds to the natural shape of a section through the neck portion of the corresponding tab. In order to prevent excessive movement between attached parts, the holding portion is preferably substantially the same dimension as the neck portion of the corresponding tab.

The slot may have a wing at only one end of the holding portion. To assemble the structure, the corresponding tab must first be properly located at that end of the slot with no wing and the head portion corresponding to the other slot end (with the wing) is then deformed in order to complete insert ion of the tab. Once it has passed through the wing, that head portion of the tab returns to its normal position relative to the neck portion and the tab is held securely in position in the slot. The tab cannot be withdrawn by pulling the tab from the slot as the head portion is now no longer in alignment with the slot wing and thus abuts the resilient material of the support structure. To dismantle the attachment, the tab must once more be deformed to the shape of the slot to allow it to be removed.

The slot may have two wing portions each extending from a respective end of the holding portion. When joining complementary parts with more than one tab and slot configuration, to aid alignment of the tabs, it is preferable for one of the two slots to have a single wing and the other to have a double wing configuration. A tab is inserted into the single wing slot initially, with the tab being inserted into the double wing slot once the first tab is securely in position.

A single slot can be used to secure more than one tab. In these circumstances the slot may have a pair of wing portions at one or each end of the holding portion. Each of the wing portions at a given end provides entrance for one of the corresponding tabs.

The portion of the support structure between the two wing portions provides the abutment to withdrawal of both the tab portions. In order to improve strength of this arrangement, it is desirable, where possible, to have the double wing at only one end of the slot.

One type of support structure that may be assembled from resilient sheet material is a rectangular section upright. Such a structure can be used to form part of a shelving system, or could be free-standing to support display attachments such as document pockets, baskets, etc. Such a structure will be provided with pre-weakened lines for folding vertical and horizontal edges of the upright. It may also be formed with additional slots for securing display attachments. These additional slots may be provided on any, or all vertical faces of the structure and may be vertical or horizontal in extent.

A particularly desirable stabilising arrangement for an upright of this type, is a foot, or skirt, surrounding the base of the upright. This skirt, can also be formed from a flat blank or blanks with tabs provided for attachment to the upright. The skirt may be arranged to provide a triangular section arrangement, wider at the base than at the top. The skirt is preferably attached at its apex by tabs and slots according to the first or second aspect of the invention. Attachment is preferably made to the broader face of the rectangular sectioned support structure. The skirt will also be preferably attached closer to the bottom of the support structure and provide at least two edges lower than the bottom of the upright for contact with the ground.This arrangement provides the advantage that when extra weight is placed on the upright structure, for example when display items are attached, and as the skirt is thereby pressed into the ground, its attachment close to the base prevents it from splaying and the downward force, instead, causes the top of the skirt to "pinch" into the upright. This reinforces the tab and slot connection and increases stability.

In order to further increase the stability of the device, it is preferable for the skirt to be attached to the upright on the shorter faces as well as the broader faces. It is, however, desirable for the two longer edges of the skirt, only, to contact the ground. This allows the device to accommodate irregularities in floor level more readily.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10 of the drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an upright structure of one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the blanks from which the structure of Figure 1 is formed; Figure 3 is an illustration of the first stage of assembly of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an illustration of the steps required to attach one of the skirt pieces to complete assembly of the structure of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows attachment of the second skirt member; Figure 6 illustrates in greater detail, a slot and tab arrangement suitable for use in the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 7 illustrates a one-winged slot; Figure 8 illustrates a double-winged slot with both wings being at one end; Figure 9 illustrates a blank of an alternative structure utilising the slot and tab arrangements of Figure 6.

Figure 10 illustrates a structure assembled from blanks of the kind shown in Figure 9.

Figure 1 shows a display stand 1 of one embodiment of this invention assembled from a blank 10 and two blanks 12 illustrated in Figure 2. The stand comprises an upright 2 and a pair of skirt members 20 attached to the bottom of the upright 2 to hold the display stand 1 stable. When the stand is assembled, documents, for example, can be displayed in display pockets 14 that attach to horizontal slots 16 formed in the front of the display stand and vertical slots 18 in the side.

Lower edges 22 at the front of the skirt members contact the ground whereas the side edges 24,26 are each slightly upwardly inclined in order to accommodate unevenness in floor heights. The display pockets 14 can each be formed from a single sheet of transparent plastics material. Other display devices could, however, be attached to the display stand 1 using any of the slots 16,18 provided.

The upright 2 has such slots 16,18 on all its vertical faces in order to secure the display devices against vertical, horizontal and rotational movement relative to the upright.

The display stand is assembled from a number of flat blanks 10,12 with preformed fold lines 30 positioned to facilitate assembly. In order to ensure all the corners of the stand are squared, each of the fold lines required for assembly should be firmly prefolded prior to inserting tabs 32 in their respective slots 34. Additional fold lines 36 are provided. These do not play a part in the assembly of the device, they are provided merely to enable the blank 10,12 to be folded in order to reduce its size for transportation.

Figure 3 illustrates the steps to be taken once the fold lines 30 have been prefolded. The tabs 32 along a longitudinal edge 38 of the blank 10 are inserted into the slots 34 along the other longitudinal edge 39 of the blank 10. The tabs 32 on a transverse edge 40 at the top of the upright are then inserted into the slots 34 in the opposite transverse edge formed by the fold 43 between the top 41 and corresponding face panel 45. The folds 30 are scored right to the edges of the blank 10 in order to provide for sharp corners.

Once a vertical upright 2 is assembled from the blank 10, each skirt blank 12 can be attached to stabilise the display stand 1. Each skirt blank comprises a front section 55, two side sections 57 and a bottom section 50 with fold lines therebetween. The steps involved in this attachment are shown in Figure 4. One of the tabs 32 formed along an apex edge 47 of the front section 55 is inserted into a one-sided slot 44 at the bottom of the face panel 45 of the upright 2 (Step 1). The other tab 32 on the apex edge 47 is then inserted into the second slot 34 at the bottom of the face panel 45. Again the folds 30 on the blank 12 must be firmly prefolded in order to ensure proper assembly. Once the two tabs 32 at the apex 47 of the skirt blank 12 are in position, side tabs 46 are inserted into corresponding slots 48 on the side panels 49 of the upright 2 (Step 2).The bottom section 50 of the bank 12 is then folded under into place (Step 3), tabs 32 provided along opposite side edges 51 of the bottom section 50 are inserted into corresponding slots 34 in tabs 59 formed along the other edges of the side sections to form the base (Step 4) and a shaped portion 52 is fitted into the central portion 53 of the bottom of the upright 2.

Cutaways 54,56 behind the shaped section 52 are caught underneath overhanging portions 58 at the bottom of the face panels of the upright 2.

Once the first skirt 20 is in position, the steps 1 to 4 are repeated for the second. The display stand 1 is then ready for use.

Downward force on the upright 2, due to the weight of items for display attached to the stand 1 is transmitted to the skirt 20 through its attachment to the upright, causing the skirt to tend to splay outwards. However, the attachment between slots 48 and tabs 46 prevent the skirt 20 from actually splaying outwardly, and instead, the skirt 20 is caused to "pinch" the upright 2 at its apex 45 causing engagement between tabs 32 and slots 44, 34 to be enhanced rather than reduced. Hence, the display stand 1 is more stable in use than when unloaded.

A preferred form of slot 34 and tab 32 arrangement in accordance with the invention can be seen in detail in Figure 6. The tab 32 has a neck portion 60 and two overhanging head regions 62. The slot 34 has a holding portion 64 that accommodates the neck 60 of the tabs and two wings 66 for insertion of the head portions 62 of the tab 32.

For insertion of the tab 32 into slot 34, the head portions 62 must be bent from their normal position which would be in a plane with the holding portion 64 in order to pass through the slot 34. Once the tab is through the slot 34 engagement with the edge of an abutment 68 ceases and the head portions 62 spring back to their norma. planar positions 70 and are prevented from withdrawal from the slot by abutment 68. The blank 10 is formed from tough sheet material (e.g. heavy duty propylene sheet) which has its own resilience. The tabs therefore, spring back readily to their normal positions. Most of the slots 34 have the two-winged configuration of Figure 6.

However, in order to facilitate alignment of the tabs where a great deal of freedom of movement is available between the tabbed and slotted parts for insertion of a tab 32 into a slot 34, a single ended slot 44 illustrated in Figure 7 can be used. The single-ended slots 44 are particularly useful in combination with a double-ended slot 34 as in the situation where, in the stand illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, the edge 47 of the front section of skirt blank 12 is to be attached to the face panel of the upright 2. In these circumstances a tab 32 can be inserted into the single-ended slot 44 to hold, for example, another component in position while an adjacent tab 32 is inserted into a double-ended slot 34 to fully secure the component in position.

Figure 8 illustrates a third type of slot 48 which has two-winged portions 66 but both extend from the same end of the holding portion 64. This slot arrangement can be used to allow insertion of two tabs. One end of a tab 34 is inserted into the end of the holding portion 64 without the wings 66. The part of the head portion 62 remaining outside the slot 48 is then deformed to take the shape of one wing portion 66a and pushed into the slot. As the head portion 62 returns to its normal position, it is prevented from withdrawal from the slot 48 by abutment 72. A second tab 32 can be inserted into the slot 48 in the same fashion using the other wing portion 66b that is not already covered by the part already attached thereto.

Of course, if there is no problem with attachment of a part causing one of the wings to be covered, a single-ended slot 44 of the type illustrated in Figure 7 could be used instead.

A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 shows a blank 80 for forming a triangular section elongate member. Each of three faces 82 of the member has a ring 84 of slots, each slot having the configuration of the slots 34 illustrated in Figure 6. Tabs 86 at the opposite ends of the blank 80 are provided to insert in corresponding slots in another structural member formed from a second blank. The blank 80, can, for example, be used to provide a triangular section shelf which attaches at each end to a face 82 of a triangular section upright structure assembled from a similar blank.

By providing z ring 84 of six slots 34, a triangular structure formed from a blank 80 can be inserted apex up, or apex down, in the slots 34 of one of the rings 84 with the member formed from the blank of figure 9 positioned upright, then when the end tabs of a triangular section structure are inserted into a ring of slots 34 apex up, slots 94, 96 and 98 are used to hold it in position. When placed in the apex down position, slots 88, 90 and 92 are utilised instead.

Figure 10 illustrates an assembly of two interconnected triangular sectioned support structures, one of which, 100, is upright and the other 102 horizontal. A strengthening strut 104 can also be provided, this strut having sets of three tabs at each end for insertion into respective rings of 84 provided in the faces 100a,102a of each of the vertical and horizontal structures.

It will be clear that a flat pack structure of this type can be used to build all manner of display, and other structures. The particular tab and slot arrangement makes firm connection between parts possible and the circular tab arrangements allows for variation in orientation of attachment between member parts. Once again, the blank is formed from tough resilient but relatively cheap sheet material and can be easily transported from one location to the next.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A support structure for assembly from sheet material employing a tab and slot arrangement comprising at least one tab and at least one slot for connecting respective parts of at least one blank or a pair of said blanks, wherein the tab comprises a neck portion and a head portion extending laterally on each side of the neck portion and the slot comprises a holding portion corresponding to the neck portion and at least one wing portion extending from the neck portion and arranged so that interconnection of said respective parts is accomplished by insertion of said neck and head portions through said holding and wing portions, and so that in the interconnected state the neck portion is held in the holding portion and a head portion is misaligned with its corresponding wing portion so as to inhibit withdrawal of the tab from the slot.

2. A support structure according to claim 1 wherein the sheet material is resilient sheet material so that following insertion of the tab in the slot with the head deformed from its natural position, said head portion of the tab returns under its own resilience to a position that inhibits said withdrawal.

3. A support structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one tab and at least one slot are interconnected to join respective parts of the same blank.

4. A support structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one tab and at least one slot are interconnected to join respective parts of first and second blanks.

5. A support structure according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one slot comprises two wing portions each extending from a respective end of the holding portion.

6. A support structure according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one slot is arranged to secure two tabs in position wherein the slot comprises two wing portions each extending from the same end of the holding portion, and each corresponding to a respective deformation of a head portion if a respective tab.

7. A support structure according to any preceding claim, wherein the respective parts are joined by a plurality of tabs and a corresponding plurality of slots, wherein at least one of the plurality of slots includes a single wing portion and the other slot or slots each include two wing portions.

8. A support structure for assembly from sheet material employing a tab and slot arrangement comprising at least one tab and at least one slot for connecting respective parts of at least one blank or a pair of said blanks, wherein the tab comprises a neck portion and a head portion extending laterally on each side of the neck portion and the slot comprises a holding portion corresponding to the neck portion and at least one wing portion extending from the neck portion and arranged during interconnection of said respective parts when naturally orthogonal the head portion of the tab will only pass through the slot when deformed from the position if naturally takes with the neck portion held in the corresponding holding portion of the slot so that when the tab is secured in the slot the head portion inhibits orthogonal withdrawal.

9. A support structure for assembly from resilient sheet material comprising at least one blank having a plurality of preformed weakening lines for assembly of the support structure means for maintaining the support structure in a desired configuration and at least one further preformed weakening line other than those for assembly for facilitating folding to reduce bulk of the blank during transportation.

10. A support structure according to claim 9 wherein the at least one further weakening line is substantially perpendicular to others of the preformed weakening lines corresponding to edges of the assembled structure.

11. A free standing upright support structure for assembly from sheet material comprising an upright blank for forming an upright and having a plurality of preformed weakening lines corresponding to vertical edges of the upright and a tab and slot arrangement for maintaining the upright in a desired configuration, and at least one skirt blank having tabs for insertion into corresponding slots in the assembled upright, to form a skirt attached to and surrounding the upright and for contacting the ground to hold the support structure stable against toppling.

12. A support structure according to claim 11, wherein the upright is of rectangular section and two skirt sections formed from respective skirt blanks are attached on opposite faces of the upright.

13. A support structure according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the skirt has an apex portion at which it is attached to the upright by a tab and slot arrangement.

14. A support structure according to claim 13, wherein the skirt is additionally attached to the upright below its apex so that downward force on the upright causes the apex to pinch the upright.

15. A support structure according to claim 14 wherein the additional attachment is on a face perpendicular to the faces to which the apex is attached.

16. A support structure for assembly from resilient sheet material comprising at least one blank having a plurality of preformed weakening lines for providing a plurality of faces in the assembled structure, at least one said face of the structure having a ring of at least six slots for insertion of corresponding tabs on three edges of a triangular section structure in plural orientations.

17. A foldable blank, or set of blanks, made of sheet material and configured for forming a support structure according to any preceding claim.

18. A support structure, or a blank or set of blanks for forming a support structure, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.