GB2352964A

GB2352964A - Bendable plate for furniture doors

Info

Publication number: GB2352964A
Application number: GB9918956A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Hwang
Original assignee: Kenmark Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: Kenmark Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date: 1999-08-11
Filing date: 1999-08-11
Publication date: 2001-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 2019-08-11
Also published as: GB9918956D0; GB2352964B

Abstract

A bendable plate 10 for making curved furniture doors has a plurality of grooves 11 on one side. The plate is bent into a curve and fastened, via fixings 30, to a flat plate 20 having an arc shaped edge. The plate 20 acts as a shelf and may have ledges (21,22 Fig 10) to retain goods. The plate 10 may have a transverse groove (14, Fig 11) which receives the curved edge of plate 20. Two or more plates 20 can be fitted. Handle 13 and hinge pins 12 are included. The bendable plate can be part of a furniture flat-pack.

Description

2352964 A BENDABLE SHAPING DOOR PLATE DEVICE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a bendable shaping door plate device, especially to a door plate device used in cabinets for accommodating TVs, stereos, and other home electronic appliances, or office supplies. In its pre-assembly state, the door plate appears flat, so that it takes less space and facilitates packaging and transportation. In assembly, the door plate device can bend and shape the door plate for the cabinet, so that the cabinet appears more visually pleasing with increased functionality.

2. Background of the Invention

Referring to conventional cabinets for accommodating TVs, stereos, and other home electronic appliances, or office supplies, in order to avoid appearing square and rigid, bendable thin boards are commonly used for the two side panels to achieve greater aesthetic outlook. Thick boards can not be bent into arc shape.

However, as no door can be installed, the space in the vicinity of the arc panels is enclosed and shut, so that it cannot be properly utilized, making the usable storage space of the cabinet less. In addition, the consumer DIY trend demands that the arc panels should be packaged as an unit to allow ease of consumer assembly. But the arc panels are bulky, unlike the flat boards which can save space.

1 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a bendable shaping door plate device comprising a door plate having a Z- plurality of grooves on one side thereof and a fixer plate for fixing horizontally to the grooved side of the door plate. Before assembly, the door plate is flat for ease of packaging and reduction of storage space. During assembly, via its grooves, the door plate may be bent into an arc, and by fixing the fixer plate to the grooved side of the door plate, the bent door plate is fixed in that arc shape. So that the door plate has a pleasing outlook. Moreover, the door plate can open and the fixer plate can hold objects for increased storage utility. As the aforesaid door plate can open, it must have certain thickness for sturdiness.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TBE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing to the following drawings in which:

Fcy il=. I is a frontal view showing present invention used in a cabinet.Fig. 2 is an upper view showing present invention used in a cabinet. Fig. 3 is a schematic view illustrated an opened door plate of Fig.2Fig. 4 is a frontal view showing the grooved side of the door plate before assembly. Fig. 5 is a plane view of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a plane view of the fixer plate of the present invention before assembly. Fig. 7 is a plane view of a door plate device assembled of the door plate and a fixer plate of the present invention fixed together by a fixing device.

2 Fig. 8 is a frontal view of Fig. 7.

Fc, ill>. 9 shows an embodiment of a door plate device of Fig. 8 further installed with a second fixer plate.

Fig. 10 shows an embodiment of the door plate device of Fig, 8 fimher installed with fencing plates.

Fig. 11 shows another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 12 is a plane view showing that the door plate of Ficy. 11.

Fig. 1.3) is a cross sectional view showing the structure of the second fixing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EM130DIMIENT

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the cabinet resembles a conventional cabinet. However, as the door plate 10 can open, a handle 13 is installed on the door plate 10. The drawers 60 with handles 13 are part of the prior art structure. Because the left and right door plate devices 50 with door plates 10 are symmetric, only the left side door plate device is described.

As shown in Figs. 4 to 8, the door plate device 50 of the present invention comprises: a door plate 10, a fixer plate 20 and a L shape fixing device30. The doorplate 10 is flat with plurality of longitudinal grooves 11 on one of its sides. A pivot 12 installed on either end serves as the axis for rotation. A handle 13 is installed on the side opposite to the grooved side. The fixer plate is flat with an arc 23. The door plate 10 can be bent to an arc by virtue of the grooves 11, and can stay in that arc shape by adhering to the arc 23 of the fixer plate 20. With a generic fixing device 30, the fixer plate 20 is locked with the door plate 10 so that the door plate 10 has a pleasing arc shape. In addition, the fixer can hold objects for increased storage utility.

3 Referring to Fig. 9, another instance of embodiment showing the addition of a second fixer plate 20 and a second fixing device 30, the storing space is thereby enlarged and the arc shape of the door plate 10 is made even more sturdy.

As shown in Fig. 10, fencing plates 21 and 22 are further erected on the opening edges the fixer plate 20 so that objects placed on the fixer plate 20 will not fall out.

In Figs. 11 and 12, a slot 14 lying transversally to the grooves I I is Z.D created. The fixer plate 20 can insert its arc edge 23 into this slot for a even more secured joint structure.

In Fig. 13 in addition to a pair of fixing devices 30 holding together the fixer plate 20 and the door plate 10, a second fixing device 40 further enhances the joint of the door plate 10 and the fixer plate 20. This fixing device consists of a buckling rod 42 and a buckling body 46- The buckling rod 42 is first fixed into the female screw seat 41 of the door plate 10 by its threaded portion 43). The buckling rod 42 consists of a neck portion 44 and a head 45. The buckling body 46 is embedded into an aperture 25 of the fixer plate 20. The buckling body 46 consists of a receiving hole 47 and a buckling hole 48 which tunnels through to the receiving hole 47 and can be tightened up gradually, and a driving portion 49, which allows using a screw driver to turn the buckling body 46. A hole 24 is bored into the fixer plate 20 and to the position of the aperture 25. Before installing the fixing device 30, the buckling rod 42 on the door plate 10 protrudes toward the shaping plate 20 for insertion into the bore hole 24 of the fixer plate 20. In buckling with the buckling rod 42, the receivig hole 47 of the buckling body 46 receives the head 45 of the buckling rod 42. Once the head 45 is inside the receiving hole 47, the buckling body 46 is turned so that the buckling hole 48 of the buckling body 46 can 4 clamp unto the neck portion 44 of the buckling rod 42 for a secured connect on. Following this preliminary connection, the fixing device -)0 is implemented to further secure the joint of the door plate 10 and the fixer plate 20.

Before the assembly, the door plate and the fixer plate of the present invention can be packaged and transported as flat plates for reduced space. Moreover, the assembly is easy and fast, the resulting arc door plates are visually pleasing. Furthermore, the fixer plate offers additional storage space.

Although the invention has been described in detail with reference only to a preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications can be made without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the invention is defined only by the following claims which are intended to embrace all equivalent thereof.

Claims

1. A bendable shaping door plate device comprising: a door plate having a plurality of grooves on one of its sides-, a fixer plate having least one arc portion; and a fixing device; wherein the door plate bemig bendable by virtue of the grooves alonsz and leaning tightly against the arc portion of the fixer plate; the fixing device jointing together the door plate and the fixer plate securely, creating an arc surface on the door plate.

2. The door plate device as recited in Claim 1, wherein a slot lying 'in a transverse direction on the side of the door plate having a plurality of grooves, for receiving the inlaying of the arc portion of the fixer plate.

3 The door plate device as recited in Claim 1, wherein, except the arc portion, fencing boards being erected aloncr the edges of the fixer plate.

6