GB2370977A

GB2370977A - Self-erectable display stand and associated blank

Info

Publication number: GB2370977A
Application number: GB0100154A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jason Moore; Christopher Dunn
Original assignee: Linpac Containers Ltd
Current assignee: DS Smith Packaging Ltd
Priority date: 2001-01-04
Filing date: 2001-01-04
Publication date: 2002-07-17
Also published as: GB0100154D0

Abstract

An erectable stand, 1, comprising two pairs of opposed walls, 2 and 3, of which the opposed side walls, 2, of one pair are folded when the stand, 1, is in a generally flat, unerected condition, and are unfolded with the help of the biasing means,6, to create a generally tubular structure.

Description

SELF-ERECTABLE DISPLAY STAND AND ASSOCIATED BLANK

DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a self-erectable display stand and an associated blank from which the stand can be erected when the blank is in a semi-erected condition.

Erectable display stands, particularly those which are formed from a cardboard blank and which are generally tower shaped, can be cumbersome and hence difficult, to erect on-site from an associated blank.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an erectable display stand, and associated blank, which facilitates erection on-site but which can be stored and transported in a generally flat condition.

Accordingly, one aspect of the invention resides in an erectable stand comprising two pairs of opposed side walls of which the opposed side walls of one pair are folded when the stand is in a generally flat, unerected condition, and are unfolded to define, with the opposed walls of the other pair, a generally tubular structure when the stand is in its erected condition, wherein the stand further comprises biasing means arranged to act between said one pair of opposed side walls, to facilitate their unfolding and, hence, erection of the stand from its generally flat, unerected condition into its generally tubular, erected condition.

Preferably, the one pair of opposed side walls are folded outwardly of the stand in its generally flat, unerected condition, with the biasing means arranged to urge the folded side walls inwardly towards each other upon erection of the stand. Such biasing means may comprise an elongate, elastic

member which, in the generally flat, unerected condition of the stand, is pretensioned.

The stand may include an inner panel which, when the stand is in its erected condition, abuts the inner surfaces of the one pair of opposed side walls, to limit any further inwardly directed movement of those side walls, thereby maintaining the stand in its proper tubular configuration. Any such inner panel may be inclined to the longitudinal axis of the erected, tubular stand, to provide an inclined surface which is arranged to receive a merchandising article viewable through an aperture in one of the other pair of opposed side walls. The aperture may be formed by displacement of the inner panel from that one of the other pair of opposed side walls during erection of the stand from its generally flat, unerected condition.

In a preferred embodiment of display stand to be described in more detail hereinbelow, the stand comprises two biasing means spaced along the length thereof, although more than two could be employed, depending upon the height and other dimensions of the stand. Also, the stand may comprise two or more inner panels spaced along the length thereof, namely down the height of, the erected stand and each having a corresponding aperture. The or each inner panel may be constituted by two half panels folded inwardly from respective ones of the other pair of opposed side walls, to provide two inclined surfaces, one facing generally forwardly and other facing generally rearwardly of the erected stand.

The invention also provides a unitary blank which is cut and creased, preferably from corrugated board or other suitable sheet material, and which is erectable into a display stand in accordance with the first aspect of the invention defined above.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, an embodiment of self-erectable display stand and associated blank will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures lA to 1C are respective plan views of a self-erectable display stand being erected from its generally flat, unerected condition into its erected condition; Figure 2A is a plan view of a blank from which a self-erectable display stand can be erected; and Figure 2B is an elevational view of a display stand in its fully-erected condition.

Referring firstly to Figures lA to 1C, this provides an example of the general principle upon which a self-erectable display stand in accordance with the invention, is based.

Referring, therefore, to Figure lA, a self-erectable display stand, indicated generally at 1, is shown in its generally flat, unerected condition and comprises one pair of opposed side walls 2 connected at 4 by respective normal creases to another pair of opposed side walls 3. The one pair of opposed side walls 2 are folded in half, at respective normal creases 5, such that the stand is folded flat in its unerected condition.

A pretensioned, elongate elastic member 6 has respective opposed ends connected to the one pair of side walls 2 at or adjacent the normal creases 5.

The elastic member 6, or indeed any other suitable biasing means, acts between the one pair of opposed side walls 2, to facilitate erection of the stand, as will be described hereinbelow.

In Figure IB, the stand 1 is shown in a partially-erected condition, after the other pair of opposed side walls 3 have been separated sufficiently for the elastic member 6 to urge the one pair of opposed side walls 2 inwardly, in the direction of the arrows A, so that those side walls unfold partially from their fully-folded condition, as shown in Figure I A Further inward urging of the one pair of opposed side walls 2 by the elastic member 6 causes those side walls 2 to become fully unfolded, as shown in Figure 1C, thereby causing the fully-erected stand 11 to be formed.

In this manner, the two pairs of opposed side walls 2,3 define a generally tubular stand 11.

To convert the fully-erected stand 11 into its generally flat, unerected condition, as shown in Figure 1A, the one pair of opposed side walls 2 may be urged outwardly, by, say, hand, against the inwardly urging bias of the elastic member 6, through the partially-erected condition shown in Figure IB and, eventually, into its generally flat, unerected condition shown in Figure IA.

Having discussed the general principle upon which the self-erectable display stand of the Mention relies, reference is now made to Figure 2A in which there is shown a cut and creased blank of corrugated board, indicated generally at 21.

This blank 21 comprises first and second side wall panels 22 and 23 each divided longitudinally in half by respective normal creases 24 and 25.

Third and fourth side wall panels 26 and 27 are connected, respectively to the first and second side wall panels 22, 23 by normal creases 28 to 30, whilst respective pairs of spaced panels 32 and 33 are provided by respective cuts 34,36 and 35,37 and are hinged to their corresponding third and fourth side wall panels 26,27 by creases 38 and 39.

Each panel 32 has a flap 40 which can be glued to the corresponding edge of its associated panel 33, upon erection of the blank. Similarly, a longitudinal flap 41 can be glued to the exposed edge 42 of the first side wall panel 22, again upon erection of the blank 21.

Each panel 32 is provided with a removable, generally square portion 44 whose function will be described hereinbelow and a double crease 43 extends transversely of the blank 21 to allow the erected blank to be folded generally in half, if necessary.

Each normal crease 24, 25 is provided with a pair of spaced holes 45 for receiving respective opposed ends of an elongate biasing means in the form of an elastic member 50.

Upon erection of the blank 21, with the longitudinal flap 41 glued to the exposed edge 42 of the first side wall panel 22 and with the flap 40 of each panel 32 glued to the corresponding edge of the associated panel 33, the third side wall panel 26 forms the rear wall 26'of an erected display stand, as shown at 101 in Figure 2B. Similarly, the fourth side wall panel 27 of the blank 21 forms the front wall 27'of the erected display stand 101, again as shown in Figure 2B, although to that front wall 27'is secured an optional pair of rectangular display panels 60.

As also shown in Figure 2B, a pair of elastic members 50 extend between opposed side walls 22', 23'of the stand 101, formed from respective

first and second side wall panels 22, 23 of the blank 21. The opposed ends of each elastic member 50 extend through respective pairs of holes 45, each end being retained in place by a folded square portion 54 formed by removing a portion 44 from each of the panels 32 of the blank 21 and then folding them in half, with the corresponding ends of the elastic members 50 being secured thereto, for example, by being wrapped therearound.

In Figure 2B, the stand 101 is shown in its fully-erected condition However, it will be appreciated that the stand can be folded down into a generally flat condition, as described above with regard to the stand I of Figures IA to IC In that fully-folded down condition of the stand, it can then be folded in half about the transverse double crease 43, to reduce storage space.

Upon erection from its fully-folded down condition, the pair of elastic members 50 urge the pair of opposed side walls 22', 23'inwardly towards each other, to facilitate such erection.

Thus, it can be seen that the invention provides an erectable stand for display purposes, which occupies little storage space when folded down and which is easy to erect on site.

Claims

1. An erectable stand comprising two pairs of opposed side walls of which the opposed side walls of one pair are folded when the stand is in a generally flat, unerected condition, and are unfolded to define, with the opposed walls of the other pair, a generally tubular structure when the stand is in its erected condition, wherein the stand further comprises biasing means arranged to act between said one pair of opposed side walls, to facilitate their unfolding and, hence, erection of the stand from its generally flat, unerected condition into its generally tubular, erected condition.

2. An erectable stand according to claim 1, wherein the one pair of opposed side walls are folded outwardly of the stand in its generally flat, unerected condition, with the biasing means arranged to urge the folded side walls inwardly towards each other upon erection of the stand.

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3. An erectable stand according to claim I or 2, wherein the biasing means comprises an elongate, elastic member which, in the generally flat, unerected condition of the stand, is pre-tensioned.

4. An erectable stand according to claim 1,2 or 3 including an inner panel which, when the stand is in its erected condition, abuts the inner surfaces of the one pair of opposed side walls, to limit any further inwardly directed movement of those side walls, thereby maintaining the stand in its proper tubular configuration.

5. An erectable stand according to claim 4, wherein the inner panel is inclined to the longitudinal axis of the erected, tubular stand, to provide an inclined surface which is arranged to receive a merchandising article viewable through an aperture in one of the other pair of opposed side walls.

6. An erectable stand according to claim 5, wherein the aperture is formed by displacement of the inner panel from that one of the other pair of opposed side walls during erection of the stand from its generally flat, unerected condition.

7. An erectable stand according to any preceding claim further comprising two or more biasing means spaced along the length thereof.

8. An erectable stand according to claim 4 or any of claims 5 to 7 when dependent upon claim 4 further comprising two or more inner panels spaced along the length thereof, each having a corresponding aperture.

9. An erectable stand according to claim 4 or any of claims 5 to 8 when dependent upon claim 4, wherein the or each inner panel is constituted by two half panels foldable inwardly from respective ones of the other pair of opposed side walls, to provide two inclined surfaces, one facing generally forwardly and other facing generally rearwardly of the erected stand.

10. A unitary blank which is cut and creased and is erectable into a stand in accordance with any of claims I to 9.

11. A blank according to claim 10, which is formed from corrugated board.

12. An erectable stand substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A unitary blank for an erectable stand substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.