US3529372A

US3529372A - Compartmented article and method of making the same

Info

Publication number: US3529372A
Application number: US686233A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mathias Kutsch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-12-01
Filing date: 1967-11-28
Publication date: 1970-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 1987-09-22

Description

Sept. 22, 1910 WIINIHH! mmm \IHNWIININWIIIHIIIHIIWINIWIIIIIIIIlili M. KUTSCH COMPARTMENTED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Nov. 28, 1967 I V511):- llillmlflllllllllllHIIHIiIUININIlMIIlmllmllllm {f nib Q QLLE BY a a United States Patent 3,529,372 COMPARTMENTED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Mathias Kutsch, In der Stesse 4, Attendorn, Westphalia, Germany Filed Nov. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 686,233 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 1, 1966, 1,299,851 Int. Cl. G09f 1/10 U.S. Cl. 40-1242 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A compartmented article is made by folding a web of sheet material in successively opposite direction along a plurality of spaced substantially parallel first lines to thereby provide elongated substantially parallel pockets each of which has an open side and is constituted by overlapping sheet material panels. Thereupon the overlapping panels are secured to one another along a plurality of spaced substantially parallel second lines which are inclined to the first lines and the pockets are thereby subdivided into separate compartments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to compartmented articles, and more particularly to articles of this type which are made from sheet material. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a compartmented article and a method of making the same wherein resort is had to the folding of sheet material to provide the article in a most advantageous and simple manner.

compartmented articles of the type here in question are already known. They find use in a variety of applications, for instance as game boards for games which are to be movable because they have to be taken along in travels, as posters, for display purposes, as signs, and for similar applications. Such articles, in the type of construction known from the prior art, consists of a suitable backing which is usually rigid and in form of a sheet of wood, metal, cardboard, pressboard or the like. Fixed to one surface of this backing are elongated strips of a material which may be identical with or different from that of the backing and which strips may overlap or not overlap but extend in parallelism with one another. These strips are secured to the backing in a certain desired, manner, usually along one longitudinal edge thereof, to provide an elongated pocket having an open side, but intermediate the ends transversely of the longitudinal edge so as to subdivide this pocket into a plurality of compartments each of which also has an open side. Various articles can then be introduced into the individual compartments. Such articles may consist of fiat pieces of material on which indicia are printed or otherwise provided, they may be symbols cut out of or otherwise produced from sheet material, or they may be constituted in other ways. If the articles are in form of letters or in form of pieces of sheet material on which letters are printed or otherwise reproduced, the sign can be made by combining the required letters into words which is done simply by inserting each article into one of the compartments wherein it is held in its intended position. Of course, this is only a single example, and many other applications are possible. For instance, this type of compartmented articles is particularly suitable as a chessboard for travel-chess game sets. In this case it is of course necessary to provide the support and the individual strips with markings which denote the various fields of the chess-board.

Regardless of the type of application which is chosen for these compartmented articles, it will be evident that the production of the various individual members which are required, namely the backing and the individual strips which have to be secured thereto, and the subsequent affixing of these members to one another, is time consuming and therefore expensive. This expense is of course increased by the fact that the individual members must be secured to one another, and furthermore that they must be secured to one another in precisely predetermined relationship. This is particularly diflicult to do if the individual members themselves are provided with indicia, for instance lines, outlines of game fields, or the like, which must be precisely aligned with one another, as for instance in the case of a chess-board where it is necessary that no ovelapping of adjacent fields take place.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.

More particularly, the present invention provides a compartmented article which, while overcoming these disadvantages, is at the same time much simpler to manufacture and to assemble than anything known in this field.

The present invention not only facilitates manufacture and assembly of a compartmented article of the type in question, but also assures that undesirable and aesthetically displeasing errors in assembly, such as overlapping of indicia or the like, can be avoided.

The invention relates not only to a compartmented ar tcle itself, but also to a method of making such an article in accordance with which method a web of sheet material is folded in successively opposite directions along a plurality of spaced substantially parallel first lines so as to provide a plurality of elongated substantially parallel pockets each of Which has an open side and each of which is constituted by overlapping sheet material panels. To complete making of the article in accordance with my method, the overlapping sheet material panels are secured to one another along a plurality of spaced substantially parallel second lines which are inclined to the aforementioned first lines, or, putting this differently to the elongation of the pockets, and thereby the pockets are subdivided into separate compartments each of which can at least partially accommodate an article therewithin, it being clear that each of these compartments of course has an open side.

It is evident that by resorting to my invention a compartmented article can be produced from a single web of sheet material, thus eliminating the manufacture of a great number of individual members which must thereupon be joined together. The simplicity and efiiciency of my invent-ion are clearly obvious, as is the fact that re sort to my invention will greatly reduce the expenses in volved in manufacturing articles of this type and will also speed the manufacturing process significantly.

-It is clear that a foil or web utilized in accordance with my invention can be provided with indicia indicating the folding lines, the securing lines, outlining playing fields, providing color coding for the insertion of symbol-carrying or symbol-incorporating articles, and in similar manner.

I have found it particularly advantageous if the web is folded in such a manner that along the fold lines the occurrence of sharp creases is avoided. In accordance with my invention it is desirable that each fold take place with a relatively small radius so that any two adjacent and superimposed sheet material panels which are joined by such fold will not be in direct surface-to-surface contact with one another but will instead bulge slightly in a cushion effect, intermediate the securing lines. Such bulging does not adversely affect the flatness of the overall articles; it does, however, assure that a symbol-carrying or symbol-embodying article which hereinafter for the sake of convenience will be referred to as a symbol card, will be retained in the respective compartment as a result of the slight pressure exerted on it and which is occasioned by the springy relationship resulting from the aforementioned feature. Thus, each such symbol card is protected against undesired shifting of its position, and against accidental dislodging from the respective compartment. Furthermore, inasmuch as adjacent superimposed panels will be spaced from one another, to the maximum extent intermediate to adjacent parallel folds but Will approach one another more closely in the direction towards these folds, it is clear that at the open side of each pocket and therefore of each compartment constituting a subdivision of the respective pocket there will be present inclined surface portions which will serve to guide the respective symbol card for easier entry into the compartment in question.

It will be evident that such securing of the overlapping sheet material panels to one another can be effected in a variety of ways, including bonding in a suitable manner, for instance by means of an adhesive substance, welding if the sheet material lends itself to such treatment, and mechanical connection. The present invention is particularly advantageous for compartmented articles into whose compartments symbol cards are to be introduced according to a system of coordinates as in chess, checkers or the like. Advantageously, the configuration of each of these compartments will be quadratic or rectangular, although other configurations are possible. Similarly, the arrangement of the compartments may be regular or irregular and the size of the compartments may be identical or may differ.

The number of applications to which the compartmented article according to my invention lends itself is extremely large. For instance, its use as a game board for such games as chess and checkers, will suggest itself. Furthermore, it can be used as a sign, whereon the information to be conveyed must be varied from time to time. It can be used for establishing varying displays, such as the organizational structure of a company, statistical displays, assignment charts, load charts, scientific displays, engineering displays, and the like. It can also be used for status indications of equipment and the like, and for decorative purposes. In fact, if the article consists of a transparent material it can even be used as an overlay over surfaces on which information has been reproduced according to a predetermined scheme which is to be made visible or selectively partially visible if the article is locally opaque, through the article overlying the surface.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 illustrates, in a fragmentary plan view, a printed web suitable for making an article according to my invention, but prior to such utilization;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating a completed article assembled from the web shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of FIG. 2;

4 FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 2 as seen in the direction of the arrow IV associated with FIG. 12; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detail view of FIG. 4 on an enlarged scale, and showing two symbol-carrying articles inserted into respective compartments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing now the drawing in detail, and firstly FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that I have illustrated there a fiat web or foil 1 which may consist of various different materials, for instance paper, cardboard, metal, synthetic plastic, thin sheet metal or the like. Because this foil 1 is initially completely flat it can be supplied on and removed from rolls in continuous strips and can be cut or otherwise trimmed to the desired size. While it is clear that the foil 1 may be completely plain, I have illustrated it in FIG. 1 as being provided with a printed pattern. Of course, instead of printed this pattern can be painted on, etched on, engraved or provided in any other desired man ner. In FIG. 1 the pattern is assumed to define the colored fields of a chess board, such fields being identified with reference numeral 2, and being outlined by intersecting lines 3 and 4 which extend at right angles to one another. Beyond this, FIG. 1 also provides intermediate successive adjacent lines 3 a guide line 5 which indicate the line along which the foil is subsequently to be folded. Evidently, the guide line 5 could be eliminated just as the other indicia which are shown in FIG. 1 could be supplemented or replaced by letters, numbers, symbols, pictures, colored areas or geometrical configurations or the like.

To convert the web or foil 1 into an article according to my novel invention, such as illustrated in FIG. 2, the web is folded in a manner most clearly seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. In other words, it is folded along a plurality of spaced parallel first lines and in successively opposite directions. Thus, the web is first folded about the lines 5 from the bottom of FIG. 1 upwardly in the direction towards the top of FIG. 1, and the next fold is then made in reverse direction and about that one of the lines 3 which is located immediately downwardly adjacent the line 5, the term downwardly here referring to the relationship of these lines as seen in FIG. 1. The result of such folding is an article as shown in FIG. 2, and in the side view of the arrow IV this article has the configuration visible in FIG. 4, and constitutes a plurality of elongated pockets 1b each of which has an open side.

FIG. 4 also shows that the folds are made in such a manner that sharp creases along the fold lines 3 and 5 are avoided. In this manner, each fold is bounded by a rounded fold line or

edge

6, 7 having a small radius of curvature which is shown in somewhat exaggerated manner in FIG. 5 for the sake of clear demonstration. The rounding along the edges 6 of the folds assures that each edge 6 forms with the adjacent panel portion 1a and an inlet slot which tapers in the direction towards the interior of the respective pocket 1b and which thus facilitates insertion of a symbol card 8 (compare FIG. 5) which latter is guided by the converging cross-sectional configuration. Because the overlapping panel portions of each fold (compare FIGS. 4 and 5) are not in direct surface-to-surface engagement but rather define with one another a somewhat bulging cushion-like configuration, a symbol card such as the ones identified with reference numeral 8 in FIG. 5 which is introduced into the respect1ve pockets 111, will be subjected to the resilient engagement along the edges 6 and will therefore be retained in the respective pockets against movement and/or dislodging.

Up to this point, the folding of the foil or web shown in FIG. 1 has resulted in formation of elongated pockets 1b. These are further subdivided by securing the overlapping panel portions to one another, by welding, by adhesive means, by bonding in general, by mechanical connection or in any other suitable or desired manner, along securing lines '9, 10 which are inclined to the folding lines 3, usually extending normal thereto, and which are spaced from one another transversely of their own elongation that is in the direction of elongation of the folding lines 3, 5. This linear securing along the lines 9, subdivides each of the pockets 1b into two or more (depending upon the number of securing lines) compartments, each of which is adapted to accept one of the symbol cards 8 or an analogous member.

One of the considerable advantages of the present invention is that the folding of the web, as well as the joining along the securing

lines

9, 10 can be effected fully automatically by means of existing well-known machinery.

FIG. 4 shows that the completed article may be supported on and/or afiixed to a base 11, for instance to give it rigidity, or increased rigidity. Evidently, however, the base 11 can be eliminated and the article may, for instance be suspended from a support, or mounted in a frame 12 as shown in FIG. 2. Of course, either of these possibilities can again be combined with the provision of the member 11 if this is the case. The article, shown in FIG. 2 can, of course, also be provided as a folding board, for instance if it is intended as a game board for travel-chess or the like or in any other desired manner. It is clearly within the scope of the present invention to provide indicia other than those illustrated on the article, or on a frame or mat surrounding it, for instance the indicia which are necessary to establish the various coordinants on a chess board. It is also to be understood that folding can be effected in ways other than illustrated herein, that the folds need not be exactly parallel, but the

lines

9, 10 need not be parallel and/or normal to the lines 3, 5 and that other modifications are possible which will in no way detract from the scope of the invention.

It has already been pointed out that different types of material are suitable for the foil 1. It will also be clear, however, that the foil 1 can be completely opaque, partly opaque, or completely transparent if this is desired. In the latter case, the symbols on the symbol card 8 may be so placed that they will be completely located within the respective compartments when the symbol card 8 is introduced and only a gripping portion of each symbol card 8 may extend outwardly of the respective compartments. Again, part of the symbol or symbols carried on the respective cards 8 may be visible outside and part inside the respective compartment if the web 1 is of transparent material. This depends to some extent upon the purposes for which the article according to the present invention is to be utilized; for instance if articles are introduced into the compartments so that, when a variety of articles has been introduced in a predetermined manner, the entire structure with the inserted cards or articles '8 is to be photocopied in a conventional photocopier, it may be necessary to have the symbols to be copied located on the outwardly extending portions of the respective cards 8 because copying may not be possible or may not be practical through the material of the web 1 even if such material is transparent. It is also clear that the configuration of the various indicia which are pre-provided, namely pre-printed or otherwise provided on the foil or web 1 need not be identical with that which has been shown in the drawing. Thus, each of the colored fields 2 shown in FIG. 1 may, for instance be somewhat extended in the direction towards the next-following folding line 5, the 1 be located within the respective pockets 1b, and it being understood that in this instance the foil or web 1 will be of opaque material.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of articles, differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a compartmented article, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inven tion and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. A compartmented article, comprising a web of foldable sheet material provided with a plurality of pleats each consisting of a plurality of pairs of elongated overlapping panel portions of said web which define with one another elongated substantially parallel pockets each having an open side bounded by an edge portion and a closed side bounded by a transition portion extending between the two panel portions of each pair, at least one panel portion of each pair being'bounded on a radius of curvature so selected that said edge portion is resiliently urged towards abutment with the respectively underlying panel portion of the pair.

2. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein said web consists of weldable material, and wherein said securing means comprises a plurality of elongated welded seams each coinciding with one of said lines.

3. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein said securing means comprises an adhesive material.

4. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein said web consists of a transparent material.

5. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein said web is provided with indicia coinciding with, and indicative of the use intended for, respective ones of said compartments.

6. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein said web is provided with indicia outlining predetermined web sections located partly within and partly externally adjacent to the open sides of at least some of said compartments.

7. An article as defined in claim 1, and further comprising indicia-bearing articles adapted to be at least partially accommodated within, and to be withdrawn from, the respective compartments at the will of a user.

8. A method of making a compartmented article, comprising the steps of folding a web of sheet material in successively opposite directions along a plurality of spaced substantially parallel first lines so as to provide a plurality of elongated substantially parallel pockets each having an open side and being constituted by two overlapping sheet material panels, at least one said sheet material panel bulging transversely of the elongation of the respective pocket on a radius so selected that a rounded edge portion extending along said open side is urged biasedly in direction towards the other of said two panels and securing the overlapping sheet material panels to one another along a plurality of spaced substantially parallel second lines which are inclined to said first lines, to thereby subdivide said pockets into separate compartments each of which is adapted to at least partially accommodate an article therewithin.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the step of securing the overlapping panels to one another comprises adhesively joining the panels along said second lines.

10. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein said sheet material is weldable, and wherein the step of securing the overlapping panels to one another comprises Welding the panels along said second lines.

11. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the step of folding the sheet material comprises bending said one sheet material panel with a relatively small radius in such a manner that the panels overlap one another in other than surface-to-surface relationship for springy engagement of articles inserted into said compartments.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1939 King 40-159 2/1964 Upton 40-124 US. Cl. X.R. 273136