WO1989000117A1

WO1989000117A1 - Arrangement for partitioning spaces of varying shape

Info

Publication number: WO1989000117A1
Application number: PCT/SE1988/000304
Authority: WO
Inventors: Per-Åke TUVESSON
Original assignee: Tuvesson Per Aake
Priority date: 1987-07-02
Filing date: 1988-06-03
Publication date: 1989-01-12
Also published as: SE8702731D0; SE455289B; AU1984188A

Abstract

An arrangement is disclosed, by means of which spaces in e.g. cars and boats can be partitioned in such manner that for instance carrier bags or other objects can be placed in the partitioned space without risk of tipping. The arrangement comprises a series of panels (10) which are pivotally joined together and have a flap (12) pivoted thereto along one longitudinal edge. By disposing the panels (10) in the desired angle relative to each other and arranging the flaps (12) perpendicular to the panels (10), a very large number of partitioning configurations can be obtained. In the position of use, the flaps (12) can be free from one another or joined, depending on how the panels (10) are arranged in the space at issue. A blank for producing such an arrangement is also disclosed, which comprises an elongate strip made of cardboard or plastic and having transverse score lines (11) which divide the strip into rectangular panels (10), and longitudinal score lines (13) along one longitudinal side of the strip which define approximately triangular support flaps (12) for the panels (10).

Description

ARRANGEMENT FOR PARTITIONING SPACES OF VARYING SHAPE

The present invention relates to an arrangement for partitioning spaces of varying shape.

A problem well known to motorists who have been shopping in a supermarket, is how to store the grocery bags in the car during the ride home. In most cases, the bags are placed in the luggage boot of the car, and if no special precautions are taken they will tip over already during moderate acceleration or braking of the car so that the various items are scattered all over the floor. This may damage the goods, or the goods themselves may cause damage, for example a leaking liquid container. Some car manufacturers have developed special luggage boot baskets for this purpose, but these have not been successful since they are both expensive and in the way and must be removed when larger items, such as suitcases, are to be carried in the boot. Many people prefer to wedge the bags between the front and back seats of the car, but this is no adequate solution either, since in principle only two or three bags can be carried in this manner, provided that there are no back seat passengers, and, at least in small cars, there is a certain risk that the items are squeezed.

The same problem occurs in pleasure boats. The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive arrangement for partitioning spaces of the type at issue, the arrangement being such that anyone can make a suitable partitioning of the space independently of the shape thereof. The object is achieved in that the arrangement comprises a series of panel-shaped members which are pivotally joined together along first edges and of which at least two have a flap pivoted thereto along a second edge between positions in which the flap lies flat against the opposite flat sides of the associated member, the flap being adapted to be positioned on a support surface and, interacting with the flaps of the other panel-shaped members, to keep said members in the desired space-partioning position in which they project from said support surface.

The invention will now be described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating various embodiments. Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank for producing an arrangement according to the invention. Fig. 2 illustrates from above how the blank in Fig. 1 is arrangeable to provide a parti¬ tioned space. Fig. 3 is a side view of a plastic screw for joining the parts included in the blank. Figs 5-9 illustrate from above how a blank of the type shown in Fig. 1 can be arranged for partitioning spaces of varying shape, and Fig. 10 illustrates the blank in Fig. 1 in its folded state, placed in a storage bag or the like.

Fig. 1 shows a blank in the form of an elongate strip of sheet material, such as cardboard or plastic. The strip has a main part comprising a succession of rectangular panels 10 defined by score lines 11. Along one longitudinal side of the strip, each panel

10 is integrated with a flap 12 via a score line 13. The flaps 12 have substantially the shape of a triangle with a truncated tip, as indicated at 14, and a base which is connected with the associated panel 10 via ' the score line 13. The flap corners adjacent the base are truncated, such that the base line along the score line 13 is shorter than the corresponding edge of the panel 10, as shown in the Figure. The score lines

11 permit the panels 10 to be pivoted into engagement with other panels, flat side to flat side. Similarly, the flaps 12 are pivotable into engagement with the opposing flat sides of the panels 10. Since the flaps 12 are pivoted into engagement alternately with the upwardly facing and the downwardly facing flat side of the panels 10, and the panels 10 are then pivoted into engagement flat side to flat side, a package of very small dimensions is obtained, as shown in Fig. 10.

The strip in Fig. 1 is produced in conventional manner, preferably from cardboard which is worked in a punching and scoring machine. The strip preferably has the form of an endless strip from which a length with a desired number of panels 10 and flaps 12 is cut. Such cutting can be performed at the production site but, of course, uncut strips having a very large number of panels 10 can also be supplied, such that the customer can cut any desired length from a strip in stock. As indicated above, cardboard of a relatively strong type is preferably used for the strip in Fig. 1, but of course it is also possible to use some suitable plastic material, or other types of sheet material, such as metal sheet or perforated metal sheet for particular applications.

The strip in Fig. 1 is used to provide parti¬ tioned spaces, and an example of such a space is shown in Fig. 2 which illustrates a decagonal arrangement in which the panels 10 at the top and bottom of Fig. 1 have simply been joined surface to surface with coinciding outlines, as indicated at the bottom of Fig. 2. For fixing the two panels 10 in this position, different types of fixing means can be used, but a simple and advantageous arrangement is to punch holes 16 in the panels 10 in the same pattern, such that the holes will be in register when two panels are joined in the manner indicated above. Subsequently, fixing means 18 can be inserted through the holes to lock the two panels together. A preferred fixing means has, as shown in Fig. 3, the shape of a plastic screw with a head 19 and a shank 23 having a thread 21. The thread 21 has a pitch corresponding to or sightly exceeding the thickness of the material forming the strip, and the diameter of the shank 23 corresponds to or is slightly smaller than the diameter of the holes 16. The screws in Fig. 3 are fastened in a desired number of holes 16 in the two panels by means of, for example, a coin inserted in a slot 20 in the screw head 19.

In the arrangement according to Fig. 2, two flaps 12 are disposed one upon the other, which may not always be necessary, and then either the upper or the lower flap in Fig. 1 is cut away. Also the flaps 12 have through openings 17 in the same pattern, such that fixing means according to Fig. 3 can extend through and join also two superimposed flaps, if greater stability is required, which is the case for more complicated shapes, as will appear from the following.

As mentioned by way of introduction, the main object of the invention is to provide an arrangement for conveniently partitioning spaces of varying shape. Examples of this are shown is Figs 4-9 of which Fig. 4 shows how the blank in Fig. 1 with its eleven panels is folded to be placed in a luggage boot whose surface is irregularly shaped. In practice, one proceeds by unrolling the blank to its full length and placing it in the luggage boot. The flaps are pivoted inwardly towards the inside of the space to be partitioned, and the panels 10 are then folded as desired or aligned with each other, so that the space is filled. In the example shown in Fig. 4, this leaves two panels which are attached by fixing means 18 such that two double walls are formed. To fix the panels in the geometric shape as obtained, the flaps are joined by fixing means 18, as shown at the right-hand top of Fig. 4. Inf Figs 4-9, the flaps 12 are shown only once so as not to make the drawings unduly complicated, but it will*be appreciated that flaps disposed one above the other and attached by fixing means 18 occur in all Figures. A partitioning is thus obtained which consists of flaps arranged on the boot floor, and panels extending upwardly from the floor and partitioning a space in which e.g. carrier bags can be disposed without risk of tipping.

Figs 5-8 show how other spaces of varying shape can be partitioned by means of the strip according to Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a plan view of a strip comprising a larger number of panels 10 for use in, for example, the bow of a pleasure boat.

If a bottom surface is desired which is smoother than the one formed by the fixed, superposed flaps 12, a separate base plate can be pressed down between the interconnected panels so as to engage with the flaps. Such a base plate can be made in one piece and dimensioned according to the dimensions of the panels 10. In Fig. 6 for example, one rectangular and two square base plates can be pressed down. It is also possible to arrange a base plate in sections which are movable relative to each other, or to cut out a base plate of desired dimensions from a larger plate.

As mentioned above, the blank shown in Fig. 1 can be purchased in lengths having a desired number of panels. The salesman cuts a strip to the desired length, folds it up in the manner explained above, and puts it in a bag 22 (Fig. 10) which is easily carried and can be stored in, for example, the luggage boot until required. Then the strip is simply taken out of the bag 22, unfolded and mounted as described above. If one does not wish to have the mounted strip permanently in the luggage boot it can again be easily folded up and put into the bag 22 which takes very little room. If, on some occasion, the purchased strip proves to be too short, it can readily be connected with a complementary strip. For fastening the panels 10 and flaps 12, a number of openings 16 and 17, respectively, have been punched therein, as described above, the openings 17 in the flaps 12 being punched at locations which, in the position of use, match the most common angles between the panels 10 associated with the flaps. It is, of course, also possible to supply a special punching tool so that the customer can punch his own holes in panels or flaps during assembly.

The inventive arrangement is useful not only in boats and cars but also, for example, at home for partitioning a space for some special purpose. With suitably dimensioned panels and flaps and a bottom portion fitted on the flaps, the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 may be used as a portable play-pen. The invention can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims. The punched cardboard blank provided with score lines is advantageous parti- ^• cularly from the economic point of view, but it is also possible to produce separate panels or panel-shaped members which are assembled and connected with flaps by means of hinge-forming plastic sections. In addition, the flaps may consist of individual or continuous plastic elements each having along the base a groove in which a cardboard or plastic panel is inserted. Such panels provided with flaps can then be joined along their edges by means of grooved sections. The fixing means for joining panels and flaps need not have the shape of a screw as shown in Fig. 3, but may consist of a pin provided with circumferential flanges spaced apart a distance corresponding to the thickness of the cardboard of plastic, or twice that thickness. Rivets can also be used, as well as bur fasteners and screw means consisting of a sleeve and a shank provided with a head, the screw means being screwed together from the opposing flat sides of the superposed panels and flaps, respectively. For a more permanent installation, double-adhesive tape or glue can be used for joining the panels and flaps.

As an additional insurance against sliding, both the outer and inner flat surface of the flaps can be provided with friction means which can have the shape of plugs or ribbons .attached thereto and made of rubber or other high friction material. It is also possible to provide the entire or part of the outer and/or inner surface of the flaps with a friction lining.

Claims

1. An arrangement for partitioning spaces of varying shape, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that it comprises a series of panel-shaped members (10) which are pivotally joined together along first edges (11) and of which at least two have a flap (12) pivoted thereto along a second edge (13) and adapted to be positioned on a support surface and, interacting with the flaps (12) of the remaining panel-shaped members (10), to keep said members (10) in the desired space- partitioning position in which they project from said support surface.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, c h ¬ r a c t e r i s e d in that said panel-shaped members (10) are rectangular and joined along their longi- tudinal sides, and that said flaps (12) are approxi¬ mately triangular and provided with a truncated tip (14) and a base which is connected with said second edge (13) and whose length is smaller than the length of the edge (13).

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that said panel-shaped members (10) and flaps (12) have through openings (16 and 17, respectively) for receiving fixing means (18) for joining, flat side to flat side, panel-shaped members (19), flaps (12), and panel-shaped members (10) and flaps (12).

4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 3, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i s e d in that said fixing means (18) consist of plastic screws having a pitch which corre- sponds to or exceeds the thickness of said panel-shaped members (10) and flaps (12), respectively.

5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 3, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i s e d in that said fixing means (18) consist of pins having flanges, the distance between said flanges corresponding to or exceeding the thickness of said panel-shaped members and flaps, respectively.

6. The arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that said panel-shaped members (10) and flaps (12) are made in one piece from cardboard or plastic and are separated from each other by score lines.

7. The arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that a separate base member made in one piece or a plurality of pieces and having _,through openings, is fittable on top of said flaps (12) in the position of use and is interlockable therewith.

8. The arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that one or both flat sides of said flaps (12) have friction means or a friction lining.

9. A blank for partitioning systems for spaces of varying shape, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that it comprises an elongate strip made of cardboard or plastic and having transverse score lines (11) which define rectangular fields (10), and longitudinal score lines (13) along one longitudinal side of said strip which define an approximately triangular flap (12) for each rectangular field (10).

10. The blank as claimed in claim 9, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i s e d in that each rectangular field (10) and each flap (12) have at least one through opening (16 and 17, respectively).