US3705557A

US3705557A - Knock-down table of paperboard sheet material

Info

Publication number: US3705557A
Application number: US173432A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard V Budington
Original assignee: Longview Fiber Co
Current assignee: Longview Fiber Co
Priority date: 1971-08-20
Filing date: 1971-08-20
Publication date: 1972-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 1989-12-12

Abstract

A knock-down table of stiff foldable paperboard sheet stock and the like having a single-piece platform section folded into the shape of an inverted obelisk and open at the bottom, and a single-piece pedestal section folded in tubular form and inserted into said bottom. Notched flap members foldably joined to the side panels of the platform section extend internally thereof and are slidably engaged by notched corner portions of the pedestal tube to support and releasably hold said folded shape of the platform section.

Description

V United States Patent Budington [s41 KNOCK-DOWN TABLE OF PAPERBOARD SHEET MATERIAL [72] Inventor:

Conn.

731 Assignee: Longview Fiber Company 221 Filed: 111. 20.1971

211 Appl.No.: 173,432

[52] US. Cl 108/150, 108/157 [51] Int. Cl..... ..A47b 13/02 [58] Field of Search ..108/l53, 157, 159, 150

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,212,464 10/1965 Stet/er .'.1os/1s9 Richard V. Budington, Somers/ [451 Dec. 12, 1972 3,620,175 11/1971 Craneetal. ..l08/1S7X Primary Examiner-James C. Mitchell Attorney-Chapin, Neal & Dempsey [5 7 ABSTRACT A knock-down table of stiff foldable paperboard sheet stock and the like having a single-piece platform section folded into the shape of an inverted obelisk and open at the bottom, and a single-piece pedestal section folded in tubular form and inserted into said bottom. Notched flap members foldably joined to the side panels of the platform section extend internally thereof and are slidably engaged by notched corner portions of the pedestal tube to support and releasably hold said folded shape of the platform section.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to collapsible or knock-down tables of relatively stiff foldable paperboard sheet stockand to single-piece flat blank structures from which such tables may be made.

Heretofore, prior tables of foldable corrugated or paperboard sheet material have, insofar as I am aware, been characterized by relatively cumbersome means for erecting, supporting or bracing the table in order to provide the desired stability in an assembled condition. It is an object of the present invention to provide a knockdown table-top section folded from a single piece flat blank and into which a tubular pedestal base section, folded from a single-piece blank, may be slidably inserted. When fitted together these two sections require no further anchoring or support means in order to supply a sturdy, self-contained table unit. Further, by reason of the unique arrangement of folding panels and flaps the exterior surfaces of the table top or platform section are clear of all raw, cut or free edges of sheet material. At the corners of the section outer surfaces only of the folded hinge line portions are exposed. Accordingly, all exterior surfaces are smooth and not only less subject to wear by abrasion, but also the'outer panel surfaces may be printed with a wood grain or other decorative surface ornamentation for greatly enhancing the clean and neat appearance thereof. In the case of the pedestal section one free vertical edge only lies exposed along a corner of the four sided tubular column.

A further object of this invention is to provide a foldable blank construction in which the free edges of the panels and flaps of the platform section are, in a preferred form, arranged to vertically support and brace the underside of the table platform as a reinforcement in the central area of the table top and to provide a vertical reinforcing support means at each corner portion thereof. Thus, a sturdy and rugged table-top panel surface of greater load-supporting capacity is automatically built into the assembly.

The two foldable sections of this invention are readily formed by conventional die cutting and creasing equipment from flat sheets of suitable stiff paperboard or corrugated material. A die cutting andsingle gluing operation only is required to provide the flat folded condition of the tubular pedestal section. The platform section comprises a central portion and side panel extensions and the latter may be folded to reduce the overall size thereof and together with the flat folded pedestal section may be economoically stored for inventory stocking purposes and later shipment to a customer in a convenient flat package form.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention in its preferred form is practiced by providing the single-piece table-top platform blankand a single-piece pedestal blank folded and secured in flat tubular form. The platform blank has a four-sided central portion. At each side is foldably joined a sidepanel of isosceles trapezoidal form for bending inwardly below the table-top and defining therewith aninverted obelisk having an openbottom. The non-parallel edges of the side panels are provided with wing flaps which are folded inwardly and at the meeting edges of adjacent side panels lie in pairs in diagonally directed face to face relation, portions thereof extending inwardly of the corners of the open bottom and at said comers having mating vertically disposed notcIiesQThe outer edges of the side panels are also provided with foldably joined support flaps which are turned vertically to abuttingly engage the free edges against the underside of the central table-top area and thus all form a central socket below the top. The folded tubular pedestal section preferably has four side walls and in the upper portion has vertical notches at the corners between the walls. When the pedestal is inserted in the socketed bottom opening of the top section, the pedestal notches slide over and embrace each pair of wing flaps at the comers of the opening and the mating notches of the wing flaps slide over and embrace the corner portions of the pedestal below the notches of the latter. This nested engagement holds the folded obelisk form of the upper section and reinforces the engagement of the pedestal in the socket against twisting forces.

Preferably the upper edges of the pedestal together with the support flaps, seat against the underside of the table-top for bracing the central area thereof, and the upper edges of said wing flaps also preferably seat against the underside of the table-top for a diagonal reinforcement bracing at the corners thereof.

FIGURES FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the inside face of a flat blank from which a table-top platform section of the table is foldably erected;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating a first step in erecting the platform section;

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing the blank completely folded and further illustrating the upper portion (inverted) of a tubular pedestal member positioned for assembly therewith;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view from below an assembled table;

FIG. 5 is a central vertical section on an enlarged scale of an assembled table showing the interrelationship of parts;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a view on line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1 a blank from which the table-top platform section of a knock-down assembly is formed is shown in flat planar condition. The single-piece blank is cut from paperboard sheet material such as light weight corrugated stock and the like. It may be conveniently formed on standard die cutting and creasing machinery. As shown a central four-sided panel portion 2 is provided for a table-top surface. Joined to the panel 2 along creased fold lines at 3 are side panels 4 of isosceles trapezoidal form. At the outer parallel side edges of panels 4 creased fold lines at 6 form hinged connections for rectangular flap portions 8, theouter corners of the latter being diagonally cut as shown at 10. At the non-parallel sides of panels 4 and foldably connected thereto along creaselines at l2'are wing flaps 14.

Flaps 14 extend beyond the fold lines 6 connecting panel 4 and flap 8, and in the edges of the extended portions 15 at opposite sides of each flap 8, notches l6 inunn end of fold line 3. The remaining side edge 18 of wing flap 14 opposite fold line l2 is preferably out along a line in acute angular relationship therewith to provide a desirable length for edge 17, which as will be later seen provides support at the underside of the adjacent corner of panel 2.

In FIG. 2 a single side panel 4 with its flap extensions is shown folded against the underside of platform panel 2. As will be noted panel 4 lies in an inwardly angled relation to platform 2; flap 8 is vertically folded to rest its outer edge against platform 2; and wing flaps 14 are turned inwardly on fold lines 12 to lie with extensions thereof projecting diagonally inwardly from the ends of fold line 6 and the flaps l4 vertically disposed with edges 17 resting against panel 2 and extending diagonally at the corners thereof (see FIGS. 5, 6). Wing flaps 14 additionally abut the side edges of flaps 8 (see FIG. 6) and when folded in such condition are positionally set for further assembly operations.

The other side panels and flap members are similarly folded against panel 2 and manually held in the condition shown by FIG. 3. It is to be noted that the nonparallel folded edges at 12 of adjacent side panels are brought together in juxtaposed relation and the inwardly turned wing flaps thereof thus lie face to face in pairsat each comer. It will also be seen that the notches 16 of the paired wing flaps are furthermore brought into registration inwardly adjacent the corners of the central opening defined by the outer edges at 6 of the four side panels 8. As previously mentioned the portions 15 of flaps 14 project inwardly and as in FIG. 3 extend diagonally of each corner of the opening.

In the folded condition of FIG. 3 the edges or fold lines 6 of the side panels form the opening of a socket or well defined by the flaps 8 and extend from the underside of platform 2. Into the socket as described and as indicated by FIG. 3, a tubular pedestal may be inserted. The pedestal is formed from a simple flat blank (not shown). As will be readily appreciated, however, the blank comprises four body panels and a conventional narrow glue panel 22 (see FIGS. 4, 5, and 6), these panels being hingedly joined as along parallel creased fold lines at 24. The pedestal section thus formed from a single-piece blank may be folded flat for storage or shipping purposes in conventional fashion and arranged in tubular form as shown for assembly with the platform section. As indicated in FIG. 3 the four upper comer portions of the pedestal are provided with notches at 26 and the sections are assembled by sliding the notched portions 26 over the paired wing flap extensions 15 at each comer of the socket. The notched portions 26 register with the matching notches 16 in the paired flaps so that when the upper end edges of panels 20 seat against the underside of panel 2 the notches 16 engage the creased hinge line portions 24 beyond the ends of notches 26. This slidable interengagement in the corners of the socket is clearly shown by FIGS. 5, 6, 7 as will be described in detail.

For storage and shipping purposes the pedestal may be f;attemed by folding the sides 20 of diagonally opposite corners together face to face according to standard practices. The blank of FIG. 1 may be likewise folded into flat condition by turning each panel 4 and its associated flaps inwardly to nest in planar overlapping relation against panel 2. The two sections or a group of sections may thus be conveniently wrapped for shipment to a customer.

The assembled table is shown by FIG. 4 and it will be seen that the only exposed free edge of any panel member of the entire assembly, except at the bottom of the pedestal, is that of the panel 20 where it is affixed to glue panel 22. Thus, the outside of the blanks may be faced with a decorative, ornamental covering ply and so present a clean uninterrupted appearance in the assembled unit.

In the sectional views of FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, the relationship of the various panel and flap members is clearly shown in the assembled unit. The vertical disposition of the supporting flaps 8 is shown with the free edges thereof abutting the underside of panel 2. Together with the adjacent upper edges of pedestal walls 20 the flaps 8 form a reinforcement supporting means for the central area of the panel and contribute to the load bearing characteristics of the table surface. At the comers of the panel 2 the diagonal bracing means provided by the edges 17 of the pairs of wing flaps is apparent. Thus the underside of panel 2 is braced in areas where the various supporting members provide a desirable stability and sturdiness against warping or giving under relatively heavy loads. Panel 2 thus will maintain a flat planar table-top surface over a long period of usage. I

It will also be noted particularly from FIG. 6 that the walls 20 of the pedestal section fit snugly inside the socket or well formed by the flaps 8, the walls 20 being slidably interlocked at the corners. The notches 26 between walls 20 embrace the paired wing flaps 14 and the pedestal thus holds the side walls 4 inwardly folded in position to maintain the obelisk shape of the platform section. In turn the notches 16 of flaps 14 hold the pedestal securely at said corners and effectively resist any relative twisting forces.

The assembly, as will be readily apparent, may be more easily dismantled than it was erected, all as above described. Accordingly, the unit is available for temporary use and convenient storage when not in use. If desired it may serve as a more or less permanent table stand.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown in the drawings as a knockdown table structure with a square table-top platform surface, it will be appreciated that the invention broadly includes structures in which the table top is rectangular or polygonal in form. FY-H What is claimed isi I V l. A collapsible table. of stiff paperboard sheet material and the like comprising a single-piece foldable table-top blank having a polygonal central platform portion,

side panels of isoceles trapezoidal form folded downwardly and inwardly from the sides of said platform portion, the non-parallel side edges of said panels extending diagonally from and below the corners of the platform, the non-parallel edges of adjacent panels below each corner lying in juxtaposed relation and the lower edges l060l0 006i of the panels defining a socket-like central opening in spaced relation below said platform, and wing flaps folded inwardly from said non-parallel side edges and lying face to face in pairs below each platform corner, each pair of flaps having portions thereof projecting diagonally inwardly of the corners of said central opening, and a single-piece foldable base pedestal blank having walls arranged in tubular form, the upper end portions thereof extending upwardly through said opening and having vertically notched corner portions between adjacent walls at said upper end slidably embracing said paired inwardly projecting portions of the wing flaps upwardly of the corners of said opening and thereby releasably holding said juxtaposed side panel edges together at each corner, the upper end edges of said tubular walls abuttingly supporting said platform at its underside. 2. The structure of claim 1, in which, said central platform portion is four-sided. 3. The structure of claim 2, in which, upwardly turned vertically disposed flaps extend from said lower edges of the side panels and the upper edges of the flaps lie in supporting relationship against the underside of said platform. 4. The structure of claim 2, in which, said paired inwardly projecting portions of the wing flaps adjacent the corners of said central opening are provided with matching vertically notched portions embracing corner portions of said tubular pedestal walls below the upper notched portions thereof. 5. The structure of claim 4, in which, the upper edges of said pairs of wing flaps lie in supporting relationship against the undersurface of said platform portion at each corner thereof. 6. The structure of claim 5, in which, upwardly turned vertically disposed flaps extend from the said lower edges of the side panels and the upper edges of the flaps lie in supporting relationship against the underside of said platform and in contiguous relation with the outer surfaces of the upper end wall portions of said foldable base pedestal. 7. A single-piece blank of stiff paperboard sheet material and the like foldable for table-top platform use into an inverted obelisk form having an open bottom to receive a pedestal supporting member, said blank comprising a four-sided central platform portion provided with foldably joined side panel portions of isosceles trapezoidal form at the side edges thereof, the nonparallel sides of each side panel extending convergently from opposite ends of said platform sides and having wing flap portions foldably joined to said non-parallel panel sides and provided with extensions projecting outwardly beyond the outer corners of the side panels the wing flaps being foldable inwardly of the side panels to which they are joined, the side panels being foldable inwardly of the platform and in angular relation thereto at its underside for positioning adjacent non-parallel edges of adjacent side panels in mated uxtaposed relationship and thereby forming said obelisk shape, 7

the outer edges of said side panels defining an open ing spaced from the underside of the platform and said wing flaps at said mating non-parallel panel edges lying in inwardly turned. pairs in face to face relation perpendicular to the platform with the said extensions thereof lying inwardly relative to said opening.

8. A first blank as recited in claim 7, in combination with a foldable tubular member formed from a singlepiece second blank of sheet material similar to that of said first blank, for pedestal use and assembly in supporting relation to said first blank when the latter is in folded obelisk form, said tubular member having four walls foldably joined to lie in a flap collapsed condition and at right angles to one another for an erected tubular condition, the portions at the corners between said walls at an upper end of the member being notched,

said upper end in erected tubular condition being insertable within the edges of said opening of the folded obelisk form of the first blank and the notched portions at said upper end being slidably engageable to embrace said extensions of the wing flaps and hold the same together to maintain said obelisk form.

9. The combination of claim 8, in which,

said first blank at the outer parallel edges of said side panel portions is provided with foldably joined flap members of generally rectangular form for turning against the underside of said platform portion in supporting relation thereto.

Claims

1. A collapsible table of stiff paperboard sheet material and the like comprising a single-piece foldable table-top blank having a polygonal central platform portion, side panels of isoceles trapezoidal form folded downwardly and inwardly from the sides of said platform portion, the nonparallel side edges of said panels extending diagonally from and below the corners of the platform, the non-parallel edges of adjacent panels below each corner lying in juxtaposed relation and the lower edges of the panels defining a socketlike central opening in spaced relation below said platform, and wing flaps folded inwardly from said non-parallel side edges and lying face to face in pairs below each platform corner, each pair of flaps having portions thereof projecting diagonally inwardly of the corners of said central opening, and a single-piece foldable base pedestal blank having walls arranged in tubular form, the upper end portions thereof extending upwardly through said opening and having vertically notched corner portions between adjacent walls at said upper end slidably embracing said paired inwardly projecting portions of the wing flaps upwardly of the corners of said opening and thereby releasably holding said juxtaposed side panel edges together at each corner, the upper end edges of said tubular walls abuttingly supporting said platform at its underside.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which, said central platform portion is four-sided.

3. The structure of claim 2, in which, upwardly turned vertically disposed flaps extend from said lower edges of the side panels and the upper edges of the flaps lie in supporting relationship against the underside of said platform.

4. The structure of claim 2, in which, said paired inwardly projecting portions of the wing flaps adjacent the corners of said central opening are provided with matching vertically notched portions embracing corner portions of said tubular pedestal walls below the upper notched portions thereof.

5. The structure of claim 4, in which, the upper edges of said pairs of wing flaps lie in supporting relationship against the undersurface of said platform portion at each corner thereof.

6. The structure of claim 5, in which, upwardly turned vertically disposed flaps extend from the saId lower edges of the side panels and the upper edges of the flaps lie in supporting relationship against the underside of said platform and in contiguous relation with the outer surfaces of the upper end wall portions of said foldable base pedestal.

7. A single-piece blank of stiff paperboard sheet material and the like foldable for table-top platform use into an inverted obelisk form having an open bottom to receive a pedestal supporting member, said blank comprising a four-sided central platform portion provided with foldably joined side panel portions of isosceles trapezoidal form at the side edges thereof, the non-parallel sides of each side panel extending convergently from opposite ends of said platform sides and having wing flap portions foldably joined to said non-parallel panel sides and provided with extensions projecting outwardly beyond the outer corners of the side panels the wing flaps being foldable inwardly of the side panels to which they are joined, the side panels being foldable inwardly of the platform and in angular relation thereto at its underside for positioning adjacent non-parallel edges of adjacent side panels in mated juxtaposed relationship and thereby forming said obelisk shape, the outer edges of said side panels defining an opening spaced from the underside of the platform and said wing flaps at said mating non-parallel panel edges lying in inwardly turned pairs in face to face relation perpendicular to the platform with the said extensions thereof lying inwardly relative to said opening.

8. A first blank as recited in claim 7, in combination with a foldable tubular member formed from a single-piece second blank of sheet material similar to that of said first blank, for pedestal use and assembly in supporting relation to said first blank when the latter is in folded obelisk form, said tubular member having four walls foldably joined to lie in a flap collapsed condition and at right angles to one another for an erected tubular condition, the portions at the corners between said walls at an upper end of the member being notched, said upper end in erected tubular condition being insertable within the edges of said opening of the folded obelisk form of the first blank and the notched portions at said upper end being slidably engageable to embrace said extensions of the wing flaps and hold the same together to maintain said obelisk form.

9. The combination of claim 8, in which, said first blank at the outer parallel edges of said side panel portions is provided with foldably joined flap members of generally rectangular form for turning against the underside of said platform portion in supporting relation thereto.