Load bearing structure

Claim 2

A load bearing assembly, comprising: a plurality of sheets of corrugated paper consisting of a plurality of parallel fold lines therein, said sheet of corrugated paper being folded along said plurality of parallel fold lines to define a plurality of separate and elongated folded units; means for securing said folded units in a close side-by-side pattern wherein the longitudinal axes of each of said units are parallel, a side surface of one of said folded units being spaced from the side surface of another adjacent one of said folded units a distance at least equal to the thickness of said corrugated paper; and a planar load distributing surface means mounted on the ends of said elongated units and extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said folded units.

Claim 3

A load bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein said securing means comprises two sets of upright, corrugated paper members having upper and lower edges and assembled with the members of each set in laterally spaced, parallel relation to each other to define a grid, said folded units being received in the spacing between said sets of members in said grid to maintain the spacing between said folded units.

Claim 4

A load bearing assembly according to claim 2, wherein said folded units are identical.

Claim 5

A load bearing assembly according to claim 2, wherein said folded units are folded from a sheet of rectangularly shaped corrugated paper.

Claim 6

A load bearing assembly according to claim 2, wherein said folded units are composed of a material blank which consists of at least seven folding sections, four of said folding sections are of equal width and are all folded in the same direction each at 90* to form a hollow unit which is quadratic in cross section and open at both ends, a fifth and seventh one of said folding sections being of an equal width and are spaced by a sixth folding section wider than said fifth and seventh folding sections, said fifth, sixth and seventh folding sections being folded into a generally S-shape and positioned inside said folded unit, a first one of said four folding sections being connected to said fifth folded section and a third one of said four folding sections being connected to said seventh folded section.

Claim 7

A load bearing assembly according to claim 2, wherein said folded units are composed of a material blank which consists of at least six folding sections, three of said folding sections are of equal width and are all folded in the same direction each at 90*, a fourth and sixth one of said folding sections being of an equal width and are spaced by a fifth folding section which is narrower than said three folding sections, a fourth folding section is folded at 90* to one of said three folding sections, said fifth folding section is folded at an obtuse angle with said sixth folding section and said sixth folding section is connected to said first folding section.

Claim 8

A load bearing assembly according to claim 2, wherein said folded units are composed of a material blank which consists of at least three folding sections, a first and third one of said folding sections have the same width and are spaced by a second one of said folding sections which is wider than said first and third folding sections, said first, second and third folding sections being folded into a Z-shape.

Claim 9

A load bearing assembly according to claim 2, wherein said folded units are composed of a material blank which consists of at least seven folding sections, four of said folding sections are of equal width and are all folded in the same direction each at 90* to form a hollow unit which is quadratic in cross section and open at both ends, a fifth and seventh one of said folding sections being of an equal width and are spaced by a sixth folding section wider than said fifth and seventh folding sections, said fifth, sixth and seventh folding sections being folded inwardly of said hollow unit, said sixth folding section defines with the fifth and seventh folding sections an obtuse angle, said fifth folding section being connected to one of said four folding sections, said seventh folding section being connected to a second one of said four folding sections.

Claim 10

A load bearing assembly according to claim 2, wherein said folded units are composed of a material blank which consists of at least five folding sections, three of said folding sections being of an equal width and are folded in the same direction each at 90*, a fourth and fifth folding section being narrower than said three folding sections, said fourth folding section defines a 90* angle with one of said three folding sections and said fifth folding section defines an obtuse angle with said fourth folding section and a free edge of said fifth folding section is positioned in a corner formed by the remaining two of said three folding sections.

Claim 11

A load bearing assembly according to claim 2, wherein said folded units are composed of a material blank which consists of at least five folding sections, two of said folding sections being of an equal width and are folded to define a 90* angle therebetween, a third and fifth folding section being of a narrower width than an intermediate fourth folding section, said fifth folding section being folded to be parallel to one of said two folding sections and connected thereto.

Claim 12

A load bearing assembly, comprising: a plurality of sheets of corrugated paper consisting of a plurality of parallel fold lines therein, said sheet of corrugated paper being folded along said plurality of parallel fold lines to define a plurality of initially separate and elongated folded units; means for securing said folded units in a close side-by-side pattern wherein the longitudinal axes of each of said units are parallel, the side surfaces of one of said folded units being connected to the side surface of another adjacent one of said folded units; and a planar load distributing surface means mounted on the ends of said elongated units and extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said folded units.

Claim 13

A load bearing assembly, comprising: a plurality of sheets of corrugated paper consisting of a plurality of parallel fold lines therein, said sheet of corrugated paper being folded along said plurality of parallel fold lines to define a plurality of initially separate and elongated folded units; means for securing said folded units in a close side-by-side pattern wherein the longitudinal axes of each of said units are parallel, the side surfaces of one of said folded units being connected to the side surface of another adjacent one of said folded units; and a planar load distributing surface means mounted on the ends of said elongated units and extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said folded units.

Claim 14

A load bearing assembly according to claim 11, wherein said folded units are composed of a material blank which consists of at least seven folding sections, four of said folding sections are of equal width and are all folded in the same direction each at 90* to form a hollow unit which is quadratic in cross section and open at both ends, a fifth and seventh one of said folding sections being of an equal width and are spaced by a sixth folding section wider than said fifth and seventh foLding sections, said fifth, sixth and seventh folding sections being folded into a generally S-shape and positioned inside said folded unit, a first one of said four folding sections being connected to said fifth folded section and a third one of said four folding sections being connected to said seventh folded section.

Claim 15

A load bearing assembly according to claim 11, wherein said folded units are composed of a material blank which consists of at least six folding sections, three of said folding sections are of equal width and are all folded in the same direction each at 90*, a fourth and sixth one of said folding sections being of an equal width and are spaced by a fifth folding section which is narrower than said three folding sections, a fourth folding section is folded at 90* to one of said three folding sections, said fifth folding section is folded at an obtuse angle with said sixth folding section and said sixth folding section is connected to said first folding section.

Claim 16

A load bearing assembly according to claim 11, wherein said folded units are composed of a material blank which consists of at least three folding sections, a first and third one of said folding sections have the same width and are spaced by a second one of said folding sections which is wider than said first and third folding sections, said first, second and third folding sections being folded into a Z-shape.

Claim 17

A load bearing assembly according to claim 11, wherein said folded units are composed of a material blank which consists of at least seven folding sections, four of said folding sections are of equal width and are all folded in the same direction each at 90* to form a hollow unit which is quadratic in cross section and open at both ends, a fifth and seventh one of said folding sections being of an equal width and are spaced by a sixth folding section wider than said fifth and seventh folding sections, said fifth, sixth and seventh folding sections being folded inwardly of said hollow unit, said sixth folding section defines with the fifth and seventh folding sections an obtuse angle, said fifth folding section being connected to one of said four folding sections, said seventh folding section being connected to a second one of said four folding sections.

Claim 18

A load bearing assembly accoding to claim 11, wherein said folded units are composed of a material blank which consists of at least five folding sections, three of said folding sections being of an equal width and are folded in the same direction each at 90*, a fourth and fifth folding section being narrower than said three folding sections, said fourth folding section defines a 90* angle with one of said three folding sections and said fifth folding section defines an obtuse angle with said fourth folding section and a free edge of said fifth folding section is positioned in a corner formed by the remaining two of said three folding sections.

Claim 19

A load bearing assembly according to claim 11, wherein said folded units are composed of a material blank which consists of at least five folding sections, two of said folding sections being of an equal width and are folded to define a 90* angle therebetween, a third and fifth folding section being of a narrower width than an intermediate fourth folding section, said fifth folding section being folded to be parallel to one of said two folding sections and connected thereto.