US3793791A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for forming a panel for use as a structural element
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-10-21
•
Granted: 1974-02-26
•
Expires: 1991-10-21
Abstract
Abstract Two or more thin flat metal, paper or plastic panels are combined by perforating areas or tabs in the plane of the panels, bending the portions of such perforations that are freed, at right angles to the plane of the panels, and attaching said extended members to one another, thus forming a link or intermediary-connecting web or section between the two or more panels. A parallel panel spacing can be achieved or by the variation of the perforated area, the panels can be proportionally spaced to achieve a desired panel contour or shape between panels. A third panel element, provided with larger tabs, can be affixed to the joined panels, and its larger tabs can be forced through the preexisting perforations in one panel to form additional struts engaging the opposite panel to increase the strength of the structure.
Inventors
- 👤 W Wootten
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 03:48
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04C; E04C2/00; E04C2/30; E04C2/34; E04C2/3405; B; B65; B65D; B65D65/00; B65D65/38; B65D65/40; B65D65/406; E04C2002/3472; E04C2002/3494; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/10; Y10T156/1052; Y10T156/1056; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24273; Y10T428/24281; Y10T428/24289
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
334 words
A structural element comprising: two planar panels disposed in spaced facing relation to one another, each of said panels having a plurality of similarly shaped partial perforations cut therein defining similarly shaped tabs each of which is bent about an uncut linear hinge line in said panel at an angle to the plane of said panel to provide an opening in said panel, and each of which tabs extends from its uncut hinge line at an edge of said opening toward the other of said panels across substantially the entire space between said panels, each of said tabs being shaped to provide a tab portion, spaced outwardly from its hinge line, which is wider than said hinge line in a direction parallel to said hinge line, the hinge lines for different ones of said tabs being at angles to one another, corresponding pairs of said tabs extending respectively from said panels being disposed in contiguous substantially completely overlapping planar relation to one another, said contiguous overlapping tabs in each corresponding pair being attached to one another to form intermediary members that retain said panels in fixed position relative to one another, and a cover sheet overlying and contiguous with the outer surface of one of said panels, said cover sheet having a plurality of further partial perforations cut therein to define a plurality of integral further tabs extending outwardly from said cover sheet, each of said further tabs being bent at an angle to the plane of said cover sheet about an uncut hinge line in said cover sheet and into one of the openings in said one of said panels each of said further tabs being shaped to provide a portion, spaced outwardly of its associated cover sheet hinge line and wider than the linear hinge line portion of said one of said openings in a direction parallel to said cover sheet hinge line whereby each of said further tabs is mechanically locked into its associated opening in said one of said panels.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
334 words
A structural element comprising: two planar panels disposed in spaced facing relation to one another, each of said panels having a plurality of similarly shaped partial perforations cut therein defining similarly shaped tabs each of which is bent about an uncut linear hinge line in said panel at an angle to the plane of said panel to provide an opening in said panel, and each of which tabs extends from its uncut hinge line at an edge of said opening toward the other of said panels across substantially the entire space between said panels, each of said tabs being shaped to provide a tab portion, spaced outwardly from its hinge line, which is wider than said hinge line in a direction parallel to said hinge line, the hinge lines for different ones of said tabs being at angles to one another, corresponding pairs of said tabs extending respectively from said panels being disposed in contiguous substantially completely overlapping planar relation to one another, said contiguous overlapping tabs in each corresponding pair being attached to one another to form intermediary members that retain said panels in fixed position relative to one another, and a cover sheet overlying and contiguous with the outer surface of one of said panels, said cover sheet having a plurality of further partial perforations cut therein to define a plurality of integral further tabs extending outwardly from said cover sheet, each of said further tabs being bent at an angle to the plane of said cover sheet about an uncut hinge line in said cover sheet and into one of the openings in said one of said panels each of said further tabs being shaped to provide a portion, spaced outwardly of its associated cover sheet hinge line and wider than the linear hinge line portion of said one of said openings in a direction parallel to said cover sheet hinge line whereby each of said further tabs is mechanically locked into its associated opening in said one of said panels.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The structure of clain 1 wherein each of said further tabs is similar in shape to, and larger in size than the openings in said one of said panels, each of said further tabs comprising a flexible material which is distorted in configuration as it is forced into an opening in said one of said panels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The structure of clain 1 wherein each of said further tabs is similar in shape to, and larger in size than the openings in said one of said panels, each of said further tabs comprising a flexible material which is distorted in configuration as it is forced into an opening in said one of said panels.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The structure of claim 2, wherein each of said further tabs is distorted into a channel shaped configuration and retained in said configuration by the Boundary edges of the panel opening with which said tab is associated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
89 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein each tab in each of said panels is bent about a hinge line disposed at one edge portion of a partial perforation in said panel, each of said further tabs being bent about a hinge line in said sheet disposed adjacent a different edge portion of said partial perforation in said panel, whereby the plane of each of said further tabs passing through a given operating in said panel is displaced from the plane of the overlapping tabs associated with said given opening.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The structure of claim 4 wherein the plane of each of said further tabs is disposed in spaced, substantially parallel facing relation to the plane of the overlapping tabs associated with said given opening.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said panels are folded about a fold line to define a corner structure, said cover sheet bridging said fold line and having said further tabs extending through the openings in said one of said sheets on both sides of said fold line to reinforce said corner structure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
The structure of claim 1 including a further cover sheet overlying the outer surface of the other of said panels, said further cover sheet also having a plurality of partial perforations therein to define still further tabs which are bent at an angle to the plane of said further cover sheet into the openings in said other of said panels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The structure of claim 7 wherein said panels include panel portions angularly disposed to one another relative to a line to form a corner structure, each of said cover sheets bridging said line to reinforce said corner structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said two panels constitute a first portion of a container, said cover sheet extending beyond a boundary edge of said first portion to a second portion of said container which is spaced from said boundary edge thereby to attach said first and second container portions to one another.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein each of said partial perforations and each of said tabs has a round shape.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein at least some of said pairs of tabs extend at right angles to their associated panels to produce intermediary members which are oriented perpendicularly to both of said panels.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said tabs are disposed in a plurality of rows, the hinge lines for different ones of said tabs in each of said rows extending at angles to the hinge lines for the tabs in others of said rows.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The structure of claim 12 wherein the tabs extending from each of said panels in different ones of said rows are differently dimensioned whereby said overlapping attached tabs retain said panels in varying spaced relation to one another.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said tabs are disposed in a plurality of rows, the tabs extending from each of said panels in different ones of said rows being differently dimensioned whereby said overlapping attached tabs retain said panels in varyingly spaced relation to one another.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein the partial perforations in one of said panels are spaced from one another by a spacing which differs from that between the partial perforations in the other of said panels, whereby said attached tabs retain said panels in a contoured configuration.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The structure of claim 15 wherein said contoured configuration is a cylinder.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1433232A
Cited
US1908667A
Cited
GB427187A
Cited
US2656064A
Cited
US2650881A
Cited
FR1045315A
Cited
FR1077164A
Cited
US2826352A
Cited
FR1167581A
Cited
US3008551A
Cited
US3461632A
Cited
US3673057A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-25 | 1977-08-27 | 1978-02-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-25 | 1981-08-27 | 1982-02-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-25 | 1985-08-27 | 1986-02-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |