System of articulated planes

Claim 1

A system of folding planes comprising: a first plurality of planes, each plane being substantially rectangular and having parallel and opposite first and second edges and parallel and opposite third and fourth edges, said planes forming a first series of plane members adapted to be folded from an expanded position lying in a common plane to a substantially parallel stacked position; first hinge means comprising hinges coupling adjacent plane members in said first series together such that the first edge of each plane member is hinged to the second edge of an adjacent plane member in the series; a second plurality of plane members similar to that of said first series and forming a second series of plane members; second hinge means comprising hinges coupling adjacent plane members in said second series together such that the first edge of each plane member is hinged to the second edge of an adjacent plane member in the series; at least one additional plurality of planes similar to that of said first series and forming at least one additional series of planes; at least one additional hinge means comprising hinges coupling adjacent planes in said at least one additional series together such that the first edge of each plane is hinged to the second edge of an adjacent plane in the series; a first pantographic framework having a plurality of crossed first and second arms, each of said first arms pivotally coupled at a first end to the third edge of a plane member in one series and coupled to a second end to the fourth edge of a plane member in an alternate series such that said first hinge means is aligned with said second hinge means in the direction of expansion and contraction of said pantographic framework; a second pantographic framework having a plurality of crossed third and fourth arms, each of said third arms pivotally coupled at a first end to the third edge of a plane member in said one series and coupled at a second end to the fourth edge of a plane member in said alternate series, said first and second pantographic frameworks being spaced to connect to alternate hinges of each hinge means; said pantographic crossed arms being pivotally connected together at their approximate centers, the ends of said arms being pivotally coupled to the ends of an adjacent pair of crossed arms; wherein, when said pantographic frameworks are in expanded positions and said hinge means are in an open position, the plane members all lie in a common geometric plane with the first and second edges of adjacent plane members in each series abutting, and with the third edge of each plane member abutting the fourth edge of the plane member in an adjacent series, and wherein, when said pantographic frameworks are in contracted positions and said hinge means are in a closed position, the plane members of adjacent series lie substantially parallel to one another, with the plane members of each series nested in a substantially parallel stacked position in accordion-like fashion.

Claim 2

A system of folding planes comprising: a first plurality of planes, each plane being substantially rectangular and having parallel and opposite first and second edges and parallel and opposite third and fourth edges, said planes forming a first series of plane members adapted to be folded from an expanded position lying in a common plane to a substantially parallel stacked position; first hinge means comprising hinges coupling adjacent plane members in said first series together such that the first edge of each plane member is hinged to the second edge of an adjacent plane member in the series; a second plurality of plane members similar to that of said first series and forming a second series of plane members; second hinge means comprising hinges coupling adjacent plane members in said second series together such that the first edge of each plane member is hinged to the second edge of an adjacent plane member in the series; at least one additional plurality of planes similar to that of said first series and forming at least one additional series of planes; at least one additional hinge means comprising hinges coupling adjacent planes in said at least one additional series together such that the first edge of each plane is hinged to the second edge of an adjacent plane in the series; a first pantographic framework having a plurality of crossed first and second arms, each of said first arms pivotally coupled at a first end to the third edge of a plane member in one series and coupled to a second end to the fourth edge of a plane member in an alternate series such that said first hinge means is aligned with said second hinge means in the direction of expansion and contraction of said pantographic framework; a second pantographic framework having a plurality of crossed third and fourth arms, each of said third arms pivotally coupled at a first end to the third edge of a plane member in said one series and coupled at a second end to the fourth edge of a plane member in said alternate series, said first and second pantographic frameworks being spaced to connect to alternate hinges of each hinge means; said pantographic crossed arms being pivotally connected together at their approximate centers, the ends of said arms being pivotally coupled to the ends of an adjacent pair of crossed arms; wherein, when said pantographic frameworks are in expanded positions and said hinge means are in an open position, the plane members all lie in a common geometric plane with the first and second edges of adjacent plane members in each series abutting, and with the third edge of each plane member abutting the fourth edge of the plane member in an adjacent series, and wherein, when said pantographic frameworks are in contracted positions and said hinge means are in a closed position, the plane members of adjacent series lie substantially parallel to one another, with the plane members of each series nested in a substantially parallel stacked position in accordion-like fashion.