US7222466B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Foldable support structure with hinged sawtooth wall members
Assignee: Stylmark Inc
•
Filing: 2002-06-28
•
Granted: 2007-05-29
•
Expires: 2022-06-28
Abstract
Abstract A foldable truss member suitable for commercial displays includes a plurality of side members that are adjacently hinged together. The side members include support members and bridging members having extensions. The side members are joined into a foldable structure with a hinge member between the support member and extensions of adjacent side members. A display structure can be formed by connecting locking members between two truss members.
Inventors
- 👤 Ralph L. Schipani
- 👤 Richard K. Strayer
- 👤 Mark Brauer
- 👤 Walter Croll
- 👤 Paul Miklautsch
- 👤 Patrick M. Hamilton
- 👤 Charles Austen Angell
- 👤 Jennifer Dianne Astwood
- 👤 Shaohui Qiu
- 👤 Lee Powers
- 👤 Kyle Gudmunson
- 👤 Brian Clemens
- 👤 Brett R. Johnson
- 👤 Charles Graves
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 02:56
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04C; E04C3/00; E04C3/02; E04C3/04; E04C3/08; E04C3/09; A; A47; A47F; A47F5/00; A47F5/10; A47F5/13; E04C3/005; E04C2003/0486; E04C2003/0495
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
A foldable truss member, comprising: a plurality of adjacently connected side members together forming a peripheral boundary of the truss member, each side member comprising: an elongated support member having a side surface and a first end; a bridging member fixably connected to the side surface of the support member at an attachment point of the support member, the bridging member having an extension at an edge of the bridge member opposite the attachment point; and a plurality of hinge members pivotally joining the extension of each side member to the support member of the adjacent side member, each hinge member allowing relative rotation of adjacent side members in a folded configuration of the truss member, and wherein the hinge members comprise a mounting surface and a hinge channel breaking a portion of the mounting surface, the extensions of the bridging member of the adjacent side member locatable within the hinge channel, the mounting surface of the hinge members fixably attaching to the support members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
165 words
A foldable truss member, comprising: a plurality of adjacently connected side members together forming a peripheral boundary of the truss member, each side member comprising: an elongated support member having a side surface and a first end; a bridging member fixably connected to the side surface of the support member at an attachment point of the support member, the bridging member having an extension at an edge of the bridge member opposite the attachment point; and a plurality of hinge members pivotally joining the extension of each side member to the support member of the adjacent side member, each hinge member allowing relative rotation of adjacent side members in a folded configuration of the truss member, and wherein the hinge members comprise a mounting surface and a hinge channel breaking a portion of the mounting surface, the extensions of the bridging member of the adjacent side member locatable within the hinge channel, the mounting surface of the hinge members fixably attaching to the support members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The truss member of claim 1 , wherein the hinge channel of at least one of the hinge members further comprises a first and second end, and the first and second ends are flared.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
93 words
The truss member of claim 1 , wherein the hinge channel of at least one of the hinge members further comprises a first and second end, the first and second ends comprising: a center portion contacting the associated extension when the truss member is in the deployed configuration; at least one terminal portion contacting the associated extension when the truss member is in a folded configuration; and at least one intermediate portion contacting the associated extension when the truss member is in an intermediate configuration between the folded configuration and the deployed configuration.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The truss member of claim 3 , wherein the at least one intermediate portion offers a resistance to rotation of the associated extension, and the at least one terminal portion allows substantially free rotation of the associated extension.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The truss member of claim 3 , wherein the center portion offers a resistance to rotation of the associated extension, the resistance of the center portion being less than the resistance of the at least one intermediate portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
247 words
A foldable truss member, comprising: a plurality of side member means, each side member means having a lower edge, the side member means adjacently arranged so that the lower edges of the adjacently arranged side member means form a closed shape; and a plurality of hinging means connected between adjacently arranged side member means, the hinging means allowing relative rotation between adjacently arranged side member means so that the side member means are foldable into a substantially flat assembly, wherein the hinge mean are configured provide holding resistive forces to hold the truss member in a deployed position and to effectively restrain the side members from collapse during deployment, wherein each of the side member means comprises a sawtooth-shaped member and an elongated support member, the sawtooth-shaped member having a first and second set of oppositely disposed peaks, the first set of peaks fixably attached to the support member, and the second set of peaks forming hinge extensions of the side members, the hinge extensions pivotally attachable to the associated hinging means, and wherein each of the hinging means comprise a mounting surface and a hinge channel bridging over a portion of the mounting surface on one side and together with the mounting surface, forming a restricted passage for the extensions, the mounting surface of each of the hinging means fixably attaching to the support member of each of the side member means, the hinge extension of the adjacent side member means locatable within the hinge channel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
247 words
A foldable truss member, comprising: a plurality of side member means, each side member means having a lower edge, the side member means adjacently arranged so that the lower edges of the adjacently arranged side member means form a closed shape; and a plurality of hinging means connected between adjacently arranged side member means, the hinging means allowing relative rotation between adjacently arranged side member means so that the side member means are foldable into a substantially flat assembly, wherein the hinge mean are configured provide holding resistive forces to hold the truss member in a deployed position and to effectively restrain the side members from collapse during deployment, wherein each of the side member means comprises a sawtooth-shaped member and an elongated support member, the sawtooth-shaped member having a first and second set of oppositely disposed peaks, the first set of peaks fixably attached to the support member, and the second set of peaks forming hinge extensions of the side members, the hinge extensions pivotally attachable to the associated hinging means, and wherein each of the hinging means comprise a mounting surface and a hinge channel bridging over a portion of the mounting surface on one side and together with the mounting surface, forming a restricted passage for the extensions, the mounting surface of each of the hinging means fixably attaching to the support member of each of the side member means, the hinge extension of the adjacent side member means locatable within the hinge channel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
212 words
A foldable display structure, comprising: (A) a first and second truss member, each truss member comprising: (1) a plurality of adjacently connected side members, each side member comprising: (a) an elongated support member having a side surface and a first end; and (b) a bridging member fixably connected to the side surface of the support member at an attachment point of the support member, the bridging member having an extension at an edge of the bridge member opposite the attachment point; and (2) a plurality of hinge members pivotally joining the extension of each side member to the support member of the adjacent side member, each hinge member allowing relative rotation of adjacent side members; and (B) a plurality of locking members disposed between the first ends of the first truss member and the first ends of the second truss member, the first ends of the first truss member being adjacent to the first ends of the second truss member, and wherein each of the hinge members comprise a mounting surface and a hinge channel spanning over a portion of the mounting surface, the extensions of the bridging member of the adjacent side member locatable within the hinge channel, the mounting surface of the hinge members fixably attaching to the support members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
212 words
A foldable display structure, comprising: (A) a first and second truss member, each truss member comprising: (1) a plurality of adjacently connected side members, each side member comprising: (a) an elongated support member having a side surface and a first end; and (b) a bridging member fixably connected to the side surface of the support member at an attachment point of the support member, the bridging member having an extension at an edge of the bridge member opposite the attachment point; and (2) a plurality of hinge members pivotally joining the extension of each side member to the support member of the adjacent side member, each hinge member allowing relative rotation of adjacent side members; and (B) a plurality of locking members disposed between the first ends of the first truss member and the first ends of the second truss member, the first ends of the first truss member being adjacent to the first ends of the second truss member, and wherein each of the hinge members comprise a mounting surface and a hinge channel spanning over a portion of the mounting surface, the extensions of the bridging member of the adjacent side member locatable within the hinge channel, the mounting surface of the hinge members fixably attaching to the support members.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The display structure of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the hinge members of each of the truss members elastically deforms the associated extension to resist relative rotation of the associated extension at the deployed configuration of the truss member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The display structure of claim 7 , wherein the hinge channel of each of the hinge members further comprises a first and second end, and the first and second ends are flared.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
86 words
The display structure of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the hinge channels further comprise a first and second end, each end comprising: a center portion contacting the associated extension when the truss member is in the deployed configuration; at least one terminal portion contacting the associated extension when the truss member is in a folded configuration; and at least one intermediate portion contacting the associated extension when the truss member is in an intermediate configuration between the folded configuration and the deployed configuration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
The display structure of claim 10 , wherein the at least one intermediate portion offers a resistance to rotation of the associated extension, and the at least one terminal portion allows substantially free rotation of the associated extension.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The display structure of claim 10 , wherein the center portion offers a resistance to rotation of the associated extension, the resistance of the center portion being less than the resistance of the at least one intermediate portion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
202 words
A foldable truss member, comprising: a plurality of side member means, each side member means having a lower edge, the side member means adjacently arranged so that the lower edges of the adjacently arranged side member means form a closed shape; and a plurality of hinging means connected between adjacently arranged side member means, the hinging means allowing relative rotation between adjacently arranged side member means so that the side member means are foldable into a substantially flat assembly, and wherein each of the side member means comprises a sawtooth-shaped member and an elongated support member, the sawtooth-shaped member having a first and second set of oppositely disposed peaks, the first set of peaks fixably attached to the support member, and the second set of peaks forming hinge extensions of the side members, the hinge extensions pivotably attachable to the associated hinging means and wherein each of the hinging means comprise a mounting surface and a hinge channel bridging over a portion of the mounting surface, the mounting surface of each of the hinging means fixably attaching to the support member of each of the side member means, the hinge extension of the adjacent side member means locatable within the hinge channel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
202 words
A foldable truss member, comprising: a plurality of side member means, each side member means having a lower edge, the side member means adjacently arranged so that the lower edges of the adjacently arranged side member means form a closed shape; and a plurality of hinging means connected between adjacently arranged side member means, the hinging means allowing relative rotation between adjacently arranged side member means so that the side member means are foldable into a substantially flat assembly, and wherein each of the side member means comprises a sawtooth-shaped member and an elongated support member, the sawtooth-shaped member having a first and second set of oppositely disposed peaks, the first set of peaks fixably attached to the support member, and the second set of peaks forming hinge extensions of the side members, the hinge extensions pivotably attachable to the associated hinging means and wherein each of the hinging means comprise a mounting surface and a hinge channel bridging over a portion of the mounting surface, the mounting surface of each of the hinging means fixably attaching to the support member of each of the side member means, the hinge extension of the adjacent side member means locatable within the hinge channel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
The display structure of claim 13 wherein at least one of the hinge members of each of the truss members elastically deforms the associated extension to resist relative rotation of the associated extension at the deployed configuration of the truss member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
The display structure of claim 1 wherein at least one of the hinge members of each of the truss members elastically deforms the associated extension to resist relative rotation of the associated extension at the deployed configuration of the truss member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
The display structure of claim 6 wherein at least one of the hinge members of each of the truss members elastically deforms the associated extension to resist relative rotation of the associated extension at the deployed configuration of the truss member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2987148A
Cited
US3011586A
Cited
US3187373A
Cited
US3908564A
Cited
US3968616A
Cited
US4054013A
Cited
US4286353A
Cited
US4557097A
Cited
US4819399A
Cited
US5016418A
Cited
US4986016A
Cited
US4939882A
Cited
US5040349A
Cited
US4958800A
Cited
US6240940B1
Cited
US5902195A
Cited
US6253520B1
Cited
US5701713A
Cited
US6026626A
Cited
US5900850A
Cited
US5867851A
Cited
US5822945A
Cited
US6219009B1
Cited
US6149021A
Cited
US6435421B1
Cited
US6283136B1
Cited
US6076770A
Cited
US6219974B1
Cited
US6276521B1
Cited
WO2000053861A1
Cited
US6276095B1
Cited
US6244010B1
Cited
US6233881B1
Cited
US6260327B1
Cited
US6374565B1
Cited
US6296077B1
Cited
US6296109B1
Cited
US6266030B1
Cited
US6293500B1
Cited
US6389772B2
Cited
US6715255B2
Cited
US20040111999A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2010-05-28 | 2010-11-27 | 2011-05-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2014-05-28 | 2014-11-27 | 2015-05-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2018-05-28 | 2018-11-27 | 2019-05-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |