[0001] The present invention relates to foldable cardboard stands with shelves.
[0002] There are known cardboard stands, which are foldable from a flat transport configuration
to a working configuration. A desirable feature of such stands is a plain construction,
simple process for changing the configuration and small dimensions of the transport
configuration.
[0003] A European patent application
EP 1031304 presents a cardboard stand with shelves positioned in a box comprising side walls,
external back wall and front walls formed of one cardboard sheet, and an internal
movable back wall formed of another cardboard sheet. The shelves are fastened by gluing
its back support flaps with the internal back wall. In addition, the shelves further
comprise edge support flaps which can be glued with the side walls only in the working
configuration. The stand can be converted from a flat transport configuration to a
working configuration by vertically adjusting the internal back wall.
[0004] A European patent
EP 1421879 presents a cardboard stand, which is convertible from a flat transport configuration
to a working configuration, in which it has a form of a box with side walls and a
back wall with shelves mounted within the walls, wherein the shelves are made of separate
sheets of cardboard and are mounted on supports integral with the support construction
of the box and are mounted by flaps in openings of the back wall. The side edges of
the shelves are not supported.
[0005] A European patent application
EP 2255703 presents a cardboard stand, which is convertible from a flat transport configuration
to a working configuration, in which it has a form of a box with side walls and a
back wall with shelves mounted within the walls, wherein the main surface of each
shelf comprises a hinge, which folds during the transition from the working configuration
to the transport configuration. This weakens the main surfaces of the shelves.
[0006] The aim of the invention is to provide an alternative foldable cardboard stand, which
is easy foldable between a transport configuration and a working configuration, having
shelves which provide good support for their load.
[0007] The object of the invention is a cardboard stand with shelves, foldable from a substantially
flat transport configuration to a working configuration, in which it has a form of
a box with two side walls, a back wall and shelves fixed permanently and pivotably
to the back wall, comprising a main shelf portion and a support shelf portion pivotable
with respect to the main shelf portion and distanced from the back wall, wherein the
side walls are releasably attachable to the back wall and comprise couplers for coupling
it permanently with the support portions of the shelves.
[0008] Preferably, the support portion of the shelves comprises two layers, and between
the layers of the support portion there are positioned couplers of the side walls.
[0009] Preferably, the back wall has a horizontal folding line at the height of the lowest
shelf.
[0010] Preferably, when folding the stand from the working configuration to the transport
configuration, the side walls are foldable outwards along a folding line by an angle
of about 270°.
[0011] Preferably, the back edges of the side walls extend over the back wall of the stand.
[0012] Preferably, the side walls comprise two layers folded along a front edge, and the
coupler is formed from a cutout of a fragment of the internal layer of the side wall
which is adjacent and pivotable with respect to the front edge, wherein in the openings
formed in the cutouts of the couplers there are positioned reinforcements which form
extensions of at least one layer of the support portions of the shelves, the supports
being perpendicular to the support portions of the shelves in the working configuration
of the stand.
[0013] Preferably, at the edges of the back wall there are positioned first fasteners and
at the side walls next to their back edge there are positioned second fasteners configured
to be coupled with the first fasteners.
[0014] Preferably, the back wall in the areas along the vertical edges is formed by at least
two layers of cardboard, between which there are positioned base portions of the first
fasteners, which have fastening portions extending over the vertical edges of the
back wall via openings made next to the vertical edges of the back wall. The side
wall is formed by at least two layers of cardboard, between which there are positioned
base portions of second fasteners, which have fastening portions extending over the
internal surface of the side wall via openings made in the internal layer of the side
wall.
[0015] Preferably, the fastening portions of the fasteners have an elongated shape and are
parallel to the main plane of the back wall.
[0016] Preferably, the base portions of the fasteners have in their main plane a surface
larger than the surface of the fastening portions.
[0017] Preferably, the base portions of the fasteners are perforated.
[0018] Preferably, the base portions of the fasteners are fixed between the layers of cardboard
by an adhesive.
[0019] Preferably, the fastening portions of the first fasteners are insertable to the fastening
portions of the second fasteners.
[0020] Preferably, the fastening portions of the first fasteners have a resilient element
attachable by snapping to the fastening portion of the second fasteners and a pressing
element for deforming the resilient element by the user to release the snap between
the resilient element and the fastening portion.
[0021] The object of the invention is shown in exemplary embodiments on a drawing, in which:
Figs. 1A-1F show the view of the stand in successive stages of transformation from
a working configuration shown in Fig. 1A, via intermediate configurations shown in
Fig. 1B-1E, to a transport configuration shown in Fig. 1F.
Figs. 2A-2D show cardboard blanks for individual components of the stand.
Figs. 3A-3B show the first and second fasteners.
[0022] Dashed lines on the drawings related to cardboard blanks correspond to bending lines.
Continuous lines correspond to edges and cutting lines. Variable lines correspond
to perforated bending lines. Dashed areas correspond to areas where individual elements
of the blanks are joined together. In these areas the adhesive substance may be applied
to one or both of the blanks.
[0023] The stand according to the invention is made of cardboard, preferably of corrugated
cardboard.
[0024] Figs. 1A-1F show the view of the stand in successive stages of transformation from
a working configuration shown in Fig. 1A, via intermediate configurations shown in
Fig. 1B-1E, to a generally flat transport configuration shown in Fig. 1F. In the working
configuration, the stand has a form of a box with side walls 20, a back wall 10 and
shelves 30.
[0025] The shelves 30 of the stand are permanently, pivotably fixed to the back wall 10,
i.e. the fixture is not detachable when transforming from the transport configuration
to the working configuration and vice versa. The shelves 30 comprise a main portion
31 and a support portion 32A, 32B which is pivotable with respect to the main portion
31 and distanced from the back wall 10. In the working configuration, the support
portion 32A, 32B of the shelf is perpendicular with respect to the main portion 31
of the shelf 30. The support portion 32A, 32B of the shelf 30 is double-layered and
formed of elements 302A and 302B of the blank 300A or, in case of the lowest shelf
- the elements 302A and 302C of the blank 300B, shown in Figs. 2C and 2D. The tongues
305 cut from the flaps 304 of the blanks 300A, 300B and placed in openings 106 of
the back wall 10 form a permanent connection of the shelves 30 with the back wall
10 of the stand.
[0026] The back wall 10 of the stand is formed from a blank 100 shown in Fig. 2A. The blank
100 comprises, under the openings 106, areas 108 in which it is glued with tongues
305 of the blanks 300A, 300B forming the shelves 30. The areas of the back wall 10
which are adjacent to the vertical edges 11 are double-layered and formed by folding
the flaps 102 by about 180° and gluing them to the element 101 of the blank 100. The
blank 100 comprises at the folding line 110 areas 109 in which it is glued with an
area 101 after the flaps are folded along the folding line 110. The folding line 110
forms, after the flaps 102 are folded, the edges 11 of the back wall. The flaps 102
of the blank 100 of the back wall 10 are cut into two parts at the height of the lowest
shelf 30 of the stand, to allow folding of the stand along the folding line 104. The
back wall 10 further comprises a foldable bottom foot 103.
[0027] The side wall 20 is formed from a blank 200 shown in Fig. 2B. The side wall 20 is
formed of two layers 201, 202 bent towards each other along the folding line 206 forming
a front edge 23 of the stand and glued together in the areas 207. The side walls 20
comprise couplers 203A, 204A which join it pivotably and permanently with the support
portions 32A, 32B of the shelves 30, wherein the couplers 203A, 204A of the side walls
20 are positioned, respectively, between the layers 302A, 302B and 302A, 302C of the
support portions 32A, 32B of the shelves 30 and glued together in areas 307.
[0028] The couplers 203A, 204A are made by cutting out fragments of the internal layer 201
of the side wall 20, which are adjacent and pivotable with respect to the front edge
23 of the stand, wherein in the openings 203B, 204B of the cut-out couplers 203A,
204A there are placed reinforcements 303 which extend at least one layer 302A of the
support portions 32A, 32B of the shelves 30. The reinforcements 303 are perpendicular
with respect to the support portions 32A, 32B of the shelves 30 in the working configuration
of the stand. The couplers 203A, 204A have preferably a shape and surface equivalent
to the openings 203B, 204B made in the internal layer 201 of the side wall 20.
[0029] Furthermore, the blank 200 comprises a flap 209 foldable to the inside of the stand
and which is glued to the layer 202 of the side wall 20 in order to reinforce the
top edge of the stand.
[0030] The side walls 20 of the stand are releasably coupled with the back wall 10 by fasteners
40, 50 shown in Fig. 3A-3B. The blanks 100, 200 forming the back wall and the side
wall comprise openings 105, 205 for placing the fasteners 40, 50 therein in order
to join the back wall 10 with the side walls 20.
[0031] At the edges 11 of the back wall 10 there are positioned first fasteners 40 configured
to be coupled with second fasteners 50 positioned at the side walls 20 near the back
edge 22, wherein the base portions 41 of the first attachment elements 40, having
fastening portions 42 extending over the vertical edges 11 of the back wall 10 via
openings 105 made near the vertical edges 11 of the back wall 10, are positioned between
elements 101 and flaps 102.
[0032] Between the layers 201, 202 of the cardboard of the back wall 20 there are positioned
base portions 51 of the second fasteners 50, having fastening portions 52 extending
over the internal surface of the layer 201 of the side wall 20 via openings 205 made
in the external layer 201 of the side wall 20. The fastening portions 42, 52 of the
fasteners 40, 50 are elongated and are parallel to the main surface of the back wall
10. The base portions 41, 51 of the fasteners have in their main plane a surface larger
than the surface of the fastening portions 42, 52. The base portions 41, 51 of the
fasteners 40, 50 are fixed between layers 101, 102 and 201, 202 of the cardboard by
an adhesive substance and are perforated to allow the adhesive to join with the perforated
structure and improve the adhesion to the cardboard. The fastening portions 42 of
the first fasteners 40 are insertable to the fastening portions 52 of the second fasteners
50. The fastening portions 42 of the first fasteners 40 have a resilient element 43
which is fixable by snapping in the fastening portion 52 of the second fasteners 50,
as well as a pressing element 44 for deforming the resilient element 43 by the user
to release the snap between the resilient element 43 and the fastening portion 52.
[0033] In the working configuration of the stand, the back edges 22 of the side walls 20
extend over the back wall 10 of the stand.
[0034] As shown in Figs. 1A-1F, when folding the stand from a working configuration to a
transport configuration, the side walls 20 fold outwards along the folding lines 21,
located along the front edge 23 by an angle of about 270°, such that in the transport
configuration the side walls 20 are parallel and adjacent to the support portions
32A, 32B of the shelves 30. The shelves 30 fold along the folding lines 306 downwards.
The back wall 10 further comprises a horizontal folding line 104 at the height of
the lowest shelf 30, which allows folding the element 107 and supporting in on the
folded walls 20 in the transport configuration of the stand.
1. A cardboard stand with shelves, foldable from a substantially flat transport configuration
to a working configuration, in which it has a form of a box with two side walls (20),
a back wall (10) and shelves (30) fixed permanently and pivotably to the back wall
(10), comprising a main shelf portion (31) and a support shelf portion (32A) pivotable
with respect to the main shelf portion (31) and distanced from the back wall (10),
characterized in that the side walls (20) are releasably attachable to the back wall (10) and comprise
couplers (203A, 204A) for coupling it permanently with the support portions (32) of
the shelves (30).
2. The cardboard stand according to claim 1, characterized in that the support portion (32A, 32B) of the shelves (30) comprises two layers, and between
the layers (302A, 302B; 302A, 302C) of the support portion (32A, 32B) there are positioned
couplers (203A, 204A) of the side walls (20).
3. The cardboard stand according to claim 1, characterized in that the back wall (10) has a horizontal folding line (104) at the height of the lowest
shelf (30).
4. The cardboard stand according to claim 1, characterized in that when folding it from the working configuration to the transport configuration, the
side walls (20) are foldable outwards along a folding line (21) by an angle of about
270°.
5. The cardboard stand according to claim 1, characterized in that the back edges (22) of the side walls (20) extend over the back wall (10) of the
stand.
6. The cardboard stand according to any of claims 1-2, characterized in that the side walls (20) comprise two layers (201, 202) folded along a front edge (23),
and the coupler (203A, 204A) is formed from a cutout of a fragment of the internal
layer (201) of the side wall (20) which is adjacent and pivotable with respect to
the front edge (23), wherein in the openings (203B, 204B) formed in the cutouts of
the couplers (203A, 204A) there are positioned reinforcements (303) which form extensions
of at least one layer (302A) of the support portions (32) of the shelves (30), the
supports (303) being perpendicular to the support portions (32) of the shelves (30)
in the working configuration of the stand.
7. The cardboard stand according to claim 1, characterized in that at the edges (11) of the back wall (10) there are positioned first fasteners (40)
and at the side walls (20) next to their back edge (22) there are positioned second
fasteners (50) configured to be coupled with the first fasteners (40).
8. The cardboard stand according to claim 7,
characterized in that:
- the back wall (10) in the areas along the vertical edges (11) is formed by at least
two layers (101, 102) of cardboard, between which there are positioned base portions
(41) of the first fasteners (40), which have fastening portions (42) extending over
the vertical edges (11) of the back wall (10) via openings (105) made next to the
vertical edges (11) of the back wall (10),
- the side wall (20) is formed by at least two layers (201, 202) of cardboard, between
which there are positioned base portions (51) of second fasteners (50), which have
fastening portions (52) extending over the internal surface (201) of the side wall
(20) via openings (205) made in the internal layer (201) of the side wall (20).
9. The cardboard stand according to claim 8, characterized in that the fastening portions (42, 52) of the fasteners (40, 50) have an elongated shape
and are parallel to the main plane of the back wall (10).
10. The cardboard stand according to claim 8, characterized in that the base portions (41, 51) of the fasteners have in their main plane a surface larger
than the surface of the fastening portions (42, 52).
11. The cardboard stand according to any of claims 9-10, characterized in that the base portions (41, 51) of the fasteners (40, 50) are perforated.
12. The cardboard stand according to any of claims 9-11, characterized in that the base portions (41, 51) of the fasteners (40, 50) are fixed between the layers
(101, 102; 201, 202) of cardboard by an adhesive.
13. The cardboard stand according to any of claims 9-12, characterized in that the fastening portions (42) of the first fasteners (40) are insertable to the fastening
portions (52) of the second fasteners (50).
14. The cardboard stand according to any of claims 9-13, characterized in that the fastening portions (42) of the first fasteners (40) have a resilient element
(43) attachable by snapping to the fastening portion (52) of the second fasteners
(50) and a pressing element (44) for deforming the resilient element (43) by the user
to release the snap between the resilient element (43) and the fastening portion (52).