Foldable easel blank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10687624-B2
Application number	US-201815869885-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2018
Priority date	Aug 17, 2016
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A foldable easel blank includes a main panel defining a first side and a second side, the first side positioned opposite from the second side, the main panel defining a locking aperture extending through the main panel from a front main surface to a rear main surface, the front main surface positioned opposite from the rear main surface; a support panel hingedly connected to the main panel, the support panel defining a locking tab configured to engage the locking aperture; a first side panel hingedly connected to the first side of the main panel; a second side panel hingedly connected to the second side of the main panel; and a base panel, the base panel hingedly connected to the main panel, the base panel configured to secure to the first side panel and the second side panel to form a base stand.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A foldable easel blank comprising:
a main panel defining a first side and a second side, the first side positioned opposite from the second side, the main panel defining a locking aperture extending through the main panel from a front main surface to a rear main surface, the front main surface positioned opposite from the rear main surface, the main panel defining a top and a bottom, a portion of the main panel extending along the first side and the bottom defining a first leg, a portion of the main panel extending along the second side and the bottom defining a second leg, the first leg and the second leg defining a bottom main surface at the bottom of the main panel;
a support panel hingedly connected to the main panel, the support panel defining a locking tab configured to engage the locking aperture;
a first side panel hingedly connected to the first side of the main panel;
a second side panel hingedly connected to the second side of the main panel; and
a base panel, the base panel positioned between the first leg and the second leg, the base panel defining a first base end and a second base end disposed opposite from the first base end, the first based end of the base panel hingedly connected to the main panel by a base hinge, the base panel disposed between the base hinge and the bottom of the main panel, the second base end defining a bottom base surface, the bottom base surface being substantially coplanar with the bottom main surface of the first leg and the second leg, the base panel configured to secure to the first side panel and the second side panel to form a base stand.

2. The foldable easel blank of claim 1 , wherein the support panel is hingedly connected to the main panel by a support hinge, and wherein the locking tab is positioned between the support hinge and the top of the main panel.

3. The foldable easel blank of claim 1 , wherein the first side panel defines a first front surface and a first rear surface, the first front surface positioned opposite from the first rear surface, the first side panel defining a first side aperture extending from the first front surface to the first rear surface, the first side aperture configured to receive a first corner of the base panel.

4. The foldable easel blank of claim 3 , wherein:
the base panel defines an enclosed locking slot disposed proximate to the first corner;
the first side panel defines a first locking key disposed within the first side aperture; and
the first locking key is configured to engage the enclosed locking slot when the first corner of the base panel is inserted through the first side aperture of the first side panel.

5. The foldable easel blank of claim 1 , wherein the support panel comprises:
a ledge subpanel defining a first ledge end and a second ledge end, the first ledge end positioned opposite from the second ledge end, the first ledge end hingedly connected to the main panel; and
a locking subpanel defining a first locking end and a second locking end, the first locking end positioned opposite from the second locking end, the first locking end hingedly connected to the second ledge end by a subpanel hinge, the second locking end defining the locking tab.

6. The foldable easel blank of claim 1 , wherein the support panel is formed from the main panel by a support panel cutout extending from the front main surface to the rear main surface of the main panel.

7. The foldable easel blank of claim 1 , wherein the support panel defines a locking shoulder adjacent to the locking tab.

8. A method for assembly a folded easel comprising:
obtaining a foldable easel blank, the foldable easel blank comprising:
a main panel, the main panel defining a front main surface and a rear main surface, the front main surface positioned opposite from the rear main surface;
a support panel hingedly connected to the main panel by a support hinge;
a base panel hingedly connected to the main panel by a base hinge, the base panel defining a corner, the base panel defining an enclosed locking slot disposed proximate to the corner; and
a side panel hingedly connected to the main panel by a side hinge, the side panel defining a side aperture and a locking key disposed within the side aperture;

folding the side panel about a side hinge axis towards the rear main surface;
folding the base panel about a base hinge axis towards the rear main surface;
forming a base stand, forming the base stand comprising:
securing the base panel to the side panel;
removably stabbing the corner through the side aperture; and
engaging the locking key with the enclosed locking slot;

folding the support panel about a support hinge axis towards the front main surface to form a ledge; and
folding a bottom base surface of the base panel away from a bottom main surface of the main panel, the main panel defining a top and a bottom, the bottom defining the bottom main surface, the base panel defining a first base end and a second base end, the first base end disposed opposite from the second base end, the first base end hingedly connected to the main panel, the second base end defining the bottom base surface, the bottom base surface being substantially coplanar with the bottom main surface when the foldable easel blank is in an unfolded position.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the side panel is a first side panel;
the foldable easel blank further comprises a second side panel hingedly connected to the main panel; and
forming the base stand further comprises securing the base panel to the second side panel.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising inserting a locking tab defined by the support panel into a locking aperture defined by the main panel.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the support panel comprises a locking subpanel and a ledge subpanel, the locking subpanel hingedly connected to the ledge subpanel by a subpanel hinge, the ledge subpanel hingedly connected to the main panel.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein folding the support panel comprises folding the locking subpanel about a subpanel hinge axis relative to the ledge subpanel until the locking subpanel contacts the front main surface of the main panel.

Assignees

• Pratt Corrugated Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Conrad Hannah

Classifications

• A47F5/116

  Shelving racks · CPC title

• A47B2220/0083

  Furniture made of sheet material · CPC title

• A47F5/112

  hand-folded from sheet material · CPC title

• G09F1/06

  to be erected in three dimensions [3D] (G09F1/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47B2220/0019

  One-piece collapsible book stands made of lightweight material, such as cardboard, by stamping or molding · CPC title