GB2231891A - Foldable panel - Google Patents

Abstract

The foldable panel comprising an incompressible core 18 sandwiched between and bonded to an outer skin 12 of rigid or semi-rigid material, such as aluminum, the inner skin comprising at least two sheetlike parts 14, 16 each having an inwardly deflected edge portion 22, 24 along the edge adjacent to the other sheetlike part. The deflected edge portions 22, 24 are not joined together but each has a respective free edge 28, 30 abutting the outer skin 12, the edges 28, 30 being arranged one on each side of the predetermined bending line to define the walls of a generally V-shaped groove. This allows folding of the panel to obtain a desired corner configuration. <IMAGE>

Description

FOLDABLE PANEL DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to foldable panels.

Panel structures are used extensively in building, in particular in the formation of internal walls in building structures. It has been proposed to use the panel itself to form a corner by providing a foldable panel. One form of such panel includes an inner and outer skin of rigid or semi-rigid sheet material which has, sandwiched between it, a core usually of insulating material such as foam material, fiber, cork or the like. In order to provide a corner, a Vshaped notch is formed in the inner skin to form the inside of the corner. This notch extends some way into the thickness of the core of the sandwich leaving some of the core at the apex of the groove.

It has been found that such a structure is not particularly easy to bend to the final desired shape without causing damage to the panel and produces a very rounded outside corner shape.

It is now proposed, according to the present invention, to provide a foldable panel comprising a substantially incompressable core sandwiched between, and bonded to, an outer skin and an inner skin of rigid or semi rigid material, at least the outer skin being of bendable material, the inner skin comprising at least two inwardly deflected edge-portions, the deflected edge portions being arranged one on each side of a predetermined bending line, so as to define the walls of a generally V-shaped crosssection groove extending into the core towards the outer skin, said edge portions each directly abutting the outer skin to form, in the outer skin, a hinge area between more rigid panel parts on either side thereof, to allow folding of the panel, to obtain a desired corner configuration.

With such a structure, because the inwardly deflected portions of the inner skin directly abut the outer skin, it is only this outer skin which form a hinge area and there is no core material at this location. This enables the panel to bend very readily and for a relatively sharp corner to be formed in the foldable panel.

At the location of each V-shaped cross-section groove, the inner skin may be formed from one sheet of material, having a line of weakness produced in it, for example, the inner skin abutting the outer skin at the location of this line of weakness. However, in a preferred construction, the location of each V-shaped cross-section groove, the inner skin is formed of at least two separate sheet-like parts, each having one of said inwardly deflected edge portions, the free edges of which are each directly abutting the outer skin. In fact the free edges of two adjacent separate sheetlike parts are advantageously positioned immediately adjacent or only slightly spaced from one another.

While the inwardly deflected edge portions can be arranged asymmetrically, they are perfectly arranged at angles symmetrical with respect to the predetermined bending line.

The dimensions of the V-shaped groove desirably are such that, after folding, the converging side-walls of the groove are brought into abutting contact against one another. The actual angle of the walls of the V-shaped groove should be, of course, 90 e or less and preferably are almost exactly 900 so that the two walls abut one another when folded. It is also contemplated that they may be slightly spaced from one another after bending.

In order to rigidify the panel at the corner, reinforcing means may be provided.

In order that the present invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of foldable panel according to the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the structure of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of the panel after folding; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of Fig. 3.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the foldable panel 10 illustrated includes an outer skin 12 of rigid or semirigid material, such as aluminium sheeting and an inner skin which is shown formed in two parts, 14, 16. A sandwich between the outer skin 12 and inner skin 14, 16 is an incompressible core 18, 20 of any conventional sandwich panel core material.

The inner skin 14, 16 is provided with two sheetlike parts 22, 24 which are angled downwardly at approximately 45" to the plane of the inner skin portion 14, 16, to define a generally V-shaped groove indicated by the general reference numeral 26.

It should be noted that the inwardly deflected edge portions 22, 24 have free edges 28, 30 (Fig. 2) which directly abut the outer skin 12 and are positioned immediately adjacent one another. In fact they are shown very slightly spaced in Fig. 2 for clarity although this is not necessary. Figs. 3 and 4 shown the panel in a folded condition and it will be seen, in particular from Fig. 4, that a very sharp corner 32 is formed because there is no core material 18, 20 at the location of the actual bend or corner 32. In both Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 the panel has not been fully folded to provide a 90 angle. When it is fully folded, the edge portions 22, 24 will directly abut. This provides some measure of rigidifying. Fig. 3 illustrates, in phantom, a bracket 34 which may be provided as a reinforcing means further to rigidify the corner.

Claims (7)

1. A foldable panel comprising a substantially incompressable core sandwiched between, and bonded to, an outer skin and an inner skin of rigid or semi rigid material, at least the outer skin being of bendable material, the inner skin comprising at least two inwardly deflected edge-portions, the deflected edge portions being arranged one on each side of a predetermined bending line, so as to define the walls of a generally V-shaped crosssection groove extending into the core towards the outer skin, said edge portions each directly abutting the outer skin to form, in the outer skin, a hinge area between more rigid panel parts on either side thereof, to allow folding of the panel, to obtain a desired corner configuration.

2. A panel according to claim 1, wherein the inner skin is formed of at least two separate sheet-like parts, each having one of said inwardly deflected edge portions, the free edges of which are each directly abutting the outer skin.

3. A panel according to claim 2, wherein the free edges of two adjacent separate sheet-like parts are positioned immediately adjacent one another.

4. A panel according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the inwardly deflected edge portions are arranged at angles symmetrical with respect to said pre-determined bending line.

5. A panel according to any preceding claim, wherein the dimensions of the V-shaped groove are such that, after folding, the converging side walls of the groove are brought into abutting contact against one another.

6. A panel according to any preceding claim, and further comprising reinforcing means for reinforcing the corner after bending.

7. A foldable panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

7. A panel according to any preceding claim, wherein the walls of the V-shaped groove are at an angle of 90" or less with respect to each other.

8. A foldable panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A foldable panel comprising a substantially incompressable core sandwiched between, and bonded to, an outer skin and an inner skin of rigid or semi rigid material, at least the outer skin being of bendable material, the inner skin being formed of at least two separate sheet-like parts, each having an inwardly deflected edge portion, the free edge of which directly abut the outer skin, the free edges being arranged one on each side of a predetermined bending line, so as to define the walls of a generally V-shaped cross-section groove extending into the core towards the outer skin, said edge portions each directly abutting the outer skin to form, in the outer skin, a hinge area between more rigid panel parts on either side thereof, to allow folding of the panel, to obtain a desired corner configuration.

2. A panel according to claim 1, wherein the free edges of two adjacent separate sheet-like parts are positioned immediately adjacent one another.

3. A panel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inwardly deflected edge portions are arranged at angles symmetrical with respect to said pre-determined bending line.

4. A panel according to any preceding claim, wherein the dimensions of the V-shaped groove are such that, after folding, the converging side walls of the groove are brought into abutting contact against one another.

5. A panel according to any preceding claim, and further comprising reinforcing means for reinforcing the corner after bending.

6. A panel according to any preceding claim, wherein the walls of the V-shaped groove are at an angle of 90 or less with respect to each other.