Foldable metal wall for furniture

Abstract

Foldable metal wall (1) comprising at least two individual sheets (2, 3), each of which has integrally formed eyelet sections (2.1, 3.1) along at least one of its long sides, wherein the eyelet sections (2.1, 3.1) are formed such that the respective eyelet sections (2.1, 3.1) of the individual sheets (2, 3) interlock and are foldably connected to each other via a rod (4) arranged within the eyelet sections (2.1, 3.1), wherein - Tab sections (3.3) are provided in a sheet plane (B) and are shortened by a defined dimension, so that when the individual sheets (2, 3) engage, contact of an end face (C) of the tab sections (3.3) with the adjacent individual sheet (2) is possible, and / or wherein - Tab sections (3.2) are notched out of the sheet plane (B) and run parallel to the sheet plane (B), whereby, due to the individual sheets (2, 3) being engaged, contact is possible section by section between an overhang of the tab section (3.2), which projects over a hinge axis (S), and the adjacent immediate area of ​​the neighboring individual sheet (2) when folding and reaching the installed state.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a foldable metal wall, in particular for use as a back panel for furniture.

[0002] Cabinet furniture, such as shelves and cabinets, often has back panels. For furniture that is assembled at the customer's site or by the customer, such as self-assembly furniture, the back panels are usually foldable to reduce the packing dimensions. Therefore, the following are particularly important for back panels: ease of assembly, sufficient stability, a good environmental footprint, especially the avoidance of waste at the end of the usage phase, and low manufacturing costs.

[0003] Foldable back panels are typically made of wood-based materials. Several designs are available: a) Two thin, movable chipboard panels are joined with adhesive tape, which forms a hinge. This solution has the following disadvantages: Ease of assembly: Due to the low rigidity and strength of thin chipboard, the back panel must be attached to the cabinet at numerous points. This increases the assembly effort. Stiffness: The adhesive line represents a weak point in terms of stiffness. Under a load perpendicular to the plane of the panel (e.g., when the contents of the cabinet are pressed against the back panel), it bulges. Similarly, the adhesive line reduces the contribution of the back panel to the stiffening of the cabinet by offering little resistance to, for example, vertical displacement of the panels. Environmental friendliness: Particleboard can, in principle, be recycled. However, this requires separate collection by type, which is not the case, for example, when furniture is disposed of with bulky waste. In this case, waste is generated that can only be thermally recycled. Adhesive bonds are subject to aging, thus limiting the lifespan of the back panel. The resulting need for regular replacement of back panels consumes natural resources and therefore harms the environment. b) Document DE 10 2007 044 711 B3 describes foldable back panels without specifying the material. These require significantly greater wall thicknesses than the solution described above. With materials typically used in furniture construction, the following disadvantages arise: Chipboard – Ease of assembly / Environmental friendliness: Using chipboard, which is typical in furniture construction, leads to the aforementioned disposal problem. Furthermore, the thick wall thickness results in increased mass, which makes handling the back panel more difficult during assembly and transport. Solid wood – ease of assembly / cost: The thick walls result in a high mass, which makes handling the back panel during assembly and transport more difficult. Solid wood is a high-priced material, which makes inexpensive production difficult. Metal - Ease of assembly / Costs: Due to the higher density of metals, the thick wall results in a particularly high mass, which makes handling the back panel during assembly and transport more difficult. In some cases, the hinge assembly is designed for machine processes and therefore cannot be carried out manually by a layperson. c) Patent DE 74 01 857 U also permits a back panel made of a thin-walled metal (thin metal plate and barbs). The disadvantages are the increased costs: the large number of components (two hinge parts, two back panel parts, and one hinge axis) increases manufacturing costs.

[0004] Folding walls for furniture are also described in US 1 822 448 A, US 2 583 931 A and US 2004 / 0 150 302 A1.

[0005] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a foldable metal wall, in particular for use as a back panel for furniture, which meets the above-mentioned requirements.

[0006] The problem is solved by a foldable metal wall and its use with the features of claims 1 and 7. Preferred embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0007] According to a first teaching, the invention relates to a foldable metal wall comprising at least two individual sheets, each of which has integrally formed eyelet sections along at least one of its long sides, wherein the eyelet sections are formed in such a way that the eyelet sections of the individual sheets interlock and are foldably connected to each other via a rod arranged within the eyelet sections.

[0008] According to a second teaching, the invention relates to the use of a foldable metal wall as a back panel for furniture.

[0009] The individual sheets, which are preferably intended for use as a back panel, are first cut into rectangular shapes. Thus, they typically have two long sides (i.e., a longitudinal dimension) and two short sides (i.e., a transverse dimension). To enable the at least two individual sheets to be folded together, tabs are cut out on their facing sides, i.e., along at least one of their long sides. The tabs can be cut to any desired length and dimensions, whereby, for example, every second tab can be removed along the longitudinal dimension, resulting in one or more recesses in sections along the longitudinal dimension. The remaining tabs, or every second tab along the longitudinal dimension, are then rolled inwards, particularly with a defined radius, so that integrally formed eyelet sections are created from the rolled-in tabs.The eyelet sections of at least two mutually facing long sides of the two individual sheets are shaped or coordinated in such a way that the respective eyelet sections of the individual sheets can interlock or are interlockable.

[0010] For the assembly of the foldable metal wall, the at least two individual sheets are placed next to each other at their integrally formed eyelet sections so that the rolled-up tabs are in line and thus form a hinge axis through which a rod can be arranged to fold the at least two individual sheets together.

[0011] The rod can advantageously feature a loss prevention device, for example, a thickening on one side to prevent slippage through the eyelet sections, and be secured on the opposite side by a type of cotter pin. Other loss prevention devices are, of course, also conceivable.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the at least two individual sheets, or the individual sheets themselves, each have a thickness between 0.4 and 1.5 mm. The individual sheets are, in particular, each made from a rolled flat metal product and consist, for example, of an aluminum alloy or, preferably, of a steel alloy. The preferably steel alloy is, for example, cold-rolled and preferably coated with an inorganic and / or organic coating. The inorganic coating can be a metallic coating, particularly preferably a zinc-based coating. The additional or alternative organic coating can be a paint coating and / or a foil coating.

[0013] The tabs that are not rolled into an eyelet section can remain attached to the individual sheet metal as tab sections. According to the invention, they are notched out of the sheet metal plane to form tab sections that remain parallel to the sheet metal plane. The notch corresponds essentially to at least the thickness up to approximately 1.5 times the thickness of the individual sheet metal. The tab section can be wider and thus project beyond the hinge axis. During folding and installation, the interlocking individual sheets enable section-by-section contact between the protruding tab section and the adjacent area of ​​the neighboring individual sheet metal. The individual sheets can also have eyelet sections in the sections where the neighboring individual sheet metal has the aforementioned tab sections.

[0014] According to the invention, the tab sections alternatively or additionally remain in the plane of the sheet metal, but shortened by a defined amount, so that when the individual sheets are folded and reach the installed state, the end face of the tab sections can contact the adjacent individual sheet metal. In this embodiment, the individual sheet metal has a recess in the section in which the adjacent individual sheet metal has a tab section as described above.

[0015] These designs have the particular advantage that over-pressing of the foldable metal wall can be substantially reduced, since the two individual sheets abut each other when the installed state is reached, thus essentially preventing over-rotation beyond 180 degrees.

[0016] In a comparison of the invention with known solutions from the prior art, the following properties were considered, with Table 1 providing an overview of the properties detailed below. The advantages of the invention fulfill all requirements “+” compared to the prior art. • Ease of assembly

[0017] Thin wood-based panels, due to their low stiffness and strength, require numerous fixing points to connect them to the cabinet. This complicates assembly. Solutions requiring thick back panels result in heavy back panels, making them difficult to handle during assembly. The back panel according to the invention has a thin wall thickness and therefore low mass. It is thus easy to handle during assembly. Due to the high strength and stiffness typical of metals, only a few fixing points are required, enabling quick assembly. • Stiffness

[0018] Back panels made of thin, glued chipboard exhibit low rigidity. The geometry of the eyelet sections of the back panel according to the invention stiffens the joints of the individual sheets (back panel parts) and thus offers greater resistance to a load perpendicular to the plane of the panel. Relative displacement in the vertical direction is also prevented, so that the back panel provides better rigidity to the cabinet. • Environmental friendliness

[0019] For material recycling, particleboard must be collected separately by type. This is not guaranteed in practice (e.g., when disposed of via bulky waste collection). The material's low strength promotes damage, which necessitates premature replacement of the back panel. The metal used for the back panel according to the invention, particularly steel, can be separated from material streams even when not collected separately on an industrial scale (e.g., using magnetic separators). This avoids waste. The durability and robustness of metal / steel enable a long service life for the back panel and thus reduce resource consumption. • Cost

[0020] A thin metal plate with a barbed hinge is more expensive than the back panel according to the invention due to the increased number of components. Solid wood panels with an attractive surface are a high-priced material. Thick metal plates result in a high material usage, which also drives up the cost of the back panel. The back panel according to the invention can be manufactured from the cost-effective material steel. Its low mass reduces material usage, which, in combination with the small number of components, lowers the price of the back panel. Table 1 Ease of assembly Stiffness Environmental friendliness Cost thin chipboard + adhesive tape - - - + thin metal plate + barb + + + - thick chipboard - + - + thick solid wood board - + + - thick metal plate - + + - invention + + + +

[0021] The invention is described in more detail in connection with the following drawing.

[0022] Fig.Figure 1 shows an example of the use of a foldable metal wall (1) according to the invention as a back panel for furniture (10), here using the example of a cabinet. Not shown, foldable metal walls (1) according to the invention are also used as back panels for shelves. Fig. Figure 1 shows on the left a schematic, perspective front view and on the right a schematic, perspective rear view of a cabinet, with one side panel omitted and the depiction of doors and shelves omitted for better clarity.

[0023] The foldable metal wall (1) according to the invention comprises at least two individual sheets (2, 3), each of which has integrally formed eyelet sections (2.1, 3.1) along at least one of its long sides, wherein the eyelet sections (2.1, 3.1) are formed in such a way that the respective eyelet sections (2.1, 3.1) of the individual sheets (2, 3) interlock and are foldably connected to each other via a rod (4) arranged within the eyelet sections (2.1, 3.1).

[0024] The individual sheets (2, 3) can each have a thickness between 0.5 and 1.5 mm and can each be produced from rolled metal flat products. The individual sheets (2, 3) can be made of an aluminum alloy or a steel alloy. Preferably, the individual sheets (2, 3) consist of a cold-rolled steel alloy coated with an inorganic and / or organic coating. A zinc-based coating is particularly preferred as the inorganic coating. More preferably, the steel alloy can additionally be coated with an organic coating in the form of a paint coating or a film coating, so that individually stylish back panels can be used, especially if they are visible, for example, in the case of use in a shelf. The organic coating can advantageously be applied using a cost-effective coil coating process.

[0025] Fig.Figure 2 shows an exemplary first possible embodiment of the metal wall (1) according to the invention, wherein on the left a schematic perspective partial view of a central part of the metal wall (1) according to the invention is illustrated and on the right below a schematic top view of the central part of the metal wall (1) according to the left illustration.

[0026] Tabs that are not rolled into eyelet sections (3.1) can remain in the sheet plane (B) as tab sections (3.3), but shortened by a defined amount, so that when the individual sheets (2, 3) are folded and the installed state is reached, the end face (C) of the tab sections (3.3) can contact the adjacent individual sheet (2). In this embodiment, the individual sheet (2) has a recess (A) in the corresponding section in which the adjacent individual sheet has a previously described tab section (3.3).

[0027] Fig. Figure 3 shows an exemplary second possible embodiment of the metal wall (1) according to the invention, wherein on the right a schematic perspective partial view of a central part of the metal wall (1) according to the invention is illustrated and on the left below a schematic top view of the central part of the metal wall (1) according to the right-hand illustration.

[0028] Tabs that are not rolled into an eyelet section (3.1) can remain on the individual sheet (3) as tab sections (3.3). They can be notched out of the sheet plane (B) to form, for example, tab sections (3.2) that remain parallel to the sheet plane (B). The tab section (3.2) can be wider and thus project beyond the hinge axis (S). Due to the engagement of the individual sheets (2, 3), contact is established section by section between the projection of the tab section (3.2), which extends beyond the hinge axis (S), and the adjacent area of ​​the individual sheet (2) when folded and the sheet is in its installed state. The individual sheet (2) can also have eyelet sections (2.1) in the sections where the adjacent individual sheet (3) has the aforementioned tab sections (3.2), which are concealed in the installed state.

Claims

[1] Foldable metal wall (1) comprising at least two individual sheets (2, 3), each of which has integrally formed eyelet sections (2.1, 3.1) along at least one of its long sides, wherein the eyelet sections (2.1, 3.1) are formed such that the respective eyelet sections (2.1, 3.1) of the individual sheets (2, 3) interlock and are foldably connected to each other via a rod (4) arranged within the eyelet sections (2.1, 3.1), wherein - Tab sections (3.3) are provided in a sheet plane (B) and are shortened by a defined dimension, so that when the individual sheets (2, 3) engage, contact of an end face (C) of the tab sections (3.3) with the adjacent individual sheet (2) is possible, and / or wherein - Tab sections (3.2) are notched out of the sheet plane (B) and run parallel to the sheet plane (B), whereby, due to the individual sheets (2, 3) being engaged, contact is possible section by section between an overhang of the tab section (3.2), which projects over a hinge axis (S), and the adjacent immediate area of ​​the neighboring individual sheet (2) when folding and reaching the installed state. [2] Foldable metal wall (1) according to claim 1, wherein the individual sheets (2, 3) each have a thickness between 0.5 and 1.5 mm. [3] Foldable metal wall (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the individual sheets (2, 3) are each provided from a rolled metal flat product. [4] Foldable metal wall (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the individual sheets (2, 3) are made of an aluminium material or of a steel material. [5] Foldable metal wall (1) according to claim 4, wherein the steel material is cold-rolled and coated with an inorganic and / or organic coating. [6] Foldable metal wall (1) according to claim 5, wherein the inorganic coating is a zinc-based coating and / or the organic coating is a paint coating and / or a film coating. [7] Use of a foldable metal wall (1) according to any of the preceding claims as a back panel for furniture (10). [8] Use according to claim 7 for a cabinet or a shelf.

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