Expandable and contractible barrier

Abstract

An expandable barrier has segments that can expand and contract. When the segments are expanded to a use position, the barrier can be stable. When the segments are contracted to a transport or storage position, the barrier occupies a relatively small amount of space.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An expandable barrier comprising: 
 a first end segment having a widthwise direction; and    a plurality of middle segments each having a widthwise direction and being connected so as to expand to an open position in which the widthwise direction of at least one of the middle segments is substantially perpendicular to the widthwise direction of the end segment and contract to a closed position in which the widthwise directions of the middle segments are substantially parallel to the widthwise direction of the first end segment.    
     
     
         2 . The expandable barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first end segment includes an information display surface.  
     
     
         3 . The expandable barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first end segment includes a handle portion.  
     
     
         4 . The expandable barrier of  claim 1 , further comprising an elongated securing member configured to fasten the plurality of middle segments in the closed position, wherein the first end segment includes a holding member for receiving the securing member.  
     
     
         5 . The expandable barrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a second end segment, wherein the middle segments are disposed between the first and second end segments.  
     
     
         6 . The expandable barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of middle segments are connected so as to contract by an accordion fold to the closed position.  
     
     
         7 . The expandable barrier of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of middle segments is a bridge segment connected to a mid-portion of the first end segment and connected to an end portion of an adjacent middle segment.  
     
     
         8 . The expandable barrier of  claim 7 , wherein a width of the bridge segment is approximately one half of a width of the adjacent middle segment.  
     
     
         9 . The expandable barrier of  claim 7 , further comprising a positioning mechanism configured to maintain the bridge segment at a position substantially perpendicular to the first end segment.  
     
     
         10 . The expandable barrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a rolling member positioned on the first end segment such that during transport of the barrier the rolling member engages a surface supporting the barrier.  
     
     
         11 . The expandable barrier of  claim 10 , wherein the rolling member is a wheel and the first end segment further comprises a plate member disposed on one side of the wheel to trap the wheel against another portion of the first end segment.  
     
     
         12 . An expandable barrier comprising: 
 a plurality of segments connected so as to expand to an open position and contract to a closed position; and    an information display surface on at least one of the segments,    wherein the segments are connected such that more of the information display surface becomes visible as the segments are expanded to the open position; and    a rolling member connected to at least one of the plurality of segments such that during transport of the barrier the rolling member engages a surface supporting the barrier.    
     
     
         13 . The expandable barrier of  claim 12 , further comprising an elongated securing member configured to fasten the plurality of segments in the closed position, wherein at least one of the segments includes a holding member for receiving the securing member.  
     
     
         14 . The expandable barrier of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of segments are connected so as to contract by an accordion fold to the closed position.  
     
     
         15 . The expandable barrier of  claim 12 , wherein the rolling member is a wheel, the wheel is positioned on the segment, and the segment on which the wheel is positioned further comprises a plate member disposed on one side of the wheel to trap the wheel against another portion of the segment.  
     
     
         16 . The expandable barrier of  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of rolling members positioned on corresponding segments such that during transport of the barrier the rolling members engage a surface supporting the barrier.  
     
     
         17 . The expandable barrier of  claim 16 , wherein positions of the rolling members on the segments are offset such that the rolling members do not engage one another when the segments are in the closed position.  
     
     
         18 . A portable, expandable barrier comprising: 
 a plurality of segments connected so as to expand to an open position and contract to a closed position; and    a rolling member connected to at least one of the plurality of segments such that the segments can pivot about the rolling member between a rest position in which at least a portion of at least one of the segments engages a surface supporting the barrier, and a portable position in which the rolling member engages the surface.    
     
     
         19 . The portable, expandable barrier of  claim 18 , wherein the rolling member is connected to a first end region of a bottom portion of the at least one segment, and the portion of the at least one segment that engages the surface is at disposed at a second end region of the bottom portion of the at least one segment.  
     
     
         20 . The expandable barrier of  claim 18 , further comprising an elongated securing member configured to fasten the plurality of segments in the closed position.  
     
     
         21 . The expandable barrier of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of segments are connected so as to contract by an accordion fold to the closed position.  
     
     
         22 . The expandable barrier of  claim 18 , wherein the rolling member is a wheel, the wheel is positioned on the segment, and the segment on which the wheel is positioned further comprises a plate member disposed on one side of the wheel to trap the wheel against another portion of the segment.  
     
     
         23 . The expandable barrier of  claim 18 , further comprising a plurality of rolling members positioned on corresponding segments such that during transport of the barrier the rolling members engage a surface supporting the barrier.  
     
     
         24 . The expandable barrier of  claim 23 , wherein positions of the rolling members on the segments are offset such that the rolling members do not engage one another when the middle segments are in the closed position.  
     
     
         25 . A portable, expandable barrier comprising: 
 a plurality of segments each having a depth and a width, the segments being connected so as to expand to an open position in which a length of the segments is substantially a sum of the widths of the segments, and to contract to a closed position in which a length of the segments is substantially a sum of the depths of the segments; and    a rolling member connected to the segments such that during transport of the barrier the rolling member engages a surface supporting the barrier.    
     
     
         26 . The expandable barrier of  claim 25 , wherein the width of a segment is at least four times the depth of the segment.  
     
     
         27 . The expandable barrier of  claim 25 , further comprising an elongated securing member configured to fasten the plurality of segments in the closed position.  
     
     
         28 . The expandable barrier of  claim 25 , wherein the plurality of segments are connected so as to contract by an accordion fold to the closed position.  
     
     
         29 . The expandable barrier of  claim 25 , wherein the rolling member is a wheel, the wheel is positioned on the segment, and the segment on which the wheel is positioned further comprises a plate member disposed on one side of the wheel to trap the wheel against another portion of the segment.  
     
     
         30 . The expandable barrier of  claim 25 , further comprising a plurality of rolling members positioned on corresponding segments such that during transport of the barrier the rolling members engage a surface supporting the barrier.  
     
     
         31 . The expandable barrier of  claim 30 , wherein positions of the rolling members on the segments are offset such that the rolling members do not engage one another when the segments are in the closed position.  
     
     
         32 . A portable, expandable barrier comprising 
 a plurality of segments connected so as to expand to an open position and contract to a closed position, each of the segments having a height dimension defined between a top and a bottom of the segment, wherein the segments have substantially the same height in the open and closed positions;    an information display surface on at least one of the segments; and    a rolling member connected to at least one of the segments such that during transport of the barrier the rolling member engages a surface supporting the barrier.    
     
     
         33 . The expandable barrier of  claim 32 , further comprising an elongated securing member configured to fasten the plurality of segments in the closed position.  
     
     
         34 . The expandable barrier of  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of segments are connected so as to contract by an accordion fold to the closed position.  
     
     
         35 . The expandable barrier of  claim 32 , wherein the rolling member is a wheel, the wheel is positioned on the segment, and the segment on which the wheel is positioned further comprises a plate member disposed on one side of the wheel to trap the wheel against another portion of the segment.  
     
     
         36 . The expandable barrier of  claim 32 , further comprising a plurality of rolling members positioned on corresponding segments such that during transport of the barrier the rolling members engage a surface supporting the barrier.  
     
     
         37 . The expandable barrier of  claim 36 , wherein positions of the rolling members on the segments are offset such that the rolling members do not engage one another when the segments are in the closed position.  
     
     
         38 . An expandable barrier comprising: 
 first and second end segments;    a rolling member positioned on at least one of the first and second end segments such that during transport of the barrier the rolling member engages a surface supporting the barrier; and    a plurality of middle segments disposed between the first and second end segments and connected so as to expand to an open position and contract to a closed position, wherein the middle segments are configured to engage the surface when in the open position.    
     
     
         39 . The expandable barrier of  claim 38 , wherein the first end segment includes an information display surface.  
     
     
         40 . The expandable barrier of  claim 38 , wherein the first end segment includes a handle portion.  
     
     
         41 . The expandable barrier of  claim 38 , further comprising an elongated securing member configured to fasten the plurality of middle segments in the closed position.  
     
     
         42 . The expandable barrier of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of middle segments are connected so as to contract by an accordion fold to the closed position.  
     
     
         43 . The expandable barrier of  claim 38 , wherein at least one of the plurality of middle segments is a bridge segment connected to a mid-portion of the first end segment and connected to an end portion of an adjacent middle segment.  
     
     
         44 . The expandable barrier of  claim 43 , wherein a width of the bridge segment is approximately one half of a width of the adjacent middle segment.  
     
     
         45 . The expandable barrier of  claim 44 , further comprising a positioning mechanism configured to maintain the bridge segment at a position substantially perpendicular to the first end segment.  
     
     
         46 . The expandable barrier of  claim 38 , wherein the rolling member is a wheel and the at least one of first and second end segments on which the wheel is positioned further comprises a plate member disposed on one side of the wheel to trap the wheel against another portion of that segment.