Foldable sheet material

Abstract

The invention provides a foldable sheet material ( 2 ) comprising a first set of concertina folds ( 4 ) defining a plurality of full segments of the sheet material, at which folds the sheet material can be folded and unfolded, wherein the sheet material is provided with a first segment of the sheet which, when the sheet is in a folded configuration, is an outermost segment ( 8 ) of the folded sheet material, and wherein at least a portion of the first segment is shorter in at least one dimension than a full segment, when the sheet material in the folded configuration.

1 . A foldable sheet material comprising a first set of concertina folds defining a plurality of full segments of the sheet material, at which folds the sheet material can be folded and unfolded, wherein the sheet material is provided with a first segment of the sheet which, when the sheet is in a folded configuration, is an outermost segment of the folded sheet material, and wherein at least a portion of the first segment is shorter in at least one dimension than a full segment, when the sheet material in the folded configuration.  
   
   
       2 . A foldable sheet material, wherein the first segment is shorter in width, length or both width and length, than a full segment when the sheet material is in the folded configuration.  
   
   
       3 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first segment comprises a handle portion, which, when the sheet material is in the folded configuration, is presented out of the plane of the first segment.  
   
   
       4 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first segment comprises a handle portion, which, when the sheet material is in the folded configuration is presented in towards the first segment.  
   
   
       5 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the handle portion comprises a folded portion of a full segment.  
   
   
       6 . A foldable sheet material as claimed  claim 1 , wherein the sheet material comprises a second segment of the sheet, which, when the sheet is in the folded configuration, forms an outermost segment not comprising the first segment of the folded sheet, and wherein at least a portion of the second segment is shorter in at least one dimension than a full segment in the folded configuration.  
   
   
       7 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the sheet material comprises a second segment of the sheet, which, when the sheet is in the folded configuration, forms an outermost segment not comprising the first segment of the folded sheet, and wherein at least a portion of the second segment is shorter in at least one dimension than a full segment in the folded configuration, wherein the second segment is as described for the first segment in  claim 2 .  
   
   
       8 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet material comprises a segment which forms an outermost segment of the sheet when the sheet is in the folded configuration, and which includes a stiff portion connected thereto.  
   
   
       9 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the stiff portion is larger than the segment in at least one dimension.  
   
   
       10 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the stiff portion comprises a stiff card or stiff plastics material.  
   
   
       11 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet material is connected to the inside of a hinged cover, the sheet material being connected such that, when the sheet is in the folded configuration, the first segment is an outermost segment presented from the inside of the cover.  
   
   
       12 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet material comprises a second set of folds.  
   
   
       13 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the first and second sets of folds are perpendicular to each other.  
   
   
       14 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein both the first and second sets of folds comprise an even number of folds, or both the first and second set of folds comprise an odd number of folds.  
   
   
       15 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet material, in the folded configuration, is substantially credit card sized.  
   
   
       16 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet material is paper.  
   
   
       17 . A foldable sheet material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first segment is an outermost segment when the sheet material is in the fully folded configuration.  
   
   
       18 . A sheet article comprising a cover comprising hingedly connected first and second surfaces, where in a foldable sheet material is connected to the inside of cover, the sheet material comprising a first set of concertina folds defining a plurality of full segments of the sheet material, about which folds the sheet material can be folded and unfolded, and wherein the sheet material is provided with a first segment of the sheet, which when the sheet is in a folded configuration, and when the cover is opened, is an outermost segment of the sheet presented form the cover, wherein at least a portion of the first segment is shorter in at least one dimension than a full segment in the folded configuration.  
   
   
       19 . (Cancelled)  
   
   
       20 . (Cancelled)  
   
   
       21 . (Cancelled)