Fold-out shelving unit made of cardboard or a similar material

Abstract

The fold-out shelving unit comprises a rear panel ( 1 ), side panels ( 2 ) movable between a folded position, wherein said panels are coplanar, and an expanded position, wherein the side panels ( 2 ) are perpendicular to the rear panel ( 1 ), a moving support panel ( 3 ) extending from one to the other of the side panels ( 2 ) and a shelf panel ( 4 ) foldable over the rear panel ( 1 ). The support panel ( 3 ) and the shelf panel ( 4 ) are cinematically linked to one another and to the side panels ( 2 ) by first and second cinematic linking means so that the support panel ( 3 ) gets closer and away parallel to the rear panel ( 1 ) and the shelf panel ( 4 ) pivots relative to the rear panel ( 1 ) when the side panels ( 2 ) move between the folded position and the expanded position.

1 . A fold-out shelving unit made of cardboard or a similar material comprising:
 a rear panel ( 1 );   side panels ( 2 ) hingedly attached to opposite side edges of said rear panel ( 1 ) so that they can be moved between a folded position, wherein said side panels ( 2 ) and the rear panel ( 1 ) are substantially parallel or coplanar, and an expanded position, wherein the side panels ( 2 ) are substantially perpendicular to the rear panel ( 1 );   at least one support panel ( 3 ) extending from one to the other of the side panels ( 2 ) in a position substantially parallel to the rear panel ( 1 ), and separate therefrom, in said expanded position; and   at least one shelf panel ( 4 ) movably attached to the rear panel ( 1 ) and/or to the side panels so that it can be moved between a folded position, wherein said shelf panel ( 4 ) is substantially parallel to the rear panel ( 1 ) and to the side panels ( 2 ) when the latter are in the folded position, and an expanded position, wherein the shelf panel ( 4 ) forms trihedral angles with the rear panel ( 1 ) and with the side panels ( 2 ) when the latter are in the expanded position, and is supported by said support panel ( 3 );   characterised in that the support panel ( 3 ) is cinematically linked to the side panels ( 2 ) by first cinematic linking means so that the support panel ( 3 ) gets closer and away parallel to the rear panel ( 1 ) when the side panels ( 2 ) move between the folded position and the expanded position, and the shelf panel ( 4 ) is cinematically linked to the support panel ( 3 ) by second cinematic linking means so that the shelf panel ( 4 ) pivots relative to the rear panel ( 1 ) when the support panel ( 3 ) moves between the folded position and the expanded position.   
     
     
         2 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said second cinematic linking means comprise at least one cinematic linking panel ( 5 ) having a first edge hingedly attached to the support panel ( 3 ) and an opposite second edge hingedly attached to the shelf panel ( 4 ) in a position between the support panel ( 3 ) and the rear panel ( 1 ) when they are in the expanded position. 
     
     
         3 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 2 , wherein said first cinematic linking means comprise connection panels ( 6 ) having a first edge hingedly attached to each side end of the support panel ( 3 ) and a second edge hingedly attached to each side panel ( 2 ) in a position between the support panel ( 3 ) and the rear panel ( 1 ) when they are in the expanded position. 
     
     
         4 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 2 , wherein said first cinematic linking means comprise, in each side panel ( 2 ), a longitudinal folding line ( 7 ) substantially parallel to the corresponding side edge of the rear panel ( 1 ) and located between the support panel ( 3 ) and the rear panel ( 1 ) when they are in the expanded position, wherein side edges of the support panel ( 3 ) are hingedly attached to the side panels ( 2 ) on or near their free edges. 
     
     
         5 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the shelf panel ( 4 ) has a longitude from its rear edge to its front edge selected so that a front region thereof is supported by a top edge of the support panel ( 3 ) when they are in the expanded position. 
     
     
         6 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the shelf panel ( 4 ) has a longitude from its rear edge to its front edge selected so that a front region thereof is supported by a projection ( 8 ) protruding from the inner side of the support panel ( 3 ) when they are in the expanded position. 
     
     
         7 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 2 , wherein said cinematic linking panel ( 5 ) forms an acute angle with the shelf panel ( 4 ) when they are in the expanded position so as to provide additional support to the shelf panel ( 4 ). 
     
     
         8 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 3 , wherein said connection panels ( 6 ) are supported by respective projections ( 9 ) protruding from an inner side of the corresponding side panels ( 2 ) when they are in the expanded position. 
     
     
         9 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 1 , wherein a foldable support structure ( 10 ) is arranged between the shelf panel ( 4 ) and a support surface on which the shelving unit rests in the expanded position, said support structure ( 10 ) comprising at least two vertical structure panels ( 11 ,  12 ,  13   a - 13   e ) hingedly attached to one another and each being hingedly attached to at least one of the rear, side and support panels ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 ) so that the support structure ( 10 ) is moved between a folded position and an expanded position along with the rear, side and support panels ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 ) when the latter are moved between the folded position and the expanded position. 
     
     
         10 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 9 , wherein said structure panels ( 11 ,  12 ,  13   a - 13   e ) have top edges arranged to support the shelf panel ( 4 ) and bottom edges arranged to rest on said support surface when they are in the expanded position. 
     
     
         11 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 1 , wherein retention means are arranged to keep the rear, side and support panels ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 ) in the expanded position. 
     
     
         12 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 11 , wherein said retention means comprise at least one elastic member ( 14 ) arranged to push the rear, side and support panels ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 ) towards the expanded position and keep them therein. 
     
     
         13 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 12 , wherein said elastic member ( 14 ) is arranged to pull the side panels ( 2 ) towards one another. 
     
     
         14 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the elastic member ( 14 ) is arranged adjacent to an underside of the shelf panel ( 4 ) when it is in the expanded position. 
     
     
         15 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 12 , wherein the elastic member ( 14 ) is an annular rubber band. 
     
     
         16 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear panel ( 1 ) and the side panels ( 2 ) comprise at least one transversal folding line ( 15 ) substantially perpendicular to the side edges of the rear panel ( 1 ) so that the shelving unit can be moved from the folded position to a compact folded position by bending the rear panel ( 1 ) and the side panels ( 2 ) along said transversal folding line ( 15 ). 
     
     
         17 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 16 , wherein the transversal folding line ( 15 ) comprises two mutually parallel first complementary folding lines ( 15   a ,  15   b ) separated by a first distance (d 1 ) selected so as to provide a spine of a desired width, wherein each first complementary folding line ( 15   a ,  15   b ) comprises, in at least one section of its length, a partial cut-off line on an outer side of the panel and a folding line on the opposite, inner side of the panel. 
     
     
         18 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the rear and side ( 2 ) panels has a multilayered region ( 2   a ), and the transversal folding line ( 15 ) comprises, in that multilayered region ( 2   a ), two mutually parallel second complementary folding lines ( 15   c ,  15   d ) separated by a second distance (d 2 ) smaller than said first distance (d 1 ), wherein each second complementary folding line ( 15   c ,  15   d ) comprises a partial cut-off line on an outer side of the multilayered region ( 2   a ) of the panel and a folding line on the opposite, inner side of the multilayered region ( 2   a ) of the panel. 
     
     
         19 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 18 , wherein said first and second complementary folding lines ( 15   a ,  15   b ;  15   c ,  15   d ) are bounded by a complete transversal cut-off line ( 16 ). 
     
     
         20 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 18 , wherein said second distance (d 2 ) is approximately equal to the first distance (d 1 ) minus two times the thickness of the additional layer or layers of said multilayered region ( 2   a ). 
     
     
         21 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 1 , wherein, on the shelf panel ( 4 ), there is a stepped structure ( 17 ) comprising at least one stepped shelf panel ( 18 ) with a rear edge hingedly attached to the rear panel ( 1 ), and a stepped support panel ( 19 ) with a top edge hingedly attached to said stepped shelf panel ( 18 ) and a bottom edge hingedly attached to the shelf panel ( 4 ), so that said stepped structure ( 17 ) can be moved between a folded position and an expanded position along with the rear, side, support and shelf panels ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ) when the latter are moved between the folded position and the expanded position. 
     
     
         22 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 21 , further comprising at least one additional stepped shelf panel ( 18   a ) with a rear edge hingedly attached to the stepped support panel ( 19 ) or to another additional adjacent stepped support panel ( 19   a ) and an additional stepped support panel ( 19   a ) with a top edge hingedly attached to said additional stepped shelf panel ( 18   a ) and a bottom edge hingedly attached to the shelf panel ( 4 ). 
     
     
         23 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the shelf panel ( 4 ) and the cinematic linking panel ( 5 ) are formed as a single cardboard piece ( 37 ) provided with a transverse hinge, so that the shelf panel ( 4 ) and the cinematic linking panel ( 5 ) are arranged coplanarily, jointly forming a complete shelf in the expanded position. 
     
     
         24 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 21 , wherein the side panels ( 2 ) include folding lines ( 38 ) parallel to the front vertical edges thereof, wherein a portion of the side panels ( 2 ) comprised between these folding lines ( 38 ) and said front vertical edges defines fins ( 39 ) that, in an expanded position, are arranged coplanarily with the rest of the respective side panels ( 2 ) and, in the compact folded position, are arranged partially overlapping the shelf panel ( 4 ) and the stepped structure ( 17 ), while a portion of the rear panel ( 1 ) is arranged partially overlapping the fins ( 39 ). 
     
     
         25 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the shelf panel ( 4 ) has a rear edge hingedly attached to the rear panel ( 1 ). 
     
     
         26 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 3 , wherein retention means are arranged to keep the rear, side and support panels ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 ) in the expanded position, said retention means comprising two elastic members ( 14 ) each having one end connected to the rear panel ( 1 ) and another opposite end connected to a corresponding one of the side panels ( 2 ), with said elastic members ( 14 ) being passed through respective openings ( 40 ) formed in said connecting panels ( 6 ). 
     
     
         27 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 3 , wherein front edges of the side panels ( 2 ) are hingedly connected to front reinforcement fins ( 41 ) which are folded inwards and adhered to an inner surface of the side panels ( 2 ), and front hooking members ( 42 ) non adhered to said inner surface of the side panels ( 2 ) are connected to said front reinforcement fins ( 41 ) by folding lines, wherein a single cardboard piece ( 37 ) forming the shelf panel ( 4 ) and a linking panel ( 5 ) connected to shelf panel ( 4 ) by a transverse hinge includes a rear fastening fin ( 4   a ) hingedly connected to a rear edge of the shelf panel ( 4 ) and a front fastening fin ( 5   a ) hingedly connected to a front edge of said linking panel ( 5 ), said rear and front fastening fins ( 4   a ,  5   a ) being adhered to the inner surface of the rear panel ( 1 ) and to the outer surface of the support panel ( 3 ), respectively, and rear hooking members ( 43 ) non adhered to the inner surface of the rear panel ( 1 ) are connected to the rear fastening fin ( 4   a ) by folding lines, and wherein each of said elastic members ( 14 ) is hooked to said front and rear hooking members ( 42 ,  43 ). 
     
     
         28 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 3 , wherein a foldable support element ( 44 ) is arranged between the rear panel ( 1 ) and the support panel ( 3 ) below the shelf panel ( 4 ) and the linking panel ( 5 ), said foldable support element ( 44 ) having the shape of a rhomboidal ring with hinged side walls ( 47 ) and rear and front flattened ends ( 45 ,  46 ), with said rear flattened end ( 45 ) being adhered to the rear fastening fin ( 4   a ) which in turn is adhered to the rear panel ( 1 ), and with the front flattened end ( 45 ) adhered to the support panel ( 3 ), so that the foldable support element  44  is moved between folded and expanded positions together with the rear, side and support panels ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 ), the shelf panel ( 4 ) and the linking panel ( 5 ) being supported on upper edges of said side walls ( 47 ) of the foldable support element ( 44 ) when the fold-out shelving unit is in the expanded position. 
     
     
         29 . The fold-out shelving unit according to  claim 23 , wherein said transverse hinge is provided by a V-cut ( 36 ) affecting only the top side of said single cardboard piece ( 37 ), said V-cut ( 36 ) having facing edges which lean on one another in the expanded position.