A convertible article

Abstract

A convertible article ( 101 ) comprises a substantially planar rigid base portion ( 104 ) and a border ( 105 ) extending around the base portion ( 104 ). The border ( 105 ) comprises rigid border portions ( 106 ) and joining substantially non-folding web portions ( 107 ) that are thinner than the base and the border portions ( 104, 106 ). The border ( 105 ) is configurable between a first mat configuration in which the border portions ( 106 ) are substantially coplanar with the base portion ( 104 ), and a second tray configuration in which the border portions ( 106 ) are inclined with respect to the base portion ( 104 ). The base and the border portions ( 104, 106 ) are supported on a substrate sheet of flexible material ( 108 ) that provides the web portions ( 107 ). The outward surfaces ( 109, 110 ) of the base and the border portions ( 104, 106 ) are exposed as display faces. A method of manufacture ( 801 ) of the convertible article ( 101 ).

1 . A convertible article, comprising:
 a substrate sheet of flexible material;   a substantially planar rigid base portion, the rigid base portion having an inward surface thereof secured to a first side of said substrate sheet of flexible material, and   a border extending around the rigid base portion, said border comprising rigid border portions, each rigid border portion having an inward surface thereof secured to said first side of said substrate sheet of flexible material;   the rigid base portion being substantially rectangular and having first and second opposed pairs of sides, and   the border comprising:   a first pair of rigid border portions having a substantially rectangular shape and extending along one of the first and second opposed pairs of sides of said rigid base portion,   a second pair of rigid border portions having a substantially trapezoidal shape with opposed parallel side edges, one longer than the other, extending along the other of the first and second opposed pairs of sides of said rigid base portion, with the shorter side edge closer to the rigid base portion, and   joining substantially non-folding flexible web portions provided by the substrate sheet of flexible material, the flexible web portions having a substantially triangular shape and the flexible web portions being thinner than said rigid base portion and said rigid border portions;   said border repeatedly configurable between:   a first mat configuration in which said rigid border portions are substantially coplanar with said rigid base portion, and   a second tray configuration in which said rigid border portions are inclined with respect to said rigid base portion;   said rigid border portions and said flexible web portions providing a border configured such that moving said first pair of rigid border portions between one and the other of a substantially coplanar position with respect to said rigid base portion and an inclined position with respect to said rigid base portion causes said second pair of rigid border portions to move correspondingly;   wherein the outwards surface of said rigid base portion, the outward surfaces of said rigid border portions and said flexible material are visible, and the outward surfaces of said rigid base portion and said rigid border portions are exposed as display faces upon which items are receivable.   
     
     
         2 . A convertible article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said substrate sheet of flexible material supports a single set of rigid base and rigid border portions on said first side only. 
     
     
         3 . A convertible article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said substrate sheet of flexible material supports a first set of rigid base and rigid border portions on said first side and supports a second set of rigid base and rigid border portions on the second side thereof. 
     
     
         4 . A convertible article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said convertible article has a reversible second tray configuration. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A convertible article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said rigid base portion has a pair of shorter opposed sides and a pair of longer opposed sides; and   said first pair of rigid border portions extend along said pair of shorter opposed sides of the rigid base portion; and   said second pair of rigid border portions extend along said pair of longer sides opposed of the base portion.   
     
     
         9 . A convertible article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the border is provided with a pair of handles. 
     
     
         10 . A convertible article as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said pair of handles comprises a pair of handle apertures. 
     
     
         11 . A convertible article as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said pair of handles comprises a pair of handle apertures defined in said first pair of rigid border portions and said substrate sheet of flexible material. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A convertible article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the inward surface of each said rigid base portion and each said rigid border portion is secured to said substrate sheet of flexible material by use of an adhesive. 
     
     
         16 . A convertible article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said rigid border portions are all fabricated from the same material or combination of materials. 
     
     
         17 . A convertible article as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said base portion is fabricated from the same material or combination of materials as said rigid border portions. 
     
     
         18 . A convertible article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each said rigid base portion and each of said rigid border portions is fabricated from one of: wood, metal, glass, a plastics material. 
     
     
         19 . A convertible article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said substrate sheet of flexible material is fabricated from one of: a textile, leather, a plastics material. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacture of a convertible article as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 receiving a sheet of flexible material,   receiving a first set of rigid base and border portions, said first set of rigid base and border portions comprising a first rigid base portion and first and second pairs of rigid border portions, and   securing the inward surface of said received first rigid base portion to a first side of the received sheet of flexible material, and securing the inward surfaces of said first and second pairs of rigid border portions to said first side of the received sheet of flexible material to form a border extending around the first rigid base portion with the outward surface of said first rigid base portion, the outward surfaces of said first and second pairs of rigid border portions, and said flexible material of said border visible, and the outward surfaces of said first rigid base portion and said first and second pairs of rigid border portions exposed as display faces.   
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method of manufacture of a convertible article as claimed in  claim 20 , comprising the steps of:
 receiving a second set of rigid base and border portions, said second set of rigid base and border portions comprising a second rigid base portion and third and fourth pairs of rigid border portions, and   securing the inward surface of said received second rigid base portion to a second side of the received sheet of flexible material, and securing the inward surfaces of said third and fourth pairs of rigid border portions to said second side of the received sheet of flexible material to form a border extending around said second rigid base portion with the outward surfaces of said second rigid base portion, the outward surfaces of said third and fourth pairs of rigid border portions, and said flexible material of said border visible, and the outward surfaces of said second rigid base portion and said third and fourth pairs of rigid border portions exposed as display faces.