Collapsible, multi-cell partition with folding support panel

Abstract

A multi-cell partition includes a panel defining first, second and third fold lines between opposing ends thereof, with the third fold line between the first and second fold lines, and at least one elongated cross wall coupled to and between opposing panel sides and defining a fourth fold line. The partition has a closed position with the panel folded along the third fold line and unfolded along the first and second fold lines and with the at least one elongated side wall folded along the fourth fold line and at least partially disposed between the folded panel, and an open position with the panel unfolded along the third fold line and folded along the first and second fold lines to form a pair of upstanding side walls with the at least one elongated side wall unfolded along the fourth fold line and extending between the upstanding side walls.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-cell partition, comprising:
 a panel having opposing ends and opposing sides extending between the opposing ends, the panel defining at least one aligned pair of slots at or near the opposing sides of the panel, the panel further defining first and second fold lines each extending between the opposing ends adjacent to or near terminal ends of respective ones of the at least one aligned pair of slots and a third fold line extending between the opposing ends and positioned between the first and second fold lines, and   at least one elongated cross wall having opposing ends defining therebetween a top end and a bottom end opposite the top end, at least one of the top end and the bottom end of the at least one elongated cross wall defining therein a slot adjacent to or near each of the opposing ends thereof and engaging a respective one of the at least one aligned pair of slots at or near the opposing sides of the panel, the at least one elongated cross wall further defining a fourth fold line between the top and bottom ends thereof and between the opposing ends thereof,   wherein the partition has a closed position with the panel folded along the third fold line and unfolded along each of the first and second fold lines and with the at least one elongated cross wall folded along the fourth fold line and collapsed at least partially between portions of the folded panel on either side of the third fold line,   and wherein the partition has an open position with the panel unfolded along the third fold line and folded along each of the first and second fold lines to form a pair of upstanding exterior side walls each between a respective one of the first and second fold lines and a respective one of the opposing sides of the panel and with the at least one elongated cross wall unfolded along the fourth fold line and extending along a surface of the panel between the upstanding exterior side walls to form a multi-cell partition along the panel between the at least one elongated cross wall and the upstanding exterior side walls.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 1 , wherein the partition is manually collapsible from the open position to the closed position, and is manually extendable from the closed position to the open position thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is a planar panel and the at least one elongated cross wall comprises at least one elongated, planar cross wall. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 1 , wherein one of the top end and the bottom end of the at least one elongated cross wall defines therein at least one additional slot between the slots adjacent to or near each of the opposing ends of the at least one elongated cross wall,
 and further comprising at least one elongated interior side wall defining therein a slot engaging the at least one additional slot defined in the at least one elongated cross wall,   wherein, in the open position of the partition, the at least one elongated interior side wall extends between the opposing ends of the panel with the upstanding exterior side walls on either side of the at least one elongated interior side all to form the multi-cell partition along the panel between the at least one elongated cross wall, the upstanding exterior side walls and the at least one elongated interior side wall.   
     
     
         5 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 4 , wherein, in the closed position of the partition, the at least one elongated interior side wall is collapsed with the at least one folded elongated cross wall between the portions of the folded panel on either side of the third fold line. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 1 , wherein the opposing ends of the panel define a first panel end and a second panel end opposite the first panel end, and the at least one aligned pair of slots includes a first aligned pair of slots defined at or near the opposing sides of the panel adjacent to or near the first panel end and a second aligned pair of slots at or near the opposing sides of the panel adjacent to or near the second panel end,
 and wherein the at least one elongated cross wall includes a first cross wall and a second cross wall,   and wherein slots defined adjacent to or near the opposing ends of the first cross wall engage the first aligned pair of slots of the panel and the slots adjacent to or near the opposing ends of the second cross wall engage the second aligned pair of slots of the panel.   
     
     
         7 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 6 , wherein the top or bottom ends of each of the first and second cross walls define therein at least one additional slot between the slots adjacent to or near the opposing ends thereof,
 and further comprising at least one elongated interior side wall defining therein a slot engaging the at least one additional slot defined in the top or bottom ends of the first and second cross walls,   wherein, in the open position of the partition, the at least one elongated interior side wall extends between the opposing ends of the panel and between the upstanding exterior side walls to form the multi-cell partition along the panel between the first and second cross walls, the upstanding exterior side walls and the at least one elongated interior side wall.   
     
     
         8 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 7 , wherein, in the closed position of the partition, the at least one elongated interior side wall is collapsed with the first and second folded elongated cross walls between the portions of the folded panel on either side of the third fold line. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one aligned pair of slots includes at least a third aligned pair of slots defined in the opposing sides of the panel between the first and second aligned pair of slots,
 and wherein the at least one elongated cross wall further includes at least a third cross wall with the top or bottom end thereof defining therein at least one additional slot between the slots adjacent to or near the opposing ends thereof,   and wherein the at least one elongated interior side wall defines therein another slot engaging the at least one additional slot defined in the top or bottom ends of the at least a third cross wall.   
     
     
         10 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 7 , further comprising at least one shortened cross wall having opposing ends defining therebetween a top end and a bottom end opposite the top end, at least one of the top end and the bottom end of the at least one shortened cross wall defining therein a slot between the opposing ends thereof,
 and wherein the at least one elongated interior side wall defines therein another slot engaging the slot defined in the top or bottom end of the at least one shortened cross wall,   and wherein, in the open position of the partition, the at least one shortened cross wall extends between the upstanding interior side walls with the opposing ends of the at least one shorted cross wall abutting or adjacent to the upstanding interior side walls to form the multi-cell partition along the panel between the first and second cross walls, the at least one shortened cross wall, the upstanding exterior side walls and the at least one elongated interior side wall.   
     
     
         11 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one shortened cross wall defines a fifth fold line between the top and bottom ends thereof and between the opposing ends thereof,
 and wherein, in the closed position, the at least one shortened cross wall is folded along the fifth fold line and collapsed at least partially between portions of the folded panel on either side of the third fold line.   
     
     
         12 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one elongated cross wall and the at least one elongated interior sidewall comprise a partition structure,
 and wherein the multi-cell partition further comprises means for affixing the partition structure, in the open position of the partition, to the panel inwardly of the first and second fold lines.   
     
     
         13 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 6 , wherein one of the first aligned pair of slots extends from the first fold line toward, but terminating short of, a corresponding one of the opposing sides of the panel,
 and wherein one of the slots defined adjacent to or near a corresponding one of the opposing ends of the first cross wall extends from the bottom end of the first cross wall upwardly, but terminating short of, the top end of the first cross wall,   and wherein the one of the slots defined adjacent to or near the corresponding one of the opposing ends of the first cross wall engages the one of the first aligned pair of slots in the panel to thereby couple the first cross wall to the panel.   
     
     
         14 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 13 , wherein the panel further defines an auxiliary slot extending from the first panel end toward and into the one of the first aligned pair of slots, the one of the slots defined adjacent to or near the corresponding one of the opposing ends of the first cross wall accessing the one of the first aligned pair of slots in the panel via the auxiliary slot. 
     
     
         15 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 13 , wherein the other of the first aligned pair of slots extends from the second fold line toward, but terminating short of, the other of the opposing sides of the panel,
 and wherein the other of the slots defined adjacent to or near the other of the opposing ends of the first cross wall extends from the bottom end of the first cross wall upwardly, but terminating short of, the top end of the first cross wall,   and wherein the other of the slots defined adjacent to or near the other of the opposing ends of the first cross wall engages the other of the first aligned pair of slots in the panel to thereby couple the first cross wall to the panel.   
     
     
         16 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 15 , wherein the panel further defines a first auxiliary slot extending from the first panel end toward and into the one of the first aligned pair of slots and a second auxiliary slot extending from the first panel end toward and into the other of the first aligned pair of slots, the one of the slots defined adjacent to or near the corresponding one of the opposing ends of the first cross wall accessing the one of the first aligned pair of slots in the panel via the first auxiliary slot and the other of the slots defined adjacent to or near the other of the opposing ends of the first cross wall accessing the other of the first aligned pair of slots in the panel via the second auxiliary slot. 
     
     
         17 . A multi-cell partition, comprising:
 a panel having opposing ends and opposing sides extending between the opposing ends, the panel defining a first fold line extending between the opposing ends near one of the opposing sides of the panel, a second fold line extending between the opposing ends near the other of the opposing sides of the panel and a third fold line extending between the opposing ends and between the first and second fold lines, and   at least one elongated cross wall coupled to and between the opposing ends of the panel and defining a fourth fold line parallel with the first, second and third fold lines, the partition having a closed position with the panel folded along the third fold line and unfolded along each of the first and second fold lines and with the at least one elongated cross wall folded along the fourth fold line and collapsed at least partially between portions of the folded panel on either side of the third fold line, and an open position with the panel unfolded along the third fold line and folded along each of the first and second fold lines to form a pair of upstanding exterior side walls each between a respective one of the first and second fold lines and a respective one of the opposing sides of the panel and with the at least one elongated cross wall unfolded along the fourth fold line and extending along a surface of the panel between the upstanding exterior side walls to form a multi-cell partition along the panel between the at least one elongated cross wall and the upstanding exterior side walls.   
     
     
         18 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one elongated interior side wall extending parallel with the first, second and third fold lines and coupled to the at least one elongated cross wall,
 wherein, in the open position of the partition, the at least one elongated interior side wall extends between the opposing ends of the panel with the upstanding exterior side walls on either side of the at least one elongated interior side all to form the multi-cell partition along the panel between the at least one elongated cross wall, the upstanding exterior side walls and the at least one elongated interior side wall.   
     
     
         19 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 18 , wherein, in the closed position of the partition, the at least one elongated interior side wall is collapsed with the at least one folded elongated cross wall between the portions of the folded panel on either side of the third fold line. 
     
     
         20 . The multi-cell partition of  claim 17 , wherein the partition is manually collapsible from the open position to the closed position, and is manually extendable from the closed position to the open position thereof.