Patent ID: 6401404
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: B44C,F21S,F21V

Abstract:
An expandable structure comprising at least four substantially identical, elongated, interconnected, flexible, molded plastic ribs, each rib having an intermediate section and two ends, each rib end having a unitarily molded end panel with first and second projecting tabs, the first tab of one rib being cooperatively alignable with and pivotably connected to the second tab of an adjacent rib;the interconnected ribs being selectively positionable into first and second positions, the first position wherein the ribs are disposed in a substantially flat, side-by-side array having a top, bottom and two sides, the outermost rib on each side of the flat array each having at least one available projecting tab at each end, and the second position wherein the intermediate sections of the ribs are pivoted away from each other in a spherical, circumferentially spaced array, thereby cooperatively aligning the available projecting tabs at each end of the outermost ribs; and releasable locking elements positionable so as to secure the cooperatively aligned available projecting tabs to each other.