Foldable display assembly

A display assembly constructed of corrugated paperboard comprising two triangular vertical end columns with a center wall supported therebetween for affixing materials to be displayed and a header member affixed to the top of the two end columns and extending therebetween to provide lateral stability and serve as an additional display area. The display is manufactured to be delivered to the user in a flat knocked-down folded condition. The display is designed to be easily assembled by the user at the point of use without any tools or connectors other than those that are a part of and integral to the corrugated panels which are assembled to form the display.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates generally to foldable display assemblies and more 
particularly to lightweight portable display assemblies constructed of a 
corrugated paper product. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Trade shows are an increasingly used means for vendors of products to 
advertise their goods and services to the trade. These shows are held 
worldwide and attract vendors, buyers, and resellers from far flung 
geographic areas. Large sums of money are spent by vendors to display 
their products in an eye catching manner. Generally, the vendor either 
purchases or makes a display assembly and ships it to the trade show where 
it is assembled. After the show the display is disassembled and shipped 
back to the vendor's place of business where it is stored until the next 
trade show. It is not uncommon for a vendor to attend multiple trade shows 
annually. 
The display assemblies commonly available are expensive to purchase or 
construct, ship, assemble, disassemble, and store. The expense associated 
with them is due to their weight and large unwieldly size, and the 
materials from which they are constructed. Generally, displays are 
constructed of heavy hard to work materials such as wood and metal. They 
are fastened together with common fasteners such as screws staples, pins, 
and metal rods. The displays are knocked down for shipment to the trade 
show location and often require skilled labor to assemble. Some trade show 
displays may be knocked down for shipment as luggage, but they generally 
must be shipped in multiple packages due to the fact that they consist of 
a sheet material and a separate frame structure. The bulky frame structure 
alone may require shipment in multiple packages. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide an attractive, 
lightweight, and portable display assembly constructed of heavy duty 
corrugated paper board. 
It is another object to provide a low cost display assembly that can be 
disposed of or re-used should the user so choose. 
It is a further object to provide a display assembly that is easily and 
quickly assembled by the user without tools. 
It is yet another object to provide a display which is assembled by the 
user only with fasteners or connectors integral to and a part of the 
corrugated paper structure members of the display assembly. 
It is an object of the present invention to construct a display unit of 
easy to connect sections using a butted joint design for an attractive and 
clean look. 
It is an object to construct a display assembly having a center wall, two 
end columns supporting the center wall, and a header. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a display assembly 
that can be shipped in a small compact point of sale container and is 
lightweight when packed for shipment. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a display 
assembly that is strong and rigid and yet be free-standing without any 
additional support members. 
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be 
set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will 
become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the 
following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and 
advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the 
instrumentalities and combinations particulary pointed out in the appended 
claims. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides an improvement in the presently available 
display asssemblies. It comprises two triangular shaped end columns which 
support a center wall centrally disposed between the end columns. The 
center wall is engaged along its vertical edges with each of the end 
columns by tabs extending from each vertical edge of the center wall and 
inserted into corresponding slots on the end walls in a locking 
arrangement. The locking slot and tab arrangement provide a butted joint 
between the end columns and the center wall, which provide a strong and 
rigid interlock between the center wall and the end columns as well as 
providing vertical stability of the entire display assembly. 
Further locking engagement of the center wall between the two end columns 
is provided by a header member that extends between the end columns. The 
header locks into each column by the engagement of a slot on the header 
with the top of a vertical wall of each column. 
The display is constructed of paper board or cardboard as it is generally 
referred to. The cardboard allows the display to be made light weight and 
to be of modular construction. It also allows the parts of the display to 
be folded and packed flat in a small easily portable point of sale 
container. The point of sale container may be inexpensively shipped and 
stored. The cardboard material has the advantage of being inexpensively 
die cut and creased. 
The interconnection of the parts of the display is accomplished entirely by 
insertion of die cut tabs and slots. No other fasteners are required. 
Strength and rigidity of the display is also entirely a function of the 
folding and interlocking of the parts of the display. No other materials 
are used to acomplish this purpose. Creasing of the cardboard to form fold 
lines during manufacture of the cardboard display parts allows for 
straight and properly aligned folds during assembly. 
Triangular construction of the end columns and overlapping of the cardboard 
with mating tabs and slots provides strength and stability to these 
support columns. The center wall is strengthened by horizontal and 
vertical ribs formed by folding the cardboard centerwall section along 
preformed fold lines. Added rigidity and an aesthetic look is provided by 
a header attached horizontally from the top of a first end column 
extending to the top of a second end column. 
The front of the display is laminated with fabric-like textures to provide 
a professional appearance. The entire display may also be sprayed during 
manufacture with a fire retardant coating. 
The entire display assembly is packed in a point of sale container in a 
knocked down flat condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts the front of my fully 
assembled portable knock-down display assembly ready to provide a 
background display at sales meetings, conventions, trade shows, and the 
like. The display assembly is constructed in accordance with the 
principles of the present invention and is generally designated by the 
numeral 11. Display assembly 11 comprises upstanding, laterally spaced 
apart, triangular first end column and second end column 14 and 15. The 
end columns stabilize the display assembly 11 and support between them a 
center wall 22 with a front face, as shown in FIG. 1, attractively 
laminated with a fabric-like finish to give the display a professional 
look associated with more expensive displays. The center wall is the 
primary viewing area for displayed materials. The front facing side, which 
is disposed at an angle to the center wall 22, of the end columns 14 and 
15 also serves as a display area. This area is viewable as the display is 
approached from the side such as is often the case at trade shows where 
displays are arranged in rows. Also supported between the end columns 14 
and 15 is a header 19, providing further lateral support as well as a 
viewing area for displayed materials. Both the center wall 22 and the 
header 19 form the frontal viewing surface of the display 11. Like the 
center wall 22, the end columns and the header are laminated with a 
fabric-like finish. 
Signs or other items to be displayed may be mounted on the display assembly 
with any traditional method, such as two way tape, Velcro, pins, or 
removable adhesive. 
FIG. 2 shows the back of the display assembly 11 illustrating, among other 
features of the display assembly, the center wall vertical and horizontal 
cardboard reinforcing ribs 26 and 25, respectively. Vertical ribs 26 and 
25 and horizontal rib stops 21 are formed by folding the knocked-down 
center wall section panels 36a and 36b, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, along 
crease lines formed during manufacture of the die cut cardboard sections. 
Crease lines are shown throughout the drawings as dotted lines and are not 
numbered. In the case of the vertical rib 26, the center wall vertical rib 
tabs 38 and the horizontal rib stops 21 are folded at right angles to the 
center wall section panels 36a and 36band the opposing center wall 
vertical rib tabs 38 and the horizontal rib stops 21 are glued together to 
form the center wall vertical rib 26 and a center wall section 23. The 
horizontal rib tabs 39 are then folded at right angles to the center wall 
section panels 36a and 36b to form a center wall horizontal rib 25. The 
center wall horizontal ribs 25 are reinforced between center wall sections 
23 by the placement of the horizontal ribs 25 of adjacent center wall 
sections 23 in contact with one another, as shown in FIG. 14, thereby 
doubling the strength of the horizontal rib 25 between center wall 
sections 23. 
As previously stated each of the end columns 14 and 15, the center wall 
sections 23, and the header 19 are die cut from rigid corrugated paper, 
thereby providing strength to the assembled display 11. 
FIGS. 3B through 3D illustrates the three segments of an end column in an 
unfolded flat condition as it is after being die cut. Each end column has 
integrally connected tabs 13 for mating engagement with corresponding end 
column slots 31. Each end column, 14 and 15, has five center wall slots 28 
each adjacent and in communication with its respective locking door 29. 
Locking door 29 is shown in detail in FIG. 10. The locking door 29 is a 
square or rectangular shape having three sides slit through the corrugated 
paper end column. The top of the locking door 29 is creased during 
manufacture so that it easily folds into the end column 14 and 15 center. 
Due to the nature of the corrugated material, the locking door 29 springs 
back to its original flush position with the end column 14 and 15 wall 
when the force depressing it inward is released, thereby locking the 
center section end tabs 52 into the end column slots 31 during assembly of 
the display 11 by the user. Assembly of the display 11 will be more fully 
described in the text to follow. Hand holds 30 are cutout in each end 
column 14 and 15 as shown in FIGS. 3A through 3D for ease of assembly and 
carrying. The hand holds 30 are hidden from the viewer by the center wall 
22 when the display 11 is fully assembled. Each individual end column 
segment 34a, b, and c has rib tabs 33 as shown in FIG. 3B, 3C, and 3D. 
Each rib tab 33 on each end column segment 34a, 34b, and 34c is separated 
from the other rib tab 33 on the same segment by an end column notch 18. 
The end column notch 18 forms a sixty degree angle with its apex located 
at the intersection of the rib tab 33 fold lines and the central fold line 
of each end column segment 34a, 34b, and 34c. The end 53 of each rib tab 
33 on each end column segment 34a, 34b, and 34c is die cut at a thirty 
degree angle. The notch 18 and the end of the rib tab 53 allows the ribs 
32 to abut one another, and in the case of the rib tab end 53 to abut the 
inside of the wall of the end column, when the end column is assembled as 
shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C and provides added rigidity to each end 
column 14 and 15. 
FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C illustrate the assembly steps of an end column 14 or 
15. Beginning with FIG. 7A, a folded end column 14 or 15 is taken from its 
point of sale container 12, shown in FIG. 6A, and unfolded on a clean 
floor with the finish side, or exterior side, of the end column 14 or 15 
towards the floor. In FIG. 7B, slotted panels 17 are rolled over along 
longitudinal fold lines and tucked under tabbed panels 20. Tabs 13 are 
inserted into slots 31 to form a rigid column, as shown in FIG. 7C. 
FIGS. 7A, B, and C each illustrate end column ribs 32 formed during 
manufacture by folding rib tabs 33, as shown in FIG. 3, along preformed 
crease lines perpendicular to the inner face of an end column, 14 or 15. 
Adjacent end column segments 34a, 34b, and 34c are placed in abutting 
engagement and the rib tabs 33 are glued together to form ribs 32. After 
the rib tabs 33 are glued to form ribs 32 and a unitary end column 14 or 
15, each end column is folded as shown in FIGS. 20A through 20E for 
shipment in its point of sale container 12. FIG. 20A shows an end column 
14 or 15 on the floor with the finish side up and the ribs 32 down. The 
end column is folded beginning with FIG. 20B and ending with FIG. 20E in 
accordance with the arrows shown in the figures. 
FIG. 11 shows a center wall section panel 36 and also is a plan view of a 
center wall section 23 folded for packing in a point of sale container 12. 
The center wall 22 is comprised of three center wall sections 23. Each 
center wall section 23 consists of two identical panels 36a and 36b glued 
together at the point of manufacture along the opposing insides of each of 
the center wall vertical rib tabs 38 as shown in FIG. 12. The center wall 
vertical and horizontal rib tabs have a notch 37. Notch 37 is formed by a 
cutout portion defined by a 90 degree angle having as its apex the 
intersection of the vertical and horizontal fold lines as shown in FIG. 
11. Each center wall section 23 has two horizontal ribs 25. Each 
horizontal rib 25 engages with a vertical rib 26 as the center section 23 
is unfolded and assembled as shown in FIGS. 12, 4, and 13; thereby 
providing a strong form fitting construction. FIG. 13 illustrates a 
completely assembled center section 23 as viewed from the back. FIG. 12 
shows a partially unfolded center section 23. FIG. 4 shows a completely 
unfolded center section 23. Each center wall section panel 36a and 36b, 
has elongated notches 41 in that portion of the center wall horizontal rib 
tabs 39, which extend beyond the vertical ends of the center wall section 
panels 36a and 36b. The elongated notches 41 are disposed perpendicular to 
a fold line as shown in FIG. 11. The elongated notches 41 engage with 
center wall slots 28 on the end columns 14 and 15 when the display is 
assembled. The elongated notch 41 width is slightly less than the 
thickness of the corrugated material out of which the display 11 is 
constructed. 
The header 19, as shown in assembled form from the back in FIG. 5C, serves 
as a part of the display area and as a lateral support member. The display 
area on the front of the header 19 is especially adaptable for placement 
of a banner indicating the name of the trade show participant. FIG. 5A 
shows a first and second header panel 42 and 43 in a flat unassembled 
condition. FIG. 5B shows the two panels glued together along the opposing 
inside faces of the header vertical rib 44. An elastic band 47 is 
connected through slits 45 on the vertical rib 44 and horizontal rib 46 at 
the point of manufacture. When the header 19 is unfolded as shown in FIG. 
5B, the horizontal rib 46 is pulled towards the vertical rib 44 by the 
stretched elastic band 47 resulting in engagement of the upper part of the 
vertical rib 48 and the lower part of the vertical rib 49. The upper part 
of the vertical rib 48 is separated from the lower part 49 by a wedge 
shaped cut-out 50 as shown in FIG. 5A. The wedge shaped cut-out 50 is 
formed by a 90 degree angle having its apex located on the intersection of 
the fold line of the header horizontal rib 46 and the header vertical rib 
44, as shown in FIG. 5A. Upon full closure of the upper part of the 
vertical rib 48 and the lower part of the verticle rib 49 when in a fully 
assembled state the header 19 is as shown in FIG. 5C. The horizontal rib 
46 is stopped from opening further than a 90 degree angle with respect to 
the back of the header 19 by the engagement of the upper and lower parts 
of the vertical rib 48 and 49, respectively. The header 19 at each of its 
vertical end surfaces when in a fully assembled state has die cut header 
slots 51 as shown in FIGS. 5A, B, and C, the purpose of which will be 
explained herein in connection with the instructions for assembly of the 
display 11. The header slot 51 width is slightly less than the thickness 
of the corrugated material out of which the end columns 14 and 15 are 
constructed. A reinforcement doubler 54 overlays the bottom portion of the 
header 19. The doubler 54 is added at the point of manufacture by folding 
the bottom portion of the header panels 42 and 43 along the fold line and 
glueing the doubler 54 to the header panels 42 and 43. 
The overall process of assembling the display assembly 11 is now described 
and is shown generally in FIG. 6A through 6D. Assembly starts with opening 
the point of sale container 12, unfolding the various corregated sections 
contained in the box, and assembling the two end columns 14 and 15, the 
three center sections 23, and the header 19. These steps have previously 
been described. The next step is to place the two end columns 14 and 15 on 
end as shown in FIG. 8, which is a view of the end columns 14 and 15 from 
their back side. One of the end columns is placed with its locking doors 
29 pointing upward and the other with its locking doors 29 facing downward 
as shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 is a plan view of the end columns placed as 
shown in FIG. 8. 
The next step consists of inserting all the center sections 23 into one end 
column 14 as shown in FIG. 14, which is a view of the display 11 from its 
back side. It is important to not insert the opposing side of the center 
sections 23 into the second end column 15 until all the center sections 23 
are inserted into the first end column 14. Insertion of the center 
sections 23 is accomplished by first depressing the locking doors 29 
towards the center of the end column 14 or 15 and then inserting the 
center section end tabs 52 as shown in FIG. 14 into the locking door 29 
opening and the end column slot 31. The center section 23 is then slid 
forward, engaging the end column 14 wall in the center section end tabs 
52, flush with the locking door 29 opening, thereby allowing the locking 
door 29 to swing back to its original closed position to lock the center 
wall 22 in place. A detail of the center section end tab 52 inserted into 
one of the center wall slots 28 is shown in FIG. 15. 
Upon completion of insertion of each center section 23 into the first end 
column 14, the second end column 15 is positioned at an angle to and 
slightly ahead of the center wall 22 as shown in FIG. 16, which is a view 
from the back of the display 11. The center section end tabs 52 are 
partially inserted into the center wall slots 28 as shown in more detail 
in FIG. 17. After all the center section end tabs 52 have been inserted 
into the center wall slots 28, the second end column 15 is rotated 
backward in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 16 completing insertion of 
the center section end tabs 52 as rotation is completed. After the tabs 52 
are fully inserted, the center wall 22 is slid forward to lock the center 
section end tabs 52 in place with the locking doors 29. 
The fully assembled header 19 is attached to the end columns 14 and 15 as 
shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 The header slots 51 are slid onto the end columns 
14 and 15 and header slots 51 mate with the wall of the end columns 14 and 
15. The header 19 is then pulled forward on the end columns 14 and 15 as 
far as possible. Finally, one or both of the end columns 14 or 15 is 
rotated toward the center to pinch the header 19 in place. 
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without 
departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is 
therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all 
respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the 
appended claims rather than to the forgoing description to indicate the 
scope of the invention.