Patent Publication Number: US-7210416-B1

Title: Finished flatnose-edge structural member and method

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to structural members used as wood replacement materials for constructing products. More particularly, the present invention relates to structural members having a finished edge for replacement of wood members used in constructing products and methods of making such structural members. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Wood members, boards and panels are used as components, supports, and frames in a wide range of products, including containers, furniture and other products. Wood substitute materials are finding an increasing use in such products. U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,928 describes a structural member useful as a wood board substitute. The structural member is formed from a billet made of a plurality of corrugated paperboard sheets laminated together. The billet is cut to width to form the structural members, which may be subsequently cut to form elongate members, planks, boards and other planar structural members useful as a substitute for wood in containers, furniture and other products. 
   One drawback to the use of the board or structural member cut from the billet described above is the open unfinished edge of the structural member. The unfinished edge shows the flutes of the corrugated paperboard sheets that form the interior of the structural member. For some products (such as containers), the open unfinished edge is satisfactory. However, for products in which the structural member is visible, the open unfinished edge must be covered with a trim piece to provide a neat trim appearance to the structural member. While covering the unfinished edge with a trim piece provides a more attractive ornamental finish to the structural member, there are drawbacks to such. Particularly, the edges between the trim piece and the structural member are typically not smooth and this does not provide a visually satisfactory finish appearance. 
   Accordingly, there is a need in the art for structural members with a finished edge for use in construction of products. It is to such that the present invention is directed. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   The present invention meets the need in the art for a structural member with a finished edge, comprising a laminated body of two opposing sheets sandwiching an intermediate layer, the body defining a first major planar surface and an opposing second major planar surface and opposing lateral sides. The body defines a pair of V-shaped channels having a common side edge and open to the first major planar surface and extending parallel to the opposing lateral sides. The body is folded along a line defined by the common edge medial the V-shaped channels to align the opposing sides together, and the second major planar surface defines a finished flatnose edge opposing the aligned sides edges. 
   Objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective, exploded view of a bookcase assembled with finished flatnose-edge structural members made in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a laminated body used to form the finished flatnose-edge structural member according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective cut-away view of the finished flatnose-edge structural member machined to form a side plank for used in constructing the bookshelf illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is top detailed view of a side portion of the bookcase illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is perspective exploded view of a side portion of the bookcase illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring now in more detail to the drawings in which like parts have like identifiers,  FIG. 1  illustrates in perspective, exploded view a bookcase  10  assembled with a plurality of finished flatnose-edge structural members  12  made in accordance with the present invention. Each of the finished flatnose-edge structural members  12  includes a flatnose edge face  14  that opposes a back face  20 . The structural member  12  has planar opposing side faces  22 ,  24 . The opposing longitudinal ends of the structural member  12  define end faces  26 ,  28 . 
   The bookcase  10  assembles with a pair of structural members  12  that define opposing side planks  34 . The end faces  26 ,  28  of the side planks  34  are closed by caps  35  having flat or squared opposing ends. The side planks  34  support at least two spaced-apart structural members  12  that define shelf planks  36 . 
   The side planks  34  support the shelf planks  36  in spaced-apart slots  42  defined in the side faces  22  interior of the bookcase  10 . The slots  42  extend from the back face  20  towards the opposing front face  14  and terminate short of the front face. The slots  42  are cut a predetermined depth relative to the thickness of the plank  34 . The slots  32  each define an interior ledge  43 . The slots  42  receive respective ends  26 ,  28  of the shelf planks  36 . The ledges  43  support the edge portion of the shelf plank  16 . 
   Opposing corners between the front face  14  and the ends  26 ,  28  of the shelf planks  36  define respective notches  44 . Each notch  44  has a side face  46  and a recessed front face  48 . The side face  46  abuts a portion  50  of the side face  22  between the interior end of the slot  32  and the front face  14 . The recessed front face  48  abuts an interior face of the slot  32 . 
   A back panel  54  attaches such as with adhesive to the back faces  20  of the several flatnose structural members  12  used to form the bookcase  10 . 
     FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a laminated body  54  that forms the finished flatnose-edge structural member  12  according to the present invention. The laminated body  54  has two opposing sheets  56 ,  58  that sandwich a plurality of corrugated paperboard sheets  60 . The opposing sheets  56 ,  58  are preferably of finish quality, although the sheets can be fibre board, liner board, or the like. The corrugated paperboard sheets comprise at least a flute layer  62  and a liner board  64 . A plurality of the corrugated paperboard sheets  60  are laminated together to define the interior structure of the laminated body  54 . The sheets  56 ,  58  attach such as with adhesive to the opposing sides of the corrugated paperboard sheets  60 . The resulting laminated body  54  has opposing sides  66 ,  68 . 
   The laminated body  54  defines a pair of V-shaped channels  70  that have a common side edge  72 . The V-shaped channels  70  extend parallel to the opposing sides  66 ,  68 . The V-shaped channels  70  open to the surface  58  and define a closed opposing portion  74 . The flatnose plank  12  is then formed by folding the laminated body along a line defined by the common side edge  72  medial the channels  70  and adhering the opposing planar face portions  56   a ,  56   b  of the sheet  56  together with adhesive. Folding the laminated body  54  causes the portion  74  in the opposing surface  58  to define the finished flatnose edge  14 . The back face  20  is defined by the aligned sides  66 ,  68  upon folding and adhering the opposing surfaces  56   a ,  56   b  of the laminated body  54 . 
     FIG. 3  is a perspective cut-away view of the flatnose-edge structural member  12  machined to form one of the side planks  34  for use in constructing the bookcase  10 . The slots  42  are cut to extend from the back face  20  towards the opposing front face  14  and terminate short of the front face. 
     FIG. 4  is top detailed view of a side portion of the bookcase  10  taken along line A—A of  FIG. 1  with the shelf panel  36  received in the slot  42 .  FIG. 5  is perspective exploded view of the side portion of the bookcase  10  taken along line A—A. These views illustrate the mating engagement of the notch  44  of the shelf panel  36  with the distal end of the slot  42  in the side panel  22 . The lower interior ledge  52  supports the edge portion of the shelf plank  16 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , the bookcase  10  assembles by inserting an edge portion of the shelf planks  36  in respective slots  42 . Adhesive may be used to fix the shelf planks  36  to the side planks  34 . The opposing side plank  34  connects to the opposing edges of the shelf planks  36 . The caps  35  attach to the end faces  36 ,  28  with adhesive. The back panel  54  attaches with adhesive to the back faces  20  of the side planks  34  and the shelf planks  36 . 
   The present invention accordingly provides the finished flatnose-edge structural member readily configured for use in assembly of products that typically require planar wood members, such as in constructing furniture. The principles, preferred embodiments, and modes of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. The invention is not to be construed as limited to the particular forms disclosed as these are regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Moreover, variations and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention described in the following claims.