Patent Publication Number: US-2007107853-A1

Title: Modular folding screen

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The invention relates to a folding screen, more particularly to a modular folding screen.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a conventional folding screen  1  includes four panels  12 , and four wooden frames  11  enclosing respectively the panels  12 . Lateral edges of two adjacent ones of the wooden frames  11  are connected pivotally to each other by hinges  13  so that the wooden frames  11  can pivot relative to each other from an unfolded state shown in  FIG. 1  to a folded state shown in  FIG. 2 .  
      Although the conventional folding screen  1  can be folded to facilitate storage and transport, the volume of the conventional folding screen  1  when folded is still large, so that it does not only occupy a relatively large space, but is also inconvenient to transport.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a modular folding screen that can be easily assembled and disassembled by the user so as to reduce the volume of the folding screen, thereby facilitating its storage and transport.  
      According to one aspect of this invention, a folding screen comprises a folder, at least one hinge unit, two endmost connectors, and a plurality of upright posts. The folder includes a plurality of links which are interconnected in an end-to-end manner. Two adjacent ones of the links have two adjacent ends that are connected pivotally to each other. The links are foldable one over the other. The hinge unit interconnects the two adjacent ends of the two adjacent ones of the links. The endmost connectors are connected respectively to two outermost ends of the links. One of the upright posts is connected to the hinge unit. Another two of the upright posts are connected respectively to the endmost connectors.  
      According to another aspect of this invention, a folding screen comprises top and bottom folders, and a plurality of upright posts. Each of the top and bottom folders includes a plurality of links which are interconnected in an end-to-end manner, at least one hinge unit, and two endmost connectors. Two adjacent ones of the links have two adjacent ends that are connected pivotally to each other. The hinge unit interconnects the two adjacent ends of the two adjacent ones of the links. The endmost connectors are connected respectively to two outermost ends of the links. The links are foldable one over the other. Each of the upright posts has top and bottom ends. The top end of one of the upright posts is connected to the hinge unit of the top folder, whereas the bottom end of said one of the upright posts is connected to the hinge unit of the bottom folder. The top ends of another two of the upright posts are connected respectively to the endmost connectors of the top folder, whereas the bottom ends of said another two of the upright posts are connected respectively to the endmost connectors of the bottom folder. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional folding screen in an unfolded state;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the conventional folding screen in a folded state;  
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a modular folding screen according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view of a hinge unit of the first preferred embodiment;  
       FIG. 5  is a fragmentary sectional view of the first preferred embodiment in an assembled state, but without screen members;  
       FIG. 6  is an assembled fragmentary schematic view of the first preferred embodiment, illustrating how a screen member is mounted on links of the first preferred embodiment;  
       FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 6 , but illustrating an alternative method of mounting the screen member on the corresponding links;  
       FIG. 8  is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view of an alternative form of the hinge unit of the first preferred embodiment;  
       FIG. 9  is an assembled fragmentary sectional view of the first preferred embodiment incorporating the hinge unit of  FIG. 8 ;  
       FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of a modular folding screen according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 11  is a fragmentary sectional view of the second preferred embodiment in an assembled state;  
       FIG. 12  is an exploded perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of a modular folding screen according to the present invention; and  
       FIG. 13  is a fragmentary schematic view of the third preferred embodiment in an assembled state. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.  
      Referring to FIGS.  3  to  6 , the first preferred embodiment of a modular folding screen  2  according to the present invention is shown to comprise top and bottom folders  3 , four upright posts  4 , and three screen members  6  (only one is shown in  FIG. 6 ).  
      Since the top and bottom folders  3  are similar in construction, only the construction of the top folder  3  is described hereinafter for the sake of simplicity. The top folder  3  includes a plurality of first and second links or rods  31 ,  32 , which are interconnected end to end and alternately, two hinge units  33 , and two endmost connectors  312 . While two first links  31  and one second link  32  are used in this embodiment, if a longer folding screen  2  is desired, the second link  32  may be increased in number.  
      The two first links  31  have respective outermost ends  311 ′, and the second link  32  is disposed between the first links  31 . Two ends  321  of the second link  32  are connected respectively to adjacent ends  311  of the two first links  31  and to two of the upright posts  4  by means of the two hinge units  33 . Since the two hinge units  33  have the same construction, only one of the hinge units  33  is described hereinafter with reference to  FIG. 4 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 4 , each hinge unit  33  includes a pair of spaced-apart first hinge rings  323  connected to the end  321  of the second link  32 , a pair of spaced-apart second hinge rings  315  connected to the end  311  of each first link  31 , a tubular member  331 , and a hinge fastener  5  (see  FIG. 3 ). Each tubular member  331  is inserted into the first and second hinge rings  323 ,  315  after the first and second hinge rings  323 ,  315  are intermeshed. Two packing members  82  are disposed respectively above and below the first and second hinge rings  323 ,  315  so as to couple pivotally the second link  32  to the corresponding first link  31 , so that the first and second links  31 ,  32  are foldable relative to each other. The hinge fastener  5  has a head  51 , and a stem  52  having a screw thread. The stem  52  of the hinge fastener  5  extends through one of the packing members  82 , the tubular member  331 , and the other packing member  82 , and engages threadedly a screw hole  411  in a top end  41  of the corresponding upright post  4  (see  FIG. 5 ) so that the hinge unit  33  is secured on top of the corresponding upright post  4 .  
      The endmost connectors  312  are connected respectively to the outermost ends  311 ′ of the first links  31 , and are disposed respectively on top ends of two outer ones of the upright posts  4 . Each endmost connector  312  has a connector body  3121  formed with a through hole  314 , and a retainer  5 ′. The retainer  5 ′ is similar to each hinge fastener  5  in construction, and has a head  51 ′, and a stem  52 ′ that has a screw thread and that extends through the through hole  314  in the connector body  3121  so as to engage threadedly a screw hole  411  in the top end of the corresponding upright post  4  so that each endmost connector  312  is secured on top of the corresponding upright post  4 . A packing member  82  is disposed between each connector body  3121  and the head  51 ′ of the corresponding retainer  5 ′, and another packing member  82  is disposed between each connector body  3121  and the top end of the corresponding upright post  4 .  
      Each of the screen members  6  is disposed between two adjacent ones of the upright posts  4 ,  4 ′. In this embodiment, each screen member  6  is made of a fabric material, but may also be made of any soft material that is non-transparent or that has different patterns formed thereon. Each screen member  6  has a top end provided with a top fastening unit  81  fastened to a corresponding one of the first and second links  31 ,  32  of the top folder  3 , and a bottom end provided with a bottom fastening unit (not shown) fastened to a corresponding one of the first and second links  31 ,  32  of the bottom folder  3 . The top and bottom fastening units  81  are Velcro (RTM) fasteners having a plurality of hooks and loops. Alternatively, the fastening units  81  may be male and female snap fasteners, or other suitable fasteners.  
      During assembly, after the hinge units  33  and the endmost connectors  312  of the top and bottom folders  3  are fixed to the top and bottom ends of the corresponding upright posts  4 , the top and bottom ends of two of the screen members  6  are fastened to the first links  31  of the top and bottom folders  3 , and the top and bottom ends of the remaining one of the screen members  6  are fastened to the second links  32  of the top and bottom folders  3 . To perform disassembly, the hinge units  33  and the endmost connectors  312  of the top and bottom folders  3  are separated from the top and bottom ends of the corresponding upright posts  4  by simply loosening and removing the hinge fasteners  5  and the retainers  5 ′ from the screw holes  411 ,  421  in the top and bottom ends of the corresponding upright posts  4 . Hence, assembly and disassembly of the folding screen  2  of the present invention are simple and easy. Further, since the top and bottom folders  3  are foldable, storage and transport of the folding screen  2  are convenient. Moreover, by varying the patterns on the screen members  6 , the appearance of the folding screen  2  can be enhanced.  
      To use the folding screen  2  of the present invention, the folding screen  2  is first supported on the ground through the hinge fasteners  5  and the retainers  5 ′ of the bottom folder  3 , after which the user pulls outwardly the two outer ones of the upright posts  4  so as to pivot the first and second links  31 ,  32  of the top and bottom folders  3 . The folding screen  2  can be totally unfolded to form a straight line, or partially unfolded, as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
      It should be noted that the packing members  82  provided in association with the endmost connectors  312  and the hinge units  33  serve to prevent direct contact between the endmost connectors  312  and the corresponding upright posts  4  and between the hinge units  33  and the corresponding upright posts  4 . The heads  51 ′,  51  of the retainers  5 ′ and the hinge fasteners  5  of the bottom folder  3  serve to support the upright posts  4  on the ground.  
      Referring to  FIG. 7 , the top end of each screen member  6  may be initially folded and sewn to form a top sleeve  61  for receiving the corresponding first link  31  or the second link  32  of the top folder  3 , and the bottom end of each screen member  6  maybe initially folded and sewn to form a bottom sleeve  61  for receiving the corresponding first link  31  or the second link  32  of the bottom folder  3 . Thus, during assembly, the first links  31  or the second links  32  of the top and bottom folders  3  are first inserted into the top and bottom sleeves  61  of the corresponding screen member  6  prior to fastening of the hinge units  33  and the endmost connectors  312  by the hinge fasteners  5  and the retainers  5 ′ to the corresponding upright posts  4 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , to reduce the number of components and to minimize the cost of the folding screen  2 , the tubular members  331  may be dispensed with, and the stem  52  of each hinge fastener  5  may be partially threaded. Hence, when the first and second rings  323 ,  315  of each hinge unit  33  of the top and bottom folders  3  are intermeshed and are placed on the top or bottom end of the corresponding upright post  4 , the stem  52  of each hinge fastener  5  is inserted through the corresponding packing member  82 , the first and second rings  323 ,  315 , another corresponding packing member  82 , and engages threadedly the screw hole  411 ,  421  in the top or bottom end of the corresponding upright post  4 , thereby securing each hinge unit  33  on the top or bottom end of the corresponding upright post  4 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the second preferred embodiment of the modular folding screen  2  according to the present invention is shown to be similar to the first preferred embodiment. However, in this embodiment, the folding screen  2  further comprises four coupling units  7  each having a flange portion  71 , and two threaded shanks  72  extending outwardly and respectively from two opposite sides of the flange portion  71 . These coupling units  7  can permit the user to increase the height of the folding screen  2  as desired/required. Each of the upright posts  4  has upper and lower sections  401 ,  402 . Each coupling unit  7  interconnects detachably the upper and lower sections  401 ,  402  of the corresponding upright post  4  through engagement of the threaded shanks  72  of the coupling unit  7  with the screw holes  421 ,  411  in the upper and lower sections  401 ,  402  of the corresponding upright post  4 . Thus, the folding screen  2  in this embodiment has a height higher than that in the first preferred embodiment.  
      An alternative method for increasing the height of the folding screen  2  of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 12 . The folding screen  2  is provided with an intermediate folder  3 ′ that is similar in construction to the top and bottom folders  3  of the first preferred embodiment and that interconnects detachably the upper and lower sections  401 ,  402  of the upright posts  4 . Since the connection of the intermediate folder  3 ′ is similar to that of either the top or bottom folder  3  of the first preferred embodiment, a detailed description of the same is dispensed herewith for the sake of brevity. In this case, as shown in  FIG. 13 , each screen member  6 ′ may be in the form of a plate, each of the first and second links  31 ,  32  of each of the top and bottom folders  3  may be provided with an elongate groove  317 , and each of the first and second links  31 ′,  32 ′ of the intermediate folder  3 ′, may be provided with upper and lower elongate grooves  317 ′. Each screen member  6 ′ is inserted into the corresponding grooves  317 ,  317 ′ in the first links  31 ,  31 ′ or the second links  32 ,  32 ′ of the top, bottom, and intermediate folders  3 ,  3 ′.  
      From the aforementioned descriptions, it is apparent that due to the configuration of the folding screen  2  of the present invention, assembly and disassembly of the folding screen  2  is quick and easy. Furthermore, through variations that can be made on the connections of the screen members  6 ,  6 ′ with the top, bottom, and intermediate folders  3 ,  3 ′, and on the connections of the coupling units  7  with the upper and lower sections  401 ,  402  of the upright posts  4 , the folding screen  2  of the present invention can be assembled to form various structures.  
      While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.