Patent Publication Number: US-7213895-B2

Title: Foldable bookcases

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a foldable bookcase which can be easily assembled and folded into a compact size. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Conventional bookcases are made to be a one-piece structure which includes a top board, a bottom board, two sidewalls and one or two front doors. All of the parts are fixedly by nails (for wood boards) or by way of welding (for metal boards). The conventional bookcases are not convenient to be transported and occupy a lot of space which increases cost for the manufactures. As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , a conventional foldable bookcase  80  includes a front frame  81 , a rear board  83 , a foldable top board  85  and a foldable bottom board  86  both are connected between the front frame  81  and the rear board  83 , two sidewalls  82  and two doors  84 . Each of the top board  85  and the bottom board  86  is composed of two parts  87  which are pivotably connected to each other by pivots  871  and can be folded along the connection side located at a center of the top board  85  and the bottom board  86 . The other side opposite to the connection side of each of the top board  85  and the bottom board  86  are pivotably connected to the front frame  81  and the rear board  83  by connection pieces  872 . The two ends of each of the parts  87  include L-shaped engaging plates  88  which are connected to holes  821  of the sidewalls  82 . Therefore, the bookcase  80  can be folded into a compact size by folding the top board  85  and the bottom board  86 . 
   Nevertheless, the folding line, i.e. the connection side is exposed and can be seen from outside of the bookcase  80  and the engaging plates  88  need extra machining processes to be made on the parts  27  of the top board  85  and the bottom board  86 . The engaging plates  88  protrude from the parts  27  and exposed so that the bookcase  80  cannot meet requirements of aesthetic purposes. 
   The present invention intends to provide a foldable bookcase wherein the top board, the bottom board and the two sidewalls can be folded relative to the front frame. Besides, the bookcase of the present invention has no folding lines and engaging plats can be seen from outside of the bookcase. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a foldable bookcase that comprises a frame including a top side, a bottom side and two vertical sides connected between the top side and the bottom side. A top board has a first edge plate bent from a front side and two ends of the top board and a first connection portion is bent from a rear side of the top board. The front side of the top board is pivotably connected to the top side of the frame by first pivotable members. A bottom board has a second edge plate bent from a front side and two ends of the bottom board, and a second connection portion is bent from a rear side of the bottom board. The front side of the bottom board is pivotably connected to the bottom side of the frame by second pivotable members. Two sidewalls each have a bent plate extending from a top side, a front side and a bottom side thereof. The two respective front sides of the two sidewalls are pivotably connected to the two vertical sides of the frame by third pivotable members. An L-shaped bent edge is defined in a rear side of each of the sidewalls. A rear board has an inward bent L-shaped connection portion on a top side thereof and an insertion extends from a bottom side and two vertical sides of the rear board. The L-shaped connection portion of the rear board is connected to the a first connection portion of the top board and the insertion on the bottom side and the two vertical sides of the rear board are respectively connected to the bottom side of the frame and the two L-shaped grooves of the two sidewalls. 
   The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view to show the bookcase of the present invention; 
       FIG. 1-1  shows connection of the sidewall and the top board; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view to show the bookcase of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  shows the folded status of the bookcase of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  shows the top board and the bottom board are pivoted about the frame; 
       FIG. 5  shows the two sidewalls pivoted about the frame; 
       FIG. 6  shows the a top cross sectional view of the bookcase of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6-1  shows an enlarged cross sectional view of the connection of the rear board and the sidewall; 
       FIG. 7  shows the side cross sectional view of the bookcase of the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  shows the bookcase of the present invention equipped with two doors; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a conventional bookcase, and 
       FIG. 10  shows the folded status of the conventional bookcase. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the foldable bookcase of the present invention comprises a rectangular front frame  10  including four sides  11  which are a top side, a bottom side and two vertical sides connected between the top side and the bottom side. A top board  20  has a first edge plate  21  bent from a front side and two ends of the top board  20  and a first connection portion  23  is bent from a rear side of the top board  20 . The front side of the top board  20  is pivotably connected to the top side of the frame  10  by three first pivotable members  60  and pins. At least one boss  22  extends from the first edge plate  21  on each of the two ends of the top board  20  and a first through hole  24  is defined through the first connection portion  23 . 
   A bottom board  30  has a second edge plate  31  bent from a front side and two ends of the bottom board  30  and a second connection portion  32  is bent from a rear side of the bottom board  30 . The front side of the bottom board  30  is pivotably connected to the bottom side of the frame  10  by three second pivotable members  60 ′ and pins. 
   Two sidewalls  40  each have a bent plate  41  extending from a top side, a front side and a bottom side thereof. The two respective front sides of the two sidewalls  40  are pivotably connected to the two vertical sides of the frame  10  by two third pivotable members  600  and pins. An L-shaped bent edge  44  is defined in a rear side of each of the sidewalls  40  and includes a groove  43 . The bent plate  41  on the top side of each of the sidewalls  40  includes a hole  42  so that the bosses  22  on the top board  20  are engaged with the holes  42  to connect the top board  20  to the two sidewalls  40  as shown in  FIGS. 1-1  and  7 . 
   A rear board  50  has an inward bent L-shaped connection portion  51  on a top side thereof and an insertion  53  extends from a bottom side and two vertical sides of the rear board  50 . The L-shaped connection portion  51  of the rear board  50  includes a second through hole  52  and the L-shaped connection portion  51  is connected to the a first connection portion  23  of the top board  20  by extending a bolt through the first and second through holes  24 ,  52 . The insertion  53  on the bottom side and the two vertical sides of the rear board  50  are respectively connected to the bottom side of the frame  10  and the two grooves  43  of the two sidewalls  40  as shown in FIGS.  6  and  6 - 1 . Two stops  54  extend from an inside of the rear board  50  so as to stop two respective distal ends of the L-shaped bent edge  44  of the sidewalls  40  as shown in FIGS.  6  and  6 - 1 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 8 , the bookcase of the present invention may be equipped with two sliding doors  70  which are movably engaged with rails connected to the front frame  10 . 
   The bookcase can be easily assembled and the two sidewalls  40  are quickly positioned relative to the top board  20  by the bosses  22  and the holes  42 . The top board  20 , the bottom board  30  and the two sidewalls  40  are able to be pivoted relative to the frame  10  so as to become a thin combination which is benefit for storage and transportation. The pivotable members are not seen from outside of the bookcase so that the bookcase has smooth outer appearance. 
   While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.