Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Imperforate panel with integral reinforcing
Patent
1992-09-02
1995-01-31
Ridgill, Jr., James L.
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Imperforate panel with integral reinforcing
2989732, 52222, E04C 238
Patent
active
053849981
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE ART
This invention relates to a curved panel so designed as to be easily formed into a desired curvature by curving the panel body and fixing reinforcing members to the curved panel body.
BACKGROUND ART
The recent tendency in designing furniture and architecture is that curved surfaces are positively employed in various parts from the viewpoint of design and function. Works produced from such a viewpoint are for example desks and tables having curved front panels, doors and partition walls the whole face plates of which are curved, arched ceilings having curved interior surfaces, and pillars circumferentially covered with a decorative hollow cylindrical member.
The front panels, face plates, interior surfaces and decorative members of the above-mentioned types are usually made of steel plate by pressing. For pressing such material those dies which conform to the desired shapes of the products are required. If the abovementioned relatively large-sized panel is to be formed by this method, the die must be as large as the panel to be formed and becomes expensive. As many dies as there are various kinds of products are required, with resulting increase in the manufacturing cost. Large-sized dies would necessarily require a large-sized machine. Since pressing utilizes plastic deformation, a strain is left in the pressed part after the exterior force has been removed. Therefore, the larger the curved surface is, the higher degree of precision is required for pressing. Otherwise, an unnecessarily large strain would be left in the pressed workpiece, so that it would become difficult to produce a good curved surface in the finished product.
In view of the above problems, this invention has been made, its object being to provide a curved panel which has various advantages such that it is possible to reduce the size of the apparatus, easily produce products of various specifications, reduce the manufacturing cost and improve the quality of the finished curved surface.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
To accomplish the above object the invention has the following construction.
The curved panel of the invention comprises a panel body and a pair of reinforcing members and is so arranged that the resilient force of the panel body to be restored to a flat condition balances the resilient force of the reinforcing members so as to keep the panel body at a predetermined curvature. The curved panel is characterized by that the panel body is a flat member made of resiliently deformable material and comprising a face portion at each of the two opposite sides of which a deformable bent portion is provided which allows the face portion to be curved and at each of the other two opposite sides of which a reinforcing bent portion is provided which keeps the other two opposite sides of the face portion linear; and that the reinforcing members have a curvature greater than the above-mentioned predetermined curvature, and are fixed to the deformable bent portions of the panel body having been forcedly curved.
The curvature of the panel body need not necessarily be uniform over the whole face portion of the panel body. In particular, if the face portion is divided into minute sections along the length of the deformable bent portions, each of the sections may have a different curvature from those of the other sections provided that the reinforcing members have a greater curvature in each corresponding section. Some of the sections of the panel body may be plane. The description that the curvature is relatively great means that the radius of curvature is smaller except in linear sections.
In the panel body of the above construction, with the two opposite sides thereof provided with the reinforcing bent portions being kept linear, the other two opposite sides thereof provided with the deformable bent portions are curved by application of an artificial force thereto along the curve of the reinforcing members, and the reinforcing members are fixed to the curved bent portions, and then the artificial force is removed, whereupon
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patent: 4978564 (1990-12-01), Douglas
Kaneda Shinichi
Tanaka Mamoru
Kokuyo Co. Ltd.
Ridgill, Jr. James L.
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