Foldable magazine rack device

Abstract

A magazine rack device includes a rack member having a back panel, two side panels and a front panel hinged together for forming a chamber among the panels and for receiving magazine or books or files, an anchor flap is hinged to one side panel and foldable to engage with the front panel and the back panel, a base flap is hinged to each of the back panel and the front panel and foldable relative to the panels to engage with the side panels, and a bottom board is hinged to the other side panel and foldable relative to the side panel for engaging with the other panels and for maintaining the panels in an opened working position. The bottom board is higher than the base flaps which are higher than the anchor flap.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a magazine rack device, and more particularly to a foldable magazine rack device including a structure foldable to a compact folding and storing configuration which is excellent for transportation and storing purposes.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical magazine rack devices comprise a number of interconnectable racks each including two side panels spaced apart in parallel relationship by a back panel and a base panel for forming a chamber in each rack and for receiving and organizing magazine, books, files or the like.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,398 to Santucci discloses one of the typical magazine file systems comprising a number of interconnectable racks that may be selectively connected or secured together, and the racks each also include a chamber formed therein for receiving and organizing magazine, books, files or the like.

However, the racks each include a spatial or three-dimensional structure that may not be folded to a compact folding structure and that may include a great volume such that the racks are not good for transportation and storing purposes.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,851 to Chang discloses another typical magazine rack comprising a rack including a front and lower horizontal board, a rear and upper vertical panel, and two or more plates coupled between the horizontal board and the vertical panel for receiving and organizing magazine, books, files or the like between the plates.

However, similarly, the rack also includes a spatial or three-dimensional structure that may not be folded to a compact folding structure and that may include a great volume such that the racks are not good for transportation and storing purposes.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional magazine rack devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a magazine rack device including a structure foldable to a compact folding and storing configuration which is excellent for transportation and storing purposes.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a magazine rack device comprising a rack member including a back panel, a first side panel and a second side panel hinged to side portions of the back panel and foldable relative to the back panel, and a front panel hinged to the second side panel and foldable relative to the second side panel for securing to the first side panel and for forming a chamber among the front and the back panels and the first and the second side panels and for receiving a magazine, the rack member includes an anchor flap hinged to the second side panel with a first hinge line and foldable relative to the second side panel for engaging with the front panel and the back panel and for anchoring between the front panel and the back panel, the back panel and the front panel each include a base flap hinged to the back panel and the front panel with a second hinge line and foldable relative to the back panel and the front panel for engaging with the first and the second side panels, and the first side panel includes a bottom board hinged to the first side panel with a third hinge line and foldable relative to the first side panel for engaging with the front panel and the back panel and the second side panel and for maintaining the panels of the rack member in an opened working position, the rack member includes structure foldable to a compact folding and storing configuration which is excellent for transportation and storing purposes.

The second hinge lines of the base flaps are preferably arranged higher than the first hinge line of the anchor flap for allowing the base flaps to be stably and solidly engaged onto and supported by the anchor flap.

The third hinge line of the bottom board is preferably arranged higher than the second hinge lines of the base flaps for allowing the bottom board to be stably and solidly engaged onto and supported by the base flaps and the anchor flap. The front panel may be secured to the first side panel with at least one fastener to stably maintain the panels of the rack member in the opened working position.

The second side panel includes at least one aperture formed therein, and the bottom board includes at least one latch extended therefrom for engaging with the aperture of the second side panel and for anchoring the bottom board between the front and the back panels and the first and the second side panels.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a magazine rack device in accordance with the present invention, illustrating the operation of the magazine rack device;

FIG. 2 is an upper perspective view of the magazine rack device, similar to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the magazine rack device;

FIG. 4 is another upper perspective view of the magazine rack device, similar to FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the magazine rack device taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the magazine rack device taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating the operation of the magazine rack device;

FIG. 8 is a further cross sectional view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating the operation of the magazine rack device;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the folding structure of the magazine rack device;

FIG. 10 is an upper perspective view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the other arrangement of the magazine rack device;

FIG. 11 is a further upper perspective view similar to FIGS. 2 and 10, illustrating the further arrangement of the magazine rack device;

FIG. 12 is a still further upper perspective view similar to FIGS. 2 and 10-11, illustrating the still further arrangement of the magazine rack device;

FIG. 13 is an upper perspective of the magazine rack device as shown in FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is a bottom perspective of the magazine rack device as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-8, a magazine rack device in accordance with the present invention comprises a rack body or rack member 10 including a back panel 11, two side panels 12, 13 hinged to the side portions of the back panel 11 and foldable relative to the back panel 11 and spaced apart in parallel relationship, and a front panel 14 hinged to one of the side panels 13 and foldable relative to the side panel 13 for securing to the other side panel 12 with one or more rivets or latches or fasteners 15 and for forming a chamber 16 among the panels 11-14 and for receiving and organizing magazine 80 (FIGS. 1, 8), books, files or the like. The front panel 14 and the back panel 11 are also arranged to be spaced apart in parallel relationship.

The rack member 10 further includes an anchor flap 20 hinged to one of the side panels 13 with a hinge line 21 and foldable relative to the side panel 13 (FIG. 5) to a horizontal position for engaging with the front panel 14 and the back panel 11 and for anchoring between the front panel 14 and the back panel 11 and for maintaining the panels 11-14 in the opened or working position, best shown in FIG. 3. The back panel 11 and the front panel 14 each include a support or base flap 22, 23 hinged to the respective back panel 11 and the front panel 14 with a hinge line 24, 25 and foldable relative to the back panel 11 (FIG. 6) and the front panel 14 to a horizontal position for engaging with the side panels 12, 13 and also for maintaining the panels 11-14 in the opened or working position as shown in FIG. 3.

It is preferable, but not necessarily that the hinge lines 24, 25 of the base flaps 22, 23 are arranged and located slightly higher than the hinge line 21 of the anchor flap 20 for allowing the base flaps 22, 23 to be stably and horizontally engaged onto and supported by the anchor flap 20, best shown in FIG. 6. The other side panel 12 includes a bottom board 30 hinged to the bottom portion thereof with a hinge line 31 and foldable relative to the side panel 12 (FIG. 7) to a horizontal position for engaging with the front panel 14 and the back panel 11 and the other side panel 13 and for solidly maintaining the panels 11-14 in the opened or working position as shown in FIGS. 1-4 and for stably supporting the magazine 80 the like in the chamber 16 of the rack member 10.

It is also preferable, but not necessarily that the hinge line 31 of the bottom board 30 is arranged and located slightly higher than the hinge lines 24, 25 of the base flaps 22, 23 for allowing the bottom board 30 to be stably and horizontally engaged onto and supported by the base flaps 22, 23 and the anchor flap 20. One of the side panels 13 may include one or more (such as two) apertures 18 formed in the bottom portion thereof, and the bottom board 30 may include one or more (such as two) tongues or latches 33 extended outwardly therefrom for engaging with the apertures 18 of the side panel 13 and for further stably and solidly anchoring the bottom board 30 between the panels 11-14 and for further stably and solidly maintaining the panels 11-14 in the opened or working position.

After use, or before constructing the rack member 10 to the opened or working position as shown in FIGS. 1-4, the rivets or latches or fasteners 15 may be disengaged from the front panel 14 and the side panel 12 for allowing the panels 11-14 to be folded to a compact folding structure as shown in FIG. 9 that is excellent for transportation and storing purposes. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 10-14, the rack member 101 may be formed into a longer structure as shown in FIG. 10, or the rack member 102 may be formed into a wider structure as shown in FIG. 11, or the rack member 103 may be formed into a different structure as shown in FIGS. 12-14 and may include the panels 11-14 that are not parallel to each other, but tilted or inclined relative to each other.

Accordingly, the magazine rack device in accordance with the present invention includes a structure foldable to a compact folding and storing configuration which is excellent for transportation and storing purposes.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A magazine rack device comprising:

a rack member including a back panel, a first side panel and a second side panel hinged to side portions of said back panel and foldable relative to said back panel, and a front panel hinged to said second side panel and foldable relative to said second side panel for securing to said first side panel and for forming a chamber among said front and said back panels and said first and said second side panels and for receiving a magazine,

said rack member including an anchor flap hinged to said second side panel with a first hinge line and foldable relative to said second side panel for engaging with said front panel and said back panel and for anchoring between said front panel and said back panel,

said back panel and said front panel each including a base flap hinged to said back panel and said front panel with a second hinge line and foldable relative to said back panel and said front panel for engaging with said first and said second side panels, and

said first side panel including a bottom board hinged to said first side panel with a third hinge line and foldable relative to said first side panel for engaging with said front panel and said back panel and said second side panel and for maintaining said front and said back panels and said first and said second side panels of said rack member in an opened working position.

2. The magazine rack device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second hinge lines of said base flaps are arranged higher than said first hinge line of said anchor flap for allowing said base flaps to be engaged onto and supported by said anchor flap.

3. The magazine rack device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third hinge line of said bottom board is arranged higher than said second hinge lines of said base flaps for allowing said bottom board to be engaged onto and supported by said base flaps and said anchor flap.

4. The magazine rack device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front panel is secured to said first side panel with at least one fastener.

5. The magazine rack device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second side panel includes at least one aperture formed therein, and said bottom board includes at least one latch extended therefrom for engaging with said at least one aperture of said second side panel and for anchoring said bottom board between said front and said back panels and said first and said second side panels.