GB1298704A - Folding panels - Google Patents

Abstract

1298704 Laminates SWISS ALUMINIUM Ltd 26 May 1970 [3 June 1969] 25216/70 Heading B5N [Also in Divisions B8 and E1] A panel constructed to fold about one or more folding lines and to be otherwise rigid comprises a hinge-forming part constituted by a laminate comprising a layer of thermoplastic resin with or without fabric reinforcement, with a metal layer on one or both surfaces, the hinge-forming part being devoid of metal along the folding line or each folding line. The thermoplastic layer may be of polyvinyl chloride, a polyamide, polypropylene or polyethylene and the metal layer may be of aluminium sheet. The thermoplastic layer may be of uniform thickness throughout the hingeforming part or may be reduced in thickness at the folding line by milling or squeezing the layer between two tools while in a thermoplastic state, to allow easy bending. The metal may be removed along the folding line or lines by milling. The panel may be composed wholly of the laminate except where the metal is absent along the folding line or lines, or the laminate may include two metal layers and form only the hinge forming part of the panel, the metal layers projecting beyond the thermoplastic layer to receive the edges of sheets, e.g. of metal or a rigid plastics material. The panel may be shaped to form a box with side walls joined to a base by the hinge-forming parts or may be a roll shutter with parallel hinge-forming parts.