Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FOLDABLE PORTABLE STAGE ASSEMBLY AND ORIGAMI SET
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to origami and is more particularly concerned
with
a portable stage and origami assembly in which an origami object may be
placed on a stage assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Kits and assemblies for Origami, or the art of creating objects by folding
materials, such as paper, cardboard, or the like is well known in art. For
example, U.S. patent 3,878,638, issued to Benjamin on April 22, 1975, teaches
a foldable origami set having a sheet of foldable material having a plurality
of
paired indicia, such as numbers, set out a pre-selected locations on the
sheet.
The indicia are sequentially coded such that, by folding the sheet of foldable
material such that each member of each pair is brought into contact with the
other member of each pair in the sequence indicated, a desired origami object
is assembled.
Unfortunately, while such conventional origami sets allow for creating of
individual origami objects, such as representations of figures of people,
animals,
or objects assembled made by folding a foldable material, the conventional
origami sets do not provide larger structures, such as representations of
stages
or houses, in which the origami objects may be displayed or played with. While
objects such as conventional dollhouses or stages for toy figurines may be
deployed for such purposes, they are often heavy and bulky. Further,
conventional stages for figurines and dollhouses often consume a
disproportionate amount of space relative the origami objects, especially when
the origami objects are unfolded. Accordingly, structures such as conventional
stages for figurines and dollhouses may be cumbersome to transport, especially
compared to the origami objects. Further, it may be difficult to secure the
origami objects to such structures.
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Accordingly, there is a need for an improved stage and origami assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an
improved
stage and origami assembly.
An advantage of the present invention is that the stage and origami assembly
is
made of light weight foldable material and can be easily transported.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the stage and origami
assembly can be easily assembled, as well as easily disassembled for easy
transport.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the origami objects can
be
easily secured to the stage assembly.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the origami objects can be
secured to the stage assembly such that the stage assembly may be
transported when assembled with origami objects secured thereupon.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stage and
origami assembly comprising:
- at least one origami object of a first foldable material, each origami
object having at least one origami object tab extending therefrom; and
- a stage assembly of one of the first foldable material and a second
foldable material, the stage assembly comprising:
- a hollow base tray having a planar base surface with a plurality of
tray walls extending vertically therefrom; and
- a stage insert having a planar stage surface with a plurality of
stage walls extending vertically therefrom, the stage insert being
removably insertable into the base tray with the stage surface
extending above the base surface, the stage surface having at
least one origami object slit into which the origami object tab may
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be inserted to removably and securely connect the origami object
to the stage section.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent
from a careful reading of the detailed description provided herein, with
appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better
understood with reference to the description in association with the following
Figures, in which similar references used in different Figures denote similar
components, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a stage assembly and
origami set in accordance with the present invention in a disassembled
configuration therefor; and
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the stage assembly and origami set shown in
Figure 1 in an assembled configuration therefore.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference to the annexed drawings the preferred embodiments of the
present invention will be herein described for indicative purpose and by no
means as of limitation.
Reference is now made to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 shows an embodiment of
a stage and origami assembly, shown generally as 10, in a dissembled
configuration therefor, shown generally as 12. Figure 2 shows the assembly 10
in an assembled configuration therefor, shown generally as 14. The assembly
10 consists of at least one origami object 16 and a stage assembly, shown
generally as 18 upon or within which the origami object 16 is connectable or
otherwise placeable. The origami object 16 and stage assembly 18 are typically
made of a flexible and foldable material, such as paper, cardboard, flexible
plastic or the like. Further, the origami object 16 may be made of one
foldable
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material whereas the stage assembly 18 may be constructed of the same or a
different foldable material. The origami object 16 is, as is well known in the
art,
folded from an unfolded configuration into a folded configuration to form the
object 16.
The stage assembly 18 includes a hollow base tray 20, a stage insert 22, a
rear
insert 24, a foldable backdrop wall 26, an upper floor insert 28, which can be
releasably connected together from the dissembled configuration 12 into the
into assembled configuration 14, in which the stage assembly 18 may be
transported by supporting, for example carrying, the tray 20 with the
remaining
components 16, 22, 24, 26, 28 either seated therein or supported thereby and
extending thereabove. The components 16, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 are further
configured, i.e. sized and shaped, such that when they are not connected,
components 16, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 will fit more or less entirely within the
tray 20
and a cover, not shown, may be placed over the tray 20 to completely contain
the stage assembly 18 and the objects 16, thus facilitating compact storage
and
carriage of the set 10.
The base tray 20 has a planar base surface 30 with generally opposed, first
and
second tray walls, respectively 32a, 32b, as well as generally opposed third
and
fourth tray walls, respectively 34a, 34b extending between the first and
second
tray walls 32a, 32b and connected thereto. The tray walls 32, 34 extend
outwardly and substantially perpendicularly away from the base surface 30.
The first and second tray walls 32a, 32b are, preferably, parallel one
another, as
are the third and fourth tray walls 34a, 34b. In general, when the assembly 18
is in the assembled configuration 14, the stage insert 22, rear insert 24, and
backdrop wall 26 will all be at least partially inserted into the tray 20 and
will be
supported thereon, with the upper floor insert being connected to the rear
insert
24 and backdrop wall 26. The origami objects 16 can also be connected to the
stage insert 22 or the upper floor insert 28 when the assembly 18 is in the
assembled configuration 14. Thus, the assembly 18 in the assembled
configuration 18 can be displaced, along with the origami objects 16 connected
thereto by grasping the tray 20 and carrying the assembly 18 with the
remaining
components 16, 22, 24, 26, 28 extending thereabove and supported thereby.
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tray 20 by the first ends 48 of the legs 46 abutting either the third tray 34a
and
stage walls 34a, 42a or the fourth tray and stage walls 34b, 42b and the rear
wall 44 extending between with the first stage and tray walls 32a, 40a. The
stage surface 38 generally has at least one origami object slit 54 configured
for
secure insertion thereinto of an origami object tab 56 extending from the
origami
object 16 when assembled, thus permitting the origami object 16 to be securely
connected to the stage surface 38. The upper floor insert 28 may also have
such origami object slits 54.
The backdrop wall 26 forms a backdrop, a backdrop protruding portion, shown
generally as 58, of which protrudes outwardly away from the first tray wall
32a
and is at least partially visible through the rear wall aperture 60 when the
assembly 18 is in the assembled configuration 14. The backdrop wall 26 is
defined by generally opposed first and second edges, respectively 70a, 70b,
which intersect generally opposed third and fourth edges 72a, 72b. Further,
the
backdrop wall 26 has foldable first and second outer creases 74a, 74b
extending from the first edge 70a to the second edge 70b and foldable first
and
second inner creases 76a, 76b, also extending from the first edge 70a to the
second edge 70b. The backdrop wall 26 is, accordingly, foldable along the
creases 72, 74, into first and second outer backdrop portions 78a, 78b, first
and
second intermediate backdrop portions 80a, 80b, and a central backdrop portion
82. The first outer backdrop portion 78a extends between the third edge 72a to
the first outer crease 74a, while the second outer backdrop portion 78b
extends
between the fourth edge 72b to the second outer crease 74b. The first
intermediate backdrop portion 80a extends from the first outer crease 74a to
the
first inner crease 76a and the second intermediate backdrop portion 80b
extends from the second outer crease 74b to the inner second inner crease
76b. The central portion extends between creases 76a and 76b.
The backdrop wall 26 is connectable to the tray 20 and the second ends 48b of
the support legs 46. Specifically, the backdrop wall 26 has a pair of foldable
lower tabs 84 extending to the first edge 70 and foldable outwardly away from
the backdrop wall 26 that are releasably, i.e. removably, insertable into the
tray
20 between, and generally abutting with, the first leg ends 48a and the first
tray
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When the assembly 18 is placed in the assembled configuration 14, the stage
insert 22 is inserted, i.e. seated, in the base tray 20. The stage insert 22
has a
planar stage surface 38 and generally opposed first and second stage walls 30
with generally opposed, first and second stage walls, respectively 40a, 40b,
as
5 well as generally opposed third and fourth stage walls, respectively 42a,
42b
extending between the first and second stage walls 40a, 40b and connected
thereto. The stage walls 40, 42 extend outwardly and substantially
perpendicularly away from the stage surface 38. The first and second stage
walls 40a, 40b are, preferably, parallel one another, as are the third and
fourth
stage walls 42a, 42b. The stage walls 40, 42 and stage surface 38 are
configured such that the third and fourth stage walls 42 are substantially of
the
same length as the third and fourth tray walls 34, whereas the first and
second
stage walls 40 are shorter in length than the first and second tray walls 34.
Accordingly, the stage insert 22 is releasably, i.e. removably, and securely
insertable into the tray 20 with the stage surface 38, supported by the stage
walls 40, 42, extending above the base surface 30 and with the first and
second
stage walls 40a, 40b extending proximally adjacent, and preferably abutting,
the
first and second tray walls 32a, 32b and with the third and fourth stage walls
42a, 42b spaced apart from the third and fourth tray walls 34a, 34b.
The rear insert 24 has a rear wall 44, with a rear wall aperture 60 extending
through a portion thereof, and two hollow support legs 46, having respective
generally opposed first leg ends 48a and second leg ends 48b with leg
apertures 50 therein. The support legs 36 form or are depicted as columns for
the stage insert 22, The rear wall 44 extends between the support legs 46
which protrude outwardly away from, and preferably substantially
perpendicularly to, the rear wall 44. The rear insert 24 is configured, i.e.
sized
and shaped, for insertion into the tray 20, along with the stage insert 22,
such
that the first end 48a of one leg 46 fits into a space 52 extending between
and
abuts the spaced apart third stage wall 42c and third tray wall 34c and the
first
end 48a of the other leg 46 fits into the space 52 extending between and abuts
the spaced-part fourth stage wall 42d and fourth tray wall 34d, with the rear
wall
44 extending adjacently between, and preferably abutting, the first tray wall
32a
and the first stage wall 40a. Accordingly, the rear insert 24 is retained in
the
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wall 32a for retaining the backdrop wall 26 in the tray 20 in proximity to the
first
edge 70. Similarly, the backdrop wall 26 also has a pair of foldable upper
tabs
86 foldable outwardly away from the backdrop wall 26 and positioned
intermediate the first and second edges 70a, 70b for removable insertion into
the second leg ends 48b, and specifically the apertures 50 situated thereat,
for
retaining the backdrop wall 26 in proximity to the second edge 70b thereof.
One
upper tab 84a and one lower tab 86a are situated in the first outer backdrop
portion 78a between the first outer crease 74a, generally extending partially
therealong, and the third edge 72a, whereas the other upper tab 84a and lower
tab 86a are situated in the second outer backdrop portion 78b between the
second outer crease 76a, generally extending partially therealong, and the
fourth edge 72b. Thus, when the upper tabs 86 are inserted into the second leg
ends 48 and the lower tabs 84 are inserted into the tray 20, as described, and
the two intermediate portions 80 are folded extending away from the first tray
wall 32a, the intermediate portions 80 and the central portion 82, situated
between the intermediate portions 80, form the protruding backdrop section 58
protruding outwardly away from the first tray wall 32.
When the stage assembly 18 is in the assembled configuration 14, the upper
floor insert 28 is connected to the backdrop wall 26 and the second leg ends
48b of the support legs 46. The upper floor insert 28 consists of a planar
upper
floor surface 90 defined by a plurality of upper floor edges or sides 92. The
floor
surface may, optionally, have origami object slits 54, for receiving origami
object
tabs 56 for attaching the origami object to the floor surface 90. The floor
insert
28 has two foldable floor insert tabs 94 extending from two generally opposed
upper floor sides 92a, 92b and at least one floor backdrop tab 96 extending
planarly outwardly from an upper floor edge 92c situated generally
intermediate
floor sides 92a, 92b. The floor insert tabs 94 and floor backdrop tab 96 are
configured such that the floor insert tabs 94 are foldable and releasably,
i.e.
removably, insertable into the apertures 50 at the second leg ends 48b with
the
floor backdrop tab 96 being, at the same time, removably insertable into a
backdrop slit 100, situated between the inner creases 76. Thus, the floor
insert
28 is releasably, i.e. removably, connectable, for the assembled configuration
14, to the second leg ends 48b and the backdrop wall 26, with the upper floor
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surface 90 extending over the stage surface 38. Further, the floor sides 92a,
92b, 92c are configured, i.e. sized and shaped, such that they mate, i.e.
intersect, with the inner backdrop portions 80 and central backdrop portion
90,
and therefore the backdrop protruding portion 58, when the floor insert 28 is
connected to the second leg ends 48b and the backdrop wall 26.
Although the present stage and origami assembly has been described with a
certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the disclosure
has
been made by way of example only and that the present invention is not limited
to the features of the embodiments described and illustrated herein, but
includes all variations and modifications within the scope and spirit of the
invention as hereinafter claimed.
