초록 ▼

An assembly includes a flexurally deformed panel, which is connected to a membrane tie by a linear connector and is tied by the membrane tie to form a geometrically stable pre-stressed structure. More than one panel may be flexurally deformed and tied together in an assembly and more than one membra

An assembly includes a flexurally deformed panel, which is connected to a membrane tie by a linear connector and is tied by the membrane tie to form a geometrically stable pre-stressed structure. More than one panel may be flexurally deformed and tied together in an assembly and more than one membrane tie may be present within an assembly. Panels are typically semi-rigid sheet materials, for example metal sheets, plastic sheets, or sheets of composite materials, such as glass or carbon fibre reinforced plastics or resins. Membrane tie members are typically flexible, for example plastic films, fabrics or nets or arrays of rods or cables. The assemblies have many different geometric forms and many different practical applications. Assemblies may be relatively large, for example demountable and reusable shelters or flat-pack point-of-purchase display assemblies, or may be relatively small, for example a photograph or postcard display system.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An assembly comprising: a panel comprising two principal panel surfaces and a plurality of panel edges;a membrane tie comprising a membrane that includes two principal membrane tie surfaces and a plurality of membrane tie edges; anda linear connector, the panel being flexurally deformed from an i

1. An assembly comprising: a panel comprising two principal panel surfaces and a plurality of panel edges;a membrane tie comprising a membrane that includes two principal membrane tie surfaces and a plurality of membrane tie edges; anda linear connector, the panel being flexurally deformed from an initial geometry and restrained in a flexurally deformed geometry by the membrane tie and the linear connector, wherein said linear connector forms an elongated direct bond between one of said plurality of panel edges and one of said plurality of membrane tie edges, wherein said panel in said flexurally deformed geometry has a concave side, wherein said panel comprises a transparent plastic material, wherein said assembly comprises a display sign located on said concave side of said transparent plastic material, and wherein said display sign is visible from the side of said membrane tie remote from said panel. 2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said membrane tie comprises said display sign. 3. An assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said membrane tie is a photograph. 4. An assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said photograph has a first side that is opposite a second side of the photograph, wherein said photograph comprises said display sign on said first side, and wherein said second side of said photograph is visible through said transparent plastic material. 5. An assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said membrane tie is a postcard. 6. An assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said postcard has a first side that is opposite a second side of the postcard, wherein said postcard comprises said display sign on said first side, and wherein said second side of said postcard is visible through said transparent plastic material. 7. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the membrane tie is transparent, and wherein said display sign is inserted intermediate said panel and said membrane tie, and wherein said display sign is visible through the membrane tie. 8. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein another display sign is located within said assembly and said another display is visible from the side of the panel remote from the membrane tie. 9. An assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein said panel is printed with one of said display sign and another display sign. 10. An assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein said another display sign is visible by an observer through said transparent plastic material. 11. An assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said another display sign is inserted intermediate said panel and said membrane tie. 12. An assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said another display sign is located on said membrane tie. 13. An assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein said membrane tie is printed with one of said display sign and another display sign. 14. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said panel comprises one of: (i) acrylic,(ii) polycarbonate,(iii) polyvinyl chloride,(iv) polyethylene,(v) polyester,(vi) copolyester, and(vii) acetate. 15. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said membrane tie comprises a plastic material. 16. An assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein said membrane tie comprises one of: (i) polyester, and(ii) polyvinyl chloride,(iii) polycarbonate,(iv) polyethylene,(v) copolyester,(vi) acrylic,(vii) paper,(viii) card, and(ix) fabric. 17. An assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein said plastic material comprises a plastic film material, wherein a thickness of said plastic film material is less than 0.1 mm. 18. An assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein said thickness is less than 150 micron. 19. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said membrane tie comprises a transparent material. 20. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linear connector comprises a transparent material. 21. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said assembly is suspended. 22. An assembly as claimed in claim 21, wherein said assembly is suspended by a suspension thread. 23. A combination comprising a plurality of assemblies as claimed in claim 22, wherein said plurality of assemblies are each part of a mobile, each of said plurality of assemblies being supported by a suspension thread and all of said plurality of assemblies being suspended from a single top suspension thread. 24. An assembly as claimed in claim 21, wherein said membrane tie comprises a membrane tie display panel orientated at an angle to vertical. 25. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tensile force in said membrane tie is not less than 1N (one Newton). 26. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said assembly displays an object located between said panel and said membrane tie. 27. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bond is provided by one of: (i) a weld, and(ii) an adhesive layer. 28. An assembly as claimed in claim 27, wherein said bond is to said panel and comprises an elongate area substantially parallel to an edge of said panel of width not less than 3 mm. 29. An assembly as claimed in claim 27, wherein said bond is to said membrane tie and comprises an elongate area substantially parallel to an edge of said membrane tie of width not less than 3 mm. 30. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexural rigidity (EI) of said membrane tie is less than one hundredth of the flexural rigidity of said panel. 31. An assembly as claimed in claim 30, wherein the flexural rigidity of said membrane tie per cm width is less than one thousandth of the flexural rigidity of said panel. 32. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linear connector comprises a layer of adhesive material. 33. An assembly as claimed in claim 32, wherein said layer of adhesive material comprises a plurality of discrete areas of adhesive material. 34. An assembly as claimed in claim 32, wherein said layer of adhesive material comprises a plurality of discrete areas without said adhesive material. 35. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linear connector comprises a pressure-sensitive adhesive. 36. An assembly as claimed in claim 35, wherein said linear connector comprises a self-adhesive tape. 37. An assembly as claimed in claim 36, wherein said self-adhesive tape comprises a filmic material and a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive material and wherein said filmic material comprises two principal surfaces and said layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive material comprises two principal surfaces, and wherein one of said principal surfaces of said layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive is adhered to one of said principal surfaces of said filmic material. 38. An assembly as claimed in claim 37, wherein one part of the other of said principal surfaces of said layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive material is adhered to said panel and another part of the other of said principal surfaces of said pressure-sensitive material is adhered to said membrane tie. 39. An assembly as claimed in claim 36, wherein said self-adhesive tape comprises another layer of pressure-sensitive material comprising two principal surfaces and a first of said principal surfaces of said another layer of pressure-sensitive material is applied to the other principal surface of said filmic material. 40. An assembly as claimed in claim 39, wherein said other principal surface of said layer of pressure-sensitive material is adhered to said panel and the second of said principal surfaces of said another layer of pressure-sensitive material is adhered to said membrane tie. 41. An assembly as claimed in claim 39, wherein said filmic material comprises a length greater than its width and both said length and width are greater than its thickness, and where said layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive is located on one part of the width of said filmic material and said another layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive is located on another part of said width of said filmic material. 42. An assembly as claimed in claim 35, wherein said pressure-sensitive adhesive bonds said membrane tie to an edge flap attached to said panel. 43. An assembly as claimed in claim 35, wherein said pressure-sensitive adhesive bonds said panel to an edge flap attached to said membrane tie. 44. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linear connector comprises a linear weld. 45. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linear connector comprises a profiled section. 46. An assembly as claimed in claim 45, wherein said profiled section comprises one of: aluminum alloy,(ii) plastics material, and(iii) a plurality of plastics materials. 47. An assembly as claimed in claim 45, wherein said panel comprises a panel edge and said profiled section comprises an inside surface and an outside surface, and wherein said panel edge is non-adhesively located adjacent to said inside surface and bears against said inside surface of said profiled section. 48. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said panel comprises two edges not directly connected to said membrane tie, and wherein one of said two edges is curved inwards towards the other of said two edges. 49. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said panel comprises two edges not directly connected to said membrane tie, and wherein one of said two edges is curved outwards away from the other of said two edges. 50. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said assembly comprises another linear connector. 51. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said assembly comprises an edge flap connected to one of said panel and said membrane tie, said edge flap being adhered to the other of said panel and said membrane tie. 52. An assembly as claimed in claim 51, wherein said edge flap is connected to said panel and is adhered to said membrane tie. 53. An assembly as claimed in claim 51, wherein said edge flap is connected to said membrane tie and is adhered to said panel. 54. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said panel is corrugated. 55. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display sign is laminated to said membrane tie. 56. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display sign is planar throughout its area. 57. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said membrane tie is planar throughout its area. 58. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said panel is flexed throughout its area. 59. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said panel comprises said display sign. 60. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display sign comprises paper or card. 61. An assembly comprising: a panel comprising a transparent material, the panel comprising two surfaces;a membrane tie comprising a membrane; anda linear connector, the panel being flexurally deformed from an initial geometry and restrained in a flexurally deformed geometry by the membrane tie and the linear connector, wherein said linear connector connects the panel to the membrane tie, wherein said panel in said flexurally deformed geometry has a concave side, wherein said assembly comprises a display sign located on said concave side, and wherein said display sign is visible from the side of said membrane tie remote from said panel,wherein said linear connector forms an elongated direct bond between an edge of the panel and an edge of the membrane tie. 62. An assembly as claimed in claim 61, wherein said membrane tie comprises said display sign. 63. An assembly as claimed in claim 61, wherein said membrane tie comprises a sheet of flexible material. 64. An assembly as claimed in claim 61, wherein said membrane tie comprises a transparent material. 65. An assembly as claimed in claim 64, wherein said display sign is located between the panel and the membrane tie, and wherein said display sign is viewable through the membrane tie. 66. An assembly as claimed in claim 61, wherein said panel comprises a transparent plastic material.