FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to tambour doors and pliable panels for a variety of construction uses. More particularly the invention is concerned with tambour doors and pliable panels made of extruded plastic material, and a method for manufacturing same.

The terms roll doors, roll top/up doors and tambour doors are collectively referred to herein the specification and claims as tambour doors.

The term tambour panels as used herein the specification and claims denotes pliable panels made according to the same process and used for a variety of construction and decorative purposes, as will become apparent hereinafter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Originally a tambour door was referred to as the door in a roll top desk.

Today tambour doors are used for a variety of storage solutions and offer a unique and economical way to incorporate space saving features into storage systems.

While simple classic swing doors may be economical in the initial manufacturing stage, they are more expensive to the end user because of the additional floor space occupied when they are opened and during opening thereof. Tambour doors, installed for horizontal slide (side by side or single door) or for vertical opening, require no such floor space, thus freeing up this space.

The vertical opening tambour system offers many advantages for design variations, especially where height is not the significant factor, e. g. in kitchens,

bathrooms, etc. However, there are endless uses for tambour door cabinets, e. g. storage cabinets, cupboards, bathroom and medical cabinets, mobile carts or trolleys, cassette boxes, office furniture, etc.

Typical tambour doors are available in solid wood, wood veneer, plastic material, and metal at a large variety of colors and profiles. Solid straps/slats are either pivotally articulated to one another to form the door panel, or are molded or bonded to either a strong cloth or resin impregnated non-woven backer, for retaining the slats in position and imparting the door panel pliability so it can be rolled between open and closed positions. The door panel is slidingly received within a pair of opposed guide rails/tracks (side rails or top/bottom as may be the case), and often there are provided suitable handle or latch means to facilitate displacement of the door between its closed and open positions.

Tambour panels are flexible panels used for fast construction of walls (in particular partitions) and ceilings, wainscot and decorative cover panels etc. and are easily constructed and applied over non-flat (curved) areas.

A variety of tambour doors and tambour panels are known. For example, earlier tambour doors comprise a door panel comprising a plurality of panels/slats arranged in juxtaposed parallel relation and adhered over a pliable layer of material, as disclosed for example in US Patents numbers 2,411, 902 and 3,110, 533. Other tambour door panels are assembled of plurality of longitudinal segments or profiles pivotally hinged to one another about their longitudinal edges. Such profiles often do not require to be adhered over a carrying matrix (e. g. cloth). Such arrangements are disclosed, for example, in US Patent number 4,128, 120.

However, there also exist tambour doors where the door panel is a uniform panel made of a plastic material. For example, US Patent number 3,814, 493 discloses a tambour made by vacuum forming of a thin plastic sheet wherein the front face of the door comprises a series of relatively wide parallel face strips which are joined to each other by integral thin connecting portions having a generally U-shaped cross section. The relatively thicker face strip portions provide rigidity to the door and resist vibration while the thin interconnecting portions act

as hinges to permit the door to be easily guided in a curved door track having a relatively small radius.

US Patent number 5,065, 808 discloses a tambour door comprised of a plurality of profiled members which are rods and which have hollow, trapezoidal cross-sections each including a base, a pair of arms, and a top, which top comprises a side of the tambour door elements to be viewed and which is wider than the base ; and a plurality of hinge members each consisting essentially of a flexible polymeric film for articulately interconnecting the plurality of profiled members longitudinally along adjacent bases thereof and wherein said profiled members and hinge members are coextruded as an interconnected unit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tambour door and a tambour panel made of an extruded plastic material. The invention is also concerned with a method for manufacturing tambour door panels and tambour construction panels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention suggests the use of an extruded panel for application as a door panel for a tambour type door and as a construction panel for different purposes.

The present invention is thus concerned with an extruded plastic panel which is inherently flat and rigid, though pliable, and which after bending or rolling tends to resume its substantially flat position upon straightening out.

The panel according to the invention, used either as a door panel or as a construction or decorative panel, is a uniform plastic platform extruded along a longitudinal axis and comprises two parallel surfaces spaced apart by a plurality of parallel longitudinal ribs extending along said longitudinal axis; wherein portions of at least one of the surfaces are grooved intermediate the ribs along the entire length of the panel.

The arrangement is such that corresponding portions on the opposite surface of the grooved surface constitute integral axial hinge portions, whereby the panel is pliable/rolleable about an axis parallel to said ribs.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a panel for a tambour door made of extruded plastic material and comprising a front surface and a rear surface parallely extending in a spaced relation and interconnected by a plurality of longitudinal ribs; said panel being slidably receivable within support tracks fitted within an opening, such that said ribs extend perpendicular to side edges of the door panel and to the support tracks; wherein one of the front surface and the rear surface is grooved intermediate the ribs along the entire width of the panel, and corresponding portions of the other of the front surface and the rear surface constitute integral axial hinge portions, whereby the panel is pliable about an axis parallel to said ribs.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a tambour door comprising a pair of opposed, parallely extending support tracks extending along edges of an opening, where said panel is slidable along the tracks between a rolled position in which the door is so called open and a substantially flat position in which the door is so called closed, wherein said door panel is made of extruded plastic material comprising a front surface and a rear surface parallely extending at spaced relation and interconnected by a plurality of longitudinal ribs extending perpendicular to the support tracks ; wherein one of the front surface and the rear surface is grooved intermediate the ribs along the entire width of the panel, and corresponding portions of the other of the front surface and the rear surface constitute integral axial hinge portions, whereby the panel is pliable about an axis parallel to said ribs, where at a closed position of the door said panel is substantially flat.

The invention is also concerned with furniture fitted with a tambour door of the aforementioned type.

Furthermore, the application is directed to a construction panel made of extruded plastic material and comprising a front surface and a rear surface parallely

extending in a spaced relation and interconnected by a plurality of longitudinal parallel ribs; wherein one of the front surface and the rear surface is grooved intermediate the ribs along the entire width of the panel, and corresponding portions of the other of the front surface and the rear surface constitute integral axial hinge portions, whereby the panel is pliable about an axis parallel to said ribs, said panel being rigid though pliable.

The panel according to the present invention, in either of its applications, is formed in a continuous extrusion process, where the grooves are formed either during the extrusion process, in situ, i. e. as an integral part of the extrusion process.

Alternatively, the grooves are incisioned after extrusion.

According to one arrangement, the grooves along the panel are very narrow such that at the flat position thereof, the panel appears to be substantially un- grooved.

According to various embodiments of the invention, the panel may have any or several of a variety of parameters and structures, for example: The grooves may be formed at neighboring portions of the respective surface or at alternating portions of the respective surface.

Edges of the grooves are flush, in the flat position of the panel, or there may be a gap therebetween.

Edges of the grooves may be chamfered or rounded e. g. to facilitate ascending of one edge of the groove over an other edge thereof.

One or both surfaces may be texturized or colored.

Alternatively, the panels may be translucent or transparent.

Whilst the ribs are parallel to one another and constitute a virtual axis for rolling or bending of the panel, the ribs may be formed in different forms, e. g. perpendicular to the panel surfaces, inclined with respect thereto, or undulating.

The ribs within a panel may be equi-distanced or not, depending on the rigidity and pliability required to be applied to the panel. Other parameters may vary as well, e. g. the thickness of ribs, etc.

The panel, according to invention at its different applications, is rollable either about the rear surface or about the front surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, several embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1A is a perspective view of a portion of a panel in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 1B is a side view of the panel of Fig. 1A ; Fig. 2A is an exploded view of a tambour door assembly fitted with a panel in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2B is an enlarged side view of the portion marked II in Fig. 2A; Fig. 3A illustrates an exploded view of a tambour door assembly fitted with a panel in accordance with a different embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3B is an enlarged side view of the portion marked III in Fig. 3A; Figs. 4A-4D are schematic side views of panels in accordance with different embodiments of the present invention; Figs. 5A-5D are schematic side views of end portions of panels in accordance with the present invention, illustrating different embodiments of grooves; Figs. 6A and 6B illustrate furniture elements fitted with a horizontal tambour door and a vertical tambour door, respectively, and Fig. 7 illustrates a reception corner fitted with a curved reception desk and a corresponding sealing portion covered with a panel in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS In Figs. 1A and 1B there is illustrated a uniform panel 11 made of extruded plastic material comprising a front face 14 and a rear face 16 parallelly extending equi-distant from one another and retained by a plurality of ribs 18 co-extruded with the panel, thus giving rise the formation of a plurality of cells 20 extending between a pair of ribs 18 and the surfaces 14 and 16.

The panel 11 is extruded along its longitudinal axis in the direction of arrow 24 and the ribs 18 are parallel to one another and extend along the longitudinal axis of the panel.

In the embodiment of Fig. 1A the front surface 14 comprises a plurality of grooves 28 extending the length of the panel 11 and parallel to one another. In the embodiment of Fig. 1B the grooves 28 extend between each pair of ribs 18, namely each cell 20 has its first face grooved along the longitudinal axis.

This arrangement renders the panel 11 rigidity on the one hand and, on the other hand the panel is pliable and may be rolled either about the front face 14 or about the rear face 16, as will become apparent hereinafter with reference to Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 2A is a principle illustration of a vertical tambour door in accordance with an application of the present invention comprising a door panel 36 having a front surface 38 and a rear surface 40, extending between side edges 42 of the panel slidably receivable within opposite tracks 46 comprising a vertical track portion 48, a first curved portion 50, a horizontal front portion 52, a rear curved portion 56 and a rear vertical portion 58, as known per se.

The tracks are fitted within an opening of a piece of storage furniture (not shown) in opposite and parallel relationship with a front concealing panel 64 provided for decorative purposes. A rear edge 66 of panel 36 is fitted with an end piece 68 serving also as a handle.

Turning now to Fig. 2B there is illustrated an enlarged portion of the panel 36 in Fig. 2A wherein it is noticed that the front surface 38 is formed with

grooves 72 whereby corresponding portions 74 at the rear surface 40 constitute integral resilient hinges whereby the panel 36 may be rolled as it is slidingly displaced within the tracks 46 between a closed position and an open position.

It is noticed that a lower portion 78 of the panel 11 is substantially flat and the edges of the grooves 72 are flush with one another whereby the grooves 72 are substantially not noticeable, whilst at a curved portion 80 of the panel the edges of the grooves form a gap between them, although this portion is concealed by member 64 of the door assembly.

Turning now to the embodiment of Fig. 3A there is illustrated substantially the same door assembly and particular reference is made to a panel 84 which differs from the panel 36 in Fig. 2A in that its grooves 88 (Fig. 3B) are formed with a rear surface 90 of the panel 84 and thus the front surface 92 is non interrupted and has a smooth appearance along its entire length.

In the enlarged portion of Fig. 3A, seen in Fig. 3B, it is noticeable that the edges of the grooves 88 are chamfered to thus facilitate easy shifting of the edges over one another at a curved portion 96 though at a flat portion 98 of the panel 84 the chamfered edges of groove 88 mate with one another to constitute a flat, flush surface.

In the embodiment of Figs. 3A and 3B an integral hinge 100 is formed at the front surface 92 to facilitate rolling of the panel 84 as it is slidingly displaced between its open and closed positions.

As already mentioned hereinabove, the panel is a uniform panel co-extruded of plastic material and may have different appearances. For example, the panel may have one or both of its surface texturized e. g. to resemble wood or metal, or be colored in any desired color. Alternatively, the panel may be translucent or even transparent to facilitate viewing items stored behind the door.

Other modifications may be associated with the ribs and grooves, as will become apparent hereinafter in connection with Figs. 4 and 5.

Whilst in the embodiment of Figs. 1A and 1B the panel 11 comprises a plurality of cells 20 each formed with a groove 28 extending between adjacent

ribs 18, in the embodiment of Fig. 4A there is illustrated a panel 120 wherein grooves 122 are formed at alternating cells 124. This arrangement may be suitable for example, where a more rigid panel is required and where the panel is to be rolled at substantially larger radiuses.

In the embodiment of Fig. 4B there is illustrated a panel 130 divided into a plurality of cells 132 by means of equi-distant ribs 134, where each of the cells 132 is grooved, though at alternating front and rear surfaces 136 and 138, respectively.

This arrangement renders easy rolling of the panel 130 over either of its front or rear surfaces 136 and 138.

Turning now to the embodiment of Fig. 4C there is illustrated a panel 140 where ribs 142 undulate between front and rear surfaces 144 and 146, respectively.

In this particular embodiment there are cells 148 comprising grooves 150 only at their respective front surfaces 144.

In Fig. 4D there is illustrated a panel 150 comprising a front surface 152 and a bottom surface 154 parallelly extending and supported by ribs 156 which are not equi-distant, thus giving rise to forming cells 158 and 158'of different size. In this embodiment the central portion of the panel 150, namely the portion formed with smaller cells 158'is formed with grooves 160 at its front surface 152 only.

The arrangement illustrated in Fig. 4D may be suitable for particular instances where the panel 150 is not intended for continuous rolling as in the case of a tambour door, but rather for use as a construction or decorative panel formed in a curved configuration, e. g. as illustrated in Fig. 7.

Figs. 5A-5D illustrate different embodiments of an end portion of a panel, e. g. portion V in Fig. 1B. In Fig. 5A there is illustrated a portion of a panel wherein a front surface 180 is formed with a groove 182 wherein both edges 184 and 186 of the groove are correspondingly chamfered. Whilst in the embodiment of Fig. 5A there is illustrated a gap between the edges 184 and 186, the arrangement may be such that at the flat position of the panel the edges are flush with one another and thus the front surface 180 is a continuous flat and flush surface.

The chamfered edges of the embodiment of Fig. 5A have the advantage of concealing the groove 182 when it is slightly deformed as well as facilitating the gliding of the respective edges with respect to one another during a bending/rolling position as in the application of Fig. 3B.

In the embodiment of Fig 5B there is illustrated an end portion of a panel wherein a front surface 188 is formed with a longitudinal groove 190 with rounded edges 192 and 194 adjoining one another. This arrangement has some aesthetic benefits and also facilitates gliding of the edges with respect to one another at a rolling position as in the embodiment of Fig. 3B.

The embodiment of Fig. 5C illustrates an end portion of a panel in accordance with the invention wherein a front surface 198 is formed with a groove <BR> <BR> 200, its edges being straight, i. e. , perpendicular to the front surface 198 and flush with one another. The embodiment of Fig. 5D illustrate a similar embodiment wherein a front surface 204 is formed with a groove 206, though with edges 208 and 210 slightly spaced apart from one another giving rise to a narrow gap between the edges.

Figs. 6A and 6B illustrate storage cabinets fitted with a tambour door in accordance with embodiments of the invention. In Fig. 6A there is illustrated a cabinet designated 220 fitted with two horizontally sliding tambour doors 222 and 224 sliding towards one another about horizontal tracks (not illustrated), where the doors 222 and 224 meet at an intermediate portion of the cabinet and are fitted with handles 226 for easy manipulation between the closed position as in Fig. 6A and an open position (not seen).

In the embodiment of Fig. 6B there is illustrated a cabinet 230 fitted with a vertical tambour door 232 similar to any of the embodiments of Figs. 2A and 3A, fitted with a manipulating handle 236.

In Fig. 7 there is illustrated a reception corner fitted with a curved reception desk 240 and a corresponding curved storage cabinet 242, wherein these furniture items are coated with decorative corresponding curved panels 244,246 and 248, respectively, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

Manufacturing a panel according to the present invention involves a state of the art plastic extrusion process, with further forming the longitudinal grooves.

These grooves may be formed inherently during the extrusion process, e. g. by creating a plurality of spaced narrow interruptions transversally extending in the extrusion die which will give rise to said grooves. Alternatively, the grooves may be formed after completing the extrusion process (e. g. at site directly after extrusion, or at a later stage), where grooves may be formed by suitable blade members.

Whilst some embodiments have been described and illustrated with reference to some drawings, the artisan will appreciate that many variations are possible which do not depart from the general scope of the invention, mutatis, mutandis.