Assemblable lamp shade and structures

An improved lamp shade, the lamp shade comprising a plurality of panels connected together by a support system in a predetermined polyhedral configuration, each of the panels defining a plurality of corners, and the support system comprising a plurality of collars, each collar being adapted to extend around a corresponding one of the panel corners, elastic connecting members connecting at least some of the collars together such that groups of opposing adjacent collars on juxtaposed panels are connected together at their proximate ends by a said elastic member and at least some of the said groups of collars are connected to other groups of collars spaced from the first said group by tensioned elastic members stretched between the said groups of collars, such that all of the collars are releaseably held in place on their respective panels, and all of the panels are releaseably held under the tension of the elastic members in the predetermined polyhedral configuration.

A method of assembling a lamp shade of the type having a plurality of panels connected together by a support system comprising collars which fit onto corners of the panels and elastic members extending along the edges of the panels and interconnecting the collars together to releasably hold all of the panels under the tension of the elastic members in a predetermined polyhedral configuration, comprising:

• taking a first panel, placing thereon all of the collars for the corners of that panel, stretching the respective elastic members connected to those collars along the edges of that panel so as to exert a force urging said collars onto that panel, taking an adjacent panel and placing collars on the corners thereof adjacent to the first said panel with said collars of the second panel also being engaged with elastic members lying along edges of the first panel which abut an edge of the second panel, placing collars onto the remaining corners of the second panel which are not adjacent to the first panel and interconnecting the collars of the second panel by elastic members which act to urge the collars of the second panel onto the second panel, and repeating the steps associated with the second panel for subsequent successive adjacent panels until the predetermined polyhedral configuration is formed.

An improved support system for a structure having a plurality of panels connected together by the support system in a predetermined polyhedral configuration, each of the panels defining a plurality of corners;

• comprising, a plurality of collars, each collar being adapted to extend around a corresponding one of the panel corners, elastic connecting members connecting at least some of the collars together such that groups of opposing, adjacent collars on juxtaposed panels are connected together at their proximate ends by a said elastic member, and at least some of the said groups of collars are connected to other groups of collars which are spaced from the first said group by tensioned elastic members stretched between the said groups of collars, such that all of the collars are capable of being releaseably held in place on their respective panels, to releaseably hold all of the panels under the tension of the elastic members in the predetermined polyhedral configuration.

A structure comprising a plurality of panels connected together by a support system in a predetermined polyhedral configuration, each of the panels defining a plurality of corners, and the support system comprising a plurality of collars, each collar being adapted to extend around a corresponding one of the panel corners, elastic connecting members connecting at least some of the collars together such that groups of opposing adjacent collars on juxtaposed panels are connected together at their proximate ends by a said elastic member and at least some of the said groups of collars are connected to other groups of collars spaced from the first said group by tensioned elastic members stretched between the said groups of collars, such that all of the collars are releaseably held in place on their respective panels, and all of the panels are releaseably held under the tension of the elastic members in the predetermined polyhedral configuration.

A method of assembling a structure having a plurality of panels connected together by a support system comprising collars which fit onto corners of the panels and elastic members extending along the edges of the panels and interconnecting the collars together to releaseably hold all of the panels under the tension of the elastic members in a predetermined polyhedral configuration comprising:

• taking a first panel, placing thereon all of the collars for the corners of that panel, stretching the respective elastic members connected to those collars along the edges of that panel so as to exert a force urging said collars onto that panel, taking an adjacent panel and placing collars on the corners thereof adjacent to the first said panel with said collars of the second panel also being engaged with elastic members lying along edges of the first panel which abuts an edge of the second panel, placing collars onto the remaining corners of the second panel which are not adjacent to the first panel and interconnecting the collars of the second panel by elastic members which act to urge the collars of the second panel onto the second panel, and repeating the steps associated with the second panel for subsequent successive adjacent panels until the predetermined polyhedral configuration is formed.