High-strength three-dimensional structure and method of manufacture

Abstract

A structure including a sheet of material bent along bend lines to form a plurality of walls defining an interior volume having a predetermined cross-section. A fold-out tab portion in one of the walls has a peripheral shape complementary to the predetermined cross-section. At least one side of the tab engages an immediately adjacent, corresponding wall thereby defining the predetermined cross-section. The structure may include a bend line defining a first portion and a second portion of the sheet of material, each portion including a pre-formed bend angle flange. The pre-formed bend of the first portion is aligned with the pre-formed bend of the second portion. A section of the first portion may also overlap a section of the second portion thereby forming a multiple-sheet-thick framework. An oven housing with sidewalls, a top and a back, and a removable bottom adjustably disposed within the oven compartment is also disclosed.

1 . A three-dimensional structure comprising:
 a housing formed from at least one two-dimensional sheet of material including a plurality of bend lines defining outer sides of the housing, at least two of the bend lines including a positioning structure therealong; and   an inner structure within the housing, the inner structure having a periphery and a plurality of support flanges extending outward from the periphery, each support flange extending towards a respective bend line of the housing and including a fastening structure on an outer edge thereof;   wherein the fastening structure of each inner structure support flange is configured to cooperate with a respective positioning structure of the housing to support the inner structure within the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the positioning structure is a bend-controlling displacement. 
     
     
         3 . The structure according to  claim 2 , wherein each bend line includes a plurality of bend-controlling displacements. 
     
     
         4 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one support flange is configured to be fastened to the housing without discrete fasteners. 
     
     
         5 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of support flanges extend from opposite sides of the inner structure. 
     
     
         6 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner structure is formed of at least one inner sheet of material, and the at least one inner sheet includes an inner bend line, and wherein at least one of the support flanges of the inner structure is monolithically formed with the at least one inner sheet, and the inner bend line defines a border between at least one of the support flanges and an inner side. 
     
     
         7 . The structure according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one support flange is substantially straight. 
     
     
         8 . The structure according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one support flange extends from the inner structure to the housing at substantially 45 degrees from a plane defined by the inner side. 
     
     
         9 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner structure is formed of at least one sheet of material, and the at least one sheet includes a plurality of inner bend lines, and wherein at least two support flanges of the inner structure are monolithically formed with the at least one sheet, and wherein the inner bend lines define a border between the inner side and the at least two support flanges. 
     
     
         10 . The structure according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one fastening structure includes a tab, and a respective positioning structure includes an aperture along a respective bend line of the housing, and wherein the tab is inserted into the aperture thereby fastening a respective support flange of the inner structure to the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The structure according to  claim 6 , wherein the inner structure is formed from at least two sheets of material each having an inner bend line. 
     
     
         12 . The structure according to  claim 11 , wherein one of the two sheets and at least one of the support flanges of the inner structure are monolithically formed, and wherein the inner bend line of the one of the two sheets defines a border between the inner side and at least one of the support flanges. 
     
     
         13 . The structure according to  claim 12 , wherein the other of the two sheets includes a lip portion, wherein the inner bend line of the other of the two sheets defines a border between another inner side and the lip portion, and the lip portion extends towards the inner structure. 
     
     
         14 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the lip portion is fastened to the at least one of the support flanges. 
     
     
         15 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the lip portion fastens to the at least one flange without discrete fasteners. 
     
     
         16 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured for mounting a modular control panel thereto. 
     
     
         17 . The structure according to  claim 16 , wherein the housing includes at least one aperture providing a guide path for electrical wiring. 
     
     
         18 . The structure according to  claim 17 , wherein the three-dimensional structure is an appliance. 
     
     
         19 . The structure according to  claim 18 , wherein the three-dimensional structure is an oven. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional structure, the method comprising:
 preparing a sheet of material for bending along a plurality of bend lines into a housing, at least some of the bend lines defined by a plurality of positioning structures, at least some of the bend lines defining sides and contours of the three-dimensional structure;   providing an inner structure including an inner skeletal structure formed along the periphery of the inner structure, the inner skeletal structure comprising a plurality of inner structure edges and substantially straight flanges, the inner structure edges being joined together at comers of the inner structure, each flange extending from an inner structure edge towards a bend line of the housing, at least one of the flanges including a fastening structure on an outer edge thereof;   positioning the inner structure on the sheet of material such that the fastening structure engages a respective one of the positioning structures; and   bending the sheet of material along the bend lines into a housing formed around the inner structure,   wherein the flanges support the inner structure relative to the outer structure.   
     
     
         21 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A three-dimensional structure comprising:
 a sheet of material for bending along a plurality of bend lines, each bend line defined by a plurality of bend-inducing structures, the sheet of material including a first peripheral flange portion along a first of the bend lines extending along a first panel portion of the sheet of material, and a second peripheral flange portion along a second of the bend lines extending along a second panel portion of the sheet of material,   wherein the first peripheral flange portion aligns with a portion of the second panel portion sheet and the second peripheral flange portion aligns with a portion of the first panel portion such that the first and second bend lines are immediately adjacent and substantially parallel to one another.   
     
     
         33 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein one of the sheets of material is bent along the respective bend lines to form a portion of the housing, the portion of the housing having a plurality of walls defining an interior volume and having a predetermined cross-section, at least one bend line defining a fold-out tab portion in one of the walls, the tab having a peripheral shape complementary to the predetermined cross-section,
 wherein when the tab portion is folded, at least one side of the tab engages an immediately adjacent, corresponding wall thereby defining the predetermined cross-section of the plurality of walls.   
     
     
         34 . A structure according to  claim 33 , wherein the tab portion nests within the interior volume. 
     
     
         35 . A structure according to  claim 34 , wherein the periphery of the tab portion abuts at least two corresponding walls of the plurality of walls. 
     
     
         36 . A structure according to  claim 34 , the plurality of walls forming a wall structure, wherein the tab portion is configured to support the wall structure. 
     
     
         37 . A structure according to  claim 35 , wherein the tab portion is configured as a cross-brace for the walls. 
     
     
         38 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . A structure according to  claim 33 , wherein the tab portion fastens to any of the plurality of walls. 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . A structure according to  claim 33 , wherein the tab portion snaps into the interior volume. 
     
     
         43 . A structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sheet of material includes a coating. 
     
     
         44 - 63 . (canceled) 
     
     
         64 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner structure is an oven compartment having sidewalls, a top and a back, the structure further comprising a removable bottom disposed within the oven compartment and adjustably mounted with respect to the sidewalls. 
     
     
         65 . An oven according to  claim 64 , wherein at least one of the sidewalls and back include mounts for slidably engaging the bottom. 
     
     
         66 - 70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . An oven according to  claim 64 , wherein the bottom includes:
 a heater element;   at least one insulating layer adjacent the heater element;   a top pan disposed above the heater element and the insulating layer; and   a bottom pan disposed below the heater element and the insulating layer.   
     
     
         73 . An oven according to  claim 64 , further comprising a second cooking compartment positioned below the oven compartment within the housing, wherein the bottom is configured to form a top of the second cooking compartment. 
     
     
         74 . An oven according to  claim 73 , wherein the bottom is configured to heat the second cooking compartment. 
     
     
         75 - 84 . (canceled) 
     
     
         85 . An oven according to  claim 64 , wherein the bottom is vertically adjusted.