AU2007100265A4 - A storage article for storing sheets of material and a method for manufacturing a storage article - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Applicant: ACCO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD A.C.N. 000 265 047 Invention Title: A STORAGE ARTICLE FOR STORING SHEETS OF MATERIAL AND A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A STORAGE ARTICLE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 A STORAGE ARTICLE FOR STORING SHEETS OF MATERIAL AND A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A STORAGE ARTICLE Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a storage article for storing sheets of material. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a storage article.

Background to the Invention There are many different types of storage articles for storing sheets of material which are commonly available such as document envelopes, document wallets, display books, folders, clipboards and other types of office stationary. It is useful for users of such articles to label the storage articles so as to identify the ownership or contents of the storage articles for example. However, the storage articles are typically manufactured of a hard rigid plastic material which makes the storage article difficult to write on with an ordinary pen or pencil.

In one attempt to address this difficulty, clear plastic pockets have been provided on the spines of folders, in which a piece of paper or a cardboard card can be inserted. Because the card is made of paper or cardboard, it is readily written on to indicate the ownership or contents of the folder. However, one problem with this arrangement is that the cards are liable to slip out of the pockets.

Sumary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage article for storing sheets of material, the storage article comprising at 3 least two walls which provide a storage space in which the sheets of material may be stored, and a labelling portion located at a surface of one of the walls, the labelling portion being of a material which is more readily marked than the surface of the wall.

In an embodiment, the labelling portion comprises an element formed on the surface of the wall. In another embodiment, the labelling portion comprises an element which is integrally formed with the surface of the wall.

The surface at which the labelling portion is located is preferably on the outside of the storage article. However, in some embodiments it may be on the inside.

In an embodiment, the labelling portion is formed on the surface of the wall by applying a portion of the surface with an ink. Preferably, the ink is applied by printing the ink on the portion of the wall surface.

However, in other embodiments, the labelling portion may be formed on the surface of the wall by embossing, impressing or adhering.

In an embodiment, the ink is a matt ink.

In an embodiment, the ink, when applied to the surface to form the labelling portion, may be more readily marked with felt tip pens, biros, pencils and any other similar writing implements than the surface of the wall.

The labelling portion may be of any shape as desired, however, in an embodiment, it is rectangular in shape.

In an embodiment, the labelling portion is of a different colour to the surface of the wall. Preferably, the labelling portion is white.

In an embodiment, the labelling portion is provided with a number of horizontal lines printed thereon for indicating where a user is to mark the labelling portion with writing.

In an embodiment, the labelling portion is provided with a border printed thereon for indicating 4 where a user is to mark the labelling portion.

In an embodiment, the walls of the storage article are manufactured from plastic.

In an embodiment, the storage article may be in the form of a document envelope, a document wallet, a display book, a folder, a clipboard or any other suitable form of storage article for storing sheets of material, in particular any other type of office stationary.

In an embodiment, the storage article is sized to be capable of storing sheets of material, which are, unfolded, A3 (297 x 420mm) in size.

In another embodiment, the storage article is sized to be capable of storing sheets of material which are, unfolded, A4 (210 x 297mm) in size.

In an embodiment, the storage article comprises three walls, first and second walls providing front and back covers to the storage space and a third wall connecting the first and second walls together.

The third wall may be considered to be a "spine" of the storage article.

The storage article in this embodiment is generally in the form of a folder or book.

In an embodiment, the labelling portion is located at the surface of the third wall of the storage article.

In an embodiment, the labelling portion is located at the surface of the first wall of the storage article.

In an embodiment, the storage article comprises a further similar labelling portion, located at the surface of the third wall of the storage article, the first mentioned labelling portion being at the surface of the first wall.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage article for storing sheets of material, the storage article comprising first and second walls which provide a storage space in which 5 the sheets of material may be stored, a spine connecting the first and second walls together, and a labelling portion, located at a surface of the spine, the labelling portion being of a material which is more readily marked than the surface of the spine.

In an embodiment, the storage article comprises a further similar labelling portion, located at the surface of the first wall of the storage article, According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a storage article, the method comprising the steps of: forming at least two walls between which sheets of material may be stored, and forming a labelling portion at the surface of one of the walls.

In an embodiment, the step of forming the labelling portion comprises applying a portion of the surface of the wall with an ink.

In an embodiment, the step of forming the labelling portion on the surface of the wall is by embossing, impressing or adhering.

Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a storage article for storing sheets of material in the form of a document wallet, according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a storage article for storing sheets of material in the form of two overlaid document wallets, according to a further embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a storage article for storing sheets of material in the form of a folder, according to another embodiment of the present 6 invention; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a storage article for storing sheets of material in the form of a document envelope, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, a storage article for storing sheets of material in the form of a document wallet 10 is shown. The document wallet comprises respective, rectangularly-shaped front and back walls 11, 12 between which is provided a storage space 13 in which the said sheets of material may be stored. The document wallet 10 is also defined by two side walls 14, a base 15 and a top flap 16 which extends from the back wall 12 so as to fold forward and flap over at least part of the front wall 11. These walls 11, 12, 14 and base along with the flap 16 serve to completely enclose the sheets of material stored within the storage space 13.

The flap can be retained at the front wall 11 by a button-clip 9 as shown in Figure 1, or by a hook and loop fastener arrangement 29, 209, as shown in various embodiments of the storage articles shown in Figures 2 and 4, respectively.

Referring to Figure 1, the side walls 14 and base are generally elongate and each has an axial fold line 8 located midway therealong. The fold line 8 allows the document wallet 10 to be expanded in use to accommodate a plurality of the said sheets of material, to various thicknesses.

The document wallet 10 also comprises a labelling portion in the form of a printed rectangular panel 17 located at the surface of the front wall 11, as shown in Figure 1. The printed rectangular panel 17 is of a material which is more readily marked than the surface of the front wall 11. This allows a person to easily label 7 the document wallet 10 by marking the rectangular panel 17 with a felt tip pen, biro, pencil or any other suitable marking device so as to identify ownership of the document wallet 10 and/or the contents of the document wallet for example.

Without the rectangular panel 17, the document wallet 10 is not so readily labelled, because the walls 11, 12 are generally manufactured from a hard plastic material which is hard to write on with a pen or pencil, for example.

In further embodiments, the labelling portion may comprise an element that is formed on the surface of the front or back walls 11, 12, or in another embodiment the labelling portion may comprise an element which is integrally formed with (or incorporated in) the surface of the front or back walls 11, 12, so long as the element is made of a material which is more readily marked than the remainder of the respective wall with which it is formed.

For example, the labelling portion can be formed by being fused or otherwise physically joined with the remainder of the wall during the manufacturing process, perhaps by embossing or impressing the portion thereonto.

In one embodiment, the rectangular panel 17 is formed on the surface of the front wall 11 by applying a portion of the surface with an ink. The ink is a matt ink which, when applied to the surface of the wall to form the rectangular panel 17, may be more readily marked with felt tip pens, biros, pencils or any other similar writing implements compared with marking the adjacent surface of the front wall 11.

Referring now to Figure 2, in all respects the embodiment of the document wallet 310 shown is similar to that already described for Figure 1 and so, for convenience, like parts have been given the same part numbers but with the prefix As shown in Figure 2, the rectangular panel 317 is shown as a markedly different colour to the surface of 8 the front wall 311 so that it is prominent and stands out from the front wall 311.

In further embodiments of the document wallet, the labelling portion need not be rectangular in shape, and may be of any other shape as desired, for example, square, circular, oval, and so on.

The labelling portion may also be provided with a border and/or a number of horizontal lines printed thereon for indicating where a user is to mark the labelling portion. In particular, the horizontal lines can indicate where the user is to mark the labelling portion with writing.

In further embodiments of a document wallet, the labelling portion can be located in various other suitable positions, for example on the flap, or even on the back wall. An arrangement where a labelling portion is located on a foldable flap will shortly be described for a document envelope (as shown in Figure 4).

Although the storage articles shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 are in the form of a document wallet 10, the storage article of the invention may be of other suitable forms suitable for storing sheets of material, such as for example a document envelope (as will shortly be described with reference to Figure a display book, a folder (as will shortly be described with reference to Figure or a clipboard. Generally, the storage article is sized to be capable of storing sheets of material which are, unfolded, either A3 (297 x 420mm) or A4 (210 x 297mm) in size, although other size are possible, such as foolscap sheets.

Referring now to Figure 3, a storage article according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown in the form of a folder 110, such a ring-clip or a lever arch folder. The folder 110 comprises three walls, namely first and second walls in the form of front and back covers 111, 112, and a third wall connecting the first and second walls together, the third wall providing -9- C the "spine" 118 of the folder 110. The front and back covers 111, 112 and the spine 118 define a material a storage space 113 located within the folder 110.

The folder 110 comprises a labelling portion in the form of a printed rectangular panel 117 located at the surface of the front cover 111 and generally in the upper right hand corner thereof, as shown in Figure 3. The

IND

A printed rectangular panel 117 is in all respects similar Cto the rectangular panel 17 described earlier in relation p- 10 to Figure 1, in terms of the manner of its construction, Smaterials used, possible shape and colour variations etc.

The rectangular panel 117 allows a person to easily label the folder 110 by using a writing implement.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the folder 110 also comprises a second labelling portion in the form of a rectangular panel 119 which is located at the surface of the spine 118 of the folder 110. As regards how this panel 119 is formed, fitted or applied to the folder 110, it is similar in all respects to the front cover rectangular panel 117, and in use it is more readily marked than the surface of the spine 118 at which it is located.

The spinal rectangular panel 119 enables the folder 110 to be easily labelled by a person so that its ownership and/or contents may be readily identified when the folder 110 is placed on a shelf with its spine 118 facing outwards and its front cover 111 hidden (because the front cover rectangular panel 117 is hidden).

It is noted that in other forms of folders, the spine may be present as a comb or spiral wire or other forms of clip arrangement usually found with refillable display books, for example. Some of these may not be able to have a spine labelling portion, but will still have one on the front (and/or back) cover.

Referring now to Figure 4, a storage article according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown in the form of a document envelope 210. The 10 envelope 210 is comprised of three rectangularly-shaped sheets. One of these sheets is a back cover 212, and another is a front cover 211, the front cover 211 being plastic welded or otherwise affixed to the back cover 212 along two opposing side edges and a bottom edge thereof, to form a pocket. The front cover 211 is the same width but about half the height of the back cover 212, so the document envelope is further defined by a flap sheet 216 which extends from the top of the back cover 212 so as to fold forward and flap over at least part of the front cover 211. These covers 211, 212, and flap 216 serve to completely enclose the sheets of material stored within a thin storage space 213 which defines the envelope. The document envelope 210 is typically thin and flat and, in the non-use configuration, the front and back covers 211, 212 are located in a close facing relationship with one another. The flap 216 is retained at the front wall 211 by a hook and loop fastener arrangement 209.

The envelope 210 comprises a labelling portion in the form of a printed rectangular panel 217 located at the surface of the flap sheet 216 and located approximately the upper, central region thereof, as shown in Figure 4.

The printed rectangular panel 217 is in all respects similar to the rectangular panel 17 described earlier in relation to Figure 1, in terms of the manner of its construction, materials used, possible shape and colour variations etc. The rectangular panel 217 allows a person to easily label the envelope 210 by using a writing implement.

In further embodiments of document envelope, the labelling portion can be located in various other suitable positions, for example on the front cover 211, or even on the back cover 212.

In further embodiments of the types of folders, display books, document wallets or document envelopes described herein, there can be any number of display panels arranged on any of the exterior surfaces of these 11 items, or on multiple surfaces.

While the invention has been described with reference to a number of preferred embodiments it should be appreciated that the invention can be embodied in many other forms.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, ie. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. A storage article for storing sheets of material, the storage article comprising at least two walls which provide a storage space in which the sheets of material may be stored, and a labelling portion located at a surface of one of the walls, the labelling portion being of a material which is more readily marked than the surface of the wall.

2. A storage article for storing sheets of material, the storage article comprising first and second walls which provide a storage space in which the sheets of material may be stored, a spine connecting the first and second walls together, and a labelling portion, located at a surface of the spine, the labelling portion being of a material which is more readily marked than the surface of the spine.

3. A storage article as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the labelling portion is formed by applying an ink to a portion of the surface.

4. A method of manufacturing a storage article comprising the steps of: forming at least two walls between which sheets of material may be stored, and forming a labelling portion at the surface of one of the walls.

5. A storage article or a method of manufacturing a storage article as substantially described herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings.