Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
  • B42F—SHEETS TEMPORARILY ATTACHED TOGETHER; FILING APPLIANCES; FILE CARDS; INDEXING
  • B42F15/00—Suspended filing appliances
  • B42F15/04—Backs or the like therefor

Definitions

• This invention relates to folders for filing papers, documents and the like, and more particularly, to a plastic file folder which is flexible, durable and economical to manufacture.
• File folders have been well known for many years and typically are made of a suitable fibrous material, such as fiberboard or paperboard.
• U.S. Patent No. 2,291,724 describ ⁇ es a filing folder having a V-shaped pocket for receiving papers and documents and is provided with hanging hooks at the free edges for hanging or suspending the file folder.
• Such folders have the drawback that they require separate steps to manufacture the parts and assemble them, making them more costly to manufacture than a file folder which would require no assembly and could be formed in a one-step operation. Also, because they are formed from a fibrous material, they are not longlasting and. are not durable.
• a one-piece injection molded plas ⁇ tic file folder having first and second panels which define a V-shaped pocket therebetween.
• a transversely extending hinge is formed between the first and second panels to allow the panels to fold relative to each other.
• the hinge may include plural creases to allow for different size pockets.
• the panels are injection molded from plastic to have an open framework, preferably in the form of an open grid.
• the grid includes horizontal and vertical ribs which form rectangular-shaped openings to reduce the weight and cost of the product.
• the open framework or grid may be formed to have triangular-shaped openings, diamond-shaped openings, circu ⁇ lar-shaped openings, or any equivalent arrangement which lends itself to injection molding techniques.
• the panels may also be provided with label-receiving means, paper-receiving clips, carrying handles and snap means for releasably locking the panels to each other.
• the present invention provides a file folder capable of high yield and economical production.
• the plastic file folder can be injection molded in one opera ⁇ tion as a one-piece unit and thus needs no assembly opera- tion. Further, the plastic file folder is economical enough to replace paperboard file folders and is more durable to wear and tear, and thus has a longer useful life.
• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a plastic file folder in accordance with the present invention
• Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view of one corner of a panel of the plastic file folder showing an alternative construction along the border of the panel;
• Fig. 2a is a cross-sectional view showing two panels of the type shown in Fig. 2 nesting together;
• Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the V-shaped pocket
• Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a widened V-shaped pocket having a plurality of score lines
• Fig. 5 is a partial view of a panel having an alterna ⁇ tive construction
• Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view, in detail, of a rib shown in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 7 is a partial view of a panel having an alterna ⁇ tive construction
• Fig. 8 is an elevational view of an alternative label- receiving means
• Fig. 9 is an elevational view of an alternative label- receiving means
• Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the label-receiv ⁇ ing means shown in Fig. 9;
• Fig. 11 is a partial plan view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein the plastic file folder includes paper-receiving prongs;
• Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the paper-receiv ⁇ ing prongs shown in Fig. 11 in a closed configuration
• Fig. 13 is a partial plan view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein the plastic file folder includes paper-receiving prongs;
• Fig. 14 is a partial perspective view of an alternat- ive embodiment employing hanging hooks on the plastic file folder of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• a file folder 10 made in accordance with the principles of the present invention. It includes a first panel 12, and a second panel 14 integrally formed with panel 12 and defining a V-shaped pocket 16 between panels 12 and 14 for receiving documents and the like. Each panel is shown as having a grid-like framework 12a and 14a. Panel 12 includes horizontal ribs 12b and vertical ribs 12c which define square-shaped openings 12d. Similarly, panel 14 includes horizontal ribs 14b and verti ⁇ cal ribs 14c which define square-shaped openings 14d. The border or entire periphery of each panel 12 and 14 is provided with widened areas 12e and 14e of solid plastic, which surround the grid openings, and increase the rigidity of the folder 10.
• outer borders 20 and 22 are each provided with integrally formed ribs or protrusions 20c and 22c, respectively.
• ribs 20c and 22c may be placed at different heights on the borders so that they will nest when two or more folders are laying against each other.
• FIGs. 2 and 2a there is shown an alternative arrangement for reinforcing the outer borders of panels 12 and 14.
• border 20' is reinforced by molding a V-shaped cross section 20d into the border.
• border 22' is provided with a similar V-shaped cross section 22d.
• an integrally-formed folding hinge 18 which is formed by a crease or score 18a of reduced thickness (see Fig. 3).
• several scores may be formed in the hinge area 18 so that the thickness or width at the bottom of pocket 16 may be increased for additional documents.
• several scores 18b, 18c and 18d are provided for increasing the width of the pocket.
• the thickness of the plastic in each panel is preferably forty-thousandths of an inch (0.040"), but can vary from twenty to sixty-two-thousandths of an inch.
• the score lines 18a, 18b, 18c, and 18d have a reduced thickness in the range of two to ten-thousandths of an inch, but the preferred thickness of the score lines is four-thousandths of an inch (0.004").
• a border or solid hanging strip 20 having integrally formed on one end of the strip a hook 20a, and integrally formed on the other end a hook 20b.
• a border or solid hanging strip 22 having integrally formed on one end of the strip a hook 22a and integrally formed on the other end of the strip a hook 22b.
• the hooks are for the purpose of hanging a file folder in a drawer or the like, in a manner known in the prior art.
• a label receiving slot 24 may be integrally formed on one or both of the hanging strips 20 and 22.
• the slot 24 includes three L-shaped channels for slidably receiving a suitable file label or marker.
• Alternate label receiving means are shown in Figs. 8 and 9.
• Fig. 8 shows a rectangular frame 28 having spokes 29 for receiving tabs which are weaved through the spokes and removably held in place by them.
• Fig. 9 shows a rectangular frame 28' having members 29' for receiving tabs.
• frames 28 and 28' are provided with pins 28a and 28a' for being inserted into holes 20d formed in the border 20 of panel 12. In this manner, one or more tab-receiving means may be mounted on each panel.
• Releasable locking means 30 are also provided along the vertical edges of panels 12 and 14. These may be in the form of snaps integrally formed on the panels and include a snap pin 30a to be received within pin-receiving holes 30b. Such snaps can also be formed on hanging strips 20 and 22, if desired. As shown in Fig. 1, a carrying handle 40 may be provided on each of the panels and is integrally molded with the hanging strips 20 and 22.
• polypropylene is used to injection-mold the integral or one-piece file folder 10, but other types of plastic may be used.
• polyethylene may be used as well as other plastics suitable for injection molding where the molded product is relatively thin.
• the grid framework may be arranged on a diagonal so that the openings 50 have the appearance of diamond-shaped openings.
• other open grid or open framework configurations may be employed.
• circular-shaped openings 52 may be employed to form the open grid. It is within the contemplation of the present invention that any configura- tion of an open frame or open grid may be employed.
• Fig. 6 shows in detail the cross-section of a rib 60 from panel 12 or 14 having a flat surface 62 on one side and a curved surface 64 on the other side.
• the flat surface 62 faces the inside of the file folder and the curved surface faces outwardly.
• the dimension of a rib is described as follows.
• the curved surface 64 is a cord of an arc formed by a radius 66 of one-sixteenth of an inch. This can be varied within a range of one-twentieth of an inch to one-eighth of an inch.
• each rib at its _ center of maximum thickness along radius 66 may vary from thirty to sixty-two-thousandths of an inch, but preferably is thirty-five-thousandths of an inch thick. Also, in the preferred embodiment, the ribs are spaced apart one-half of an inch, but can have a spacing of one-quarter of an inch to one inch. This provides sufficient rigidity and durabil- ity to the file folder 10, but also allows it to be sufficiently flexible.
• the panels 12 and 14 of the file foldler may be letter size, or legal size, or of a size for receiving computer printout paper.
• the weight is preferably 60 grams of plastic, but can have a range from 50 to 70 grams.
• the weight is preferably 80 to 90 grams, but can have a range from 75 to 100 grams in weight.
• Figs. 11 to 13 show the use of paper receiving prongs for use in posting documents in the file folders.
• Fig. 11 shows movable and foldable prongs 80 which are provided so that they bend or fold relative to the panel.
• the prongs 80 are provided with holes 82 for engagement with snap pins 84 formed within the panel. In this manner, each plastic prong 80, when engaged with pins 84, forms a ring for releasably receiving documents 85, as shown in Fig. 12.
• prongs 90 and 92 are foldable relative to the panel and may be folded up to receive documents and then folded down flat against the panel as with paperboard files, to hold the documents in place.
• hanging hooks 20a, 20b, 22a and 22b may be included or deleted.
• FIG. 14 an alternative embodiment is shown of a file folder used for carrying and storing computer printout paper.
• the panels are provided with hanging hooks 100 and 102 for hanging the file folders so they may be conveniently stored.
• a latitude of modification, change, and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instan ⁇ ces, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

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• Sheet Holders (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=25095002

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

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Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (16)

• 1986
  • 1986-08-12 AU AU62292/86A patent/AU6229286A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1986-08-12 WO PCT/US1986/001658 patent/WO1987001264A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1986-08-12 EP EP19860905502 patent/EP0233934A4/fr not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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