GB2030543A - Microfilm jacket - Google Patents

Abstract

A microfilm jacket has a plurality of parallel channels, each channel having at its insert opening a protruding upper-lip 73 formed by a curved slit extending rearwardly on both sides and serving to guide microfilm 50 fed beneath the lip 73 into the insert opening. The ends of the slits may extend different distances rearwardly for different parallel channels. The upper and lower walls of the jacket may have different thicknesses. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Microfilm jacket It is known that in the conventional microfilm jackets, in which the microfilm is inserted manually through a slit or through a cut in the appropriate jacket section, great care is required during the insertion of the microfilm to insure that the front corner or the front edge of the microfilm is correctly inserted between the two plates or as the case may be, below the upper plate of the microfilm jacket.

This is a comparatively time-consuming process.

Furthermore in conventional microfilm jackets the ends of the microfilm stick out of the corresponding microfilm jackets thus being exposed to deteriorating influences and this is true particularly at the insertion slits of microfilm jackets which, for example, are provided with a recessed lip in order to facilitate the insertion of the microfilm.

The basic object for the invention was therefore to develop a novel microfilm jacket in which the insertion of the film, both in manual and mechanical operation, can be carried out faster and more effectively.

A further object was to make the welding seams more resistant from a mechanical point of view, in order to avoid tearing or separation of the welding seams.

Surprisingly enough, the object can be accomplished, pursuant to the invention, by providing in the lower plate of the individual microfilm jacket sections a convex introduction slit, i.e., one that is bent outward, with the lower plate of the microfilm jacket being manufactured preferably from a thicker or stronger material.

For further improvement of the strength of the ultrasonically manufactured welding seams between the individual sections of the microfilm jacket, the convex, i.e. bent outward, insertion slits are displaced from one another at the ends, or each insertion slit of each microfilm jacket section is arranged at a slightly oblique angle to the others.

The new microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention permits an easier, more accurate and faster insertion of the microfilm. Furthermore the danger of tearing the welding seams is reduced to a minimum.

Preferred embodiments of the microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention are explained in detail in the following description with the aid of the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is an in-part view of a conventional microfilm jacket having a recessed slit-opening, with the microfilm in the process of being inserted.

Figure 2 is an in-part top view of the novel microfilm jacket pursuant to the present invention having a protruding upper lip to the slit-opening with rearwardly-extending sides to the upper lip.

Figure 3 shows the entire novel microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention in a top view.

Figure 4 is an in-part lateral cross section along the line 11-11 of Figure 3.

Figure 5is an in-part view along 11A-1 1A of Figure 2 2 in a side cross section, with an insertion device indicated and the mechanism for the downward bending of the front edge of the microfilm jacket represented.

Figure 6 is an in-part side cross section through the width of the microfilm jacket along the line 12-12 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is an in-part cross section through the open insertion opening of the microfilm jacket along the line 12A-12Aof Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a typical embodiment of the microfilm jacket presented in Figure 3 pursuant to the invention, which is presented in position above an international standard grid sheet.

Figure 9 shows an in-part view of another, further improved embodiment of a microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention, similar to that shown in Figure 3, with the exception that several successive insertion openings for conventional microfilm jacket sections or channels are located between the parallel welding seams.

Figure 10 shows an altered embodiment of the microfilm jacket shown in Figure 3 in a top view, with at least one of the microfilm jacket sections being substantially wider than the others.

Figure 11 is a perspective partial view of an unrolled microfilm jacket band, which essentially corresponds to the embodiments shown in Figures 3 and 9.

Figure 12 shows an in-part view of a further embodiment of a microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention, in which the convex or bent insertion openings are displaced on one side or at one end in order to prevent tearing of the microfilm jacket at the welding seams; and Figure 13 is an in-part view of a yet further embodiment of microfilm jacket of the invention.

With the aid of the conventional microfilm jacket shown in Figure 1, the differences between it and the novel and advantageous microfilm jacket pursuant to the present invention are to be described. The microfilm jacket 67a shown in Figure 1 possesses a microfilm jacket section or microfilm jacket channel having a recessed-slit which is formed between two plastic sheets by means of the ultrasonic welds 75a and 75a". In order to permit the introduction or insertion of the microfilm with a passably adequate speed, a cut-out section is used, which forms an opening 71a, which has a recessed lip 72a for the introduction of the microfilm 50. Until now the microfilms have for the most part been inserted by hand in microfilm jacket sections.A particular disadvantage of the conventional microfilm jackets is that the microfilm frame 74a at the end of the film strip is not covered after the insertion of the sheet.

As a result, in such conventional microfilm jackets 67a the end of the film strip remains free to move and is not completely shoved in beneath the upper sheet, beyond the cut-out opening 71a. As a result this part of the film strip can be damaged in the course of storage or use.

A further difficulty results from the fact that even in the case of the cut-out opening the upper and the lower sheets of the microfilm jacket are held closely together such that great care and a substantial expenditure of time are necessary in order for the user to insert each film individually by hand. With this kind of insertion care must be taken above all to insert the film strip in a proper manner between the upper and lower sheets of the microfilm jacket channel structures. Particularly during the introduction or insertion of the front edge of the microfilm 50 great care must be used to insure that both corners of the front edge are introduced in each case under the separate bent sections of the lip 73a.If this is not done, one of the corners may move under the upper half of the lip 73a, while the latter does not get beneath the upper remaining half, in which case the microfilm end is blocked atthe point where the two sections come together and cannot be introduced further, unless the microfilm is retracted and the insertion process is started afresh, in order to get both corners inserted under the upper sheet.

It can be seen from Figures 2 and 5, which represent a microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention, how a microfilm 50 is inserted with its edge 74 under the edge 73 of the upper lip and above the corresponding edge 72 of the lower lip of the microfilm jacket. A microfilm jacket channelstructure is formed between the two ultrasonic welds 75' and 75". The forward lower lip of the microfilm jacket is fixed in a downward bent position as shown in Figure 5.This is achieved by exerting pressure on the lower surface 31 by a feeding or insertion device, to move the lower lip to the lower lip-position 31 to thereby expose or open widely the front edge of the microfilm jacket and produces by bending the insert-opening, i.e. the slit-opening of the insertion opening in order to leave the microfilm jacket channel structure free for the introduction or insertion of the microfilm 50.

From Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 the technical characteristics of the microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention are illustrated in which it may be seen that no cut-out arranged in any way is provided to permit the introduction and insertion of the microfilm. Instead only one slit is made in the upper sheet, and thereby an extremely rapid and simple introduction or insertion of the microfilm is made possible.

The advantageous construction of this insertion element in the microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention (see Figures 3 and 4) has the result that the slit is completely closed again after the insertion of the film and anypenetration by dust, moisture and the like is prevented, the microfilm being insulated in an advantageous manner from the environment.

As a result of the special construction and fit of the microfilm jacket channel-structure the inserted mic rofilm frames or the inserted microfilm has a secure seat within the microfilm jacket channel structure. By means of this embodiment the microfilms or micro film frames can be inserted and advanced as far as desired, but also correspondingly be retracted, both manually and mechanically/automatically.

Figure 6 shows the empty microfilm jacket section of Figure 3 along the line 12-12 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 shows a typical position of the embodiment of the microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention shown in Figure 5 when it is flexed, and in particular the slit-opening or insertion opening along the line 12A-12A of Figure 5.

In Figure 8 an embodiment of the microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention, as it is shown in Figure 3, is placed upon an international standard grid. From this it may be seen that the present microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention corresponds to the international standard requirements. The microfilm jacket sections 78 and 79 of the microfilm jacket 67 have between them the same width, which corresponds to the international standard grid.

In Figure 9 a further embodiment of the microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention is represented. This microfilm jacket has, instead of one slit-opening at the edge several insertion slits 80, 80' and 80" for an individual microfilm jacket channel structure. The distances between the serially-arranged spacedapart individual insertion slits can be pre-determined as might be desired.

In Figure 10 a further embodiment of the microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention is represented, in which microfilm jacket channel structures of varying widths are used. The microfilm jacket channel structure 82 is an example of a jacket channel struturewith a normal width, while the microfilm jacket channel structure 81 has an extra width, into which films can be inserted that have a greater with than the other microfilms.

Figure 11 shows how the microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention can be used in the form of a roll 83, which is wound on an axle 84. The microfilm jacket edge 67"' is formed repeatedly throughout the whole roll at the desired intervals and the individual microfilm jacket can be separated from one another easily, by perforations, for example.

In Figure 12 a further embodiment of the microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention is represented, in which the introduction or insertion slits 73b are staggered so that the corners or the ends 72b of the slits rearwardly-extending sides are staggered. By means of this stabilization, any tearing of the material or the ultrasonic welds is prevented to the maximum extent, because no two adjacent jacket channel structures have identically-placed adjacent corners or ends of ends of the rearwardly-extending sides of the upper lips of the slit-opening.

In Figure 13 a further preferred embodiment of the microfilm jacket pursuant to the invention is repre sented in which the slit-opening or insertion slits 73c are constructed so as to be somewhat canted. As a result of the fact that the corners or ends 72c of the rearwardly-extending walls of the upper lips of the slit-openings or insertion slits 73c are surrounded by.

the sheet material, whereby there is a further stabilization, as a result of which, likewise, tearing of the microfilm jacket and, in particular, of the lower welding seams during use, is prevented.

It is within the scope of the present invention to make variations and substitutions of equivalents to the extent obvious to a person of ordinary skill in this art.

Claims (11)

1. A microfilm jacket for a manual or automatic mechanical insertion of microfilm strips orframes, comprising a plurality of parallel microfilm jacket channel-structures, each microfilm jacket channelstructure having a slit-opening in the form of a rearwardly-extending slit as rearwardly-extending sides thereby forming an upper lip extending centrally-outwardly composed of a microfilm jacket upper portion rearward of the slit-opening, and forming a lower lip forward of the slit-opening.

2. A microfilm jacket according to claim 1, in which an upper and a lower sheets are plastic sheets and have differing thicknesses, the lower sheet being thicker.

3. A microfilm jacket according to claim 1,in which the microfilm jacket channel structures have different widths from one-another.

4. A microfilm jacket according to claim 3, in which the microfilm jacket structures include a series of spaced-apart ones of said slit-openings, the series of slit-openings following one-another for at least one of the microfilm jacket channel structures.

5. A microfilm jacket according to claim 4, in which said rearwardly-extending sides are staggered alternately relative to adjacent microfilm jacket structures' divider walls therebetween.

6. A microfilm jacket according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 2 to 11, or Figure 12 or Figure 13 of the accompanying drawings.

7. A microfilm container for manual and/or automatic/mechanical insertion of microfilm strips or microfilm frames, consisting of several microfilm container sections arranged parallel to each other, wherein each microfilm container section is provided with a convex slit opening or one that is bent outward, which has a recessed lip and a forward lip and is preferably formed in the lower sheet of the microfilm container.

8. A microfilm container according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that the upper and lower sheet and preferably plastic sheets of the microfilm container possess differing thicknesses, with the lower sheet preferably being made thicker.

9. A microfilm container according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by the fact that the microfilm container sections that are arranged parallel to one another, and which may have varying dimensions and widths, can be provided with several slits that are bent outward or convex following one another at specified intervals.

10. A microfilm container according to claim 7,8 or 9, characterized by the fact that the corners or ends of the introduction slit are staggered along the ultrasonic welding lines.

11. A microfilm container according to claim 7,8, 9 or 10, characterized by the fact that the corners or ends of the introduction or insertion slits of the individual microfilm container sections are staggered or canted in relation to the welding lines.