GB2141668A - Suspendable filing container for programmers' documentation - Google Patents

Abstract

A suspendable filing container for storing computer documentation is of a box-like form including a hook (26) formed integrally along its top surface and a hinged door (20) for access to its interior. A document retainer (120) to permit the receipt and secured filing of folded documents is also provided. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Suspendable filing container for programmers' documentation This invention relates to document storage files and, more particularly, to filing containers adapted to orderly and systematic filing of programmers' documentation of various sizes, for use in horizontal rail filing systems.

Horizontal rail filing systems are well known. A commonly encountered system of this type is the so-called center hook filing system, which in its simplest form comprises a single, horizontal support bar rail to which appropriate filing devices provided with hooks and designed to accommodate documents to be filed may be detachably secured. Such filing systems have found wide use, particu- larly in the filing of large format items, such as computer printouts, flow diagrams, program listings, and the like which are coliectively herein referred to as program documentation. Such filing devices include binders such as taught by U.S. Patent Nos.

3,865,445, 3,980,360 and 4,056,926.

Such binders are designed to securely retain perforated stationary items substantially in a fashion similar to multi-ring or multi-pin binders. Another such filing device is the document storage fiie disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,327,952 which is of an open box-like construction, designed to receive books, documents, cassettes, disks, etc. and to permit filing of same in a suspension filing system.

Programmers' documentation can be of large format which can result in disadvantages when such documentation is filed. For example, were such documentation filed via one of the binders described above within a filing cabinet, the number of rows of such files which could be accommodated by the cabinet would be limited. Furthermore, the nature of a programmers' work may not make such binding desirable. In lieu of this it would be advantageous to provide a container for such documents which is adapted for suspension in such a filing system and which is specifically designed such that the programmers' documentation can be loosely folded and can be merely placed with ease into the container.Thus, the programmers' documentation could be removed from the container without the need to fumble with elaborate mechanisms designed to enable use of the documentation by the Programmer or others, for example, while it is retained within the binder. Also, this would permit an increase in the number of rows (or a decrease in height between horizontal rails) within a cabinet or other horizontal rail filing system.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a suspendable filing container for storing programmers' documents and the like which can accommodate a wide variety of such documents and can be suspended in a horizontal rail filing system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a filing container which allows facilitated placement of the programmers' documents within it for storage, as well as facilitated removal of the documents without elaborate retaining mechanisms.

Yet another object is to provide a suspendable filing container designed to accomodate large format documentation in a space-enclosure of reduced height.

In general, a suspendable filing container for storing programmers' documents when made in accordance with this invention comprises a bottom, a back, a top, a front, and first and second sides, one of which being movable between an open and closed position, arranged in box-like fashion, and further includes hook means on its top for suspending the container in a horizontal rail filing unit and means for retaining the contents of the container therein when the said one side is in its open position.

The present invention provides: A suspendable filing container comprising: a front of substantially planar form; a bottom substantially planar form; a back of substantially planar form connected conterminously with and normal to said bottom; a top connected conterminously with and normal to said back distal to said bottom; first and second sides each of substantially planar form and disposed in spaced parallel relation to one another and normal to said bottom and said back; said front and said sides being disposed so as to bridge between at least two of said bottom, said back, said front and said top so as to enclose a storage space therein; said first side being hingedly connected to one and latchedly connected to one of said bottom, said back, said front, and said top so as to be movable between a closed position and an open position wherein access can be gained to said storage space; and means for suspending the container within a horizontal rail filing system; said suspending means including a hook integrally formed within said top.

A suspendable filing container constructed in accordance with the 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 suspendable filing container made in accordance with this invention; Figure 2 is a right side elevational view of the filing container; Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the filing container in its closed position; Figure 4 is a back elevational view of the filing container in its closed position; Figure 5 is a detailed view of a hinge for the filing container; Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of Fig. 4 showing the container latch; Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of Fig. 1 showing the wall edge guide; Figures 8, 9 and 10 are views showing a label holder for the filing container; and Figures 11, 12 and 13 are views of the document retainer for the filing container.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular, Fig. 1, there is shown a suspen dable filing container 10 made in accordance with the present invention and designed for storing programmers' documentation and other like contents in a horizontal rail filing unit (not shown). The filing container com prises a front 12 of substantially planar form; a bottom 14 of substantially planar form; a back 1 6 of substantially planar form con nected conterminously with and normal to said bottom; a top 1 8 connected contermi nously with and normal to said back 16 distal from said bottom 14; and first and second sides 20, 22, respectively, of substantially planar form disposed in spaced parallel relation to one another and normal to said bottom 14 and to said back 16.The sides 20, 22 are disposable so as to bridge between at least two of said bottom 14, said back 16, said front 12, and said top 18 so as to enclose a storage space therein. The first side 20 is hingedly connected to one, and latchably to another of said bottom 14, said back 16, said front 1 2 and said top 18 so as to be movable between a closed position and an open posi tion wherein access can be gained to said storage space.

In accordance with the invention the con tainer 10 further includes suspending means 26 for suspending the container 10 from a hanger bar (not shown) in a horizontal rail filing unit. The suspending means 26 includes a hook 28 adapted and configured to receive said horizontal rail thereunder. Hook 28 is disposed within the top 18 and side 22. Side 20 may have either a clearance recess so as not to interfere with the operation of the hook 28 or otherwise suspending means 26 may further include a hook 30 which aligns with hook 28 when the first side is in its closed position.

Further, the filing container 10 includes wall edge guides 32, 33 and 34 disposed on the first side 20 and adapted, configured and disposed so as to respectively receive an edge 35 of the top 18, an edge 36 of the back 16 and an edge 37 of the bottom 14. Similarly, front 12 includes edge guides 46 and 47 adapted, configured and disposed so as to respectively receive edge 48 of the top and edge 49 of the bottom.

The closed container 10 additionally in cludes means 40 (two are shown) for latching the first side 20 to the back 1 6 when the first side is in its closed position.

It will be appreciated that the closed container 10 as made in accordance with the present invention includes a hinge 42 hingedly connecting the first side 20 to the front 12 and a second hinge 44 for hingedly connecting the front 1 2 to the second side 22.

Preferably, the hinges 42 and 44 are "living" hinges so that the filing container 10 as heretofor described can be fashioned of an integral one-piece construction preferably made of a polymeric material susceptable of injection molding.

Hooks 28, 30 are of similar configuration and, therefore, the description that follows of the profile of hook 30 will yield an understanding of the profile of hook 28. As can best be seen in Fig. 2, hook 30 includes a bulbous portion 50 connected to the top 18 by an extension 54 which extends in spaced parallel relation to a lower portion 52 of the top 1 2. In so doing a concave relief 56 is formed under the extension 54. Thus, said horizontal rail can pass between the bulbous portion 50 and the lower portion 52, entering the concave relief 56. Consequently, the container 10 can be suspended by the hook 30.

To facilitate such "hooking" action, the top edge 52 includes an inclined portion 58 which provides a guide ramp for the hanger bar. The inclined portion 58 is disposed at a substantial distance (preferably at least twice the cross-sectional diameter of said horizontal rail) from the bulbous portion 50 so as to further facilitate insertion of said rail thereunder.

Fig. 3 shows the location of a label holder 60 whose various features and configuration can be seen with added reference to Figs. 2, 8, 9, and 10. The label holder is formed on the exterior facing surface 62 of the front 1 2 of the closed container. With reference to Fig.

10, the label holder 60 includes a transparent substantially planar sheet 64 having protruding tangs 65 disposable within receiving grooves 66, 68 formed within the front 1 2.

Disposable between the sheet 64 and surface 62 is a label 70 which may serve to identify for filing purposes the closed container 10; for example, by color coding or alpha-numeric designation. As can be seen in Fig. 8, the sheet 64 includes a groove 72, and in Fig. 2, an inclined portion 73 which permit facilitated removal of the sheet 64 from the container 10 so as to permit modification of the label 70.

As can be seen in Fig. 4, the latching means 40 are shown as including two latching heads 80 disposed in spaced relation along the edge of the first side 20 nearest the back 16.

As can be seen clearly in Fig. 6, which shows the latching means 40 as including a latch head 80 designed to mate with a catch 82 in the form of a concave relief disposed in the back 1 6. Preferably, the latching head 80 includes a distal portion 84 orthogonally con nected to the first side 20 by a connecting element 86 which acts as a cantilevered spring. The distal portion 84 is substantially of a bulbous configuration. To facilitate unlatching the latch head 80 includes serrations, steps, or texture which form means 88 for providing increased traction for manually latching and unlatching. A relief in the shape of a groove 90 facilitates bending of the head 80 relative to the first side 20.It will be appreciated that in the latching position, i.e., when the distal portion 84 is received within the relief 82, the latching head 80 is biased towards continued latching, said bias having to be overcome manually to permit unlatching. This is effectuated by bending the latching head 80 relative to the first side 20.

Fig. 5 is a detail, top view of the preferred configuration of the hinges 42. Hinge 44, is, preferably, similarly constructed. As shown, the hinge 42 is of integral construction with its surrounding structure and comprises a narrow strip 100 which is of a thickness so as to permit ready manual bending thereat and, thus, hinging action. The front cover 1 2 is connected by the narrow strip 100 to the first side 20. It will be appreciated that the front cover 12, narrow strip 100 and first side 20 can be molded integrally and, thus do not require any hardware or separate hinge to pemit the first side 20 to move between its open and closed positions.

Typical of the construction of wall edge guides 32 through 34 and 46 through 47 is the configuration shown in Fig. 7, which shows edge guide 32 in cross-section. A groove 109 is disposed orthogonal to the first side 20, between an outer land 100 and an inner land 112, sized so as to receive the associated edge 35. The wall edge guides 32-34 and 46-47 are designed to provide a secure and dependable closing of the container 10 and to provide with the first side 20 and front 1 2 structural rigidity.

The programmers' documents intended to be stored in such a container require the containers' dimensions to be sufficient to permit the dcuments to be inserted with ease whilt they are in a folded condition. However, it was found that if the container 10 as heretofore described is used, the programmers' document can interfere with the closing of the first side or with its latching or with the receipt of the associated edges in the wall edge guides. Not only may this disrupt the operation of the container, and have an unsightly appearance, it can result in bending or tearing of the programmers' documents. To this end, the present invention contemplates the use of means 1 20 for retaining the programmers' documentation in the container 10 regardless of the position of the first side 20.

The retaining means 1 20 is preferably in the form of a sub-wall or partition attachable to the bottom 1 4. The retainer means 1 20 as can be seen in Fig. 1 includes a first portion 1 22 of a substantially planar form extending in spaced parallel relation relative to said second side 22, and a second portion 124 connected conterminously with and normal to the first portion 1 22. With add reference to Figs. 11 through 13, it can be seen that the retainer means 1 20 further includes a plurality of connecting tabs 1 26 receivable with a clearance fit within appertures 1 32 of similar cross sectional size and configuration defined within the bottom 14 (see Fig. 13).The connecting tabs 1 26 each include a tang 1 28 extending in parallel relation relative to said bottom 14 and connected to the first or second portion 1 22, 1 24 by a connecting element 1 30 extending orthogonally therefrom. It will be appreciated that the tangs 1 28 and connecting elements 1 30 are each receivable through one of the apertures 1 32 in the bottom 14.After assembly of the retainer means 1 20 to the bottom 14, the bottom 14 is gripped between the tangs 1 28 and the second portion 1 24. Furthermore, the connecting tabs 1 26 are grouped in pairs along the bottom of the retainer means so as to provide substantially opposing connecting elements 1 30 which effectively grip a portion of the bottom 14 therebetween.

While it is contemplated that the retainer 1 20 shall not need to be removed from the container 10 during its operation, since it may be desirable so to do. Therefore, some of the apertures 1 32 can be formed so as to have a width which would permit the associated connecting tab to be inserted therein with a clearance fit by bending it along the connecting element 1 30 which thus acts as a canterlevered spring biased so as to bear againt the bottom 14 toward the opposing one of the connecting tabs 1 26. To this end, a first plurality of the connecting tabs 1 20 are preferably molded as cantilevered elements formed partially out of the first portion 1 22 and partially out of the second portion 1 24 and having extended connecting elements 1 30 which permit their bending without fracture. A second plurality of the connecting tabs 1 30 are formed as projections from the second portion and need not be of bendable construction. It should be readily understood that to operate effectively the first plurality of connecting tabs must be biased towards the second plurality so as to grip said land disposed therebetwen after assembly.

Thus it can be seen that a filing container has been provided which can accomodate a large variety of documents and can be suspended in a horizontal rail filing system.

Claims (11)

1. A suspendable filing container comprising: a front of substantially planar form; a bottom of substantially planar form; a back of substantially planar form connected contermi nously with and normal to said bottom; a top connected conterminously with and normal to said back distal to said bottom; first and second sides each of substantially planar form and disposed in spaced parallel relation to one another and normal to said bottom and said back; said front and said sides being disposed so as to bridge between at least two of said bottom, said back, said front and said top so as to enclose a storage space therein; said first side being hingedly connected to one and latchedly connected to one of said bottom, said back, said front, and said top so as to be movable between a closed position and an open position wherein access can be gained to said storage space; and means for suspending the container within a horizontal rail filing system; said suspending means including a hook integrally formed within said top.

2. A filing container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first side is hingedly connected to said front and latchedly connected to said back; and further including a plurality of edge guides integrally formed at the edges of the first side and having a generally channel shaped configuration, said edge guides disposable such that when the first side is in its closed position they receive an edge of said top, said back, and said bottom.

3. A filing container as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein said front is hingedly connected to said back; and further including a plurality of edge guides integrally formed in said front, having a generally channel-shaped configuration, disposable so that when the first side is in its closed position they receive an edge of said top, said back and said bottom.

4. A filing container as claimed in any preceding claim further including a labelholder disposed within said front.

5. A filing container as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising means for latching said first side to said back including a latchhead, and a catch coacting with the latchhead when said first side is in its closed position.

6. A filing container as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the latchhead is a canterlevered element having a bulbous end, and the catch is a concave relief disposed on said back.

7. A filing container as claimed in any preceding claim further including means for retaining documents within the storage space, said means in the form of a subwall attachable to one of said bottom or said top.

8. A filling container as claimed in any preceding claim further including a subwall including a first portion of a substantially planar form in spaced parallel relation to a second portion connected conterminously with and normal to said first portion.

9. A filing container as claimed in Claim 7 further including a subwall in cluding means for connecting said subwall to said bottom, said means including a plurality of connecting tabs receivable within apertures defined within said bottom.

10. A filling container as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the subwall includes a portion spaced parallel relative to said second side, and wherein each connecting tab includes a tang extending in parallel relation to said bottom and a connecting element connecting said tang to said first portion.

11. A filing container as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the connecting tabs are each designed to grip a portion of the bottom between the tangs of the second portion.

1 2. A filing container as claimed in claim 11 wherein the connecting tangs are grouped in pairs along the bottom of the retainer means so as to provide substantially opposing connecting elements which grip a portion of said bottom therebetween.

1 3. A suspendable filing container substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.