GB2269783A

GB2269783A - Expanding plastic file bag with integral base and side portions.

Info

Publication number: GB2269783A
Application number: GB9217504A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jiann-Horng Leu; Lu-Feng Lin
Original assignee: LEU JIANN HORNG
Current assignee: LEU JIANN HORNG
Priority date: 1992-08-18
Filing date: 1992-08-18
Publication date: 1994-02-23
Also published as: GB9217504D0

Abstract

A plastic expanding file bag includes a U-shaped accordion plate (20) having a base portion (201) forming the accordion bottom plate of the bag, and two integral upright portions (202) which extend from the base portion (201) to form the two accordion side plates of the bag and enclosing a plurality of rectangular plastic partitions (10). Plastic front and rear cover plates (40, 30) respectively interconnect the accordion side plates (202). The rear cover plate (30) has a flap portion (34) to cover the top edges (103) of the partitions (10). A strap (50) with buckle (51, 52) may be attached to rear cover plate (30) as a fastening mechanism. <IMAGE>

Description

EXPANDING FILE BAG -This invention relates to an expanding file bag, more particularly to an expanding file bag which has integrally formed accordion sides and bottom.

Conventional expanding file bags are widely used for storing papers, documents, etc. The conventional expanding file bag includes a plurality of plastic rectangular partitions and two plastic accordion side plates connected to the opposite sides of the partition plates. Plastic front and rear cover plates respectively interconnect the accordion side plates and are parallel to the partitions. The rear cover plate has a flap portion to cover the top edges of the partitions. A plastic accordion bottom plate is connected to the bottom edges of the partitions to form the bottom of the expanding file bag. The partitions, the accordion side plates, the front and rear cover plates and the accordion bottom plate are connected in the above-mentioned manner by means of a high frequency heating process.Although the accordion bottom plate can be used to support the papers, documents, etc. which are to be inserted into the receiving spaces that are defined by the partitions, some stationery items, such as paper clips, staplers, pens and erasers, will slip out through a clearance formed between the accordion bottom plate and the lower portions of the accordion side plates. Therefore, the conventional expanding file bags cannot be used to store small stationery items. This limits the utility of the expanding file bags.

In addition, an elastic cord is usually connected to the flap of the rear cover plate in order to tie up the expanding file bag. However, the elastic cord will become loose after prolonged use.

It is therefore a main object of this invention to provide an expanding file bag which can be used to store papers, documents, small stationery items, such as paper clips, staplers, staples and pens, etc.

It is another object of this invention to provide an expanding file bag which has a durable fastening member for tying up the expanding file bag.

Accordingly, an expanding file bag of this invention includes a plurality of rectangular plastic partitions. A U-shaped accordion plate includes a base portion forming the accordion bottom plate of the file bag, and two upright portions which extend from the base portion so as to form the two accordion side plates of the file bag. The U-shaped accordion plate encloses two sides and the bottom of the expanding file bag. Plastic front and rear cover plates respectively interconnect the accordion side plates. The rear cover plate has a flap portion to cover the top edges of the partitions. The rear cover further has a fastening belt connected thereto. The fastening belt has two ends connected respectively to two engaging members which engage each other to tie up the expanding file bag.

Other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a preferred embodiment of an expanding file bag of this invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the circle C in Fig.

1, showing the corner of the accordion U-shaped plate of this invention in an unfolded position; Fig. 3 is a schematic side view showing the corner of the accordion U-shaped plate of this invention in an folded position; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the circle B in Fig.

1, showing a transparent folded tab-receiving portion of the partition of this invention; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of an expanding file bag of this invention; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of an expanding file bag of this invention, in which the bag is tied up by a fastening belt; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional side view of the expanding file bag of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional side view of the expanding file bag of this invention, in which the accordion bottom plate of the bag is bonded to the bottom edges of the partitions; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of an expanding file bag of this invention; and Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating one end of the handle of the expanding file bag of this invention which engages the fastening belt.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective exploded view of a preferred embodiment of an expanding file bag of this invention. The expanding file bag includes a plurality of plastic partitions 10, a plastic accordion U-shaped plate 20 having a bottom portion 201 and two upright portions 202, a plastic front cover plate 40 and a plastic rear cover plate 30. The rear cover plate 30 has a flap portion 34 extending therefrom so as to cover the top edges 103 of the partitions 10. A plurality of scoring lines 33 are provided between the flap portion 34 and the rear cover plate 30 in order to facilitate the bending of the flap portion 34.

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of the circle (C) of Fig. 1, illustrating the corner of the accordion Ushaped plate in an unfolded position. Three of the parallel accordion lines, 2021, 2022 and 2023, on one of the upright portions 202 intersect with two transversely connected folding lines, 2041 and 2042.

Two-inclined folding lines, 2031 and 2032, are connected with the accordion line 2021 and ends of the transversely folding lines, 2041 and 2042, Three of the parallel accordion lines, 2011, 2012 and 2013, on the base portion 201 are correspondingly connected to the accordion lines, 2021, 2022 and 2023. These lines may be folded into an L-shaped corner of the U-shaped plate, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. The two upright portions 202 are respectively connected to the opposed side edges 101 of the accordion side (only one side edge is shown in Figure 3) by a high frequency heating method, thus forming two opposed side plates of the expanding file bag. The base portion 201 is located below the bottom edges 102 of the partitions 10, forming the bottom plate of the expanding file bag.

The front and rear cover plates, 40 and 30, are respectively connected to the opposite edges of the Ushaped plate 20 by the high frequency heating method.

Thus, the U-shaped plate 20 encloses the bottom and the two opposed sides of the expanding file bag of this invention, as best illustrated in Fig. 5.

A fastening belt 50 passes through two openings 31 and 32, formed in the rear cover plate 30 and is fixed thereto by two rivets 60. Two engaging members, 51 and 52, are respectively connected to the ends of the fastening belt 50 so that the fastening belt 50 can tie up the expanding file bag by engaging the engaging members, 51 and 52, as best illustrated in Fig. 6. The length of the fastening belt 50 may be adjusted according to the thickness of the expanding file bag.

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged view of a transparent folded tab-receiving portion 11 in the circle B in Fig.

1. The transparent folded tab-receiving portion 11 is formed from a rectangular plastic plate which extends upward from the top edge 103 of each of the partitions 10. The rectangular plastic plate is folded back and heat-sealed to a sealing line 113 of the partition 10, as in the prior art. Another sealing line 112 is heatsealed adjacent to the top edge 103 of the partition 10 in order to define a tab-receiving space 111 which is adapted to receive an indicating tab 12. Therefore, the indicating tab 12 will not fall into the space between the two sealing lines, 112 and 113, and can be held in position in the tab-receiving space 111.

Note that in this embodiment, the bottom edges 102 of the partitions 10 are not connected to the accordion base portion 201, as shown in Fig. 7. Since the Ushaped member 20 and the front and rear cover plates, 40 and 30, define a bag with a closed bottom, small stationery items, such as paper clips, staplers, pens and erasers, will not slip out of the file bag. This increases the utility of the expanding file bag of the present invention. Further, the bottom edges 102 of the partitions 10 may be connected to the accordion base portion 201 by the high frequency heating method in order to increase the supporting strength of the bottom of the expanding file bag.

Fig. 9 shows an alternative embodiment of an expanding file bag of this invention. In this embodiment, two fastening belts 50 are tied around a bigger expanding file bag. A handle 70 is attached to the fastening belts 50 for carrying purposes. Each of the ends of the handle 70 is hollow and has a supporting rod 71 fixed thereto. Each of the fastening belts 50 passes through the hollow end of the handles 70 and over the supporting rod 70, as best illustrated in Fig. 10.

With this invention thus explained, it is apparent that numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore intended that this invention be limited only as indicated in the appended claims.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An expanding file bag including a plurality of rectangular plastic partitions, each of which has two opposed side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge, said two side edges having two plastic accordion side plates respectively connected thereto, plastic front and rear cover plates respectively interconnecting said accordion side plates, said rear cover plate having a flap portion to cover said top edges of said partitions, and a plastic accordion bottom plate disposed below said bottom edges of said partitions and connected to said front and rear cover plates to form a bottom of said expanding file bag, characterized by:: said accordion side plates and said accordion bottom plate being integrally formed from a U-shaped accordion plate that includes a base portion which forms said accordion bottom plate and two upright portions which extend from said base portion to form said two accordion side plates, said U-shaped accordion plate enclosing two sides and said bottom of said expanding file bag.

2. An expanding file bag as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said base portion of said U-shaped accordion plate is connected to said bottom edges of said partitions.

3. An expanding file bag as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said rear cover has a fastening belt connected thereto, said fastening belt having two ends connected respectively to two engaging members which engage each other to tie up said expanding file bag.

4. An expanding file bag substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompany drawings.