GB2277297A - Folded sheet and container therefor. - Google Patents

Abstract

A folded sheet having concertina folds 26 (fig. 13) and transverse concertina folds 28 in retained within an envelope or sleeve-like container 24 with the aid of the springiness of the sheet when folded up and/or with the aid of friction, a retaining lip 34 (figs. 10 and 11), magnetic and/or electrostatic means. The container 24 (fig. 8) may comprise two sheet-like portions 40, 42 hinged together and releasably fastened together opposite the hinge by press-studs 46, 48. The folded sheet 22 (fig. 13) may have two stiff portions 52, 54 at diagonally opposite corners; one 52 of said stiff portions being provided by the container 24. The container may comprise means 56, 58 (fig. 3), or 106, 108 (fig. 15) for attachment to a key-ring and may serve as a luggage label. Container 24 may contain a card or card-like object, e.g. a disposable hotel key, or a carrier 96 (fig. 15) carrying sheet 22. A manufacturing apparatus (fig. 14) and process are disclosed. The sheet 22 can include self-adhesive material (132, fig. 26) for attaching the sheet to a holding surface, e.g. a drawing board. <IMAGE>

Description

SHEET MATERIAL MEANS BACKGROUND This invention relates to sheet material means, e.g. sheet material means comprising an envelope or like container and sheet material to be contained therein, and to folded sheet articles.

There is a demand for a method of providing a large quantity of information in a small space, suitable to be carried around, e.g. in the pocket, and reliably secure against being easily lost or mislaid. To fulfil such needs, there have been proposed attachments for key-rings, e.g. with a rolled up sheet of paper enclosed in a small cylinder with a screw cap and having one end provided with a suitable connection for a key-ring. Such attachments do not give ready and speedy access to the information and, further, the quantity of information is severely limited because of the bulk of the cylinder.

THE INVENTION The present inventor has realised that one or more of these disadvantages can be overcome and one or more of the demands met by providing means as claimed in claim 1 or 37. With reference to claim 1, as will be hereinafter exemplified, the container is substantially flat, and may be in the form of a stationery envelope, i.e. of flexible sheet material forming a back and front connected around their edges, or, again, may be a flat, substantially rigid container, perhaps with the back and front interconnected by a narrow wall around their edges. The sheet material may be paper or a plastics material used similarly to bear (usually printed) information, e.g. that produced by Du Pont and sold in the United Kingdom under the trade name Tyvec.

By forming this material with a first set of concertina folds and transverse to these a second set of folds and making it so that when folded it fits (preferably closely) inside the container, it can be readily and securely retained therein with the aid of friction or the like. The term "to be retained therein with the aid of friction or the like" has reference to the container being open or readily openable to allow withdrawal of the folded up sheet material therefrom when required but the folded up sheet material being until then retained therein with the aid of one or more of the following: (1) Friction; (2) Electrostatic action (especially using the aforementioned plastics material for the sheet and using a plastics material for the container, e.g. being charged by frictional action upon inserting the sheet in the container when an envelope); (3) Magnetic action (one of the sheet or container having magnetic means, e.g. as described in relation to Figure 1 of the present inventor's previous PCT patent specification number W087/04284, (which specification may be referred to for other details applicable to the present invention,) and the other being co-operatively magnetised or at least co-operatively magnetic, e.g. having inserts of soft iron or of a soft magnetic plastics material); (4) At least one mechanical retaining portion of the container, which may be a lip or pimple (or opposing lip/s and/or pimple/s) at an open edge of the container (i.e. an edge having an opening for sliding the sheet material into and out of the container) to inhibit but not prevent withdrawal of the sheet from the container or, for similar purposes, may be a bend in the container, preferably at such open edge; (5) Springiness of the sheet when folded up due to its mutually transverse sets of folds.

The multiple folding has the advantage of producing enhanced springiness for a certain area of information. If there is only one transverse fold, the springiness may be too tight but this is substantially eased by having a plurality of folds in the transverse (second) set of folds. The number of folds chosen for each set will depend upon the particular application.

To free (or at least partially free) the sheet material for withdrawal, the open edge just mentioned may be opened by pressing together two opposite edges of the container adjacent the open edge, or again the sheet material when being grasped where it projects from the open edge may be compressed to help free it.

The words "with the aid of" include the case of the friction or the like being directly or indirectly applicable to the folded sheet, where "indirectly" may have reference to the sheet being located in a carrier or like member, itself retained in the container by friction or the like, as exemplified below.

As envisaged, the action is seen preferably as the springiness aiding any of the other means of retention because this is considered the simplest to produce and the most reliable to use, although it is possible that the mutually transverse sets of folds will only provide the necessary bulk to aid the other means of retention, e.g.

electrostatic attraction, (without the springiness). In particular, the choice of concertina folds (i.e. folds in alternately opposite directions) for one of the sets of folds provides a reliable and consistent shape to the folded up sheet material, usually compacts it into a smaller bulk than repeated folds in the same direction (or, alternatively, than repeated halving folds) and facilitates a second set of folds transverse to the first set, especially so that the resulting sheet material when folded up shall have a reliable and consistent shape to ensure continued reliable and consistent operation of the sheet material container means under conditions of repeated withdrawal and replacement of the folded up sheet material from and into the container. A further advantage of the concertina folds is to allow ready opening and closing of the sheet material, in the manner described in the present inventor's aforesaid previous patent specification. While an advantageous embodiment can be obtained in which the second set of folds consists of a single fold, substantial advantages accrue from the second set of folds consisting of a set of concertina folds: the springiness is enhanced and the size of the sheet material (and hence the quantity of information that it can bear) can be greatly increased with minimal increase in its thickness. By making the first set of folds comprise an odd number of folds and the second set of folds comprise an even number of folds, the process of opening the folded sheet is greatly facilitated, in the manner described in the aforesaid previous patent specification.

If the container has a cut-out shape at its open end, this can facilitate grasping and withdrawing from it the folded sheet (or, as described below, a selected sheet if there are two (or more) of them in the container, or if one of these is replaced by another card-like object). As further described below, if the container is to have the form of two sheets welded or otherwise fastened together peripherally, manufacture can be greatly facilitated. Again, if the container comprises two sheet-like portions hinged together (e.g. along one edge) and releasably fastened together (e.g. along an opposite edge) by said at least one mechanical retaining portion, a more robust aid in retaining the folded sheet material in said container can be provided, e.g. for use of said sheet material container means as a luggage label for attachment e.g. to a suitcase or briefcase. In particular, to aid ready access to the folded sheet material, said at least one mechanical retaining portion may comprise at least two press-stud means spaced apart along said opposite edge of the container.

To facilitate ready opening and closing of the folded sheet material, in the manner described in the said previous patent specification, the folded sheet material has a first set of concertina folds and transverse to these a second set of concertina folds and is provided with two stiff portions, one at each of the outer segments of said folded sheet material when folded, which segments are at diagonally opposite corners of the sheet when unfolded. However, in the present context, one of said stiff portions can be provided by the container, since its essential requirement is that it should be readily grasped by one hand. This also has the concomitant advantage that the folded sheet material will not become separated from the container. Generally, this will be a desired object of the invention, although there may be other purposes. For example, in a particular embodiment applicable to key-rings, a projecting portion from one corner of the unfolded sheet is attached to the container so that, for example, if a key on the key-ring is in the ignition switch of an automobile, the sheet material can be unfolded from its container attached to the key-ring to disclose a map or address without the key having to be removed from the ignition switch.

For use as e.g. a luggage label or in the pocket or a purse or handbag so as not to be easily mislaid, said sheet material container means is substantially of credit card size, i.e. 8.5 cm by 5.35 cm (or 3.4" by 2.15") + 10%. For use in relation to a keyring, said sheet material container means may be the same (credit card size) or substantially one-quarter to one-half of credit card size, preferably substantially one third of credit card size, i.e. 2.8 cm by 5.35 cm (or 1.1" by 2.15") + 20%. As found by experiment, in each case, these sizes represent a reasonable compromise between conveniently small size, an adequate provision of information-bearing surface and convenient size to facilitate use.

The sheet material container means may be sold in the form of a kit of parts, in which, for example, there is provided a single container, e.g. with attachment means suitable for attaching to a key-ring, bracelet, necklace or the like, and a plurality of said folded sheets (whether or not each sheet is actually folded up, although provided with said fold lines), for example being maps of different areas such that the user may select the relevant map to take with him or her on a particular journey. Another possibility is for the different sheets to contain phrases in respective languages.

Another possibility is for the different sheets to contain respective addresses, each perhaps associated with a sketch map to find it and/or notes on public transport to reach it. Further examples might be different sheets having respectively different ranges of paint/wallpaper/carpet/curtain colours/patterns. For example, for different suites of furniture, there may be respective sheets 22, one (or more) of which a prospective customer may take away, e.g. to other shops to try and find matching materials for a room.

In order to facilitate manufacture and/or use of the sheet material container means, or otherwise improve the same, it may be provided with any of the further features recited in the accompanying claims 15 to 20.

As referred to above, apparatus for producing sheet material container means as aforesaid may usefully comprise means to locate two sheet-like portions of the container, with said folded sheet material sandwiched between them, and peripherally fasten such portions together. This can greatly facilitate the manufacture of said sheet material container means. Apparatus for producing sheet material container means as aforesaid may usefully comprise any of the features in the accompanying claims 28 and 29. The invention also extends to corresponding processes.

The aspect of the invention mentioned above with reference to claim 37 can be particularly useful for attaching an information sheet to e.g. a corner of a drawing board so that it may readily be opened to disclose a large quantity of information, e.g.

drafting symbols, and yet readily folded up again when these are not required to remain in view, and at all times remaining attached to the drawing board so as not to be lost. For example, the folding sheet means might suitably be attached to lie on the top right-hand comer of the board and open outwardly to the right, off the board.

Alternatively, it might be attached on the top left-hand corner of the board and open to the right, onto the board. The sheet material might usefully be transparent to afford ready comparison of a drawn symbol and a drawing thereunder, e.g. for selection of a symbol of suitable size, the drawing for this purpose being moved around under the unfolded sheet. Again, the folded sheet may have pressure transfer letters and/or symbols or the like on its underside and be transparent so that these can be transferred by pressure onto the drawing. If the adhesive is one of the readily re-adhering kinds, the folded sheet means can be readily (but not so readily as to be insecurely attached) detached from its position and used and then replaced. Alternatively, the self-adhesive material may be provided to an intermediate member with suitable means (e.g.

magnetic) to attach the folded sheet material to the intermediate member and detach it therefrom at will. Any of the methods herein described may also be used, only replacing the tail and ring or other attachment means for a key-ring, luggage or the like by adhesive material for attaching the folded sheet means to the aforesaid holding surface.

According to a further aspect of the invention, sheet material means comprising sheet material and means for attaching the same to a key-ring, luggage or other portable object, or for attaching it to a holding surface, are characterised in that the sheet material has a first set of concertina folds and transverse to these a second set of concertina folds and said sheet material means comprises means for normally (except when it is desired to open the same) keeping said sheet material means folded.

PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION REFERRING TO THE DRAWINGS Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a folded sheet of an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic end view of the folded sheet of Figure 1, slightly open; Figure 3 is a plan view of a container of an embodiment of the invention; Figures 4 and 5 are perspective part views of two different forms of the container of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a plan view of the container of Figure 3 housing the folded sheet of Figure 1; Figure 7 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention suitable for use as a luggage label; Figure 8 is a view corresponding to Figure 7 but showing the container opened; Figure 9 is a diagrammatic cross-section of the Figure 7 embodiment taken along the line 9-9; Figure 10 is a part plan view, corresponding to Figure 3, of another embodiment in which there is a pimple or lip; Figure 11 is a cross-section of Figure 10 along the line 11-11; Figure 12 is a cross-section of Figure 10 along the line 12-12; Figure 13 is a diagrammatic plan view of a further embodiment of the invention with the folded sheet unfolded; Figure 14 is a side view of apparatus in the form of an assembly line embodying the invention for producing one form of said sheet material container means; Figure 15 is a plan view of a modification of the Figure 14 apparatus; Figure 16 is a horizontal cross-section taken just above the carrier and just below the upper wall of the container of an embodiment alternative to that shown in Figure 6; Figure 17 is a perspective view of the Figure 16 embodiment showing the container in dotted lines but omitting the folded sheet; Figure 18 is a central vertical cross-sectional view of container 24, taken along the line 18-18 in Figure 16; Figures 19 to 22 are diagrammatic views corresponding to Figure 18 of different stages in manufacture of the Figure 16 embodiment using a machine as illustrated in Figures 14 and 15; Figure 23 is a view as Figures 19 to 22 of an alternative embodiment in which the central part of the top wall of the container is omitted; Figure 24 is a plan view of the Figure 16 embodiment illustrating alternative means to facilitate removal of the folded sheet 22 from the carrier 96; Figure 25 is a plan view of the sheet material shown in Figure 1 when open; and Figure 26 is a plan view of a drawing board with the sheet material attached thereto.

Referring to the drawings, like numerals in different Figures refer to like parts.

Sheet material container means 20, Figure 6, comprise an envelope or like container 24, Figure 3, and sheet material 22, Figure 1, to be contained therein. The sheet material 22 has a first set of concertina folds 26 and transverse to these a second set of folds 28 and fits inside the container 24 to be retained therein with the aid of friction or the like as aforesaid, e.g. springiness of the sheet 22 when folded up due to its mutually transverse sets of folds 26, 28 and/or at least one mechanical retaining portion 34, 46, 48 of the container 24. The container 24, Figure 3, is open at least at one end 32. The second set of folds 28 may consist of a single fold 28 but, as aforesaid, preferably consists of a set of concertina folds 28, more preferably the first set of folds 26 comprising an odd number (5, as exemplified in Figures 13 and 25) and the second set of folds 28 comprising an even number (2, as exemplified in Figures 13 and 25) of folds. The manner of opening and closing the sheet 22 in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 25 is to grasp the back stiff portion 54, Figure 2, in one hand and the front stiff portion 52 in the other hand, each portion by its side edges, preferably portion 54 in the left hand and portion 52 in the right hand, and separate these by pulling forwards and turning over portion 52 to open the sheet 22 to the position shown in Figure 25. Closure is effected by a reverse movement. The manner and advantages of opening and closing the sheet 22 in the embodiments of Figures 1 and 25 and Figure 13 respectively are in accordance with the more detailed discussion in the aforesaid previous patent specification, although the manner of inserting the folded sheet 22 into the container 24 in the Figure 13 embodiment will be described below.

To facilitate grasping and withdrawing the folded sheet 22 from the container 24, in the embodiments of Figures 4, 5, 6, 10 and 13, the container 24 has a cut-out shape 30 at its open end 32. In the embodiment of Figures 10 and 11, as also that of Figure 12 which has a similar plan view, the container 24 has at least one inwardly directed lip 34, pimple, stud or similar mechanical retaining portion to facilitate retaining the folded sheet 22 therein.

The container 24, Figure 3, may have the form of a substantially rigid container with the shape shown in Figure 4, having narrow side walls 66 interconnecting front and back sheet-like portions 36, 38, or may be substantially flexible and have the form shown in Figure 5, and be as shown in cross-section in Figure 14, and in each case may be formed of two sheets 36, 38 welded or otherwise fastened together peripherally, as indicated diagrammatically by arrows 62, 64 along edges 68, 70. The sheet 22 may be withdrawn by grasping it at portion 72, Figure 6, which is facilitated (to help the sheet 22 pass the lip 34, pimple, stud or similar mechanical retaining portion) by squeezing slightly towards each other edges 68, 70 and/or by squeezing together the upper and lower layers 52, 54 of sheet 22 and/or by roughening portion 72 to make it easier to grasp this with the thumb. This roughening is particularly useful if two sheets 22, 22 (as shown in Figure 6) are inserted at the same time in a single container 24, one on top of the other as seen in the plan view in Figure 6, in which case the respective roughened portions 72 of the two sheets 22 face outwardly in opposite directions (one towards the viewer of Figure 6 and one away from the viewer) so that either can be selected by pulling with the thumb on the respective roughened portion 72. This action (in the case of two sheets) can be facilitated by two pimples 71, 73, one effective as aforesaid to inhibit (but not prevent) the withdrawal of each sheet 22, e.g. as shown in Figures 4 and 6. If there is only one sheet 22, each of pimples 71, 73 may be aided by an opposing pimple 75, 77. Such a pimple may be extended into lip 34, Figures 10 and 11. The container 24 may be of clear material so that information distinguishing each sheet 22 can clearly be discerned through one face or the opposite face of container 24 respectively.

Retention of sheet 22 in container 24 may further be aided by roughening or figuring of the outer surface of the or each face of sheet 22 that comes into contact with the inside of container 24. It is to be borne in mind that sheet 22 should be retained so firmly within container 24 that it will not fall out with normal handling of the sheet material container means 20, yet the design of the latter is to facilitate deliberate withdrawal of the sheet 22 from the container 24.

In the embodiment of Figures 7, 8 and 9, the container 24 comprises two sheetlike portions 40, 42 hinged together at hinge 44 and releasably fastened together by said at least one mechanical retaining portion 46, 48 to aid in retaining the folded sheet material 22 in said container 24. As shown, said at least one mechanical retaining portion comprises two press-stud means 46, 48 spaced apart along an edge 50 of the container 24, which edge 50 is opposite the hinge 44. The press-studs 46 engage in holes 48 to keep the container 24 closed and to help retain sheet 22 firmly therein. Container 24 itself provides the back stiff portion 54 mentioned above which co-operates with front stiff portion 52 to facilitate rapid and ready opening and closing of sheet 22 in the manner described in the aforesaid previous patent specification.

When front portion 42 is closed (into the position shown in Figure 7) a window in the form of slot 72 discloses information thereunder on the front of stiff portion 52, e.g.

disclosing a name 74 but hiding an address 76 from the casual observer of the closed sheet material container means 20 so that the latter can serve usefully as a luggage label that avoids showing the address to a potential burglar on the lookout for such information concerning departing travellers at an airport, for example.

Figures 10, 11 and 12 illustrate embodiments with a retaining lip 34, as described above. The container 24 may be welded along edges 68, 70 as described above or may be a snap-fit as shown in Figure 12.

In the embodiment of Figure 13, the sheet 22 has a portion 78 extending from one corner. When sheet 22 is folded, stiff portion 54 can be used to ease portion 78 and the rest of sheet 22 into container 24, itself serving as the other aforementioned stiff portion 52 of sheet 22. In this action, the upper part 79 of portion 78 is fixed to the inside of container 24 and the folded up sheet 22 is pushed up into container 24 until the fold 81 reaches the top (as seen in Figure 13) edge 25 of container 24, portion 78 then being folded about line 27, so that part 29 of one of the folds 28 (which will then be substantially at the bottom of the folded up sheet 22) then overlies line 27, with segment 31 overlying the folded up portion 78.

Figure 14 illustrates apparatus 60 embodying the invention for use in a process embodying the invention, in which at a first station 84 a first sheet-like portion 38 of container 24 is placed on conveyer 80 moving in the direction of arrow 82, this moves to a station 86 at which folded sheet 22 is placed upon portion 38 and then to a further station 88 at which a second sheet-like portion 36 of container 24 is placed over sheet 22 to sandwich the latter therebetween, and the sandwich then proceeds to a further station 90 at which there is welding or other fastening at positions indicated diagrammatically by arrows 62, 64 along edges 68, 70, Figure 5, and along a remote (as seen in Figure 14) transverse edge of container 24. In an alternative arrangement, portions 36, 38 may be a single unfolded sheet which is simply folded over at the third station 88 and then only requires welding (or other fastening) along edges 68, 70.

The various parts of the sheet material means 20 may be supplied to the belt 80 by hand or, preferably, by any convenient means, e.g. hoppers or cross-belts.

The sheet material container means 20 may have a size within the ranges, and as and for the purposes, hereinabove mentioned.

A particularly useful arrangement is of the kind indicated in relation to Figure 6, with two sheets of material 22, but in which the second sheet 22 is replaced by a hotel room key of the kind comprising a card having punched out (or otherwise coded) portions and intended to be disposed of after a stay at the hotel.

The aforementioned bend in the container at its open end 32 may suitably be a bend of the (substantially planar) container out of its plane (e.g. towards the viewer as seen in Figure 10) in the region of its end 32 so as further to ensure that the contained sheet material cannot simply fall out. The bend can be straightened to facilitate withdrawal of the sheet material 22 by pressing together the opposite edges 68, 70 (unless the container 24 is rigid, in which case the upper and lower stiffened layers 52, 54 of the sheet 22 are pressed together).

Turning now to the carrier arrangement mentioned above, and referring to Figures 14 and 15, at station 86 there is arranged a transverse belt 92 (on rollers having axes 91, 93) on which, at a first station 94, a carrier 96 (to be described below) is placed on belt 92 and at a second station 98 a folded sheet material 22 is placed in carrier 96. At a third station 100 the combined sheet material 22 and carrier 96 are transferred onto belt 80 at station 86. This may be done simply by movement of belt 92 in the direction of arrow 102 or may be done by specific means 104 in the form of a chute, hydraulic ram or other suitable arrangement. Thereafter, the combination of sheet material 22 and carrier 96 progresses to stations 88 and 90 as described above. The combination may be formed at station 98 simply by placing sheet material 22 with its stiff portions 52, 54, see Figure 2, into carrier 96. Alternatively, at station 98, sheet material 22 without stiff portion 54 may be attached to member 96, which thereby serves as the stiff portion 54 and there is then no carrier 96 in the sense of this being a separate member from sheet material 22.

Carrier 96 is provided with a tail 106 and a ring 108 on the end of the tail, for a purpose to be described below. The tail and ring 106, 108 may be formed as one, e.g.

as one piece with each other and/or carrier 96, e.g. as a moulding, in which case it is convenient (but not essential) for the tail 106 and ring 108 to be of the same material as the carrier 96, e.g. plastics material. Alternatively, tail 106 and ring 108 may be formed separately and attached together and to carrier 96 subsequently, in which case tail 106 may be a chain and both this and ring 108 may be of metal. Certain preferred arrangements are as follows: tail 106 and ring 108 are of nylon; ring 108 is of metal and tail 106 is of plastics material; ring 108 is of metal-reinforced plastics material (e.g. a metal ring embedded in a plastics ring forming one with tail 106); ring 108 is of metal and tail 106 is a metal chain having an anchor embedded in plastics carrier 96.

Any suitable manner of fixing tail 106 to carrier 96 may be used, several of which are known in the art of making key-ring attachments.

Two variants may be convenient compared with Figure 15. The tail 106 may be affixed to the long edge instead of the short edge (e.g. then projecting over the side of belt 92) and/or the carriers 96 and sheets 22 shown portrait orientation in Figure 15 may, instead, be in landscape orientation as seen in Figure 15. Such changes in orientation may be applied readily to any of the embodiments disclosed herein.

In further embodiments shown by way of example, sheet material container means 20, Figures 16 and 17, comprises a carrier 96 having a tray-like form with a thick outer rim 110 defining an inner recess 112 in which is located folded sheet material 22. Carrier 96 has shoulders 114 projecting sideways at the end remote from tail 106, an edge shoulder 116 projecting upwardly from that end and shoulders 118 at the end adjacent tail 106. Any or all of these shoulders cooperate with container 24, (which is generally tubular in cross-section, apart possibly from one or both of its ends,) to prevent carrier 96 from being pulled right through container 24 by means of tail 106.

Carrier 96 is retained in container 24 by friction or the like, as aforesaid, e.g. friction due to the springiness of sheet material 22 (located in recess 112) between the carrier 96 and sheet material 22 respectively and the lower and upper inner surfaces of container 24 and/or friction between surfaces of the carrier 96 and internal surfaces of container 24. Retention may, as exemplified in Figure 24, be aided by means of cooperating catches or lugs 120, 120, cooperating lugs 120 and recesses 121, and/or cooperating cams 120 and cam surfaces 124. These may be located along one or both outside side surfaces of carrier 96 and the inside adjacent side surfaces of container 24, or may be located on one only of said carrier 96 and container 24 and cooperate with the other by means of friction upon an uninterrupted surface thereof. A cooperating pair may be located anywhere convenient, e.g. a pair of lugs 120, 120 (or a lug 120 and recess 121) may form a catch adjacent shoulder 116 or shoulder 118, as indicated in Figure 17.

Container 24 has a cross-sectional shape as seen in Figure 18. The whole sheet material container means 20 may then be formed as seen in Figures 14 and 15 combined.

Alternatively, container means 20 may be formed as illustrated in Figures 19 to 22, by having a further station 122, between stations 84 and 86, at which carrier 96 is placed into portion 38 of container 24 from a hopper or from a belt like 92. Then at station 86, folded sheet material 22 is placed into the container 96 itself inside portion 38, e.g. by belt 92. It will be apparent that, at any of the stations 84, (122 if included,) 86, 88, the part or parts being added onto belt 80 may be supplied by hopper means or by transverse belt means such as 92 or by any other suitable means; and any combination of these may be employed. Figure 19 then illustrates the partially assembled container means 20 at station 84, Figure 20 at station 122 (if included), Figure 21 at station 86, and Figure 22 at station 88. This is followed by fastening together of the upper and lower portions 36, 38 at station 90.

In another alternative, the placing of folded sheet material 22 into carrier 96 allows that carrier 96 may be inserted directly into a ready assembled or pre-formed finished tube-like container 24, without the need to assemble container 24 after locating therein folded sheet material 22. By using plastics material/s, suitable shoulder-like lugs may be made sufficiently springy and/or cooperating cam surfaces may be made sufficiently springy for the combination carrier and folded sheet material 96, 22 to be inserted in the direction indicated by arrow 102 into a ready-made tubelike container 24, so that it will not be readily withdrawable in the opposite direction to arrow 102 by pulling on ring 108 (but it will be readily withdrawable - to a limited extent - in the direction of arrow 102, e.g. by grasping carrier 96 by finger and thumb where it shows through recess 30, at which place there may be, instead or additionally, grasping shoulders 114 and/or 116). Alternatively, particularly if tail 106 and ring 108 are somewhat stiff, e.g. when formed monolithically with carrier 96, the carrier 96 may be inserted from the opposite end of container 24, i.e. in a direction opposite to arrow 102.

In any of the embodiments described with reference to both of Figures 14 and 15, but particularly that in which the stiffness of tail 106 and ring 108 facilitate their being pushed first into a tubular container 24 on belt 80, there can be provided a stop 134 which reciprocates vertically in the directions of arrow 136 so that each approaching container 24, or container part 38, is halted temporarily (by slippage on belt 80) while means 104 correctly position carrier 96 onto part 38 or into container 24. If appropriate, the same feature of a reciprocating stop like 134 can be used at other stations temporarily to halt the advancing article on belt 80 while the next member coming in is correctly located in relation thereto.

As described above, in use of the sheet material container means 20, carrier 96 is withdrawn to the left, as seen in Figure 16, from container 24 until folded sheet material 22 is clear of container 24 and can be opened. When ring 108 is located on a key-ring, the key-ring prevents carrier 96 coming free from container 24.

Alternatively, there may be lug and limited slot means cooperating between carrier 96 and container 24 so as to prevent complete withdrawal of carrier 96 from container 24. In the latter case, for example, container 24 need not be complete over carrier 96 but need only enclose it a little way above the side edges of the recess 112 in order to maintain captive therein the folded sheet material 22, as illustrated in Figure 23.

In such case, the combination of carrier 96 and folded sheet material 22 may simply be snapped into position into container 24, i.e. from the top as seen in Figure 23, if container 24 is made of suitable springy material.

To facilitate separating of folded sheet material 22 from carrier 96, if required, carrier 96 may be provided with a hole 130 through which a finger can push folded sheet material 22 up and away from carrier 96, or may be provided with side recesses 132, like cut-outs, extending part or all of the whole height (thickness) of carrier 96, so that folded sheet material 22 can be grasped at its edges between finger and thumb and lifted out of carrier 96. A further possibility is for the base of recess 112 to be wholly omitted (in effect, hole 130 being as extensive as recess 112) so that folded sheet material 22 simply falls out of carrier 96 when this is withdrawn to its full extent from container 24.

Only brief mention has been made above to lugs, cams etc. since many different arrangements of these for similar purposes are already known.

While Figures 21 to 23 show a particular direction of folding of the sheet material 22, this could be varied by a rotation of folded sheet material 22 through one or more right angles in the plane of Figure 16.

While the method of preventing the carrier 96 from being withdrawn too far (to the left as seen in Figure 16) from container 24 is due to the key-ring which links ring 108, the latter may itself be made too large to pass (to the left as seen in Figure 16) through a slot at the right hand end (as seen in Figure 16) of container 24. Ring 108 may be passed through this slot initially by spring and cam action or the container 24 may be formed around carrier 96, in the manner described above with reference to Figures 19 to 22.

It is pointed out that the tail 106 can be fixed to the sheet material 22 (directly or via the member 96 when this forms one stiff portion 54 of sheet material 22), to the (separate) carrier 96, or to the container 24.

When the sheet material shown in Figure 22 is opened out, it has the appearance shown in Figure 25. Its top left-hand (as seen in Figure 25) segment 31 can be provided with a layer of self-adhesive material 132, as seen also in Figure 2, and it may be attached as, and for the purposes, mentioned above, thereby to a holding surface 134, which may be the top surface of a drawing board 134. Thus, this embodiment provides folded sheet means 20 comprising sheet material 22 having a first set of concertina folds 26 and, so as to be transverse to these when the sheet material 22 is folded with these folds 26, a second set of concertina folds 28, the sheet material 22 having two diagonally opposite segments 31, 35 which are at or near diagonally opposite corners of the sheet material 22 and are defined by folds and/or edges thereof, one of the segments 35 being adapted (by provision of stiff portion 52) for grasping and opening the sheet material 22 and the opposite segment 31 being provided with self-adhesive material 132 for attaching it to a holding surface 134.

Preferably, the stiff portion 52 extends over substantially the whole area of said segment 35. Preferably, said self-adhesive material 132 extends over substantially the whole area of said segment 31. Particularly in relation to this embodiment, said first set of folds 26 should comprise an odd number of folds and said second set of folds 28 should comprise an even number of folds.

Especially for use in the last-described embodiment, as also in the case of an attachment for a key-ring, luggage or other portable object in which no container is used, there should preferably be provided means 136 for normally keeping said sheet material 22 folded, e.g. magnetic means as described in the aforesaid earlier patent specification, or lug means 136 on stiff portion 54 cooperating with stiff portion 52, for which purpose the lug means and/or one or both of the stiff portions are suitably springy.

Various features of the different embodiments may be combined or omitted. For example, the window 72 and layout of information 74, 76 of Figures 7 and 8 may be applied to the embodiment of Figure 6. Various modifications and developments will be apparent to one skilled in the art, as also combinations with other ideas currently known or that become known in the future and the invention is intended to extend to all new and unobvious features and combinations of features thereby constituted or otherwise herein disclosed or implied. For example, another aspect of the invention provides an article suitable to fit to a key-ring, luggage or other portable object, characterised in that it comprises a container, a drawer to fit in the container, and an article fitted within the drawer so as to fall out of the same upon withdrawal of the drawer. Instead of being fitted so loosely in the drawer as to fall out therefrom upon such withdrawal, the fitting may be sufficiently tight (or so sprung in place) for the article fitted within the drawer to require to be pressed out from the drawer.

Claims (40)

1. Sheet material means comprising an envelope or like container and sheet material to be contained therein, characterised in that the sheet material has a first set of concertina folds and transverse to these a second set of folds and fits inside the container to be retained therein with the aid of friction or the like.

2. Means comprising an envelope or like container and sheet material to be contained therein, characterised in that the sheet material has a first set of concertina folds and transverse to these a second set of folds and fits inside the container to be retained therein with the aid of friction and/or at least one mechanical retaining portion of the container and/or springiness of the sheet when folded up due to its mutually transverse sets of folds.

3. Means comprising an open-ended envelope or like container and sheet material to be contained therein, characterised in that the container is open at least at one end and the sheet material has a first set of concertina folds and transverse to these a second set of folds and fits closely inside the container to be retained therein with the aid of the springiness of the sheet when folded up due to its mutually transverse sets of folds.

4. Means as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the second set of folds consists of a single fold.

5. Means as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the second set of folds consists of a set of concertina folds.

6. Means as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the first set of folds comprises an odd number of folds and the second set of folds comprises an even number of folds.

7. Means as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the container has a cut-out shape at its open end to facilitate grasping and withdrawing from it the folded sheet.

8. Means as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 7, characterised in that the container has at least one inwardly directed lip to facilitate retaining the folded sheet therein.

9. Means as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8, characterised in that the container has the form of two sheets welded or otherwise fastened together peripherally.

10. Means as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the container comprises two sheet-like portions hinged together and releasably fastened together by said at least one mechanical retaining portion to aid in retaining the folded sheet material in said container.

11. Means as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that said at least one mechanical retaining portion comprises at least two press-stud means spaced apart along an edge of the container opposite the hinge.

12. Means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the folded sheet material has a first set of concertina folds and transverse to these a second set of concertina folds and is provided with a stiff portion, at an outer segment of the said folded sheet material when folded, which segment is at one of the diagonally opposite corners of the sheet material when unfolded.

13. Means as claimed in any one of claim 12, characterised in that the folded sheet material is provided with two stiff portions, one at each of the outer segments of the said folded sheet material when folded, which segments are at diagonally opposite corners of the sheet material when unfolded.

14. Means as claimed in claim 12 or 13, characterised in that a said stiff portion is provided by the container.

15. Means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 or 12, characterised in that it includes a carrier for the folded sheet material, the carrier being movable into and out from the container.

16. Means as claimed in claim 15, characterised in that the carrier has one or more openings to facilitate removal of the folded sheet from the carrier.

17. Means as claimed in any one of claims 15 or 16, characterised in that it is adapted to limit the extent of relative withdrawal of the carrier from the container.

18. Means as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17, characterised in that the carrier is provided with a tail suitable for connection to a key-ring, luggage or other portable object.

19. Means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, characterised in that the sheet material is provided with a tail suitable for connection to a key-ring, luggage or other portable object.

20. Means as claimed in claim 18 or 19, characterised in that the tail is sufficiently stiff to be self-supporting.

21. Means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, characterised in that it is substantially of credit card size, i.e. 8.5 cm by 5.35 cm (or 3.4" by 2.15") + 10%.

22. Means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, characterised in that it is substantially one-third of credit card size, i.e. 2.8 cm by 5.35 cm (or 1.1" by 2.15") + 20%.

23. Means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22, characterised in that it comprises attachment means and is suitable for attaching to a key-ring, luggage or other portable object.

24. Means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23, in the form of a kit of parts comprising said container and said folded sheet material (whether or not the sheet material is actually folded up).

25. Sheet material means substantially according to any example hereinbefore described.

26. Sheet material means substantially according to any example hereinbefore described with reference to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

27. Apparatus for producing means as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising means to locate two sheet-like outer portions for the container with said folded sheet material sandwiched between them, and peripherally fasten such portions together.

28. Apparatus for producing means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 26, comprising means to assemble said container and a carrier carrying said folded sheet.

29. Apparatus as claimed in claim 28, characterised in that the carrier is provided with a tail sufficiently stiff to be self-supporting and the apparatus is adapted to insert the carrier tail-first into the container.

30. Apparatus for producing means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 26, substantially according to any example hereinbefore described.

31. Apparatus for producing means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 26, substantially according to any example hereinbefore described with reference to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

32. A process for producing means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 26, characterised in that two sheet-like portions of the container are located with said folded sheet material sandwiched between them and such portions are then peripherally fastened together.

33. A process for producing means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 26, characterised in that a carrier for said folded sheet is assembled with said container.

34. A process as claimed in claim 33, characterised in that the carrier has a tail sufficiently stiff to be self-supporting and is inserted tail-first into the container.

35. A process for producing means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 26, substantially according to any example hereinbefore described.

36. A process for producing means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 26, substantially according to any example hereinbefore described with reference to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

37. Sheet material means comprising sheet material having a first set of concertina folds and, so as to be transverse to these when the sheet material is folded with these folds, a second set of concertina folds, the sheet material having two diagonally opposite segments which are at or near diagonally opposite corners of the sheet material and are defined by fold/s and/or edge/s thereof, characterised in that one of the segments is adapted for grasping and opening the sheet material and the opposite segment is provided with self-adhesive material for attaching it to a holding surface.

38. Means as claimed in claim 37, characterised in that the self-adhesive material extends over substantially the whole area of said opposite segment.

39. Means as claimed in claim 37 or 38, characterised in that said one segment is provided with a stiff portion extending over substantially the whole of that segment for the purpose of grasping and opening the sheet material.

40. Means as claimed in any one of claims 37 to 39, characterised in that said first set of folds comprises an odd number of folds and said second set of folds comprises an even number of folds.