GB2297520A

GB2297520A - Stackable filing tray with integrally moulded removable spacers or legs

Info

Publication number: GB2297520A
Application number: GB9602179A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Hayward
Original assignee: YEARNTREE Ltd
Current assignee: YEARNTREE Ltd
Priority date: 1995-02-02
Filing date: 1996-02-02
Publication date: 1996-08-07
Anticipated expiration: 2016-02-02
Also published as: GB2297520B; GB9602179D0; GB9502031D0

Abstract

A filing tray 1 is of moulded plastics construction, integrally moulded with a set of four legs 8 which are joined to a lattice or grid, formed on the base 2 of the tray, by thin breakable bridges 12. The legs, which may be of different lengths 8,13,14, can be manually snapped out of the lattice and plugged into sockets 6 on the top or bottom of the tray and on the bottom or top of an identical tray to space the trays in stacked relationship. If the legs are not required they can be left in place and squat studs 7 serve to locate one tray directly on top of another and also act as feet for the lowermost tray.

Description

"Improvements relating to Filing Trays" This invention relates to filing trays.

Most filing trays are designed to stack. Sometimes, they sit directly on one another, but that can mean that they are too close for some purposes. It is therefore quite common to provide legs or spacers. If these are made integral with the trays, then there is a packaging problem, since the tray occupies a considerable volume. Also, of course, the tray lacks the versatility of being stacked either with close or distant spacing from other trays.

Therefore, such legs tend to be separate items that are fitted by the user. Some are metal, whereas the trays are now generally of plastics. There are therefore two distinct manufacturing techniques. But even if the legs are of plastics, they are moulded separately from the tray and then packaged with it.

It is the aim of this invention to avoid this separate manufacture and yet give the user the option of a tray with or without legs.

According to the present invention there is provided a filing tray stackable with similar trays of moulded plastics material, wherein legs are integrally moulded with the tray and are severable therefrom to be repositioned to act as spacers that locate stably between the tray and a similar tray placed above or below it.

In one preferred form, the base of the tray is of grid or lattice form, at least over part of its area, and the legs initially span some of the apertures thereof. They will be joined to the main body of the tray by thin bridges at their ends which can be manually broken.

Conveniently, the legs have plug and socket engagement into the top/bottom of the tray and into the bottom/top of a similar tray placed above/below.

Preferably, the legs are cylindrical with reduced end portions which plug into sockets formed in the tray.

Generally, these sockets will be on the side walls, two pairs on each side, one at the top and one at the bottom.

It would be possible to provide more than one set of legs, each set being of a different length.

Provision may also be made for locating identical trays directly one on top of the other without interposed legs.

For a better understanding of the invention, one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of two filing trays spaced by interposed legs, and Figure 2 is a plan view of part of the base of such a tray.

Although only two trays are shown in figure 1, it will be understood that more could be stacked on them in a similar manner.

Each tray 1 is of moulded plastics construction, rectangular in plan with a base 2, side walls 3 and a rear end wall 4. It is open at the front.

Each side wall has on its outside two vertical ribs 5 which provide sockets 6 at top and bottom. on the underside of each try there are squat studs 7 which act as feet for the lowermost tray. They also serve to locate one tray directly on top of another when interposed legs 8 are not used.

These legs 8 align with the ribs 5 and plug into the sockets 6. They are cylindrical in form, with reduced ends 9 (see Figure 2) and shoulders 10 at the transitions that will bear on the ends of the ribs. The base 2 of each tray is formed as a lattice or grid over a large part of its area, giving rectangular apertures 11. The legs 8 initially span four of these lengthwise, being integrally moulded with the main body of the tray and joined to it at their ends by thin breakable bridges 12. They can be snapped away by hand. If they are not required, they can simply be left in place, and they will not project significantly above the surface of the base 2, at least not sufficiently to impede placing documents in the tray. They will also project slightly proud below the base but not so far as the studs 7, and so the tray will not rest on them.

Provision may be made for legs of different lengths.

For example, there may be a set of legs 13 initially formed as elements going across some of the rectangular apertures 11. Alternatively, there may be even shorter legs 14 formed end to end in pairs, these spanning two apertures 11 lengthwise.

Claims

1. A filing tray stackable with similar trays of moulded plastics material, wherein legs are integrally moulded with the tray and are severable therefrom to be repositioned to act as spacers that locate stably between the tray and a similar tray placed above or below it.

2. A filing tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base of the tray is of grid or lattice form, at least over part of its area and the legs initially span some of the apertures thereof.

3. A filing tray as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the legs are joined to the main body of the tray by thin bridges which can be manually broken.

4. A filing tray as claimed in claims 2 and 3, wherein the thin bridges are at the ends of the legs.

5. A filing tray as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the legs have plug and socket engagement into the top/bottom of the tray and into the bottom/top of a similar tray placed above/below.

6. A filing tray as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the legs are cylindrical with reduced end portions which plug into sockets formed in the tray.

7. A filing tray as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sockets are on the side walls of the tray, two pairs on each side, one at the top and one at the bottom.

8. A filing tray as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the tray has more than one set of legs, each set being of a different length.

9. A filing tray as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein there are means for locating identical trays directly one on top of the other without interposed legs.

10. A filing tray substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.