GB2437942A

GB2437942A - File with cover mounted punch.

Info

Publication number: GB2437942A
Application number: GB0609234A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sunil Kaushal
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-05-10
Filing date: 2006-05-10
Publication date: 2007-11-14
Also published as: WO2007129103A2; WO2007129103A3; GB0609234D0

Abstract

A file for paper has a retention means 18, 20 for paper sheets upstanding from the rear face, and a flap 32 attached to a free edge of the front face 28 opposed to the spine edge 24, the inner faces of the flap and the front face having co-operative means (such as a pair of opposed rigid plates 38,40) defining a hole punch for paper sheets. The front face 28 and the flap 32 are connected via a flap spine 36. One plate 38 has a ridge 42 and the other 40 has a corresponding valley 44 in which the ridge can locate, thereby to define a fulcrum for relative rotation of the pair of plates. One plate 38 has one or more pins 52 for forming a hole in a sheet of paper, and the other 40 has apertures 46,48 for receiving the pin(s), to define an effective hole punch. The plate 40 with the aperture(s) may have an internal cavity, with which the apertures communicate to catch the paper cuttings. The plate attached to the front face of the file has a stepped surface, advantageously a Z-profile 58. This allows a sheet of paper to be placed against the step so as to locate it relative to the pins and/or apertures and ensure that the holes formed in the paper are correctly located relative to the edge(s) of the paper sheet.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a file, such as for use in archival or other storage of paper and the like.

BACKGROUND ART

Storage files have long been used to retain paper and like-shaped objects (hereinafter, "paper"). Typically, these employ a pair of opposing rigid or semi-rigid covers hingedly connected along one edge. This allows the file to be opened in order to gain access to the papers contained within and to add further papers thereto. In the vicinity of the hinge on the interior face of one or other cover or on the material of the hinge part, two or more metallic rings are provided. These can be opened to allow sheets punched with corresponding holes to be placed on the rings, and then closed to retain the sheets in place.

Various configurations of file have been provided from time to time. In many, a short spine section is provided along the hinge line in order to space the covers apart and provide room for larger volumes of paper within. The rings can be located on that spine section, or they can be located upstanding on the rear cover as in the well-known lever arch file.

The use of such files requires that the paper be punched with suitably-spaced holes. Paper is sometimes supplied in a punched state, but is more commonly supplied plain and without holes. Therefore it is necessary to create holes prior to placing the paper in the file. To this end, a hole punch may be used.

A hole punch is often inconvenient, however. It is usually relatively bulky, typically 10cm x 10cm x 10cm, which means that those with no fixed place of work such as students, hot-desking workers, and office workers temporarily away from their desks are unlikely to carry one with them. It may be located elsewhere, such as on a worker's desk that may be distant from the file in which the paper is to be placed. Accordingly, efforts have been made to integrate a hole punch with the file.

GB-A-2,267,672 shows a paper punch that can be placed on the rings of the file. However, the process of using such a punch is inconvenient and fiddly; a user must open the file, locate the punch, punch the paper, move the punch along the rings out of the way, open the rings, insert the paper, and move the punch back into position. Faced with this, it becomes more tempting to walk to the location of a conventional hole punch.

GB-A-11,316 also shows an integrated file and hole punch. However, the punch is fixed to the spine, which limits its application to other types of file.

Further, the location of the punch on the spine is inconvenient as described above. Finally, the punch is complex in design, requires expensive and weighty metal sections, and is fiddly to insert paper into.

GB-A-2,279,913 disclose a file with an integrated hole punch provided on the exterior of the spine. While this allows other file layouts (as opposed to GB-A-11,316), it is even more inconveniently located for a user and requires repeated turning and/or rotation of the file.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention therefore provides a file for paper, comprising a front face and a rear face connected along a spine edge, a retention means for paper upstanding from the rear face, and a flap attached to a free edge of the front face opposed to the spine edge, the inner faces of the flap and the front face having co-operative means defining a hole punch for paper sheets.

In such files, the front face and the rear face are typically rigid. However, the invention is applicable to other forms of file such as those with polymeric front and/or rear faces. Likewise, the spine edge will usually comprise a rigid strip adapted to space the front and rear faces.

The front face and the flap are preferably connected via a flap spine, which will serve to keep them together and prevent the flap from becoming lost.

The co-operative means on front face and the flap preferably comprise a pair of opposed rigid plates. This allows the properties of the hole punch to be designed independently of the properties of the front and rear faces. One rigid plate of the pair can be provided with a ridge and the other rigid plate of the pair with a corresponding valley in which the ridge can locate, thereby to define a fulcrum for relative rotation of the pair of plates. This allows the two plates to hinge about each other in use, but open easily when the flap is opened. The ridge and the valley can have arcuate surfaces such as circular sections to assist with such rotation. Ideally, the arcuate surfaces match.

One plate of the pair can have one or (preferably) more pins for forming a hole in a sheet of paper, and the other plate of the pair can have like apertures for receiving the pin(s). In this way, an effective hole punch can be defined.

The plate with the aperture(s) can have an internal cavity, with which the at least one aperture communicates, to catch the paper cuttings. To allow these to be emptied, the internal cavity can be made open to an edge of the plate.

Preferably, a tray is provided that is insertable into the internal cavity. This will allow the cavity to be closed during use and for the cuttings to be removed in a tidy manner.

It is also preferred that the plate attached to the front face of the file has a stepped surface, comprising at least two surface sections defining a step therebetween, a surface section proximal the spine edge being lower than a surface section distal the spine edge. The step advantageously has a Z-profile.

This allows a sheet of paper to be placed against the step so as to locate it relative to the pins and/or apertures and ensure that the holes formed in the paper are correctly located relative to the edge(s) of the paper sheet.

In a further aspect of the invention, we provide a file for paper comprising at least two rigid panels between which is defined a hole punch for paper, the hole punch comprising a pair of plates with co-operating cutting elements thereon, the rigid panels being relatively moveable to allow operation of the hole punch, wherein one plate of the pair has a ridge formed thereon and the other has a valley thereon, the ridge being placeable in the valley thereby to define a fulcrum for relative rotation of the two plates and hence co-operation of the cutting elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying figures in which; Figure 1 shows a plan view of a file according to the present invention, in a fully open state; Figure 2 shows a side view of the file of figure 1; Figure 3 shows a plan view of the file of figure 1 with the flap closed; Figure 4 shows a side view of the file of figure 2; and Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the plates forming the hole punch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Figures 1-4 show a file 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figures 1 and 2 show the file fully open and figures 3 and 4 show the file with the hole punch 12 thereof in a closed state.

The file 10 is based around a conventional lever arch file. Thus, there is a rear cover 14 which is oversized with respect to an A4 sheet of paper, an example of which is shown in dotted lines at 16. The rear face 14 has a pair of upstanding rings 18, 20 which act as a retention means for paper 16. These can be opened and closed via a suitable lever (not shown), the operation of which is entirely conventional in the art. Paper 16 can be slid along the rings 18, 20 to an opposing position 22 thereby opening a bundle of paper on the rings for reading or other inspection.

A spine edge 24 is attached to the long edge of the rear cover 14 adjacent to the rings 18, 20. The spine edge 24 and the rear cover 14 are attached via a flexible hinge 26 which allows for repeated relative rotation of the two parts as will be inherent in opening the file. A front cover 28 is attached to the opposing long edge of the spine edge 24 via a further such hinge 30. The front cover 28 is sized generally the same as the rear cover 14, and the spine edge 24 is sized so as to have a width approximately the same as the height of the rings 18, 20.

Thus, the file can be closed with the spine edge 24 vertical alongside the rings 18, 20 and the front cover over the paper 16 and protecting it.

The above is, of course, a description of a conventional lever-arch file.

Many variants on the design of a lever arch file are already known in the art, and these and other variants can be applied to the above description. For example, the precise size of the file can be varied to suit the size and the number of sheets of paper to be retained within the file, as can be size, disposition and number of rings 18, 20.

The file shown in figures 1 -4 is distinguished by a flap 32 that is attached to the long edge of the front cover 28 opposed to the spine edge 24.

The flap is attached to the front cover 28 via a further hinge arrangement 34 which, in this case, includes a short spine section 36 in order to adjust the spacing between the front cover 28 and the flap 32 when the flap is closed as shown in figures 3 and 4. A pair of plates 38, 40 are affixed to the inside faces of the flap 32 and the front cover 28, respectively, and these together define the hole punch 12. A fulcrum is formed by a ridge 42 on the first plate 38 together with a corresponding valley 44 on the second plate 40. These two parts are not directly connected to each other, so the flap 32 can be opened, separating the first and second plates 38, 40. However, when the flap 32 is closed, the ridge 42 projects into the valley 44 and as both have matching circular-section profiles the first and second plates 38, 40 can be rotated relative to each other about this profile. The flexibility of the hinge arrangement 34 between the flap 32 and front cover 28 allows for this movement.

The second plate 40 has a pair of apertures 46, 48, and the first plate 38 has a pair of upstanding pins 50, 52. The respective pins 50, 52 and apertures 46, 48 are placed in corresponding locations so that when the flap 32 is closed and the ridge 42 is engaged in the valley 44, rotation of the first and second plates 38, 40 about the fulcrum defined by the ridge 42 and valley 44 causes the pins 50, 52 to project into the apertures 46, 48. Further, the locations of the pins 50, 52 and apertures 46, 48 correspond to the locations of the rings 18, 20.

Thus, a sheet of paper placed between the first and second plates 38, 40 will be punched with a pair of holes by the pins 50, 52 in locations corresponding to the rings 18, 20. The clipping will be pushed into the apertures 46, 48. To assist this, the extremities of the pins 50, 52 may be shaped or sharpened so as to assist in cutting the paper sheet, in a manner generally known in the field of hole punches for paper.

The lower plate 40 has a stepped profile. A first surface section 54 is defined proximate to the hinged section 34, and the second surface section 56 is defined distal from the hinged section 34. The apertures 46, 48 are on the second surface section 56 whereas the valley 44 is on the first surface section 54. Between the two surface sections there is a step 58, which is of a Z-profile in that there is a small recess underneath the step 58. This allows a sheet of paper to be introduced into the slight recess of the step 58 and positively located in place. This enables the sheet edge to be accurately located relative to the apertures 46, 48 and thereby ensures accurate placing of the punched holes relative to the edge of the sheet.

To locate the punched holes on the sheet in the vertical direction, ie transverse to the edge located in the step 58, the lip 60 is defined at one end of the hole punch. This, together with the step 58 defines a corner into which the corner of the paper can be located. Thus, accurate positioning of the punched holes on the paper sheet is ensured.

For paper sheets of other dimensions such as A5, markers 62, 64 are provided on the first surface section 54 adjacent the step 58. These allow a differently sized sheet to be aligned by eye in approximately the correct vertical disposition. Positioning of the punched holes relative to the edge of such a sheet of paper is of course still ensured by the step 58.

It was mentioned above that the clippings from the sheet are pressed into the apertures 46, 48. Accordingly, the second plate 40 is made hollow in at least the area beneath the apertures 46, 48. This allows the clippings to be accommodated within such a space and provides increased longevity of the hole punch 12 between cleaning operations. To assist further in the removal of clippings, the cavity 66 within the second plate 40 is made open to one edge and contains a tray 68 (see fig 5) which can be withdrawn through that opening. A small tab 70 is provided along the edge of the tray to assist in withdrawal. The tray can then be emptied into a suitable waste receptacle and re-inserted into the cavity 66.

Figure 5 shows the two plates 38, 40 which make up the hole punch 12, in an exploded form. It can be seen that when the two plates are brought together at the fulcrum defined by the ridge 42 and the valley 44, the pins 50, 52 will project into the apertures 46, 48 and pierce a sheet of paper placed between the plates. This will then form punched holes in the sheet, allowing them to be placed on the rings 18, 20.

After punching, the chads will be pressed through the apertures 46, 48 and will fall into the tray 68. Once this is full, it can be withdrawn from the side of the lower plate 40 by pulling on the tab 70.

As will be apparent from figure 1, the layout of the file and hole punch is especially advantageous in that, once the file is open as shown, a new piece of paper can be placed into the hole punch 12 and then moved horizontally rightwards to the rings 18, 20. No movement or rotation of the file is needed.

No other papers need be moved. In the known combined file/hole punches described above, there must always be some manipulation of the file and/or the papers therein in order to add a new piece of paper. Given that the lightweight hole punches that are suitable for such use are generally capable of punching only a small number of paper sheets simultaneously, this manipulation is

tiresome and hinders their applicability.

Further, the design of the hole punch 12 allows for guide edges 58, 60 which allow accurate location of the punched holes within the sheet of paper.

Known hole punches require the user to position the paper, which will lead to a lesser accuracy. This, in turn, leads to a stack of paper on the rings 18, 20 that is less neat and less able to protect the paper from damage to its edges.

It will of course be understood that many variations may be made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A file for paper comprising a front face and a rear face connected along a spine edge, a retention means for paper upstanding from the rear face, and a flap attached to a free edge of the front face opposed to the spine edge, the inner faces of the flap and the front face having co-operative means defining a hole punch for paper sheets.

2. A file according to claim 1 in which the front face and the rear face are rigid.

3. A file according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the spine edge comprises a rigid strip.

4. A file according to any one of the preceding claims in which the front face and the flap are connected via a flap spine.

5. A file according to any one of the preceding claims in which the co-operative means on front face and the flap comprise a pair of opposed rigid plates.

6. A file according to claim 5 in which one rigid plate of the pair has a ridge and the other rigid plate of the pair has a corresponding valley in which the ridge can locate thereby to define a fulcrum for relative rotation of the pair of plates.

7. A file according to claim 6 in which the ridge and the valley have arcuate surfaces.

8. A file according to claim 7 in which the arcuate surfaces are circular in section.

9. A file according to claim 7 or claim 8 in which the arcuate surfaces are matching.

10. A file according to any one of claims 5 to 9 in which one plate of the pair has at least one pin for forming a hole in a sheet of paper.

11. A file according to claim 10 in which the other plate of the pair has at least one aperture for receiving the at least one pin.

12. A file according to claim 11 in which the other plate has an internal cavity with which the at least one aperture communicates.

13. A file according to claim 12 in which the internal cavity of the other plate is open to an edge of the plate in which it is formed.

14. A file according to claim 13 in which a tray is provided, the tray being insertable into the internal cavity.

15. A file according to any one of claims 5 to 14 in which the plate attached to the front face has a stepped surface comprising at least two surface sections defining a step therebetween, a surface section proximal the spine edge being lower than a surface section distal the spine edge.

16. A file according to claim 15 in which the step has a Z-profile.

17. A file for paper comprising at least two rigid panels between which is defined a hole punch for paper, the hole punch comprising a pair of plates with co-operating cutting elements thereon, the rigid panels being relatively moveable to allow operation of the hole punch, wherein one plate of the pair has a ridge formed thereon and the other has a valley thereon, the ridge being placeable in the valley thereby to define a fulcrum for relative rotation of the two plates and hence co-operation of the cutting elements.

18. A file substantially as described herein with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying figures.