MXPA00010429A - Binder with elastic gusset - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a binder or portfolio (10) for carrying looseleaf paper, books, school supplies, etc. wherein said binder includes an expandable gusset (18) attached to the front (12) and back covers (14) of the binder. The covers (12, 14) of the binder are foldably attached to a central spine (16) and the gusset is split into two sections running along the periphery of the inner sides of the covers. The gusset is provided with a means for releasable attachment (24) such that when the front cover of the binder is folded over the back cover of the binder, the two sections of the gusset may be attached to one another, thereby securing the contents of the binder inside. Preferably, the gusset is made from an elastic material such as neoprene and the releasable means of attachment is a zipper-type closure. This construction of the gusset from an expandable material allows oversized objects such as larger textbooks to be placed in the binder without damaging the structural integrity of the gusset and the binder when the binder is fastened shut. An embodiment is disclosed wherein the covers are provided with a window also substantially formed from an elastic material, further increasing the expandability of the binder. Means for securing such a gusset to a binder are also provided, specifically a means for biasing the gusset outward of the binder so that the gusset does not interfere with the insertion of items into the binder. This outward biasing of the gusset also facilitates the securing of the two portions of the gusset by the releasable closure means.

Description

FOLDER WITH ELASTIC REINFORCEMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION • The invention relates to a portfolio or folder for carrying papers, books, school supplies, etc., which has a reinforcement made of neoprene or a similar elastic material located essentially between the front and back covers of Folder. The reinforcement has the ability to be extended to accommodate any large or large item that is placed inside the folder. More particularly, the present invention relates to a folder in which an extendable reinforcement is incorporated between the front and rear covers of the folder, the reinforcement has a front portion and a rear portion corresponding to the front and rear covers of the folder, and the reinforcement includes a closing mechanism that releasably secures the two portions of the reinforcement together, thus enclosing the contents of the folder. In the past, there have been folders and portfolios with zippers to hold loose items inside the folder.

In the U.S. Patent No. 2,778,397 an example of this type of folders is illustrated, which illustrates a cover for a loose-leaf notebook or its like. The cover is composed of a unitary piece of leather and closed by means of a zipper. U.S. Patent No. 2,755,837 discloses a portfolio for storing personal papers with a back portion with a pair of side panels that are connected by a sliding lock. Yet, another example is shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,173,120, which discloses a portfolio with • Front and rear flexible boards, preferably made of leather, separated by a flexible split reinforcement with a zipper mechanism to close the reinforcement. A tension member is employed to assist the flexible components and the reinforcement to retain the desired shape. While many of the prior art folders have many advantages, there is still the need to design folders that are flexible, durable, firm and inexpensive to manufacture. In addition, it would be desirable to have a folder that has the capacity to store a large amount of material, to the point of having more items than it supports its capacity, without damaging the structural integrity of the folder. Also, it is desirable to have a folder that includes a reinforcement that is generally kept upright when the folder is completely open, so CL allows easy access to the contents of the folder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, a folder or briefcase is provided with an extensible reinforcement made of elastomeric material. More particularly, the invention provides a folder or briefcase comprising a cover front and back joined by bending with a central spine that * ~ ^^ '? ^ ~ - -. - ..-.-? -. ^ ,, ^^ has an extensible reinforcement essentially formed of a resilient, flexible material. The reinforcement has a front portion attached to the periphery of the underside of the front cover, and a portion • rear attached to the periphery of the underside of the rear cover, in wherein the two portions of the reinforcement can be releasably secured to one another when, the front cover is folded over the back cover. The folder of the present invention is equipped with a ring-type closure to secure loose-leaf papers, However, in the portfolio the ring closure is omitted so • that the covers enclose a generally open area for loading loose objects and papers. While the following description refers to the embodiment of the invention which is a folder, those skilled in the art will recognize that the The following description can be applied in a similar way in portfolios. In a preferred embodiment, the covers of the folder include a cushioned member made of an appropriate material, cone • a high-density pearlescent foam, attached to a rigid polyethylene board that is covered with a durable fabric, such as nylon. From Preferably, the front and rear portions of the reinforcement are incorporated within the folder in a manner such as to allow the reinforcement to remain upright when the folder is fully open, so as to provide free access to the content. While it is contemplated that they can be many kinds of closure to ensure front and back portions of the reinforcement when the folder or portfolio is folded in a closed position, in a preferred embodiment a zipper type closure is employed. This zipper closure can have any of • the different existing configurations, among which find the type of closed end, open end type or a combination of these two. In another embodiment of the invention, the elastic material is also incorporated in the form of a window in the front and / or back cover of the folder to provide an additional capacity ce expansion. Also, within the scope of the invention s, e • find a modality in which the front and back covers are covered almost completely with elastic material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 15 Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a folder or briefcase with an elastic reinforcement in accordance with the present invention.

• Figure 2 is a plan view of the upper part of the closed folder of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the folder of the Figure 2. Figure 4 is a schematic, side, elevated, coite view of the folder of Figure 2, taken on line 4-4. Figure 5 is a schematic, side, elevated, sectional view of the alternative embodiment of a folder in accordance with the present invention. Figure 6 is a schematic, side, elevated, sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a folder in accordance with the • present invention. Figure 7 is a plan view of the upper part of the closed folder of Figure 2, with an extensible window feature in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 10 With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the folder or portfolios, • generally marked with the number 10, of the present invention includes a front cover 12, a rear cover 4, a central spine 16 with an upper part 2 and a lower part 4 and two sides 6, 8 and an extendable reinforcement 18, made preferably of a material elastomeric foamy neoprene. The front cover 12 and the rear cover 14 are separated from one another by means of the central spine 16 and the extendable reinforcement 18. The extensible reinforcement 18 is divided into a front portion 20 corresponding to the front cover 12 and a corresponding rear portion 22. to the back cover 14. The two portions of the reinforcement 18 share a zipper 24, which can be closed to secure the contents of the folder 10. In a preferred embodiment, the folder 10 has several bags sewn into the interior of the front cover 12. To illustrate The variety of bags that can be used, the embodiment of Figure 1 has bags 26 for computer disks, bags 28 for pencils, and a bag 30 for different items. Computer disks (not shown) are kept inside the bags 26 • for computer disks by means of a flap 32 that is secured by a hook and eye closure 34. A pouch 36 that s = traverses the width of the back cover 14 of the folder 10 of the present invention, is provided for allow the insertion of a tongue for a ring closure (not shown). Alternatively, the ring closure may be sewn into the spine or secured to the spine using rivets or other known insulators in the • technique. While the number and function of the bags described herein are those of a preferred embodiment, it should be clear to a person skilled in the art that any number of combinations can be used, including the elimination of all the bags without departing from the scope of the invention. As mentioned above, the reinforcement 18 of the folder 10 includes a zipper 24 to secure any loose item within the folder 10. When the front cover 12 and the rear cover 14 are folded over one another, that is, they close, the The folder 10 can be secured by the rack 24, which operates in a conventional manner. In this way, the folder is secured by grasping the pull tab 38 of the slidable member A0 and moving the slidable member 40 along the outer periphery of the covers until the slidable member 40 abuts with the sliding member 40. a flexible expansion board 42 fixedly attached to the spine 16 and covers 12, 14 to prevent the covers from bending back when the folder 10 is open. In this way, the folder closes securely. While the • modality shown in Figure 1 shows a folder with a 5-zip type closed end, it should be understood that open-end zippers or zippers with a straight path along one side of the folder or portfolio are also suitable, as well as other different rack arrangements. In addition, the use of closure methods that are not zippers such as a hook and eye, insurance, etc., or a sliding closure called "zip" closure too • are considered within the scope of the present invention. As shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 all the illustrated embodiments have covers 12, 14 which are structurally defined by a rigid board 44, preferably made from polyethylene. The cushioned coating material 46 is found in rigid board 44 and both are covered by a textile material 48. Although other appropriate materials can be used for these • Applications, it has been found that highly durable materiakis such as high density pearlescent foam are preferred for the cushioned material and the nylon fabrics for the textile covers. The use of a cushioned material 46 with rigid board 44 and outer textile cover 48 provides surfaces that are cushioned, and are firm and durable. The underside of the covers 12, 14 is covered with a textile covering material 50 internal, which may be the same material used for the ^ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡External coating. Also, all embodiments employ an extensible reinforcement 18, with a front portion 20 and a rear portion 22, which is made of an elastic material 52. The material 52 • Elastic of the invention is partially composed of an elastomer. The term "elastomer" is used in the sense to define a rubber or synthetic or natural plastic, which can be stretched at room temperature under a low tension (for example, to double its original length) and when releasing the tension, it returns almost immediately to its original length. While 10 many elastomers can be used to form the reinforcement • 18, foam neoprene rubber is preferred. Examples of other suitable materials include those material conventionally marketed as rubber sheets and foam rubber sheets. These materials are convenient because they can be extended in both directions. In a preferred embodiment, the elastic material 52 of the reinforcement 18 has a face 54 of stretchable fabric laminated in at least one • reinforcement side 18. The laminate material can be any suitable fabric such as interwoven fabrics of spandex yarns or a nylon material fabric with bands of elastic material, as long as the laminate is capable of extending with the elastic reinforcement material. The extensible fabric face 54 adds strength and durability to the reinforcement 18, thereby increasing the useful life of the folder 10. It can be laminated on one side of the reinforcement 18, as shown in the modes illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. , or on both sides, cone .táfeli ttÉi in the mode shown in Figure 6. As well as in the modes shown in Figures 4 and 5, if the reinforcement 18 does not have the face 54 of flexible fabric laminated on both sides of the material • 52 elastic, the elastic material 52 can be finished with a textured layer 56, thereby increasing the durability and aesthetic appearance of the reinforcement 18. The textured layer 56 is formed during the manufacture of the elastic material 52 and can be made to resemble a woven material or other design to improve the appearance of the folder. The construction of the portions of the folder 10 of the present invention is practically identical, and as such, by principles of clarity, only the front portion will be described in the following description. In the preferred mode, like? > e shows in Figure 4, the inner coating material 50 is extends to the edge of the cover 12 where it bends over itself and is secured within the outer periphery of the cover by an outer cover joint 58, which simultaneously joins an edge material 60 or a seam tape to along the outer edge of the folder to give the folder uia smooth feel and a finished appearance while protecting the edge of the cover 12. The folded inner liner material 50 extends into the inside of the folder to create a junction board 62 projecting inwardly for the front portion 20 of the binder. 18 elastic reinforcement. An end 63 of the portion 20 front of the elastic reinforcement 18 is bent or rolled inwardly so that it overlaps the inwardly facing junction board 62 and this edge is covered by a seam tape 64 and sewn together with a seam 66. When constructing the folder 10 in • this form, the reinforcement 18 moves out of the folder 10 when it opens flat, as shown in Figure 1. This outward displacement of the reinforcement 18, opposite to the inward shift seen generally in the previous folders, has certain advantages since reinforcement interferes less with access to the contents of the folder. The other end 65 of the surface portion 20 of the reinforcement 18 is folded on itself and joined to the stringer 68 of the rack by the rack member 70 of the rack, which secures the surface portion 20 of the reinforcement 18 with the rack 24 While the joints are shown here as sewn, for example, shown by the strands 66 and 70, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other joining techniques including melting, adhesives, etc. can be used. f * As shown in Figure 5, in an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the inner lining material 50 runs to a point in alignment with the edge of the rigid board 44 where it ends in a rough edge. One end of the front portion 20 of the elastic reinforcement 18 is positioned adjacent the same end of the rigid board 44 and the covering material 50, and the seam tape 60 is wrapped around the edge of the cube and the upper portion 20 of the elastic reinforcement 18 and is sewn into place by an outer cover seam 58. The other end of the front portion 45 of the reinforcement is joined to the rack stringer 68 by a seam 70 of the spar • zipper As shown in Figure 6, in another embodiment of the folder of the present invention, the bead 72, which consists of a bead cord 74 enclosed by a bead view 76, is added to improve edge durability and to provide a good appearance to the covers of the folder. With the purpose of incorporate the bead 72 within the construction of the folder, the face 76 of the bead is wrapped around the bead 74, enclosing the bead cord while leaving a sufficient amount of excess fabric so that the bead 72 s; e can sew inside the front cover 12. The textile cover 48 external extends beyond the end of the rigid board 44 and the cushioned covering material 46 and wraps around the edge. With the bead 72 positioned outside the folder, the excess material of the bead face 76 is placed on the rough edge of the outer textile covering 48 and is coated with an end 63 of the outer fabric. front portion 20 of the reinforcement 18 in a sandwich configuration, and the flipped edge 77 of the inner textile covering 50 is placed on top. All these materials are sewn together by an external seam 58 of the cover which creates a smooth finishing edge. As shown in Figure 7, in an alternative embodiment of the folder of the present invention, a window 78 is cut into the front cover 12 of the folder 10. An elastic board 80 is sewn into the window 78 by stitching 82. of board. He • Elastic board 80 is preferably made of the same elastic material that is used in the reinforcement 18. The window 78 and the corresponding elastic board 80 can have various shapes and sizes, depending on the areas of the folder that will be benefited by the extendable features. While not showing an elastic 80 board incorporated in the rear cover 214 in the Figure 7, this modality is also considered within the • scope of the invention. Still, in another embodiment of the invention, covers 12, 14 are completely covered by elastic material 52. Advantages will be obtained if the external view of the board 80 is of foam neoprene without sight, because the board 30 provides a friction surface that prevents the books from slipping off the surface of the folder, for example when they are loaded under the arm. • While the shape of the apparatus described herein constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that the The invention is not limited to this precise form of the apparatus, and that various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (19)

1. CLAIMS 1. A folder or portfolio comprising a front cover with an internal side and an external side, a back cover • that has an internal side and an external side, a central spine, the spine 5 includes top and bottom ends and two sides, wherein the front cover is joined foldably with one side of the spine and the back cover is attached foldably with the other side of the spine, an extendable reinforcement essentially consists of a material rubber or synthetic or natural plastic, which can stretch extensively to 10 ambient temperature under a light voltage, that when releasing ia • tension, returns almost immediately to approximately its original length; and having a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion of the reinforcement is joined to the periphery of the inner side of the front cover that runs from the Loin top 15 to the bottom of the back and the rear portion of the reinforcement is connected to the periphery of the inner side of the rear cover running from the upper back to the lower part of the back; and a closing means for releasably securing the front portion of the reinforcement with the rear portion of the 20 reinforcement.
2. 2. The folder according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing material is a foam rubber.
3. The folder according to claim 2, wherein the foam rubber is foam neoprene faced on at least one side with an elastic fabric.
4. 4. The folder according to Claim 3, wherein the elastic fabric is spandex.
5. 5. The folder in accordance with Claim 2 or 3, in • where the neoprene is confronted on both sides with a tee 5 elastic.
6. 6. The folder in accordance with any of Claims 3 to 5, wherein one side of the neoprene is textured.
7. 7. The folder in accordance with any of the preceding 10 Claims, wherein the closing means is • consisting of two interlockable rails and slide fastener attached to at least one rail, wherein one rail is connected fixedly with the front portion of the reinforcement and the other of the rails is connected fixedly with the back portion of the reinforcement, 15 so that when the front cover of the folder is bent into a position substantially aligned with the back cover of the folder, the sliding latch can be moved to interlock and • Integrally connect the rails, which closes the folder. 20
8. 8. The folder in accordance with any of the Prior claims, wherein the closure means is a rack.
9. 9. The folder in accordance with any of the preceding Claims, wherein both ends of the 25 zippers are open end zippers. ? M ^ * ~ --á- to ^^^^ * ^ - ^^^^ ma ^
10. 10 The folder according to any of the preceding claims, wherein both ends of the zipper are closed zipper ends. •
11. 11 The folder in accordance with any of the previous Claims, wherein the front cover and the back cover are covered by a cloth material.
12. 12. The folder according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the internal sides of the front and rear covers include a directed junction board 10 inwards to join the front and rear portions of the • backing, the backing is folded inwardly and joins the board, which moves shroud out of the folder
13. 13. The folder according to Claim 12, and; n where the board binding is a fabric.
14. 14. The folder according to claim 13, wherein the fabric material is nylon.
15. 15. The folder in accordance with any of the • Previous claims, wherein the reinforcement is directly attached to the covers 20
16. 16 The folder in accordance with any of the Prior claims, wherein a window is provided in at least one of the front and rear covers and a board of elastic material essentially covers the window.
17. 17. The folder according to claim 16, wherein the front and back covers are covered by n elastic material.
18. 18. The folder in accordance with Claim 16 or Claim 17, which includes a rigid structure for joining • with the front and rear covers and with the center spine.
19. 19. The folder according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the front and rear covers include a cushioned material carried by a rigid board covered with a cloth material. • • ? BKffl s ax 'SUMMARY The invention provides a folder or portfolio (10) for storing loose papers, books, school supplies, etc., where the • folder includes an extendable reinforcement (18) attached to the front 5 (12) and back (14) covers of the folder. The covers (12, 14) of the folder can be joined in a folded form with a central spine (16) and the reinforcement is divided into two sections running along the periphery of the inner sides of the covers. The reinforcement is provided with a means for releasable closure (24) so that 10 when the front cover of the folder is folded over the cover • back of the folder, the two sections of the reinforcement are joined with each other, which ensures the content inside the folder. Preferably, the reinforcement is made of an elastic material such as neoprene and the releasable joining means is a closure 15 type zipper. This construction of the reinforcement of an extensible material allows large objects such as textbooks to be placed inside the folder without damaging the integrity • structural reinforcement and folder when the folder is closed. It shows a modality where the covers are provided with 20 a window also formed essentially of an elastic material, which also increases the extension of the folder. The means for securing the reinforcement is also provided, specifically a means for moving the reinforcement out of the folder so that the reinforcement does not interfere with the insertion of the articles within the structure. 25 folder. This outward displacement of the reinforcement also facilitates the securing of the two portions of the mediant reinforcement; the releasable closure means • • • • - "- •• -> - ~ °? - ~" - * !! ** aJta? -. »^^ ^, - _ ^". ^ .- ^ - ^^ - ^ -