US20060108299A1

US20060108299A1 - Support for file holders

Info

Publication number: US20060108299A1
Application number: US11/250,895
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis Menard
Original assignee: Nicolet Plastique Ltd
Current assignee: Nicolet Plastique Ltd
Priority date: 2004-11-22
Filing date: 2005-10-14
Publication date: 2006-05-25
Also published as: EP1658998A1; CA2486854A1

Abstract

Disclosed is a support for hanging file holders, which is devised to be installed into the top of a piece of furniture such as a table, a desk or a shelf, or into any other flat surface, in order to hang and store in a very easy and fast manner file holders. This support comprises a frame devised to be installed into an opening made in the piece of furniture or flat surface. The frame has an upper portion with an external rim that lies on edges of the opening when the frame is inserted into this opening. The frame also has a lower portion provided with internal J-shaped foldings for use to hang file holders. The support also comprises a lid pivotably mounted into the frame in order to close the same and protect the file holders hung therein. Preferably, the frame is devised in such manner as to be capable of hanging file holders of “A” format or “Letters” format in one direction and file holders of “Legal” format in another perpendicular direction.

Description

FILED OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a support for hanging file holders, which support is devised to be installed onto a piece of furniture such as a table, a desk or a shelf, or any other flat surface.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

In the field of conventional pieces of furniture, it is usually necessary to use boxes or compartments in order to provide supplemental storage spaces for hanging file holders without unduly restricting the spaces already existing on the pieces of furniture. Such involves the addition of structural elements that make more complex and longer the assembly of the piece of furniture. Moreover, the weight of each piece of furniture when packaged, is much higher. In addition, to have access to a printer wherein the paper is loaded at the rear, one must install the printer onto a sliding platform instead of a rigid platform. This may affect the structure of the piece of furniture and call for expensive hardware.

SOMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a support for hanging file holders, which solves the above-mentioned problem.
More specifically, the invention is directed to a support for hanging file holders, which is devised to be install in a very simple manner on the top surface of a piece of furniture such as a table, a desk or a shelf, or onto any other kind of flat surface, in order to hang and store in a very easy and fast manner file holders or any other kind of holders of conventional structure.
The support for hanging file holders according to the invention basically comprises:

- a frame devised to be installed into an opening made into the flat surface, said frame having an upper portion with an external rim that lies on edges of the opening made into the flat surface when said frame is inserted onto this opening, the frame also having a lower portion provided with internal J-shaped folding for use to hang the file holders; and
- a closing lid pivotably mounted onto the frame in order to close the same and protect the file folders hung therein.

Preferably, the frame is sized to allow hanging of file holders of “A” format or “Letter” format in one direction, and to allow hanging of file holders of “Legal” format in another perpendicular direction.
The structure of this support for hanging file holders, its operation as well as its advantages will be better understood upon reading the following non-restrictive description of a preferred embodiment thereof, made with reference with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a support for hanging file holders according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, this support being shown with its lid in open position;
FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing several file holders of “A” formats or Letters” format hung in parallel relationship in one direction;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing several file holders of “Legal” format hung in parallel relationship in another perpendicular direction;
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the way the file holders may be installed within the frame;
FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view showing the way the hooks of the file holders may be hung onto the J-shaped folding of the frame;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the frame of the support shown in the previous figures;
FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the frame of the support shown in the previous figures;
FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the frame of the support shown in the previous figures;
FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a corner of the frame shown in FIG. 6; and
FIG. 10 is a side elevational view showing the way the lid of the support may close the frame.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The support 1 for hanging file holders according to the invention as shown in the drawings comprises a frame 3 intended to be inserted into an opening previously cut into the top surface of a flat panel having a thickness that may vary. Such a top surface may actually be part of a piece of furniture such as a desk, a table, a shelf or any other element.
The frame 3 is provided with an upper portion having an external rim 5 whose purpose is essentially to hang it into the opening and hide any imperfections that may remain after the panel has been cut to make the opening.
The frame 3 also has a lower portion with an internal J-shaped folding 7, on which may be hang the hooks extending at the ends of file holders 9 of “A” format or “Letters” format in one direction (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 4), or of file holders 11 of “Legal” format in another perpendicular direction.
The space that exists between the lower portion and the upper portion of the frame permits the use of identification tags onto the file holders without risk for said tags of being scratched from the same. (see FIG. 5).
The frame 3 is covered by a lid 13 which is pivotably mounted with hinges. The purpose of the lid is to protect the content of the frame and prevent that unwanted objects falls inadvertently within the same.
The support 1 disclosed hereinabove is very light and the portion of the panel of the piece of furniture which is to be cut for installation purpose can be reused for another purpose. So, if the sawing is made before the piece of furniture is packed at the request of the buyer, the handling and expedition costs may be reduced because the weight of the piece of furniture is lower.
The support 1 according to the invention is advantageously made of plastic material and manufactured in a two parts mold without needs of expensive mechanical components. Such permits to achieve good production output.

Claims

1. A support for hanging file holders, said support being devised to be installed on to a flat surface and comprising:

a frame devised to be installed into an opening made into the flat surface, said frame having an upper portion with an external rim that lies on edges of the opening made into the flat surface when said frame is inserted onto said opening, said frame also comprising a lower portion provided with internal J-shaped folding for use to hang the file holders; and

a closing lid pivotably mounted onto the frame in order to close the same and protect the file folders hung therein.

2. The support of claim 1, wherein the frame is sized to allow hanging of file holders of “A” format or “Letter” format in one direction, and to allow hanging of file holders of “Legal” format in another perpendicular direction.

3. The support of claim 1, wherein said support is made of molded plastic material.

4. The support of claim 2, wherein said support is made of molded plastic material.