Standing file folder

Abstract

A standing file folder that includes a support structure including a rigid back panel, a base, a front panel and an interior angled support wall positioned above the base and between the front panel and the back panel, and an expandable file section including a plurality of pockets, the expandable file section connected between the front panel and the back panel. The angled support wall forms a bottom support for the plurality of pockets such that the expandable file section is in a tiered configuration.

Description

This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60/632,734 filed Dec. 1, 2004, the entire content of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference thereto.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to a portable, multiple pocket, expandable file folder. In particular, the invention pertains to a file folder that is capable of standing in an upright position on a desktop and that provides improved access to documents contained therein.

2. Background Art

It is known to provide expandable envelopes or folders that include a plurality of individual pockets or compartments for separating documents. Such envelopes or folders must be capable of being shipped or stored in a flat, collapsed state to use shipping or storage space efficiently, and then expanded to receive varying sizes and amounts of contents, such as sheets of paper. Such file folders typically include pockets defined by divider panels of the same size which tend to obscure the identifying indicia located on documents so that, in order to find pertinent documents, a user must at least partially remove documents from their pocket sections for review.

Thus, there remains a need for new file folders that can separate documents and make effective use of available space while facilitating the identification of documents and providing easy access to them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a standing file folder, comprising a support structure including a rigid back panel, a base, a front panel and an interior angled support wall positioned above the base and between the front panel and the back panel, and an expandable file section including a plurality of pockets, the expandable file section connected between the front panel and the back panel, wherein the angled support wall forms a bottom support for the plurality of pockets such that the expandable file section is in a tiered configuration.

If desired, the file folder can further comprise a front flap hingedly connected to a top edge of the front panel and moveable from a closed position to an open position to access the pockets. The front flap is advantageously configured and dimensioned to support the standing file folder upright in the open position. Also, a support flap associated with the front panel and the front flap can be included, with the support flap including a notch configured to engage with an edge of the front flap to provide support for the front flap when the file is in the open position.

The expandable file section preferably includes first and second accordion-pleated side walls and a plurality of divider panels connected to inside edges of the first and second accordion-pleated side walls.

If desired, the file folder can include a closure device for releasably securing a closure portion of the front flap to a closure area of the rigid back panel. The closure device preferably comprises at least one snap fastener, so that the file folder can be opened by unfastening the closure device and folding the front flap downwardly such that the closure portion rests on a surface to further support the standing file folder upright in the open position.

Another optional feature of the invention is a handle associated with the closure portion of the front flap and the closure area of the back panel and configured to hide the closure device from view. This handle may be hingedly connected to one of the rigid back panel or the front flap. Alternatively, a handle may be associated with a closure portion of the front flap.

A preferred feature of the invention is the inclusion of a retractable accessories drawer located above the base and below the angled wall. This drawer can include finger notches to facilitate gripping and removal.

The front flap of the folder is preferably includes an angled transparent portion positioned to permit viewing of the contents of the pockets when the front flap is in the closed position, although the folder can be made of at least one of cardboard, plastic, elastomer, or composite material or combinations thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects, purposes and advantages of the invention will become clear after reading the following description with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a generally front and left side perspective view of an embodiment of a standing file folder according to the invention in the closed and upright position;

FIG. 1B is a left side view of the file folder shown in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is a front and left side perspective view of the file folder of FIG. 1A in the standing and open position; and

FIG. 2B is a left side view of the open file folder of FIG. 2A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, like numerals are used to designate like parts.

FIG. 1A is a generally front and left side perspective view of an embodiment of a standing file folder 10 in the closed and upright position, wherein a bottom wall 21 of the folder is seated on a flat surface 7. The file folder 10 includes a front flap 12 having a closure portion 14, an angled portion 16, and a folding portion 17 hinged along a fold line 18. The file folder 10 also includes a rigid front panel 19 connected to the front flap at the fold line 18. In this embodiment, an elastomeric carry handle 11 is included on the closure portion 14. In addition, the angled portion 16 is preferably made of a transparent or translucent material so that a user can view the interior file pockets to generally determine the contents of the folder 10. Also located on the front portion of the file folder 10 is a support flap 20 having a notch 23, which will be explained herein.

FIG. 1B is a left side view of the file folder 10 of FIG. 1A. It should be understood that the right side view of the file folder 10 is a mirror image of the left side, and thus the right side representation has not been included herein. A rigid back panel 15 is connected to the bottom wall 21, which in turn is connected to the bottom edge of the front panel 19. The rigid back panel 15 includes a closure area 22 that is opposite the closure portion 14 of the front flap 12.

The front flap 12, front panel 19, bottom wall 21, and back panel 15 may be an integrated, one-piece structure. An interior expandable file portion 40 (see also, FIG. 2A) is located between the front panel 19 and the back panel 15. The expandable file portion 40 includes a first accordion-pleated side wall 26, a second accordion-pleated wall (not shown), a plurality of divider panels 30, and an angled support wall 32. Although six divider panels are shown in FIG. 2A, any number can be used with between four and twenty-four being preferred. Advantageously, the divider panels can all be of the same size so that documents placed therein are positioned at the same depth within the pockets. This is a significant improvement over the use of different sized dividers with a flat bottom, for example, since in that type folder, documents can be hard to see when placed in the deeper pockets.

Front and rear edge portions of the first and second accordion-pleated side walls are connected to the front panel 19 and to the back wall 15. The angled support wall 32 has a back edge connected to an inside portion of the back panel at a preset distance from the bottom wall 21, and a front edge connected near or adjacent to an inside portion of the bottom of the front panel 19. The angled support wall 32 provides an angled supporting surface for documents or other items placed within the file folder 10. Consequently, documents placed within the pockets of the expandable file section 40 are arranged on an inclined surface, which is known as a “stadium-seating” arrangement, so that the items are tiered for improved viewing of the pockets and easy access to the documents therein. Also, the same sized documents are provided in the same vertical position in each pocket due to the uniform height of the divider members.

In a preferred embodiment, the folder includes a member for closing the pockets to retain the documents therein. In one embodiment, the closure portion 14 and closure area 22 support a button and snap fastener, which will be explained herein. However, other fastener arrangements may be configured to either secure the front flap 12 in the closed position as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, or to permit the file folder to be opened (as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B). In particular, the front flap 12 is moveable when unfastened to fold outward and/or downward, as will be explained herein.

FIG. 2A is a front and left side perspective view of the file folder 10 of FIG. 1A in the upright and open position. A user unfastens the closure portion 14 from the closure area 22 of the back panel by grasping the elastomeric carry handle 11, and then unfastening two snap buttons 30 and 31 that are located between two half-portions of the handle. In alternate configurations, the handle 11 may be hingedly connected to the rigid back 15, or may be attached in other ways, or may be totally removable. In this embodiment, the snap buttons are hidden between the two handle portions in a central area of the closure portion, but may be located in other locations along the closure portion 14 as desired, based, for example, on aesthetic or other considerations. Conversely, the folder need not contain a handle to provide the benefits disclosed herein, as the handle is required for facilitating transport of the folder.

Referring again to FIG. 2A, the closure device includes male portions 30 and 31 of the snap buttons located on the closure portion 14, and female receptacles 32 and 33 located on the closure area 22 of the back panel 15. A user unfastens the snap buttons from the receptacles and then pulls the closure portion 14 away from the closure area 22 of the rigid back 15, and folds the front flap 12 about fold line 18 forward and downward to uncover the expandable portion 40. As shown, portions of the closure portion 14 and angled portion 16 may rest on a surface 7 when the front flap 12 is fully opened.

FIG. 2B is a left side view of the open file folder 10 of FIG. 2A. The expandable file portion 40 includes a plurality of separate pockets 41 to 47, wherein each pocket is defined by two divider panels 35, the first and second accordion-pleated side walls and the angled support wall 32. In a preferred embodiment, the bottom end of each divider panel is connected to the angled support wall 32, and the two opposite side edges of each divider panel are connected to the first and second accordion-pleated side walls. The accordion-pleated side walls are expandable, as shown, and may be formed by providing folds in the material in a conventional manner. The construction of the expandable file portion 40 thus permits the pockets formed therein to expand as items are added, and contract as items are removed. Each divider panel may also include a tab 50 or tabs that could be marked to identify the items contained within a particular pocket and that can be used to assist in opening the pockets.

Again referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, it should also be noted that the support flap 20 has been folded outwardly away from the front panel 19 so that the notch 23 engages with an edge 25 of the folding portion 17. The flap 20 can be locked in this position to form a support structure similar to a kick-stand, to add stability to the file 10 when it is in the open and upright position as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Thus, a file folder 10 containing many documents or items will be less likely to tip and/or fall over towards the closure portion 14.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, a retractable accessories drawer 60 is provided. The accessories drawer 60 is housed in between the bottom wall 21 and the angled wall 32 and is configured to accommodate common items for use with documents, such as pencils and erasers. The accessories drawer may include finger notches 62 to facilitate gripping, and is capable of sliding into and out of the bottom or base portion of the file folder 10 as shown. Accessories housed within the drawer 60 are easily accessible to the user. When removed from the base portion, the accessories drawer can be used as a tray for retaining the accessories therein. The accessories drawer 60 may be made out of foam rubber or other soft material to impart a cushioning effect at the flat bottom wall 20 which is designed to rest on a surface such as a desktop. A releasable retaining mechanism (not shown) may be included to retain the accessories drawer 60 in a closed position within the file folder 10 when not in use, to prevent the contents from accidentally spilling out when the file folder is being transported.

In a preferred embodiment, the pockets 41-47 are tiered so that a user can easily view and access the contents of each pocket. The tiered or stadium-seating configuration is provided by the angled wall 32 located above the bottom wall 21 of the folder. In particular, the first and second accordion-pleated side walls 26, 28 and the divider panels 35 are connected at their bottom edges to the angled top wall 33 which provides the stadium-seating structure as shown. In addition, at least the angled portion 16 of the front flap 12 is preferably made of a translucent or transparent material to permit a user to see into the pockets of the file folder without having to unfasten the front flap. Plastic materials are preferred for this purpose.

It is contemplated that the file folder 10 may be dimensioned to accept documents or sheets of paper, but could also be of larger or smaller dimensions to accept other items. The various components of the file folder may primarily be made of a cardboard material, or of other materials such as light-weight plastic, urethane foam sheet stock material, durable and semi-rigid plastic material, a polymer sheet stock material, a rubber material, an elastomer material, a durable composite material and/or combinations of such materials. Various or all components of such a file folder 10 may be injection molded from plastic using known techniques.

Again referring to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A to 2B, the closure device shown is a snap closure arrangement. But other fasteners, such as a polymer zipper arrangement that includes a slider on the top wall closure portion 14 of the front flap 12 and a track on the upper portion of the rigid back 15, could be used. Furthermore, other closure arrangements and/or devices could also be used, such as hook and loop fasteners, or a magnetic fastener, or a fastener that utilizes interlocking lids, so long as the closure portion 14 of the front flap 12 is releasably secured to the closure area 22 of the rigid back panel 15 in a manner to protect and hold the contents within the pockets of the file folder 10.

One of skill in the art would understood that, although six pockets are shown in the configurations shown in the figures, more or less pockets could be formed depending on such considerations as the overall size of the file folder 10 and its intended use. That is, the expandable pocket section 40 may be larger or smaller as needed according to various design considerations.

Although a particular embodiment has been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that various changes and modifications could be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A standing file folder, comprising:

a support structure including a rigid back panel, a base, a front panel and an interior angled support wall positioned above the base and between the front panel and the back panel; and

an expandable file section including a plurality of pockets, the expandable file section connected between the front panel and the back panel, wherein the angled support wall forms a bottom support for the plurality of pockets such that the expandable file section is in a tiered configuration.

2. The file folder of claim 1, further comprising a front flap hingedly connected to a top edge of the front panel and moveable from a closed position to an open position to access the pockets.

3. The file folder of claim 2, wherein the front flap is configured and dimensioned to support the standing file folder upright in the open position.

4. The file folder claim 3, further comprising a support flap associated with the front panel and the front flap, the support flap including a notch configured to engage with an edge of the front flap to provide support for the front flap when the file is in the open position.

5. The file folder of claim 1, wherein the expandable file section includes first and second accordion-pleated side walls and a plurality of divider panels connected to inside edges of the first and second accordion-pleated side walls.

6. The file folder of claim 1, further comprising a closure device for releasably securing a closure portion of the front flap to a closure area of the rigid back panel.

7. The file folder of claim 6, wherein the closure device comprises at least one snap fastener.

8. The file folder of claim 6, wherein the file folder is opened by unfastening the closure device and folding the front flap downwardly such that the closure portion rests on a surface to further support the standing file folder upright in the open position.

9. The file folder of claim 6, further comprising a handle associated with the closure portion of the front flap and the closure area of the back panel and configured to hide the closure device from view.

10. The file folder of claim 9, wherein the handle is hingedly connected to one of the rigid back panel or the front flap.

11. The file folder of claim 1, further comprising a handle associated with a closure portion of the front flap.

12. The file folder of claim 1, further comprising a retractable accessories drawer located above the base and below the angled wall.

13. The file folder of claim 12, wherein the accessories drawer includes finger notches to facilitate gripping.

14. The file folder of claim 1, wherein the front flap further comprises an angled transparent portion positioned to permit viewing of the contents of the pockets when the front flap is in the closed position.

15. The file folder of claim 1, wherein the folder is made of at least one of cardboard, plastic, elastomer, or composite material or combinations thereof.