Document management system

Abstract

A document management system. The system includes a pegboard including a plurality of holes arranged in rows and columns, at least one hanging folder having a first cover and a second cover connected at a fold line, each of the first and second covers including a pair of hanging members extending laterally therefrom, and first and second clip supports, each clip support including an attachment member integrally connected to at least one arm. Each arm is oriented generally perpendicularly to the attachment member and includes first and second retainers for positively locating the hanging members of the first and second covers of a hanging folder relatively to the at least one arm. Each attachment member includes an engagement member integral to the attachment member for engaging at least one of the holes of the peg board.

Description

INTRODUCTION

Various systems for storing and/or displaying hanging folders are known.

Although the existing systems can be satisfactory for their intended purposes, there is still a need for hanging folder systems that are efficient, inexpensive and easy to use.

SUMMARY

The present teachings provide a document management system. The system includes a peg board including a plurality of holes arranged in rows and columns, at least one hanging folder having a first cover and a second cover connected at a fold line, each of the first and second covers including a pair of hanging members extending laterally therefrom, and first and second clip supports, each clip support including an attachment member integrally connected to at least one arm. Each arm is oriented generally perpendicularly to the attachment member and includes first and second retainers for positively locating the hanging members of the first and second covers of a hanging folder relatively to the arm. Each attachment member includes an engagement member integral to the attachment member for engaging at least one of the holes of the peg board.

The present teachings also provide a kit for mounting hanging folders on a peg board. The kit includes a plurality of hanging folders, at least one peg board having a plurality of holes, a plurality of single-arm clip supports, and a plurality of multi-arm clip supports. Each single-arm clip support includes an attachment member and a single arm integrally extending from the attachment member, each attachment member defining at least one peg board engagement member. Each single arm suspends and positively locates a hanging member of one of the hanging folders. Each multiple-arm clip support includes an attachment member and at least two arms, each arm integrally extending from the attachment member, each attachment member defining at least one peg board engagement member. Each arm of the multiple-arm clip supports suspends and positively locates a hanging member of one of the hanging folders.

The present teachings further provide a method of hanging folders on a peg board. The method includes providing a peg board and at least one hanging folder, providing first and second clip supports, each clip support comprising an attachment member integrally connected to at least one arm, mounting the first and second clip supports on the peg board, the attachment members of the first and second clip supports in a parallel and spaced apart configuration for accommodating a width of a hanging folder, hanging at least one hanging folder between the attachment members of the first and second clip supports, and retaining the at least one folder on corresponding arms of the first and second clip supports.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a document management system according to the present teachings, the system illustrating multi-arm clip supports;

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a document management system according to the present teachings, the system illustrating single-arm clip supports;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a document management system according to the present teachings, the system illustrating a single-arm clip support; and

FIG. 5 is a detail of a clip support for a document management system according to the present teachings.

DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS ASPECTS

The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary document management system 100 according to the present teachings is illustrated mounted on a peg board 102 that includes a plurality of holes 104 arranged in rows and columns. The document management system 100 can include two or more clip supports 130. The clip supports 130 can be mounted on peg holes 104 of the peg board 102 using engagement members 140, illustrated in FIG. 5. The clip supports 130 can be spaced apart relative to each other at distances that can accommodate hanging folders 120 of various widths and sizes. Each hanging folder includes first and second covers 110, 112 connected at a fold line 115.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, each clip support 130 can include an attachment member 106 integrally coupled with one or more arms 108. The attachment member 106 can be mounted on the peg board 102 with one or more engagement members 140, as shown in FIG. 5. Each engagement member 140 can be integrally or modularly coupled at a back surface of the attachment member 106. In particular, the engagement member 140 can be molded as one piece with the clip support 130. Each engagement member 140 can included as integral portions an upper and upward curved extension or hook 142 and a lower straight peg 144. The hook 142 is inserted at an angle through one of the holes 104 of the peg board 102, and then rotated such that the peg 144 is received straight into another hole 104 of the peg board 102 further below.

Each arm 108 can include at least two spaced apart retainers 114, 116 for receiving oppositely extending hanging members 124, 126 associated each of with the front and back covers 110, 112 of each folder 120. The hanging members 124, 126 extend laterally from each of the front and back covers 110, 112 and can be separate members, or can also be respective ends of integral longitudinal elements 122, such as, for example, the end hooks of the hanging strips that are used in hanging folders of the type sold under the trademarks Pentaflex®, Duo-Tang®, or other similar hanging folders 120. The retainers 114,116 can be grooves, as shown, or other retaining devices, such as separate clips, or other devices included within the grooves, and can include snap-in, detent, spring or other retention mechanisms and combinations thereof. The retainers 114, 116 can be configured to resist accidental disengagement of the hanging members 124, 126, as shown in FIG. 5, which illustrates the retainers 114, 116 as grooves or channels provided with disengagement-resisting hooks or extensions 150.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the clip support 130 can be a multi-arm clip support that includes a plurality of arms 108 integrally extending from the attachment member 106. In particular, the arms 108 can be molded as one piece with the attachment member. The arms 108 can extend at an angle, such as a ninety-degree angle, from the attachment member 106, and can be oriented substantially parallel to one another. The multi-arm clip supports 130 can be used to mount a plurality of folders 120 in a nested configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of single-arm clip supports 130 that are arranged in a collective configuration 107 or singly 109 are illustrated. Each single-arm clip support 130 includes a single arm 108 integrally extending at an angle, such as a ninety-degree angle, from the corresponding attachment member 106. The single-arm clip supports 130 can be used singly to support a single hanging folder 120, as shown in FIG. 4, or in a vertical array of parallel rows and columns for supporting a plurality of hanging folders 120, and optionally in a nested configuration.

The clip supports 130 can be made of plastic, metal or other material with appropriate load bearing properties for supporting different sizes of hanging folders and their contents. The document management system 100 can be also provided conveniently as a kit that includes a plurality of single-arm and/or multiple arm clip supports 130; and optionally, hanging folders, and one or more peg boards.

It will be appreciated that the document management system 100 described above can be manufactured inexpensively, shipped and stored as a kit in space-saving containers, and is easy to set up and use. Furthermore, versatile modular arrangements and hanging folder displays can be created using various combinations of single-arm and/or multiple arm clip supports.

The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary arrangements of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A document management system comprising:

a peg board including a plurality of holes arranged in rows and columns;

at least one hanging folder having a first cover and a second cover connected at a fold line, each of the first and second covers including a pair of hanging members extending laterally therefrom; and

first and second clip supports, each clip support including an attachment member integrally connected to at least one arm, each arm oriented generally perpendicularly to the attachment member and including first and second retainers for suspending and positively locating the hanging members of the first and second covers of the at least one hanging folder relatively to the at least one arm, each attachment member including an engagement member integral to the attachment member for engaging at least one of the holes of the peg board.

2. The document management system of claim 1, wherein the first and second clip supports are mounted on the peg board parallel to one another, such that a plurality of hanging folders can be supported on a corresponding plurality of arms in a nested configuration.

3. The document management system of claim 1, wherein the retainers are grooves including disengagement resisting elements.

4. The document management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one arm of each clip support is a single arm.

5. The document management system of claim 1, wherein each clip support includes at least two parallel arms such that the first and second clip supports suspend at least two hanging folders.

6. The document management system of claim 1, wherein the hanging members are integrally defined at corresponding ends of a longitudinal hanging element.

7. The document management system of claim 5, wherein the at least two hanging folders are oriented relative to one another in a nested relationship.

8. The document management system of claim 3, wherein the disengagement resisting elements include hooks extending from the grooves.

9. A method of hanging folders on a peg board, the method comprising:

providing a peg board and at least one hanging folder;

providing first and second clip supports, each clip support comprising an attachment member integrally connected to at least one arm;

mounting the first and second clip supports on the peg board, the attachment members of the first and second clip supports in a parallel and spaced apart configuration for accommodating a width of the hanging folder;

hanging the at least one hanging folder between the attachment members of the first and second clip supports; and

retaining the at least one folder on corresponding arms of the first and second clip supports.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each clip support includes at least two arms and further comprising hanging a plurality of hanging folders in a nested configuration relative to one another.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein mounting the first and second clip supports on the peg board comprises engaging the attachment members of the first and second clip supports to corresponding holes of the peg board.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein each hanging folder includes first and second hanging elements, and further comprising positively locating the hanging elements relatively to the corresponding arms.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising resisting disengagement of the hanging folders from the corresponding arms.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein resisting disengagement comprises providing on each arm retainers having disengagement resisting elements.

15. A kit for mounting hanging folders on a peg board, the kit comprising:

a plurality of hanging folders;

at least one peg board having a plurality of holes;

a plurality of single-arm clip supports, each single-arm clip support comprising an attachment member and a single arm integrally extending from the attachment member, each attachment member defining at least one peg board engagement member, each single arm suspending and positively locating a hanging member of one of the hanging folders; and

a plurality of multi-arm clip supports, each multiple-arm clip support comprising an attachment member and at least two arms, each arm integrally extending from the attachment member, each attachment member defining at least one peg board engagement member, each arm of the at least two arms suspending and positively locating a hanging member of one of the hanging folders.

16. The kit of claim 15, wherein each arm comprises a pair of hanging folder retainers for positively locating corresponding hanging members of one of the hanging folders.

17. The kit of claim 10, wherein each attachment member comprises at least one peg board engagement member.

18. The kit of claim 15, wherein at least two of the plurality of hanging folders are suspended from a pair of multi-am clips in a nested relationship.

19. The kit of claim 15, wherein at least one of the single-arm of the single-arm clip supports and at least two arms of the multi-arm clip supports include a disengagement resisting element.

20. The kit of claim 19, wherein the disengagement resisting element includes a hook extending from a groove.