Abstract:
The present invention relates to a convertible pocket folder for securing and transporting standard 8½×11 documents and legal 8½×14 documents. The present invention comprises a single sheet of material having a top section and flap sections which are folded upwardly to form pockets for securing and transporting documents.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    Not applicable 
       FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH  
       [0002]    Not applicable 
       SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM  
       [0003]    Not applicable 
       FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention relates to a convertible pocket folder. More specifically, this invention relates to a folder which may be conveniently converted to accommodate both standard and legal size documents. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0005]    Folders arc well-known in the art and are widely used for securing and transporting documents. Pocket folders arc equipped with compartments to receive and secure documents. Quite often, users arc required to have different size folders, with different size compartments to accommodate different size documents. For example, users must purchase and employ a standard size pocket folder to accommodate standard 8½×11 size documents. For larger legal size documents, users are required to purchase legal size pocket folders to accommodate the larger 8½×14 size documents. It is desirable to have a single folder that can accommodate both standard and legal size documents. The present invention relates to a convertible pocket folder which can be used to secure and transport both standard and legal size documents. The folder may be converted to accommodate either standard 8½×11 documents, or legal 8½×14 documents. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention provides a convertible pocket folder for use in securing and transporting standard 8½×11 size documents and 8½×14 legal documents. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a convertible pocket folder is provided, comprising a single sheet of material including a top section and two flap sections. The top section having a top edge, a bottom fold line. a middle fold line. and a first and second edge. The top section further includes a plurality of fastener means securely attached to the first and second edge of the top section. In an alternative embodiment of the claimed invention, the top section further comprises tabs which extend from the first and second edges and are further equipped with a plurality of fastener means. 
         [0007]    Both flap sections include a top edge that is coterminous with the bottom fold line of the top section. with the first flap having a first edge that extends along the same longitudinal axis of the first edge of the top section. a flap fold line, and a second edge. The second flap similarly includes a first edge, a flap fold line, and a second edge that extends along the same longitudinal axis of the second edge of the top section. The flaps further comprise a plurality of fastener means that are arranged to engage and cooperate with the fastener means of the top section. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the flaps further comprise a bottom edge. 
         [0008]    In operation, the tabs are folded inwardly and the flaps are folded upwardly along either the bottom fold line or the flap fold line in order to form a pocket. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a plain view of the convertible pocket folder with the flaps extended. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a plain view of an alternative embodiment of the convertible pocket folder with the flaps extended. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a plain view of the convertible pocket folder. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a plain view of an alternate embodiment of the convertible pocket folder. 
       
    
    
     DRAWINGS 
     Reference Numerals 
       [0013]      5  Convertible Pocket Folder 
         [0014]      10  Top Section 
         [0015]      12  Top Edge 
         [0016]      14  First Edge 
         [0017]      16  Second Edge 
         [0018]      18  Middle Fold Line 
         [0019]      20  Bottom Fold Line 
         [0020]      22  Fastener Means 
         [0021]      24  First Tab 
         [0022]      26  Second Tab 
         [0023]      28  First Flap 
         [0024]      30  Second Flap 
         [0025]      32  Flap Top Edge 
         [0026]      34  First Flap First Edge 
         [0027]      36  Flap Fold Line 
         [0028]      40  Flap Bottom Edge 
         [0029]      50  Second Flap Second Edge 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , the claimed invention is shown. The convertible pocket folder  5  is designed to contain standard documents and can be easily converted to expand to accommodate legal size documents. The convertible pocket folder  5  can be seen to he formed by a single sheet of material. The material is preferably of heavy paper, such as 130 pound stock. 
         [0031]    However, the material may he of any other suitable form, such as plastic, etc. The single sheet is formed into a top section  10  and flaps  28 ,  32 . The top section  10  has a top edge  12 . a first edge  14 , a second edge  16 , a middle fold line  18 , and a bottom fold line  20 . The first and second edges  14 , 16  further comprise a plurality of fastener means  22 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the fastener means  22  arc shown as snaps. However, other suitable fastener means, such as Velcro strips for example. may be used. In an alternative embodiment of the claimed invention, the top section  10  further comprises tabs  24 , 26  extending from the first and second edges  14 , 16 . The tabs  24 , 26  are equipped with a plurality of fastener means  22 . 
         [0032]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , both flap sections  28 , 30  include a top edge  32  that is coterminous with the bottom fold line  20  of the top section  10 , with the first flap having a first edge  34  that extends along the same longitudinal axis of the first edge  14  of the top section  10 , a fold line  36 , and a second edge  38 . The second flap  30  includes a first edge  44 , a fold line  36 , and a second edge  50  that extends along the same longitudinal axis of the second edge  16  of the top section  10 . The flaps  28 ,  30  further comprise a plurality of fastener means  22  that are arranged in such a manner to engage and cooperate with the fastener means of the to section  10 . Referring now to  FIG. 2 , in an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the flaps  28 ,  30  further comprise a bottom edge  40 . 
         [0033]    The convertible pocket folder can be assembled and converted by folding inwardly the tabs  24 , 26  as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The flaps  28 ,  30  are then folded upwardly either along the bottom fold line  20  of the top portion  10  to form a pocket to accommodate standard size documents, or along the flap fold lines  36  to form a pocket to accommodate legal size documents. While folded, the fastener means  22  of the top section  10  and the flaps  28 , 30  are allowed to cooperate and engage. Documents may then be inserted into the resulting pocket, and the convertible pocket folder  5  can be folded along the middle fold line  18  to further close and secure the convertible pocket folder  5 . 
         [0034]    The present invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and described in the forgoing detailed description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the