Hanging laminated folder

Abstract: A hanging folder (10) has reinforcing strips (24) along its top and bottom edges, and color contrasted easy-insert label slots (28). These strips and contrasting slots protect against wear to the folder and thus prolong the usefulness of the folder.

Description: The present invention relates to a hanging folder according to the preamble of claims 1 and 14. Such a hanging folder is known from GB-A-1551905. Paper hanging folders, for use in standard storage unit such as file cabinets, desk draws and the like, are a necessary tool in modern offices and businesses. Such folders in the art are best exemplified by expired Patent No. 2,291,724, which was assigned to the assignee of the present application. This reference describes a file formed by a sheet of heavy material with a central horizontal fold which forms the folder's bottom and open sides. Folds are provided in the file's top edges through which hanging rods are movably or imovably fixed. The ends of these rods are exposed and notched, enabling the file to hang on a complementary standard parallel file frame in office storage equipment, such as filing cabinets and desk drawers. The inner surfaces at the tops of the folded-over portions contain uniformly spaced slots for insertion of labeling tabs. These slots often tear or wear out as new tabs are inserted or removed, due to the need for frequent file relabeling or repositioning of the labels in alternative slots of the file. Also, when the user inserts the tabs of the label in to the slots, close attention is required because the opening of the slot and the material behind it are generally identical in colour. Due to the wear and tear on tab slots, files are often replaced, simply because the tabs slots are torn or worn out, rendering the file useless. Also, handling during normal use and tab changing causes additional wear on the tab of the file due to the release of body oils and friction between the paper and fingers. This type of wear is not diminished by the rods disposed through the file's top folds, because finger oils and friction break down the material of the file, which is generally paper, regardless of the underlying support of the rod. U.S. Patent No. 4,749,121 discloses a sidetab folder with a reinforcing plastic film applied to the side edges to reduce wear on the side of the file as it is moved in the frame. This film may be applied with coloured adhesive to provide a colour coding system or a clear film may be applied over a coloured surface by a clear adhesive to achieve the same result. Similar side reinforcing techniques are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,523,776 and 4,580,815. From BE-A-563159 a hanging folder is known which comprises a strip of cloth extending perpendicularly to the bottom line adjacent to one end of the folder. When hanging files are filled with a large volume of paper the sides tend to spread away from each other and the bottom lifts. However, the present inventor has learned that when the file holds a narrow heavy object, the bottom of the file drags along the bottom of the drawer or other container for the frame, leading to wear and tear on the bottom of the file. This necessitates file replacement before the body of the file has worn out. It is one aspect of the present invention to provide a hanging folder which has a strong bottom to hold the weight of its contents and to guard against wear due to its being dragged along the bottom of a drawer. It is another aspect of the present invention to guard the top edges against wear from handling and the insertion of tabs. These objects are solved by the teaching of claims 1 and 14 providing reinforcing means in the form of a strip of plastic material disposed along at least a major portion of the bottom edge and laminated to the bottom edge of the folder for increasing the wear resistance and life of the folder and making the bottom strong enough to hold the weight of its contents. According to the first aspect of the invention, the outside of the lower surface of the bottom of the folder has a laminated strip across its entire length. Furthermore, the top edges of the paper may be folded over and glued down to the inside of the file and provide openings for hanging rods from which the folder is suspended on a standard file from in office storage equipment. If the outside and inside surface of the sheet are of different colours, the inside of the front and rear faces below the folded down portion will be of a contrasting colour to the rest of the file. This colour contrast may be visible through tab slots. According to the second aspect of the invention a reinforcing strip is laminated over the upper part of the front and rear surfaces of the file. This strip may extend over at least a major portion of the top of the front and rear surfaces and down to the lower edge of the folded over portion. Thus, a reinforced top edge is provided to guard against wear from handling and the insertion of tabs. As a result, folders formed according to the present invention may give at least three advantages to the user. First, the bottom of the folder is laminated to prevent tearing and wear from the weight of the file's contents, and scraping of the file along the bottom of a drawer. Second, the colour contrast between the area surrounding the tab slots and the area behind the slots enables quick and easy visual location of the slots for easy insertion of tabs, thus leading to less effort on the part of the user and less wear and tear on the tabs and slots. Third, the outer and inner top edges of the file, except the tab slots are also covered with a laminate to decrease wear and tear from normal handling and tab insertion. All of these advantages add to the durability of the file's top and bottom, prolonging its usefulness. The foregoing and other features of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description and drawings of an illustrative embodiment of the invention in which: Fig 1 shows a perspective view of a hanging folder of the present invention having reinforcing top and bottom laminated strips and colour contrasted label slots; and Fig. 2 shows a right side sectional view (partially broken) of the hanging folder of Fig. 1 along line 2-2. Fig. 1 shows a hanging folder 10 having a front portion 12, and a rear portion 14, connected along one or more medial folds 16. At the upper edges of the front and rear portions there are terminal folds 18 which, on the inside of the file, define slots for tabs and through which hanging rods 20 are disposed as shown in Fig. 2. The end portion of each hanging rod 20 have notches 22 which are complementary to a standard filing frame in office storage equipment, enabling the file to hang while stored, e.g. in a file drawer. The outer surface of the folder in the areas of the medial fold 16 and the terminal folds 18 are covered by a reinforcing strip 24, which is preferably laminated thereto. These strips prolong the life of the file. This reinforcing strip 24, the placement of which is shown in detail in Fig. 2, protects against frequent handling at the terminal edges of the file, strengthens the file's bottom, and protects the bottom of the file when it is dragged along a files draw bottom while carrying the weight of narrow stored papers and other items. The only portion of the file's terminal fold not covered by lamination are the shaped slots 26, through which labels, visible as the file hangs in a standard storage unit, are inserted. In a preferred embodiment, the colour of the inner surfaces of the material from which the file is made differ from the colour of the outer surfaces. As a result the slotted portion of the laminated edge 28 contrasts with the colour of the inside of the file 30, and is visible through the slots 26. This colour contast makes visual location of the slot and insertion of new tabs into the slot easier. Easier insertion results in less contact with the portion surrounding the slots 26, reduction in wear and prolonged useful life of the file 10. The lamination also makes it easier to punch the teardrop slots during manufacture of the folder. Some embodiments may have a multiplicity of horizontal depressions 32 on the bottom edges of the file, which can be folded by the user to create additional medial folds to expand, i.e. square off, the file's bottom.

Claims: A hanging folder comprising: A sheet of flexible material folded at a medial line (16) to form a bottom edge and front and rear sides (12,14) joined at said bottom edge, and means (20,22) for hanging the folder in a standard filing frame in office storage equipment, characterized by reinforcing means (24) in the form of a strip of plastic material disposed along at least a major portion of the bottom edge and laminated to the exterior of the bottom edge of the folder for increasing the wear resistance and life of the folder. A folder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing means (24) covers the bottom edge (16) and the front and rear sides (12,14) adjacent to the bottom edge. A folder as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom edge defines a lower surface of the folder and wherein the reinforcement means (24) is a strip of plastic which forms a lamination with the folder. A folder as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the hanging means are disposed through terminal folded portions (18) on the upper edges of the front and rear sides (12,14) of the flexible material. A folder as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the hanging means comprises rods (20) having notches (22) complementary to the standard filing frame, the rods being disposed throughout the terminal portion. A folder as claimed in claim 4 or 5 which further comprises reinforcing means (24) in the form of a strip of material disposed along the terminal folded portions (18). A folder as claimed in claim 6, wherein the reinforcing means (24) comprises a plastic material strip which covers the upper edges of the front and rear sides (12,14) of the flexible material. A folder as claimed in one of claims 4 to 7 further comprising uniformly spaced slots (26) on the inner surface of the folded terminal portions (18) for receiving label tabs. A folder as claimed in claim 8, wherein the reinforcing laminated strip (24) which covers the terminal folded portions (18) and the top areas of the front and rear portions (12,14) excluding the slots (26). A folder as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the folder is made of paper or coloured paper, plastic and fibre. A folder as claimed in one of claims 4 to 10, wherein the rods (20) are made of metal. A folder as claimed in one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the lower surface of the front or rear side (12,14) of the folder has at least one horizontal linear depression which provides a crease line for forming at least one additional medial line to allow for expansion of the bottom of the folder. A folder as claimed in one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the colour of the exterior of at least the terminal fold is a different colour than the interior surface of the front and rear portions (12,14), at least in the areas of the terminal folded portions, such that the visible part of the material forming the slots contrasts in colour with the material visible through the slots. A hanging folder comprising: A sheet of flexible material folded at a medial line (16) to form a bottom edge and front and rear sides (12,14) joined at the bottom edge and means (20,22) for hanging the folder in a standard filing frame in office storage equipment, characterized by reinforcing means (24) in the form of a strip of plastic material disposed along at least a major portion of the terminal folded portions and laminated to the exterior of the terminal folded portions (18) for increasing the wear resistance and life of the folder. A folder as claimed in claim 14, wherein the reinforcing means (24) covers the upper edges in the front and rear sides (12,14) of the flexible material. A folder as claimed in one of claims 14 or 15 further comprising uniformly spaced slots (26) on the inner surface of the folded terminal portions (18) for receiving label tabs. A folder as claimed in claim 16, wherein the reinforcing laminated strip (24) which covers the terminal folded portion (18) and the top area of the front and rear portions (12,14) excluding the slots (26). A folder as claimed in one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the folder is made of one of paper or coloured paper, plastic and fibre. A folder as claimed in one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the hanging means comprises rods (20) having notches (22) complementary to the standard filing frame, the rods disposed throughout the terminal portion. A folder as claimed in one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the rods (20) are made of metal. A folder as claimed in one of claims 16 to 20, wherein the lower surface of the front and rear side (12,14) of the folder has at least one horizonal linear depression which provides a crease line for forming at least one additional medial line to allow for expansion of the bottom of the folder. A folder as claimed in one of claims 14 to 21, wherein the colour of the exterior of at least the terminal fold is a different colour than the interior surface of the front and rear portions (12,14), at least in the areas of the terminal folded portions such that the visible part of the material forming the slots contrasts in colour with the material visible through the slots. A folder as claimed in one of claims 14 to 22, wherein reinforcing means (24) in the form of a strip of material is disposed along the bottom edge.

Inventors: AALDENBERG ERIC, DELLACROCE CHERYL, HAWES JR ROBERT E, LYNCH JAMES J, AALDENBERG, ERIC, DELLACROCE, CHERYL, HAWES, JR., ROBERT E., LYNCH, JAMES J.
Applicants: ESSELTE PENDAFLEX
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B42F15
IPC codes: B42F7, B42F15