Abstract:
The present invention provides an expandable file folder with separate cases, which has a case placed in the middle of the folder, and which, as a result, has little steadiness and tends to fall down. The first and second cases between the front and rear sides of the expandable storing part are set such that the file holder can be more steady in a standing position. Two separated supporting areas form beneath the two cases. Thus the folder, when placed, will not tend to fall down.

Description:
RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not applicable.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not applicable.  
       REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
       [0003]     Not applicable.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention relates generally to an expandable file folder and more particularly to one that provides an innovative structural space with its separate cases.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     File folders refer to the variety of stationeries used to hold or store files, so it is simply impossible to make a list of all the widely differing file folders available now in the market. The file folders mentioned here are of special expandable types, and the most conventional structure of these types is shown in  FIG. 1 . The file folder consists of the front side  11 , the back side  12 , the two lateral sides  13 , one flap  14  and several dividing sheets  15 . Consequently, the divided spaces  16  are formed by the sheets. Because of its continuous W-shaped cross-section design in its two lateral sides, it is capable of flex-like snake-belly extension and renders the divided spaces  16  formed by dividing sheets  15  changeable in accordance with the flex of the two lateral sides  13 . Thus, the file folder  10  will change its shape and appearance as the amount of file content varies. The conventional expandable file folder will keep its good orderly shape if A4-sized files are placed inside the file folder  10 , because the width of this type of file paper is almost the same as that of the divided spaces  16  and can expand the folder in an evenly manner. However, if inside the folder are put files or stationeries (small notebooks, pencil boxes, pens and the like) of much smaller sizes than the divided spaces but with a considerable thickness, the two lateral sides will be expanded unevenly and the folder will look very ugly.  
         [0006]     Therefore, another kind of expandable file folder has been produced. As shown in  FIG. 2 , it differs from the conventional type in that an inflexible case  23  is inserted between the front and back sidewalls  21   22  of the file folder  20 . The divided spaces near the front and back sidewalls  21   22  are expandable. The fixed space provided by the case  23  can be used to accommodate the files and stationeries other than A4-sized files, such as small notebooks, pencil boxes and pens. The problem of crushing will also be solved. However, the following problems still exist for this kind of file folder structure.  
         [0007]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the case of the above-described expandable file folder  20  is inserted between the front and back sidewalls  21   22  of the file folder  20 . As the case is usually only 2˜3 centimeters thick, it is very difficult for the case alone to support the whole file folder and make it stand steadily. Although the bottom area of the file folder  20  will be increased in accordance with the amount of files placed inside the front or back expandable sections  24 , the increased area is always indefinite. Therefore, when the user places the folder on the desk or on the floor, it will tend to fall down for loss of balance. Moreover, when the folder falls down, the surfaces of the front and back sides will get dirty, and the user will have to spend more time cleaning the folder. In addition, if the user wants to look for, take out or put in a file stored in the expandable sections, he has to stick open the storing space with one hand and look for, take out or put in a file with the other hand. This is because the expandable sections  24  are capable of restoration; once let go of, it will be restored to its original flat and shrunk condition and make the above actions difficult. This is where its inconveniences lie for the user.  
         [0008]     Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it would be advancement in the art to provide an improved structure that can significantly improve the efficacy.  
         [0009]     To this end, the inventor has provided the present invention of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based on years of experience in the production, development and design of related products.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The improvements of the present invention are discussed in the following section.  
         [0011]     The present invention sets the first and second cases  40   50  between the front and rear sides of the expandable storing part  30 . The file holder A can, in contrast with the folders in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , be more steady in standing position because of the two separated supporting areas formed beneath the two cases  40   50 . Thus the folder, when placed, will not tend to fall down. Besides, when the expandable storing part  30  of the file folder is being stretched and expanded, the file storing space  34  formed in the expandable storing part  30  can always have a definite form because the separation of the first and second cases  40   50  can hold each other at bay. When this stretched and expanded state is maintained, the user will no longer need to stick open the storing space with one hand when looking for, taking out or placing the needed files. This will prove a real convenience.  
         [0012]     The new effects of the present invention are discussed in the following section.  
         [0013]     The present invention has a side flap  43  design on the two cases  40   50 . More convenience is guaranteed because taking out or putting in the files or stationeries in the first case  40  (or in the second case), only requires the user to open this side flap  43 , saving the trouble of opening the top flap  60 , which is time wasting for its long length. While the side flap  43  is short because it is used only to cover the opening  41  of the first case  40 .  
         [0014]     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the conventional file folder.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of another kind of conventional file folder.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  shows a side elevation view of the file folder in  FIG. 2  in its collapsed state.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the file folder in the closed form.  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  shows a side elevation view of the file folder in the closed form.  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the file folder in the opened form.  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  shows a side elevation view of the file folder in the opened form.  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the file folder with side flap on the cases.  
         [0023]      FIG. 9  shows a sectional view of the operation of the file folder in which elastic positioning cord is used.  
         [0024]      FIG. 10  shows a perspective view of the operation of the flapless file folder in the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 11  shows another perspective view of the operation of the flapless file folder in the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]     As shown in  FIGS. 4-7 , there are preferred embodiments of the present invention. The embodiments herein provided are only for the purpose of illustration and so the patented expandable file folders will not be restricted to only what is shown in the embodiments.  
         [0027]     A file folder A of the present invention includes an expandable storing part  30 , which consists of right and left wrinkled walls  31 , a bottom wall  32 , several dividing sheets  33 , and the file storing space  34  formed by the file storing space. The file storing space  34  can expand or shrink because of the flexibility of the right and left wrinkled walls  31 .  
         [0028]     A first case  40  is box-shaped and not flexible. It is in the front side of the expandable storing part  30  and has an opening  41  for the files and stationery to be put therein.  
         [0029]     A second case  50  is box-shaped and not flexible. It is in the back side of the expandable storing part  30  and has an opening  51  for the files and stationery to be put therein.  
         [0030]     A flap  60  is on the top of the expandable storing part  30 . It is used to cover and close the file storing space  34 . The flap  60  in this embodiment extends from the top of the second case  50  and at the end of the flap  60  there is a fastener  61 , which can be fastened to the fastener base  42  at the outside of the first case  40 . Thus, the flap  60  can be closed at a fixed position. At the top on both sides of the flap  60  can be made a handle  62 , with which the whole folder A can be held.  
         [0031]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the openings  41   51  of the first and second cases  40   50  can be set on the top, so the openings  41   51  of the first and second cases  40   50  and the openings of the file storing space  34  will all face upward. In this way, when the flap  60  is closed, the file storing space  34  and the first and second cases  40   50  can also be closed.  
         [0032]     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the opening  41 of the first case  40  can also be placed on the side of the case and a side flap  43  can be made in the place to control the opening and closing of the opening  41 . The side opening herein disclosed can be applied to either one or both of the two cases. With this side flap  43 , more convenience is guaranteed because to take out or put in the files or stationery in the first case  40  (or in the second case), it is only just needed to open this side flap  43 . The invention saves the trouble of opening the top flap  60 , which is time wasting for its long length. The side flap  43  is short because it is used only to cover the opening  41  of the first case  40 .  
         [0033]     The elastic positioning cord  70  can be positioned between the first and second cases  40   50 . It has a positioning end  71  and a connecting end  72 . The positioning end  71  can be placed either in the first case  40  or in the second case  50  (in this embodiment it is placed in the first case). The connecting end  72  can connect to the matching connecting part  52  in the other case (in this embodiment it is placed in the second case). The elastic positioning cord  70  can be used to fix the distance between the first and second cases  40   50  and at the same time to restrict the expansion of the expandable storing part  30 . The more specific embodiment of the elastic positioning cord  70  is shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  
         [0034]     The positioning end  71  of the elastic positioning cord  70  is designed at the side of the first case  40  so that its connecting end  72  can be linked, via the wrinkled walls  31  of the expandable storing part  30 , to the connecting end  72  designed at the back side of the second case  50 . Another embodiment of the elastic positioning cord  70 B is shown in  FIG. 9 . Its positioning end  71 B is placed at the front side of the first case  40  so that its connecting end  72 B can be linked, via the bottom wall  32  of the expandable storing part  30 , to the connecting part  52  designed at the back side of the second case  50 .  
         [0035]     Thus, the invention is based on the above structures. Herein the use of the present invention will be explained.  
         [0036]     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the file folder A is closed with flap  60 . When in this state, the openings of the first and second cases  40   50  and the openings of the file storing space  34  will be opened or closed by the flap  60 . On the other hand, the elastic positioning cord  70  can be used to fix the distance between the first and second cases  40   50  and at the same time to restrict the expansion of the expandable storing part  30 .  
         [0037]     And when the file folder A is at its flattest state, it can stand very steady as a result of the increased firm contact area from the two separate cases: the first and second cases  40   50 . Thus convenience is guaranteed for placing the folder.  
         [0038]     The file folder&#39;s flap  60  in  FIGS. 6 and 7  are opened. The elastic positioning cord  70  is in a loosened situation, and the expandable storing part  30  is in a stretched and expanded state. In this state the file storing space  34  formed in the expandable storing part  30  can always have a definite form because the separation of the first and second cases  40   50  can hold each other at bay. This is especially so when there are files placed in the first and second cases  40   50 , because the increased weight will help to steady the file folder A even better. And the stretched and expanded state of the file storing space  34  will be kept, thus facilitating the fetching, searching and storing of files.  
         [0039]     The file folder A 2  in  FIG. 10  is flapless. This embodiment does not have a flap to which the handle  62  is originally attached. Instead, a cord  63  or a belt is used. The two ends of the cord  63  are respectively pulled through the cord holes  83  designed at the top of the front and rear walls  81   82  of the first and second cases  40   50 . The holding part is thus formed as the two ends of the cord  63  are pulled upward. This arrangement will also help the top of the front and rear walls  81   82  move toward each other and the outward moving action will be prevented.  
         [0040]     The file folder A 3  in  FIG. 11  is another embodiment of flapless  60  holder. Its difference from the holder in  FIG. 10  only lies in the handle hole  84  that is directly at the top of the front and rear walls  81   82  and thus helps to form the holding part.