Patent Publication Number: US-6669080-B2

Title: Combined file pocket and expanding file

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a filing wallet assembly that includes a filing pouch and a filing case that has an expanding file which may be utilized together or separately from each other. The filing case has releaseable fasteners on its back cover that are detachable from corresponding fasteners on the front cover of the filing pouch. The closure flap of the filing pouch encloses the filing case within the confines of the filing pouch when the filing case is attached to the filing pouch. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     At present, portable filing wallets are designed to accommodate documents and other small articles of different sizes. While some articles and papers, for example, thick reports, are conveniently stored in a relatively large pouch, in other cases it is more useful to separate different papers with divider sheets. The use of divider sheets provides a means of segregating related papers so that they may be accessed conveniently. Such divider sheets may be provided within an expandable filing case to greatly enhance the accessibility and ease of viewing the documents in the file. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a convenient system for storing and transporting different types of documents in a single wallet structure having different filing systems. Specifically, and briefly stated, the present invention is the combination of a filing pouch having a foldable and enveloping flap, and an expandable filing case subdivided into a plurality of file pockets by divider sheets. 
     One primary object of the present invention is to provide a combination structure suitable for carrying both thick, bulky documents, and also documents that are much thinner and which are sorted into indexed filing pockets so that they may be found easily. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide such a combination document filing and transporting device with an expandable folder access system so that documents in the filing case are readily visible when the filing case is opened. The sides of the filing case are constructed with pleated, accordion folds so that as the filing case front cover is drawn away from the top of the rear filing case cover, the contents of the filing case between the indexed, tabbed dividers in the individual pockets are readily visible. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide such a combination with releaseable fasteners, so that the filing case may be wholly or partially separated from the filing pouch. 
     The wallet structure may be constructed in two versions. In one embodiment the filing case is completely detachable from the pouch so that the pouch and filing case may be utilized separately. However, the front of the pouch and the back of the filing case are provided with releaseable fasteners so that the pouch and expandable filing case may be releaseably coupled together. When joined in this fashion the foldable flap of the pouch folds over the top of the filing case, as well as the top of the pouch. The pouch and the filing case may thereby be conveniently carried together in a compact and securely closed manner. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the top of the back of the filing case is permanently secured to the top of the front of the filing pouch. This construction keeps the two filing devices together and prevents them from becoming separated and disassociated one from another. 
     In one broad aspect the present invention may be considered to be the combination of a filing wallet and an expandable filing case. The filing wallet has a pouch front cover and a pouch back cover both having a top and a bottom. The filing wallet also includes a pouch folding flap joined to the top of the pouch back cover in articulated fashion. In this way the pouch folding flap is foldable over the top of the pouch front cover and unfoldable to expose the top of the pouch front cover. 
     A pair of pouch side panels are provided each having a top and a bottom and each being attached to the pouch front and pouch back covers from the tops to the bottoms thereof. The filing wallet also has a pouch bottom panel extending transversely between the pouch side panels and between the pouch front and back covers. The filing wallet thereby forms a pouch file pocket between the pouch front and pouch back covers, the pair of pouch side panels and the pouch bottom panel. 
     The expandable filing case has a filing case front cover and a filing case back cover, both having a top and a bottom. The filing case also has a plurality of filing case file section dividers having opposing mutually parallel, upper and lower filing case divider edges and opposing, mutually parallel side filing case divider edges oriented perpendicular to the upper and lower filing case divider edges. 
     The filing case divider side edges are coupled to the filing case front and back covers with a plurality of accordion folded pleated connections. The bottom edges of the filing case file section dividers are closed, thereby forming a plurality of filing case pockets between the filing case file section dividers and the filing case front and filing case back covers. The filing case back cover is connected to the pouch front cover. The filing pouch foldable flap is foldable over the filing case to both close the pouch file pocket and envelop the filing case between the filing pouch foldable flap and the filing pouch front cover. 
     Preferably, the filing case includes a single, stiff sheet of covering material that is folded to delineate the filing case front and back covers and which is folded further to delineate a filing case bottom panel between the filing case front and back covers. The filing case bottom panel thereby forms a closure member beneath the filing case file section dividers. 
     Releaseable fastening members are preferably provided and include mutually engageable first and second fastening member elements for connecting the filing case back cover to the pouch front cover. The first fastening member elements are permanently secured to the filing case back cover. The second fastening member elements are permanently secured to the pouch front cover. The mutually engageable first and second fastening member elements are preferably comprised of flexible fabric hook and loop fastening members. 
     In one embodiment the pouch front cover and the filing case back cover are permanently secured together across their tops. The releaseable fasteners are located at the bottoms of the pouch and the filing case. The first fastening elements are permanently secured to the bottom of the filing case back cover while the second fastening elements are permanently secured to the bottom of the pouch front cover for registration and engagement with the first fastening elements. The bottoms of the pouch and the filing case may thereby be pulled free from each other while the filing case remains secured to the filing pouch by the permanent attachment at the top of the back of the filing case and the top of the front of the filing pouch. 
     In another embodiment of the invention the first and second mutually engageable and releaseable fastening elements are located at the top and bottom of both the pouch front cover and the filing case back cover and there is no permanent connection between the pouch front cover and the filing case back cover. In this embodiment the filing pouch and filing case may be completely detached from each other by disengagement of all of the first and second releaseable fastening elements. Both embodiments provide the capability of attaching the pouch and expandable file together and transporting them as a unit. 
     The filing case is preferably configured to have expandible pockets created by side panels folded from top to bottom with accordion folds. The user is thus able to compactly collapse documents within the filing case for ease and convenience in transporting a plurality of filed documents. When the user wishes to withdraw the documents from the filing case once the pouch cover flap has been opened, the expandible sides of the expandable filing case allows the top openings of the filing case pockets to be spread wide, so that the user can easily find particular papers or other articles within the portable filing device. 
     The filing pouch employed in the combination of the invention may be formed having a back cover, a pair of opposing side panels, a bottom panel, a front cover, and a closure flap. The back cover and closure flap are formed from a common sheet of stiff, but flexible protective material, such as heavy gauge polypropylene or polyethylene plastic. One or more folds delineate the back cover from the folding flap of the filing pouch. The filing pouch may be closed by folding over the closure flap from the top of the pouch back cover to cover the pouch front cover. Some closure device, such as an elastic loop attached to the folding flap near its free edge may be utilized to hold the filing pouch closed shut. 
     Releaseable fasteners, such as flexible hook and loop fastening pads sold under the registered trademark Velcro®, or metal snap fastening devices, are provided to allow the filing pouch to be attached to the filing case. The detachable fasteners on the back cover of the filing case are positioned for selective engagement with corresponding fastening members on the front cover of the filing pouch. In one embodiment of the invention the releaseable fasteners are the only form of connection between the filing pouch and the filing case. In this embodiment the releaseable fasteners allow the filing case and filing pouch to be united together in a fully detachable manner for ease of transport. Furthermore, the engageable attachment feature aids in preventing the expandable filing case from becoming lost or misplaced since it is attached to and encompassed within an enveloping structure, namely the pouch front cover and the foldable filing pouch flap that entraps the filing case within the enveloping confines of the filing pouch. Nevertheless, the filing case may be completely detached and removed from the larger filing wallet. 
     In a different embodiment of the invention the releaseable fasteners are located only at the bottom of the back of the filing case and the front of the filing pouch, and the top of the back of the filing case is permanently secured to the top of the front of the filing pouch by a hinged connection. This arrangement prevents the filing case and filing pouch from becoming inadvertently separated. 
     In another broad aspect the invention may be considered to be a portable document storage device that includes: a portable file folder pouch formed of a pouch file base sheet upon which a pouch file back cover and a foldable pouch file flap are delineated. A pouch front cover is also provided and pouch side panels and a pouch bottom panel are disposed between the pouch front and back covers. The pouch side and bottom panels are joined to the pouch front and back covers and include an accordion folding or collapsible pleat throughout between the pouch front cover and the pouch back cover. This construction allows the pouch pocket formed between the pouch front and back covers to be collapsed or partially collapsed, depending upon the thickness of the documents stored therein. 
     The portable document storage device further includes a filing case formed of a case base sheet upon which a case back cover having upper and lower edges, a case bottom, and a case front cover having upper and lower edges are delineated. A plurality of filing case section dividers are provided. Each filing case section divider has opposing, mutually parallel, upper and lower filing case divider edges and opposing, mutually parallel side filing case divider edges oriented perpendicular to the upper and lower filing case divider edges. The filing case file section dividers are coupled to the filing case front and back covers with accordion folding pleated connections. The bottom edges of the filing case file section dividers are closed, thereby forming a plurality of filing case file pockets. These filing case file pockets are located between the filing case file section dividers and the filing case front and filing case back covers. 
     Detachable fasteners are provided on the pouch front cover and on the back filing case cover. These detachable fasteners releaseably join the portable file folder pouch and the filing case together. 
    
    
     The invention may be described with greater clarity and particularity with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of a portable document storage device according to the invention, shown with the filing pouch cover flap of the filing pouch enveloping the filing case therewithin. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the filing case of the portable document storage device of the invention, shown in isolation. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the filing pouch of the portable document storage device of the invention, shown in isolation. 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational sectional view of the filing case taken along the lines  4 — 4  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the filing case of the portable document storage device of the invention taken along the lines  5 — 5  in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the manner of interconnection and separation of the filing pouch and filing case of the portable document storage device of the invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view illustrating a single one of the filing case dividers employed in the filing case illustrated in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional detail taken along the lines  8 — 8  in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevational sectional view illustrating an alternative embodiment of a portable document storage device according to the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a portable document storage device or wallet assembly  10  which, in fact, is the combination of a filing wallet or pouch  12 , shown in FIGS. 1,  3 , and  6 , and a slightly smaller expandable filing case  14 . This filing case  14  is hidden from view in FIG. 1 by the filing pouch closure flap  15 , but is visible in FIGS. 2 and 6. As shown in FIGS. 4,  5 , and  6 , the expandable filing case  14  is detachably coupled to the filing pouch  12  by means of releaseably engageable fastener elements  16  and  17 , which, in the embodiment shown, are flexible, mating hook and loop fabric fastening pads, such as those sold under the registered trademark Velcro®. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6, the filing pouch  12  has a large, generally rectangular front cover  20  and a large, generally rectangular back cover  18 , both having a top and a bottom. The top of the front cover  20  is indicated at  22  in FIGS. 3 and 6, while the bottom of the front cover  20  is indicated at  24 . The top of the back cover  18  is indicated at  26 , while the bottom of the back cover  18  is indicated at  28 . 
     The filing pouch  12  has a folding closure flap  15  that is foldable over the top  22  of the front cover  20  as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. In the embodiment of the portable storage device  10  illustrated, the filing pouch back cover  18  and the filing pouch folding flap  15  of the filing pouch  12  are both formed as parts of a single first base sheet of stiff, plastic material, such as polypropylene or polyethylene. This base sheet is folded to delineate the filing pouch back cover  18  and the filing pouch closure flap  15 , and also an articulated top panel  19  located between the pouch flap  15  and the pouch back cover  18 . A fold at the top edge  26  of the back panel  18  delineates the back panel  18  from the top panel  19 . An articulated fold at  36  delineates the top panel  19  from the closure flap  15 . The top panel  19  has a series of articulated folds so as to better accommodate various thicknesses of documents within the filing pouch  12 . The filing pouch front cover  20  is formed of a separate, second stiff, plastic base sheet of the same material that forms the pouch back cover  18 , top panel  19 , and foldable flap  15 , and preferably having the same thickness as the first base sheet. 
     In the embodiments of the invention illustrated, a pair of mutually opposing side panels  30  and  31  and a bottom closure panel  32  are formed of a single strip of fabric that has opposing edge margins which contact the pouch front cover  20  and the pouch back cover  18 . Each of the side panels  30  and  31  has a top edge  35  and a bottom where the folded fabric forms a transition to the transversely oriented bottom panel  32 . 
     The fabric side panels  30  and  31  and the bottom panel  32  are permanently secured throughout their entire lengths to the pouch front cover  20  and the pouch back cover  18  by narrow, fabric edge margin reinforcing strips  33  and  34 . The reinforcing strip  33  is folded over the mutually juxtaposed surfaces of the edge margins of the fabric forming the side panels  30  and  31  and the bottom panel  32  and the first plastic base sheet forming the pouch back cover  18 , top panel  19 , and foldable flap  15  at the back of the pouch  12 . Stitching secures the reinforcing strip  33  to the first base sheet and to the fabric forming the side panels  30  and  31  and bottom panel  32 . The reinforcing strip  33  extends around the entire generally rectangular perimeter of the first base sheet forming the pouch back panel  18 , top panel  19 , and closure flap  15 . Similarly, the reinforcing fabric strip  34  is secured by stitching to the second base sheet forming the front pouch cover  20  and to the adjoining edge of the fabric strip forming the side panels  30  and  31  and the bottom panel  32  that is in contact with the back side of the front panel  20 . Metal clips  37  at the top edge  22  of the front panel  20  anchor the ends of the reinforcing strip  34  thereto. 
     Together, the pouch front cover  20 , the pouch back cover  18 , the pouch side panels  30  and  31  and the pouch bottom panel  32  define therebetween a single large pouch wallet pocket. This pocket is of a size and configuration suitable for accommodating large bulky papers, such as voluminous reports, books, notebooks and ring binders. The pouch pocket is also suitable for carrying articles other than papers, such as sales specimens and even personal items. The filing wallet foldable flap  15  is foldable over the filing case  14  both to close the pouch file pocket and to envelop the filing case  14  between the filing wallet foldable flap  15  and the filing wallet front cover  20 . 
     The folding flap  15  is provided with an elastic loop  38  that passes through openings  40  and  41  in the pouch closure flap  15 . The ends up the elastic loop  38  are provided with metal end clips  43  on the inside surface of the foldable flap  15 . The end clips  43  are too large to pass through the openings  40  and  41  in the closure flap  15 . The elastic loop  38  can be stretched to envelope the entire structure of the portable document storage device  10  so that it can be transported in a very compact and secure manner, as illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
     The expandable filing case  14  has a stiff, plastic filing case front cover  45  and a stiff, plastic back cover  47  with a filing case bottom panel  39  formed therebetween. The filing case front and back covers  45  and  47  and bottom panel  39  are formed by folding a single base sheet of stiff, heavy-duty plastic into a generally U-shaped configuration, as illustrated in FIG.  4 . The filing case front cover  45  has a top, edge  62  and a bottom fold  64 . The filing case back cover  47  has a top edge  66  and a bottom fold  68 . The filing case front cover  45  is delineated from the bottom panel  39  by the bottom fold  64  while the filing case back cover  47  is delineated from the bottom panel  39  by the bottom fold  68 . The filing case bottom panel  39  is thereby delineated on the same sheet of covering material as the filing case front cover  45  and the filing case back cover  47  between the two bottom fold  64  and  68 . 
     The filing case  14  is provided with filing case side panel sheets  42  and  44 , also formed of polypropylene or polyethylene plastic, but of a considerably thinner gauge than the plastic forming the covers thereof. The filing case side panel sheets  42  and  44  originally have a rectangular shape, but are folded back and forth along vertical folds in alternating directions to form a plurality of accordion pleats, as best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4. Each fold is about nine-sixteenths of an inch from the next adjacent fold. The front and back ends of each of the panels  42  and  44  form thin, narrow, elongated attachment strips  46  that are heat welded to the facing surfaces of the filing case back cover  47  and the filing case front cover  45 , as best illustrated in the sectional detail view of FIG.  8 . The strips  46  extend the entire length of the filing case side panel sheets  42  and  44  and are sealed throughout their lengths from near the bottom folds  64  and  68  to near the top edges  62  and  66  of the filing case front cover  45  and filing case back cover  47 , respectively. 
     The filing case  14  is further comprised of file section dividers  48  that are each formed of a separate sheet of plastic. FIG. 5 shows a single one of the large file section divider sheets  48  in elevation and in isolation. As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 8, each of the filing case section dividers  48  is folded at its transverse ends to form side edge margin strips  50 , which are narrow, elongated strips and which extend the entire height of the filing case section dividers  48 . Each filing case section divider  48  has a generally rectangular configuration with a horizontal top edge  52  and a horizontal bottom edge  54 . The top and bottom edges  52  and  54  are mutually parallel to each other. The interior portion of the top edge  52  may be recessed downwardly below the transverse extremities of the divider sheet  48  and indexing label tabs  56  may be heat welded at different locations along the transverse width of the large file section dividers  48 , as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 7. Each filing case section divider  48  also has mutually parallel side edges  53  which are oriented perpendicular to the filing case divider upper and lower edges  52  and  54 . 
     Each of the indexing tabs  56  is formed of a doubled over strip of plastic, the bottom edges of which are heat welded to the top of the filing case section dividers  48 , as shown in FIG.  7 . Small gripping notches  57  are provided at the opposing right edges of each tab  56  on one side thereof to facilitate separation of the two plies of plastic forming the tab  56  in order to insert thin paper labels  55  therein, as illustrated in FIG.  7 . The file indexing tabs  56  thereby from a readily visible indexing system for the filing case  14 , as is evident from FIGS. 2 and 6. 
     The side edge margins  50  of the filing case section dividers  48  are heat welded to the filing case side panel sheets  42  and  44  throughout between the upper and lower divider edges  52  and  54  of the filing case section dividers  48 , as best illustrated in FIG.  8 . The side edges  53  of the filing case section dividers  48  are thereby coupled to the filing case front cover  45  and the filing case back cover  47  with a plurality of accordion fold pleated connections formed by the filing case side panels  42  and  44 . The opposing end margins  46  of the file case side panel sheets  42  and  44  are folded to reside in intimate contact with the mutually facing surfaces of the large front and back covers  18  and  20 , and are sonic welded thereto from top to bottom, as illustrated in FIG.  8 . 
     A major difference between the expandable filing case  14  and filing pouch  12  is in the size of the file pockets formed therein. More specifically, while the filing case section dividers  48 , together with the accordion folded large side panels  42  and  44 , form a plurality of file pockets in the filing pouch  12  having dimensions large enough to accommodate papers measuring 8.5 by 11 inches between the filing case section dividers  48  and the large front and back covers  18  and  20 , the file pocket of filing pouch  12  is somewhat larger and much thicker. 
     In the embodiment of the wallet assembly  10  illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, the bottoms  54  of the filing case section dividers  48  are open and are not sealed to any other structure. However, the filing case bottom panel  39  forms a closure member between the file section dividers  48 . In this way, papers inserted into the file pockets of the filing case  14  rest upon the bottom panel  39  thereof, but are separated by the filing case section dividers  48 . 
     The first and second mutually engageable and releaseable fastening elements  16  and  17  are preferably formed of mating fabric hook and loop interengageable fastening patches. The first fastening elements  16  are mounted and permanently secured near the top and bottom of the filing case back cover  47  proximate the four corners thereof, as illustrated in FIG.  5 . The rectangular fastening patches  16  each bear a multiplicity of minute stiff, but resilient plastic hooks. The second fastening elements  17  are likewise mounted and permanently secured near the top and bottom of the front cover  20  of the filing pouch  12  and are positioned near the corners thereof for registration with the fastening patches  16 , as illustrated in FIG.  3 . The second fastening patches  17  bear a fabric pile with which the minute hooks of the fastening patches  16  are releaseably engageable. 
     As is evident from FIG. 6, the filing case  14  may be releaseably attached to the filing pouch  12  merely by moving the filing case  14  toward the filing pouch  12  to press the filing case back cover  47  against the filing pouch front cover  20 . The filing case  14  will thereby remain firmly attached to the filing pouch  12  until purposefully removed therefrom. In this position the filing pockets between the filing case file section dividers  48  may be easily accessed by pulling the top edge  62  of the filing case front cover  45  forward to expand the side panels  42  and  44  and allow easy access to papers in the file pockets between the filing case file section dividers  48  and the filing case front cover  45  and back cover  47 . 
     The filing pouch  12  and the filing case  14  may alternatively be used independently of each other. To separate the filing case  14  from the filing pouch  12 , a user merely pulls the filing case back cover  47  away from the filing pouch front cover  20  to disengage the fastening elements of the mutually engageable fastening patches  16  and  17 . The filing case  14  may thereby be completely separated from the filing pouch  12 , as illustrated in FIG.  6 . 
     In some situations it may be desirable for the filing case  14  and filing pouch  12  to be permanently attached to each other. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating such an alternative embodiment of the portable document storage device of the invention. As seen in FIG. 9, the portable document storage device  110  also includes the same filing case  14  and filing pouch  12  as the portable document storage device  10  illustrated in drawing FIGS. 1 through 8. However, in the portable document storage device  110 , the first fastening fabric patches  16  bearing a multiplicity of tiny hooks are located only at the bottom of the filing case back cover  47  of the filing case  14 . The second fastening patches  17  bearing the loop pile are permanently attached to the pouch front cover  20  also only near the bottom  24  thereof for registration with the first fastening elements  16 . The pouch front cover  20  and the filing case back cover  47  are permanently secured together at their respective tops  22  and  66  by stitching extending across the upper edges  22  and  66  of the filing pouch front panel  20  and filing case back panel  47 . The stitching ends are concealed by U-shaped clips  70 . 
     In the portable document storage device  110 , the interengageable fastening elements  16  and  17  may be separated so that the bottoms  32  and  39  of the filing pouch  12  and filing case  14  may be moved a short distance apart to allow both the filing pouch  12  and the filing case  14  to stand upon a supporting surface therebeneath. However, when the filing case back cover  47  is pressed back against the filing pouch front cover  20 , the flexible, fabric hook and loop fastening elements  16  and  17  near the lower edges  24  and  68  of the filing pouch front cover  20  and filing case back cover  47  are releaseably engaged with each other. This releaseable interconnection allows the filing case  14  and the filing pouch  12  to be carried together as a unit, with the filing pouch closure flap  15  enveloping the filing case  14 , in the manner illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
     Undoubtedly, numerous variations and modifications of the invention will become readily apparent to those familiar with portable document storage devices. For example, snap fasteners or other types of mutually engageable and releaseable fastening devices may be utilized in place of the fabric hook and the fastening strips  16  and  17 . Also, the top edge of either the pouch front cover or the filing case back cover can be formed with an extended lip, turned over to face the opposing cover. Fasteners, such as Velcro® strips, stitching, or a sonic weld can be used to secure the turned over lip to the opposing cover. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should not be construed as limited to this specific embodiments depicted and described, but rather is defined in the claims appended hereto.