Patent Publication Number: US-7591093-B2

Title: Pull-out index for file folders and the like

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Despite the wide-spread use of computers and the claimed inevitability of a “paperless” office, paper files continue to be ubiquitous in the business world, academia and the home. Often, a document can be filed in more than one file, forcing the user to make a choice between files unless multiple copies of a document are made. Unfortunately, when this occurs, it is later often difficult, if not impossible, to determine the location of a particular document without reviewing the contents of multiple paper files. This is a time consuming, and potentially physically demanding, process, particularly if the files in question must be removed from file drawers, shelves or boxes prior to review and are to be placed back after review. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device which will allow the user to more easily keep track of the contents of paper file folders, so that the contents of a file can be easily determined without opening the file itself. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device that can be used with all major existing types of file folders. It is a further object of the invention to provide a device that allows the user to determine the contents of a file without removing the entire file from its location on a shelf or in a box or file drawer. Additionally, it is desirable that the device be easy to manufacture and use and allows the user to easily update information as the contents of a particular file change. 
   Although some currently available files folders do include lines or an area on the outside of the folder for notations (including, presumably, notes on the contents of the file), such folders do not easily allow for updates to the information and usually require removing the entire file from a box or shelf in order to review the notations. Further, it is usually impractical to modify folders that have not been manufactured with lines or space for notations to allow for notations about file contents. 
   In view of the foregoing, the current invention comprises a file record device, on which an index—or simply identifying titles or short descriptions—of the documents in the file can be written, in a holder that can be attached to a file folder. The file record is movable relative to the holder, and thus to the folder, so that when the folder is in a box or file drawer, or on a shelf, the record may be moved to a more easily readable position without opening the folder or, if properly positioned on the folder, without even moving the file folder itself. Additionally, the device may include features such as: a file record that is removable entirely from the holder to allow for easier updating of the record on a typewriter, computer printer or by hand, or replacement of the entire record; a file record with an erasable surface to allow for easier updating and revision of the file record as the contents of the file change; and a holder that includes a protective, preferably clear, covering for the file record when the record is not in use. While intended primarily for file folders, the device could also be used on any physical container designed for holding a variety of documents, references or items where movement or opening of the container to determine its contents is not always desirable; for example, the device could be attached to storage boxes, shelves containing multiple files, record books, and the like. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  show possible embodiments of a record device. 
       FIGS. 2   a - 2   d  show an embodiment of a holder for the record device including two variations of “stops” and possible patterns for adhesive. 
       FIGS. 3   a ,  3   b  and  3   c  show an alternative embodiment of the holder. 
       FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  show other alternative constructions of the holder with snap fasteners and a hook-and-loop fastener used for “stops”. 
       FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  show a first embodiment of the invention including the record device and holder in two positions. 
       FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  show a second embodiment of the invention in two positions. 
       FIG. 6   c  shows an embodiment of the holder from  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b . 
       FIG. 6   d  shows an alternative embodiment of the holder. 
       FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  show the first embodiment of the invention in use, placed on an accordion folder and a standard manila file folder. 
       FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b  show a third embodiment of the invention in two positions. 
       FIGS. 9   a  and  9   b  show a fourth embodiment of the invention before and after attachment to a file folder. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
   With reference to  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b , a record device  100  is shown. The file record  100  would usually be rectangular (including square) and substantially flat or planar. The file record  100  includes at least one surface  110  suitable for writing, typing or otherwise placing (i.e., by use of labels and the like) information regarding the contents of the file to which it may be attached. The surface may be marked with lines  120 , as is shown, or other guides including numbers, boxes, bullets, etc. that allow the user to more easily enter and read the information. Although more permanent entries of information may be desirable for some applications, the surface  110  may be erasable or comprise a thin pad of paper  130  so as to allow changes and/or reuse of the file record if an appropriate writing implement is used to record the information. It is anticipated that depending on the material selected for the surface  110  different writing implements may be used to place the information on the surface. For example, if the surface is cardboard or includes paper, the surface may be erasable if a pencil or appropriate pen is used. If an appropriate plastic surface is selected a wax pencil may be used. Glue-backed labels may also be an alternative for use with any surface that will allow both continued attachment of the label through repeated use and removal of the label when appropriate, although it may also be possible to simply cover old labels with new ones when the contents of the file are modified. It will be evident to those of ordinary skill in the art that in certain cases even typewritten and ink entries may be erasable and therefore the descriptions above matching particular surface types with particular writing instruments do not include all possibilities and are intended to be non-limiting. 
   The record device  100  is preferably made of material(s) that cause the record device  100  to be of sufficient stiffness to allow a user to pull the record device  100  from its holder (as further described below in the text associated with  FIGS. 2-9 ) easily and repeatedly without damage to the record device  100 . Generally, a single sheet of standard 20 or 25 lb paper alone would not be of sufficient stiffness, although as suggested in the previous paragraph, paper could be attached to another material to form a record device of sufficient stiffness to meets the design requirement. The device must, however, be thin enough to allow the record device  100  to fit into a holder as described below. Some flexibility would not normally be detrimental to most designs, and may be preferable in certain applications. Thick paper or cardboard are materials that may be used, and a glossy surface may be applied to allow for erasure as described in the previous paragraph. Another alternative is a suitable plastic, such as 1/64 inch or 0.4 mm thick acrylic, although thinner or thicker sheets may also be used depending on the nature of the particular plastic selected. 
   The width W of the record device must be selected to allow a pull tab  140 , or a sufficient portion of the top edge  135  itself, to extend beyond the top of the holder  200 ,  600 ,  800 ,  900 , as shown in  FIGS. 5   a ,  6   a ,  8   a  and  9   a , and allow the user to pull the record device  100  from the holder as further described below. 
   The length L 1  at or near the bottom edge  150  of the record device  100  is generally longer than the length L 2  of the top edge. This may be accomplished by one or more protrusions  160  having a length LP placed at the bottom edge  150  of the record device  100  as shown in  FIG. 1   a . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 1   b , the protrusion or protrusions  160  may be placed near the bottom edge  150  which may be more effective with certain types of holders. The position of the protrusions  160  preferably allows for a portion of the recording surface  110 , sufficient to read and/or record information, to be fully removed from the holder by the user as further set forth in the text describing  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8  and  9 . The length L 2  is usually maintained along that portion of the width W that is intended to be accessible to the user when the record device is in use as further described below. However, it would also be possible to have varying lengths, shorter than L 2 , along that portion of width W. 
   With reference to  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of a holder  200  is shown. The holder  200  includes a substantially flat front unit  210  attached to a substantially flat back unit  220  to form a pocket  230  that is suitable for containing an appropriately selected, slideable record device, as further discussed below. As shown, the pocket  230  is substantially rectangular and thus units  210 ,  220  are also usually, but not necessarily required to be rectangular. Depending upon the quality of the material(s) selected for each of the front and back units, and the thickness of the selected record device, the attachment may be effected by simply gluing or melding the two units together along side and bottom pocket edges  240 ,  241 . Generally, such an attachment would be suitable if the record device is relatively thin. It will also be evident that the bottom edges of the units  242  may be essentially the same as the bottom pocket edge  241 . This may be achieved by unitarily constructing the front and back units  210 ,  220 —for example, by folding a single sheet of material to form the two units with the fold as the bottom edge  241 ,  242  of both the front and back units  210 ,  220  and the pocket  230 , as is shown in  FIG. 2   b . Additionally, as shown in  FIG. 2   b , the side edges  250  the holder  200  may be essentially the same as the side edges  240  of the pocket  230 . As persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, this may be achieved in a number of ways, including appropriate folding of the material used to form the front and back units of the holder, melding or gluing the units close to the edge of the material, or a manufacturing process that allowed the holder  200  to be formed in essentially one piece. 
   In order to accommodate certain types of record devices, particularly those record devices that are relatively thick, the holder may also be formed in a more box-like shape  300  as shown in  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b . Rather than merely bonding the front and back units  310 ,  320  together, the front and back units are attached together by way of thin side units  370  and bottom unit  375  along the perimeter of both the holder  300  and the pocket  330 , and by top units  340 , creating more space in the pocket  330  between the front and back units  310 ,  320  to accommodate a thicker record device. The same effect may be achieved by use of a “sandwich” construction as shown in  FIG. 3   c . The side units  370  and bottom units  375  may be of unitary construction sandwiched between front and back units  310 ,  320 . Stops  380 , the function of which is further described below, may also be included in unitary construction with the side and bottom units  310 ,  320 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 6 , as an alternative construction of the holder  600 , the front and/or back units may be substantially “U” shaped as the front unit  610  is shown in  FIGS. 6   a - c . Such a construction of the front unit  610  leaves at least a portion of the recording surface  110  accessible by the user even when the record device  100  is essentially not extended from the holder  600 . Similarly, the back unit may also be formed as a “U”.  FIG. 6   b , represents a view of the holder  600  when the record device  100  is extended from the holder.  FIG. 6   c  shows the basic construction of the holder  600  with a “U” shaped front unit  610  and rectangular back unit  320  while  FIG. 6   d  shows a construction of the holder with both a “U” shaped front unit  610  and back unit  615 . 
   Finally, as shown in  FIG. 9 , it is also possible for a device to include a holder  900  comprising only a front unit  910 . The surface  990  of the file folder, box, or other item to which the device is attached acts in place of the back unit. 
   The top  260 ,  360 ,  660 ,  960  of the holder  200 ,  300 ,  600 ,  900  is open along length L 3 ; that is, length L 3  represents the opening at the top of the pocket. Length L 3  is substantially the same as the length L 2  of the record device  100 , so as to allow a record device that is contained in the pocket of the holder  200 ,  300 ,  600 ,  900  to be slidably removed or partly removed from the holder  200 ,  300 ,  600 ,  900  when the top  135  of the record device  100  or the tab  140  is pulled. 
   Preferably, the holder  200  also includes a melded or glued portion to form a stop or stops  280  at or near the top  260  of the holder and at the edge of the pocket opening  230 . The stop or stops  280  may be formed by melding or gluing the front and back units  210 ,  220  together (or attaching the units indirectly through thin units similar to those shown in  FIG. 3  as top, side and bottom units  340 ,  370 ,  375 ) from the edge of the pocket  230  opening along some portion, or all, of length L 5 . Alternatively, the stop or stops may be created by the use of snaps  410  as shown in  FIG. 4   a , hook-and-loop tape  415  such as VELCRO brand, as shown in  FIG. 4   b  or other reversibly closable fastener(s) attached near the top  260  of the holder  200 . This alternative has the advantage of allowing the record device  100  to be completely removed from the holder  200  by the user so that the user can more easily update information on the record device—including, depending on the type of material selected for the record device  100  and the thickness of the record device, on a typewriter or computer printer. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 , the stops  980  may be formed by adhesive along length L 5  placed on the back of the front unit  910  which is attached to the file, box or the like to which the device is mounted. 
   It will be appreciated that while  FIGS. 2 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6  and  9  show particular shapes of stops—a circular snap  410 , a rectangular hook-and-loop tape fastener  415 —these shape are only examples and other shapes are possible. For example, rather than a melded or glued seal along all of length L 5  as shown, a spot meld could be made at the interface between L 3  and L 5 . It will also be appreciated that combinations of stops could be used: for example, it may be advantageous to have one stop that is glued or melded, and one stop that is formed by a snap or hook-and-loop fastener to allow for removal of the record device. For this last embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4   b , a small portion of the sides L 6  of the front  210  and back units (not shown in the Figure) may be left unattached at the top of the pocket to make removal of the record device from the pocket easier. It is important to note that the position and shape of the stops depend in part on the position and shape of the protrusion(s)  160  of the record device to be used so that the holder and record device may function together as described in more detail below. 
   Although the stops and protrusions are desirable to prevent the loss of the record device or the inadvertent placement of a record device on the wrong file folder, it is also possible to have a record device without protrusions and/or a holder without stops as is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 8 . In such case either the length of the opening L 3  of the holder is substantially the same or slightly larger than the maximum length L 1  of the record device with which it is to be used. The record device need not include protrusions, and therefore the maximum length L 1  of the record device may be simply length L 2  if the record device is rectangular. 
   The holder may be constructed of a number of different materials. One possibility is clear plastic, or other thin transparent material, sturdy enough to tolerate a repeated, sliding movement of the record device into and out of the pocket. Flexible vinyl may be used (a 1/64 inch or 0.4 mm thick flexible vinyl has been used successfully), but other clear, plastic materials with less flexibility may also be appropriate. It is also possible to use cardboard, thick paper, plastic, or any relatively thin material that is sturdy enough to tolerate a repeated, sliding movement of the record device into and out of the pocket. It is also possible, of course, to use two type of materials for the holder. For example, a substantially clear material, such as vinyl, could be used for that portion of the holder that covers the recording surface when the record device is wholly inserted into the holder, while a sturdier material may be used to form the other portions of the holder, so as to allow the user to read the information on the recording surface even when the record device  100  is not completely extended from the holder. It is preferable that the materials used be thin enough so as not to prevent or impede a user from removing or replacing a file or the like, to which the device is attached, from a shelf, file drawer or box, or to add substantial volume to the file. 
   The exterior surface of the back unit  220  preferably includes an area of adhesive  294  sufficient to attach the device to a file, box or the like. While this area of adhesive is shown in connection with the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , all of the embodiments shown preferably include such an area of adhesive. As persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, the area of adhesive may be placed along an edge or edges of the device as shown in  FIG. 2   c , or on all of the exterior surface of the back unit  220  as shown in  FIG. 2   d , or on any portion thereof. For the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 9 , the adhesive  990  would be placed along the edges of the rear surface of the front unit  910  to form both the pocket  930  and, if desired, the stops  980 . Placement on a file or the like of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 9  would require that the record device  100  be placed inside the area of adhesive (which would form the pocket upon attachment) while the device was being attached to the file. As shown in  FIG. 2   d , the area of adhesive  294  may be covered with removable paper  295  or similar protection so as to prevent the unintentional attachment of the device to undesired surfaces. One adhesive that includes removable paper which may be used in the embodiments shown is PEELnSTICK brand double-sided adhesive, which is produced by Therm O Web company. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  8  and  9 , the combination of the record device  100  and the holder  200 ,  600 ,  800 ,  900  is shown.  FIGS. 5   a ,  6   a ,  8   a  and  9   a  show the record device  100  fully inserted in the pocket  230 ,  630 ,  830 ,  930  so that the bottom edge  150  of the record device is against or close to the bottom  241 ,  641 ,  841 ,  941  of the pocket  230 ,  630 ,  830 ,  930 . The record device  100  is not attached to the pocket  230 ,  630 ,  830   930  or otherwise to the holder  500 ,  600 ,  800 ,  900 . Thus, by pulling the tab  140 , or that portion of the upper edge  135  of the record device that extends from the pocket  230 ,  630 ,  830 ,  930  when the record device is fully inserted into the pocket, the user may slide the record device  100  out of the pocket until the protrusion or protrusions  160  meet the stops  280 ,  680 ,  980  which prevents the record device from being completely removed from the pocket. In the alternative embodiment wherein the holder does not have stops, such as is shown in  FIG. 8 , the record device may be completely removed from the pocket. It will be understood that for the holder shown in  FIG. 4 , the record device  100  would be able to be removed from the holder after unsnapping or otherwise separating the stops  410 ,  415 . Such reversibly connectable stops could be used in any of the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  9 . Each of  FIGS. 5   b ,  6   b  and  9   b  show the record device  100  fully extended from the holder  200 ,  600 ,  900 ; that is, when the area of maximum width of the record device (either created by protrusions as shown or otherwise) prevents the record device from being further removed from the pocket. So extended, the lower edge of the record device  150  is near the top of the holder and a portion of the recording surface  110  is out of the pocket and available for reading and/or recording. 
   As can be seen in  FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b , a preferred placement of the device on a file folder  703  or bucket folder  704  is such that the top of the holder  760  is aligned near a side edge  706  or a top edge  707  of the folder  703 ,  704 . Preferably, the edge  706  should be one which is accessible when the file folder is placed in its storage location—such as on a shelf—and the tab  740  or top edge of the record device should be accessible when the file is stored. It will be evident to those of ordinary skill in the art that, as shown, the position of the device shown in  FIG. 7   a  would be appropriate for a file to be stored on a shelf and that the placement of the device in  FIG. 7   b  would be appropriate for a file in a hanging folder or box. Normally, if the device is placed along the top edge of the file folder the placement should be chosen so as not to conflict with the tab, if any, on the file folder itself. Although placement on the outside of the folder is shown, it would be possible to place the device inside the folder, depending on the folder&#39;s construction (i.e., if the folder had open sides) and placement of the device (i.e., if the holder is to be accessed from the top of the file folder). Similar considerations would apply if the device was to be attached to a box, a book or other item. 
   While preferred embodiments of the present invention are described above, it is contemplated that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.