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(11) | EP 0 066 561 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | File for paper or the like |
| (57) A file, especially for paper or the like, for instance a magazine file (10), comprising
a bottom (15) and side walls (11-14) and an opening opposite to the bottom, is designed
so that its handling volume will be about half the normal volume. The magazine file
(10) has at least one slit (16-19) extending from the free top edges of the side walls
(11-14) and directed towards the bottom (15) and having such a width that it can receive
a side wall. The slit is adapted to accommodate a side wall (31-34) of a second, similar
file (30) when this is telescoped into said first file (10) with the opening (40)
and the side walls (31-34) of said second file facing the opening (20) and side walls
(11-14) of said second file (10) while being slightly displaced in parallel with the
bottom (15, 35) plane. |
[0001] The present invention relates to a file for paper or the like, e.g. magazine files or letter trays. Such files consist of a bottom and four side walls of varying height. However, files of this kind have no top since the device must be open to admit introduction of papers, magazines or other material.
[0002] Files of this type are mostly manufactured of planar sheets of plastic material, wood or cardboard. Accordingly the invention concern files comprising a storing compartment defined by thin walls or sheets. This makes the files rather bulky, which is a disadvantage in connection with transportation, storage and distribution. Economical advantages will be gained if the volume of the files is reduced.
[0003] According to the invention the transportation and handling volume of the files in question is substantially reduced in a most simple way by the feature that the files have apertures or slits extending from the free top edges of the side walls and directed towards the bottom, the width of said apertures or slits being adapted to receive a side wall. The slits are adapted to accommodate the side walls of a second, similar file when this is telescoped into the first file with the opening and the side walls of said second file facing the opening and side walls of the first file while being slightly displaced in parallel with the bottom plane.
[0004] In a second embodiment the first file has a rectangular or square bottom and at least one slit provided adjacent a corner and having such a depth that a side wall of the second file can be inserted in the slit of the first file so far that the top edges of the side walls of the second file will bear against the bottom of the first file.
[0005] In a third embodiment the file has four slits, one at each corner of the file, said slits being substantially symmetrical with respect to the central plane of the file which is parallel with the side walls.
[0007] In a fifth embodiment the height of one of the side walls is lower than that of the remaining side walls and the depth of the slits is about half the height of this shorter side wall.
[0009] The invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a magazine file made in accordance with the invention. In the drawing:
Fig. 1 is a perspective diagonal end view of the file;
Fig. 2 shows two identical telescoped magazine files; and
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on line III-III in Fig. 2.
[0010] The magazine file shown in Fig. 1 is generally designated by 10. Numeral-11 stands for the front wall of the magazine file, 12 and 13 for the left-hand and right-hand side wall respectively, 14 is the rear wall and 15 the bottom of the magazine file. The substantially plane side walls may have slits and apertures of different shape for different purposes, the apertures 21, 22 and 23 for instance being intended for lifting or carrying the file. Provided in the side walls 12 and 13 adjacent the corners of the front wall 11 are left-hand and right-hand slits 16 and 17 respectively, and left-hand and right-hand slits 18 and 19 are likewise provided at the corners in the rear wall 14 of the file.
[0011] The slits 16 and 17 are situated immediately above the inner surface of the front side wall 11 while the slits 18 and 19 are situated immediately above the inner surfaces of the side walls 12 and 13 respectively. The slits extend from the free top edges of the side walls and downwards a distance the length of which may vary as will be described in more detail below.
[0012] Fig. 2 shows two identical magazine files which are brought together so that their total volume will be slightly larger than the volume of a single file. The figure shows a magazine file 30 the design of which is identical with the magazine file 10. In Fig. 2 the file of Fig. 1 has been placed upside-down with the bottom 15 turned upwards. In this figure the reference numerals for the right-hand upside-down file 10 are the same as those indicated in Fig. 1. The reference numerals 31 - 39 and 41 - 43 for the file 30 in Fig. 2 correspond to the reference numerals 11 - 19 and 21 - 23 respectively in Fig. 1 (i.e. the numerals in Fig. 2 are increased by 20).
[0013] It appears from Fig. 2 that the left-hand rear corner of the file 10 in Fig. 1 (at the slot 18) is situated inside the left-hand front corner of the file 30 (at 36 in Fig. 2). The slit 19 in the file 10 and the slit 37 in the upright file 30 in Fig. 2 are situated straight opposite each other and are telescoped so that the bottoms of the slits lie almost in contact with each other while those portions of the rear wall 14 and the right-hand sidewalls which are in line with the slits are accommodated in the slits 37 and 19 in the files 30 and 10, respectively.
[0014] Fig. 3 shows a section on line III-III in Fig. 2 and there it is seen how the wall 33 is received in the slit 19 in the file 10. The left-hand side wall 12 in the file 10 is received at the diagonally opposite corner by the slit 38 in the file 30. The slits are made so deep that the top edge of the wall 12 in Fig. 1 will rest against the bottom 35 of the file 30 while the bottoms of the slits 16, 38 and 19, 37, respectively, lie in contact with or adjacent each other.
[0015] Studying Fig. 2 it is easily seen that the two magazine files can be brought to the position shown in the figure provided that the sum of the lengths of the slits, for instance the slits 19 and 37, is equal to the distance by which the files overlap, i.e. the height of the file 10 minus the height of the edges 24, 25 in Fig. 1. In other words, the total length of the slits is to be equal to the height of the shortest side wall 14.
[0016] In the position shown in Fig. 2 - as also appears from Fig. 3 - use is only made of two slits in either file 10 and 30. Consequently, only two slits are necessary to benefit by the invention. However, for practical reasons the magazine file is made symmetrical about its central plane so that it is formed with four slits (16 - 19 in Fig. 1).
[0017] It is also obvious that it is possible to make a magazine file assembly where slits are made in only one file at the intersectional points between the walls (for instance at 19 and 38 in Fig. 3) of the files. Thus, for instance, the slit 37 (Fig. 2) in the file 30 can be given such a length that it will cover the entire height of the rear wall 14 of the file 10, which renders the slit 19 quite unnecessary. This embodiment, however, has the disadvantage of giving a high wall section of low rigidity with increased risks of damages.
1. A file, especially for paper or the like, comprising a bottom and side walls and
an opening opposite to the bottom, for instance a letter tray or a magazine file,
characterized by at least one slit (16 - 19) extending from the free top edges of
the side walls (11 - 14) and directed towards the bottom and having a width adapted
to receive a side wall, said slit being adapted to accommodate a side wall (31 - 34)
of a second, similar file (30) when this is telescoped into the first file (10) with
the opening (40) and the side walls (31 - 34) of said second file facing the opening
(20) and side walls (11 - 14) of said first file (10) while being slightly displaced in parallel with the bottom
(15, 35) plane (Fig. 3).
2. A file as claimed in claim 1, characterized by a rectangular or square bottom (15)
and at least one slit (16 -19) provided adjacent a corner and having such a depth
that a wall of the second file (30) can be inserted in the slit of said first file
(10) so far that the top edges of the side walls of said second file (30) will bear
against the bottom (15) of said first file (10).
3. A file as claimed in claim 2, characterized by four slits (16 - 19), one adjacent
each corner of the file (10), said slits being preferably arranged in symmetrical
relationship (16 - 17, 18 - 19) with respect to the central plane of the file (10)
which is parallel with the side walls (12, 13).
4. A file as claimed in any of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that all the slits
(16 - 19) are equal in length.
5. A file as claimed in claim 4, characterized by at least one side wall (14) which
is lower in height than the remaining side walls and that the length of the slits
(16 - 19) correspond to half the height of this shorter side wall (14).