Folder with L-shaped opening having offset edges

Abstract

 A folder (10) with an L-shaped opening; the folder is obtained by folding a sheet plastic material to define two opposite pages (13, 14) joined along the longitudinally folded edge (11) and in which the bottom cross edge (12) is suitably welded so as to define an L-shaped opening on the remaining upper and side edges (16, 17); one (15, 18) of the opposite rims (15, 16; 17, 18) of the superimposed pages (13, 14) along at least one of said upper and side edges defining the L-shaped opening of the folder being differently slanted and offset with respect to other one so as to form a long gripping lug extending towards the corner of the L-shaped opening.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a folder made of transparent and/or coloured plastic material, having a substantially rectangular shape, which is obtained from a sheet material which is longitudinally folded onto itself along a side edge of the folder and welded along the bottom cross edge adjoining the preceding one, so as to form two superimposed pages defining an L-shaped opening on the remaining edges for insertion and removal of documents from the folder.

[0002] As is known, in folders of the abovementioned kind the two opposite pages are similarly shaped and the rims of their L-shaped opening are perfectly aligned with each another.

[0003] In folders with an L-shaped opening, of the abovementioned kind, since the two pages tend to adhere to each other both for the electrostatic charges which build up between the opposing faces and owing to a certain degree of natural adhesiveness of the same plastic material, there may exist a certain degree of difficulty with regard to opening in order to insert and/or remove documents.

[0004] In order to facilitate opening of such a folder, it is usual to provide on an edge of a page, in particular along the long side edge of the upper page, a cut-out notch or a recess positioned at a certain distance from the top corner, to allow the gripping with the fingers.

[0005] Such a solution, although of some help, nevertheless is not always easy to apply in practice, since it require a certain degree of care or attention to the user in order to locate the notch for opening the folder. Furthermore said notch is usually positioned for from the corner of the opening.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a folder with an L-shaped opening, of the abovementioned kind, suitably modified, to facilitate the opening and which thus makes the same easier to use when a document is inserted and/or removed.

[0007] According to the present invention, an L-shaped folder is provided, having a substantially rectangular shape and consisting of two superimposed pages, the folder being obtained from a blank of a sheet plastic material folded along a side edge of the folder and welded along the bottom cross edge adjoining the preceding one, so as to define an the remaining upper and side edges an L-shaped opening for inserting and removing documents; the opposing rims of the superimposed pages, along at least one of said upper and side edges of the L-shaped opening are differently slanted or offset with respect to each other so as to farm a gripping lug extending towards the corner of the L-shaped opening.

[0008] Some embodiments of folders with L-shaped openings according to the invention will be illustrated in greater detail hereinbelow with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1

is a front view of the folder according to a first solution;

Fig. 2

is a side view of Figure 1;

Figs. 3 and 4

show the top right-hand corner of modified solutions of the folder of Figure 1.

[0009] The folder, denoted in its entirety by 10, substantially has a rectangular shaped body and is obtained from a blank of sheet plastic material which is folded onto itself along a longitudinal folding line to form the closed left edge 11 of the folder and is welded along a cross bottom edge 12 adjoining the preceding one the remaining two open edges of the folder defining a substantially L-shaped opening for inserting and removing documents.

[0010] The folder thus described is therefore formed by two superimposed cover and back pages 13 and 14 having substantially identical dimensions.

[0011] Unlike conventional folders with an L-shaped opening, in which the opposite rims of the two pages 13, 14 at the upper and right side edges of the L-shaped opening are perfectly superimposed and flush with each other, the folder according to the present invention, in accordance with the example of Figure 1, is provided with differently slanted rims 15 and 16, for example at the top cross edge of the folder which is opposite a the welded edge 12; the upper borders or rims 15, 16 are therefore slightly offset or differently slanted so as to form an angle between them providing a long gripping lug facilitating the opening of the folder.

[0012] More precisely, the top rim 16 of the underlying page 14 is substantially parallel to the bottom welded edge 12, whereas the corresponding top rim 15 of the overlying page 13, as from the folded edge 11, is slightly downwardly slanted at an angle of between far example 2° and 5° with respect to the rim 16 of the page 14.

[0013] In this way the rim 16 of the underlying page 14, owing to the slightly inward arrangement of the rim 15 of the overlying page 13, forms a kind of triangular lug which extends over the entire width of the folder from the tap right-hand corner of Figure 1; opening of the folder is thus facilitated since the slightly protruding border of the underlying page can be easily located and gripped at any point very easily and quickly.

[0014] Instead of or in combination with the solution described, it is possible to envisage another embodiment according to which the slanted arrangement of the rims of the L-shaped opening with respect to each other is effected along the long right-hand side of the folder, for example as indicated by 17 and 18 in Figure 1.

[0015] As schematically shown by means of a broken line in Figure 1, it is possible to combine the various slanted arrangements of the rims on both upper and right-hand sides of the L-shaped opening, on the same page, or alternatively along one rim of a page and along the other rim of the second page, respectively.

[0016] Figures 3 and 4 of the drawing shows other possible solutions which fall within the innovative principle of the present invention.

[0017] As shown in this figure, the slanted or offset arrangement of the rims 15, 16 and 15', 16, respectively, of the two pages of the folder may be effected along a limited portion of the overlying pages, towards the corner of the opening and extending along a rim portion 15 or 15' which is respectively inclined or parallel with respect to the rim 16 so as to form in all cases a gripping lug. Figure 4 shows a variation of Figure 3, in which the rims of the overlying page are partially inclined or inwardly arranged on both sides of the L-shaped opening.

[0018] From the above description and the illustrations in the accompanying drawing it can be seen that a new folder has been provided, with an L-shaped opening which has been made much easier to use owing to the formation of a gripping lug on one or both sides of the opening.

[0019] It can therefore be understood that the above description and illustrations with reference to the accompanying drawing have been provided purely by way of example of the innovative principle of the present invention and that other modifications or variations may be made without thereby departing from that which is claimed.

Claims

1. Folder with an L-shaped opening, consisting of two superimposed pages (13, 14), having a substantially rectangular shape, said folder being obtained from a sheet plastic material folded along a longitidinal side edge (11) of the folder and welded along a cross side edge (12) adjoining the preceding one such that the two pages (13, 14) of the folder form an L-shaped opening along the remaining uper and side edges for inserting and removing documents, characterised in that at least one of the two pages (13, 14) of the folder on one side of the L-shaped opening, comprises a gripping lug providing a slightly inwardly arrangement or slanted disposition of a rim (15) of one page (13) with respect to the corresponding rim (16) of the other page (14).

2. Folder according to Claim 1, characterised in that said inwardly arrangement or slanting of the rim (15) extends over at least part of the entire width or length of the edge of the L-shaped opening of the folder, towards the corner of said L-shaped opening.

3. Folder according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, arranged rims (15, 15', 16) on bath sides of the L-shaped opening, and for at least one pages (13, 14) of the folder.

4. Folder according to the preceding claims, characterised by comprising slanted and/or inwardly arranged rims (15, 15', 16) along one edge of the L-shaped opening, for one of the pages (14, 15), and along the other edge on the opposite side of the L-shaped opening, for the other page (14, 15) of the folder.

Drawing