A document or paper label holder

Abstract

 A document or paper label holder (10) comprises a first sheet (26) constituting an inner wall of the paper label holder and a second sheet (22) constituting an outer wall of the paper label holder. The first sheet (26) is made from a thin, transparent and hard PVC foil of a thickness of 0.05-0.35 mm, such as 0.15-0.25 mm, preferably approximately 0.18 mm. The second sheet (22) is composed of a first, preferably non-transparent, soft PVC foil of a thickness of approximately twice the thickness of the first sheet, and a second, hard PVC foil having a thickness approximately the same as the thickness of the first sheet. The first foil and the second foil are joined, preferably welded, together in the second sheet, the second foil facing the first sheet, and the first sheet and the second sheet are connected, preferably welded, together along an edge part thereof for defining a pocket between the first sheet and the second foil of the second sheet for receiving the document or paper label holder (30).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a document or paper label holder. Numerous examples of document or paper label holders are described in the literature among other in EP 0 335 592, EP 1 252 835, US 6,039,494, US 2003/0217497, and EP 0 799 138, reference is made to the above patent applications and patents, and the above US patents is hereby incorporated in the present specification by reference.

[0002] A document or paper label holder is as taught by the above publications and according to the teachings of the present invention a two sheet structure in which two opposed sheets are joined together along a part of the edges of the two sheets so as to establish a pocket within the two sheet structure in which pocket a document, a piece of paper, a paper or label tag, such as a business card or business cards may be received and stored for even an extended period of time.

[0003] The general increase in the number of printing appliances such as inkjet printers and laser printers which are used professionally and also in private homes for generating not only printed papers such as letters or the like, but used for valuable documents or printed publications used for presentation of the individual or the company in question has radically increased the applications of document or paper label holders in the modern communication society. The use of document or paper label holders cause, however, a problem as the printing on the document papers or cardboard or paper in question are deteriorated by the document or paper label holder. Generally, document or paper label holders are made from plastics materials and conventionally made from PVC, which material as compared to other low costs plastics or polymer materials exhibit the ability of standing exposure to elevated or low temperatures for a long term shelving period without being deteriorated.

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a novel document or paper label holder eliminating the above problems relating to deterioration of printings on documents or papers, cardboard or paper tags stored or shelved within the document or paper label holder.

[0005] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simple and low cost document or paper label holder fulfilling the purpose of eliminating the above problem and being made from a single material which allows the document or paper label holder to be readily regenerated or recycled.

[0006] The above objects together with numerous other objects, advantages and features, which will be evident from the below detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment of the document or paper label holder according to the present invention is in accordance with the teachings of the present invention obtained by a document or paper label holder comprising

i) a first sheet constituting an inner wall of the paper label holder, and

ii) a second sheet constituting an outer wall of the paper label holder,
the first sheet being made from a thin, transparent and hard PVC foil of a thickness of 0.05 - 0.35 mm, such as 0.15 - 0.25 mm, preferably approximately 0.18 mm,
the second sheet being composed of a first, preferably non-transparent, soft PVC foil of a thickness of approximately twice the thickness of the first sheet, and a second, hard PVC foil having a thickness approximately the same as the thickness of the first sheet,
the first foil and the second foil being joined, preferably welded, together in the second sheet, the second foil facing the first sheet, and
the first sheet and the second sheet being connected, preferably welded, together along an edge part thereof for defining a pocket between the first sheet and the second foil of the second sheet for receiving the document or paper label holder.

[0007] In the present context, the terms 'sheet' and 'foil' are to be as follows: The term 'sheet' is to be understood defining a structural physical element constituting a separate component of the document or paper label holder according to the present invention, whereas the term 'foil' is to be construed as a term defining an element of a single material as one or more foils of different materials, i.e. PVC having different content of plasticizers may be joined together, preferably welded or otherwise glued, co-extruded, etc. together for providing a sheet.

[0008] Consequently, a sheet may constitute a multi-layer foil structure or a single foil structure.

[0009] The terms 'joined' or 'connected' are to comprise any relevant technique of assembling the relevant components, i.e. foils of the sheet and the sheets, respectively, which techniques may include gluing, hot-melt adhesion, fixation, welding by heat or HF or any other relevant technique.

[0010] It is construed that the ability of the novel document or paper label holder according to the present invention as to eliminating the drawback of deteriorating the printings on a document, a piece of paper, a cardboard or paper tag stored within the document or paper label holder is based on the realisation that the plasticizers present in soft PVC reacts with the printings on the documents or papers stored within the conventional document or paper label holders which are generally made from soft PVC. Consequently, according to the teachings of the present invention, the document or paper label holder, the outer foil which has to be made from soft material, in particular soft PVC foil, for allowing the document or paper label holder to be bent and manipulated without breaking the foil material, is separated from the paper or document by the thin inner foil covering the soft outer foil which inner foil is made from hard PVC, i.e. PVC having a low content or no content of plasticizers as compared to the soft PVC which includes a high content of plasticizers. The lower thickness of the inner barrier or cover foil of the two joined, preferably welded, foils constituting the second sheet allows the second sheet to be bend without causing the second sheet to delaminate or cause the second sheet to crack or otherwise be mechanically deteriorated.

[0011] It is to be realised that a similar structure as the document or paper label holder according to the present invention may be established using a combination of material such as a plastics foil and an aluminium foil, however, the reduced compatibility of the two different materials makes a product made from two different materials less advantageous as the structure taught by the present invention in which one and the same material, preferably PVC, is used which provides mechanical advantages as to a reduced risk of delamination or mechanical deterioration and also allows the product to be easily regenerated or recycled, which is highly advantageous from an environmental point of view.

[0012] According to different embodiments of the document or paper label holder according to the present invention, the second foil of the second sheet is made from a non-transparent foil having the same of a different colour as the first sheet, or alternatively the second foil of the second sheet is a transparent foil, i.e. a foil similar to or identical to the first sheet.

[0013] The document or paper label holder according to the present invention may be configurated in any sizes or in any design, such as a single card holder, a multi-card holder, a paper holder for receiving the document in a foldable leaflet structure. In the present context, relevant geometries or configurations comprise circular configurations, elliptical configurations, oblong multi-sectional curved configurations, triangles, squares, rectangles or polygonals, or any combination of the above geometrical configurations. Dependent on the specific geometry and dimensions or the document or paper label holder in question, the first and the second sheets may be of different size and different configurations, however, according to the presently preferred embodiment of the document or paper label holder according to the present invention, the first and second sheets are coextensive relative to one another and have substantially identical outer dimensions defining two parallel short edges and two parallel long edges of a rectangular configuration. In the presently preferred embodiment of the document or paper label holder according to the present invention, the first and the second sheets are connected together along the two short edges and one of the two long edges. Alternatively, the first and second sheets may be connected together along the two long edges and the one short edge providing a slim document or paper label holder.

[0014] The document or paper label holder according to the present invention may as discussed above be used for storing a single cardboard or paper tag, a single document or piece of paper, or alternatively for storing a multiplicity of cardboard or paper products. For storing a multiplicity of cardboard or paper products the document or paper label holder may be used for storing a pile of cardboard or paper document or paper label holder may be used for storing a pile of cardboard or paper products or alternatively have a number of separate sections for storing a cardboard or paper element individually. According to a particularly advantageous and the presently preferred embodiment of the document or paper label holder according to the present invention, the document or paper label holder constitutes a document or paper label holder part, and the first foil, i.e. the soft, non-transparent PVC foil defines a prolongation or extension which is uncovered and non-joined to the second foil of the second sheet, consequently defining a hinge part continuing into an identical hinge part of a second document or paper label holder part identical to the first part. Consequently, the above described presently preferred embodiment of the document or paper label holder according to the present invention is a two wing or two part structure which may be used for e.g. storing professional cards, the one part being used for storing the individual's own card and the other part being used for storing professional cards received from other individuals, alternatively provided the document or paper label holder be configurated in a different size such as a size somewhat larger than the DIN A4 format, the one half, part or the one wing may be used for storing one pile of documents whereas the other wing or the other half, part or wing may be used for storing a second or different pile of documents.

[0015] In order to ensure that the two parts or halves of the two part structure of the document or paper label holder described above folds in a proper way, the hinge part preferably has weakening areas or weakening lines serving as generators for the folding of the document or paper label holder parts together.

[0016] The present invention is now to be further described with reference to the drawings in which

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first and presently preferred embodiment of a document or paper label holder according to the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a perspective and partly cutaway view similar to the view of Fig. 1 of the first and presently preferred embodiment of the document or paper label holder according to the present invention, and

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the first and presently preferred embodiment of the document or paper label holder according to the present invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

[0017] In the present description, the term a document or paper label holder is used as a generic term describing any composite multi-layer PVC structure in which a piece of paper or a cardboard tag is received between two sheets of the document or paper label holder, one of which sheets is a transparent PVC sheet.

[0018] In Figs. 1 and 2, a first and presently preferred embodiment of a document or paper label holder is shown designated the reference numeral 10 in its entirety. In Fig. 1, the holder is shown in a perspective view whereas in Fig. 2, the holder is shown in a perspective and partly cutaway view illustrating in greater details the structure of the holder.

[0019] Basically, the holder 10 is composed of two parts or mirror image halves 12 and 14 which are linked together by means of a web 16 serving as a hinged connection between the two parts or halves. The web 16 is provided with indentations or weakenings 18 and 20 serving as generators for folding the web serving as a hinged connection between the two parts or halves 12 and 14.

[0020] The web 16 further constitutes a continuous foil made from transparent or preferably non-transparent and soft PVC, i.e. PVC including a high content of plasticizers which foil is designated the reference numeral 22. On top of the foil 22, a barrier foil 24 is joined, preferably welded, to the foil 22, which barrier foil is made from fairly hard PVC, consequently made from PVC including a low content of plasticizers. The barrier foil serves to prevent the plastisizers to be contacted with the paper or cardboard material positioned on top of the barrier foil 24 and in particular the printings on the paper or cardboard received within the document or paper label holder.

[0021] On top of the barrier foil 24, which may be made from transparent or preferably non-transparent hard PVC, preferably of the same colour as the soft PVC foil 22, a hard, transparent PVC foil 26 is positioned and welded to the laminate of foils 22 and 24 along the outer edges of the document or paper label holder 10. Consequently, between the two PVC foils 24 and 26, a pocket is provided in each of the two parts or halves 12 and 14 within which pocket a professional card, a document or paper or alternatively any cardboard or tag including relevant information may be received, which paper or cardboard, element or tag may include printings which are deteriorated provided the printings be contacted with the plasticizers of the outer soft PVC foil 22.

[0022] In Fig. 3, a vertical sectional view of the outer edge of the one part or half 14 of the document or paper label holder 10 is shown disclosing the edgewise welding or adhesion between the foils 22, 24 and 26 and also disclosing the inner pocket defined between the two hard PVC foils 24 and 26, within which pocket a paper or cardboard tag or element 30 is received.

[0023] Although the above described document or paper label holder has been described as a two part structure having two pockets for receiving a respective paper label or tag such as professional card or similar printed paper or cardboard tag, the teachings of the present invention may be implemented in numerous other embodiments such as a one part structure having a single pocket, a multi-card holder, a lever arch file, etc.

Example

[0024] A prototype version of the document or paper label holder shown in Figs. 1 and 2 was made from the following components: The outer foil 22 was made from soft, dark blue PVC foil measuring 14,9 cm x 10,3 cm and defining two document or paper label parts 12 and 14 each measuring 10,3 cm x 7 cm, being connected by the hinging web 16 having a width of 0,9 cm. The soft PVC foil 22 was of a thickness of 0,35 mm and was of the type "PVC sheeting®" delivered by the company Papyro-Tex. Each of the dark blue barrier foils 24 of the two parts or halves 12 and 14 of the document or paper label holder 10 was made from hard PVC foil of a thickness of 0,18 mm with no or low content of plasticizers each measuring 10,3 cm x 6,9 cm. Each of the barrier foils 24 was of the type Pentaprint PR M180/23 delivered by the company Klöckner Pentaplast GmbH. The transparent hard PVC foil 26 was of the same kind as the barrier foil, however, being a transparent foil and was of a thickness of 0,18 mm, each measuring 10,3 cm x 6,5 cm.

[0025] Although the present invention has above been described with reference to a specific and presently preferred embodiment it is obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications may be implemented in a document or paper label holder or similar paper or cardboard holder for preventing the plasticizers of a soft outer foil to deteriorate the paper or cardboard material, and in particular the printings on the paper or cardboard element by the provision of a thin, hard PVC separation or barrier foil on top of the soft outer foil.

Claims

1. A document or paper label holder comprising

i) a first sheet constituting an inner wall of said paper label holder, and

ii) a second sheet constituting an outer wall of said paper label holder,
said first sheet being made from a thin, transparent and hard PVC foil of a thickness of 0.05 - 0.35 mm, such as 0.15 - 0.25 mm, preferably approximately 0.18 mm,
said second sheet being composed of a first, preferably non-transparent, soft PVC foil of a thickness of approximately twice the thickness of said first sheet, and a second, hard PVC foil having a thickness approximately the same as the thickness of said first sheet,
said first foil and said second foil being joined, preferably welded, together in said second sheet, said second foil facing said first sheet, and
said first sheet and said second sheet being connected, preferably welded, together along an edge part thereof for defining a pocket between said first sheet and said second foil of said second sheet for receiving said document or paper label holder.

2. The document or paper label holder according to claim 1, said second foil of said second sheet being a non-transparent foil having the same or a different colour as said first sheet.

3. The document or paper label holder according to claim 1, said second foil of said second sheet being a transparent foil.

4. The document or paper label holder according to any of the claims 1-3, said first and second sheets being coextensive relative to one another and having substantially identical outer dimensions defining two short edges and two long edges of a rectangular configuration, said first and second sheets being connected together along said two short edges and one of said two long edges.

5. The document or paper label holder according to any of the claims 1-4, said document or paper label holder constituting a document or paper label holder part, said first foil of said second sheet having an extension uncovered and non-joined to said second foil and defining a hinge part continuing into an identical hinge part of a second document or paper label holder part identical to said first part.

6. The document or paper label holder according to claim 5, said hinge part having weakening areas serving as generators for the folding of said document or paper label holder parts together.

Drawing