Envelope for storing collection items, such as postage stamps, coins and the like

Abstract

 A containing device for collection items such as postage stamps, coins and the like, having an inner (2) and an outer (3) holder member, each comprising transparent quadrangular front covers (4, 11) and back covers (5, 12), and two linear spacer elements (6, 7; 13,14) interposed between said front (4, 11) and back (5, 12) covers along two mutually opposed sides thereof. A first cavity for locating items (C) to be stored having two open side ends (9, 10) is thus defined between the front cover (4) and the back cover (5) of the inner holder member (2). A second cavity is defined between the front cover (11) and the back cover (12) of the outer holder member (3) for slidably receiving the inner holder member (2) with the spacer element (13, 14) of the outer holder member (3) facing the open side ends (9, 10) of the first cavity (8).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to containing devices of the type which is currently used by collectors for storing, handling, filing and displaying collection items such as postage stamps, coins, picture cards and similar objects having small dimensions and a general flat shape.

[0002] Containing devices, referred to as "pockets" or "envelopes" are currently manufactured by securing over two or more edges a transparent sheet to a stiff support member, preferably of thin cardboard, such as a sheet of a collection album for postage stamps. Pockets for storing postage stamps obtained by assembling two transparent strips are also commonly used.

[0003] Due to the lack of clearance between the facing surfaces of the transparent sheet and the- support member, viz, the two transparent strips, the devices above cannot be satisfactorily used for storing postage stamps having relief portions and coins. In the case of postage stamps having relief portions, the envelopes according to the prior art cannot prevent unwanted warping of relief portions due to a pressure inadvertently applied onto the surface of the stamp.

[0004] The object of the present invention is an improved containing device wherein collection items such as coins and postage stamps having relief portions can be easily and satisfactorily stored without risk of damage.

[0005] According to the present invention, a containing device for collecting items such as postage stamps, coins and the like is provided characterized by an inner and an outer holder member, each comprising a transparent front cover and a back cover, both quadrangular in shape, and two linear spacer elements interposed between said front and back cover along two mutually opposed sides thereof, whereby a first cavity for locating said items having two open side ends is defined between the front cover and the back cover of said inner holder member and a second cavity is defined between the front cover and the back cover of the outer holder member for slidably receiving said inner holder member with the spacer element of the outer holder member facing the open side ends of said first cavity.

[0006] Due to the presence of the linear spacer elements, a clearance between the front cover and the back cover of the inner holder element is established, thereby providing a cavity wherein items having a certain degree of thickness such as coins and postage stamps with relief portions can be easily and satisfactorily stored.

[0007] As the inner holder member is totally inserted within the outer holder member, the spacer elements provided in the outer holder member extend across the open side ends of the cavity within the inner holder member, thereby preventing unwanted slipping of items out of the containing device. The spacer elements provided in both holder members define an outer frame which surrounds the first cavity protecting from damage the items located therein.

[0008] Preferably, both holder elements are provided with transparent back covers. Therefore, the containing device according to the present invention actually represents a sort of a display box allowing direct inspection of both sides of items stored therein.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inner holder member includes a linear spacer element which is bonded to the front cover and the back cover in order to define a mutual inner edge thereof, whereas the other linear spacer element is bonded to one cover only, preferably the front cover .

[0010] This allows lifting of the front cover of the inner holder member, thereby facilitating insertion and removal of items stored in the containing device.

[0011] Notches are provided along the free sides of the front cover and the back cover of the outer holder member in order to facilitate grasping of the inner holder member during extraction from the outer holder member.

[0012] The invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the annexed drawing. In the drawing:

- figure 1 is perspective view of a containing device according to the present invention,

- figure 2 is further perspective view showing two of the basic elements of the containing device of figure 1,

- figure 3 schematically represents the use of the containing device of figures 1 and 2 applied to a filing mount such as a collection album,

- and figure 4 is a sectional view along line IV-IV of figure 3. In the drawing, a containing device 1 is shown comprised of an inner holder member 2 and an outer holder member 3.

[0013] Inner holder member 2 basically includes a front cover 4 and a back cover 5 of a transparent flexible material such as plastic sheet material. Front cover 4 and back cover 5, which are substantially rectangular in shape, are joined together along a mutual inner edge by a first linear spacer element 6 (preferably of plastic material or cardboard) which is welded or adhesively bonded to both covers 4 and 5.

[0014] A second linear spacer element 7 is welded or adhesively bonded to front cover 4 along- a side thereof opposed to the inner edge define by spacer element 6. In the arrangement described, a cavity 8 is defined between front and back covers 4 and 5 and spacer elements 6 and 7 wherein collection items such as coin C (figure 3) can be inserted.

[0015] Cavity 8 has two open side ends 9 and 10 corresponding to the sides of front and back covers 4 and 5 extending orthogonally to spacer elements6 and 7.

[0016] Outer holder member 3 includes a front cover 11 and a back cover 12 of a transparent flexible material such as plastic sheet material.

[0017] Two further linear spacer elements 13 and 14 are interposed between front and back covers 11 and 12, which are rectangular in shape, along two opposite sides thereof.

[0018] Each spacer elements 13, 14 is welded or adhesively bonded both to front cover 11 and back cover 12 ensuring joining thereof along two opposite sides. The distance between spacer elements 13 and 14 basically corresponds to the distance between the two open side ends9, 10 of cavity 8.

[0019] Inner holder element 2 can thus be slidably inserted within a cavity 15 defined between front and back covers 11, 12 and spacer elements 13, 14. As the inner holder member 2 is. inserted within outer holder member 3 spacer elements 13, 14 co-operate with the open side ends 9, 10 of cavity 8 restraining items contained therein. Unwanted slipping of .those items out of the containing device is thus prevented.

[0020] Notches 16 are provided on the sides (referred to as "free sides") of front and back covers 11 and 12 extending orthogonally to spacer elements 13, 14. Notches 16 facilitate grasping of the inner holder member 2 upon extraction from the outer holder element 3. Reference numeral 17 in figures 3 and 4 denotes an adhesive strip applied to one edge of outer holder member 3 in order to permit location of the containing device 1 on a filing" mount such as a sheet S of a collection album, as schematically portrayed in figures 3 and 4 (d shed lines). Strip 17 enables lifting of the containing device 1 from sheet even after adhesive bonding thereto. Lifting of the containing device significantly facilitates insertion and removal of the collected items as shown in full lines in figures 3 and 4. Lifting of device 1 also permits inspection of both sides of items contained therein without removal of the same from the filing mount.

[0021] Naturally, the principle of invention remaining the same, construction of details and embodiments may be varied widely with respect to that described and illustrated purely by way of example without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A containing device for collection items such as postage stamps, coins and the like, characterized by an inner (2) and an outer (3) holder member, each comprising a transparent front cover (4; 11) and a back cover (5; 12), both quadrangular in shape, and two linear spacer elements (6, 7; 13, 14) interposed between said front (4, 11) and back (5, 12) cover along two mutually opposed sides thereof, whereby a first cavity (8) for locating said items (C) having two open side ends (9, 10) is defined between the front cover (4) and the back cover (5) of said inner holder member (2) and a second cavity (15) is defined between the front cover (11) and the back cover (12) of the outer holder member (3) for slidably receiving said inner holder member (2) with the spacer elements (13, 14) of the outer holder member (3) facing the open side ends (9, 10) of said first cavity (8).

2. A containing device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the back covers (5, 12) of said inner (2) and outer (3) holder members are transparent.

3. A containing device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by the fact that said inner holder member (2) includes a linear spacer element (6) which is bonded to the front cover (4) and the back (5) cover of said inner holder member (2) in order to define a mutual inner edge thereof.

4. A containing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the fact that notches (16) are provided along the free sides of the front (11) and back (12) covers of the outer holder member (3) in order to facilitate grasping of the inner holder member (2) during extraction thereof from the outer holder member (3).

5. A containing device according to any one of the preceding claims, particularly for locating on a filing mount such as a sheet of a collection album, characterized by further comprising an adhesive strip (17) associated to one of the edges of said outer holder member (3) for adhesively joining the containing device (1) to said filing mount (S).

Drawing