File Folder With Clips

The present invention relates to folders used for containing and classifying sheets of paper, index cards and the like, more specifically to an improved folder of the above type which uses spring type clips.

Known folders used by students, as well as professionals, for the orderly arrangement of paper, include binders, ring binders, folders using the tongue lock systems and variations thereof, etc. All of these folders have retaining means which necessitate at least one perforation in each sheet of paper or card which is to be placed therein. This constitutes a disadvantage, since it is necessary to perforate all the sheets of paper or cards, and often it is not desirable to have perforated sheets or cards.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a folder adapted to retain a plurality of sheets of paper, or cards, without having recourse to perforations in the latter and which advantageously uses butterfly-type clips.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a folder of the above type, which is of simple and inexpensive construction.

The file folder of the invention comprises, in combination, a one-piece folder, made of stiff material and having top and bottom leaves and an intervening flexible interconnecting spine portion, and at least one standard spring type clip having a pair of jaws and a pair of operating arms. The file folder is provided with an opening in the top leaf adjacent the spine portion and extending into the latter. One jaw and its associated operating arm are inserted through said opening, while the other jaw overlies the bottom leaf, whereby the two jaws clamp the folder and a stack of paper sheets inserted into the folder. The top leaf can be opened, because the opening is large enough to clear said one jaw and its associated arm.

Retaining means are preferably provided on the back to prevent the clip from slipping off rearwardly.

It will be appreciated that the clip may be removed if the folder is to be classified with others in a filing cabinet or the like.

The above will be more clearly understood by having referral to the preferred embodiments described hereinafter and illustrated, by way of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the folder showing two clips installed, with the top leaf shown fully closed and half-opened, and showing two ways of forming the opening in the top leaf;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the folder with the top leaf fully opened showing one manner of providing a retaining means on the bottom leaf;

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the folder showing a second retaining means;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 1 and showing the second retaining means;

FIG. 5 is another cross-section taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 2, and showing the first retaining means; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a portion of the folder in fully-opened condition and showing a third retaining means.

Like numerals refer to like elements throughout the drawings.

The invention includes, in combination, a one-piece file folder, made of rigid or slightly flexible material, such as cardboard, and at least one standard spring type clip, such that the standard spring clip 2 provided with pivotable butterfly-shaped operating arms 7.

File folder 1 is formed of two top and bottom leaves 3 and 4 and an interconnecting spine portion 5 having multiple creases 5', in the known manner. Leaves 3 and 4 open from a closed overlying configuration to an open flat configuration.

Clip 2 is formed with a pair of jaws 6 and a pair of pivotal arms 7 by which the former can be open and closed, also in the known manner. Known spring clips with rigid operating arms could also be used, although more cumbersome.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, shown in the top part of FIG. 1 and in FIG. 4, the material of folder 1 is cut once longitudinally and twice transversely in spaced-apart relationship in top leaf 3 adjacent to and including spine portion 5, thus forming an opening 8 and a forwardly-extending tab 8'. A plurality of paper sheets, or cards 9, are placed inside the folder, such that their rear edge portions abut against the spine portion 5. It is then a simple matter to secure a spring type clip 2 to the tab 8' and to the bottom leaf with the paper sheets 9 between the leaves 3 and 4.

In a second or alternate embodiment of the invention, the tab 8' is completely removed, leaving the rectangular opening or cut-out 8. As shown clearly in the lower part of FIG. 1 and in FIGS. 2, 3, 5, and 6, the opening 8 includes the inner portion of top leaf 3 and all of the spine portion 5. A clip 2 is inserted through opening 8, so that top jaw 6a is clamped to sheets 9, while the bottom jaw 6b clamps the bottom leaf 4. In both embodiments, opening 8 is wider and deeper than top jaw 6a and its operating arm 7 with the latter in protruding operating position, so as to clear jaw 6a and arm 7 and thus permit free closing and opening of the top leaf, while clip 2 remains in clamping position.

In both embodiments, it is preferable that two spaced-apart clips 2 be used.

It will be appreciated that, since the operating arms 7 of clips 2 are pivotable, they can be placed in the forward inoperative 7' to eliminate protrusions at the spine portion 5 and permit classification of the folder and of its contents in a filing cabinet, while clips 2 remain attached to the folder and sheets. On the other hand, to further reduce the space occuped by the folders in the filing cabinet, clips 2 can be easily and conveniently removed. Obviously, the clips must be removed if they have non-pivotable operating arms.

In order to ensure that clips 2 do not slide rearwardly, it is preferable to provide one of the three different retaining means illustrated. The first retaining means is shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 and consists of a narrow slot 12 formed in the bottom leaf 3. When a clip 2 is clamped into position, the leading edge 6' of the associated jaw 6 is adapted to fit into narrow slot 12 and directly contacts outermost sheet 9. The second retaining means is shown in FIG. 3, consisting of an embossed portion 13 in lieu of narrow slot 12. Embossed portion 13 protrudes from the outer surface of bottom leaf 4. The leading edge 6 of the associated jaw 6, in this case, is adapted to clap shut immediately forwardly of embossed portion 13, which then prevents any rearward slipping of clamp 2. The third retaining means is shown in FIG. 6, wherein slot 12 is replaced by a slit 14 disposed opposite clip leading edge 6'.