Patent Application
20090065452
1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to document organizational devices and, more particularly, to a desktop sorting device for file folders, envelopes, letters, photographs, and other documents having a plurality of regions for supporting and retaining documents, wherein the regions are separated from one another by divider members and the divider members are movable among a plurality of positions to facilitate access a desired one of the regions to view documents, add documents to, or retrieve documents from the desired region of the sorting device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Document file organizers are typically static in use and are designed to hold papers and file folders within a vertical, horizontal or angled linear pattern of dividers or sorting veins. The dividers are typically parallel to one another to keep the folders in an organized line and to prevent the folders from opening or to prevent paper documents from fanning or falling over. Such static document dividers prevent users from viewing the contents of stored documents or files without first removing the contents from between the dividers.
Existing document sorting organizers having pivoting sorting veins offer the ability to view documents stored between the sorting veins in desired segments of the organizers. However, the sorting veins of such existing organizers are difficult or impossible for the consumer to remove, as may be desired for storage of, e.g., thick files. Also, the sorting veins of these existing organizers are not securable in a vertical orientation.
A document sorting apparatus of the present disclosure has a plurality of discrete regions for supporting and retaining documents. The regions are separated from one another by movable wire divider members, which serve both to support documents in a particular region and to segregate or partition off documents in adjacent regions from one another. Each of the wire divider members is preferably securable in a plurality of positions to facilitate access to a desired one of the regions to view documents, add documents to, or retrieve documents from the desired region of the sorting device.
Each of the wire divider members preferably forms an inverted U-shape (which could be a block-U or inverted rounded-U shape), with inverted block-question mark-shaped portions at their lower ends that point inwardly toward one another. Two spaced-apart parallel rail members define the sides of a base of the document sorting apparatus. Each of the side rail members has a plurality of apertures spaced in a linear fashion along the length of the rail member. Each of the apertures in one of the rail members is aligned with a corresponding aperture in the other rail member. A horizontal end segment at the bottom of the inverted question mark-shaped portion is pivotably received in one of apertures.
Each of the side rail members preferably includes a laterally-extending projection above each of the apertures. Each of the laterally-extending projections includes a vertically-extending concave depression, i.e. a vertically-oriented dip bounded by a pair of ridges or bumps. The ridges of the laterally-extending projections project away from an outer surface of the rail members a sufficient distance to interfere with, but not completely prevent, movement of the wire divider members from one position to another. The vertically-extending concave depression of the laterally-extending projection accepts a segment of the block-question mark-shaped portion of the wire divider member that extends orthogonal to the horizontal end segment The ridges bounding the concave depression serve to secure the wire divider member in a vertical orientation.
In a preferred embodiment, each of the side rail members includes an elongate upper lip along a top edge of the side rail member, extending substantially the length of the side rail member, and in a direction toward the opposing side rail member. The elongate upper lips along the top edge of the side rail members serve as stops or rests for a second horizontal segment of each of the inverted question mark-shaped portions of the wire divider members, the second horizontal segment extending parallel to the horizontal end segment, supporting the wire divider member in either a rearwardly-inclined position or a forwardly-inclined position.
Each of the wire divider members are preferably removable from the base of the document sorting apparatus by the user. The ability to remove individual wire divider members provides convenient customizability, so as to increase the space between two adjacent wire divider members and accommodate relatively thick documents, files or the like. Alternately, the wire divider members may be permanently secured to the base of the document sorting apparatus.
In a preferred embodiment, the wire divider members have sufficient elasticity or flexing characteristics to enable them to be stretched for purposes of insertion of the horizontal end segments into the corresponding apertures in the side rails, then relax or recoil to a position wherein the horizontal end segments are retained in engagement with the side rails. Alternately, the side rail members may be separated from one another by one or more flexible elements that allow the side rail members to be compressed toward one another so as to accept the horizontal end segments of inflexible wire divider members in the apertures of the side rails.
Various materials may be used in the manufacture of the base of the document sorting apparatus, including but not limited to bent sheet metal, injection molded plastic, wood or fiber board, fabricated plastic sheet stock, formed metal mesh with metal trim, cold-cast resin, rubber or a combination of materials.
A document sorting apparatus 20 of the present disclosure has a pair of parallel, spaced-apart side rail members 22, 24. Each of the side rail member 22, 24 has a plurality of apertures 25 therein, distributed in a linear fashion along the length of the side rail member 22, 24, and each aligned with a corresponding aperture 25 in the opposite side rail member 24, 22.
In a first embodiment, the side rail members 22, 24 are spaced from one another by a floor member 26, with the side rail members 22, 24 and the floor member 26 defining a base 28 of the document sorting apparatus 20. The side rail members 22, 24 may be formed integrally with the floor member 26. Alternatively, the side rail members 22, 24 may be formed as separate structural components from the floor member 26 that have complementary details to facilitate securing these components to one another. For example, the floor member 26 may be provided with a downwardly-directed front rib 30 along a front end thereof, and a downwardly-directed rear rib 32 along a rear end of the floor member 26. Each of the side rail members 22, 24 may have an elongate upper lip 34 along a top edge of thereof, extending in a direction toward the opposing side rail member 24, 22. The elongate upper lips 34 extend over the top of the floor member 26. Each of the elongate upper lips 34 may extend continuously along substantially the entire length of the side rail member 22, 24, or over only segments thereof. An elongate lower lip 36 extends along a bottom edge of each of tie side rail members 22, 24. The elongate lower lip 36 of each side rail member 24 may be wider, i.e. extend more toward the opposite side rail member, then the elongate upper lip 32. For example, the elongate lower lip 36 may have a width of about 0.75 inch, and the elongate upper lip 34 may have a length of about 0.43 inch. The elongate lower lips 36 extend at least at a front end 38 and at a rear end 40 of each of the side rail members 22, 24, but may extend the entire length of the side rail members 22, 24. The elongate lower lips 36 are vertically spaced from the elongate upper lips 34 a distance corresponding to a height of the front rib 30 and rear rib 32 of the floor member 26 such that the side rail members 22, 24 may receive the floor member 26 therebetween.
The spacing of the elongate lower lips 36 and the elongate upper lips 34 may be slightly less than the height of the front rib 30 and rear rib 32 of the floor member 26, so as to provide an interference fit between the side rail members 22, 24 and the floor member 26. In addition or as an alternative to an interference fit, the side rail members 22, 24 and the floor member 26 may be secured to one another by crimping, spot-welding or by adhesive.
The floor member 26 may be formed of a variety of materials, including by way of example only, bent sheet metal, injection molded plastic, wood or fiber board, fabricated plastic sheet stock (transparent, translucent, or opaque), formed metal mesh with metal trim, cold-cast resin, rubber or a combination of materials. The floor member 26 may include a plurality of horizontal depressions 42, as best shown in
As best shown by dashed-lined arrows in the exploded view of
The wire divider members 44 are preferably assembled to the base 28 by an end user, thereby minimizing dead-space in containers during shipping, and minimizing the volume of retail shelf space necessary to display a plurality of the document sorting apparatuses 20 for purchase. Once assembled to the base 28, each pair of adjacent wire divider members 44, together with the base 28, defines a discrete region for receiving and supporting documents therebetween. The diameter of each of the apertures 25 is at least slightly larger than the thickness of the horizontal end segment 50 of the wire divider member 44 received therein. For example, the apertures preferably have a diameter of 0.18 inch and the horizontal end segment 50 preferably has a diameter of 0.17 inch, providing 0.01 inch clearance. As a result, each of the wire divider members 44 is pivotally engaged with the side rail members 22, 24. The tops of the side rail members, i.e. the elongate upper lips 34, serve as stops or rests for the second horizontal segment 54 of each of the in-vented question mark-shaped portions 46 of the wire divider members 44. The second horizontal segments 54 support the wire divider member 44 in either a rearwardly-inclined position or a forwardly-inclined position.
By way of example, to achieve an angle of incline of the wire divider member 44 of 60° with respect to the side rail members 22, 24 (i.e., 30° with respect to a vertical plane, when the side rail members 22, 24 are parallel with a flat horizontal surface), the apertures 25 may be spaced approximately 0.59 inch (15.05 mm) from the top edge of each of the rail members 22, 24, and the straight segment 52 may have a height of approximately 0.61 inch (15.49 mm), with the straight segment 52 having radii of curvature of 0.09 inch (2.16 mm) with the horizontal end segment 50 and the second horizontal segment 52.
The wire divider members 44 are preferably sufficient elastic or flexible to enable them to be stretched for purposes of insertion of the horizontal end segments 50 into the corresponding apertures 25 in the side rail members 22, 24, then recoil to a position, preferably still in some degree of tension against the base 28, wherein the horizontal end segments 50 are retained in engagement with the side rails 22, 24. Preferably, even after assembly to the base 28, one or more of the wire divider members 44 may be easily removed from the base 28 by the end user, increasing the space between two adjacent wire divider members to accommodate relatively thick documents, files or the like. Alternatively, the wire divider members 44 may be permanently secured to the base 28, e.g. by forming the wire divider members 44 as continuous or substantially complete loops, or by bending an inner end of each of the horizontal end segments 50, alter insertion through the aperture 25, in a direction orthogonal to the horizontal end segment 50.
In, a second embodiment, as shown in
While the apertures 25 may be evenly distributed along the side rails, the apertures 25 may instead be arranged at varying intervals, such as spaced more closely together toward the front ends of the side rail members 22, 24 and spaced farther apart toward the rear ends of the side rail members 22, 24. In such a, document sorting apparatus 20, when the wire divider members 44 are assembled to the base 28, the document-receiving regions between adjacent wire divider members 44 are larger toward the rear of the document sorting apparatus 20 than toward the front.
Turning to
Also, wheel the wire divider member 44 is in a rearwardly-inclined position, or at a forwardly-inclined position, the ridges 62 closest to the straight segments 52 tend to retain the wire divider member 44 in that rearwardly-inclined or forwardly-inclined orientation. Wire divider members 44 that are in tension when engaged with the apertures 25 of the side rail members 22, 24 enhance the securement of the wire divider members 44 in the given orientations. The tension of the wire divider members 44 and the resistance provided by the ridges 62 can be overcome with a deliberate, but minimal level of force exerted by a user on the wire divider member 44 in the desired direction of movement of the wire divider member 44. With about the same or only somewhat greater force, a plurality of wire divider members 44 can be pivoted to a desired orientation simultaneously.
The side rail members 22, 24 may be provided with anti-skid foot pads 64 on the bottoms thereof, such as on the elongate lower lip 36, serving to protect against scratching flat surfaces on which the document sorting apparatus 20 is placed, as well as avoid wobbling by limiting the points of contact between the document sorting apparatus 20 and the flat surface. The front rib of the floor member 26 may include a name plate 66 to display, for example, a logo or other indicia.
In a third embodiment, as illustrated in
Although certain embodiments of a document sorting apparatus have been described herein in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. Modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments that are still within the scope of the appended claims, either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.
