The present invention relates to a file organizer for hanging file folders. More specifically, the invention relates to a file organizer that includes a file divider that can be freely positioned along with the file folders to divide the file folders within an open storage cavity of the file organizer.
Presently, storage containers are known that are designed to allow a series of hanging file folders to be supported along a file support edge within a container body, such as a file box or a file drawer. The storage container may or may not include a lid to enclose the container to prevent dirt, debris and moisture from entering into the storage container and damaging the material within the file folders. Some storage containers may also include file dividers supported on the file support edge that label sections of the storage container and help create file compartments for the hanging file folders.
In the normal use of storage containers having file folders, problems may occur in the manipulation of the file folders within the storage body which cause the file divider to tip and disengage from the file support edge. Therefore, a need exists for a file organizer provided with a file divider that can be freely positioned in a stable manner along with the file folders within the storage container to define compartments for the file folders.
The present invention relates to a file divider for dividing a series of file folders having hanging rods with opposed ends slidably supported for movement on a file support edge of a file organizer. The file divider includes a body having opposed ends slidably supported for movement on the file support edge between a pair of file folders. The opposed ends of the file divider have fingers projecting therefrom that are engageable with certain of the hanging rods of the file folders when the file folders and the file divider are slidably moved on the file support edge.
The fingers extend forwardly and rearwardly from the opposed ends of the file divider. The fingers are spaced below the opposed ends of the hanging rods of the file folders when the file folders and the file divider are stationary. At least one display tab rises from an uppermost surface of the file divider.
In another aspect of the invention, a file organizer includes a storage body having an outer wall, a file support edge and a bottom wall joined to the outer wall to define an open storage cavity. One or more file folders for holding various objects are positionable within the open storage cavity, and has opposed ends slidably supported for unrestricted movement on the file support edge. At least one file divider is positionable within the open storage cavity adjacent the file folders. The file divider has opposed ends slidably supported for unrestricted movement on the file support edge and stabilizing means engageable with one or more of the file folders for maintaining engagement of the file divider on the file support edge upon slidable movement together of the file folders and the file divider.
A U-shaped channel is joined to the outer wall of the file organizer and includes a base wall, an outer wall rising generally perpendicularly to the base wall and an inner side wall that rises generally perpendicular from the base wall and lies parallel to the outer side wall. The inner side wall has a top edge defining the file support edge. The file divider is a bar having a top edge, a bottom edge, a front face, and a rear face, the top edge having at least one display tab extending upwardly therefrom. The opposed end portions of the file divider have ears that extend into a receiving cavity formed between the inner and outer side walls. The stabilizing means is located on the opposed ends of the file divider. The stabilizing means is formed by fingers projecting from the file divider. A lowermost surface of the file divider lies above the base wall when the opposed ends thereof are supported on the file support edge.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, a file organizer has an outer wall joined to a bottom wall for defining an open storage cavity. The outer wall defines a file support edge for supporting opposed ends of a plurality of freely slidable file folders extending across a width of the file organizer for holding the various objects. The invention is improved by a file divider bar extending across the width of the file organizer between a pair of adjacently disposed file folders. The file divider bar has opposed ends supported for unrestricted movement upon the file support edge. The opposed ends are provided with stabilizing fingers engageable with certain of the file folders for maintaining the stability of the file divider bar as the file folders and the file divider bar are moved back and forth in the file organizer.
The file divider bar includes a top edge provided with a pair of display tabs, a bottom edge, a front face and a rear face. The fingers project forwardly and perpendicularly beyond the front face, and rearwardly and perpendicularly beyond the rear face. The file folders each include front and rear panels joined at lower ends. Each of the front and rear panels have sleeves for receiving hanging rods formed with the opposed ends that are supported on the file support edge. The fingers are engageable with the opposed ends of certain hanging rods when the file folders and the file divider bar are moved together. The fingers lie outside lateral edges of the panels, and are normally spaced below the hanging rods when the file folders and the file divider bar are stationary. The file divider bar has a length which is greater than a length of the hanging rods, a width and a height which is less than the width.
The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention.
In the drawings:
The storage body 14 is provided with an outer peripheral wall 20 that includes a pair of opposed side walls 22, 24, and a pair of opposed end walls 26, 28 that serve as the respective front and rear walls of the storage body 14. The outer peripheral wall 20 is joined to the edge of a bottom wall 30 which generally defines the base of the storage body 14.
The outer peripheral wall 20 extends from a lower end 32 to an upper end 33 that defines a generally U-shaped peripheral channel 34. As seen best in
As is well known, each hanging file folder 12 provides an expandable pocket for receiving and holding various information and objects within the file organizer 10. Referring to
The file divider 18 is freely positionable within the open storage cavity 16 to divide the file folders 12 in the storage body 14. As illustrated in
Referring now to
The file divider bar 18 includes opposed cut out end portions 76 formed with support cavities 78 having upper portions that rest upon the file support edge 44 like the ends 58 of the file folders 12. The opposed end portions 76 carry ears 80 that extend into a receiving cavity 82 between outer and inner side walls 38, 40, respectively, and lie above the tabs 42. With this structure, the file divider bar 18 slides freely along the file support edge 44 along with the file folders 12 as clearly seen in
The file divider bar 18 has a length I which is longer than the width of each file folder hanging bar 56. The file divider bar 18 also has a width w and a height h which is less than its width. The fingers 84 extend below the bottom edge 66 of the file divider bar 18.
As seen best in
Referring now to
It can therefore be appreciated that the fingers 84 on the file divider bar 18 conveniently function as stabilizing means engageable with certain of the file folders 12 for maintaining the engagement of the file divider bar 18 upon the file support edge 44 when the file folders 12 and the file divider bar 18 are freely movable back and forth together in the file organizer 10.
While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain substitutions, alterations and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. Accordingly, the foregoing description is meant to be exemplary only and should not be deemed limitative on the scope of the invention set forth with the following claims.