Portable file box with file suspension and carrying means

Abstract

A portable file box having tracks for suspending file folders while, at the same time, providing gripping means for transporting the file box and means for receiving a transparent, hinged cover for making the file box substantially waterproof and dustproof.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a portable file box and, more particularly, to a portable file box provided with tracks on each side to allow for suspension of file folders as well as to provide a gripping area for moving the file box from one place to another.

Portable file boxes, of course, are well known as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,185. The conventional arrangement consists of a box with side walls, end walls, a bottom wall and a removable cover. Files can be suspended vertically in such a box on supporting arms. The suspension device can be a generally rectangular shaped sheet-like body which can be made from sheet metal or molded plastic so as to be resilient in nature and readily clamped on the side walls of the box. Another type of suspension device for a file box is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,456 which shows the use of a supporting frame 20 constructed from stiff wire and formed with upright U-shaped frame sections and top parallel horizontal rails integral with the U-shaped frame section.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel suspension means for a portable file box which possesses advantages and features not heretofore present in the prior art devices.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a light weight yet sturdy file box to serve the person such as a salesman who has need to transport files in a trunk of his automobile.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a file box with a suspension means in the form of a track on each side wall of the box to permit suspension of a file folder while at the same time serving to support a hinged cover.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a file box with a suspension means designed to make possible the gripping of the file box for easy conveyance from, for example, the trunk of an automobile to an office or the like.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a portable file box made of a high impact plastic material to resist damage from abuse and variations of temperature.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a file box with a cover that is hinged and made of clear plastic to enable the user to look into the case for the desired file, while the hinging of the cover allows easy access to each half of the case for the needed material instead of having to remove the entire cover for access to the desired files.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a file box with a cover that will rest in a snug position on a shoulder designed to keep the file case dust free during normal usage.

Although the present invention has particular value for a person such as a traveling salesman, it must also be appreciated that it is useful to anyone who wishes to eliminate soiled and damaged paper supplies or records.

The foregoing objects and advantages have been achieved in accordance with the present invention by providing a file box with side walls, end walls, a bottom wall and a removable hinged cover. The side walls of the file box are provided with tracks for supporting suspended file folders while, at the same time, providing a means for gripping the file box for transporting it from one place to another. The removable cover may be transparent in order to permit the user to view the contents and decide which item is to be selected from the box. The cover can be hinged in the middle so that the front or the rear portion of the box containing the desired item is given access to the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which shows, for purposes of illustration only, an embodiment of the present invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric, exploded view of the file box and cover; and

FIG. 2 is a partial, cross-sectional view taken through the top of one of the side walls of the file box shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawing and, in particular, to FIG. 1 there is shown a file box and cover designated generally by the numeral 10. The file box generally consists of side walls 11, end walls 12, and a bottom wall 13 and can be made of any suitable material which resists damage from abuse and variations in temperature and yet at the same time is relatively light weight and inexpensive. I have found that one such material is injection molded, high impact plastic having a wood grain for appearance purposes. Integrally provided along the top length of the side walls and end walls 11 and 12 is a flange portion designated generally by the numeral 14 and shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. This flange portion 14 is L-shaped and consists of a horizontal portion 15 and a portion 16 projecting vertically upwardly from the outer end of member 15 as an offset continuation of the respective end and side walls. An L-shaped notch 17 is provided at the upper edge of the vertical portion 16 at the side facing the interior of the box and provides an abutment or shoulder for supporting a cover to be described more fully hereinbelow. The flange 14 also includes a second vertically extending portion 18 forming an extension or projection of the inner face of side wall 11 and being considerably shorter in height or vertical extension than the vertical portion 16. The space or groove between the vertical portion 16 and vertical portion 18 forms a track for the downwardly extending tips of the laterally extending file folder support arms 19 of the conventional and well known type file folder 20.

In addition to providing an abutment for supporting the cover and a track for the file supporting devices, the flange portion 14 in general also provides a gripping means for a person to transport the file case from one place to another. The gripping means is formed by the underside of the horizontal member 15. The cover is preferably transparent to allow inspection of the file box contents and can be made from, for example, molded clear plastic with a hinge 22 in the center thereof secured to the cover halves 21, 21' by means of conventional securing devices 23 such as brads. Handles 24 can be provided on each cover half to facilitate lifting of the cover. It can be readily seen from the drawing that the axis of the hinge is transverse to the side walls 11. When the cover halves 21, 21' come to rest in the notch 17, the upper surface of the cover will be substantially flush with the upper peripheral edges of the side and end walls and the file box will be essentially waterproof and dustproof. Overall the file box and cover arrangement will be light weight so as to be easily transported. At the same time, the transparent cover will allow inspection of the entire contents of the file box and allow access to either the forward half or the rearward half depending upon the material desired without having to remove the entire cover.

While both the end walls 12 and side walls 11 are shown in FIG. 1 as preferably being provided with the flange portion 14 and the notch 17 to respectively provide gripping means and an abutment for the cover, provision of such on only one or the other would be sufficient to provide satisfactory operation and utility of the present invention. By the same token, although a runner need not be provided at the end walls, unless desired, the same obviously would be useful for storing different size suspended files. To provide reinforcement for the walls of the file box and also to permit thinner side and end walls to be used, reinforcement in the form of corrugations can be employed. Further, the various edges can be rounded to prevent stress concentration. While I have shown and described one embodiment in accordance with my present invention, it is to be clearly understood that the same is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A portable file box for suspending file folders of the type having downwardly projecting tabs on the ends of laterally projecting support arms, comprising:

a pair of opposing side walls;

a pair of opposing end walls;

a bottom;

said side walls, end walls and bottom being integrally formed to provide a unitary box interior;

the upper ends of said side walls having outwardly extending gripping flanges and vertically extending offset continuations of the walls projecting upwardly from the outer edge of the flanges, said flanges and vertical continuations being integrally formed with said side walls;

a groove on the inside upper surface of each of said flanges formed by the inner surface of the respective vertical offset continuation of the side wall and an inner vertically extending projection of the side all, the inner surface of which projection is substantially flush with the inner surface of said side wall, said projection having less vertical extension from said upper surface of said flange than said offset continuation so as to provide clearance between the tops of said file folders being suspended within said box and the upper edges of said side and end walls, and said groove providing a track for said downwardly extending tabs of said lateral support arms of said file folders;

a shoulder integrally formed on the inside surface of the upper edges of said vertical offset continuations of said side walls for supporting a cover;

pivotable cover means for said file box and receivable on said shoulder for covering the interior of said box; and handle means for raising said cover.

2. A file box in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cover adapted to be received in said shoulders comprises two halves hinged about an axis transverse to said side walls.

3. A file box in accordance with claim 2, wherein said cover halves are comprised of transparent material.

4. A file box in accordance with claim 3, wherein the file box is made of injection molded plastic.