Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
TWO-POSITION TAB
[00011
Technical Field
[00021 The present subject matter relates generally to tabbing system, such
as for
identification or informational purposes for files, and more specifically to a
tabbing system with
an indexing segment that has two positions.
Background
100031 It is common practice to provide tab members which extend from the
edge of file
folders, index dividers, hanging files, binders, etc., at selected positions
so that the folder,
divider, or binder can be easily identifiable or to provide information
regarding the contents of
such file. For example, separable tabbing members are often used for insertion
into slots near
the edges of hanging files.
100041 Additionally, when a series of tabbed hanging files are desired, the
user must make
sure that the tabs are inserted so that they are staggered for easy viewing.
This is made often less
than convenient since the user needs a separate set of tab members and must
correctly judge
which slots in which to insert the tab member edges so that each tab is
staggered when multiple
hanging file folders are viewed. Another problem with this type of tab member
is sometimes the
tab member is dislodged from the 'elder slots and lost.
100051 Labels on the tab members may require changing to reflect the
changing contents of
the file folder or to allow the folder to be reused for a different purpose.
Changing labels
requires the old label to be removed from the tab member (a difficult task in
itself), which often
necessitates removing the tab member from the folder bethre the new label can
be inserted and
the tab member reinstalled in the file telder. In addition to the
inconvenience and inefficiency
involved in changing the index information on a file folder, the prior art
system also suffers from
a tendency for the labels to fall out of the tab member and become lost.
[0006] Also, when a series of folders are desirable it is important that
the user obtains folders
in which the integral tab member is positioned differently. Otherwise, the
series of folders will
have the tabs obstructing the view of other tabs that follow.
[0007] U.S. Patent No. 6,910,622, for example, provides a suspended file
folder having a
support bar along an upper portion thereof, having notches therein for
engagement with an index
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tab. The tab is rotatable about the support bar. U.S. Patent No. 6,332,285
provides an indexing
tab that is movable along an upper portion of the folder. However, both of
these indexing tabs
may still be dislodged, and the problems with changing labels found in the
prior art.
[0008] It is thus desirable for a tabbing system that allows tabs to be
readily extended or
retracted while remaining stably in either position.
Summary
[0009] The present subject matter relates generally to a tabbing comprising
a pocket, and a
tab element disposed within the pocket in a retracted position and including
an indexing segment
configured for protruding from the pocket in an extended position as a tab and
being received
within the pocket in the retracted position, the indexing segment configured
for displaying
writing thereon for indexing a file, an anchor portion attached to the pocket,
and an intermediate
portion connecting the anchor portion and indexing segment and configured for
folding to allow
the indexing segment to move between the retracted position and the extended
position.
[0010] The indexing segment, intermediate portion and anchor portion can be
hingedly
connected to each other for allowing the indexing segment to slide between the
retracted position
and the extended position. The indexing segment, intermediate portion and
anchor portion can
be hingedly connected to each other for allowing the indexing segment to slide
substantially
linearly between the retracted position and the extended position. The
indexing segment,
intermediate portion and anchor portion can be hingedly connected to each
other for allowing the
indexing segment to move between the retracted position and the extended
position while
substantially retaining an orientation.
[0011] The indexing segment can have a mid position disposed between the
extended and
retracted positions, the pocket comprising a resilient member associated with
the tab element for
biasing the indexing segment away from the mid position toward the extended or
retracted
position depending on which side of the mid position the indexing segment is
positioned on.
The resilient member can be associated with the tab element such that the
indexing segment in
the retracted and extended positions is stably at rest.
[0012] The intermediate portion can comprise one or more intermediate
segments that are
hingedly connected between the anchor portion and the indexing segment. The
intermediate
portion can comprise a plurality of intermediate segments hinged to each other
for progressively
retracting and extending the indexing segment.
[0013] The indexing segment can have a mid position disposed between the
extended and
retracted positions, the pocket comprising a resilient member associated with
the tab element for
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biasing the indexing segment away from a mid position toward the extended or
retracted position
depending on which side of the mid position the indexing segment is positioned
on. The
resilient member can comprise a resilient wall of the pocket that is flexed by
the indexing
segment when the indexing segment is in the mid position.
[0014] The intermediate portion can be hingedly connected to the anchor
portion and
indexing segment for pivoting during movement of the indexing segment between
the retracted,
mid, and extended positions, wherein the pocket has a cross-section that is
elongated in depth
and has a width, and the intermediate portion is configured for biasing the
resilient wall to
increase the width of the pocket in the mid position compared to in the
retracted and extended
positions of the indexing segment. The intermediate portion can extend at
least partially
widthwise with respect to the pocket in the mid position for biasing the
resilient wall to increase
the pocket width. The pocket can be disposed at an edge of a file for indexing
the file.
[0015] The tabbing apparatus can further comprising an adhesive on the
pocket configured
and disposed for attachment to a file. The pocket can be made of a plastic
film and defines a slit
along a top portion for allowing the indexing segment to substantially
linearly slide into and out
of the pocket between the retracted and extended positions. The indexing
segment can be wider
than the slit for locking the indexing segment in the extended position. The
tab element can
comprise a plurality of tab elements such that selected ones of the indexing
segments can be
positioned in the extended and retracted positions for selectively indexing a
file.
[0016] The tabbing apparatus can further comprise a file having a first
panel having an edge
and being configured and dimensioned for holding papers, wherein the pocket is
provided on the
first panel near the edge such that the indexing segment protrudes beyond the
edge in the
extended position. The file can comprise a second panel having an edge and
being hinged with
respect to the first panel for holding papers therebetween, wherein the
indexing segment extends
beyond the edge of the second panel in the extended position. The file can be
folded to provide
the first and second panels.
[0017] Also provided is a tabbing apparatus comprising a pocket and a tab
element having
an indexing segment configured for protruding from the pocket in an extended
position as a tab,
being received within the pocket in the retracted position, and having a mid
position between the
retracted and extended positions, wherein the indexing segment is configured
for displaying
writing thereon for indexing a file, wherein the pocket comprises a resilient
member associated
with the tab element for biasing the indexing segment away from the mid
position toward the
extended or retracted position depending on which side of the mid position the
indexing segment
is positioned on.
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100181 The tabbing apparatus can further comprise a file, comprising a
first panel having an
edge and being configured and dimensioned for holding papers, wherein the
pocket is provided
on the first panel near the edge such that the indexing segment protrudes
beyond the edge in the
extended position.
[0019] Additional advantages and novel features of the examples will be set
forth in part in
the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those
skilled in the art upon
examination of the following description and the accompanying drawings or may
be learned by
production or operation of the examples. The advantages of the concepts may be
realized and
attained by means of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations
particularly pointed
out in the appended claims.
Brief Description of Drawinas
[0020] The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord
with the present
concepts, by way of example only, not by way of limitations. In the figures,
like reference
numerals refer to the same or similar elements.
[00211 Fig. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of slidable tabs provided on
a hanging file;
100221 Fig. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of a slidable tab;
100231 Figs. 3(a) ¨ 3(d) are side views of an embodiment of a slidable tab
being lifted up out
or a retaining spring member; and
100241 Fig. 4 is a top view of the slidable tabs.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
100251 Referring to Fig. 1, a hanging file folder 10 with slidable tabs
elements 20 housed in
pocket 30, that can be made of any suitable material. In a preferred
embodiment, it is made of a
plastic film, but can alternatively be made of kraft paper, paperboard, or
other suitable material,
and can also be made of the same material as the file with which it is
associated. The pocket 30
and slidable tabs 20 can be a part of or attached to a structure such as a
file folder, a shelf folder,
a hanging file folder, an expandable folder, a divider, a notebook or a
binder, but is shown
provided on a hanging file folder 10 in the embodiment of Fig. 1. The hanging
file folder 10 can
have a first cover panel 11 and a second cover panel 12, and hook members 40
or other such
structure for hanging the file folder 10. The preferred hook members are
provided on bars that
extend across the top of the two folder panels, and have a recess configured
for receiving and
hanging from shelf rails, as known in the art. The file folder can be unitary
such that it is folded
to provide the first cover panel 11 and second cover panel 12.
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[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the pocket 30 and slidable tabs 20
therein are connected
to and a part of the hanging file folder 10. In another embodiment, the pocket
30 and slidable
tabs 20 therein can be attached to an inner wall of the first cover panel 11
of the hanging file
folder 10 as shown in Fig. 1. The pocket 30 and slidable tabs 20 therein can
be attached to the
inner wall of the first cover panel 11 by use of an adhesive or alternatively,
a pressure sensitive
adhesive strip (not shown) applied to the back side of the pocket 30 so that
it may be adhered to
a top edge of the file folder 10, as shown in Fig. 1.
[0027] The pocket 30 can be cut from a sheet of lightweight plastic, such
as a thermoplastic
material, and preferably polypropylene material or PVC. Other plastic
materials may be used as
would be known by one skilled in the art. The width of the plastic film is
preferably about 2.5
inches, however, depending on the object to be tabbed the width of the plastic
film may be larger
or smaller. For example, the width desirable for use with index cards would be
smaller than that
desirable for use with notebooks or hanging files.
[0028] Three slidable tabs 20 are shown through a clear front wall 31 of
the pocket 30 in the
embodiment of Fig. 1, but as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in
the art, one or
more slidable tabs 20 can be provided in the pocket 30, as would be necessary
or appropriate for
the structure to be indexed. A top portion of the pocket 30 has slits 21 for
the tabs 20 to be
pulled upward in a direction U and out of the pocket 30. The slidable tabs 20
can also be pushed
back down in a direction D into the pocket 30. As shown in Fig. 1, the two
left slidable tabs 20
are contained within the pocket 30, and the slidable tab 20 on the right side
is pulled out of the
pocket 30, so that an indexing segment 23 is viewable by a user. Informational
inserts (not
shown) can be provided in the indexing segment 23 as known to one of ordinary
skill in the art.
[0029] Cutout portions 22 are provided on the pocket 30 so that a user can
grasp an indexing
segment 23 of the slidable tabs 20 and pull or extend them upward in a
direction U when they
are within the pocket 30. An interlocking means 24 can be provided on the
slidable tabs 20 such
that when they are extended upward (as shown on the rightmost slidable tab 20
in Fig. 1), the
overextended edges 24 just reach over the slit portion 21 and rest on the
pocket 30. The
overextended edges 24 provide an interlocking means with the top of the pocket
30, and the
overextended edges 24 extend just enough to hold the slidable tabs 20 in place
over the pocket
30, but if a little force is applied in the downward direction D, the slidable
tab 20 is easily
pushed back inside the pocket 30.
[0030] In Fig. 2, an embodiment of a slidable tab 20 is shown. The slidable
tab 20 is
preferably segmented, so that indexing segment 23, an intermediate portion,
for example
including intermediate segments 25, 26, 27, and anchor portion 28 are provided
on the slidable
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tab 20. Hinges 29, such as living hinges provided at folds, allow the slidable
tab to bend along
the hinges 29 of the intermediate segments 25, 26, 27. More or less
intermediate segments can
be provided depending on the size of the slidable tab required, and one of
ordinary skill in the art
would understand how many intermediate segments to provide based on the
particular
application needed.
[0031] Figs. 3(a)-3(d) illustrate a method of pulling the slidable tab 20
out of the pocket 30.
In Fig. 3(a), when the indexing segment is in a retracted position, the
slidable tab 20 is enclosed
within the pocket 30, having a front wall 31 and a back wall 32, and a width
W. The
intermediate segments 25, 26, 27 are bent at the folds 29 so that the slidable
tab 20 can be
enclosed within the front wall 31 and back wall 32 of the pocket 30.
Preferably, anchor portion
28 is secured against the inner wall 32 by an adhesive or some other means as
would be known
to one of ordinary skill in the art.
[0032] In Fig. 3(b), when a user lifts up the slidable tab 20 from the
indexing segment 23
(through the cutout portion 22 as explained above) in a direction U, the
slidable tab 20 linearly
moves up from the pocket 30 through the slit 21. Because the anchor portion 28
does not move,
the indexing segment 23 and intermediate segments 25, 26, 27 push against the
outer wall 31 of
the slidable tab 20, causing the walls 31, 32 to expand, thus having a greater
width W.
[0033] In Fig. 3(c), the indexing segment 23 and intermediate segments 25,
26, 27 cause the
walls 31, 32 to expand even more to a width W as the user lifts up the
slidable tab 20 in the
upwards direction U. Because the walls 31, 32 are under tension when they
expand and are
resilient when they are expanded, they assist in pushing the slidable tab 20
up in the direction U
to return to their contracted state.
[0034] In Fig. 3(d), when the indexing segment 23 is in an extended
position, the indexing
segment 23 is substantially out of the pocket 30, and the walls 31, 32 are
back to their regular
contracted position and a width W. To return the sliding tab 20 into the
pocket 30, the user
simply pushes the indexing segment 23 downwards in a direction opposite U, and
the process
will take place backwards (Fig. 3(d) ¨ Fig. 3(a)). As seen in Fig. 3(c), the
width W of the pocket
30 increases compared to the retracted position (Fig. 3(a)) and extended
position (Fig. 3(d)). As
shown in the drawings, the anchor portion or segment 28 remains affixed to the
pocket 30, such
as the plastic film, throughout the movement between the retracted and
extended positions and at
those positions as well, with the intermediate portion
[0035] The walls 31, 32 comprise a resilient member, such that when the
indexing segment
23 is in a mid position (Fig. 3(c)) between the extended position and
retracted position, the walls
bias the indexing segment 23 away from a mid position toward the extended or
retracted position
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depending on which side of the mid position the indexing segment 23 is on. For
example, if the
indexing segment 23 is further on the side of the extended position, the walls
32 will bias the
indexing segment 23 toward the extended position. If the indexing segment 23
is further on the
side of the retracted position, the walls 32 will bias the indexing segment 23
toward the retracted
position.
[0036] The intermediate segments 25, 26, 27 fold over themselves when the
indexing
segment 23 moves between the extended and retracted positions. An alternative
intermediate
portion can have a different structure capable of folding over itself, such as
a band of flexible
material. The hinges between the intermediate segments are preferably living
hinges. The
indexing segment 23 substantially maintains its orientation while moving
between the extended
and retracted positions, such that it can slide without rotating about an axis
parallel to the slit 21.
Preferably, the indexing segment 23 can slide without rotating about the axis
parallel to the slit
less than 45 degrees, and more preferably 20 degrees, and even more preferably
10 degrees. The
indexing segment 23 points out of the pocket 30 throughout the movement
between the extended
and retracted positions.
[0037] The indexing segment 23 preferably has an information insert, so
that a user can view
the information insert on the sliding tab 20. Having more than one slidable
tab 20 on a folder
allows different information inserts to be provided on one folder, if
required.
100381 Fig. 4 provides a top view of the pocket 30 and enclosed slidable
tabs 20. In the
embodiment shown, 3 slidable tabs 20 are provided within the pocket 30. The
slidable tabs 20
can be lifted up through the slits 21, and the bendable walls 31, 32 of the
pocket 30 allow the
walls 31, 32 to expand and contract as the segmented slidable tabs 20 are
lifted up and inserted
back into the pocket 30.
[0039] The preferred tab system can be used to tab or index structures such
as files, such as
file folders, shelf folders, hanging files, expandable folders, dividers,
books, notebooks, or
binders. In one embodiment, the index tab system is provided as an integral
assembly that is
attached to the file or other structure, which in the preferred embodiment is
a hanging file, such
as by an adhesive. For example, the plastic film may be provided with a
pressure sensitive
adhesive strip applied to one side of the plastic film so that it may be
adhered to the edge of a
structure to be indexed or tabbed.
100401 The preferred material for the plastic film is any thermoplastic
material. Especially
preferred from a cost and performance standpoint are polypropylene and PVC.
However, as any
skilled person in the art would know, any other resilient thermoplastic film
may be used. The
plastic film is preferably heat sealed in locations to attach the walls 31, 32
of the pocket 30 and
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to attach the anchor portion 28 thereto. Other methods known in the art can
also be used to
attach the walls of the pocket 30 and anchor portion 28 thereto. The width and
length of the
plastic film may vary depending upon whether the object to be tabbed is a
hanging file, other
folder, notebook, or index card. However, the preferable length of each tab
element is
approximately 2.0625" when 5 tabs are provided and approximately 3.5" when 3
tabs are
provided. Of course, if the tabbing of index cards is desirable a smaller
length is desirable.
[0041] Color coding of the slidable tabs or even the inserts can be used
for the most efficient
organization of file materials. The plastic film and/or slidable tabs may be
colored and
substantially transparent. The slidable tabs may be of different color than
the object to be
indexed. The informational inserts for the slidable tabs may be of a different
color, or even
some of the slidable tabs may be of different colors. The indexing segment 23
can have a
writable surface configured and dimensioned for writing thereon, or can
provide a label pocket
for receiving and informational insert or label therein.
[0042] The slidable tabs may be of any shape or size, including shapes such
as hearts,
diamonds, animals, balloons, or other shapes that are appealing especially to
children. These
shapes can be achieved utilizing conventional die cutters.
[0043] The slidable tab structure is preferably rectangular shaped.
However, as those skilled
in the art will appreciate, the slidable tabs can be cut in a variety of
shapes and sizes. For
example, to appeal to children, the slidable tabs can be formed in the shape
of animals, or
flowers, for instance. Additionally, the slidable tab structure may be sized
and shaped to receive
a business logo for marketing purposes.
[0044] In use, a plastic film pocket with integral slidable tab structures
can be attached to the
edge of an object to be tabbed. By way of example and without intending to be
limiting, the
pocket with integral slidable tab structures is affixed to the edge of a
hanging file by application
of hot melt adhesive. An informational insert may be slid into the cavity or
internal space of the
indexing segment of the slidable tabs. More than one slidable tab may be
provided, as
necessary, on the pocket, depending on the requirement of the object to be
tabbed. Also, various
sizes of the slidable tabs may be provided.
[0045] All of the references specifically identified in the detailed
description section of the
present application are expressly incorporated herein in their entirety by
reference thereto. The
term "about," as used herein, should generally be understood to refer to both
the corresponding
number and a range of numbers. Moreover, all numerical ranges herein should be
understood to
include each whole integer within the range.
[0046] While illustrative embodiments of the invention are disclosed
herein, it will be
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appreciated that numerous modifications and other embodiments may be devised
by those
skilled in the art.
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