GB2196578A

GB2196578A - Expanding wallets

Info

Publication number: GB2196578A
Application number: GB08721117A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerard Anthony Shawcross
Original assignee: Shawcross & Dickinson
Current assignee: Shawcross & Dickinson
Priority date: 1986-09-11
Filing date: 1987-09-08
Publication date: 1988-05-05
Anticipated expiration: 2007-09-08
Also published as: GB8621901D0; GB8721117D0; GB2196578B

Abstract

An expanding wallet 10 of the type usually made of thin card comprises front 12 and back 14 sheets connected along three sides in concertina fashion 16, 18, whereby the distance between the front and back sheets can be increased or decreased as necessary depending on the contents of the wallet. Between the front and back sheets of the wallet are a plurality of divider sheets 26 fixed to the concertina connections at each side, whereby the contents of the wallet may be separated as desired. Each divider has an outstanding tab 28 to facilitate recognition of wallet contents and retrieval thereof and the front and back sheets of the wallet are coated or covered with a film of protective material. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Expanding wallets This invention concerns expanding wallets.

Expanding wallets of the type usually made of thin card generally comprise front and back sheets connected along three sides in concertina fashion, whereby the distance between the front and back sheets can be increased or decreased as necessary depending on the contents of the wallet. Between the front and back sheets of the wallet are usually a plurality of divider sheets fixed to the concertina connections at each side, whereby the contents of the wallet may be separated as desired.

The dividers are sometimes marked to facilitate retrieval of particular contents. Such marking is usually with letters of the alphabet.

However, these markings are not always clearly visible as the papers enclosed quite often obscure the markings.

Another disadvantage of such wallets is that they can fairly easily be damaged because the thin card from which they are made tends to wear at folds and so is prone to tearing. Furthermore, the card can be easily marked and scuffed due to the nature of its surface.

The object of this invention is to provide an expanding wallet wherein one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages may be eliminated or at least mitigated.

Accordingly the present invention provides an expanding wallet of the type described above having one or both of the following features: (1) dividers have outstanding tabs to faciiitate recognition of wallet contents and retrieval thereof; and (2) front and back sheets of the wallet are coated or covered with a film of protective material.

The dividers preferably do not extend higher than the concertina-like connection between the front and back sheets of the wallet even with their outstanding tabs. Nevertheless, the tabs are preferably above the front sheet of the wallet.

The tabs are preferably protected by a coating or covering of protective material, such as of plastics, which also preferably extends slightly onto the dividers themselves. This is to avoid the tabs being bent over and ultimately damaged.

The tabs may be marked in any suitable way, such as with letters of the alphabet, or additionally or alternatively they may be differently coloured. For example, the protective material may be coloured plastics material.

The protective material for the front and back sheets of the wallet, both of which may be reinforced with stiffening material, such as with sheets of thicker cardboard, may also be plastics material, preferably transparent plastics material. The back sheet of the wallet may extend beyond the concertina connections to form a cover for the wallet and the protective material can cover the entire back sheet including the cover.

It is also envisaged that the wallets of the invention may have a means for keeping them closed, such as an elastic say rubber loop that can encompass the wallet. Such loop may conveniently be connected to the cover of the wallet.

Thus, the present invention may provide a more durable wallet than hitherto and one that is easier to use and to keep clean, since their plastics surfaces can be readily wiped clean.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an expanding wallet; Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the Figure wallet of 1; and Figure 3 shows part of a divider of the Figure wallet of 1.

Referring to the drawings, an expanding wallet 10 made principally of thin card comprises a front sheet 12 and a back sheet 14 both reinforced with sheets of thicker card.

The front and back sheets are connected along three sides by sheets 16,18 and 20 folded concertina-wise so as to be extendable.

The back sheet 14 extends beyond its reinforcement to form a cover for the wallet. The cover is creased transversely to facilitate bending and the last flap 24 thereof may be slotted in behind the front sheet 12.

Between the front and back sheets is a series of dividers 26 that are attached at opposite sides to the concertina sheets 16 and 18. Each divider 26 has an outstanding tab 28 that bears a letter of the alphabet and is covered with a coloured plastics film that extends slightly over the main part of the divider. The tab of each divider is offset relative to the tabs of the adjacent dividers. As illustrated, there are six rows of tabs and each row can have a colour that is different to the colours of the other rows of tabs.

The outward surfaces of the front and back sheets of the wallet including the cover are covered with a protective film of plastics material. The plastics film can be readily wiped down so that the wallet can be kept clean.

1. An expanding wallet comprising front and back sheets connected along three sides in concertina fashion and a plurality of divider sheets fixed to said concertina connections at each side and one or both of the following features: (1) the dividers have outstanding tabs (2) the front and back sheets of the wallet are coated or covered with a film of protective material.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Expanding wallets This invention concerns expanding wallets. Expanding wallets of the type usually made of thin card generally comprise front and back sheets connected along three sides in concertina fashion, whereby the distance between the front and back sheets can be increased or decreased as necessary depending on the contents of the wallet. Between the front and back sheets of the wallet are usually a plurality of divider sheets fixed to the concertina connections at each side, whereby the contents of the wallet may be separated as desired. The dividers are sometimes marked to facilitate retrieval of particular contents. Such marking is usually with letters of the alphabet. However, these markings are not always clearly visible as the papers enclosed quite often obscure the markings. Another disadvantage of such wallets is that they can fairly easily be damaged because the thin card from which they are made tends to wear at folds and so is prone to tearing. Furthermore, the card can be easily marked and scuffed due to the nature of its surface. The object of this invention is to provide an expanding wallet wherein one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages may be eliminated or at least mitigated. Accordingly the present invention provides an expanding wallet of the type described above having one or both of the following features: (1) dividers have outstanding tabs to faciiitate recognition of wallet contents and retrieval thereof; and (2) front and back sheets of the wallet are coated or covered with a film of protective material. The dividers preferably do not extend higher than the concertina-like connection between the front and back sheets of the wallet even with their outstanding tabs. Nevertheless, the tabs are preferably above the front sheet of the wallet. The tabs are preferably protected by a coating or covering of protective material, such as of plastics, which also preferably extends slightly onto the dividers themselves. This is to avoid the tabs being bent over and ultimately damaged. The tabs may be marked in any suitable way, such as with letters of the alphabet, or additionally or alternatively they may be differently coloured. For example, the protective material may be coloured plastics material. The protective material for the front and back sheets of the wallet, both of which may be reinforced with stiffening material, such as with sheets of thicker cardboard, may also be plastics material, preferably transparent plastics material. The back sheet of the wallet may extend beyond the concertina connections to form a cover for the wallet and the protective material can cover the entire back sheet including the cover. It is also envisaged that the wallets of the invention may have a means for keeping them closed, such as an elastic say rubber loop that can encompass the wallet. Such loop may conveniently be connected to the cover of the wallet. Thus, the present invention may provide a more durable wallet than hitherto and one that is easier to use and to keep clean, since their plastics surfaces can be readily wiped clean. The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an expanding wallet; Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the Figure wallet of 1; and Figure 3 shows part of a divider of the Figure wallet of 1. Referring to the drawings, an expanding wallet 10 made principally of thin card comprises a front sheet 12 and a back sheet 14 both reinforced with sheets of thicker card. The front and back sheets are connected along three sides by sheets 16,18 and 20 folded concertina-wise so as to be extendable. The back sheet 14 extends beyond its reinforcement to form a cover for the wallet. The cover is creased transversely to facilitate bending and the last flap 24 thereof may be slotted in behind the front sheet 12. Between the front and back sheets is a series of dividers 26 that are attached at opposite sides to the concertina sheets 16 and 18. Each divider 26 has an outstanding tab 28 that bears a letter of the alphabet and is covered with a coloured plastics film that extends slightly over the main part of the divider. The tab of each divider is offset relative to the tabs of the adjacent dividers. As illustrated, there are six rows of tabs and each row can have a colour that is different to the colours of the other rows of tabs. The outward surfaces of the front and back sheets of the wallet including the cover are covered with a protective film of plastics material. The plastics film can be readily wiped down so that the wallet can be kept clean. CLAIMS

2. An expanding wallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the back sheet extends beyond the concertina connections to form a cover for the wallet.

3. An expanding wallet as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the tabs are above the front sheet of the wallet.

4. An expanding wallet as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the tabs are coated or covered with protective material.

5. An expanding wallet as claimed in claim 4, wherein the protective material extends onto the dividers themselves.

6. An expanding wallet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the tabs are marked or coloured so as to be distinguishable.

7. An expanding wallet as claimed in claim 6 with claim 5, wherein the protective coatings or coverings for the tabs are coloured.

8. An expanding wallet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the front and back sheets are reinforced with stiffening material.

9. An expanding wallet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the front and back sheets are protected with plastics material.

10. An expanding wallet as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plastics material is transparent.

11. An expanding wallet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 having means for keeping same closed.

12. An expanding wallet as claimed in claim 11, wherein said closing means comprises an elastic loop that can encompass the wallet.

13. An expanding wallet as claimed in claim 12, wherein said loop is attached to the cover of the wallet.

14. An expanding wallet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.