Supports: cabinet structure – With card or sheet retainers
Utility Patent
1999-06-18
2001-01-02
Chen, Jose V. (Department: 3624)
Supports: cabinet structure
With card or sheet retainers
C024S067900, C312S184000
Utility Patent
active
06168247
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to file drawers, and in particular, relates to file drawers having a top rail which is adjustable to accommodate both A4 and letter size file hangers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Most file drawer systems are designed to receive a series of file folder jackets which are used to suspend a file folder. The file folder jackets have laterally extending tabs which engage rails either side of the file drawer. In this way, each file is individually supported and is movable by sliding the file folder jacket along the rails.
File drawers are designed to receive legal size file folders, metric (A4) size folders, or letter size folders. The metric folder is slightly larger than the letter size folder. Unfortunately the variation between A4 size folders and letter size folders, requires that the rail for supporting these jackets must be movable to accommodate either the smaller size letter jacket or the larger A4 jacket. There have been some attempts to have a common support structure to receive letter size or metric size folder jackets.
In some existing file drawer systems, the rails for supporting the file folder jackets are movable within a slot and secured at either end of the drawer. This arrangement works well but is not convenient to manufacture. Other arrangements such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,136 define a removable structure having two different hanging positions offset relative to a center securement location and the rail is reversible. The structure is not immediately apparent to an end user how it can be adjusted to accommodate different sizes and the end user may not even realize it is capable of adapting to different sizes.
There remains a need for a more effective structure to accommodate A4 and letter size file jackets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A file drawer, according to the present invention, has two opposed parallel top edges appropriately spaced for supporting letter size or metric size file hangers therebetween. Each top edge of the file drawer has a pivoting rail extending in a longitudinal direction of the respective top edge. Each pivoting rail is movable inwardly of the respective top edge to define a space for receiving and supporting a letter size file hanger. The rails are also movable outwardly to define a space therebetween for receiving and supporting a metric A4 size file hanger. With this arrangement, the user merely moves the rails to the appropriate location for the required file folder size.
According to an aspect of the invention, each pivoting rail in cross section, includes a slot like recess opening onto a divided securing cavity. The divided securing cavity has two sections with a cam member therebetween. The cam member, in combination with a securing edge of the rail, provides a bias urging the top edge of the file drawer into one of the two sections.
According to yet a further aspect of the invention, each top rail is an extruded plastic component.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3748008 (1973-07-01), Pryor
patent: 5393136 (1995-02-01), Grabowski et al.
patent: 5910351 (1999-06-01), Davis et al.
Dominik Christine
Marangoni Lorie
Milligan Geoffrey
Stahmer Ulf
Bereskin & Parr
Chen José V.
Fisher Michael J.
Teknion Furniture Systems Limited
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