Tim Blegen

US Patent:

8540138, Sep 24, 2013

Filed:

Nov 1, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/916733

Inventors:

Duane Christensen - Hastings MN, US
Tim Blegen - Spring Valley WI, US
Dennis Bowen - Ellsworth WI, US
Harold Peter Lindelof - Eden Prairie MN, US

Assignee:

Smead Manufacturing Company - Hastings MN

International Classification:

B65D 27/00

US Classification:

229 673, 229 671

Abstract:

A stair-step, expandable file folder is disclosed, in which each pocket in the folder has the same depth, rather than the back pockets being deeper than the front pockets. The folder includes a series of dividers that form the front and back sides of the pockets of the folder. The top edges of the dividers have increasing height, from the front to the back of the folder. The dividers are folded to form the bottoms of the pockets, with the folded portions also increasing in height from the front to the back of the folder. Each divider extends downward to form the back face of a pocket, is folded forward to form the bottom face of the pocket, and is folded downward to extend toward the bottom edge of the folder. The troughs in an expandable gusset support the sides of the dividers. Above the fold portion, the divider laterally extends into one trough.

US Patent:

8425387, Apr 23, 2013

Filed:

Nov 1, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/916839

Inventors:

Duane Christensen - Hastings MN, US
Tim Blegen - Spring Valley WI, US
Dennis Bowen - Ellsworth WI, US
Harold Peter Lindelof - Eden Prairie MN, US

Assignee:

Smead Manufacturing Company - Hastings MN

International Classification:

B31B 49/00
B65D 27/00

US Classification:

493186, 493238, 493267, 493918, 229 671, 229 72, 206425

Abstract:

A stair-step, expandable file folder is disclosed, in which each pocket in the folder has the same depth, rather than the back pockets being deeper than the front pockets. The folder is formed from a group of attached dividers. Each divider in the group is generally planar and includes two horizontal folds near a bottom edge of the divider. The divider area above the folds forms a wall of a pocket. The divider area between the folds extends to an adjacent divider and forms the bottom of the pocket. The divider area below the folds is attached to the adjacent divider. The adjacent divider forms an opposing wall of the pocket. When the group of dividers is compressed front-to-back, the dividers all have the same lateral footprint. When the group is expanded front-to-back, the dividers translate vertically, so that the tops of the dividers are all visible simultaneously from the front of the folder. During manufacturing, the group of dividers may be tilted front-to-back to ensure that the bottoms of the pockets remain in contact with their respective tooling elements.