GB2205784A - Company secretary's organiser - Google Patents

Abstract

An organiser adapted to retain items which may be required by a company secretary (such as pens, paper, memorandum and a company seal embossing device) comprises a folder which is capable of being laid out flat and which has a spine (1) to which first and second rectangular panels (2, 3) are hinged, a holder (18) for locating a company seal embossing device, and fastening means (26) on the first and second panels (2, 3) to hold the folder in a closed box-like condition. An end flap (6) of similar size and shape to the spine (1) is provided on one of the panels. The holder (18) is retained within the organiser when the folder is in its closed condition. There may be pockets (10, 13, 17) provided on inside surfaces of the panels, and a flat writing surface may be provided. The panels (2,3), spine (1), and flap (6) complementary to the spine, are preferably stiff. <IMAGE>

Description

COMPANY SECRETARY'S ORGANISER This invention is concerned with devices for storing and arranging the articles likely to be used by a Company Secretary in the performance of his duty in that role.

A Company Secretary may require convenient access to a number of items during his day, such as the company seal, the Company Register, headed notepaper, memoranda, and so on. He may need to take them with him when he travels away from the office. Such articles can be stored in his briefcase, jacket pocket and elsewhere, but it can be inconvenient to store them separately.

A device to store various articles needed by a Company Secretary is known which is in the form of a box with an open edge, into which a book or folder is inserted edge first. A false bottom or side is provided in the box to define a compartment in which the company seal may be held.

The aim of the invention is to provide an organiser for conveniently storing and transporting various items likely to be used by a Company Secretary.

According to the invention an organiser folder comprises a spine portion to which first and second panels are hinged, holder means for locating a seal embossing device, and attachment means associated with the first and second panels, the organiser having an open condition in which the first panel, spine portion, and second panel lie consecutively in a line in substantially the same plane, and a closed condition in which one of the panels is swung to lie over the other panel, and the attachment means is operable to hold the panels in the -closed condition.

Preferably the holder means is arranged in the organiser such that when the organiser is in its closed condition the holder means is enveloped between the panels.

Preferably the panels are similar, conveniently being generally rectangular, and the plan projection of the organiser when it is in its closed condition is substantially the same as that of a panel.

Preferably the organiser includes a pocket for a book or loose-leaf folder provided on one of the panels. The pocket may extend for substantially the whole width of the organiser, that is it may substantially define the dimension of the organiser perpendicular to the hinge axis. - The pocket may comprise a face sheet attached to the one panel by webbing at three sides so as to enable the pocket to accommodate relatively thick books.

Preferably the spine portion extends for the whole width of the organiser, and has a substantial length in the direction perpendicular to the hinge axis, the first and second panels being separately hinged to opposite edges of the spine portion. An end flap, preferably of similar complementary size and shape to the spine portion, may be hingedly connected to the opposite edge of the first or the second panel from that at which the panel is hinged to the spine portion, so that when the organiser is in its closed condition the end flap faces the spine portion in a spaced apart parallel relationship, and the first and second panels are also in spaced apart parallel relationship, relative to each other.

A surface suitable for use as a rest upon which to lay paper when writing is preferably provided by at least one of the panels, which may be stiff.

Preferably the face of the other panel that is adjacent the pocket of the one panel when the organiser is in its closed condition defines a flat writing surface upon which it is possible to support paper to write upon. The writing surface may comprise a surface of a sheet attached to the other panel to define a further pocket between the sheet and the other panel.

Alternatively, or in addition, the surface of the pocket that is adjacent the other panel may provide the writing surface.

preferably the holder means for locating the seal embossing device is provided on the end flap. It may comprise a box suitably shaped to receive the device and a flap releasably securable over the device. The flap may have a slot through which a part of the device protrudes to assist in locating the device.

The attachment means may comprise a strip of hooks or fibres of a hook and fibre attachment, such as is commonly called Velcro (registered trademark), provided on the end flap and a complementary strip of hooks or fibres provided on a flap hinged to the edge of the two panels that is furthest from the end flap when the organiser is in its open condition. Other suitable forms of attachment means may be provided, as, for example, press pressings, buckled straps or ties.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 shows an organiser in accordance with the invention in its,open condition; Figure 2 is an end view of the organiser of Figure 1 in its closed condition; Figure 3 illustrates a seal embossing device of a known kind; Figure 4 schematically shows a detail of the means for locating the device of Figure 3 in the organiser; and Figure 5 schematically shows the device of Figure 3 located in place in the organiser.

An organiser, best shown in Figure 1, comprises a stiff oblong spine 1 to longer sides of which first and second rigid oblong panels 2 and 3 are hingedly connected by flexible 'living' hinges 4 and 5 respectively.

A stiff end flap 6 of similar dimensions to the spine 1 is hinged by another living hinge 7 to the edge of the panel 3 that is opposite the hinge 5. A lip 8 is hinged to the panel 2 by a living hinge 9 at the edge of the panel 2 opposite to the edge hinged to the spine portion. The hinges 4,5,7 and 9 are all parallel and all extend across the full width of the organiser.

The organiser has an open condition, shown in Figure 1, in which it can be laid flat so that the lip 8, panel 2, spine 1, panel 3 and end flap 6 lie consecutively in a line, the panel 2, spine 1, panel 3 lying substantially in a common plane. The lip 9 and the end flap 8 may project up out of the plane, depending upon their weight and the hinges 7 and 9.

The organiser can also be folded to a closed condition as shown in Figure 2, in which it takes the form of an open-ended rectangular box with the panels 2 and 3 facing each other in spaced apart parallel relationship, and the end flap 6 and the spine 1 also being in spaced apart parallel relationship to each other.

For ease of reference in the following description the surfaces of the lip 8, panels 2 and 3, spine 1, and end flap 6 that face inwards towards each other when the organiser is in its closed condition, that is those faces which are uppermost when the organiser is laid out as in Figure 1, will be termed 'inside' surfaces of the appropriate components, and the other side of the components termed 'outside' surfaces.

A pocket 10 is formed on the inside surface of the panel 2 by a stiff flat sheet 11 attached to the inside surface of the panel at three sides by a peripheral gusset 12. A further pocket 13 is formed between the sheet 11 and a further sheet 14 superimposed on top of the sheet 11 and attached to the sheet 11 at three sides. The side of the pocket 10 and further pocket 13 adjacent the lip 8 is open. A notch 15 is provided in the further sheet 14 at the open end of the pockets.

The further sheet 14 is made of transparent plastics material. The pocket 10 and further pocket 13 extend across the organiser for its whole width.

The inside face of the other panel 3 is substantially covered by a sheet of flexible material 16 to define a pouch 17. The further sheet 14 and flexible material 16 both provide flat surfaces on the inside of the organiser upon which it is possible to rest paper to write upon.

Further means for locating a seal embossing device is provided at 18 on the inside face of the end flap.

This is described in more detail later. Loops 19 for holding pens, pencils, and the like, are also provided on the inside face of the end flap, towards one end of the end-flap. When the organiser is in the folded condition the holder means 18 and loops 19 are contained inside the organiser.

Attachment means is provided associated with the panel 2 and the panel 3, comprising a strip of hooks 20 of Velcro provided on the inside surface of the lip 8, and a strip of fibres 21 of the Velcro alongside an outside edge of the end flap 6. When the organiser is in its closed condition the hooks engage the fibres to hold it closed.

The organiser is designed to hold a seal-embossing device of the well known kind shown in Figure 3 in which two seal embossing discs 22 are urged together bylever means.

The holder means 18 for locating the seal embossing device comprises a stiff-walled box 23 provided at the end of the inside face of the end-flap 6 that is furthest from the loops 19, and a loop-over flap 24 extending from the end of the box 23 that is furthest from the loops 19. The loop-over flap 24 has a slot 25 cut in it through which the discs 22 project when the flap 24 is fastened over the seal embossing device located in the box 23. The slot 25 helps to locate the device correctly in the box 23. Velcro fastening means 26 is provided on the loop-over flap 24 and adjacent the box 23 to fasten the flap 24 over the device to retain it in the box 23.

Figure 4 illustrates the loop-over flap 24 well, but has the box 23 omitted for clarity.

The box 23 may have a shaped interior to accommodate the seal embossing device. The seal embossing device retaining means 18 could comprise the box 23 alone, or the loop-over flap 24 alone, or, as in the described embodiment, a combination of both. The fastening means 26 could be provided on the box. The fastening and attachment means need not be Velcro, but could be any suitable means. The lip 8 could have a substantial extent in the direction away from the hinge 9 if so desired.

The panels 2,3, spine 1, end flap 6, and other parts of the organiser could suitably be made of board or cardboard covered with plastics sheet such as polyvinyl chloride, cloth or leather.

Although the components of the organiser are predominently stiff in the described embodiment it will be appreciated that one or more of the panel 2, panel 3, spine 1, and end-flap 6 could be flaccid. The hinge 4, spine 1, and hinge 5 could be a single living hinge.

In use, a Company Secretary would, typically, locate and fasten his Company's seal in the box 23, place memoranda and headed note paper in the pocket 10, the Articles of Association of his company in the transparent pocket 13, insert one cover of his Company Register (shown as 27 in Figure 2) in the pouch 17 and fold the Register over the pouch, and, of course, place a few pens in the loops 19. The Secretary can then close the organiser and secure it closed. He thus has a convenient and attractive package of his essential tools that is easily transportable.

As added refinements, a place in which to store sealing wax, and a carrying strap or handle may be provided.

Claims (16)

1. An organiser folder comprising a spine portion to which first and second panels are hinged, holder means for locating a seal embossing device, and attachment means associated with the first and second panels, the organiser having an open condition in which the first panel, spine portion, and second panel lie consecutively in a line in substantially the same plane, and a closed condition in which one of the panels is swung to lie over the other panel, and the attachment means is operable to hold the panels in the closed condition.

2. An organiser according to Claim 1 in which the holder means is arranged in the organiser such that when the organiser is in its closed condition the holder means is enveloped between the panels.

3. An organiser according to any preceding claim in which the spine portion extends for the whole width of the organiser and has a substantial length in the direction perpendicular to the hinge axis, first and second panels being separately hinged to opposite edges of the spine portion.

4. An organiser according to any preceding claim which has an end flap hingedly connected to the opposite edge of the first or the second panel from that at which the panel is hinged to the spine portion, so that when the organiser is in its closed condition the end flap faces the spine portion in a spaced apart relationship, and the first and second panels face each other.

5. An organiser according to Claim 4 as it depends from Claim 3 in which the end flap is of complementary size and shape to the spine portion, and in which when the organiser is in its closed condition it forms an open-ended box, the end flap and spine portion being in spaced apart substantially parallel relationship, and the first and second panels being in spaced apart substantially parallel relationship.

6. An organiser according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 in which the holder means is provided on the end flap.

7. An organiser according to Claim 6 in which the holder means comprises a locating box suitably shaped to receive an embossing device, and a securing flap releasably securable over the device when the device is located in the locating box to hold the device in the locating box.

8. An organiser according to any one of Claims 4 to 7 in which the attachment means comprises a strip of hooks or fibres of a hook and fibre attachment provided on the end flap and a complementary strip of hooks or fibres provided on another flap hinged to the edge of the two panels that is furthest from the end flap when the organiser is in its open condition.

9. An organiser according to any one of Claims 4 to 8 which is made substantially of stiff sheet material.

10. An organiser according to any preceding claim in which the organiser includes a podket for a book or loose-leaf folder provided on one of the panels.

11. An organiser according to Claim 10 in which the pocket comprises a face sheet attached to said one panel by webbing at three sides so as to enable the pocket to accommodate relatively thick books.

12. An organiser according to any preceding claim in which at least one of the panels provides a flat writing surface suitable for use as a rest upon which to lay paper when writing.

13. An organiser according to Claim 12 as it depends from any one of claims 10 to 12, in which the face of the other panel that is adjacent the pocket of said one panel when the organiser is in its closed condition defines the writing surface upon which it is possible to support paper to write upon.

14. An organiser according to Claim 13 in which the writing surface comprises a surface of a sheet attached to the other panel to define a further pocket between the sheet and the other panel.

15. An organiser folder substantially as described and illustrated herein.

16. A pack comprising an organiser according to any preceding claim and an embossing device for embossing a company seal, the holder means of the organiser receiving and locating the embossing device.