GB2248040A

GB2248040A - Document-holding wallet

Info

Publication number: GB2248040A
Application number: GB9020407A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Eric Suttill
Original assignee: Ofrex Group Holdings PLC
Current assignee: Ofrex Group Holdings PLC
Priority date: 1990-09-19
Filing date: 1990-09-19
Publication date: 1992-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 2010-09-19
Also published as: GB9020407D0; GB2248040B

Abstract

A document-holding wallet (1) is formed of a sheet material. The sheet defines a rectangular rear portion and two front portions (3, 4) which overlie the rear portion and which are secured to the rear portion adjacent the peripheral edge thereof or formed integrally therewith. The front portions each define a front edge (5, 6) extending transversely across the wallet, the free edges being adjacent one another permitting the introduction of a document into the wallet. A plurality of the wallets are formed as a single integral element in the form of a roll (13). The roll may be formed from a plastic tube which is slit axially and heat treated at intervals to define transverse welds (7) and lines of mechanical weakness (12) between adjacent welds. <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION "Improvements in or relating to a document-holder" THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a document-holder and more particularly relates to a document-holder adapted semi-permanently to hold a document.

It has been proposed previously to provide document-holders in the form of open wallets. Such wallets, typically comprise two substantially rectangular sheets of material, which are super-imposed, and connected together at two adjacent side edges. Thus, a wallet is formed which is open at two adjacent side edges and closed at the two opposite adjacent side edges. Such wallets may be made of card or of transparent or at least translucent material.

The disadvantage of such wallets is that documents and papers within the wallets can very easily fall out of the wallets through the two open sides.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved wallet adapted to retain documents.

According to this invention there is provided a document-holding wallet, said wallet being formed of sheet material, said sheet material defining a square or rectangular rear portion and two front portions overlying the rear portion, and formed integrally with or secured to the rear portion adjacent the peripheral edges thereof, the front portions each defining a free edge extending transversely across the wallet, the free edges being adjacent one another, but being separable to permit the introduction of a document into the wallet.

Preferably the free edges are spaced apart from one another defining a gap therebetween.

Alternatively the free edges are slightly overlapped.

Conveniently the free edges are located substantially centrally of the wallet.

Preferably the wallet is formed from a single integral element which is folded along fold-lines extending parallel with said free edges, to form the lower portion and the upper portions, the upper portions being secured to the lower portion at the sides thereof which extend transversely to said free edges.

Advantageously the sheet material is a plastics sheet material and the upper portions are secured to the lower portion by heat welding.

This invention also relates to a plurality of wallets in the form of a strip of wallets, adjacent wallets being formed integrally with each other but being separated by a line of mechanical weakness to permit individual wallets to be separated from the rest of the strip.

The invention also relates to a method of making a strip of wallets wherein the method comprises the steps of forming a tube of plastics material, flattening the tube, slitting the tube axially and heat-treating the tube at selected positions to define transverse welds securing adjacent portions of the slit tube together, and lines of mechanical weakness between adjacent welds.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a document-holding wallet in accordance with the invention, and FIGURE 2 is a perspective view illustrating a plurality of wallets as illustrated in Figure 1 in the form of a roll of wallets.

Referring initially to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, a wallet for holding a document is formed effectively of sheet-plastics material. The plastics material may be of any desired thickness, and may be transparent or translucent. Thus, the plastics material may be totally transparent, or may be coloured, while still being substantially transparent.

A wallet 1 as illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings can be considered to be formed from a single sheet of the plastics material, the sheet presenting a central region 2 of rectangular form, and two side regions 3,4 which have been folded inwardly so as to be super-imposed over the central region, the free edges 5,6 of the regions 3,4 substantially abutting one another in the centre of the central region 2. The portions 3,4 are firmly welded to the central region 2 by weld lines 7 provided adjacent the non-folded edges of the central region 2. Thus the sheet presents a rear portion 2, with two front portions 3,4 overlying the rear portion, and being formed integrally with the rear portion 2 at two opposed edges and secured to the rear portion at the other two opposed edges.The front portions 3,4 each define a free edge 5,6 extending transversely across the wallet. The free edges 5,6 are adjacent one another.

It will be appreciated that access to the interior of the wallet may be gained by the opening defined between the substantially abutting side edges 5,6. A document may be inserted into the wallet through these side edges, by appropriately manipulating the document. The document must, of course, have a size which is less than the size of the central region 2 of the plastics sheet. Thus the height of the document must be less than the distance between the opposed weld lines 7 and the width of the document must be less than the width between the folded side edges of the central region 2. The document may thus be retained in a flat condition within the wallet, so that the document can actually be read whilst it is within the wallet. However, the document will not inadvertently fall out of the wallet.

It is envisaged that wallets in accordance with the invention may be relatively easily manufactured to be supplied in the form of a roll comprising a plurality of the wallets, the individual wallets being easily detachable from the remaining wallets on the roll by tearing along a line of mechanical weakness.

It is envisaged that such a roll of wallets may be fabricated from an elongate tube of plastics material.

It is to be appreciated that many items are fabricated from the elongate tubes of plastic material, such as plastics bags and the like, and thus the skilled man is readily aware of how to manufacture and handle such an elongate tube of plastics material.

It is envisaged, therefore, that an elongate tube of plastics material may be flattened, so that the tube comprises a lower web and an upper web. A central axial slit 10 may be formed in the upper web, by passing the upper web over an appropriate cutting knife. It will be appreciated that the slit 10 effectively defines the side edges 5,6 of the folded-in portions 3,4 of a wallet. The slit tube may then be passed under a welding head which forms adjacent pairs of weld lines 7, securing the regions 3,4 to the lower web of the slit tube, which thus forms the central region 2 of the wallet, and also forms a line of mechanical weakness 12 extending transversely across the web between the adjacent weld lines 7.

The slit tube is then moved, relative to the welding head, by a distance equal to the overall length of a wallet, and the welding operation is repeated.

It will be appreciated that this process provides an elongate tube which is pre-formed into sections which can easily be torn off, along the lines of mechanical weakness 12, to form discrete wallets. The tube may be rolled up to form a roll 13 for easy storage and transportation.

The roll 13 of wallets 1 may be mounted in a dispenser, so that a portion of the roll may be pulled out of the dispenser and then a wallet 1 may be readily be separated from the protruding part of the roll.

Whilst the invention had been described with reference to one embodiment in which the wallet is formed with the edges 5,6 of the folded over portions 3,4 being located immediately adjacent one another, these edges may be slightly overlapped in an alternative embodiment of the invention, so that no part of a document within the wallet is actually exposed.

In a further alternative form of the invention the wallet may be made from separate rear portions and front portions of material which are appropriately secured together.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A document-holding wallet, said wallet being formed of sheet material, said sheet material defining a square or rectangular rear portion and two front portions overlying the rear portion, and formed integrally with or secured to the rear portion adjacent the peripheral edges thereof, the front portions each defining a free edge extending transversely across the wallet, the free edges being adjacent one another, but being separable to permit the introduction of a document into the wallet.

2. A wallet according to Claim 1 wherein the free edges are spaced apart from one another defining a gap therebetween.

3. A wallet according to Claim 1 wherein the free edges are slightly overlapped.

4. A wallet according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the free edges are located substantially centrally of the wallet.

5. A wallet according to any one of the preceding Claims formed from a single integral element which is folded along fold-lines extending parallel with said free edges, to form the lower portion and the upper portions, the upper portions being secured to the lower portion at the sides thereof which extend transversely to said free edges.

6. A wallet according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the sheet material is a plastics sheet material and the upper portions are secured to the lower portion by heat welding.

7. A plurality of wallets according to Claim 1 in the form of a strip of wallets, adjacent wallets being formed integrally with each other but being separated by a line of mechanical weakness to permit individual wallets to be separated from the rest of the strip.

8. A method of making a strip of wallets according to Claim 7 wherein the method comprises the steps of forming a tube of plastics material, flattening the tube, slitting the tube axially and heat-treating the tube at selected positions to define transverse welds securing adjacent portions of the slit tube together, and lines of mechanical weakness between adjacent welds.

9. A wallet substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

10. A method of making wallets substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

11. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.