Portable, folding receptacle or box wallet form made from a plastic material

• US 5,725,098 A
• Filed: 10/17/1994
• Issued: 03/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KURZ Kunststoffe GmbH
• Original Assignee: KURZ Kunststoffe GmbH
• Inventors: Kurz, Josef, Seifert, Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): Ackun, Jacob K.
• Application Number:
  US08/324,137
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 206/214, 206/224, 206/232, 206/38, 206/234, 206/371, 206/37, 206/450, 206/472, 206/473, 206/474, 206/475, 206/39, 220/334, 220/336, 220/337, 220/339, 220/4.21, 220/4.22, 220/4.23
• US Class Current: 206/472
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/24 Etuis for purposes not covered by a single one of groups A45C11/02 - A45C11/22, A45C11/26, A45C11/32 - A45C11/38

Abstract

In connection with a portable folding receptacle of wallet format, made from a plastic material and being especially suited as multi-purpose portfolio, it is proposed to connect two half-shells by means of an elastic, integrally formed back hinge comprising longitudinally extending ridges with interposed film-joint hinge elements permitting smooth opening and closing of the receptacle. The receptacle may be equipped with folding inserts, in the manner of a book, or may be equipped in its interior with a ring-book mechanism.

Claims

1. A portable, folding receptacle or box comprising:

two cover elements, each of said cover elements having a front marginal edge, a rear marginal edge a first side marginal edge and a second side marginal edge, said first side, second side, and front marginal edges of both of said cover elements including an integrally formed marginal wall, said marginal walls being formed vertically from a horizontal plane of each of said cover elements, the two marginal walls engaging each other in the closed condition of the receptacle by means of projections and recesses, the marginal walls of the first and second side marginal edges of one cover element being terminated at their rear ends by said projections, said projections being semicircular in shape;

mounting blocks mounted to inner surfaces of said protections;

an elastic single-piece back hinge interconnecting the two cover elements at said rear marginal edges, said back hinge comprising a plurality of alternating ridges forming solid ribs and grooves extending parallel to said rear marginal edges, said grooves having base walls extending between pairs of ridges which are of substantially reduced thickness compared to the ridges'"'"' extension in a direction generally perpendicular to an adjacent base wall, thereby forming a film-joint hinge.

2. A portable, folding receptacle according to claim 1, wherein one of the cover elements contains two mounting blocks for supporting inserts received in said receptacle, said two mounting blocks being positioned at the intersection of said rear marginal edge and said respective first and second side marginal edges of said one cover element.

3. A portable, folding receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the cover elements and the back hinge consist of different plastic materials, the plastic material of the back hinge being soft and flexible.

4. A portable, folding receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the mounting blocks are provided with an inwardly open annular groove.

5. A portable, folding receptacle according to claim 2, wherein the mounting blocks are provided on both sides with recesses for receiving a ring-book mechanism, each of said mounting blocks additionally having actuating slides which, when pressed manually, act to open the ring-book mechanism.

6. A portable, folding receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the back hinge is formed integrally with the rear marginal edges of the two cover elements, by molding said back hinge on said rear marginal edges.

7. A portable, folding receptacle according to claim 2, wherein the mounting blocks include a recessed annular surface, with which an inner surface of the back hinge are in intimate rolling contact during closing of the receptacle.

8. A portable, folding receptacle according to the claim 1 wherein said projections are provided on the marginal walls of said first and second side marginal edges of said one cover element in the hinge area;

said recesses are provided in the marginal walls of the first and second side marginal edges of the other cover element;

said projections and said recesses engage in the closed condition of said receptacle.

9. A portable, folding receptacle according to claim 4 further comprising inserts which are slidably mounted in said annular grooves of said mounting blocks, said inserts are provided with pockets, for receiving flat objects.