The present invention relates to a holder suitable for holding paper receipts and other items of paper.

Paper receipts can be stored on a receipt spike which comprises a sharpened projection that stands up from a base wherein paper receipts are pierced by the projection as they are pushed down towards the base. A problem with this is that a person could injure themselves on the sharpened point of the projection, and the receipt spike is not child friendly. In addition, since the receipts are simply stored as a stack on the sharpened projection the receipts are not organized and it can be time consuming to find a particular receipt. If a receipt needs to be removed from the projection the receipts above it will also need to be removed increasing the chance of removed receipts becoming lost. The number of receipts that can be stored on the receipt spike is limited because of the size of the projection. Also, the shape of the receipt spike with its base is bulky and cannot be easily filed away. Thus, the receipt spike is not suitable for long term storage. Furthermore, a receipt spike storing a stack of paper receipts out in view can look untidy. The receipt spike is not ergonomic.

Paper receipts can also be stored in a receipt file where they are simply stored in a stack. Other ways of storing paper receipts include simply placing them in an envelope where the paper receipts cannot be easily stored in a particular order. If the file or envelope is dropped the stored receipts may fall out and may become lost. It also may be difficult to put the receipts back in the right order.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a holder for paper receipts to alleviate at least one of the above-mentioned problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a holder for paper receipts comprising: an elongate member curved to substantially form a loop portion having first and second ends, at least one of said first and second ends adapted to pierce a paper receipt for attachment on the loop portion, the loop portion having a substantially constant circular cross-section along its length between the first and seconds ends to enable receipts attached on the loop portion to be freely moved between the first and second ends; closure means for connecting the first and second ends together to close the loop, the loop portion and the closure means forming a substantially annular configuration when the first and second ends are connected together; and a stopper removably engaging the loop portion so as to prevent receipts attached on the loop portion from becoming detached via a said end when the closure means is opened unless the stopper is disengaged from the loop portion. A said stopper may be associated with or positioned towards, adjacent or on at least one of the first and second ends. The stopper associated with a said end is between said end and a receipt to be removed from the loop portion via said end. The stopper may resiliently engage the loop portion. The stopper may frictionally engage the loop portion. The stopper may form an interference fit with the loop portion. The loop portion may be flexible.

Thus, the or each stopper prevents any paper receipts attached on the loop portion from becoming detached if the closed loop is accidently opened.

The holder or receipt organizer can be easily stored out of view in, say, a drawer. The holder is compact and is not large or cumbersome in size. The holder is easily transportable.

The holder can safely keep and store paper receipts on a short, intermediate or long term basis.

The loop portion enables a large number of paper receipts to be stored on the holder. Thus, the holder can hold more receipts than a receipt spike. The holder enables receipts to be stored visibly on a single device or item.

The arrangement of the loop portion and closure means avoids the need for a sharpened point to always be exposed where it can cause an injury. The holder for paper receipts is child friendly.

There may be a said stopper associated with each of said first and second ends. The stopper may be towards, adjacent or on its associated end. To place a new paper receipt in a particular place amongst paper receipts already stored on the loop portion, the closure means is opened and the stoppers are disengaged from the loop portion. The closure means is then closed and the receipts already attached to the loop portion are moved freely around the loop so that the position where the new receipt is to be placed is by one of the first and second ends. The closure means is opened by the one loop portion end and the receipt is placed in the required place amongst the stored receipts. The attached receipts are pushed away from the closure means and the stoppers are placed to engage the loop portion adjacent the first and second ends. The loop is then closed. In a similar manner, a particular receipt can be removed from the holder. Thus, the holder can be used to easily organize paper receipts, and enables a paper receipt to be added or removed with ease.

The stopper or at least one of said stoppers may comprise a member having at least one hole for the member to receive the loop portion. The member may be a flexible member. The member may be a U-shaped member at least when the member engages the loop portion, each said hole being through a respective leg of the U-shaped member. Each end of the U-shaped member may be biased away from each other so that the stopper resiliently engages the loop portion. At least one said hole of the or each stopper may form an interference fit with the loop portion.

The holder may include at least one divider that is slidable along the loop portion wherein the at least one divider is arranged to separate receipts attached on the holder. The divider(s) enable receipts attached to the holder to be organised. The or each stopper prevents any dividers attached on the loop portion from becoming detached if the closed loop is accidently opened.

At least one of said first and second ends of the loop portion has a bevelled end face. The bevelled end face may form an acute angle with the outer side of the loop portion, or in other words, the bevelled end face may slant inwardly towards the inside of the loop portion. The bevelled end face enables paper receipts and dividers to be pushed past it since the angle of the end face provides a minimal area of surface contact with the paper receipts and dividers.

The closure means may comprise an elongated closure member having first and second ends, each end of the closure member being arranged to engage a respective one of said ends of the loop portion to close the loop. At least one of said first and second ends of the closure member may form an interference fit with said respective end of the loop portion.

The loop portion may be substantially solid. The loop portion may be tubular. The ends of the tubular loop portion may be open, and the ends of the closure member are arranged to fit respectively within the open ends of the tubular loop portion.

At least one of said first and second ends of the closure member may have a bevelled end face. The bevelled end face may form an acute angle with the inner side of the closure member, or in other words, the bevelled end face may slant outwardly towards the inside of the closure member.

The loop portion may comprise a plurality of flexible elongated members connected in series. The size of the loop portion can be increased or decreased by adding or removing flexible elongated members.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a holder for paper receipts in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the holder forming a closed loop;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the holder wherein the loop is opened;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a stopper of the holder;

Figure 3A is a plan view of a modified stopper;

Figures 4 and 5 are details of the stopper of Figure 3 being disengaged and engaged, respectively, from a loop portion of the holder;

Figure 6 is a detail of a modified stopper on the loop portion;

Figures 7 and 8 are side and top views, respectively, of a portion of a modified holder;

Figure 9 is a side view similar to Figure 7 showing a closure member of the modified holder in an open position;

Figure 10 is a view of a modified loop portion; and

Figure 11 is a view of a part of the loop portion of Figure 10.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 and 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings, a holder 1 for paper receipts 2 according to a first embodiment of the invention comprises a flexible, tubular elongate member curved to substantially form a loop portion 3 having first and second open ends 4, 5. Each of the first and second loop portion ends 4, 5 has a bevelled end face 6 which forms an acute angle with an outer side 7 of the loop portion 3. The end portions of the loop portion 3 have knurling 20 to aid gripping.

An elongated closure member or wire 8 connects the first and seconds loop portion ends 4, 5 together to close the loop and has first and second closure member ends 9, 10. Although the elongated closure member 8 is shown as being straight it could instead be arc-shaped. Each closure member end 9, 10 fits within a respective one of the open ends 4, 5 of the tubular loop portion 3 and forms an interference fit with the open loop portion end 4, 5. Each of the first and second closure member ends 9, 10 has a bevelled end face 1 1 which forms an acute angle with the inner side 12 of the closure member 8.

A stopper or securing device 13 is adjacent each of the first and second loop portion ends 4, 5. The stopper 13 is separate and distinct from the loop portion 3 and the closure member 8. Each stopper 13 comprises a flexible U- shaped member 14 having a hole 15 through each leg or limb or branch 16 of the U-shaped member and the loop portion 3 passes through each hole 15. The stopper 13 is preferably made of rubber. Each end 17 of the U-shaped member 14 is biased away from each other so that the stopper 13 resiliently engages the loop portion 3 (see Figure 5). The member 14 has knurling 21 to aid gripping. When the member 14 is not attached it has a flat shape (see Figure 3). In a modification, the member 22 may have the outline of a lozenge when it is not attached (see Figure 3A) with a hole 23 in each end portion of the member 22 for receiving the loop portion 3.

The holder 1 has a plurality of dividers 18 that each have a hole 19 through which the loop portion 3 passes and the dividers 18 are freely slidable along the loop portion 3 between the stoppers 13.

The holder 1 can be hung from a hook where one of the U-shaped members 14 is hooked over the hook so that the underside of the U-shaped member 14 rests on the hook and the loop portion 3 of the holder 1 is beneath the hook.

In use, the first closure member end 9 is pulled out from the corresponding first open end 4 of the tubular loop portion 3 so as to open the loop (see Figure 2). To attach a paper receipt 2 to the loop portion 3, the stopper 13 adjacent the second end 5 is first disengaged from the loop portion 3 by pushing the ends 17 of the U-shaped member 14 towards each other (see Figure 4) so that the stopper 13 no longer resiliently engages the loop portion 3. The stopper 13 is slid off the loop portion 3 and closure member 8 and returns to its flat shape (see Figure 3). The paper receipt 2 is pressed against the bevelled end face 1 1 of the first closure member end 9 so that bevelled end face 1 1 pierces the paper receipt 2. The paper receipt 2 is then pushed past the bevelled end face 6 of the second loop portion end 5 so that the paper receipt 2 is attached to the loop portion 3.

To place the stopper 13 back onto the loop portion 3, the ends 17 of the member 14 are bent towards each other so that the member 14 forms a U- shape. The closure member 8 and the bevelled end face 6 of the second end 5 of the loop portion 3 are fed through the holes 15 of the stopper 13. The ends

17 of the U-shape member 14 are released so that the stopper 13 resiliently engages the loop portion 3 since each end 17 is biased away from each other (see Figure 5). The first closure member end 9 is then pushed into the first open end 4 of the tubular loop portion 3 so as to form an interference fit and close the loop. The paper receipt 2 is thus held on the loop portion 3. Although the paper receipt has been described as being attached to the loop portion 3 via the second end 5 the paper receipt 2 could also be attached to the loop portion 3 in a similar manner via the first end 4. The former way (i.e. via the second end 5) is suitable for a right-handed person and the latter way (i.e. via the first end 4) is suitable for a left-handed person. Thus, the holder 1 is suitable for use by either a left or right-handed person.

To place a new paper receipt 2 or divider 18 in a particular place amongst paper receipts 2 already stored on the loop portion 3 of the holder 1 , the closure member 9 is pulled out from one of the open ends 4, 5 of the tubular loop portion 3 so as to open the loop and the stoppers 13 are disengaged from the loop portion 3. The closure member 8 is then pushed back into the open end 4, 5 to close the loop and the receipts 2 and dividers 18 already attached to the loop portion 3 are moved freely around the loop so that the position where the new receipt 2 or divider 18 is to be placed is by said one end 4, 5. The loop is opened by the one loop portion end 4, 5 and the receipt 2 or divider 18 is placed in the required place amongst the stored receipts/dividers 2, 18. The attached receipts 2 and dividers 18 are pushed away from the closure member 8 and the stoppers 13 are placed to engage the loop portion 3 adjacent the first and second ends 4, 5 wherein all the receipts 2 and dividers 18 are attached to the loop portion 3 between the stoppers 13. The loop is then closed.

In a similar manner, a particular receipt 2 can be removed from the holder 1 . The loop is opened and the stoppers 13 are removed. The loop is then closed and the particular receipt 2 to be removed is placed by the closure member 8. The loop is opened, the receipt 2 is removed and the stoppers 13 placed back on the loop portion 3. The loop is then closed.

If the holder 1 for paper receipts 2 is, say, accidently knocked so that at least one end 9, 10 of the closure member 8 disengages from the loop portion 3 so that the loop is opened, the stoppers 13 prevent any paper receipts 2 and dividers 18 attached to the loop portion 3 from disengaging from the loop portion 3.

In a modification as illustrated in Figure 6, each hole 24 of each stopper 25 forms an interference fit with the loop portion 26. In a further modification, the stopper may retain its U-shape even when removed from the loop portion.

Referring to Figures 7 to 9, a modified holder 30 comprises a rigid loop portion 31 having first and second ends 32, 33. An arc-shaped closure member 34 is connected by a hinged connection 35 to the second end 33. The distal end 36 of the closure member 34 is bevelled and is held between a ledge 37 and a protrusion 38 on the first end 32 of the rigid loop portion 31 . A stopper 39 is adjacent each of the first and second loop portion ends 32, 33 and these stoppers 39 are the same as those illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 or Figure 6.

To place a paper receipt 2 on the modified holder 30, the stopper 39 adjacent the second end 33 is slid onto the closure member 34 and the distal end 36 of the closure member 34 is forced past the protrusion 38 so that the closure member 34 is pivoted to an open position. The stopper 39 is removed from the closure member 34 and the paper receipt 2 is pressed against the bevelled distal end 36 of the closure member 34 so that it is pierced by the distal end 36. The paper receipt 2 is then pushed past the second end 33 of the loop portion 31 so that the paper receipt 2 is attached to the loop portion 31 . The first and second ends 32, 33 of the loop portion 31 have smoothed edges and the hinged connection 35 is countersunk to enable paper receipts 2 and any dividers (not shown) to be easily moved past. The stopper 39 is then placed back onto the closure member 34 and the distal end 36 of the closure member 34 is forced past the protrusion 38 so that the closure member 34 is held between the protrusion 38 and the ledge 37 wherein the protrusion 38 acts as a catch. The stopper 39 is then moved back to engage the loop portion 31 adjacent the second end 33.

Referring to Figures 10 and 1 1 , the loop portion 40 of a holder may be of composite construction. The loop portion 40 may comprise a plurality of separate flexible elongated tubular members 41 and each end 42 of the tubular member 41 is open. To connect one tubular member 41 to an adjacent tubular member, an elongated plug connector 43 is inserted into an open end 42 of one tubular member 41 so as to form an interference fit and the open end 42 of the adjacent tubular member is fitted over the exposed end portion of the plug connector 43 so that the adjacent tubular member forms an interference fit with it. The loop portion 40 can thus be built up from a series of flexible tubular members 41 connected by elongated plug connectors 42 and special tubular members 44 may be required to form the end parts of the loop portion 40 and be connected to each other by a closure member 45. The size of the loop can be increased or decreased by adding or removing flexible tubular members 41 from the loop portion. Thus to increase the number of receipts that the holder can store, one or more flexible elongated tubular members 41 can be added to the loop portion 40.

Each or at least one flexible elongated tubular member may be about the same size as the loop portion 3 of the first embodiment. The loop portion may comprise two such members.

Whilst particular embodiments have been described, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention.