DESCRIPTION

The present invention concerns folders and in particular it concerns a new modular folder for transporting documents or objects in general, as well as a bag obtained using said folder.

Document folders are known, which are constituted by a thick sheet, for example made of cardboard, leather or a plastic material, folded in two parts and suited to contain objects having a substantially and mainly bidimensional shape.

Document folders are known, which are provided with closing means, such as zip fasteners or belts, suited to prevent the documents contained therein from accidentally slipping out.

Document folders are also known, which are provided with handles that allow them to be transported.

Folders are known, which are provided with an enlarged bottom, for example enlarged by a few centimetres, so that they can contain a larger number of documents, books, magazines, etc.

The subjects of the present invention are a new modular folder and a new bag comprising said folder combined with a carrier bag.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a folder constituted by modular elements that can be interchanged in a rapid and simple manner.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a folder the functions of which can be modified in a rapid and simple manner, for example by modifying the length of the handles.

It is another object of the present invention to reduce production costs to a minimum. It is another object of the present invention to provide a folder that can accommodate and thus transport mainly bidimensional objects, also having a certain thickness, like for example portable computers, tablets or substantially flat objects. It is a further object of the present invention to make it possible to combine said folder with one or more carrier bags, so that objects of various types, shapes and sizes can be contained therein and transported.

These and other direct and complementary objects are achieved by the new modular folder and by the new bag comprising said folder combined with a carrier bag.

The new folder comprises in its main parts at least one sheet substantially folded in the shape of a U so as to form two sides facing each other and a substantially flat bottom, as well as one or more handles, for example one pair of handles projecting from the upper edge of said sides facing each other, and wherein said one or more handles are in turn constrained to said folded sheet in any way, directly or indirectly, through rapid and reversible fixing means suited to allow the rapid removal and replacement of one or both of said handles.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, said handles are in turn constituted by at least one strip arranged in such a way as to form one or both of the Us making up said handles, and wherein said at least one strip is constrained to said sheet in one or more points, through one or more of said reversible fixing means.

Said reversible fixing means comprise, for example, one or more snap fasteners or clips of the known type or snap buttons or other means suitable for this purpose.

There can be several points and positions where said handles can be reversibly attached, so that the different arrangement of said strips forming the handles makes it possible to obtain handles having different lengths so that the bag can have different functions and can be held in different manners. For example, long handles serving as shoulder straps, or medium or short handles can be provided.

The new folder preferably comprises also further strips or belts fixed in a removable manner, directly or indirectly, to said sheet, through further rapid and reversible fixing means, preferably on the surface facing towards the inside of the folder.

Said belts, which can be arranged in any way, can be used to hold the objects to be transported inside the folder.

For example, according to the invention the new folder may comprise at least one pair of said belts arranged so that they can hold laterally the objects that may be placed inside the folder, thus preventing them from falling through the side openings defined between the two sides of the sheet facing each other.

Said belts, constrained with said rapid and reversible fixing means, can also be used to hold bags in turn provided with straps, laces or loops suited to be constrained to the belts themselves, like for example shoe sacks, computer casings or carrier bags in general.

Said belts are preferably constrained to said sheet in an indirect manner, that is, they are constrained directly to said handles or to one or more intermediate connection inserts that in turn are constrained to said sheet and/or to said handles.

In the preferred solution, said strips forming said handles are arranged on the outside of said folder and are constrained to inserts positioned on the outer surface of said sheet and in turn constrained to further inserts, positioned on the inner surface of said sheet, through said snap fasteners or snap buttons or rapid and reversible fixing means via through holes or openings made in said sheet in corresponding positions.

Analogously, said belts are in turn constrained to said inserts located on the inner surface of said sheet through said reversible fixing means.

Therefore, the preferred embodiment of the new folder comprises:

• said at least one sheet folded in the shape of a U;

• at least one pair of said handles, each formed by at least one of said strips positioned on the outer surface of said sheet on the two sides facing each other;

• at least one pair of said external connection inserts for each handle, positioned on the outer surface of said sheet and constrained to the corresponding handle that for example can be inserted in holes or slits made in the internal insert itself; • at least one pair of said internal connection inserts, each positioned on the inner surface of said sheet in corresponding positions on said two sides facing each other, each one of said internal connection inserts being in turn constrained to said external inserts through said one or more reversible fixing means passing through said holes correspondingly made in said sheet;

• one or more belts positioned on the inside of said sheet and constrained to said internal inserts, wherein said belts are in turn suited to hold any objects, bags or other things inside said sheet.

All of the component parts of the new folder, meaning said sheet, said strips forming said handles, said belts, said inserts, are interchangeable with other homologous components having a different colour, finish, material, consistency, etc. thus giving the new folder different mechanical, technical and aesthetical characteristics.

Said sheet, but also said strips forming said handles, said belts and said inserts are obtained from thermoformed sheets obtained through laser cutting or die cutting processes.

Said sheet, said strips, said belts and said inserts are obtained through a thermoforming operation.

The other subject of the present patent is the bag obtained from the combination of said new folder with at least one carrier bag contained in said folder and constrained thereto by means of one or more of said belts.

The preferred embodiment of said bag comprises:

• said folder made according to the preferred embodiment, with handles, inner belts and inner and outer connection inserts;

• at least one carrier bag in turn comprising a body suited to contain objects, with at least one access opening, said opening being preferably provided with one or more closing means, such as zip fasteners,

and wherein said carrier bag is in any case held by said belts. For example, said carrier bag comprises one or more loops for the insertion of said one or more belts or reversible fixing means, which hold said carrier bag and constrain it inside said folder.

The characteristics of the new folder and of the bag obtained therewith are illustrated in greater detail in the following description, with reference to the attached drawings that are provided by way of non-limiting examples.

Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a sheet (1) folded so as to form a U and constituting the new modular folder (6).

Figure 2 shows a three-dimensional view of a strip (2) curved so as to form two handles (21) with connection inserts (4).

Figure 3 shows an internal insert (3) providing connection with said external inserts (4) of the strip (2) making up the handles (21).

Figure 4 shows a three-dimensional view of the new folder (6) obtained from the assembly of said sheet (1), said strip (2) making up the handles (21) and inner belts (5).

Figure 5 shows a three-dimensional view of a bag (9) obtained from the assembly of the folder (6) represented in Figure 4 with a carrier bag (7). A detailed view of said carrier bag (7) with said holding belts (5, 51) and said internal inserts (3) is shown in Figure 6.

Figures 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b respectively show the folder (1) and only the handles (2) in three possible arrangements, so as to obtain short, medium and long handles (21). The new folder (6) comprises in its main parts at least one sheet (1) folded so as to form a U along two parallel folding lines (11), thus obtaining two sides (12) facing each other and a substantially flat bottom (13).

The folder (6) comprises one pair of handles (21) on said sides (12) facing each other, each one of said handles (21) being in turn constituted by at least one strip (2) arranged so as to form a U and positioned on the outer surface of said sides (12). In the solution illustrated in Figure 2, both of said handles (21) are formed by a single strip (2) that is arranged in such a way as to form both of the Us.

In the solutions shown in Figures 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, on the other hand, each one of said two handles (21) is constituted by a single and distinct strip (2) that in turn is curved so as to form a U that is external to the sheet (1) and comprises two ends (2a,

2b) suited to be constrained in several possible positions in order to vary the arrangement and the length of said handles (21).

Each one of said strips (2) forming a handle (21) is in turn constrained to one pair of external connection inserts (4), being inserted in holes or slits (41) made in the external insert (4) itself.

Each one of said external inserts (4) in turn is constrained, through reversible fixing means, like for example buckles or snap fasteners or snap buttons (8), to at least one internal connection insert (3) located on the inner surface of said sheet (1) in a corresponding position on the respective side (12).

For this purpose, said sheet (1) is provided with through holes (15) through which it is possible to obtain the connection between said external inserts (4) and said internal inserts (3).

In said sheet (1), in particular in its bottom (13) or in proximity to the same, there are further through holes or slits (16) through which said strips (2) forming the handles (21) are inserted.

In the solution shown in Figures 7a and 7b, said strips (2) are inserted in said further holes or slits (16) so that said ends (2a, 2b) of each strip (2) are on the inner surface of said folded sheet (1) and joined to said internal insert (3) through said reversible fixing means (8). In this way, the length of the handles (21) is the shortest possible length. In the solution shown in Figures 8a and 8b, each one of said strips (2) is inserted in said further holes or slits (16) so that one of said ends (2a) of the first strip (2) is constrained to the corresponding end (2a) of the second strip (2) through said reversible fixing means (8) at the level of the bottom (13), while the other end (2b) is joined to said internal insert (3) through said reversible fixing means (8). In this way, the length of the handles (21) is medium.

In the solution shown in Figures 9a and 9b, each one of said strips (2) is inserted in said further holes or slits (16) so that one of said ends (2a) of the first strip (2) is constrained to the corresponding end (2a) of the second strip (2) through said reversible fixing means (8) at the level of the bottom (13), while the other end (2b) is constrained to the corresponding end (2b) of the second strip (2) through said reversible fixing means (8) at the level of the bottom (13). In this way, the length of the handles (21) is the longest possible length.

The folder (6) comprises also one or more belts (5, 51) located on the inner surface of said sheet (1) and constrained to said internal inserts (3), for example through said reversible fixing means (8), wherein said belts (5, 51) are in turn suited to hold any objects, bags (7) or other things inside said sheet (1).

In the solution shown in Figure 4, said belts (5) are arranged laterally and are suited to hold the objects contained in the folder (6), thus preventing them from falling through the side openings (121) between the sides (12) facing each other.

According to the invention, said internal inserts (3) may also comprise slits or openings (31) through which said belts (5, 51) can be inserted, and said belts (5, 51) are thus held by the inserts (3) themselves.

The bag (9) obtained using said folder (6) comprises the following:

• said folder (6);

• at least one carrier bag (7), in turn comprising a body (71) suited to contain objects and provided with at least one access opening (72), said opening being preferably provided with one or more closing means, such as zip fasteners (73),

and wherein said carrier bag (7) is held inside the folder (6) through said one or more belts (5, 51).

Said carrier bag (7) may comprise one or more loops through which it is possible to insert said one or more belts (5) or reversible fixing means (8).

Therefore, all the component parts of the new folder (6) and the new bag (9) can be assembled/disassembled in a rapid manner and are interchangeable with other homologous components having different colour, finish, material, etc.

Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached drawings, the following claims are expressed.