DE9409154U1 - Archive system for storing and storing especially files, documents and the like. - Google Patents

Abstract

An archiving system is disclosed comprising modular archiving units (1, 6, 7, 37, 38, 41) for storing and filing dossiers documents and similar items. The system is based on main stackable base boxes (1) which accommodate files, drawers (37), archive boxes (41) and the like. All the archiving units (6, 7, 37, 38, 41) in the system are compatible with a base unit in the form of a base box (1) with uniform dimensions which accommodates standard files, and the modules of the archiving system including the base module are formed from an integral flat cardboard blank.

Description

Archive systems for storing and filing in particular files, documents and the like

The invention relates to an archive system according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such archive systems are known and are made up of crate-like or box-like basic boxes with a rectangular base made of cardboard, which can be stacked in height and width or arranged next to each other. These basic boxes are used to hold drawer elements, standard files, archive boxes and the like. The disadvantage of the known archive systems is the fact that these archive systems are not sufficiently compatible with each other, i.e. the individual modules of the modular system cannot be combined as a whole. For example, according to a known archive system, different sized basic boxes must be used to hold drawer elements or files, which means that only basic boxes that are designed to hold

Deutsche Bank, Herne (bank code 430 700 61) Account number 155 jtq . Bank. Munich (bank code 700 202 70) Account number 46 505 999

PostschfeCk MCfncheft (BL2-700 488 89>Account number: 227 082 - 805

Folders, or basic boxes for holding drawer elements. This impairs the usability of such archive systems. Furthermore, the known archive systems require separate connecting elements made of plastic or steel for the purpose of stacking the basic modules on top of one another, in particular plastic frames with steel reinforcement enclosing the basic box, so that the material uniformity, which is in itself very useful for production and recycling, is not maintained. This also reduces the versatility of such archive systems.

The object of the invention is to create an archive system which ensures full compatibility of the individual modules with one another, in particular with a uniform base box for accommodating the other archive elements. The archive elements should also be simple and stable in construction and easy to handle and transport.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the features contained in the characterizing part of claim 1, whereby expedient further developments of the invention are characterized by the features contained in the subclaims.

According to the invention, the archive system uses a standardized base box, which serves both to accommodate the drawer elements and optionally to accommodate standard files and archive boxes. The base box preferably has an interior dimension of approximately 310 mm deep, 380 mm long and 32 0 mm high, so that different standard files, in particular 5 standard files with a spine width of 75 mm, can be accommodated. Due to the standardized base box for the different modules, a shelving system or archive system built up from the base boxes by arranging them one above the other and next to one another can be used in an extremely variable way, in that files, archive boxes and/or drawer elements can be used.

Another advantage is that all modules of the archive system are made from a flat cut. This offers advantages for the transport and packaging of the flat cut and also ensures that the archive system can be stored in a space-saving manner when not in use. The basic box can be closed with either a snap-on lid or a slip-on lid. The drawer element can also be closed with a snap-on hinged lid. Both the basic box and the drawer element can therefore be used as transport boxes. The hinged lid made from a separate cut can also be used to close the opening of the basic box when several basic boxes are stacked on top of one another or placed next to one another.

The basic box and the drawer element are expediently designed with double walls in relation to the side walls so that the corresponding loads can be absorbed. The basic boxes are connected to one another by connecting elements, which are made of the same material as the other module elements from cardboard and are preferably integrated into the cut of the basic box, so that they can easily be broken out of the basic box if necessary.

Since all elements of the archive system are made of cardboard, recycling is easy. The foldability provides advantages for storage when the archive system is not in use. Furthermore, if required, the drawer element can easily be converted into a hanging file element by inserting an inner ring made of cardboard, which is also made from a flat cut. The inner ring also provides advantageous stiffening and stabilization of the drawer element. The individual elements are coordinated with one another in such a way that when combined, i.e. when assembling or joining the individual elements,

For example, through attachable connecting straps, additional stabilization and strength of the structure of the individual archive elements is ensured.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 a perspective schematic representation of the basic module of the basic box of the modular system with attachable hinged lid and optionally attachable slip lid,

Fig. 2 a schematic representation, also in perspective view, to explain the structure of the basic box in the left illustration and to explain the arrangement of several basic boxes next to and on top of each other in the right illustration,

Fig. 3 a flat cut of the basic box, from which the basic box can be made by folding it accordingly,

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram explaining the structure of the drawer element, including the inner ring for the hanging system that can be inserted into the drawer element and the slip-on lid that can be placed on the drawer element,

Fig. 5 an embodiment of the cutting of the drawer element,

Fig. 6 the cut of the inner ring from which it can be manufactured by folding,

Fig. 7 the cutting of the slip lid for the drawer element.

Fig. 8 an explanation of the structure of the archive box,

-s-

Fig. 9 a cut of the archive box,

Fig. 10 a cut of the slip lid for the basic box, and

Fig. 11 a cut-out of the hinged lid that can be inserted into the base box.

The archive system, as described below, comprises as a basic module a basic box, designated 1 in Fig. 1, which is uniformly constructed in the system and has the same basic dimensions, consisting of a rectangular base and four opposite side walls 2, 3, 4 and 5, of which in the example shown the side walls 2 and 4 form the long side walls and the side walls 3 and 5 form the narrow side walls. The basic box 1 is made from a one-piece cardboard cut-out, which can be seen in detail in Fig. 3, by appropriate folding. The basic box 1, which is open at the top and front as a basic module, can be closed by a hinged lid 6, which is also made from a cut-out according to Fig. 11, which can be inserted into corresponding openings in the basic box 1 via tabs to be described in more detail below and can be closed with a locking tongue. Alternatively, instead of the hinged lid 6, the basic box 1, which is open at the top, can be closed with an attachable slip lid 7, which is also made from a cut according to Fig. 10. The hinged lid is particularly suitable for closing the basic boxes if they are part of a wall-like archive system made up of basic boxes arranged one above the other and/or next to each other, whereas the attachable lid 7 turns the basic box 1 into a transport box.

This basic box, which represents the basic module, is compatible with other archive elements of the system , namely a drawer element as shown in Fig. 4 to 7, which for hanging systems has an interior shown as a cut-out in Fig. 6.

-S-

The drawer element can be pushed into the base box. This also applies to the archive box shown in Fig. 8 and 9. The base box 1 is also designed so that it can accommodate seven standard 50-format files, five standard 75-format files or four standard 80-format files, whereby standard files are understood to be the usual ring binders, such as ring binders from Leitz (registered trademark) with the appropriate spine width. When assembled, the base box 1 has a depth of approximately 310 mm, a length of approximately 380 mm and a height or width of approximately 320 mm in terms of its interior. It is important that both the folders and the drawer element described below, including the archive boxes, are compatible with one and the same basic box, so that shelf-like wall systems can be built from the basic boxes, which can be equipped with the standard folders, the drawer elements, and the archive boxes as well as other modular elements. In order to meet these requirements in terms of strength, the basic box 1 in the illustrated embodiment is double-walled with regard to the side walls 2 to 5, as can be clearly seen from Fig. 2, left illustration. The cut of the basic box according to Fig. 3, from which the basic box 1 can be made by folding it along grooves, then has additional wall sections 8 to 11 that can be folded inwards, which are folded inwards over the wall sections 2 to 5 to the bottom of the basic box 1 according to Fig. 2, thus forming the two-layer side wall structure of the basic box 1. In this case, between the side walls 2 to 5 and the corresponding additional wall sections 8 to 11, two grooves are provided for folding, which define a thin web 12 between them, so that a circumferential upper edge of the base box 1 is created, determined by the thickness of the web 12, in which openings 13, 14 and 15 are formed to accommodate the hinged lid. These openings 13, 14 and 15 are also shown in the cut-out according to Fig. 3, here the openings serve

13 and 14 for receiving foldable insertion tabs 16 and 17 of the hinged lid 6, which are folded out again after insertion through the openings 13 and 14, so that the hinged lid is firmly anchored in the base box 1. The further and opposite opening 15 serves to receive the locking tongue 18 of the hinged lid 6. Further details of the hinged lid 6 can be seen from the cut according to Fig. 11, whereby the graphic representation with regard to the details of the hinged lid is so clear that a detailed description is unnecessary, since the expert can easily see the structure, arrangement and functioning and thus the essential technical and functional features from the representations of the cuts in the figures. In the cuts, the grooves, i.e. the folding edges, are indicated by dashed representations. The solid lines represent the end edges of the cut.

The details of the cut of the slip lid 7 are again derived from the cut according to Fig. 10 in an analogous manner, without additional details being required. However, the slip lid contains recesses or openings 19 on two opposite sides, four in total, which serve to accommodate connecting elements according to Fig. 2 in order to ensure that basic boxes arranged one above the other and provided with a slip lid are fixed in place. Finally, the basic box contains openings or recesses 20 arranged on the two opposite long side walls approximately at the height of the middle of the side walls in the area immediately adjacent to the corner edges, analogous to the openings or recesses 19 of the slip lid 7, which serve to accommodate connecting elements described in more detail below for the arrangement one above the other or lateral juxtaposition and corresponding fixing of several basic boxes. These openings 2 0 are also indicated in the cut of the basic boxes according to Fig. 3 and can be found complementarily in the additional side wall sections that fall over the side walls.

ten 9 and 11, these recesses being provided with the reference numerals 20a.

The base of the basic box is formed from the folded sections 21, 22, 23 and 24 shown in Fig. 3, with the interior being delimited by the base section 24. Access openings for transport are shown in the side walls 3 and 5 by a punched tab with grooves, so that the handle openings can be formed after the tab has been broken through accordingly. These access tabs, designated 25 in Fig. 3, correspond in size and orientation to the access openings 26 in the additional wall sections 8 and 10.

Integrated into the cut according to Fig. 3 are two connecting tabs 27 and 28, which can be broken out of the additional wall section 8, which is located inside when the base box is in place, when in use. These connecting elements 27 and 28 are designed as strip-like bands, which contain two central grooves 29 and 30 and two external grooves 31 and 32, so that the connecting elements can be folded as required as shown on the right in Fig. 2. For this purpose, the external grooves 31 and 32 are arranged at a distance from the free ends of the connecting elements 27 and 28, which is preferably greater than the distance between the grooves 31 and 32 and the nearest central grooves 29 and 30, which also define a thin web 33 between them.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, right illustration, two base boxes arranged next to each other can be connected by means of corresponding M-shaped folded connecting elements at 34. As can be seen from Fig. 2, right illustration below, the outer tabs of the connecting elements extend upwards over the base box so that they can be used as stacking connections. Two

Connecting elements are inserted at 35, which are essentially bent in a G-shape. These also protrude upwards after being inserted into the corresponding openings 20, so that they serve as stacking connections for the arrangement of the basic boxes one above the other. For inserting the connecting elements, it is essential that the side walls are double-walled, because this results in good anchoring of the connecting elements and overall stiffening of the connecting areas. The thin web 33 serves to bridge the double-wall structure of the side walls. If, on the other hand, the connecting elements are folded in a U-shape, the openings 20 can be closed by simply inserting or attaching the U-shaped connecting tabs. One of the U-legs of the connecting element is inserted between the additional wall section and the actual side wall, so that the inserted connecting element is also fixed accordingly.

Fig. 5 shows the cut of the drawer element that can be inserted into the base box 1, whereby Fig. 4 shows the erection or construction of the drawer element from the cut according to Fig. 5, so that detailed explanations, in particular with regard to the shape, arrangement and design of the cut, are not necessary, since this is readily apparent to the expert from the representations according to Figs. 4 and 5.

If the drawer element is to be converted into a hanging system so that standard hanging files can be hung in the drawer element, an inner ring 36, shown as a cut-out in Fig. 6, is inserted into the drawer element, the upper peripheral edge of which serves as a support for the hanging system. Additional reinforcement is not required in this case.

The drawer element 37 shown in Fig. 4, which is also double-layered or double-walled with regard to the side walls for the purpose of stabilization by appropriate

« &Igr;

- 10 -

folding additional wall sections, can be combined with a slip-on lid 38 that can be attached, so that the drawer element can be used independently as a carrying box. The slip-on lid 38, which is also made from a one-piece folded blank, is shown as a blank in Fig. 7. As can be seen from the blank of the inner ring according to Fig. 6, corresponding through-openings 39 are provided with the through-openings of the drawer element, so that the drawer element can be carried separately. The corresponding through-openings in the drawer element are marked with the reference number 40.

The archive boxes 41, which can also be used in the basic box instead of the drawer element or the standard folder, are shown in Fig. 8 (assembly positions) and in terms of the cut-outs in Fig. 9. As can be seen from Fig. 8, right-hand illustration, the archive box contains a hinged lid 42, which is provided with locking tabs 43, so that the archive box can be conveniently closed and opened to remove documents. With regard to the illustration of the cut-outs, it should be noted that all details of these cut-outs represent essential aspects of the archive system, but a description is superfluous due to the graphical representations and the various illustrations that precisely illustrate the structure of the individual archive elements.

Claims (14)

- 11 - Protection claims 1. Archive system made of modular archive elements for storing and filing in particular files, documents and the like, with stackable base boxes for accommodating folders, drawer elements, archive boxes and the like, characterized in that all archive elements (I ₇ 37, 41) of the system are compatible with the base box (1) having uniform dimensions and designed to accommodate standard folders as a base module and the modules (I ₇ 6, 7, 40, 41, 36) of the archive system including the base module (1) are formed from a flat, one-piece cardboard cut-out. 2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the Basic dimensions of the basic box, which is uniform in the system, are designed for the depth to be preferably 310 mm long, about 380 mm high and about 320 mm deep to optionally accommodate a total of seven 50, five 75 and four 80 standard folders. 3. System according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the modules compatible with the uniform basic box are formed from a drawer element (37) that can be inserted into the basic box, archive boxes (41) that can be inserted into the basic box, drawer lids (38) that can be put on the drawer element, box lids (7) that can be put on the basic box and a hinged lid (6) that can be inserted into the basic box. 4. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the basic boxes (1) which can be stacked or arranged in series in height and laterally, including their connecting elements (27, 28) and the other modules and thus the archive system as a whole - 12 - are or are made solely and uniformly from cardboard. 5. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting elements (27, 28) of the base boxes (1) are formed from a strip-like blank which has four grooves (29 to 32), two of which (29, 30) are located in the middle and delimit a thin web (33) between them, whereas the other two folding grooves (31, 32) are arranged outwards and are at a distance from the free ends of the connecting elements which is greater than the distance between the adjacent inner grooves (29, 30), so that the blank can be folded into an M-shape in one of its positions of use, into a U-shape in another, in which the thin web (33) delimited by the inner grooves (29, 30) forms the U-web, and into a further position of use with an essentially G-shape. 6. System according to claim 5, characterized in that preferably two connecting elements (27, 28) are included in the cut of the basic box and can be broken out of it. 7. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base box (1), which is formed in a known manner from a base with a rectangular plan, two opposite narrow walls and two opposite longitudinal walls (2 to 5), is constructed in a double-walled manner in the region of the side walls (2 to 5) by inwardly foldable wall sections (8 to 11), wherein the wall sections (8 to 11) preferably cover the entire inner surface of the corresponding side walls (2 to 5). 8. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that access openings are preferably formed in the narrow side walls (3, 5). 9. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the basic box (1) has on its upper folded edge on one narrow side two recesses (13, 14) for receiving insertion tongues (16, 17) of the hinged lid (6) and on the opposite narrow side a recess (15) for receiving a locking tongue (18) of the hinged lid (6). 10. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that insertion openings (20) for the connecting elements are formed immediately adjacent to the corner edges of the base box (1). 11. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cut of the basic box (1) comprises additional inwardly foldable wall sections (8 to 11) for a double-walled box formation. 12. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drawer element (37) is formed from two high opposite longitudinal side walls and two narrow side walls having a lower height in the middle region, wherein the side walls are constructed by inwardly foldable wall sections, preferably double-walled. 13. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an inner ring (38) made of cardboard, open at both ends, for receiving hanging files is inserted into the drawer element (37), the height dimension of which is lower than the higher side walls of the drawer element (37) and the upper circumferential - 14 - running edge is formed as a support for the hanging system. 14. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner ring (38) is equipped with access openings corresponding to and in alignment with access openings (40) of the drawer element (37).