WO1998005514A2

WO1998005514A2 - Device for folding letter paper

Info

Publication number: WO1998005514A2
Application number: PCT/FR1997/001462
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thierry Santoni
Original assignee: Thierry Santoni
Priority date: 1996-08-07
Filing date: 1997-08-06
Publication date: 1998-02-12
Also published as: FR2752198A1; WO1998005514A3; AU3945897A

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for folding in three parts sheets of paper, thin cardboard, plastic of every type and format, to be inserted in envelopes, characterised in that it consists of a thin plate made of rigid or semirigid material, with a least two parallel sides (3, 4) and spaced by a width (1) equal or slightly less than a third of the length of the sheets to be folded, and provided with a slot or window (2) open at one of its two ends.

Description

Device for folding letter paper

The present invention relates to a device for folding

any type of sheet of paper intended to be inserted in a

envelope requiring such folding which can be achieved by

a mode of folding the sheets, either "U" or "Z".

It is common to fold sheets of paper manually and

without any accessories. However, the folding thus obtained is not

not always regular and particularly irregular during

folding the sheets in three, which is annoying especially in

the case of sheets with an address which may not

perfectly coincide with the transparent window provided in

the receiving envelope. To facilitate folding, some

sheets have preprinted marks, which

make them unattractive, even if these marks are

discreet, and without guaranteeing a regular result. In

furthermore, the folding time remains unchanged.

There are small devices intended to facilitate the

folding sheets. The one described in document EP-A-0523977

corresponds to a metallic or other rigid sheet, executed

in at least three parts linked together by

hinges. Its method of use consists after having arranged two thirds of the sheet on the second and

third parts, to fold the first part over the 2nd,

then the 3rd on the 2nd, to form the first fold.

The free end of the sheet is folded back against the 3rd

part to form the second fold.

This device and its method of use have in particular for

disadvantage of bringing the sheet into contact with

metal hinges, which can cause deterioration

or its tearing. In addition, dirt, dust or

presence of paper at the hinges, can disturb

their proper functioning and thereby that of the device.

The use of hinges also makes the manufacture of this

complicated and expensive device. It is evident, moreover,

that this device does not allow the folding of several sheets

simultaneously .

On the other hand, the folding of the sheets by means of this device

requires great dexterity.

To eliminate the inconvenience caused by the hinges, it

WO-95/34433 offers a case or pouch

folding paper standard letter size including two sides

adjacent are open. This pocket is provided with a mark 2 thirds of the pocket indicating the position of the first fold

to perform. The sheet or sheets to be folded are slid into

said case then, the case provided with the sheets is folded according to

said mark to mark the first fold. However, the

sheet, in the pocket during folding, can move, which

causes irregular folding, that is to say the

perpendicularity to the edge of the sheet is not guaranteed.

This difficulty is accentuated when one wishes to fold

multiple sheets simultaneously. The fineness of the envelope or

pouch is such that, after repeated use, its wear

is inevitable, especially at the folding points. Gold,

the use of a more resistant material to constitute the

cover can not be considered because it would no longer allow

obtain precise folds.

There are, of course, automated devices that solve

manual errors caused by the devices

mentioned above, but they are expensive and cumbersome, and thereby

even do not meet the demand of individuals or

small enterprises . Medium or large businesses

own a limited number of these devices, which does not allow

not every department has it. Best folding machines

market exist, but they have drawbacks

the handling time too long to carry out the folding, or as few sheets as you can

fold simultaneously. Their manufacturing cost remains high, and

prevents mass dissemination. Furthermore, their relative

complexity, requires regular maintenance of these

appliances.

The object of the present invention is in particular to remedy the

aforementioned disadvantages of folding devices

leaves.

According to the invention, this objective is achieved thanks to a

space-saving device of reduced size made in

resistant material, flexible or not, economical to manufacture and

easy to use. In addition, it allows rapid marking of

regular folds on several sheets simultaneously.

This device is remarkable by the fact that it is constituted,

a thin plate of rigid or semi-rigid material, two of which

sides at least are parallel to each other, these two sides

defining a width equal to or slightly less than a third

the height of the sheets to be folded (for example whose format

is DIN A4 format), and which has a slot or window

the length of which is at least slightly greater than the

width of the sheets to be folded (for example DIN A4 format) or, in the case where said window or slot is open to one of its

ends, the length of which may vary.

Thanks to the presence of said window and the dimensions

particular of the thin plate and the window it is

possible to immobilize the sheets to be folded by passing them (for

window) under said device and then fold them over

said device in order to fold them into 3 equal or unequal parts,

as a "U" or "Z". The top edges and

lower of said thin plate serve as support for folding

leaves.

It is the opening of said window which conditions the number

sheets that can be folded simultaneously.

According to another embodiment, one of the edges of said

plate is constituted by a sliding part in order to adapt

the width of the device to the length of the sheet (s) to

to fold.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the upper and lower edges of said window, and of said plate, are

bevelled to facilitate in the first case, the entry of sheets, and in the second case, the marking of the folding on the sheets in a finer way.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the plate

has extra thicknesses at its lateral ends which

overhang the window and whose internal edge (closest

window) is perpendicular to the top edges and

lower of said plate. These extra thicknesses allow the

guiding and holding the sheet or sheets to be folded so

perpendicular to the edges of said plate, and allow the

marking of folds parallel to each other thanks to said edges.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the

device according to the invention, the window opens at one of its

ends to facilitate removal of the device from said

sheets after folding and to reduce space and

manufacturing costs of the device.

A mark can be fixed to said plate, in a mobile way or

no in order to materialize the distance between the edge of the plate

and the height corresponding to a third of the sheet to be folded.

This variant is particularly interesting for folding

leaves in 3, in the form of a "Z". The above goals, features and benefits, and others

still more clearly will emerge from the description which follows and from the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a front view of a first embodiment

the device for folding sheets according to the invention,

- Figure 2 is a front view of a second mode of

advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention,

- Figure 3 is a front view of a third mode of

realization presenting pieces for guiding the sheets,

- Figure 4 is a sectional view along line 4.4 of Figure 3 (the thickness of the parts is exaggerated for clarity

drawing) ,

- Figure 5 is a front view of a fourth embodiment of the folding device having a reference mark

positioning of sheets, - Figure 6 is a sectional view along line 6.6 of the

figure 5 (the thickness of the pieces is exaggerated for clarity

drawing) ,

- Figure 7 is a front view of a fifth mode of

realization presenting another type of benchmark

positioning of sheets,

- Figure 8 is a sectional view along line 8.8 of the

figure 7 (the thickness of the pieces is exaggerated for clarity

drawing) ,

- Figure 9 is a perspective view of a type of folding

leaves, obtained by this device,

- Figure 10 is a perspective view of another type of

folding of the sheets obtained by this device,

- Figure 11 is a front view of the device illustrated in

Figure 2, and showing the positioning of a sheet, in view

of its folding,

- Figure 12 is a front view of the device provided with

slide, - Figure 13 is a sectional view along line 13-13 of

Figure 12,

- Figure 14 is a front view of the device provided with a

recess on edge 3,

- Figure 15 is a front view of the device with part

marking 8,

- Figure 16 is a front view of the form device

particular.

Reference is made to said drawings to describe shapes.

advantageous, although in no way limiting, execution

folding device according to the invention.

Said device or "folding support" comprises a plate

thin 1 (figure 1) which can be made of any material

having the stiffness characteristics (semi-rigid or rigid)

and of suitable thickness. For example, it can be

made of plastic, wood, metal, cardboard, paper

cardboard, glass, metal alloy ... Said thin plate

has at least two opposite parallel sides 3 and 4. The width t (FIG. 1) of said thin plate 1, between

the two opposite opposite sides 3 and 4 is equal or

slightly less than a third of the height of a leaf to

fold (for example, DIN A4 format). The aforementioned characteristics of said plate allow it to mark the

folds of the leaves at equal distance (i.e. every third

sheet). The two folds for folding the sheets are

obtained by pressing the leaf folded around the

device, at the upper 3 and lower 4 edges respectively of said plate.

The opposite edges 3 and 4 (FIG. 1) must be

parallel, the general shape of the device can therefore be

that of a parallelogram (rectangle, square), a trapezoid ...

Preferably, the device or more precisely the thin plate is in the form of a rectangle whose length

L (figure 1) is at least slightly greater than the width of the format of the sheets to be folded (for example DIN A4 format) and of

width l equal to a third of the height of the latter, as

mentioned above. In a simplified way, the thin plate is. under the

form a square with a side equal to a third of the sheet to be folded. According to an important provision characteristic of

the invention, the thin plate of the "folding support" device,

has a slot or window 2 (Figure 1)

variable dimension shaped to allow the passage of

sheets, for this purpose, the length F of the window or the

slot 2 (figure 1) is at least equal to the width of the format

sheets to fold (for example, DIN A4 format), except in the

case it is a slot or window 2 (figure 2) open. In

indeed, slot or window 2 can be closed at both

ends (Figure 1) or open at one end

(figure 2). In the latter case, the length F can then be

less than the width of the format of the sheets to be folded.

Slot 2, open or closed, can have various shapes

(horizontal or oblique parallelogram, disc, heart, zig-zag

(Figure 11)).

According to particular embodiments, the edges

upper 3 and lower 4 of the thin plate 1, can be

bevelled in order to obtain a more precise marking of the folds; the

edges 5 and 6 of window 2 can also be bevelled

to facilitate the passage of sheets through the window.

The plate 1 can be provided, laterally, with a piece of

guide 7 (Figure 3) which can be formed in one piece with said plate or fixed by sealing or otherwise to one or

at the two ends of the latter, on one of its faces or

on both, adjusted to the side edges of the window. The edge

of the guide piece 7, window side, has the particularity

to be perpendicular to the upper and lower edges 3 and 4

of said plate. When using the device fitted

of one or two of these guide pieces, the sheet is

held by the internal faces of said parts. It's about

therefore pieces for positioning the sheet on the device.

A locating piece 8 can also be fixed on at least

one of the faces of the part 1 (Figures 5 to 8) on one of the sides

at least side of said piece, so that it does not

hinders neither the passage of the sheets in the window, nor their

folds, and whose length corresponds to the dimension

desired from the first flap, allowing the sheets to be positioned at this mark. Said benchmark being ideally

positioned in line with the closed end (or one

closed ends) of slot 2, to be as close as possible

possible to fold the sheet. The desired length can be

indicated on said part by a marking. Exhibit 8 can therefore

have variable dimensions and shapes. For example, it can consist of a strip

straight, rigid or simple, extending outward from one of the ends of the upper edges 3 and 4 of the

piece 1 (Figures 15 and 16) without interfering with the flap of the

leaves. In the case of the existence of parts of

positioning or guide 7, the locating part 8 may correspond to the extension over a certain height of said

part or said guide parts (Figures 5 and 6). The room

marking 8 can also be constituted by a tongue

flexible integral with the central part and the part

bottom of the plate 1, delimited by the slot 2 (Figures 7

and 8).

Adaptation of the device to the different sheet formats to

fold, is obtained by varying the width l of the device.

A first possibility is that one of the two edges

3 or 4 of part 1 is mobile. This can be obtained by

the fact that edges 3 and 6, for example, are made up of

a part 10 which can slide transversely by means

known per se, so that edges 3 and 4 remain

parallel (Figure 12). In this case, part 1 can include

several marks for positioning the part 10 in

depending on the format of the sheets to be folded (e.g. DIN A4, US letter size ...). Exhibit 8, if it exists, can also

present several markers in order to position the sheet in

depending on its format.

Another possibility, particularly advantageous in the case

where the window or slot 2 is open at one of its ends,

consists of one of the edges 3 or 4 of the part 1

have one or more recesses (Figure 14) of such

so that the device according to the invention offers several

widths t thus providing the possibility of folding in three

equal parts of sheets of different sizes.

The mode of use of the device according to the invention is

different depending on the desired result, namely a folding of the

"U" or "Z" shaped sheets, as shown in the figures

9 and 10. There are several possibilities for obtaining the

first type of folding, for example, just present the

sheets to fold back up, slide them into the

window 2, align the upper edges to the upper edge

3 of said plate 1, to fold the rest free (2/3

lower) sheets under said plate by aligning one of the

lateral edges of the folded part of the sheet on one of the

lateral edges ("on the same side") of the part of the sheet (the

first third) already positioned, mark the first fold in pressing with your finger or with a hard object, at the level of the

edge 4 of said plate, then fold the rest of the sheets

(1/3 lower) above plate 1 and mark the

second folding at the edge of said plate as

above, then remove the sheet (s) from the device.

One of the ways to get a "Z" shaped bend

is to present the sheets to fold, back side up,

drag them in window 2, to make them protrude from the edge

top of the plate about a third of their length

total (to have this length, get as close as possible

the free edge of the sheet 9 of the edge 4 of the plate 1 so

to obtain the exact dimension for the first flap). Cast off

this part of the leaves on plate 1, so as to align

the edges of the sheets of this part at the edge 4 of said

plate 1 and aligning one of the side edges of the part

folded down of the sheet on one of the side edges ("of the same

side ") of the part of the sheet (the central third) already

positioned, mark the fold by resting on the edge 3 of

piece 1, then fold the last part of the sheets under

plate 1 and mark the second fold on the edge 4 of the plate

1 as mentioned above.

Incidentally, provision may be made for: - a graduation 11 (FIG. 5) on one or more of the edges of

room 1 or window 2 so that the device can

also serve as a backup rule;

- the device as a whole can be used as

support of information of an advertising nature or not. This

information medium which may be constituted by the party

useful of device 1, i.e. by one or both

sides thereof, or by lateral extensions of any shape, as long as they do not obstruct the passage of

sheets and folding.

Claims

R E V E N D I C A T I O N S

₁ .- Device for folding into three parts of any type or

format of sheets of paper, thin cardboard, plastic, intended to be inserted in envelopes, consisting

a thin plate of rigid or semi-rigid material, of which

at least 2 sides (3, 4) are parallel and spaced one

width (() equal to or slightly less than a third of the

length of the sheets to be folded, characterized in that it is

provided with a slot or a window (2) open to one of

its two ends.

2.- Device for folding into three parts of any type or

format of sheets of paper, thin cardboard, plastic,

intended to be inserted in envelopes, consisting

a thin plate of rigid or semi-rigid material, of which

at least 2 sides (3, 4) are parallel and spaced one

width {() equal to or slightly less than a third of the

length of the sheets to be folded according to claim 1

characterized in that the slot has a length less than

the width of the sheets to be folded.

3.- Device for folding into three parts of any type or

format of sheets of paper, thin cardboard, plastic,

intended to be inserted in envelopes made up

a thin plate of rigid or semi-rigid material, of which

at least 2 sides (3, 4) are parallel and spaced one

width {() equal to or slightly less than a third of the

length of the sheets to be folded according to claim 1 or

2 characterized in that the slot has all the shapes

possible to insert one or more sheets

to fold.

4.- Device for folding into three parts of any type or

format of sheets of paper, thin cardboard, plastic,

intended to be inserted in envelopes, consisting

a thin plate of rigid or semi-rigid material, of which

at least 2 sides (3, 4) are parallel and spaced one

width) equal to or slightly less than a third of the

length of the sheets to be folded according to claim 1,

characterized in that the thin plate (1) has a shape

rectangular or square.

5.- Device for folding into 3 parts of any type or

format of sheets of paper, thin cardboard, plastic

intended to be inserted in envelopes, consisting a thin plate of rigid or semi-rigid material, of which

at least 2 sides (3, 4) are parallel and spaced one

width {() equal to or slightly less than a third of the

length of the sheets to be folded, according to any one of

Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the window or

the slot (2) is arranged in the middle part of said

plate (1).

6.- Device for folding into 3 parts of any type or

format of sheets of paper, thin cardboard, plastic

intended to be inserted in envelopes, consisting

a thin plate of rigid or semi-rigid material, of which

at least 2 sides (3, 4) are parallel and spaced one

width (1) equal to or slightly less than a third of the

length of the sheets to be folded, according to any one of

claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said plate

has at least one of its ends, on at least one

of its faces, and covering more or less its entire width,

sheet guide parts (7).

7.- Device for folding into 3 parts of any type or

format of sheets of paper, thin cardboard, plastic

intended to be inserted in envelopes, consisting

a thin plate of rigid or semi-rigid material, of which at least 2 sides (3, 4) are parallel and spaced one

width [D equal to or slightly less than a third of the

length of the sheets to be folded, according to any one of

Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the edges

lower and upper of said plate (3, 4) and / or, of the

slot or window (5 and 6), are bevelled.

8.- Device for folding into 3 parts of any type or

format of sheets of paper, thin cardboard, plastic

intended to be inserted in envelopes, consisting of a thin plate of rigid or semi-rigid material, at least 2 sides (3, 4) of which are parallel and spaced apart by a

width () equal to or slightly less than a third of the

length of the sheets to be folded, according to any one of

claims 1 to 7, characterized in that on said

thin plate (1) is fixed, a locating part (8)

extending towards the outside of said part, from one of the faces of said plate.

9.- Device for folding into 3 parts of any type or

format of sheets of paper, thin cardboard, plastic

intended to be inserted in envelopes, consisting

a thin plate of rigid or semi-rigid material, of which

at least 2 sides (3, 4) are parallel and spaced one width (0 equal to or slightly less than a third of the

length of the sheets to be folded according to claim 8,

characterized in that said locating piece (8) is

formed by a strip which extends from one of the

lateral edges of said plate.

10.- Device for folding into 3 parts of any type or

format of sheets of paper, thin cardboard, plastic intended to be inserted in envelopes, consisting

a thin plate of rigid or semi-rigid material, of which

at least 2 sides (3, 4) are parallel and spaced one

width {t) equal to or slightly less than a third of the

length of the sheets to be folded according to claims 6

and 8, characterized in that said locating part (8)

consists of a rod or strip which extends to

from part 7 for guiding the sheet.

11.- Device for folding into 3 parts of any type or

a thin plate of rigid or semi-rigid material, of which

at least 2 sides (3, 4) are parallel and spaced one

width {£) equal to or slightly less than a third of the

length of the sheets to be folded, according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that one of the edges

parallel 3 or 4 of said plate is constituted by a

sliding piece.

12.- Device for folding into 3 parts of any type or

format of sheets of paper, thin cardboard, plastic

intended to be inserted in envelopes, consisting

a thin plate of rigid or semi-rigid material, of which

at least 2 sides (3, 4) are parallel and spaced one

width {t) equal to or slightly less than a third of the

length of the sheets to be folded, according to any one of

claims 1 to 10, characterized in that one of the edges

3 or 4 of said plate has one or more recesses.