Transparent Folder With Partially Closed Side Edges

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transparent sleeves for holding sheets of paper fail to securely prevent sheets from slipping out while allowing easy access and viewing of multiple pages without removing them, often resulting in pages becoming disordered or damaged during handling.

Innovation Solution

A transparent sleeve design with partially closed side edges, forming a clamping area that secures sheets without the need for complete closure, allowing easy insertion and viewing of all pages, and incorporating a holding element like a clip or anti-slip coating to prevent slipping and damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the transparent sleeve is completely closed around the sheets, then the sheets are securely held and cannot slip out, but loading the sheets becomes difficult and only the top and bottom sheets are visible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesheet securityVSAvoidsheet loading
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The side edges of the transparent sleeve are segmented into closed and open portions. The closed areas are located at the top and bottom ends of the side edges to prevent sheet slippage, while the middle portions remain open to facilitate easy sheet insertion and extraction. This segmentation allows the sleeve to simultaneously provide security and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the transparent sleeve is completely closed around the sheets, then the sheets are securely held, but when multiple sheets are loaded only the top and bottom sheets are visible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesheet securityVSAvoidpage visibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the closure structure to leave gaps in the middle portions of the side edges, the sleeve maintains security at the ends while allowing visibility and access to intermediate pages. Users can view and access any page without completely removing the sleeve, preserving both security and information accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If clips are used to secure the sheets, then the sheets are held firmly in order, but the clips cause damage to the pages with imprint marks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesheet holdingVSAvoidpage damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful clips are extracted from the design. Instead of using clips that leave imprint marks on the pages, the invention uses a clipless mechanism where the transparent sleeve's partially closed side edges naturally clamp and hold the sheets through friction and geometric constraint, eliminating page damage while maintaining secure holding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of operation

If the binding edge is divided with an opening, then sheets can be removed and individual sheets viewed, but sheets can still slip out through the opening on the narrow side

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesheet accessVSAvoidsheet security
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Different portions of the side edges have different closure qualities. The top and bottom portions are closed to provide security against slippage, while the middle portions are open to allow sheet access. This local differentiation of closure quality simultaneously achieves both security and ease of operation without compromising either function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2810786B1Transparent folder
Publication Date: 2016.08.10 EGON HEIMANN GMBH CLASSEI BUROORG
  • EP2810786B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The object of the invention is therefore to offer a protective sleeve that keeps sheets of paper safe and undamaged, provides access to the contents in such a way that even several overlapping sheets can be easily read and processed without having to remove them, while at the same time providing sufficient support for the sheets to allow browsing and processing of documents without the sheets falling out of the sleeve.The object of the invention is achieved by a viewing sleeve (1) for inserting sheets of paper, having a front wall (2) or front (2) and a back wall (3) or rear (3), which are connected to each other by a spine (4) extending between a first side edge (5) and a second side edge (6), the first side edge being arranged approximately opposite, usually the narrow side, wherein at least one of the two side edges (5, 6) is only partially closed, and wherein the closed area (7, 8) extends to the spine (4), covering less than half the length of the side edge (5, 6) and forming a clamping area (9) for clamping the sheets of paper.