V-fold drawer with filing extrusion

Abstract

A drawer for hanging file folders, which is formed from a drawer subassembly including an elongate drawer plank to which is attached, along a longitudinal edge thereof, an elongate plastic or metal support rail from which hanging file folders may be hung. The drawer subassembly is subsequently folded about a plurality of hinge portions therein which are common to the drawer plank and to the support rail, and a base panel is captured within the drawer subassembly as same is folded to define a drawer including a base panel surrounded by a plurality of vertical walls from which hanging file folders may be hung. The attachment of the support rail to the drawer plank prior to forming the hinge portions in the drawer subassembly and folding same to form the drawer obviates the need to separately attach multiple components of a file folder hanging structure to the drawer walls after the drawer is formed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A drawer for containing hanging file folders, comprising: 
 an elongate drawer plank;    an elongate support rail attached to said drawer plank and adapted to support at least one hanging file folder therefrom, said drawer plank and said support rail having a plurality of common hinge portions therein about which said drawer plank and said support rail are folded to define at least three sides of a drawer having a plurality of vertical walls.    
     
     
         2 . The drawer of  claim 1 , wherein said support rail is an elongate piece of extruded material.  
     
     
         3 . The drawer of  claim 1 , wherein said drawer plank and said support rail define four sides of said drawer.  
     
     
         4 . The drawer of  claim 1 , wherein said drawer plank and said support rail define three sides of said drawer, said drawer further including a fourth side attached there to.  
     
     
         5 . The drawer of  claim 1 , wherein said common hinge portions are defined by miter cuts disposed through a portion of the thicknesses of each of said drawer plank and said support rail.  
     
     
         6 . The drawer of  claim 1 , wherein said drawer plank includes an upper edge having a longitudinal groove disposed along at least a portion thereof, and said support rail includes a tongue portion extending longitudinally from at least a portion thereof, said tongue portion fitted within said groove to attach said support rail to said drawer plank.  
     
     
         7 . The drawer of  claim 6 , wherein said tongue portion includes a plurality of barbs thereon for engaging said groove.  
     
     
         8 . The drawer of  claim 1 , wherein said support rail includes a base portion connected to said drawer plank from which a pair of parallel rail members extend, said base portion and said rail members defining a U-shaped cross section.  
     
     
         9 . The drawer of  claim 1 , wherein said support rail includes a pair of rail members respectively disposed on opposite sides of an upper edge of said drawer plank to attach said support rail to said drawer plank.  
     
     
         10 . The drawer of  claim 9 , wherein said rail members include protrusions which engage grooves respectively formed on said opposite sides of said drawer plank adjacent said upper edge.  
     
     
         11 . The drawer of  claim 1 , wherein said drawer further includes a base panel captured between said plurality of vertical walls.  
     
     
         12 . The drawer of  claim 11 , wherein each of said walls of said drawer plank includes an interior surface having a groove therein, said base panel is captured within said grooves.  
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a drawer for hanging file folders, comprising: 
 providing a drawer subassembly including an elongate drawer plank to which is attached an elongate support rail adapted to support at least one hanging file folder, the drawer subassembly having a long dimension defined between first and second ends thereof;    forming a series of hinge portions in both the drawer plank and the support rail of the drawer subassembly intermediate the first and second ends, the hinge portions disposed perpendicular to the long dimension of the drawer subassembly; and    folding the drawer subassembly about the hinge portions to define a drawer having a plurality of walls.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , including the additional step of attaching a base panel to the drawer subassembly.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , including the additional step of attaching the first and second ends of the drawer subassembly to one another.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said support rail is an elongate piece of extruded material.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said folding step includes folding the drawer subassembly about the hinge portions to define a drawer having four walls.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said folding step includes folding the drawer subassembly about the hinge portions to define a drawer having three walls.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , including the additional step of attaching a fourth side to the folded drawer subassembly.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the drawer plank includes an upper edge having a longitudinal groove disposed along at least a portion thereof, and the support rail includes a tongue portion extending longitudinally from at least a portion thereof, the tongue portion fitted within the groove to attach the support rail to the drawer plank.