File holder

Abstract

A file holder including a base panel, opposed, spaced front and back walls extending generally upwardly from the base panel, and a pair of opposed side walls extending generally upwardly from the base panel and generally diverging away from one another. The file holder defines a storage space above the base panel and generally between the front and back walls and between the side walls, and the storage space is narrower near the base panel than near the top edges of the side panels. Each of the side walls includes a cut-out portion.

1 . A file holder comprising: 
 a base panel having a rear edge, a front edge, a pair of opposed side edges, and an upper surface;    a front wall and a back wall spaced apart and opposed relative to one another, the front and back walls extending generally upwardly from the front and rear edges of the base panel;    a pair of side walls spaced apart and opposed relative to one another, each side wall generally diverging away from one another in a direction away from the base panel; and    a storage space defined above the base panel and generally between the front wall, the back wall and the side walls,    wherein the storage space is narrower near the base panel than near top edges of the side walls and    wherein each side wall includes a cut-out portion.    
   
   
       2 . The file holder of  claim 1 , wherein the side walls include a top ledge that is substantially parallel to the base panel.  
   
   
       3 . The file holder of  claim 1 , wherein each side wall includes a vertical rib.  
   
   
       4 . The file holder of  claim 3 , wherein the vertical rib extends generally outwardly from the side wall and extends farther outward near the top edge of the side wall.  
   
   
       5 . The file holder of  claim 4 , wherein the vertical rib further includes a bottom edge that engages and bears against the top edge of the side wall of a second like file holder when the two holders are stacked in a nested configuration.  
   
   
       6 . The file holder of  claim 1 , including a window disposed on at least one of the front wall and the back wall.  
   
   
       7 . The file holder of  claim 6 , wherein the window protrudes at least partially into the base panel thereby forming an inwardly recessed edge on the base panel.  
   
   
       8 . The file holder of  claim 1 , wherein a lower surface of the base panel includes a foot.  
   
   
       9 . The file holder of  claim 8 , wherein the foot is an integral part of the base panel.  
   
   
       10 . The file holder of  claim 8 , wherein the foot is attached to the lower surface of the base panel.  
   
   
       11 . The file holder of  claim 1 , wherein the side walls include a notch horizontally disposed near the top edge of the side walls.  
   
   
       12 . The file holder of  claim 1 , wherein a first file holder is disposed substantially within the storage space of a second file holder and wherein a bottom edge of a vertical rib that extends outward from each side wall of the first file holder contacts a top edge of each side wall of the second file holder when the first and second file holders are stacked with one another in a nested configuration.  
   
   
       13 . The file holder of  claim 1 , further including a rim which extends laterally outwardly from top edges of the side walls, a top edge of the front wall and a top edge of the back wall forming a continuous lip extending around a top of the file holder.  
   
   
       14 . The file holder of  claim 13 , wherein the continuous lip includes a notched portion proximate the top edge of the side wall.  
   
   
       15 . The file holder of  claim 1 , wherein the file holder is manufactured from a material selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, engineering grade plastic, ABS, TPE, thermoplastics, metal, wood, organic materials, leather, glass and any combination thereof.  
   
   
       16 . A file holder comprising: 
 a base panel having a rear edge, a front edge, a pair of opposed side edges, an upper surface, and a lower surface;    front and back walls spaced apart and opposed relative to one another, the front and back walls extending generally upwardly from the front and rear edges of the base panel;    a pair of side walls spaced apart and opposed relative to one another, the side walls generally diverging away from one another moving upwardly away from the base panel; and    a storage space defined above the base panel and generally between the front and back walls and between the side walls,    wherein the side walls each include a cut-out portion,    wherein the storage space is narrower near the base panel than near the top edges of the side walls, and    wherein the top edges of the side walls include a plurality of generally parallel and vertically offset support ledges.    
   
   
       17 . The file holder of  claim 16 , wherein the back wall has a greater height than the front wall.  
   
   
       18 . The file holder of  claim 17 , wherein a first support ledge in the plurality of support ledges is proximate the top edge of the front wall and a second support ledge in the plurality of support ledges is proximate the top edge of the rear wall.  
   
   
       19 . The file holder of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of support ledges includes at least one intermediate support ledge positioned between the first support ledge and the second support ledge.  
   
   
       20 . The file holder of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of support ledges is sized and shaped to receive and support a portion of a hanging file folder partially disposed within the storage space.  
   
   
       21 . The file holder of  claim 20 , wherein when a plurality of file folders are received therein, each of the plurality of file folders is supported by a respective pair of the support ledges and the plurality of file folders are displayed in a cascading manner, whereby at least a portion of each of the plurality of file folders is simultaneously visible.  
   
   
       22 . The file holder of  claim 16 , wherein at least one support ledge in the plurality of support ledges includes an upward protrusion near one end thereof.  
   
   
       23 . The file holder of  claim 22 , wherein the upward protrusion is positioned near a front end of the support ledge.  
   
   
       24 . A file holder comprising: 
 front and back walls spaced apart and opposed relative to one another;    a pair of side walls spaced apart and opposed relative to one another, the pair of side walls disposed between the front and back walls and generally perpendicular to the front and back walls; and    a storage space between the front wall, the back wall and the side walls,    wherein the storage space is smaller near a top edge of the side walls than near a bottom edge of the side walls and wherein the side walls generally diverge away from one another from the top edge of the side walls to the bottom edge of the side walls.    
   
   
       25 . The file holder of  claim 24 , wherein a first file holder is stackable and nestable with a second like file holder by inserting the first file holder into a lower opening of the second file holder and wherein the first file holder is partially contained within the storage space of the second file holder.