Portable container with vertical hanging folder storage

Abstract

A portable container for holding office products and documents includes a rigid structural portion capable of holding hanging folders in a cascading configuration and a cover portion attached to the rigid structural portion. The cover portion may be made from a pliable material, to make the container lightweight and aesthetically pleasing. The container may include a removable insert for supporting hanging file folders. The removable insert may also be used in other containers, such as desk drawers, boxes, filing cabinets, etc.

1 . A portable container for holding office products and documents, the portable container comprising: 
 a rigid structural portion; and    a cover portion attached to the rigid structural portion;    wherein the cover portion is attached to the rigid structural portion by at least one rod member.    
   
   
       2 . The portable container of  claim 1 , wherein the cover portion is attached to at least one of the rod members with flexible straps.  
   
   
       3 . The portable container of  claim 1 , further including a shoulder strap that is secured to at least one of the cover portion and the rigid structural portion.  
   
   
       4 . The portable container of  claim 3 , wherein each end of the shoulder strap is secured to the rigid structural portion by an attachment strap that passes through at least one aperture in the rigid structural portion.  
   
   
       5 . The portable container of  claim 4 , wherein each attachment strap is secured using a pin that resides in a loop on the attachment strap and that has at least one dimension that is larger than a corresponding dimension of the aperture.  
   
   
       6 . The portable container of  claim 5 , wherein each pin has a substantially “dog bone” shape.  
   
   
       7 . The portable container of  claim 1 , wherein the cover portion includes an upper panel that may be opened to provide access to file folders disposed within the container.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus for supporting hanging file folders, in containers such as desk drawers, file cabinets, portable containers, boxes, and the like, the apparatus comprising: 
 a removable insert having a plurality of fixed file support surfaces, and a plurality of longitudinal members that fix the fixed file support surfaces in a predefined spacing; and    a removable adaptor, including at lest one file support surface, that may be removably secured to the removable insert.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the removable adaptor includes a first file support surface and a second file support surface.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first file support surface and the second file support surface include hook-shaped end portions adapted to engage the longitudinal members.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the removable adaptor is formed from metal wire material.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the removable insert is formed from a metal wire material.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the removable adaptor provides surfaces for supporting two file sizes simultaneously when secured to the removable insert in a first position, the removable adaptor provides surfaces for supporting a smaller file size when secured to the removable insert in a second position, and wherein the removable insert provides surfaces for supporting a larger file size when the removable adaptor is removed from the removable insert.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first position and the second position are 180 degrees apart from one another.  
   
   
       15 . A portable container for holding office products and documents, the portable container comprising: 
 a rigid structural portion; and    a cover portion made from a pliable material and attached to the rigid structural portion; and    a shoulder strap that is secured to at least one of the cover portion and the rigid structural portion;    wherein the cover portion includes an upper panel that may be opened to provide access internal contents of the portable container while carrying the portable container using the shoulder strap.    
   
   
       16 . The portable container of  claim 15 , wherein the upper panel may be opened using a zipper.  
   
   
       17 . The portable container of  claim 15 , wherein the cover portion includes a front flap portion that is removably secured to the rigid structural portion.  
   
   
       18 . The portable container of  claim 17 , wherein the front flap portion is removably secured to the rigid structural portion by at least one buckle.  
   
   
       19 . The portable container of  claim 15 , wherein the rigid structural portion includes reinforcing side panels.  
   
   
       20 . The portable container of  claim 19 , wherein the reinforcing side panels are adapted to be used as auxiliary handles for supporting the portable container with a user's hands.