Bookbinding apparatus and method of binding sheets

• US 5,234,232 A
• Filed: 12/30/1991
• Issued: 08/10/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Glenn A. Fletcher
• Original Assignee: Stripbind, Inc.
• Inventors: Fletcher, Glenn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Paul A.
• Application Number:
  US07/816,029
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 281/28, 402/62, 402/63, 402/68, 402/80 P, 412/7, 412/43
• US Class Current: 281/28
• CPC Class Codes: B42F 13/14 with clamping or locking means pressure bars B42F13/36

Abstract

A bookbinding apparatus for binding together perforated sheets comprises a first strip, spaced-apart studs extending from the first strip, spaced-apart locking caps extending around each stud, a second strip, spaced-apart first openings extending through the second strip, each first opening being aligned with a corresponding stud of the first strip and each first opening having a size larger than the cross-section of the corresponding stud of the first strip to freely receive the stud, and a locking member formed on the second strip for locking the studs to the second strip, the locking member including second openings, each second opening being located next to and in partial contact with a first opening, and each second opening having a size smaller than the cross-section of the studs at a locking cap but larger than or equal to the cross-section of the studs between locking caps such that the second strip after receiving studs of the first strip with the first openings in the second strip locks the studs of the first strip to the second strip by being slid sideways.

Claims

1. A book comprising

a plurality of sheets each having spaced-apart holes spaced along a spine edge of each sheet, and

a bookbinding device mounted on the spine edges of the sheets for binding together the sheets,

the bookbinding device including

a first strip,

spaced-apart studs formed on and extending from the first strip through the spaced-apart holes in the sheets,

spaced-apart locking caps formed on and extending around each stud,

a second strip,

spaced-apart first openings formed in and extending through the second strip,

each first opening being aligned with a corresponding stud of the first strip and each first opening having a size larger than the cross-section of the corresponding stud of the first strip to freely receive said stud,

the first strip and/or the second strip being made of a resilient material, and

locking means formed on the second strip for locking the studs to the second strip,

the locking means including second openings formed in and extending through the second strip,

each second opening being located next to and in partial contact with a first opening, and each second opening having a size smaller than the cross-section of the studs at a locking cap but larger than or equal to the cross-section of the studs between locking caps such that the second strip after receiving studs of the first strip with the first openings in the second strip locks the studs of the first strip to the second strip by being slid sideways forcing the second openings in the second strip to surround the studs below a locking cap, and

a series of first pinch-point segments formed in the second strip, and

a series of second pinch-point segments formed in the second strip,

each first pinch-point segment being located opposite a corresponding second pinch-point segment where each first opening overlaps each second opening at a distance smaller than the cross-section of the studs between locking caps.

2. The book of claim 1,

the second strip having an inner surface and an outer surface,

further including

a series of recesses formed in the outer surface of the second strip around the periphery of each second opening,

each recess being sized to receive a locking cap of a stud.

3. The book of claim 1,

the first strip being an integral piece of thermoplastic material.

17. The book of claim 1,

the second strip being an integral piece of thermoplastic material.

4. A bookbinding device for binding together perforated sheets and the like, comprising

a first strip,

spaced-apart studs formed on and extending from the first strip,

spaced-apart locking caps formed on and extending around each stud,

a second strip,

spaced-apart first openings formed in and extending through the second strip,

each first opening being aligned with a corresponding stud of the first strip and each first opening having a size larger than the cross-section of the corresponding stud of the first strip to freely receive said stud, and

locking means formed on the second strip for locking the studs to the second strip,

the locking means including second openings formed in and extending through the second strip,

each second opening being located next to and in partial contact with a first opening, and each second opening having a size smaller than the cross-section of the studs at a locking cap but larger than or equal to the cross-section of the studs between locking caps such that the second strip after receiving studs of the first strip with the first openings in the second strip locks the studs of the first strip to the second strip by being slid sideways forcing the second openings in the second strip to surround the studs below a locking cap,

the second strip having an inner surface and an outer surface,

further including

a series of recesses formed in the outer surface of the second strip around the periphery of each second opening,

each recess being sized to receive a locking cap of a stud,

the first strip being an integral piece of resilient thermoplastic material,

the second strip being made of a resilient material, and

further including a series of first pinch-point segments formed in the second strip, and

a series of second pinch-point segments formed in the second strip,

each first pinch-point segment being located opposite a corresponding second pinch-point segment where each first opening overlaps each second opening at a distance smaller than the cross-section of the studs between locking caps.

5. A bookbinding device for binding together perforated sheets and the like, comprising

a first strip,

spaced-apart studs formed on and extending from the first strip,

spaced-apart locking caps formed on and extending around each stud,

a second strip,

spaced-apart first openings formed in and extending through the second strip,

each first opening being aligned with a corresponding stud of the first strip and each first opening having a size larger than the cross-section of the corresponding stud of the first strip to freely receive said stud,

the first strip and/or the second strip being made of a resilient material, and

locking means formed on the second strip for locking the studs to the second strip,

the locking means including second openings formed in and extending through the second strip,

each second opening being located next to and in partial contact with a first opening, and each second opening having a size smaller than the cross-section of the studs at a locking cap but larger than or equal to the cross-section of the studs between locking caps such that the second strip after receiving studs of the first strip with the first openings in the second strip locks the studs of the first strip to the second strip by being slid sideways forcing the second openings in the second strip to surround the studs below a locking cap, and

a series of first pinch-point segments formed in the second strip, and

a series of second pinch-point segments formed in the second strip,

each first pinch-point segment being located opposite a corresponding second pinch-point segment where each first opening overlaps each second opening at a distance smaller than the cross-section of the studs between locking caps.

6. The bookbinding device of claim 5,

the second strip having an inner surface and an outer surface,

further including

a series of recesses formed in the outer surface of the second strip around the periphery of each second opening,

each recess being sized to receive a locking cap of a stud.

7. The bookbinding device of claim 5,

the first strip being an integral piece of thermoplastic material.

8. The bookbinding device of claim 5, the second strip being an integral piece of thermoplastic material.

9. A method of binding together perforated sheets and the like with a bookbinding device having a first strip, spaced-apart studs formed on and extending from the first strip, spaced-apart locking caps formed on and extending around each stud, a second strip, spaced-apart first openings formed in and extending through the second strip, each first opening being aligned with a corresponding stud of the first strip and each first opening having a size larger than the cross-section of the corresponding stud of the first strip to freely receive said stud, the first strip and/or the second strip being made of a resilient material, and locking means formed on the second strip for locking the studs to the second strip, the locking means including second openings formed in and extending through the second strip, each second opening being located next to and in partial contact with a first opening, and each second opening having a size smaller than the cross-section of the studs at a locking cap but larger than or equal to the cross-section of the studs between locking caps such that the second strip after receiving studs of the first strip with the first openings in the second strip locks the studs of the first strip to the second strip by being slid sideways forcing the second openings in the second strip to surround the studs below a locking cap, and a series of first pinch-point segments formed in the second strip, and a series of second pinch-point segments formed in the second strip, each first pinch-point segment being located opposite a corresponding second pinch-point segment where each first opening overlaps each second opening at a distance smaller than the cross-section of the studs between locking caps, comprising the steps of

inserting the studs of the first strip through corresponding perforations in the sheets,

inserting the studs of the first strip through corresponding first openings in the second strip to sandwich the sheets between the first strip and the second strip, and

locking the second strip to the studs of the first strip by sliding the second strip sideways to force the studs past the corresponding first and second pinch-point segments and into second openings in the second strip to surround the corresponding studs below a locking cap.

10. The method of claim 9, further including

cutting each stud above the locking cap positioned immediately above the second opening to remove any excess portion of each stud and provide a smooth finish.

11. The method of claim 10, further including

applying heat to each locking cap positioned immediately above each second opening in the second strip to melt each locking cap to the second strip to solidify the bind.

12. The method of claim 9,

the second strip of the bookbinding device having an inner surface and an outer surface,

the outer surface of the second strip having a series of recesses formed in it surrounding the periphery of each second opening in the second strip, and

each recess being sized to receive a locking cap of a stud.

13. The method of claim 12, further including

cutting each stud above the locking cap positioned immediately above the second opening to remove any excess portion of each stud and provide a smooth finish.

14. The method of claim 13, further including

applying heat to each locking cap positioned immediately above each second opening in the second strip to melt each locking cap to the second strip to solidify the bind.

15. The method of claim 9,

the first strip being an integral piece of thermoplastic material.

16. The method of claim 9,

the second strip being an integral piece of thermoplastic material.