Arch ring binder assembly

• US 5,667,323 A
• Filed: 03/31/1995
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Ring Binder LP (US Ring Binder)
• Original Assignee: US Ring Binder LP (US Ring Binder)
• Inventors: Whaley, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, FRANCES CHIN
• Application Number:
  US08/414,207
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 402/26, 402/31, 402/70-77
• US Class Current: 402/26
• CPC Class Codes: B42F 13/14 with clamping or locking means pressure bars B42F13/36

Abstract

A binder (12) for storing sheets (S) of paper having punched holes (H). First and second end leafs (16, 18) form outer covers of the binder. A center plate (20) is positioned intermediate the end leafs which are flexibly attached (at 16f, 18f) to the center plate to enclose sheets of paper between the end leafs. Binder rings (24, 26, 28) carrier on the center plate hold the sheets and are movable from a closed to an open position. Sheets are inserted into the binder by inserting the holes over an exposed end (24e, 26e, 28e) of the rings when the rings are opened. Locking mechanism (30) locks the rings closed. A mechanism (58) moves the rings from their closed to their open position. One end (24d, 26d, 28d) of the rings attach to a rotatable plate (60). The locking mechanism is located on one side of the center plate adjacent one of the end leafs, and the rotatable plate is located on the opposite side thereof adjacent the other end leaf. The plate pivotally moves in one direction with respect to the locking mechanism to open the rings and in the opposite direction to close them. Substantial quantities of paper are stored in the binder without the rings inadvertently opening became of the quantity of paper stored.

Claims

1. A binder for use in storing sheets of paper having punched holes in them comprising:

first and second end leafs respectively forming outer covers of the binder;

a single-piece center plate positioned intermediate said respective end leafs for one side of each of said end leafs to be flexibly attached to opposite sides of said center plate for sheets of paper stored in said binder to be enclosed between said end leafs;

ring means carried on said center plate for holding sheets of paper, said ring means including a plurality of single piece binder rings, and being movable from a first and closed position to a second and open position, sheets of paper being inserted into said binder by placing the holes punched in the sheets of paper over an end of said ring means which is exposed when said ring means is moved to its open position;

locking means for locking said ring means in its closed position, said locking means being fixedly secured to one side of said center plate adjacent one of said end leafs, and said locking means securing the exposed end of said ring means in a locked position when said ring means is in its closed position; and

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moving means for moving said ring means from its closed to its open position, an end of said ring means opposite said exposed end of said ring means being fixedly secured to said moving means, and said moving means being located on the opposite side of said center plate from said locking means and adjacent the other of said end leafs, said moving means being pivotally movable in one direction with respect to said locking means to move the first said end of said ring means from its locked position to its exposed position when said binder is to be opened, and movable in the opposite direction when said binder is to be closed.

2. The binder of claim 1 wherein said center plate comprises an elongate metal plate the length of which corresponds to the height of the binder.

3. The binder of claim 2 wherein said single piece binder rings are spaced along the length of said center plate.

4. The binder of claim 3 wherein each binder ring has a central arch shaped section with equal length legs extending from the respective sides of the arch, the length of the legs determining the storage capacity of the binder.

5. The binder of claim 4 wherein said ring means includes sets of rings with the rings comprising one set thereof having legs of one length and the rings of a second set thereof having legs which are of a different length whereby the storage capacity of said binder can be varied in accordance with the set of rings used.

6. The binder of claim 2 wherein said moving means includes an attachment plate extending lengthwise of said center plate with said one end of each of said rings being secured to said attachment plate.

7. The binder of claim 6 wherein said attachment plate is hingedly connected to said center plate along said side of said center plate where said moving means is located, said attachment plate being rotated to a position where it partially overlays said center plate when moved to said ring closed position.

8. The binder of claim 7 wherein said attachment plate is movable from a position parallel with respect to said center plate when said rings are in their closed position to a position perpendicular to said center plate when said rings are in their fully open position for insertion or removal of sheets of paper from said binder.

9. The binder of claim 8 wherein said locking means includes means defining a channel the length of which corresponds to the height of said center plate, said channel defining means being mounted on said center plate and extending the length thereof.

10. The binder of claim 9 wherein said locking means further includes a locking bar movable within said channel, said locking bar having a plurality of spaced openings therein in which said respective exposed ends of said rings are inserted when said rings are moved to their closed positions, subsequent movement of said locking bar after insertion of said ring ends closing said openings and locking said rings in their closed positions.

11. The binder of claim 10 wherein said locking bar comprises an elongate locking plate slidably received in said channel defining means, one end of said locking plate being bent at an angle with respect to said channel defining means to provide a manually operable tab for moving said locking bar to allow said binder rings to be moved between their open and closed positions respective first and second end covers and a center plate positioned intermediate the respective.

12. The binder of claim 11 wherein further including spring means for biasing said locking bar to its position closing said ring means, said rings being moved to a position perpendicular with respect to said center plate when said rings are moved to their open position.

13. Apparatus for storing sheets of paper having punched holes in them in a binder, the binder including two covers with one side of each cover being flexibly attached to opposite sides of a single-piece center plate for sheets of paper stored in the binder to be enclosed between the covers, the apparatus comprising:

ring means carried on said center plate for holding sheets of paper, said ring means including a plurality of single piece binder rings, and being movable from a closed position to an open position, and sheets of paper being inserted into the binder by placing the holes punched in the sheets of paper over an end of said ring means which is exposed when said ring means is moved to its open position;

means for locking said ring means in its closed position, said locking means being fixedly secured to one side of said center place adjacent one of said covers, and said exposed end of said ring means being secured in a locked position by said locking means when said ring means is in its closed position; and

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means for moving said ring means from its closed to its open position, an end of said ring means opposite said exposed end of said ring means being fixedly secured to said moving means, and said moving means being located on the opposite side of said center plate from said locking means and adjacent the other cover, said moving means being pivotally movable in one direction with respect to said locking means to move the first said end of said ring means from its locked position to its exposed position when the binder is to be opened, and movable in the opposite direction when the binder is to be closed thereby to facilitate insertion of papers into the binder for storage and to secure a substantial quantity of paper in the binder without the ring means being inadvertently opened because of the quantity of paper stored therein.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the binder single-piece center plate comprises an elongate metal plate whose length corresponds to the height of the binder, and said single piece binder rings are spaced along the length of said center plate.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein each binder ring has an arch shaped center section with legs of equal length extending form the respective sides of the arch, the storage capacity of the binder being a function of the length of the legs.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said moving means includes an attachment plate hingedly connected to said center plate along said side of said center plate where said moving means is located, said attachment partially overlaying said center plate when said rings are in their closed position, and said attachment plate extending lengthwise of said center plate with said one end of each of said rings being secured to said attachment plate.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said attachment plate is movable from a position parallel to said center plate when said rings are closed to a position perpendicular to said center plate when said rings are moved to their open position.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said locking means includes means defining a U-shaped channel the length corresponds to that of said center plate, said channel defining means being mounted on said center plate in an inverted position.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said locking means further includes a locking bar movable within said channel and having a plurality of spaced openings therein in which said respective exposed ends of said rings are inserted when said rings are moved to their closed positions wherein subsequent movement of said locking bar locks said rings in their closed positions, said locking bar comprising an elongate locking plate slidably received in said channel defining means with one end of said locking plate formed at an angle with respect to said channel defining means and providing a manually operable tab for moving said locking bar to allow said binder rings to be moved between their open and closed positions.

20. In a ring binder for storing sheets of paper having punched holes therein, the binder having respective first and second end covers and a single-piece center plate positioned intermediate the covers with one side of each cover flexibly attached to opposite sides of the center plate for sheets of paper stored in the binder to be enclosed between the covers, the improvement comprising a locking mechanism for holding and storing the sheets of paper comprising:

a plurality of binder rings on which said sheets of paper are captured, said binder rings being movable from a closed position to an open position with sheets of paper being inserted into the binder by placing the holes punched in the sheets of paper over ends of said respective binder rings which are exposed when said binder rings are open, each binder ring being a single piece ring having an arch shaped center section with legs of equal length extending from the respective sides of the arch, the storage capacity of the binder being a function of the length of the legs;

means for locking said binder rings in their closed position, said locking means being fixedly secured to one side of said center plate adjacent said first end cover, and said locking means securing said exposed ends of said binder rings in a locked position when said binder rings are in their closed position; and

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means for moving said binder rings from their closed to their open position, said moving means located on the opposite side of said center place, adjacent said second end cover, the respective ends of said binder rings opposite said exposed end of said rings means being fixedly secured to said moving means with said moving means being pivotally movable in one direction with respect to said locking means to move said binder rings means from their closed to their open positions when the binder is to be opened, and movable in the opposite direction when the binder is to be closed, papers inserted into the binder for storage being secured therein with a substantial quantity of paper being securable in the binder without the binder rings being inadvertently opened because of the quantity of paper stored therein.

21. The improvement of claim 20 wherein the binder center plate comprises an elongate metal plate whose length corresponds to the height of the binder, said locking means being located on one side of said center plate adjacent one of the covers and said moving means being located on the opposite side of said center plate adjacent the other cover, and said binder rings including a plurality of binder rings spaced along the length of said center plate equidistantly from each other.

22. The improvement of claim 21 wherein said moving means includes an attachment plate hingedly connected to said center plate along one side of said center plate and partially overlaying said center plate when said rings are in their closed position, said attachment plate extending lengthwise of said center plate with said one end of each of said rings secured to said attachment plate, and said attachment plate being movable from a position parallel to said center plate when said rings are closed to a position perpendicular thereto when said rings are moved to their open position.

23. The improvement of claim 22 wherein said locking means includes means defining a U-shaped channel mounted on said center plate in an inverted position and a locking bar movable within said channel, said locking bar having a plurality of spaced openings therein in which respective ends of said rings are inserted when said rings are moved to their closed positions, subsequent movement of said locking bar locking said rings in their closed positions, and said locking bar comprising an elongate locking plate slidably received in said channel with one end of said locking plate being at an angle to said channel to provide a manually operable pad for moving said locking bar to allow said binder rings to be moved between their open and closed positions.

24. The improvement of claim 23 further includes manually operable means carried on said channel defining means for moving said locking bar, said manually operable means including a rotatable pad located on an end of said channel defining means opposite from the end of said channel defining means where said locking bar pad is located for a user of the binder to move said locking bar by pressing on said tab to rotate said pad against said locking bar, the length of said locking bar being such that it extends the length of said channel defining means.