GB2289240A

GB2289240A - Ring binder ring opening mechanism

Info

Publication number: GB2289240A
Application number: GB9405498A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hung Yu Cheng
Original assignee: World Wide Stationery Manufacturing Co Ltd
Current assignee: World Wide Stationery Manufacturing Co Ltd
Priority date: 1991-05-03
Filing date: 1991-11-29
Publication date: 1995-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 2011-11-29
Also published as: GB9405498D0; GB2289240B; JPH05124385A; JP2745264B2

Description

RING BINDER 2289240 This invention relates to a ring-binder for loose-leaf

binders and the like.

There are a variety of known loose-leaf paper ring mechanisms all of which are moveable between a closed position and an open position whereby paper or the like can be removed from the rings.

Such ring mechanisms suffer from the problem that the mechanism can be difficult to open and close, particularly large paper ring mechanisms which have a large closing force to prevent paper falling off the rings. Some known ring mechanisms have attempted to overcome this problem. However, they are complicated in design and have to be manually assembled during manufacture.

It is an object of this invention, to aim to overcome one or more of the above problems.

According to the invention there is provided a ring binder including a base member supporting a plurality of ring members, the base member comprising a substantially rigid upper structure supporting it pivotable lower structure to which the ring members are mounted, and an opening mechanism at one or each end ofthe base member for opening the plurality of ring members wherein the opening mechanism is pivotable about a fulcrum formed by the upper structure to uroe the lower structure from a first to a second stable position. and wherein the mechanism is disengaged from the fulcrum in an angular range. and wherein the fulcruill t - is at an anole relative to the rest of the upper structure.

Preferably, the upper structure at said fulcrum is formed with a recessed portion.

Advantageously, the lower structure acts against the upper structure at a non-recessed surface thereof at said first position.,p 1 1 C The invention will now he described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ring hinder partly in cross-section and in the closed and locked position; shows in cross-section the closed and locked position of one end of the ring binder of figure 1; shows the ring hinder of figure 2 in the closed and unlocked position; shows the ring binder of figure 2 in the open and unlocked position., is a perspective view of a ring binder partly in cross-section and in a closed and locked position: is a cross-sectional view of one end of' the hinder of' fioure 5 showino the opening mechanism in the closed and locked position,- Figure 9 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Fioure 6 P Figure 7 3 is a view of' the binder of figures 2 and 6 as seen from the direction of arrow 13' of figure 6; Figures 8a and 8b illustrate a ring binder as shown in figures 1-7, with figure 8a being a cross-sectional view and figure 8b Figures 9a and 9b being a schematic end view; and illustrate the ring binder of the invention, with figure 9a being a cross-sectional view and figure 9b being a schematic end view.

In figures 1 to 7, a ring binder 110 is shown for a loose-leaf binder comprising a base member 112, three ring members 114 spaced along the base member (only one of which is shown in figures 1 to 7), and an opening and locking mechanism 120 at each end of the base member (only one of which is shown).

The base member 112 comprises an upper rigid structure 124 which is curved in cross-section and which supports between its two overlapping sides 126 a pivotable lower structure 130 comprising two carrier rails 132 pivotable to each other along the longitudinal axis of the binder 110.

The ring members 114 are mounted on the pivotable structure 130 and in particular, one ofthe ring components (i.e. component t 1 14a) ol'each ring member is mounted on one of' the carrier rails 1 '32 while 4 the other ring component (not shown) of each ring member is mounted on the other carrier rail (also not shown).

Fastening means 134, meanwhile, are also provided on the upper structure 124 in order to secure the ring binder 110 to a paper folder or the like.

The two carrier rails 1-32 are moveable (i.e. pivotable) relative to each other between a lower position and an upper position due to the action of the opening and locking mechanism 11-0 on each end of the carrier rails.

The opening mechanism 120 of the ring binder 110 shown in figures 1 to 7 is pivotally supported on each end of the upper rigid structure 124 and is in engagement with each end of the pivotable lower structure 130 in order to position fixedly the opening mechanism 120 between the upper and lower structures. The opening mechanism 120 is supported between the upper and lower structures to allow pivotal movement, but otherwise is fixedly mounted therebetween (i.e. no lateral movement etc).

The ring binder 110 has two closed positions (see figures 2 and 3) and an open position (see figure 4).

210 In order to achieve this the opening mechanism 120 on each end is provided with two distinct en,(lzi{-)cillent nicans. namely first en(yacyement means in the form of a led(-,c 1-54 lor cooperating with the Z:1 - -- underneath surface of the pivotable c,-trrier ralls 132. and second enoa0ement means also in the form of' a ledue member 156 which is C - e engageable with the upper surface of the pivotable carrier rails 132.

In particular, the ledge 154 engages the underneath of the carrier rails 132 in the closed position shown in figure 3, and further movement of the lever 120 outwardly causes the ledge 154 to push up the underneath of the carrier rails to the open position shown in figure 4. Thereafter when the opening mechanism is pulled inwardly to close the rings, the ledge 156 acts on the top of the carrier rails 132 in the open position shown in figure 4 to push down the carrier rails 132 to the closed position shown in either figure 2 or 3.

The ring binder 150 also has a locked position (see figure 2) and two unlocked positions (see figures 3 and 4). In particular, the locking mechanism 120 is in a basically "b" shaped section where the top of the "b" shaped section is provided with two curved surfaces 160 which act against the underneath of the upper structure 124. In the unlocked position of figure 3, this top surface 160 is disengaged from the underneath of the upper structure 124, however, once the locking member 120 is moved inwardly, this upper surface 160 comes into contact with the upper structure 124, preferably at the same time as the ledge 156 on the base portion comes into contact with the top of the carrier rails 132.

In particular, it will be seen from fjoure 2 that a front wall 162 of the base portion 158 of the opening mechanism is over centre by an anole a, and inwardly directed for instance towards the axis 164 of the fastening means 1 3)4 in order to give inherent resistance to unlockinj) of the opening mechanisms 120. Thus, if the paper held by the rings 114 exerts 6 even large forces tending to open the rings, the mechanisms 120 will resist this when in their locked position because such forces will tend to force the front wall 162 to move to the right in the sense viewed in figure 2, so wedging/jamming the front wall 162 of the base portion 158 between the J upper structure 124 and the carrier rails 132 and so tending to keep the mechanism 120 in their locked positions. In particular, the distance along the front wall 162 between the curved surface 160 and the bottom of ledge 156 is slightly greater than the distance between the upper structure 124 and the lower carrier rails 132 when depressed downwards, such that a locking and wedging/jamming effect is achieved.

The upper end 162a of the wall 161 is smoothly rounded so that, when the mechanism 120 is moved it does not cut or scar the underside of the base member 112.

The advantage of locking the ring binder 110 is that the binder is easy to open and the papers within the ring binder will not become dislodged from the ring members, whilst the advantage of supporting the opening mechanism externally of the lower structure and internally of the upper structure is that the ring binder can be assembled by a machine.

2) () As illustrated in the binder of figure 5. the lower structure is provided with two outwardlly extendin-(-, tabs 180 which provide support for projections 152) of' the opening, locking niechanisill 1,20. The openino mechanism 1-220 is permanently in contact with and coupled to tile lower structure 1-30, the projections 15-2 heing received on an upper surface Y 7 of the tabs 180, and ledge 154 (shown in phantom lines in figure 5) is held against a lower surface of carrier rails 132.

1 () The tabs 180 are arranged, like carrier rails 132 to be formed from material so that they will resiliently deform to allow the opening/locking member 120 to be clipped in place in a snap fit manner during assembly of the binder.

Once engaged, the opening and locking mechanism is coupled to the lower structure but also may move pivotally about an axis through projections 152 within an angular range.

Assembly of the ring binder in this way prevents the opening mechanism from slipping out of the housing during manufacturing assembly. Furthermore, as shown in figures 6 and 7, when the opening/closing member 120 is in the locked position, as the front wall 162 is wedged against the upper structure 112, the projections 152 are forced against the resilient tabs 180 which provide, firstly, a measure of resistance while locking, giving a feeling for the user that the ring binder is tightly locked, and secondly a biasing force acting to hold the over centre wall 162 in position.

If the over centre angle of' wall 162, shape of the upper structure 112 and elasticity of the tabs 180 are judiciously chosen, the opening /locking mechanism has a snap action when locking.

The invention is illustrated in figures 9a and 9b with reference to figures 8a and 8b. Figures 8a and 8b illustrate a locking rnechanism similar to that shown in fioures 1-7. One problem with such 8 a locking mechanism is that when the ring binder is opened as shown in figures 1-7, the opening and locking mechanism 120 is forced to adopt a position as shown in figure 8a in which there is only a small gap HI between the outer edge of the mechanism 120 and the level at which the binder 110 is connected to a surrounding cover (not shown) or surface on which the cover is placed. The opening/locking mechanism 120 is this difficult to operate from this position unless the opening Ll of the rings 114 is reduced to allow the mechanism 120 to incline upwardly which reduces the available opening to place papers on the ring binder.

As shown in figures 9a and 9b, in accordance with the invention, the upper structure 112 is provided with a lip 184 forming an outwardly directed recess 186. This recess allows the mechanism 120 to have a range of pivotal movement to provide a degree of play before inclined end 163 engages portion 184 of the upper structure (the portion 184 acting as a fulcrum point against which the opening/locking mechanism can purchase to force the lower pivotable structure to move downwards thus closing the rings 114). In other words, the opening/locking mechanism 120 is pivotable about the portion 184 of the upper structure to urge the lower structure to move from a first stable position (eg. the open and unlocked position) to a second stable position (eO. the closed and unlocked position), the openinp!lockin-, mechanism 120 being, disengaged from the portion 184 in an angular ranoe (ic. between the partly open C4 position shown in fig ure 9a and the full%. open position ofthe binder - see for example figure 4).

1 c 9 This range of free pivoted movement allows the gap H 1 between the mechanism and the cover (see dotted line) as the mechanism engages the upper structure, to be increased to H2, as shown in figure 9a, whilst allowing the opening L2 between the rings 114 in the hinder of figure 9b to remain the same as opening Ll between the rings 114 in the binder of figure 8h.

In the closed and locked position (see figure 6), it will he noted that the mechanism 120 is not in contact with the recessed portion 184, but rather is in contact with the unrecessed part of the upper structure.

In all other ways the binder of the invention works in the same way as the hinder shown in figures 1-7.

1 ()

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A ring hinder including a base member supporting a plurality of ring members, the base member comprising a substantially rigid upper J.

structure supporting a pivotable lower structure to which the ring members are mounted, and an opening mechanism at one or each end of the base member for opening the plurality of ring members wherein the opening mechanism is pivotable about a fulcrum formed by the upper structure to urge the lower structure from a first to a second stable position, and wherein the mechanism is disengaged from the fulcrum in an angular range. and wherein the fulcrum is at an angle relative to the rest of the upper structure.

A binder as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upper structure at said fulcrum is formed with a recessed portion.

3. A ring binder as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the lower structure acts against the upper structure at a non-recessed surface thereof at said first position.

4. A ring binder as claimed in any one of claim 1-3 further comprising lock means to lock the opening mechanism in its closed position.

-5. A binder as claimed in claim 4 k,lierein the lock means comprises a part of the Openino mechanism k,cd(-,ed and positioned at an inwardly directino angle between the upper and lower structure of the base member.

c 6_ A ring hinder as claimed in claim 5 wherem the wedged part of the openino mechanisrn has firstly an upper curved surface portion which is t - Y i 1 11 engageable with the corresponding curved upper structure and secondly an engaging member at the bottom thereof which engages the top surface of the lower structure.

A binder as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the lower structure biases said part towards the upper structure and into the locked position.

8. A binder as claimed in any one of claims 4-7 as dependent on either claims 2 or 3 wherein the lock means is not in contact with the recessed portion in the closed position.

9. A ring binder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures 5, 6, 9a or 9b of the accompanying drawings.

17 Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 2) () A ring binder including a base member supporting a plurality of ring members. the base member comprising a substantially rigid upper structure supporting a pivotable lower structure to which the ring members are mounted, and an opening mechanism at one or each end of the base member for opening tile plurality of ring members, wherein the opening mechanism is pivotable, between a position in which the opening mechanism engages the upper and lower structures and a position in which the opening mechanism disengages the upper structure, about a fulcrum formed by junction between the opening mechanism and the lower structure, to urge the lower structure from a first to a second stable position, and wherein at least part of the tipper structure engaged by the opening mechanism is angled upwardly relative to the rest of the upper structure.

A ring binder as claimed in claim 1 wherein the part of' the. upper structure which is angled upwardly relative to the rest of the upper structure is a recess.

A ring binder as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein tile opening mechanism acts against the upper structure at a nonrecessed surface thereof in said first position.

1) 3.

41 i3 4.

5.

9.

6.

7.

8.

A ring binder as claimed in any one of claims 1-3 further comprising lock means to lock the opening mechanism in its closed position.

A rina binder as claimed in claim 4 wherein the lock means comprising a part of the opening mechanism wedged and positioned at an inwardly directing angle between the upper and lower structure of the base member.

A ring binder as claimed in claim 5 wherein the wedged part of the opening mechanism has firstly an upper curved surface portion which is engageable with the corresponding curved upper structure and secondly an engaging member at the bottom thereof which engages the top surface of the lower structure A ring binder as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the lower structure biases said part towards the upper structure and into the locked position.

A ring binder as claimed in any one claims 4-7 as dependent on claim 2 wherein the lock means is not in contact with the recessed portion in the closed position.

A rin binder substantially as hereinbefore described v.,Ith 9 reference to fi-ures 9a or 91) of the accompanvino L-- 1 tn -