GB2330113A

GB2330113A - Ring binder with collapsible C-shaped plastic rings

Info

Publication number: GB2330113A
Application number: GB9821941A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew John Carpenter
Original assignee: CHART DESIGN Ltd
Current assignee: CHART DESIGN Ltd
Priority date: 1997-10-09
Filing date: 1998-10-09
Publication date: 1999-04-14
Also published as: GB9721331D0; GB9821941D0

Abstract

The plastic rings are held by a plastic securing bar 10 in two orientations: either perpendicular to the bar for normal use or flat for storage. The rings have opposed trunnions 28,30 of square cross-section which releasably engage with the journal surfaces 20,22 of the bar, allowing the rings to be held stably in each orientation. The rings are resilient enabling detachment for insertion of sheets.

Description

RING BINDER This invention relates to ring binders such as are commonly used for holding together loose pages, document wallets, indexing cards etc. between protective front and back covers.

A ring binder of known construction comprises an elongate securing bar which is attached (e.g. riveted) to an inner surface of an ordinary flat spine of the binder or to an inner surface of the back cover adjacent to the spine; the bar extends in a direction parallel to the length of the spine. Two or more page-holding rings are secured by the bar, the rings being held to stand in planes lying transversely of (generally perpendicular to) the bar. Documents can be secured in the binder by feeding the rings through holes in the margins of the documents, the rings commonly being in two separable parts to create a split for insertion of the documents. The rings can be of any suitable circular or non-circular form. Very commonly, the securing bar and rings are both constructed of metal.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved design of ring binder.

According to the present invention there is provided a ring binder comprising at least two page-holding rings and ring-securing means which is secured to an inner surface of the binder, the arrangement being such that the rings can be retained by the securing means in each of two orientations in a first of which they are held to stand stably in planes lying transversely of the surface for normal use of the binder and in the second of which they lie in planes adjacent to the surface to permit the binder to be collapsed when not in use.

Preferably each ring can be rotated between its two orientations without requiring detachment from the securing means.

Each ring may be in one piece and be detachable from the securing means for the purposes of feeding the ring through holes in papers to be secured, the ring thereafter being reintroduced into engagement with the securing means.

The rings may be of any suitable loop or part-loop form which can retain papers securely.

In a preferred construction the rings present opposed free-end portions forming trunnions which enable the rings to be held by the securing means in a manner permitting them to be rotated between their first and second orientations. Most preferably one or both of the trunnions of each ring is of a non-circular cross-section (e.g. substantially square) which provides for there to be some resistance to rotation of the ring away from its first orientation, the ring thereby being retained by the securing means to stand stably when in its first orientation.

The securing means may comprise a bar having flat co-planar undersurfaces enabling it to stand stably on a flat inner surface of the binder. The bar may have opposite end portions formed with openings extending transversely of the bar to provide journals for the aforementioned trunnions of the rings. Preferably, the journals and trunnions have surfaces which co-operate to provide resistance to rotation of the trunnions and thereby hold the rings stably in their first and second orientations.

The securing means and/or the rings may be moulded of a suitable plastics material.

There now follows a description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a ring binder which illustrates the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings Figure I is a view in perspective of a securing bar; Figure 2 is a view in transverse section through an end portion of the bar, indicated by line II-II of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a view in perspective of a page-holding ring.

A ring binder (not shown) comprises in a conventional manner stiff protective front and back covers joined by a spine.

Ring-securing means of the binder comprises an injection-moulded plastics bar 10 (Figures 1 and 2) which has flat co-planar undersurfaces 12 enabling it to stand stably on a flat inner surface of the binder, provided either by the spine or by one of the front and back covers (most usually the back cover) adjacent to the spine. The bar 10 is secured to the surface by means of rivets passed through holes 14 in similar opposite end portions 16,18 of the bar. The bar is secured to extend in parallel with the spine.

Each end portion of the bar forms two similar openings 20,22 which are aligned transversely of the bar and face outwardly from opposite sides of the bar. Each opening extends (considered in the direction longitudinally of the bar) between flat and parallel end surfaces 24,26.

The openings 20,22 in the end portions of the securing bar form journals for the reception of trunnions 28,30 of two page holding rings (Figure 3), the rings so being secured for rotation about an axis A (see also Figure 1). The rings are C-shaped, the trunnions 28,30 being formed by opposing axially-aligned free end portions of the ring. The cross-sectional form of the trunnions is square with rounded corners, the length of side of the square being only slightly less than the distance between the end surfaces 24,26 of the securing bar openings 20,22.

The rings are injection moulded of a suitable plastics material, the mouldings being sufficiently resilient and flexible to allow the trunnions to be pulled further apart for the purposes of inserting the trunnions into (or removing them from) the openings 20,22 in the securing bar.

Each ring, held by the securing bar, can assume either of two orientations. These are indicated in broken line in Figure 1 in conjunction with the far end portion 16 of the bar. In one orientation 32 the ring stands in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the bar, and so to the spine of the binder with which the bar is parallel and to the surface to which the securing bar is attached. This orientation is for normal page-holding use of the binder. In its other orientation 34 the ring lies in a plane at right angles to the first plane, parallel with and adjacent to the surface to which the securing bar is attached, so permitting the binder to be collapsed (flattened) when not in use. The non-circular (square) cross-sections of the trunnions 28,30, fitting closely between the parallel end surfaces 24,26 of the openings in the bar, provide for resistance to rotation of the trunnions and accordingly for the rings to be held stably in both of their first and second orientations, though it is possible with effort to rotate the rings between the two orientations.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A ring binder comprising at least two page-holding rings and ring-securing means which is secured to an inner surface of the binder, the arrangement being such that the rings can be retained by the securing means in each of two orientations in a first of which they are held to stand stably in planes lying transversely of the surface for normal use of the binder and in the second of which they lie in planes adjacent to the surface to permit the binder to be collapsed when not in use.
2. A ring binder according to claim 1 wherein each ring is rotatable between its two orientations without detachment from the securing means.
3. A ring binder according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each ring is in one piece and is detachable from the securing means for feeding the ring though holes in papers to be secured, the ring being reintroduced into engagement with the securing means after having been fed though the holes in the papers.
4. A ring binder according to claim 2, or claim 3 as dependent from claim 2, wherein the rings each present opposed free-end portions forming trunnions by which the rings are held by the securing means in a manner permitting them to be rotated between their first and second orientations.
5. A ring binder according to claim 4 wherein at least one of the trunnions is of a non-circular cross-section which provides for there to be some resistance to rotation of the ring away form its first orientation, the ring thereby being retained by the securing means to stand stably when in its first orientation.
6. A ring binder according to claim 5 wherein the or each trunnion is of substantially square cross-section.
7. A ring binder according to any preceding claim wherein the securing means comprises a bar having flat co-planar undersurfaces enabling it to stand stably on a flat inner surface of the binder.
8. A ring binder according to claim 7 as dependent from any of claims 4 to 6 wherein the bar has opposite end portions formed with openings extending transversely of the bar to provide journals for the trunnions of the rings.
9. A ring binder according to claim 7 as dependent from claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the bar has opposite end portions formed with openings extending transversely of the bar and providing journals for the trunnions of the rings, the journals and trunnions having surfaces which co-operate to provide resistance to rotation of the trunnions and thereby hold the rings stably in their first and second orientations.
10. A ring binder according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the bar is secured to the inner surface by rivets passed through holes in the end portions.
11. A ring binder according to any preceding claim wherein the securing means is moulded of a plastics material.
12. A ring binder according to any preceding claim wherein the rings are moulded of a plastics material.
13. A ring binder according to claim 12 as dependent from any of claims 4 to 6 or 8 to 10 wherein the rings are C-shaped and are sufficiently resilient and flexible to allow the trunnions to be pulled apart for engagement with, and separation from, the securing means.
14. A ring binder substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.