CA2449315A1 - Binder with three spring posts - Google Patents

Abstract

A binder for filing loose leaf pages perforated with three holes. The binder has three posts made of flexible, hollow metal springs. A fastener locks the pages on the spring posts. On the inner cover opposite the spring posts there are three rigid posts on a common shaft.
During page insertion and removal, each rigid post is inserted into the opposite spring post. This creates an arch. Pages are moved along the arch, so the order of the pages is maintained.

Description

,CA 02449315 2003-11-20 BINDER WITH THREE SPRING POSTS
This invention relates in general to binders, files and folders for filing loose leaf pages perforated with holes, and in particular to binders with three spring posts.
There are many types of binders, files and folders available on the market for filing loose leaf pages that are perforated with holes. The available binders can be divided into two main types:
larger and heavier binders, vs. smaller and lighter binders.
The first type consists of binders that are larger and heavier. They are intended to store a relatively large number of pages ( up to a few hundred pages ). They typically have rigid and/or thick covers. The rings or posts holding the pages are heavy duty and axe designed to be opened and closed many times. They are also designed to keep the order of the filed pages while pages are inserted into or taken out of the binder. The rings are operated either by a lever mechanism or directly by hand.
The second type consists of smaller and lighter binders. They are intended to store a relatively small number of pages ( a few tens of pages, usually up to 100 pages ). They usually have thin and/or flexible covers. If they have rings, the rings are smaller and are made of thinner material than those in the larger, heavier binders. Often they have posts that are thin strips or wires made of metal or flexible plastic. If the posts axe thin metallic strips, they are not durable, and cannot be opened and closed many times. The plastic posts are more durable, but they will also wear out if they are opened and closed many times.

,CA 02449315 2003-11-20 It is also difficult to keep the pages in the right order while pages are inserted into or taken out of the binder. The user usually has to take pages out of the binder during these activities, and then thread the pages back on the posts in the right order. This is both inconvenient and time consuming. So the lighter binders are not designed for repeated insertions and removals of pages.
This division of available binders into two types, large and heavy binders vs.
small and light binders, is somewhat rigid. There are binders available which fall somewhere between these two types. One such binder is the small three ring binder. The main shortcoming of this binder is the price. The ring mechanism, although lighter than that in the heavier binders, is still expensive.
Therefore a user who wishes to use a small, light, and inexpensive binder, usually has to settle for a binder of the second type described above. It will have posts that are not durable, and it will not allow for keeping the pages in order while inserting pages into or taking pages out of the binder. If the user wishes to insert pages into and remove pages from the binder repeatedly, or to have a binder that is durable, this binder is unsatisfactory. The user will be forced to use a small three ring binder, and pay for its expensive ring mechanism.
So the problem that has to be solved is to provide a binder that is small, light and inexpensive, having a ring or post mechanism which is durable, and which allows repeated insertions and removals of pages, while keeping the filed pages in the right order.
Prior art US patents include USP l,l 12,637 ( Merrily 1914 ), USP 1,138,872 ( Hub, 1915 ), USP

1,665,705 ( Kline, 1928 ), USP D136,016 ( Pollock, 1943 ), USP D136,017 ( Pollock, 1943 ), USP 2,329,786 ( Ringler, 1943 ), USP 4,135,832 ( Saltz, 1979 ), USP 4,192,620 ( Jahn, 1980 ), USP D292,295 ( Wan, 1987 ), USP 6,129,475 ( De Beer, 2000 ), USP 6,168,337 ( Adams, 2001).
In countries where loose leaf pages are perforated with two holes, a binder is available which is light, small, and has two flexible posts that are made out of hollow springs.
On the second inner cover, opposite the springs, this binder has two rigid metal posts, which are inserted into the springs during insertion and removal of pages, so pages are kept in the right order. This binder solves the problem stated above. It is small, light and inexpensive. Because the posts are made out of flexible springs, they do not wear out and can withstand many page insertions and removals.
Because in North America loose leaf pages are perforated with three holes, this binder is unsuitable. It has to be modified, so that it has three spring posts instead of two. US patents D473,589 ( Mandel, 2003 ), D475,403 ( Mandel, 2003 ), and Canada industrial design 94,538 (Mande1,2002) are designs for such a modified binder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is a binder with three flexible, hollow spring posts. It is based on the binder available outside North America, which has two spring posts. A rigid fastener holds the pages in place on the spring posts. The inner cover opposite the springs has three rigid posts which are inserted into the springs during insertion and removal of pages. This keeps the pages in order.
This invention solves the problem stated in the prior art section above. The binder is small, light and inexpensive. The spring posts are less expensive than a ring mechanism.
The flexible spring posts can withstand repeated insertions and removals of pages, without bending or breaking. The rigid posts on the inner cover opposite the springs help keep the pages in order during insertion and removal of pages. The binder is simple, and is easy to manufacture.
The main differences between this binder and the binder that is already available outside North America are as follow:
1. This binder has three spring posts instead of two.
2. This binder has three rigid posts on the inner cover opposite the springs, instead of two.
3. This binder has three holes in the fastener instead of two.
So it is a modification of the binder for loose leaf pages perforated with three holes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the binder, with the fastener in a locked position.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the binder, with the fastener in an unlocked position.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the binder, with a T shaped fastener in a locked position.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the binder, with a T shaped fastener in an unlocked position.

~CA 02449315 2003-11-20 Reference numerals in Fig. 2:
1 - The binder.
2 - One of the three spring posts.
3 - A thin, flat, rigid plate, usually metallic, holding the three spring posts onto the binder.
4 - 'The fastener. A thin, flat, rigid plate, usually metallic, locking the loose leaf perforated pages onto the spring posts.
- Rectangular hole in the fastener, one of three such holes, one for each spring post.
6 - A thin strip holding the spring post in place when the fastener is locked on the spring posts.
There are three such strips.
7 - The spine.
8 - One of three rigid posts, all connected to a common shaft in an approximate W shape, where the shaft is the flat base, and the rigid posts are the three perpendicular arms, all shown in bold lines. The role of the rigid posts is to maintain the order of the pages during page insertion and removal. This is done by inserting each rigid post (8) into a spring post (2).
9 - A thin, flat, rigid plate, usually metallic, holding the shaft and the three rigid posts onto the binder.
- Strip holding the shaft onto the rigid plate (9). There are two or more strips.The strips (10) are curved, so they form holes or channels. The shaft passes through these holes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a binder for filing loose leaf pages perforated with three holes. The binder has three flexible posts made of hollow springs. The pages are threaded on the three spring posts. A
fastener locks the pages on the spring posts. The inner cover opposite the springs has three rigid posts which are inserted into the springs during insertion and removal of pages. This keeps the pages in order.
Fig. 1 shows the binder with the fastener in a locked position. Fig. 2 shows the binder with the fastener in an unlocked position. Fig. 3 shows the binder with a T shaped fastener in a locked position, and Fig.. 4 shows it in an unlocked position.
For the following description, refer to Fig. 2.
1 in Fig. 2 is the binder. The body of the binder is made of a board stock, usually thicker than bristol board stock. Plastic material is also suitable for this binder.
2 in Fig. 2 is the spring post. There are three spring posts in this binder.
The perforated loose leaf pages are threaded on these spring posts. Springs are used for the posts because they are flexible, so they bend without losing shape or breaking. They can withstand many insertions and removals of pages, and they can be used to lock and unlock the fastener repeatedly. In the preferred embodiment, the posts are hollow, flexible metal springs.
3 in Fig. 2 is a thin, flat, rigid plate, usually metallic, which holds the three spring posts onto the binder. The plate has three holes for the spring posts. The spring post is held in place in the hole by a washer, or by a widening in the diameter of the spring. The plate is attached to the binder by two or more pins ( not shown ).
4 in Fig. 2 is the fastener. It is a thin, flat, rigid plate, usually metallic, which locks the pages on the spring posts. If the fastener is metallic, care should be taken to make the edges and corners smooth, to prevent the fastener from causing cuts to users' fingers.
in Fig. 2 is a rectangular hole, one of three such holes, one hole for each spring post. The narrow sides of the hole are shown as straight lines, but they can be round.
6 in Fig. 2 is a thin strip holding the spring post in place when the fastener is locked on the spring posts. There are three such strips. They are usually made by stamping the fastener, in which case there will be a rectangular hole underneath each strip ( not shown ).

7 in Fig. 2 is the spine. Here the spine has one fold, but thicker binders can have two spine folds, or a rounded spine.

8 in Fig. 2 is a rigid post, one of three rigid posts connected to a common shaft, all shown in bold lines, forming a "W" shape, with the common shaft being the flat base, and the three rigid posts being the perpendicular arms. These rigid posts are used during page insertions and removals to maintain page order. Each rigid post ( 8 ) is inserted into a spring post ( 2 ). This is possible because the spring posts are hollow, and the rigid posts fit into the hollow springs. This creates three arches. The pages are moved along these arches during page insertion and removal, so the order of the pages is maintained.

9 in Fig. 2 is a thin, flat, rigid plate, usually metallic, which holds the three rigid posts and their common shaft ( 8 in Fig. 2 ) onto the binder. The plate is attached to the binder with two or more pins ( not shown ).
in Fig. 2 is a strip holding the shaft onto the rigid plate (9). There are two or more strips. The strips (10) are curved, so they form holes or channels. The shaft passes through these holes and can turn in them, so the rigid posts (8) can turn at an angle of 180 degrees.
The strips (10) are usually made by stamping the rigid plate (9), in which case there will be a rectangular hole underneath each strip ( not shown ).
The common shaft connecting the three rigid posts may have a protrusion toward the rigid plate (9) that is holding it down. This is intended to keep the rigid pasts ( 8 ) lying parallel to the binder at all times, except when they are lifted by the user to be used during page insertion and removal.
Parts that are metallic, such as springs, fastener, plates and pins, are either galvanized or electro-plated to resist corrosion.

This binder is small, lightweight, durable; simple and inexpensive. It has a small number of simple, low cost parts that are easily manufactured and assembled.
Many modifications and variations are possible in this binder. The following are some examples.
The preferred embodiment of this binder has flexible, hollow spring posts, but the posts can be made from flexible, hollow pipes instead of springs. These pipes can be made of plastic.
The preferred embodiment of this binder has spring posts, where the springs are made of metal.
The springs can also be made of plastic. Alternatively, they can be made of metal and coated to make them more corrosion resistant.
The preferred embodiment of this binder has rigid posts (8) on the inner cover opposite the spring posts. The binder can be made without these. In this case, the flexible posts do not have to be hollow. They can be made from any flexible material, such as flexible plastic. They can also be made from springs that are not hollow.
In the preferred embodiment, the posts on the inner cover opposite the spring posts are rigid. This is most useful because rigid posts can be easily inserted into the spring posts. But these posts do not necessarily have to be rigid. It is possible to use flexible posts, provided they have a sufficiently small diameter so that they can be inserted into the spring posts.

The fastener ( 4 ) and the two plates ( 3 and 9 ) can be made from plastic instead of metal.
The fastener can be made in many shapes, not just the straight shape and T
shape shown in the drawings. For example, it can be made in a W shape, with a flat base and three arms perpendicular to the base.
The rigid plates ( 3 and 9 ) do not have to be straight. For example, the binder with two spring posts which is available outside North America, sometimes has a plate ( 3 ) which is S shaped.
Partitions can be added to the binder to separate different projects or subjects.
Although this binder is light and small, the spring mechanism can also be used in a larger, heavier binder. The advantage is the lower cost of the spring mechanism compared to a ring mechanism.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and some possible variations has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.

Claims (12)

1. A device for storing and filing sheets of the kind available in North America, that are perforated with three holes, comprising a cover, three posts made of springs, and a fastener.

2. ( Canceled )

3. ( Canceled )

4. The device in claim 1, wherein said springs are made of metal.

5. The device in claim 1, wherein said springs are made of plastic.

6. ( Canceled )

7. ( Canceled )

8. ( Canceled )

9. ( Canceled )

10. A device for storing and filing sheets of the kind available in North America, that are perforated with three holes, comprising a cover, three posts made of hollow springs, a fastener, and three substantially rigid posts attached to a common shaft at substantially right angles, forming an approximate W shape where said shaft is the flat base and said rigid posts are the perpendicular anus, said shaft is hingedly attached to the side of the cover opposite the springs, whereby each of said rigid posts is inserted into one of said hollow springs during insertion and removal of sheets, whereby filed sheets are maintained in the right order.

11. The device in claim 10, wherein said springs are made of metal.

12. The device in claim 10, wherein said springs are made of plastic.