CN107128102B

CN107128102B - File folder

Info

Publication number: CN107128102B
Application number: CN201710108255.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 羽田达也; 胜见泰介
Original assignee: King Jim Co Ltd
Current assignee: King Jim Co Ltd
Priority date: 2016-02-26
Filing date: 2017-02-27
Publication date: 2020-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 2037-02-27
Also published as: JP6681742B2; JP2017149107A; CN107128102A

Abstract

In a file having a front cover and a rear cover provided so as to be continuous via a spine, an object to be bound in a document is made to rotate by about 360 degrees by allowing the front cover and the rear cover to rotate by about 180 degrees in a direction of opening the document or allowing the front cover to rotate by about 360 degrees toward the rear cover when a binding is fixed on the outer side of the spine. [ solution ] binding ring insertion holes (211) and (231) extend from respective folding lines (24) for a front cover (21) and a rear cover (23) toward side ends at positions opposite to the folding lines (24) of the respective covers, so that a binding ring (30) is inserted into the binding ring insertion holes when a binding (3) is fixed to a spine (22), regardless of whether a file (1) is closed or opened. The extension length of the binding ring insertion holes (211) and (231) is set longer than the length from the inner surface of the spine (22) to the top unit of the binding ring (30).

Description

File folder

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a folder for removably binding sheets of a notebook or document.

Background

In a conventional notebook having a plurality of objects to be bound in layers bound by binding rings as ring-shaped binding members, the objects to be bound having binding holes for inserting the binding rings, if the notebook does not have a spine, the object to be bound positioned at the lowermost layer before rotation can be rotated by about 360 degrees along the inner periphery of the binding rings and can be placed on the object to be bound positioned at the uppermost layer. In the case of a folder in which a front cover and a rear cover are provided so as to be continuous via a spine and a binding is provided on the inner side of any one of the covers, a rotation range for an object to be bound falls below about 360 degrees under a constraint by the width of the spine and the binding. In the former case, observing the object to be bound or writing something in the object to be bound may be performed in a state after the object to be bound is rotated by about 360 degrees in the closed state of the notebook. In the latter case, observation or writing is performed in a state after the object to be bound is rotated by about 180 degrees. The latter case requires more space in the lateral direction of the objects to be bound than the former.

As described previously, the notebook without the spine allows the bound object to be bound in the notebook to be rotated by about 360 degrees. To ensure the function of the front cover and the rear cover that stably protect the objects to be bound from external force, the front cover and the rear cover are preferably provided so as to be continuous via the spine. CITATION LIST

Patent document

(patent document 1) Japanese patent No.5117531

(patent document 2) Japanese patent laid-open No.2003-211886

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

For example, in the binding 10 disclosed in patent document 1, respective distal ends of the half-ring-shaped half bars 20A and 30A are joined together while the half bars 20A and 30A pass through the binding holes 112 in the pages 110 as objects to be bound. This engagement forms the ring-like binding lever unit 12 of the binding sheet 110. If this configuration is applied to a folder, a cover formed of a material thicker or harder than the pages 110 may be bound on the outer side of the pages 110 in the same manner as the pages 110 are bound.

However, in order to ensure the function of the front and rear covers that stably protect the sheet 110 from external forces, the front and rear covers are preferably provided to be continuous via the ridge. If the object to be bound is bound on the inside of this cover, the binding is also positioned on the inside of this cover. If the binding is such that the binding ring is arranged on the base, the range of movement on the inner circumference of the binding ring for the object to be bound extends from one end unit of the binding ring to the other end unit, i.e. one connection point between the base and the binding ring, to the other connection point. The range of motion does not follow a circular orbit, and the objects to be bound cannot rotate by about 360 degrees on the inner side of the folder (for example, see patent document 2).

During the course of an operation of closing a folder that has bound objects to be bound and is open, if the spine faces downward, the objects to be bound can slide downward into the gap between the outer periphery of the binder and the inner surface of the cover. If the closing operation is continued even in this state, the objects to be bound in the space can be pushed against the inner surface of the cover without moving upward along the inner periphery of the ring (the binding ring includes the movable-side binding member 18 and the fixed-side binding member 19). Due to the forces from the cover and the inner surface of the ring, the object to be bound may twist and bend near its binding hole, the binding hole may be enlarged, or the edge of the binding hole may be torn (so-called "tearing around the hole"). To prevent this, a slip-proof plate member (so-called "paper holder" or "protector") that is harder than the objects to be bound may be bound between the front cover and the rear cover, and the objects to be bound are bound in the same manner as the objects to be bound.

In the case of a configuration in which the front cover and the rear cover are provided so as to be continuous via the spine, the base of the binding provided with the binding ring is positioned on the outer side of the cover, and each of the front cover and the rear cover has a binding ring insertion hole for inserting the binding ring, and a folding line or a hinge as a boundary portion between each of the front cover and the rear cover and the spine serves as a rotation axis for the front cover or the rear cover. When the rotation axis is positioned on the inner periphery of the binding ring, at the time of rotating each of the front cover and the rear cover about the rotation axis on the inner side of the folder by about 360 degrees, if the spine is wide, the positional relationship between the spine and the binding is different between when the front cover is rotated and when the rear cover is rotated. To solve the difference in the positioning relationship, it is necessary to change the position of the binding member with respect to the spine according to the track of the binding hole in either cover member to be rotated. That is, in the case of the above-described configuration, the binding cannot be fixed to the spine.

At the time of being carried around the file, the binding piece moves relative to the file in accordance with the movement of the file unless the binding piece is fixed to the spine while the binding rings are inserted into the binding holes of the cover and the object to be bound. By this movement, the binding ring can be repeatedly brought into contact with and separated from the outer peripheral edge of the binding hole to cause enlargement of the binding hole. To ensure an initial function of the file that protects the objects to be bound from an external force, the binding piece is preferably fixed to the spine so that the binding piece does not move relative to the file.

Further, if the binding is not fixed to the spine, the binding is arranged in a state in which the binding ring insertion hole in the cover and the binding hole in the object to be bound are generally movable on the inner periphery of the binding ring, i.e., a state in which the binding is bound with the object to be bound while the cover is generally rotatable with respect to the cover. For example, in the case of a folder having a binding disclosed in patent document 1, when opening the folder, it is uncertain in which the engagement place is positioned while the latch unit 22 of the first binding lever is engaged with the latch unit 32 of the second binding lever, and the engagement place is not usually positioned at an appropriate position. If the place of engagement is not present at the proper position when the user performs the operation of releasing the engagement between the latch unit 22 of the first binding lever and the latch unit 32 of the second binding lever, the user is forced to bear the burden of performing the releasing operation on the place of engagement at the improper position or to rotate the binding to move the place of engagement to a position suitable for the releasing operation.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a file including a binding member provided with a ring-like binding member, which can protect an object to be bound from an external force and can rotate the object to be bound by about 360 degrees while binding the object to be bound.

Technical scheme

A file according to the invention comprising a binding, which comprises a first base unit provided with a first binding half ring and a second base unit rotatably connected to the first base unit and provided with a second binding half ring, which is formed as a binding ring that can be closed by rotation, such that the distal end of the first binding half ring is brought into contact with the distal end of the second binding half ring and removably binds the objects to be bound having the binding holes for insertion of the binding rings, wherein the document holder has a front cover and a rear cover arranged to be continuous via the spine, the first base unit being disposed on an outer surface of the spine when the document holder is closed, each of the front cover and the rear cover having a binding ring insertion hole for insertion of a binding ring, each of the binding rings and a corresponding one of the binding ring insertion holes being formed as: the front cover, the spine, and the rear cover do not contact each other in the process of reaching a position where the respective outer surfaces of the front cover and the rear cover contact each other after passing through a position where the front cover, the spine, and the rear cover are located in the same plane, starting from the file when the file is closed.

Each of the binding rings and a corresponding one of the binding ring insertion holes are formed so as not to contact each other when this folder is closed.

Each of the binding rings and a corresponding one of the binding ring insertion holes may be formed to contact each other when the folder is closed.

With the above configuration, although the first base unit of the binder is fixed to the spine, the staple ring insertion holes in the front and rear covers do not contact the staple rings at the time of rotating the covers around the spine having the rotation axis. The front cover and the rear cover may rotate simultaneously along different tracks relative to the spine.

The binding ring insertion hole extends from a side end corresponding to a side in contact with the spine portions of the front and rear covers toward an opposite side end, and has a length longer than a distance from a surface in contact with the spine portion of the first base unit to the top unit of the binding ring.

That is, assuming that the position of contact with the folding line or the hinge as the boundary portion between the front and rear covers and the spine is the starting point of the staple ring insertion hole, when the folder is closed, the end point is positioned farther than the top unit of the staple ring in the folder. The diameter of an imaginary circle drawn through the staple ring insertion hole when the front and rear covers are rotated around the boundary portions between the front and rear covers and the spine is much larger than the diameter of a ring formed by the staple ring. In other words, the ring fits completely in an imaginary circle drawn through the binding ring insertion hole.

The first base unit is positioned over substantially the entire length in a one-side direction of a cover of the folder, and the second base unit includes a plurality of second base units provided for the first base unit so as to be spaced apart from each other.

Additionally, the plurality of second base units rotate relative to the first base unit in the absence of a connection between the plurality of second base units.

In the above-described binding member, as long as the binding rings are formed near the upper and lower ends of the binding member, the objects to be bound, such as filled sheets, can be bound without the binding rings near the middle. Since the work of passing a large number of binding half rings through the sheet binding holes and bringing all the distal end units into engagement/contact accurately without misalignment is troublesome, the number of binding half rings is preferably as small as possible to facilitate the work of binding or removing the objects to be bound by or from the binding piece.

If the number of the binding rings is too small, the object to be bound, such as the sheets of paper bound in the binding, is repeatedly rotated, so that the force from the binding rings is intensively applied to the binding holes into which the binding rings are inserted. This may cause the binding hole to be enlarged or the edge of the binding hole to be torn.

For this reason, in the binding, the second base unit is preferably arranged near both ends in order to ensure strength balance without making attachment and detachment of the objects to be bound troublesome. The second base units preferably each have two or more second binding half rings to maintain the number of closed rings to prevent hole enlargement or so-called tearing around the hole.

Additionally, since the plurality of second base units are rotated without connection between the plurality of second base units, it is possible to perform the separate work of joining a small number of binding half rings at the timing of bringing the distal end units of the binding half rings into engagement/contact. The troublesome work of accurately joining a large number of binding half rings can be avoided.

Each of the first base unit and the second base unit has a joining bookbinding half ring and a contact bookbinding half ring that are different in distal end shape, and the joining bookbinding half rings of the first base unit and the second base unit are formed such that respective distal ends of the joining bookbinding half rings are joined to each other, and one bookbinding ring is formed by joining between the distal ends such that the distal end of the contact bookbinding half ring of the first base unit is in contact with the distal end of the contact bookbinding half ring of the second base unit to form another bookbinding ring.

The length of the binding ring formed by contacting the binding half rings is longer than the length of the binding ring formed by engaging the binding half rings.

With the above configuration, when the second base unit is rotated relative to the first base unit such that the distal ends of the joining bookbinding half rings of the first base unit and the second base unit move in the direction in which they approach each other, the distal ends of the contact bookbinding half rings of the first base unit and the second base unit approach each other in association with the rotation. During the process of operation, the distal ends of the contacting binding half rings contact each other before the distal ends of the engaging binding half rings reach the engaging position. Continued movement in the same direction twists the contact binding half rings. The distal ends of the engaging binding half rings are engaged against torsional forces.

The invention has the advantages of

According to the present invention, in a folder having a front cover and a rear cover provided continuously via a spine, the front cover and the rear cover can be simultaneously rotated with respect to the spine when a binding is fixed on the outer side of the spine. For example, assuming that each cover is located at an angle of 0 degrees when the folder is closed, by rotating the front and rear covers in a direction of opening the folder by about 180 degrees from a position located at an angle of 0 degrees or rotating the front cover by about 360 degrees toward the rear cover, the object to be bound in the folder can be rotated by about 360 degrees so that the outer peripheral surfaces of the two covers are in contact with each other.

In the file folder according to the present invention, if the operation of closing the file folder is performed in a state in which the front cover, the spine, and the rear cover are substantially on a plane, the outer periphery of the binder ring normally continues to be positioned on the outer sides of the front cover and the rear cover after the operation. Since no gap is formed between the outer periphery of the binding and the inner surface of the cover, even if the spine does not slide downward facing the object to be bound. That is, the inner surfaces of the front cover and the rear cover ensure the function of the antiskid panel without providing the antiskid panel. For this reason, the force from the inner surface of the cover and the ring does not cause the object to be bound to twist and bend in the vicinity of the binding hole, the binding hole to be enlarged, or the edge of the binding hole to be torn.

This is possible because each binding ring and each binding ring insertion hole are formed so as not to contact each other during the operation of opening the closed file, i.e., from when one cover starts to rotate to when the cover reaches a position at 360 degrees. In addition to the above configuration, if each binder ring and each binder ring insertion hole are formed to contact each other only when one cover is located at a position of 0 degrees or close to 0 degrees, most of the opening and closing operations of the folder can be smoothly performed. When the cover is located at 0 degrees or a position close to 0 degrees, the file can be prevented from being undesirably opened due to a frictional force generated by contact between each binder ring and each binder ring insertion hole.

Additionally, since the binding is fixed to the spine, the location of engagement between each pair of engaging binding half-rings and the location of contact between each pair of contacting binding half-rings continue to exist at a determined location relative to the file. If the user sets the position of the place of engagement and the position of the place of contact at the design stage to the position suitable for the releasing operation, the user of the file is not forced to bear the burden of performing the releasing operation on the place of engagement or the burden of rotating the binding to move the place of engagement to the position suitable for the releasing operation at the improper position.

In a state in which the distal end of the contact binding half ring of the first base unit is in contact with the distal end of the contact binding half ring of the second base unit, when the distal end of the engagement binding half ring of the first base unit is engaged with the distal end of the engagement binding half ring of the second base unit to form the corresponding binding ring, the length of the binding ring formed by the contact binding half ring is longer than the length of the binding ring formed by the engagement binding half ring, and this contact binding half ring is generally curved. The restoring force of the contact binding half rings continues as a force in a direction to separate the distal ends of the engagement binding half rings via the first base unit and the second base unit to reinforce the state of engagement between the distal ends of the engagement binding half rings.

When the distal ends of the engaging binding half rings are disengaged, the half rings of the second base unit are urged by a restoring force to operate to move away from the half rings of the first base unit. At the time of taking out the binding piece of the object to be bound, the operation of rotating the second base unit with respect to the first base unit by the user's finger may be omitted.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a folder according to the present invention is closed.

Fig. 2 is a front view showing a state in which a folder according to the present invention is opened.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line a-a in fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view showing a state in which a binder ring is provided at a cover of a conventional folder.

Fig. 5 is a view showing a state in which a binding ring is provided at a cover of a file according to the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a view showing a conventional folder in which objects to be bound are bound.

Fig. 7 is a view showing a file folder according to the present invention in which objects to be bound are bound.

Fig. 8 is a front view of a binding used in the file according to the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B showing engagement/contact between the binding half rings and release of the engagement/contact.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged front view showing engagement/contact between the binding half rings and release of the engagement/contact.

Fig. 11 is a view showing a relationship between the binding ring insertion hole and the binding ring.

Fig. 12 is a conceptual view illustrating a process of fixing the binding 3 and the cover body 2.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in the present specification, unless otherwise specifically specified, the term "outside" and the term "inside" denote the outside and inside of a folder in a state in which the folder is closed so as to surround objects to be bound; and the term "upper" and the term "lower" as viewed from above and below in fig. 1.

In the folder 1 shown in fig. 1, the cover body 2 includes a front cover 21, a spine 22, and a rear cover 23 that are provided in series via a folding line 24. The binding 3 is provided on the outer surface of the spine 22. The binding piece 3 is provided with a binding ring 30 which is inserted into a binding hole 41 provided in the object 4 to be bound to bind the object 4 to be bound. A binding ring insertion hole 211 for inserting the binding ring 30 is provided in the front cover 21 and the rear cover 23, respectively with a binding ring insertion hole 231 (not shown in fig. 1). It should be noted that, as long as the front cover and the rear cover are provided so as to be continuous via the ridge, it is not necessary to form the front cover, the rear cover, and the ridge by providing the folding line 24 at the integrally formed cover body 2. The front cover, the rear cover, and the spine as the panel may be connected together via a hinge (not shown).

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the rotation shaft 321 provided at the second base unit 32 is pivotably supported so as to be rotated by the rotation support 311 provided at the first base unit 31. The first base unit 31 is attached on the outer side of the spine 22, which fixes the binding 3 to the spine 22. When the second base unit 32 is rotated relative to the first base unit 31 such that the distal end of the first binding half ring 33 arranged to protrude at the first base unit 31 is in contact with the distal end of the second binding half ring 34 arranged to protrude at the second base unit 32 rotatably connected to the first base unit 31, the ring halves form the binding ring 30. If the half rings are inserted into the binding holes 41 in this state, the objects 4 to be bound are bound in the folder.

If the binding 3 and its binding ring 30 passing outside the file 1 are provided at the file 1 having the front cover 21, the spine 22, and the rear cover 23 arranged in series, as shown in fig. 4, the distance from the center of the spine 22 to the binding

ring insertion hole

210 or 230 is different between when the file 1 is closed (fig. 4(a)) and when the file 1 is opened (fig. 4 (b)). Unless the area of the binding ring insertion hole 210 in the front cover 21 into which the binding ring 30 is inserted and the area of the binding ring insertion hole 230 in the rear cover 23 into which the binding ring 30 is inserted are both sufficiently larger than the cross-sectional area of the binding ring 30, the position of the spine 22 relative to the binding ring 30 needs to be changed according to the state of the file 1. That is, with the above configuration, the binding cannot be fixed to the spine.

The rotation axes for the front cover 21 and the rear cover 23 correspond to the folding line 24 as a boundary portion having the ridge 22. If the fold lines 24 are at a distance from each other, the rotation axis for the front cover 21 is different from the rotation axis for the rear cover 23. The shortest distance between the binder ring insertion hole 210 and the binder ring insertion hole 230 is shorter when the folder 1 is closed (fig. 4(a)) than when the folder 1 is opened. If the binder ring 30 is circular, the straight line connecting the binder ring insertion hole 210 and the binder ring insertion hole 230 forms a chord of a circular arc. In the former case, the cover needs to be positioned at a position where the chord of the circular arc is short. In the latter case, the cover needs to be positioned at a position where the chord of the circular arc is long. That is, if the positions of the binder ring insertion hole 210 and the binder ring insertion hole 230 are set such that the spine 22 is positioned to pass near the center of the binder ring 30 when the folder 1 is opened, the spine 22 moves away from near the center of the binder ring 30 by the operation of closing the folder 1.

However, the binding 3 is preferably fixed to the spine 22 for the file 1 such that the binding 3 does not move relative to the file, as described earlier. In order to allow the folder 1 to be opened and closed even if the binding member 3 is fixed to the spine 22, the present invention provides a binding ring insertion hole that can solve the above-described problem.

Fig. 5 is a view showing a state where the cover in the folder shown in fig. 3 is rotated without the objects 4 to be bound. As shown in fig. 5, the binding ring insertion holes 211 and 231 extend from the respective folding lines 24 for the front and rear covers 21 and 23 toward side ends at positions opposite to the folding lines 24 of the respective covers, so that the binding ring 30 is inserted into the binding hole insertion holes while the binding 3 is fixed to the spine 22, regardless of whether the folder 1 is closed (fig. 5(a)) or opened (fig. 5 (b)). The extended length of the binder ring insertion holes 211 and 231 is set to be long to such an extent that the top unit of the binder ring 30 does not abut against the side end at the position opposite to the folding line 24 of the corresponding cover when the folder 1 is closed.

With the above configuration, the binder ring 30 is not in contact with the inner peripheries of the binder ring insertion holes 211 and 231 from when the folder 1 starts to be opened to when the front cover 21, the spine 22, and the rear cover 23 reach positions lying in the same plane. Even if the shortest distance between the region of the binder ring insertion hole 211 in the front cover 21 into which the binder ring 30 is inserted and the region of the binder ring insertion hole 231 in the rear cover 23 into which the binder ring 30 is inserted is different when the folder 1 is closed (fig. 5(a)) and when the folder 1 is open (fig. 5(b)), the binder ring 30 can be relatively moved in the binder ring insertion hole 211 and the binder ring insertion hole 231. Further, assuming that each cover is at an angle of 0 degrees when the folder is closed, the covers can be rotated to a position where their outer peripheral surfaces contact each other by rotating the front cover 21 and the rear cover 23 from a position at an angle of 0 degrees in a direction of opening the folder by about 180 degrees or in a direction of rotating the front cover 21 toward the rear cover 23 by about 360 degrees.

Further, when the folder 1 is completely closed (fig. 5(d)), that is, in a state in which the inner surface of the front cover 21 and the inner surface of the rear cover 23 abut against each other (if the objects 4 to be bound are stored, the two abut via the objects 4 to be bound), the outer peripheral surface of the binding ring 30 and the outer peripheral surfaces of the binding ring insertion holes 211 and 231 may be formed to abut against each other. If the binder ring 30 and the binder ring insertion holes 211 and 231 are formed in the above-described manner, when the folder 1 is completely closed, a frictional force is generated between the outer peripheral surface of the binder ring 30 and the outer peripheral deformed surfaces of the binder ring insertion holes 211 and 231. This allows preventing the open folder 1 from being opened regardless of the user's intention. Although not shown, the binder ring 30 and the binder ring insertion holes 211 and 231 may be formed to be engaged together when the folder 1 is completely closed.

In the conventional file 19 shown in fig. 6(a), when the file 19 is opened, a gap is formed between each of the front cover 219 and the rear cover 239 and the staple ring 399. If the spine portion 229 faces downward (in a direction toward the center of the earth), the object 4 to be bound can slide downward toward the spine portion 229 due to this gap. If the folder 19 is closed in this state, the object 4 to be bound may be twisted and bent near its binding hole 41, which may be enlarged, or the edge of which may be torn due to the force from the front and

rear covers

219 and 239 and the binding ring 399. To prevent this, a concept of providing an anti-slip sheet member 49 between each of the front cover 219 and the rear cover 239 and the object 4 to be bound is known, as shown in fig. 6 (b).

The anti-slip sheet member 49 is formed of, for example, a sheet member made of resin harder than the objects 4 to be bound formed of paper and is bound on the outer sides of all the objects 4 to be bound in the same manner as the binding of the objects 4 to be bound. The opening of the folder causes the end side on the binding hole 41 side of the non-slip sheet member 49 to abut against the binding ring 399 and the opposite end side to abut against the inner surfaces of the front cover 219 and the rear cover 239. Having rigidity, each of the antiskid plate members 49 maintains its planar state between both end sides and covers a gap between the front cover 219 or the rear cover 239 and the staple ring 399. This anti-slip sheet member 49 serves to prevent the object 4 to be bound from sliding downward toward the spine 229 due to the presence of this gap. In contrast, in the file 1 according to the present invention shown in fig. 7, the outer periphery of the binding ring 30 passes through the outer sides of the front cover 21 and the rear cover 23, and a gap into which the object 4 with the bound band is slid downward is not formed between each of the front cover 21 and the rear cover 23 and the binding ring 30. The anti-slip plate member 49 need not be provided.

Fig. 9 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in a state in which the distal ends of the binding half rings of the binding 3 shown in fig. 8 are engaged/contacted with each other and in a state in which the distal ends of the binding half rings are disengaged/contacted with each other. Fig. 10 shows on an enlarged scale the positions where the four upper pair of binding half rings are arranged to protrude and the positions in the vicinity. As shown in fig. 8 to 10, the binding 3 has the first base unit 31 at which the first binding half ring 33 is provided, and the rotating shaft 321 of the second base unit 32 is rotatably coupled to the rotating support 311 of the first base unit 31. A second binding half ring 34 is provided at the second base unit 32, which second binding half ring 34 is formed such that a closed binding ring 30 can be formed by rotating the second binding half ring 34 such that the distal end of the first binding half ring 33 is in contact with the distal end of the second binding half ring 34. A projection 35 to be entered (to be described later) is further provided.

When the binding 3 is attached to the folder, the first base unit 31 has a sufficient length positioned over substantially the entire length in one side direction of the folder. The area with the first binding half-ring 33 may be arranged over the entire length of the first base unit 31, but this may not be the case. For example, the intermittent regions may be arranged on the first base unit 31 or the respective regions may be arranged near both ends of the first base unit 31.

The second base unit 32 is arranged in a region corresponding to the region having the first binding half ring 33, i.e., in a position in which the distal end of the second binding half ring 34 can be in contact with the distal end of the first binding half ring 33.

If a plurality of second base units 32 are provided, the second base units 32 need not be formed such that the movement of one second base unit 32 is correlated with the movement of another second base unit 32. At the time of performing the work of simultaneously engaging/contacting the distal ends of a large number of binding half rings arranged over a wide range, if the engagement/contact of each pair is not accurately performed, a plurality of incomplete binding rings are formed. Conversely, the independent work of engaging/contacting a small number (narrow range) of binding half-rings ensures engagement/contact of each pair. For this reason, the second base units 32 are preferably not associated with each other in motion.

The first base unit 31 has a coupling half ring 331, and the second base unit 32 has a coupling half ring 341 formed such that a distal end thereof is engageable with a distal end of the coupling half ring 331. When the two engaging half-

rings

331 and 341 are engaged together, the binding ring 30 is formed. Additionally, the first base unit 31 may have a contact half ring 332, and the second base unit 32 may have a contact half ring 342, when engaged between the distal end of the engagement half ring 331 and the distal end of the engagement half ring 341, the distal end of the contact half ring 342 is in contact with the distal end of the contact half ring 332 to form the binding ring 30.

If the lower tongue portion at the distal end of the engaging half ring 331 provided on the upper side in fig. 10(a) is engaged with the upper tongue portion provided at the distal end of the engaging half ring 341 and the upper tongue portion at the distal end of the engaging half ring 331 provided on the lower side is engaged with the lower tongue portion provided at the distal end of the engaging half ring 341, as shown in fig. 10(a), the upper engaging half ring 331 and the lower engaging half ring 331 may be twisted downward and upward, respectively, to release the engagement of the tongue portions. That is, the upper and lower joint half rings 31 at the first base unit 31 may be simultaneously clamped and twisted.

In the case where there are the contact half ring 332 and the contact half ring 342, if the length of the binding ring 30 formed by the contact half ring 332 and the contact half ring 342 is longer than the length of the binding ring 30 formed by the junction half ring 331 and the junction half ring 341, the contact half ring 332 and the contact half ring 342 are distorted while the junction half ring 331 and the junction half ring 341 are joined. Only by simultaneously clamping the upper and lower engaging half rings 331 at the first base unit 31, all the binding half rings at the first base unit 31 are not engaged/contacted due to restoring forces of the contact half ring 332 and the contact half ring 342, as shown in fig. 10 (b).

Since the binding is as described above, as shown in fig. 11, the width of the binding ring insertion holes 211 and 231 may be set small so that the engagement half ring 331 abuts against the inner periphery of the binding ring insertion hole 231 by attempting to vertically twist the engagement half ring 331 at the first base unit 31 to the extent of releasing the engagement between the engagement half ring 331 and the engagement half ring 341, thereby preventing the engagement between the engagement half ring 331 and the engagement half ring 341 from being released when the folder is closed. The binding ring insertion holes 211 and 231 may be provided with a function of preventing the engagement from being released.

As shown in fig. 12, when the to-be-entered protrusion 35 provided to protrude at the first base unit 31 is inserted into the entry hole 25 provided in the spine 22, the binding 3 and the cover body 2 are fixed together. In the projection 35 to be entered, the distal end unit has a top unit in a substantially hemispherical shape and a bottom unit having a flat surface, and the proximal end (where the first base unit 31 is connected) has a substantially cylindrical shape. If the inlet aperture 25 is circular, the length corresponding to the diameter of the distal unit is slightly longer than the diameter of the inlet aperture 25. If the proximal unit has a circular cylindrical shape, the proximal unit is formed such that the diameter is almost the same as the diameter of the inlet hole 25. When the protrusion to be entered 35 is inserted into the entry hole 25, the entry hole 25 is temporarily twisted to pass over the distal end unit of the protrusion to be entered 35 and reach the proximal end unit of the protrusion to be entered 35. Since the diameter of the projection 35 to be entered is substantially the same as the diameter of the inlet hole 25, and the bottom unit of the distal end unit of the projection 35 to be entered has a substantially flat surface, the binding 3 and the cover body 2 are firmly fixed. It should be noted that although the terminal unit of the projection 35 to be entered is described as having a circular cylindrical shape and the inlet hole 25 is described as having a circular shape, the present invention is not limited to these shapes. For example, the proximal unit of the protrusion 35 to be entered may have the shape of a rectangular column, and the entrance aperture 25 may have a rectangular shape having substantially the same area as the cross-sectional area of the rectangular column.

List of reference numerals

1 File folder

2 covering element body

21 front cover

210 binding ring insertion hole

211 binding ring insertion hole

219 front cover for traditional folder

22 ridge

229 spine part of traditional file

23 rear cover

230 binding ring insertion hole

231 binding ring insertion hole

239 front cover of traditional folder

24 fold line

25 inlet hole

3 binding element

30 binding ring

31 first base unit

311 rotation support

32 second base unit

Rotating shaft 321

33 first binding half ring

331 joint binding semi-ring

332 contact binding semi-ring

34 second binding half ring

341 joint binding semi-ring

342 contact binding semi-ring

35 to-be-entered projection

39 binding member of conventional file

399 binding ring of traditional binding

4 objects to be bound

41 binding hole

49 anti-skid plate

Claims

1. A file comprising a binding comprising a first base unit provided with a first binding half ring and a second base unit rotatably connected to the first base unit and provided with a second binding half ring formed to be rotatable to form a binding ring closed with the first binding half ring such that a distal end of the first binding half ring is in contact with a distal end of the second binding half ring and to removably bind an object to be bound having a binding hole for insertion of the binding ring,

wherein the file has a front cover and a rear cover arranged to be continuous via a spine,

the first base unit being disposed on an outer surface of the spine when the file folder is closed,

each of the front cover and the rear cover has a binding ring insertion hole for insertion of the binding ring, and

each of the binding rings and a corresponding one of the binding ring insertion holes are formed as: the front cover, the spine, and the rear cover do not contact each other in the process of reaching a position where the respective outer surfaces of the front cover and the rear cover contact each other after passing through a position where the front cover, the spine, and the rear cover are located in the same plane from the folder in the closed state being opened.

2. The file of claim 1, wherein each of the binding rings and a corresponding one of the binding ring insertion holes are formed so as not to contact each other when the file is closed.

3. The file of claim 1, wherein each of the binding rings and a corresponding one of the binding ring insertion holes are formed to contact each other when the file is closed.

4. The file according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the binding ring insertion hole extends from a side end corresponding to one side of the front cover and the rear cover in contact with the spine toward an opposite side end, and a length of the binding ring insertion hole in the direction of the extension is longer than a distance from a surface of the first base unit in contact with the spine to a top unit of the binding ring.

5. The file folder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first base unit has a length along substantially the entire length of the spine in the extending direction of the boundary portions between the front and rear covers and the spine, and a plurality of the second base units are provided in a spaced manner from the first base unit.

6. The file of claim 5, wherein the plurality of second base units rotate relative to the first base unit in the absence of a connection between the plurality of second base units.

7. The file folder of claim 1 or 2 wherein each of the first base unit and the second base unit has a joining binding half ring and a contacting binding half ring that differ in distal end shape, and

the joining binding half-ring of the first base unit and the joining binding half-ring of the second base unit are formed such that the respective distal ends of the joining binding half-rings are joined to each other, and one binding ring is formed by the joining between the distal ends such that the distal end of the contacting binding half-ring of the first base unit is brought into contact with the distal end of the contacting binding half-ring of the second base unit to form another binding ring.

8. The file of claim 7, wherein the binder ring formed by the contacting binder half rings has a perimeter that is longer than a perimeter of the binder ring formed by the engaging binder half rings.