EP0357847A1

EP0357847A1 - A photograh album or file binder with an indefinite number of detachable sheets

Info

Publication number: EP0357847A1
Application number: EP88308216A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kuang-Wen Roan
Original assignee: Chen Hung-Ming
Priority date: 1988-09-05
Filing date: 1988-09-05
Publication date: 1990-03-14

Abstract

A plastic plate (11, 110) includes a dovetail tenon (112), a dovetail groove (111), a slant tongue (113) and a slant groove (114). The plate (11, 110) can be connected to a similar plate by a dovetail joint and a slant tongue-and-groove engagement. The slant tongue-and-groove engagement can prevent the dovetail tenon (112) from sliding out of the associated dovetail groove (111). A loose-leaf post binder (117 and 118) or an obliquely extending arm (9) is formed between the two interconnected plates.

Description

This invention relates to a photograph album or file, more particularly to a photograph album or file binder with an indefinite number of detachable sheets which can be held firmly together.
Referring to Fig. 1, a conventional file binder includes an elongated press member B which has two circular holes and an elongated slide slot. Two flexible metal strips C are respectively passed through the circular holes. Two slide blocks D are respectively and slidably received in the slide slot for the purpose of bending the strips C, thereby clamping perforated sheets between the press member B and a cover E. When the number of the sheets is too great, the sheets cannot be held firmly by the press member B. To overcome this problem, referring to Fig. 2, a conventional ring binder is shown which includes split metal rings F attached to a metal back G for holding perforated sheets thereon. However, the number of the sheets held on the metal rings F, though greater than the number held by the binder in Fig. 1, is also limited. To indefinitely increase the number of the sheets which are held together, referring to Fig. 3, the prior art reveals a binder with upper and lower rows of tubular metal elements H, I which are provided on a sheet of thick paper J. A wire K is passed through the lower row of the tubular elements I of the upper paper J and the upper row of the tubular elements H of the lower paper J so as to interconnect pivotally the papers J. When the diameter of the wire K is substantially less than the inner diameter of the tubular elements H, I and the wire K is straight, it is easy for the wire K to pass through the tubular elements H, I. It is also easy for the wires K to slide relative to the tubular elements H, I. When the wire K is curved, it is difficult for the wire K to pass through the tubular elements H, I.
The main object of this invention is therefore to provide a photograph album or file binder with an indefinite number of detachable sheets which can be held firmly together.
According to this invention, an elongated plate is made of a plastic material and has an elongated thick plate portion which has a first wide surface, a second wide surface opposite to the first wide surface, a first narrow surface, and a second narrow surface opposite to the first narrow surface. The first wide surface has a dovetail groove extending transversely from the intermediate portion thereof and terminating at the first narrow surface. The second wide surface includes a dovetail tenon projecting therefrom opposite the dovetail groove and shaped in conformity with the dovetail tenon. A slant groove is formed in the intermediate portion of an end segment of the first wide surface and has a deep end positioned near the first narrow surface, and a shallow end positioned near the second narrow surface. The second wide surface includes a slant tongue projecting therefrom opposite the slant groove and shaped in conformity with the slant groove. When the plate is connected to a similar plate by a dovetail joint, the snug engagement between the slant tongue of one of the two plates and the slant groove of the other of the two plates prevents the dovetail tenon from sliding out of the associated dovetail groove. An elongated thin plate portion is integrally and parallelly formed on the first narrow surface of the thick plate portion so that a sheet can be attached to a surface of the thin plate portion. The thin plate portion includes two longitudinally spaced first posts protruding vertically from one surface thereof for defining a channel therebetween, and a second post portruding vertically from the other surface of the thin plate portion opposite the channel and being of the same length as the first posts. The total sum of the thickness of the thin plate portion plus the height of the first and second posts is equal to the thickness of the thick plate portion. When the plate is connected to a similar plate by the dovetail joint, the second post of one of the two plates is positioned between the first posts of the other of the two plates, thereby forming a loose-leaf post binder.
Alternatively, instead of the posts, at least one plastic press arm may extend downwardly and outwardly from the bottom surface of the thin plate portion.
Other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an earlier conventional file binder;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing conventional ring binders;
Fig. 3 is a schematic view illustrating how to interconnect pivotally two loose-leaf papers in accordance with the prior art;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of three stacked plates according to this invention;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the upper surface of the plate according to this invention;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the bottom surface of the plate according to this invention;
Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII in Fig. 5;
Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in Fig. 6;
Fig. 9 is a schematic view illustrating how to form a photograph album from the plates of this invention;
Figs. 9A and 9B are perspective views showing two plates respectively attached to two covers of a photograph album;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the upper surface of another plate according to this invention;
Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the bottom surface of the plate shown in Fig. 10;
Fig. 12 is a schematic view illustrating how to form a file from the plates of the kind shown in Fig. 10;
Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing the upper surface of still another plate according to this invention;
Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing the bottom surface of the plate shown in Fig. 13; and
Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken along line XV-XV in Fig. 13.

Referring to Fig. 4, according to this invention, a laminated unit 1 consists of three plastic plates 11. Each of the plates 11 has an elongated thick plate portion and an elongated thin plate portion 115. The thick plate portion has upper and bottom wide surfaces, and left and right narrow surfaces. The upper wide surface has three transversely extending dovetail grooves 111 which terminate at the right narrow surface, and two slant grooves 114 which are respectively formed in the intermediate portions of the end segments of the thick plate portions. Each of the slant grooves 114 has a deep end near the right narrow surface, and a shallow end near the left narrow surface. Referring to Figs. 6-8, the bottom surface of the thick plate portion includes two dovetail tenons 112 positioned opposite the dovetail grooves 111 respectively, and two slant tongues 113 positioned opposite the slant grooves 114 respectively. As illustrated, the dovetail tenons 112 and the slant tongues 113 are shaped in conformity with the dovetail grooves 111 and the slant grooves 114 respectively.
When the dovetail tenons 112 of one plate 11 are engaged with the dovetail grooves 111 of another plate 11, the ends of the plates 11 are flexed to achieve the engagement between the slant tongues 113 and the slant grooves 114 which can prevent said dovetail tenons 112 from sliding out of the associated dovetail grooves 111.
In use, referring to Fig. 9, a sheet 22 can be attached to a surface of the thin plate portion 115. For example, a plastic sheet 21 can be heat pressed onto the thin plate portion 115 by the high frequency technique. When a plurality of the plates 11, each carrying a sheet, are interconnected by the dovetail joints of the dovetail grooves 111 and the dovetail tenons 112 as well as the engagement of the slant grooves 114 and the slant tongues 113, the contents 20 of a photograph album are formed. Certainly, referring to Figs. 9A and 9B, the thick plate portion of the uppermost plate 11a may have a planar upper surface S1 attached to the upper cover of the album, while the lowermost plate 11b may have a planar bottom surface S2 attached to the bottom cover of the album. In this embodiment, the thickness of the thin plate portion 115 is about one third that of the thick plate portion.
Referring to Fig. 10, to form post binders on the plate 11, three pairs of adjacent upward posts 117 may be provided vertically on the upper surface of the thin plate portion of a plate 110. Correspondingly, referring to Fig. 11, three separate downward posts 118 may be provided vertically on the bottom surface of the thin plate portion. Any two adjacent upward posts 117 define therebetween a channel opposite one of the downward posts 118 and form together a U-shaped projecting block. The upward posts 117 are of the same height as the downward posts 118. The total sum of the thickness of the thin plate portion of the plate 110 plus the height of the posts 117, 118 is equal to the thickness of the thick plate portion of the plate 110. When the dovetail tenon of a first plate 110 is inserted into the dovetail groove of a second plate 110, the downward post 118 of the first plate 110 is inserted between the upward posts 117 of the second plate 110. In this way, referring to Fig. 12, the assembled upward posts 117 and downward post 118 can be passed through the punched holes of a plurality of loose-leave papers A, thereby forming the contents of a file. The thickness of the thick plate portion of the plate 110 is substantially greater than that of the thin plate portion of the plate 110 so as to hold a great number of loose-leaf papers A on the posts 117, 118.
Referring to Figs. 13-15, instead of the posts 117, 118 of the plate 110, three plastic press arms 9 may extend downwardly and outwardly from the bottom surface of the thin plate portion. The arms 9 are integrally formed with the plate. After two plates has been connected by above-metioned dovetail joints, the free ends of the arms 9 of the upper plate can be turned upward allowing a plurality of loose-leaf papers to be inserted between the thin plate portions of the plates. If the operator lets go of the arms 9, the free ends of the arms 9 of the upper plate will automatically turn downward to press the loose-leaf papers against the thin plate portion of the lower plate.
As explained in the foregoing, the photograph album or file binder formed from the unitary plastic plates in accordance with this invention has the following advantages:

(1) Relative movement between two interconnected plates does not take place since the engagement between the slant tongue and the slant groove prevents the dovetail tenon from sliding out of the associated dovetail groove.
(2) Two plates can be interconnected firmly without the necessity of using any additional fasteners.
(3) The unitary plastic plate is inexpensive.
(4) The sheets of the photograph album or file binder can be easily taken out and put back. Accordingly, the removal, rearrangement and replacement of the sheets can be easily effected.
(5) An indefinite number of the detachable sheets can be held together by the stacked plates.

With this invention thus explained, it is apparent that numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore intended that this invention be limited only as indicated in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An elongated plate (11, 110) made of a plastic material and having an elongated thick plate portion which has a first wide surface, a second wide surface opposite the first wide surface, a first narrow surface, and a second narrow surface opposite the first narrow surface, the first wide surface having a dovetail groove (111) extending transversely from the intermediate portion thereof and terminating at the first narrow surface, the second wide surface including a dovetail tenon (112) projecting therefrom opposite the dovetail groove (111) and shaped in conformity with the dovetail tenon (112), whereby, the plate (11, 110) can be connected removably to a similar plate by a dovetail joint.

2. An elongated plate (11, 110) as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first wide surface has a slant groove (114) formed in the intermediate portion of an end segment thereof, the slant groove having a deep end positioned near the first narrow surface, and a shallow end positioned near the second narrow surface, wherein the second wide surface includes a slant tongue (113) projecting therefrom opposite the slant groove (114) and shaped in conformity with the slant groove (114), whereby when the plate (11, 110) is connected to a similar plate by the dovetail joint, the snug engagement between the slant tongue (113) of one of the two plates and the slant groove (114) of the other of the two plates prevents the dovetail tenon (112) from sliding out of the associated dovetail groove (111).

3. An elongated plate (11, 110) as claimed in Claim 1, wherein an elongated thin plate portion (115) is integrally and parallelly formed on the first narrow surface of the thick plate portion, whereby, a sheet can be attached to a surface of the thin plate portion (115).

4. An elongated plate (11, 110) as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the thin plate portion (115) includes two longitudinally spaced first posts (117) protruding vertically from one surface thereof for defining a channel therebetween, and a second post (118) protruding vertically from the other surface of the thin plate portion (115) opposite the channel, the second post (118) being of the same length as the first posts (117), the total sum of the thickness of the thin plate portion (115) plus the height of the first and second posts (117 and 118) being equal to the thickness of the thick plate portion, whereby, when the plate (11, 110) is connected to a similar plate by the dovetail joint, the second post (118) of one of the two plates is positioned between the first posts (117) of the other of the two plates, thereby forming a loose-leaf post binder.

5. An elongated plate (11, 110) as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the thin plate portion (115) includes at least one plastic press arm (9) which extend downwardly and outwardly from the bottom surface of the thin plate portion (115), whereby, when the plate (11, 110) is connected to a similar plate by the dovetail joint, the press arm (9) of the upper plate is used to press resiliently loose-leaf papers against the thin plate portion (115) of the lower plate.